If there were an official guidebook for evil lairs, Hydra had not only read it but underlined the important parts and added helpful annotations like "Make sure everything smells vaguely of damp socks and despair."
The hallways were dimly lit because, obviously, evil scientists hated good lighting. The walls were gray, made of some kind of soul-crushing concrete, and the whole place carried the distinct ambiance of We do bad things here. Trespassers will be vaporized.
Which, naturally, was why Harry and his team were crashing the party.
"Alright, keep moving," Steve commanded over the comms, his voice all business in that Captain America way that made everyone instinctively straighten up—even those who weren't in the room with him.
The plan was simple.
Step One: Find Erik Einhardt, the Hydra scientist-slash-evil wizard responsible for their latest ridiculous doomsday project.
Step Two: Swipe any data that Hydra would rather keep hidden.
Step Three: Blow some stuff up (but tastefully).
Step Four: Escape before Hydra threw their usual tantrum and unleashed their entire goon army.
"Right, right. Minimal destruction," Harry muttered, adjusting his grip on his wand. "We'll see how long that lasts."
J.A.R.V.I.S., ever the supportive yet deeply judgmental AI, chimed in. "Based on your track record, sir, I estimate that 'minimal destruction' will last approximately… thirty-seven seconds."
"Okay, rude."
"My calculations are rarely incorrect."
"He's got you there, kid," Tony added, amusement clear in his voice from his position outside the base. "Also, fun fact—Hydra's redundant security system? Already tripped it. So, congrats! You're on a timer."
Clint groaned. "We tripped the alarm? I thought Nat disabled it!"
"I did disable it," Natasha said, voice perfectly calm. "Hydra had a backup system. Unlike some people."
"Are you insulting me?"
"I am always insulting you."
"She has a point," Bucky muttered, smirking as he adjusted his pistol.
"Alright, focus," Steve sighed, sounding painfully like a kindergarten teacher trying to keep his class from eating glue. "Harry, lead the way."
Harry grinned and flicked his wrist. A golden arc of magic shot down the hall, hitting the two Hydra guards before they even knew what was happening. They crumpled like cheap folding chairs.
Rhodey let out an impressed whistle. "Damn, Potter. That was clean."
"Yeah, well, I was trained by the best." Harry shot a smirk at Sirius.
Sirius winked. "I am amazing."
"Quit showboating," Moody grumbled. His mad eye swiveled, scanning the hallway like it owed him money. "Where's this bloody Einhardt?"
"Two levels down, central lab," Peggy cut in, her voice cool and precise as ever. "According to J.A.R.V.I.S., he's working on an alchemical energy source. Hydra's been throwing a lot of resources at it."
"Hydra and unethical science experiments," James muttered. "A tale as old as time."
Erica, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly tensed. "Something's wrong about this place," she murmured, her emerald eyes flickering with energy.
Harry glanced at her. "Yeah? More wrong than usual?"
"There's something dark here," she said, voice low. "Something old."
Morrigan, keeping to the shadows, spoke for the first time. "She's right. This isn't just some mad scientist project. Einhardt's been dabbling in something very dangerous."
"Great. Evil wizard doing evil wizard things," Alexei grunted. "Why is it never just simple bad guys with guns?"
"Because that would be boring," Harry said cheerfully.
Sirius grinned. "And because we have awful luck."
"Less talking, more moving," Steve ordered, pushing forward.
They swept through the corridors with ruthless efficiency. Natasha ghosted ahead, dropping guards before they could blink. Clint provided cover fire, while Bucky dismantled anyone dumb enough to get in his way. Harry? Well, Harry had his own style—
"Potter, stop playing with them!" Steve groaned, watching as Harry transfigured a Hydra soldier's rifle into a bouquet of daisies.
Harry feigned innocence. "Would you rather I just kill them, Cap?"
Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just—just get to the lab!"
Finally, they reached a massive reinforced door lined with glowing runes. Hydra wasn't messing around.
Moody squinted at the symbols. "This ain't just magic, Potter. This is old."
"Yeah, yeah," Harry waved him off. "I got this."
Steve eyed him warily. "Do not explode the door."
Harry sighed dramatically. "Wow. No faith in me at all."
"None," Peggy deadpanned.
"Not even a little," Natasha added.
"Yeah, I got nothing either," Clint said.
"Shocking," Harry muttered, then raised his wand. "Alright, kids, time for a little trick I like to call Ancient Runic Bypass—"
The moment he touched the runes, the entire hallway shook.
"Uh, guys?" Rhodey said. "I think he just activated something big."
A mechanical voice blared from the speakers. "Intruders detected. Security lockdown initiated."
And then a deep, chilling laugh echoed through the base.
"Oh, that's bad," Erica murmured.
Bucky grimaced. "Oh, that's worse."
A voice crackled through the intercom, silk-smooth and oozing arrogance.
"Ah, it seems I have visitors. How delightful. Mr. Potter, I must admit—I was not expecting you. But fate does love its little ironies."
Harry's eyes darkened. "Einhardt."
"Ah, so you do know me." Einhardt sounded far too pleased. "Tell me, Potter, have you ever truly understood power? Or are you still just playing at being a hero?"
Harry tilted his head. "Huh. Y'know, it's funny. Every power-hungry megalomaniac thinks they're the first one to ask me that."
Einhardt chuckled. "We shall see soon enough. But I do hope you survive. I'd love to study you."
"Yeah, hard pass," Harry said flatly.
The runes on the door flared. The alarms screeched. The walls shook.
"Well," Sirius drawled. "That's probably not good."
"Potter," Steve gritted out, bracing himself, "Get us through that door. Now."
Harry cracked his knuckles, eyes lighting up with magic. "Stand back, folks. Time for some real fireworks."
The air hummed. Magic gathered.
And then all hell broke loose.
—
The moment Harry's magic surged, the reinforced door—allegedly "unbreakable"—exploded like cheap glassware in a microwave. Runes shattered, sending arcs of raw magic crackling through the air. The power flickered, alarms screamed, and for a brief moment, the entire Hydra base plunged into darkness.
Then, as if on cue, the emergency red lights sputtered on, casting everything in an ominous, blood-red glow.
"Oh, now it looks like a proper Hydra base," Tony muttered through the comms. "Just missing the dramatic Nazi chanting and some guy with a skull for a head."
"I mean, we can always paint some faces red," Sirius offered.
Steve turned to give Sirius a look so stern it could've been used as a disciplinary measure in the U.S. Army.
Before anyone could get another snarky remark in, the massive doors groaned open. Inside was exactly what one would expect from a secret evil science lab—ominous-looking machines, rows of glowing vials labeled Definitely Not A Superweapon, and a raised platform where a middle-aged man in a far-too-expensive coat stood, flanked by heavily armed Hydra goons.
Harry immediately recognized him from the mission brief. Erik Einhardt. Hydra alchemist. War criminal. Probably spent way too much time practicing his villain speeches in the mirror.
Einhardt clasped his hands behind his back, his eyes glowing faintly green. "I must admit, I did not expect you to break through the runes so quickly."
Harry cracked his knuckles, his magic still thrumming in the air. "Yeah, well, I have a very aggressive approach to problem-solving."
Einhardt smirked. "Tell me, Potter—do you truly understand the potential you hold? Or are you simply content to be the tool of your so-called allies?"
Harry tilted his head. "We doing the whole 'join me, and together we shall rule the galaxy' thing? Because I promise I will laugh."
Einhardt chuckled. "No. I am simply offering perspective." He gestured to the glowing machinery behind him. "You fascinate me, Mr. Potter. A man of two worlds—magic and science. But I have unlocked something greater."
The air shifted.
Everything suddenly felt wrong—like reality itself was holding its breath. Symbols carved into the walls pulsed with unnatural light. The energy radiating from them was unmistakable.
Harry swore under his breath. "Oh, bollocks."
James' eyes narrowed. "He's tapped into something foul."
Moody let out a sharp breath, his magical eye whirring. "This isn't just alchemy or dark magic—he's merged the two."
Einhardt's smirk widened. "Ah, so you understand. Good. Then you will truly appreciate what happens next."
He raised one hand.
The vials along the walls shattered, spilling thick, viscous black energy onto the floor. It slithered like a living thing, seeping into the fallen Hydra soldiers.
A heartbeat of silence.
Then—sickening cracks. Limbs twitching.
And the dead rose.
Sirius grimaced. "Necromancy. Bloody fantastic."
Clint groaned. "Why is it always zombies?"
"Because we have awful luck," Harry quipped, raising his wand.
The reanimated Hydra soldiers moved fast—too fast. They lunged, eyes glowing, bodies jerking unnaturally.
Harry reacted instantly.
His claws snikt out, Vibranium gleaming under the emergency lights. With a single fluid motion, he ripped through the first wave of undead, slicing through them like they were made of wet paper.
Bucky's Vibranium arm whirred as he fired off precise headshots. Natasha danced through the chaos, knives flashing.
And Sirius? He'd gone full Animagus—a massive black dog tearing through undead throats with the kind of enthusiasm that would get him permanently banned from every dog park.
The room was a whirlwind of magic, bullets, and undead carnage.
And Einhardt? He just watched, smiling like a man who knew the best part of the movie was coming up.
Harry caught his eye, magic crackling at his fingertips. "What's your deal, Evil Posh Guy? You just gonna stand there and monologue, or are you actually gonna fight?"
Einhardt chuckled. "Oh, Mr. Potter. I have already won."
And then—
The floor shattered.
Dark tendrils erupted from the ground, wrapping around Harry's limbs, yanking him toward the abyss. He snarled, magic flaring as he burned away the tendrils—but not before a massive surge of energy slammed into him, sending him flying across the room.
He crashed into the wall, Vibranium skeleton absorbing the kinetic energy. His core swelled with stored power.
Harry grinned.
"Oh, mate," he said, rolling his shoulders, energy humming beneath his skin. "You just messed up."
He raised his hand—
—And unleashed hell.
A golden blast of kinetic and magical energy exploded outward, incinerating the undead, obliterating machinery, and sending Einhardt flying into the far wall.
For the first time, the smug look vanished from Einhardt's face.
Harry cracked his neck, flexing his claws. "Yeah, see, the problem with punching me is that I punch back harder."
Einhardt snarled, pushing himself up, eyes blazing with magic. "You think this is over?"
Harry twirled his wand. "Oh, I know it is."
Then he vanished—
—and reappeared right in front of Einhardt, claws raised, magic crackling.
The last thing the Hydra scientist saw was Harry's wicked grin.
And then—
Darkness.
—
The alarms were still blaring. The fight was over.
Harry stepped back, breathing heavily, as Einhardt's unconscious (but very much alive) body crumpled to the floor.
J.A.R.V.I.S. chimed in. "Sir, I believe congratulations are in order. You managed to contain the destruction to approximately fifty-eight percent of the base."
Harry winced. "Steve is gonna kill me."
"Yeah," Bucky agreed, patting him on the back. "But hey—worth it."
Steve stormed in, taking in the absolute wreckage.
"Potter," he said, voice tight. "What did I say about minimal destruction?"
Harry gave him his most innocent look.
"…Define 'minimal'?"
Steve sighed. Deeply.
Tony, still on comms, was cackling. "Oh, man. This was worth the mission. Cap's having a stroke."
Rhodey let out a long-suffering sigh. "Just get to the extraction point before he decides to throw you off a helicarrier."
Harry grinned, flicking his wand to levitate Einhardt's unconscious form.
"Right. Mission accomplished."
He turned to the others.
"Let's go home."
—
The air hummed with tension, crackling like a live wire just waiting for someone to touch it. The portal shimmered before them, bright and inviting, promising safety and a warm cup of something strong to drink—just the kind of relief they needed after a mission that could only be described as "slightly more hazardous than usual."
Harry, who was carrying Einhardt in an effortless float, rolled his eyes as he squinted into the distance. "You know, I was actually really looking forward to some quiet time," he grumbled, his voice low, but still dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe find a corner and have a little 'me time.' Instead, we get this." He gestured vaguely with his wand, as though the universe was personally affronting him.
Bucky, who was watching the horizon like it was a bad reality show, sighed deeply. "Oh, I know the feeling. Just when you think you can call it a night... Magneto decides to show up and ruin everything."
And sure enough, just as the words left his mouth, the ground trembled beneath their boots. The earth seemed to groan under some heavy weight, and the wind picked up, tangling their hair like they'd all just stuck their heads out of a moving car.
And then, as if drawn by the tension, the air shifted. They were not alone anymore. A shadow loomed in front of them, one that was so imposing it could've been carved out of stone itself.
Magneto.
He wasn't in the mood for small talk. No, he was here to make a point.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," Magneto called out in that smooth, gravely voice, his cape flaring out dramatically as he landed, causing the metal around them to groan in protest. "But I've come to collect what's mine."
Sabretooth followed behind him, cracking his knuckles like a man ready to punch the sun, and Mastermind, ever the schemer, was grinning like this was the most fun he'd had in days.
Tony, who had been eyeing the sky for incoming trouble, straightened up and couldn't help but quip, "Oh look, it's the family reunion I never wanted to attend. Must've missed the invite. You should've called. I would've sent a card."
Steve, ever the Captain, was already assessing the situation. His shield was at the ready, but he knew they were in a tight spot. "What do you want, Magneto?" he asked, his voice as steady as ever.
Magneto's eyes—those glowing red eyes—narrowed, and the look on his face wasn't so much a glare as it was a promise. "I want him," he said, his hand flicking towards Einhardt's limp form, suspended in midair like a discarded doll. "My uncle."
"Uncle?" Harry raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Really? You've got an uncle who—oh, I don't know—decided to join Hydra?" He practically choked on the words. "Oh, sorry. Did I say uncle? I meant 'guy who should've known better.' Family drama, right?"
Magneto's expression darkened. "You have no idea what Hydra did to my family," he said, voice thick with anger. "My mother—Einhardt's sister—was murdered by their experiments. They tore apart everything that was mine. And he... He betrayed us. Joined them." His fists clenched, and the metal around them shuddered, as though it too were feeling the weight of his emotions.
Harry took a deep breath, adopting a look of mock sympathy. "Listen, man, I get it. Family issues suck. But let's be real. You're not getting him. We've got bigger plans for this guy. Namely, a cozy Black Site somewhere nice and secure, where he won't be doing any more... shady science experiments."
Magneto's lips twisted into something between a sneer and a smile. "You think you can stop me?" he asked, voice dripping with disdain. "You, a boy with magic tricks. A fool."
"I've been called worse," Harry shrugged, unbothered, as if he wasn't currently surrounded by the literal embodiment of metal. "But I can assure you, Uncle Maggy, you don't want to test me. I'll make your little show-and-tell look like a kindergarten art class."
Bucky snorted at that, earning him a glare from Steve, who was trying to maintain some semblance of professionalism in a very unprofessional moment. "You really like poking the hornet's nest, don't you?" Bucky muttered, clearly not enjoying the situation.
"Hey," Harry said, holding up a hand. "Somebody's got to keep the morale up around here, right?"
As if on cue, the air around them shifted again, and Harry felt the magnetic pull intensify, bending metal and warping space itself. He quickly raised his wand, but Magneto's powers were already whirling around them—twisting everything, pulling iron from their own suits. JARVIS's voice crackled in Harry's ear, sounding frustrated. "Sir, your armor's systems are... compromised. I cannot engage in this environment."
"Oh, thanks, JARVIS," Harry said dryly, rolling his eyes. "I was so sure that the Iron Man suit would save the day. My bad for thinking we could fight an entire magnetic storm with nothing but high-tech fashion."
Mastermind let out a low chuckle from behind Magneto, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he no doubt set up some mental trickery. "You think your little portal will save you?" he sneered. "You're surrounded, Potter."
Sabretooth bared his teeth, clearly itching for a fight. "This is gonna be fun," he growled, his claws extending menacingly. "No magic or gadgets can save you now."
Harry, despite the overwhelming odds, still couldn't resist one more snarky comment. "Fun? You guys call this fun? I mean, you're like the worst Avengers knock-off. Really. What's next? A Magne-Show?"
And just as things were about to get way worse—just as Magneto lifted his hand and made a move to rip apart everything they stood on—
"Boom."
The sound of engines came thundering through the sky, interrupting the building storm of chaos. There was no mistaking it: the reinforcements had arrived. The unmistakable roar of jets cut through the air like thunder, and suddenly the tension broke like a dam, all eyes turning toward the source.
Steve's lips quirked into a half-smile. "Now that's an entrance," he muttered under his breath, but his eyes never left Magneto.
Magneto, for his part, faltered for just a second, his gaze snapping toward the incoming sound. What now? The last thing he'd expected was backup, and if there was anything that Magneto didn't like, it was unexpected surprises.
Harry, on the other hand, flashed a grin that could only be described as ferocious. "And here I was thinking we might have to do all the heavy lifting ourselves. But no, looks like the cavalry's here, just in time for the show."
—
The air was alive with tension. Magneto stood at the center of it all, like a storm cloud ready to explode, his fingers twitching, his lips curling into a grin that made everyone on the ground a little bit nervous.
"Okay, this is gonna be good," Harry muttered under his breath, cracking his knuckles. "Watch and learn, folks. Magneto's about to have a very bad day."
And then, with all the subtlety of a toddler throwing a tantrum, Magneto flicked his wrist. The ground shuddered. The air hummed with energy. The metal around them—a mix of scrap, wreckage, and, of course, SHIELD's high-tech gear—twisted, groaned, and rushed towards the sky.
Harry didn't even flinch. He just stood there, grinning like a man who knew something no one else did.
"Uh-oh," Bucky said, looking up at the sky. "This feels like it's gonna be a 'watch me fail miserably' moment."
Harry shot him a glance, shrugging as if to say, yep, exactly that.
"Magneto thinks he can just drag down our jets?" Harry snorted. "He's about to be very disappointed."
Magneto's eyes blazed with an intensity that could probably melt a few continents. He raised his arms like some kind of dark emperor, his gaze locked onto the incoming jets. Lily Potter and Melinda May were flying them—because, naturally, Harry's mom and their best agent had to be the ones in the cockpit during all of this chaos. But as the planes neared the battlefield, Magneto snapped his fingers, calling the power of his magnetic field to seize them.
And then… nothing happened.
Bucky grinned like he'd just won a poker hand. "Guess what, big guy? Those planes? Not made out of your average tin can. They're made out of vibranium."
Magneto's eyes narrowed like he'd just stepped on a LEGO. He tried again, pouring more power into the attempt. The jets just kept on flying, smooth as butter.
"Yeah," Bucky continued, thoroughly enjoying the show, "You might wanna check with SHIELD before you try pulling something like that. They've got it covered."
Magneto was not impressed. "You think you've won?" he snapped, his voice a whip-crack of fury. "You cannot escape what is coming."
Steve Rogers, who had been standing stoically nearby, hefted his vibranium shield with the practiced ease of someone who'd been doing this his whole life. "I'm pretty sure we already did, Erik," he said, his voice calm, like he was giving a lecture on history. "And you're about to get a lesson in what happens when you mess with SHIELD."
Peggy Carter, standing beside him, didn't even bat an eyelash. "If you think you're getting past us, you'd better be prepared for a very long day, Erik."
Magneto snarled. His power flared as he launched an attack, but Steve and Peggy didn't even blink. Their shields slammed into the magnetic force, creating a high-pitched screech that could probably be heard across several countries.
"You really think that's gonna work?" Steve asked, his voice light with just a touch of sarcasm.
Meanwhile, Harry wasn't paying attention to the Magneto mess. He was too busy facing off against the ever-lovely Sabretooth, who was grinning like he'd just been told Harry was a snack and not a threat.
"Well, aren't you just a ray of sunshine?" Harry quipped, adjusting his stance as Sabretooth lunged toward him. The mutant's claws gleamed as they flashed through the air like blades from a nightmare.
Sabretooth snorted, clearly annoyed. "I'm gonna rip you apart, kid."
Harry, however, was in no mood for the cliché bad guy speeches. He flashed his own vibranium claws, twirling them casually before smirking. "You really think that's gonna work? Let me guess, 'you don't know who I am'—is that it?"
The two clashed in a flurry of metal and muscle. Harry's claws collided with Sabretooth's in a symphony of sound, like two wild animals colliding in mid-air. Harry's healing factor kicked in, every cut and scratch disappearing before Sabretooth could even register it.
The mutant roared in frustration as Harry darted around him with lightning speed, slashing and dodging, a blur of red and gold.
Meanwhile, Sirius Black and James Potter were dealing with Mastermind, who had tried—unsuccessfully, mind you—to mess with their minds. He was giving it his best shot, but thanks to years of Occlumency training, Sirius and James were immune to his illusions. Mastermind was throwing his mental tricks at them like they were water balloons, and it just wasn't sticking.
"You really should've stuck with actual magic, Erik," Sirius said, ducking a particularly wild illusion that looked like it was trying to turn the world upside down. "This is honestly too easy."
James, meanwhile, was busy grinning like he was about to get a free drink. "Yeah, Mastermind," he taunted. "You've got to get better than that."
Mastermind snarled, trying to adjust his illusions, but nothing was working. He was getting more and more frustrated, while Sirius and James were clearly enjoying themselves. To them, this was like a game of whack-a-mole—except the moles were ridiculously powerful mutants.
But through it all, Harry didn't take his eyes off Sabretooth. He was faster, stronger, and had a healing factor that was going to give the big guy nightmares. With one final flourish, Harry spun around and drove his claws into Sabretooth's side, knocking him to the ground with a satisfying thud.
"Yeah, I'm definitely winning this one," Harry muttered under his breath, giving Sabretooth one last look. "Maybe next time you'll be more of a challenge."
The team was quickly gathering around the jet. They had a job to do—get Einhardt out of there, pronto. As the others finished clearing the area, Moody barked orders. "Move it! We're not out of the woods yet!"
The team quickly loaded the unconscious Einhardt into the jet, which had already begun to lift off. The engines roared to life, cutting through the battlefield noise like a hot knife through butter.
"That's it, then," Harry said with a grin, as the team lifted into the air. "We're outta here. And next time, someone remind me to bring a bigger snack. I feel like I could've eaten Sabretooth for dinner."
As the jet sped off, Harry leaned back in his seat, watching the battlefield fade into the distance.
"Well, that was fun. Let's never do that again," he said, smiling at Bucky, who was nodding in agreement. "Seriously, though, next time I'm calling shotgun."
"Next time?" Bucky repeated with a chuckle. "Kid, we're gonna need more than one jet for that."
And that, right there, was just another day in the life of Harry Potter—flying away from a battle he had won, leaving a trail of chaos and banter behind him.
—
Down on the ground, the aftermath of their failed mission was nothing short of a disaster—if by "disaster," you mean a group of supervillains who were now arguing like a family on a road trip that had just hit every pothole along the way. And really, if it weren't so miserable, it'd be kind of funny.
Magneto stood there, fuming. If you've ever seen a storm cloud that's about to tear apart the sky just because someone looked at it wrong, then you know exactly how his face looked right now. The air around him crackled with the kind of energy that made you want to step back and pretend you hadn't accidentally insulted his mother or his helmet. His fists were clenched so tight, it was a wonder he didn't start bending metal just out of sheer frustration.
"How—how dare they?" Magneto muttered under his breath, eyes flashing with rage. His voice was thick with the kind of anger you only hear from a person who's really been wronged—like someone stole his favorite rare comic book, and it wasn't even a good one to begin with, but he was still offended. "Vibranium. Of course. Why wouldn't they have vibranium? The one thing my powers can't even—"
Sabretooth, who was standing next to him and trying not to look too interested in the giant flying metal birds overhead, snorted. "Yeah, vibranium, real big problem there, Chief. But uh, real question is… what the heck is vibranium, anyway? Some kind of shiny metal? You know, for someone who calls themselves 'Magneto,' you sure get thrown off by the shiny stuff."
Magneto's glare could've melted steel. "I'm well aware of what it is, Creed," he spat, voice dripping with venom. "It's the one thing I can't manipulate. It repels magnetism." He threw his hands up in the air dramatically, like he was auditioning for the role of 'Man Who Will Break Anything in His Path,' even if it was just his own dignity. "How did they get their hands on it? And why does everything seem to have it these days?! First the jets, now—why?"
Sabretooth crossed his arms, not looking nearly as upset as Magneto, but still with the kind of smug grin you'd see on someone who just heard a terrible joke but decided to laugh anyway. "Maybe the rich guys are just really into shiny things. You know, like their jet collection or that thing they call 'style.'"
Mastermind, who had been eerily quiet up until now, finally spoke up. "I don't know about the jets part, but I know one thing for sure—this was supposed to be simple." He waved a hand, as though he was shooing away a fly that dared to bother his genius. "Some mind control, a little bit of chaos, and then we have Einhardt in our clutches like a nice warm, squishy cookie."
Magneto turned his eyes to Mastermind, who was looking very much like someone who just realized he'd missed a critical part of the game and was trying to play it off as no big deal. "Simple?" Magneto practically hissed, his voice like an angry buzz saw cutting through the air. "You made it complicated. Your illusions were as useful as a paper bag in a hurricane. Next time, leave the mind games to someone who doesn't think an illusion means, 'oh, let me distract them with a blurry image of me looking important.'"
Mastermind blinked, completely unfazed. "Well, I'm sorry if you think that pulling off a massive illusion to make the enemy think they were seeing—what was it, again?—their worst nightmare was a bit too much. Maybe next time we just throw the whole plan into the ocean and see what happens?"
Sabretooth growled under his breath. "Yeah, great idea, Mastermind. Maybe next time you can get your head out of the clouds long enough to realize you're about to get sliced in half."
Magneto, clearly at the edge of his patience, shot a glare so cold it could freeze time itself. "Enough. I don't need either of you blaming each other while I am left to fix the mess you've created." His voice lowered, the ground vibrating with his power. "We're retreating. Regrouping. And then we will show these... heroes... what it means to challenge the master of magnetism."
Sabretooth flexed his claws and cracked his neck, clearly unimpressed. "I still say we take out the jets. No one's stopping me from shredding those things into pieces."
Magneto turned sharply, his eyes cold. "You almost lost your head to a child with claws, Creed," Magneto muttered, voice laced with scorn. "Not exactly the best track record for stopping anything, is it?"
Sabretooth, clearly stung by the reminder, bared his teeth. "Yeah, yeah. I'm not getting emotional here," he growled. "But let me tell you something, boss, if you keep getting us into these messes, you might find that the claws aren't the only thing I'm willing to use."
Mastermind threw his hands up, exasperated. "Oh, yes, let's all make threats like we're in some bad action movie. I'm sure that will make everything better." He turned to Magneto with a dramatic sigh. "You know, you're a real joy to be around. Such a pleasure."
Magneto shot him a look that could've leveled a building. "Shut. Up."
With that, the team reluctantly began to retreat, all of them grumbling, glaring, and muttering about their various plans—most of which involved a lot more violence than what the mission had originally called for.
As they moved away, Magneto's voice was the last thing that lingered in the air. "They'll regret this. I will make sure they all regret this."
Sabretooth's voice followed after, an almost casual note to it. "Hey, I'm all for making them regret it, as long as it involves punching someone in the face."
Mastermind, finally looking like he was ready for the next master plan (because of course he had one), smirked. "I'm sure we can make this work. It'll just take a little more... subtlety. After all, who needs to rip through things when you can just... manipulate them?"
Magneto's only reply was a single, angry sigh as he floated away, the sound of his power winding down like a storm before the next flash of lightning.
And so, with the battle at a standstill but their determination as strong as ever, they vanished into the shadows, ready to regroup, reassess, and do it all over again. Because when you're a villain, failure's just another word for warm-up.
---
Hey fellow fanfic enthusiasts!
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Whether you loved it, hated it, or have some constructive criticism, your feedback is super important to me. Feel free to drop a comment or send me a message with your thoughts. Can't wait to hear from you!
If you're passionate about fanfiction and love discussing stories, characters, and plot twists, then you're in the right place! I've created a Discord server dedicated to diving deep into the world of fanfiction, especially my own stories. Whether you're a reader, a writer, or just someone who enjoys a good tale, I welcome you to join us for lively discussions, feedback sessions, and maybe even some sneak peeks into upcoming chapters, along with artwork related to the stories. Let's nerd out together over our favorite fandoms and explore the endless possibilities of storytelling!
Click the link below to join the conversation:
https://discord.com/invite/HHHwRsB6wd
Can't wait to see you there!
If you appreciate my work and want to support me, consider buying me a cup of coffee. Your support helps me keep writing and bringing more stories to you. You can do so via PayPal here:
https://www.paypal.me/VikrantUtekar007
Or through my Buy Me a Coffee page:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vikired001s
Thank you for your support!