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Wanda scowled at the man in front of her. He was wearing some ridiculous cape and talking about the rules of magic or something.
Like anyone could tell her what she could and couldn’t do with her magic.
She rolled her eyes and slouched down in her seat. He didn’t react and kept talking.
This was boring. She wanted it to end now. She could just alter his memory slightly so he’d think that he gave the whole lecture and that she listened avidly.
Her magic curled around her fingers.
Just a little alteration. No harm done.
Her magic crept up behind him and towards his temples.
She wasn’t prepared for the feeling of slamming into a solid wall and gasped.
Strange raised an eyebrow at her. “Really. I didn’t think you were dumb enough to try and get into the head of a trained sorcerer,” he deadpanned.
“What did you do?!” she demanded.
“Blocked you. All sorcerers in my order are able to protect themselves from mental magic.”
A shiver went down her spine. An entire group who could block her? That wasn’t possible. She was too strong. It must be some trick that this ‘Sorcerer Supreme’ had.
“Now the actual question I should be asking is what the hell were you trying to do, using your magic on someone like that?” his voice had hardened and she looked down, pouting. This look usually worked to make Steve and Clint melt and give her what she wanted. It also made Natasha soften.
“I don’t know anything about you. I just wanted to know if I could trust you,” she told him in a soft voice, fiddling with her fingers.
“Bullshit.”
Her head snapped up to find that he was staring at her, unimpressed.
“This is your one and only warning Miss. Maximoff. Keep out of people’s heads. You won’t like the consequences if you don’t.”
He left the room, leaving her gaping at his dramatically flaring cloak.
Did…did he just threaten her?! The nerve! Who did he think he was?! She was the Scarlet Witch! She’d been gifted her magic by the Mind Stone so she could get her revenge! Some two-bit magician would never be a match for her.
She stormed out of the room to go find Steve. He’d make sure the man was punished for threatening her. He always made sure she was safe and happy.
Unlike Stark who always took her happiness away.
First her parents, then he made Ultron who took her brother. Then when she was finally happy again, he took her home and Vision away from her!
This wouldn’t stand. Vision must be missing her terribly.
So it was decided. Steve would deal with Stark and make Strange apologise to her. Then she would get Vision back from wherever Stark was making him stay.
She was so focused on her anger that she didn’t notice the man ahead of her until she walked right into him.
“Watch where you’re going!” she snapped harshly, throwing her magic out at him.
Sure he’d be slammed against the wall but she’d wipe it from his memory so no harm done.
She was shocked when her magic was suddenly stopped and forced down into submission instead of grabbing the man and throwing him across the hallway.
Her head snapped up. He was a tall, black-haired man with bright green eyes. Green magic had spread out around him and was holding hers down. He studied her with a bored expression.
“You’re rather ill-mannered aren’t you?” he commented.
She screamed. This couldn’t be happening! She was the strongest! Strange blocking her had been a trick or fluke! She was the most powerful magic user!
She threw another wave of magic at the man, intending to get into his mind and find out just who he was. If he saw his worst memories while she did it so what? He shouldn’t have gotten in her way.
The man just smiled at her as the magic hit. It rebounded off a green shield and flew straight back at her.
She didn’t even get a chance to scream before everything turned red.
“-you do you fucker?!” Clint’s angry voice was the first thing she heard when she came out of the red haze. Her throat hurt from screaming so much and tears had tracked down her cheeks. She’d seen such terrible things. Her parents and Pietro dying over and over again. It was awful.
She let out a sob and Clint crouched down to soothe her.
“It’s okay Wanda. We got you. You’re safe,” he assured her, glaring at the man who was still standing behind his green shield.
“I merely blocked her attack little hawk. She took offence to that and attempted to get into my mind. Her magic rebounded off my shield. What is that Midgardian term? Ah yes, she got a taste of her own medicine.”
“Like I’d believe you!” Clint snarled. “What did you do to her Loki?!”
Loki? She recognised that name. The others had been furious at the news that the man had been accepted into the New Avengers. Clint especially.
“We can always check the cameras,” Strange’s voice came from a short distance away.
They all looked over to find Strange and an exasperated Stark standing there.
“Tony!” Steve stood up immediately and took a step closer to the billionaire.
Wanda sat up with Clint’s help and glared at the man who took everything from her again.
Before Steve could get close, Strange’s Cloak suddenly flew forward and blocked him.
Stark studied Steve for a moment before dismissing him and looking over at Loki who was sauntering over to them.
“What happened?” he asked in exasperation.
“Why Anthony,” the man smiled. “Self-defence.”
Stark sighed. “Fri?”
“I’ve already sent the footage to the Council and Captain Danvers. Miss. Maximoff did make the first aggressive move. Mr. Liesmith only responded with shields. He was quite restrained considering the situation.”
“Uh huh,” Stark looked at Loki dubiously. “Come on Lokes, you’ll need to explain it all to Starburst if you want to file an assault report.”
“That sounds rather boring,” Loki sighed, stopping next to the inventor.
“Tony!” Steve shouted, still blocked by the Cloak. “We need to talk.”
“Nope,” Stark turned away. “We really don’t. And Pep got restraining orders against you remember? The only time they aren’t in effect is during meetings, in training and on the field.”
“Are you actually siding with that bastard?!” Clint surged to his feet. “After all he’s done?! He mind-controlled me!”
Stark threw a cold look over his shoulder. “You lot didn’t care when Maximoff did the same to Bruce. We’re just following your example.” He gave them a sharp smile. “Thanks Levi,” he told the Cloak and then walked off with Loki.
The Cloak flew back to Strange when Stark was out of sight.
“Tony understated the lack of intelligence in this group,” Strange sighed to himself. “I’m sure this will all be addressed in the meeting. Go back to the East Wing and try not to cause any more trouble.”
He turned and left without another word.
Wanda sat on the floor numbly and Clint shouted as Steve tried to calm him down.
Neither Strange nor Loki were afraid of her. They’d both blocked her magic easily and Loki had even sent it back at her.
How was this possible?
For the first time since joining Hydra… Wanda Maximoff was afraid.