Through the Scarlet Memories
Harry and Red searched for the next bubble, the one that followed the moment when the soldiers had "invited" Wanda and Pietro—by force—to join their ranks.
They found it easily and, without thinking twice, stepped inside.
…
The change in atmosphere was immediate. The air grew heavy, almost unbreathable. The corridors were metallic and cold, lit by flickering lights that seemed on the verge of dying out. It was there that Harry first heard the name that would burn itself into his mind like poison: HYDRA.
This was no ordinary military base. HYDRA did not train soldiers… it shaped human weapons.
The young recruits were encouraged to find a "reason" to fight. For Wanda and Pietro, that reason had a name and a face: Tony Stark, the creator of the missile that had fallen on their home and taken their parents' lives. They weren't just reminded of it every day—they had that hatred fed to them as though it were sacred fire, twisted and molded until it became uncontrollable.
But this place offered neither glory nor redemption. Training came through beatings, punishments, physical and mental torture. They were poisoned to "condition" their bodies and see who could survive the pain. Every day, Wanda and Pietro watched other youths die. Hell had walls and a ceiling, and they lived inside it.
A shiver ran down Harry's spine. Even the two days he had seen his mother trapped under the gaze of that missile now seemed like paradise in comparison.
And then came the worst moment.
…
The top recruits were separated from the rest. They were called "selected," though the title was a farce. They weren't chosen for honors—they were chosen to be test subjects in scientific experiments.
Harry found himself outside a glass chamber. Inside, Wanda sat with dozens of tubes and electrodes connected to her body. White-coated scientists moved around her, jotting notes into folders without ever meeting her eyes. One of them pulled a lever.
Wanda's scream tore through everything.
"Aaaaaah"
Her body arched, her fingers clenched. The scientists showed no compassion; they simply kept writing, recording each reaction as though she were an object.
Harry pressed a hand to his chest, feeling a sharp ache, as if every second of his mother's suffering echoed within him. Red, on the other hand, lost all control. He roared with such fury that his voice seemed to vibrate in the air, lunging at every scientist. His claws and crimson flames passed through their bodies like smoke, but that didn't stop him. He tried to burn everything to ash, even though nothing reacted to his presence.
The tests didn't stop. Over and over, the same process. And Wanda wasn't the only one.
When they returned her to her cell, Pietro would be waiting. Both of them had empty eyes, bodies drained and marked. They could barely crawl toward each other to share what little warmth they had left.
Even those two days trapped with the missile seemed like heaven in comparison. Here, every day, they watched the bodies of youths who hadn't survived the experiments being carried away. Waiting only meant your turn to suffer was coming.
Harry was expelled from the memory with tears streaming down his face. His chest was full of rage, but there was nowhere to release it. Heavy steps carried him wordlessly toward the next bubble.
…
In this new scene, Wanda was in the same chamber, but something was different. Her breathing was uneven, her hands trembling—and then… something changed.
An invisible force burst out from her body, hurling the scientists into the walls. The chamber's glass shattered into countless shards, and Wanda fell to her knees, barely conscious.
A bald man with a monocle over his right eye, dressed in a flawless suit and wearing a controlled smile, entered as if nothing had happened.
"It seems you've succeeded as well," he said calmly. "Interesting… both siblings are the only survivors. At last, you can fulfill your revenge."
Harry's frown deepened. He understood something that left a bitter taste in his mouth: although his mother hated Tony Stark for what had happened, HYDRA had worked to fan that hatred, to twist and direct it toward their own ends. This wasn't justice—it was manipulation.
"Take her. Let's move on to the second phase," the man ordered, and soldiers grabbed Wanda by the arms and led her away.
…
The next memory revealed an unsettling change. Now the twins were treated more… "kindly." They were given hot meals, rest periods, and more structured training. It wasn't kindness—it was indoctrination. HYDRA wanted them to accept the organization as their home.
Harry watched as, day by day, Pietro grew faster, surpassing any imaginable limit. His mother, meanwhile, continued exploring her abilities: telekinesis, mental manipulation. She still didn't grasp the full extent of her power, but her control was improving.
Two years passed like this, until the facility was attacked.
It was the first time Harry saw the Avengers. And the first time he laid eyes on the man his mother and uncle hated so much: Tony Stark.
Wanda, taking advantage of her proximity, did something with her magic to Stark's mind. After that, she and Pietro escaped. Behind them, the complex that had been a prison, a training ground, and a torture chamber for years burned and collapsed.
Harry stroked Red's head.
"At least they ended up far away from that place," he murmured, feeling relieved… though deep down he knew the story wasn't over yet.
…
In the next bubble, Harry saw his mother and uncle joining Ultron, a robot whose sole mission was to destroy the Avengers.
The battle that followed was chaos—fire and metal everywhere. The city of Sokovia began to rise into the air like a doomed island. Among trapped civilians and cries of desperation, Harry witnessed the tragedy: Pietro, struck down by bullets as he saved lives.
Wanda's scream tore through him. Harry tried to embrace her, but his hands passed straight through. He couldn't give her warmth. He couldn't stop her pain.
…
After that, Wanda was accepted into the Avengers. Harry saw her laugh again, make friends, grow closer to Vision. A glimmer of happiness that was extinguished when a mistake during a mission caused civilian casualties. Guilt settled over her like a shadow.
The Sokovia Accords split the team apart. Harry saw his mother fighting against her own friends, even against Vision. She was imprisoned, but Captain America freed her.
She spent some time on the run with Vision. They fell in love and shared a brief romance.
Then Thanos appeared.
Harry saw the unthinkable: his mother destroying the gem on Vision's forehead, killing him with her own hands to stop the Titan's plan. But Thanos rewound time, killed him again… and her sacrifice was in vain.
Wanda turned to dust.
Five years later, she returned. She stepped through a portal straight into the final battle. Harry watched in awe at the battlefield filled with heroes, magic, technology, and destruction. Red darted back and forth, thrilled by the chaos.
But victory came at a cost: Tony Stark gave his life.
…
Harry saw how loneliness took hold of his mother. Without Pietro, without Vision, without a home. Then came the strangest thing: Wanda, unknowingly, took an entire town hostage. She recreated Vision. She created two children… his siblings.
Harry knew it was wrong, but he couldn't stop himself from smiling when he saw her happy.
That time came to an end. She had to say goodbye to Vision and her children. And so, the Scarlet Witch was born.
In the last memory, Wanda was studying a dark book. Harry stepped closer to see it, but a warm hand covered his eyes.
"It's better if you don't read that, Harry," his mother said softly.
Harry turned and hugged her tightly. Red bounded toward her with a joyful trill. Wanda smiled at him, then looked back at the memory, where the Darkhold lay open like a black wound, slowly corrupting her without her even noticing.
…
"Why are we here?" Harry asked after leaving the last memory, while Wanda silently observed the bubbles floating around them, each showing fragments of her life.
"It seems my magic is causing trouble again," Wanda replied calmly. "Well, it is called chaos magic for a reason," she added with a faint smile that Harry immediately recognized as forced.
"I see you've been quite curious," she said, leaning toward him to give his cheek a light poke.
"Sorry," Harry murmured, lowering his head slightly in embarrassment.
"It's alright. I should have told you at some point, though I was hoping you'd be a little older before… knowing it," Wanda said, looking at him with a mix of affection and seriousness.
"Come," she said softly, beginning to walk among the bubbles. "It's time you learned about my greatest… and final mistake in that world." Her eyes grew more serious. "And also, how I met your mother."
Harry followed in silence with Red at his side. The walk was short, but the tension in the air grew with every step. Finally, Wanda stopped in front of a bubble larger than the rest.
"You can go in," she said, stepping aside without moving further.
"Aren't you coming?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"It's my memory… and I'd rather not see it again," she answered with another of those forced smiles that failed to hide the pain in her eyes.
Harry studied her for a moment, trying to understand everything she wasn't saying. Then he turned to the memory and stepped inside with Red.
Wanda watched them disappear, her smile fading entirely. Seriousness settled over her features, along with a shadow of sadness. She averted her gaze, unable to keep watching, and extended a hand. From it, a magical projection spread out, revealing the others wandering among her memories.
Hermione and Daphne moved with caution, Selene and Edward observed in silence, Susan and Wendel exchanged worried looks. Pandora and Xenophilius walked slowly, occasionally touching the surface of the bubbles. Draco, Narcissa, and Sirius appeared in another area, each with different expressions. Not far away, Luna and Astoria ran from bubble to bubble, laughing as if exploring an amusement park.
The sight brought a faint smile to Wanda's lips.
"I suppose I can't stop everyone from knowing about my life," she said with a sigh, feeling a growing pressure in her chest. Deep down, a lingering fear struck her hard: the fear of being rejected by all of them once they learned everything she had done in her life.