A/N Thanks for all the love guys! I know some readers might be aghast that I've started another story instead of finishing my other ones but this story has really grabbed me. It would be pointless and demoralising to force myself to write something that I'm not in the mood for. That's not to say that those other stories will never be updated again, I just have to wait until they're particularly calling me. Thanks for understanding. :)


Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D, glanced at his watch again. There were ninety seconds until a meeting began that had been over two years in the making. Exactly who he was meeting, he wasn't sure, but he hadn't really expected to be given a name.

He drummed his fingers on the table in front of him and cast his eye around the perimeter. He was waiting in an abandoned warehouse (owned by S.H.I.E.L.D) in Brooklyn. Various operatives were stationed within view of the building, all of them armed. Given the week that he'd had, Fury wasn't about to take any chances. None of the agents knew exactly what they were looking out for as the knowledge of these…people, was strictly level ten clearance. Apart from himself and the security council, the only other people within S.H.I.E.L.D who knew about the abnormal situation in the UK were the agents who had brought him the intelligence in the first place (and they weren't exactly in a state to tell anyone.)

"No sign of any unusual activity out here, sir," Agent Coulson's voice spoke electronically in the Director's ear. If Coulson found this assignment unusual, he hadn't mentioned it, but nor was he likely to given his professionalism. Besides, he'd also been witness to his fair share of peculiar situations over the years. A mysterious stake out paled in comparison to meeting the son of Odin.

"Understood."

There were ten seconds until the agreed meeting time. Fury certainly hoped that this wasn't going to turn out to be a waste of time.

Three…Two…One…

An intense white light in the middle of the building made Fury jump to his feet in alarm, reaching for his pistol as he did so. He aimed it at the centre of the light, finger positioned on the trigger. As quickly as it had arrived, the light disappeared to reveal a young woman, looking hardly older than a teenager, a thin stick in her grasp.

Her eyes immediately focused on the weapon in his hands before moving to his face. She drew a shaky breath and spoke in the expected English accent. "Have you ever been to Brighton?"

"No, I prefer my beach with sand not stones," Fury replied. They gazed at each other for a moment longer, before slowly lowering their weapons. They were both still on alert but, so far at least, things had gone as planned with the code words.

The girl walked forwards almost hesitantly. He had to admit that he was surprised at how young she seemed but, given what little he knew about her or her people, that wasn't necessarily an indication of her age or ability. She was pretty slender, with bushy light brown hair that reached just past her shoulders. Her clothes were perfectly normal; a pair of jeans, a grey zipped cardigan and a mauve scarf.

"Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D," he introduced himself as she got nearer. He motioned to the chair on the other side of the table. "Take a seat," he offered while retaking his own.

She obliged, still looking wary. "Thank you. I'm Hermione Granger. I don't have a title or anything like that." Fury wondered for what reason she had been chosen to represent her people as their liaison. There must be more to this Hermione Granger than met the eye. "Why don't you start?" she suggested. "You're the ones who requested this meeting in the first place."

"A request that's taken over two years to be accepted. You lot aren't too keen on talking," Fury pointed out.

Hermione looked back at him impassively. "No. We're not."

Fury pursed his lips slightly. "Is there a word for someone like you? I don't want to insult you by saying the wrong thing."

The girl tensed. It seemed she was reluctant to release even this small bit of information. He wasn't very hopeful that this was going to be a particularly enlightening meeting. "Witch," she bit out eventually. "A male is called a wizard."

"Magic, huh?" Fury tried not to look too pleased at the confirmation of what his intelligence had seen. "Many people regard magic as just science that we don't understand yet."

Hermione smiled tightly and crossed her arms. "I've never tried to define it; I only know how to use it."

"A demonstration would be appreciated."

Hermione sighed but ignored his suggestion. "Director, why did you want to get in contact with us?"

"The same reason that it's taken you until this week to accept," Fury replied. "I had concerns."

"Could you perhaps be more specific?" Hermione asked. "We are talking about a couple of years ago after all."

Fury casually pulled a file from inside his coat and placed it on the table in front of her. "Take a look for yourself." She frowned at him but opened the file nonetheless. He watched as her mouth got tighter the more she saw. "So, are you going to tell me about this war or not?"

"It's over. That's all you need to know," Hermione replied, pushing the file back to him.

"And how do I know that the good guys won?" he asked bluntly.

"Because I'm sitting here talking to you like an equal," Hermione answered simply. "The 'bad guys' as you would call them, weren't too keen on people like you?"

"People like me?"

"Those without our abilities," she explained. "They thought you were lesser humans."

"You are human, then?" Fury said casually, as though this was a question he asked regularly.

Hermione blinked in surprise. "Do I look like an alien to you?"

Fury crossed his arms. "It's possible that beings from other planets look like us."

Hermione smiled. "Are you talking about Thor and his friends?" Fury paused. So, she knew about New Mexico too… "You wanted to talk concerns, Director. Well, inter-world travel is one for us. I can offer you my solemn word that we do not pose a threat to you and want very much to be left to ourselves. We're more than happy to let you clear up after yourselves with regards to people like Tony Stark and those creatures in Harlem. But who knows what could be planning a visit to Earth next. Or, more seriously, what their purpose would be."

Fury watched her quietly. It was interesting that her fears echoed his own. His concern about an extra-terrestrial attack had prompted him to lobby the World Security Council for increased funding and jurisdiction at S.H.I.E.L.D. Luckily, they had actually agreed with him for once.

"Your concerns are duly noted," he replied shortly and silence settled between them.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "That's it?"

Fury shrugged. "You've shared your worries and told me I have nothing to fear from you, more or less making us allies. Is there anything else you wanted to say?"

"We would like your information on the visitors," she said sitting up straighter.

"Absolutely not," he replied flatly.

She let out a little sigh but didn't seem too disappointed. "Then we just ask to be informed should anything like this happen again."

"Why?" he questioned. "You said yourself that you just want to be left alone. If something hostile arrives and starts killing people without magic, you're not going to do anything until it steps foot on your home turf, right?"

"You said it yourself; we are allies, of a kind."

Fury leaned forward slightly and chuckled. "You know, it seems to me that a friend who only joins the fight once they've been attacked themselves, isn't much of a friend."

"Do the words 'Pearl' and 'Harbour' sound familiar?" Hermione asked bitingly.

"I don't remember any people waving sticks like yours around during World War Two," Fury countered.

Hermione stayed quiet, conceding the point. "You don't know what you're asking," she said with a gentle shake of her head. "This is my entire way of life we're talking about; hundreds of years of tradition. This would change everything."

"The world's already changing, whether you want it to or not," he pointed out. "It's time to start reacting."

"I've told you what we want. What do you want; us to admit our existence to the world and form a joint army?" she scoffed.

"I want to know my ally better," he stated calmly.

"It's taken two years for you to even get this far. What makes you think that we'd let you any closer?"

"Because you want our information in return," he reminded her. "You want to know about Thor, Asgard and the Nine Realms theory."

He didn't miss the way her eyes lit up slightly. "This was a polite request for that information. I could get it from you anytime I wanted and you'd never know I'd taken it."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Is that a challenge?" she asked quietly.

"You bet it is!" Fury practically boomed. "I will personally hand you everything we have about the New Mexico incident if you can infiltrate three S.H.I.E.L.D related sites without being caught."

"And if I am caught, what do you get?" Hermione asked warily.

"What are you offering?"

She thought about it for a moment. "You will be given ten minutes to ask me whatever questions you wish about my community."

Fury regarded her. "How do I know you'll answer honestly?"

"There are ways to ensure it," she assured him. "Now, name your terms."

Over the next few minutes, Fury outlined exactly what his challenged entailed. He wondered if she had any idea that he was getting exactly what he wanted; an opportunity to see one of these magical people in action. He was happy to give up the details from Puente Antiguo in return.

"Agent Coulson, please enter the warehouse," Fury instructed into his earpiece.

"Yes, sir."

There was a noise from the other end of the building. Fury and Hermione watched as Coulson strode over to them, looking surprisingly calm under their twin gaze.

"Agent Coulson, meet Hermione Granger," Fury said, getting the introductions over with.

There was a definite hint of curiosity on Coulson's face as he shook the young woman's hand. None of his agents had seen her arrive and she definitely hadn't been at the warehouse before then.

"At 1100 hours tomorrow morning, Miss Granger is going to attempt to break into my office at the Triskelion," Fury informed his agent. "I would like you to be waiting in my office to see if she succeeds."

"Yes, sir."

"At 0900 hours PST the following day, she will then attempt to access the main holding cell on the beta helicarrier. I would again like you to be there."

"Yes, sir."

"Then at 1600 hours that same day, you will be waiting in Tony Stark's workshop."

"I think I can guess the rest of the orders, sir," Coulson said with a wry smile. "Does Stark know about this?"

"Not yet, but he will," Fury promised.

"See you tomorrow, Agent Coulson." Hermione Granger smiled brightly at them both, before walking in the direction Coulson had entered. Both men watched her go in silence.

"Uh, sir, I have a few questions," Coulson said.

"I'm sure you do," Fury replied dryly. "Unfortunately, I can already tell you that you don't have clearance for the answers."


AN: I don't actually know whether the Triskelion building was in operation at this time but, as you have read, I've decided to use it anyway!