Disclaimer: Not mine.

Glad people are liking this version of the story.

Chapter 2

Harry slipped his headphones on and then looked out the window at the clouds passing by. The belongings he could or wanted to bring had already been shipped to his new apartment in DC to save him the bother of luggage on the flight. Everything was done by non-magical methods to create a paper trail in case anyone looked and didn't know about magic. The agency had even created a record for him at a London high school, one that had ex-agency members on staff and current agents' children in attendance. Several alumni would swear he had been in their class if ever asked and the photos proved it. His computer degree was simple as it had been taken online while serving in the military. His military record had been faked although he had done training with the SAS unit he had supposedly served with and as the best of the best, they knew better than to talk.

He sat back in his seat and closed his eyes wondering what his parents and the other Marauders would think of him being a spy now. But he wasn't doing this for the reasons Peter had turned spy, he was doing this for Queen and Country, he wasn't selling out friends. Hopefully, he'd be in and out in a month or two with everything Smith wanted and then he could take on normal assignments. He turned his laptop on and went back to reading the background he'd been given. Ex-SAS, orphaned, not like they could change that fact. Mostly it was his life without magic, just the military and university instead of the Aurors and MI7, making it easier to stick to. Occlumency made memorising it easy and once he was sure he had he simply erased the file from the laptop, removing all evidence it had ever existed quite easily. He'd come a long way from his first fumbling days with Technomancy. It was a new area of magic, one with few interested learners and most of those were either American or Asian, which made sense as they tended to be the leaders in technology. British and European magicals still lived in the Middle Ages when it came to such things. He'd found the idea fascinating and thrown himself into the new area of magical research. The basic program he had begun with his studies had continued to grow and he knew it was on the cusp of breaking through to being an actual AI. He knew the rumours that Tony Stark had one and would love the chance to study it or even talk with it in order to help his own but he doubted he'd get the chance.

He hadn't been this nervous since he'd walked into the Forbidden Forest eight years ago. At least he wasn't heading to certain death this time. He'd never been the best actor and yet now everything would depend on him selling the story he'd been given. He had to find some way to come to SHIELDs attention and be offered a place with them. He had no clue how to do it. Hopefully the Potter luck would kick in.

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Harry looked around his apartment and smiled, it was perfect. He moved to the balcony and looked out over Washington DC. Thankfully, he was still able to use his inheritance so he wasn't squished into a shoebox apartment, he was independently wealthy due to old family money and he liked it that way. He'd never really had his own place before, training with MI7 had meant living in dorms and even barracks, before that had been the Dursley's and Hogwarts and then Grimmauld but that place had always been Sirius', not his. But this apartment and contents were all his. He'd been in the US almost a week now and was finally ready to begin job hunting. He knew it could take a while before either SHIELD noticed him or he managed to find how they 'advertised' for employees but that was alright, this mission had no time limit.

He grabbed his jacket and headed downstairs to his bike, well Sirius' old bike. It had gotten him to the Dursley's and then away from that place for the last time and it had felt good learning to care for it and then ride it. Just like a broom but with wheels. He'd added to it though, updating Sirius' spell work as well as adding some of his own, making to make it pretty much indestructible. On one side a wolf and grim chased a stag over some Lilies, on the other was the word Marauder. He slipped his black leather jacket on and then put his helmet on before starting the bike and moving into the DC traffic. He pulled into the parking lot and paid for parking before heading inside, smiling as the sounds of animals washed over him. He wandered the National Zoo for hours before finally heading over to the reptiles, morbid curiosity driving him. He literally hadn't seen a snake since he'd died, would he be greeted by the sounds of words or the hisses everyone else heard? He took a deep breath and stepped into the reptile house and the voices hit him. He could hear the snakes chatting away, most sounding bored. He wasn't a Horcrux anymore so how? Maybe he was like the Sword, absorbing things that were useful, like the ability to speak Parseltongue. He wandered amongst them for a while, practising keeping a passive expression even as the snakes made rather interesting comments about the visitors. Maybe he should get a pet snake one day, if he got a venomous one it could even double as extra security.

Eventually, he left the zoo and headed to the shopping mall to wander around for a while before heading home.

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Two weeks later found him wandering through the Captain America exhibit curiously. He'd been spending his time exploring the Capital of America and its near surrounds as well as half-heartedly job hunting. He remembered his teacher, he must have been eight, or seven, maybe? Anyway, his teacher that year had loved history and had told the class of Captain Rogers and the Howling Commandos. Apparently, her Dad had met the Captain while the soldier was in London during the war and she'd had a photo to prove it. Having been through war himself he doubted half the stories about the men were true but they were great for patriotism.

He stopped in front of the section dedicated to the one Commando to give his life in the line of duty. If he wasn't American he could almost be a Potter with those looks, although his hair was far tamer than anything he could ever manage. He read the signs and watched the footage before moving on. The way he had died had to have been terrifying and horrendous, he hoped the poor man had hit his head quickly and been unconscious or dead long before he had hit the bottom.

He looked from the mannequins of the commandos in uniform and froze as a man caught his eye. He stared in shock as the man turned his head so their eyes met. Merlin…it couldn't be, could it? The man's blue eyes widened and then he put a finger to his lips, eyes pleading and Harry nodded slightly, he wouldn't make a sound. Surely something like this would have been all over the news?

Steve was surprised to find a young man staring at him and he was suddenly nervous. The world didn't know he was alive, SHIELD was keeping it quiet for now. It had been stupid to come here but he'd wanted to see something familiar. The way he stood, Steve knew the other man was also military so he motioned for silence and was relieved when the other male nodded slightly. Steve moved off through the crowd and wasn't surprised when the shorter man joined him outside. "Thanks."

"You're really him," Harry stated and Steve nodded. "How?"

Steve took a deep breath. "I was frozen in the ice."

"That sucks," Harry muttered, wincing in sympathy. He couldn't imagine it, had he been conscious the whole time or had he been lucky enough to be unconscious? "I won't tell Sir."

"Soldier?" Steve asked for confirmation.

"I was. Lieutenant Harry Potter, SAS."

"Impressive." And it was considering he looked to be in his early twenties, the SAS were the best, or they had been when he'd gone under. He straightened and saluted and it was returned. "So, you're out?"

"Compassionate Discharge."

"Oh, sorry." Steve offered but Harry shrugged it off.

"It's an honour to meet you, Captain. Though, if you plan to come back you might want a better disguise than just a hat," he offered his hand and Steve shook and then watched as Harry went to a very nice-looking bike and left.

Harry grinned under his helmet. He'd met Captain America and come to SHIELD's attention all in one day! The Agents tailing the Captain were good but not against magical detection. It made sense that if anyone found the man in the ice it would be SHIELD. He kept from dancing in glee until he was home and safely behind wards. He had never dreamed he would meet the man himself, he had believed him dead like the rest of the world, but wow. He was even more amazing than he had imagined.

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Fury looked at the file on the desk. Anyone the Captain interacted with was checked, even those he randomly met on the street. This time he may have to thank the man for sneaking out to the museum. Lieutenant Harry James Potter, born in Wales, an orphan raised in Surrey by extended family and educated in Scotland before joining the British Army and eventually the SAS. Compassionate Discharge when his family was killed. His service record was good too and he'd seen some combat before his discharge. He was also independently wealthy as the Potters were minor nobility who had managed to hold onto the family money, unlike many British families who had been bled dry by massive estates until they were forced to sell them. He was a nice candidate for SHIELD, being British wasn't any problem. He signed the order for the man to be observed for a month and then a decision would be made. From here it was up to Coulson to decide if he was worth recruiting and then the Academy would be the final test. Though he doubted the man would be an Agent, with his training STRIKE or work as a Specialist would be more likely.

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Phil Coulson opened the file that Fury had forwarded to him, looking at the surveillance of a young man talking with the Captain and then various shots of the same young man enjoying the sights, shopping, even apparently looking for work. Obviously, he'd been tailed after talking to Rogers. He opened the file and read through everything inside, surprised by the contents although it did explain why the file had been passed on to him. He'd been a good student, once attending a high school away from his cousin, before then his grades were abysmal. That raised questions, especially when added to his medical records of the time. He'd attended the Imperial College London, graduating with a MEng Computing (Artificial Intelligence), while undergoing training with the British Airforce as soon as he had graduated high school. From the air force, he'd been recruited for the SAS, specifically the Air troop and then on to the Special projects team, all by the age of twenty-five. He'd been given a Compassionate Discharge due to his Uncle being killed in an accident and his Aunt having a stroke all while his cousin was dealing with being diagnosed with diabetes. It was obvious Potter had grown closer to the family since leaving their home and he had cared for the Aunt until she passed away two months ago, leaving his only family as the cousin, one Dudley Dursley. Obviously, those people should never have been allowed to name their son. With his health more stable, Potter had decided to move to America and was seeking work despite his wealth. It was obvious he wasn't the sort to just sit around and do nothing.

Even without having met the Captain and remaining quiet he would make a good recruit. They had few Brits in their numbers, despite their international recruitment efforts. He put the young Lieutenants' name down for further observation and then a recruitment offer, one he would deliver himself if he was available.

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Harry was eating his breakfast, the morning paper at his side when someone knocked on his door. He got up and walked over to the front door, peering out to see a well-dressed man and he felt his adrenaline spike slightly, was this what he'd been waiting for? He took the chain off the door and opened it. "Yes?"

"Lieutenant Harry Potter?" the man asked although it didn't really feel like a question, more a confirmation.

"That's me."

"Agent Phil Coulson," he flashed his badge, "SHIELD. I was hoping to speak with you." He looked the young man over, just like Phil he looked relatively harmless, unless you knew what to look for.

"Come in then," Harry opened the door further to let him in. "So, what is SHIELD?"

"The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division," Phil answered as he took the offered seat.

"In other words, someone was determined to make your initials spell SHIELD?" Harry asked as he sat and Phil smiled slightly.

"We came out of the old SSR after World War II," he explained as he set his briefcase down and opened it.

"SSR…. the agency involved with Captain America, right? Is this because I recognised him at the Smithsonian?"

"We keep loose surveillance on him, he's still adjusting to the twenty-first century and we don't want him running into trouble. Your name came up and your record caught the Director's attention."

"Okay so are you here to tell me to keep quiet about him? Because I wasn't planning to spread around that Captain America is alive," Harry assured the agent.

"Actually, I am here to offer you a job," he stated and saw the surprise on Potter's face, "SHIELD is always on the lookout for exceptional people and you fit that description."

"There's a reason I didn't take compassionate leave over the discharge. So why should I go back to work, especially in what I suspect is a dangerous job?"

"You don't strike me as the type to sit idly by Mr Potter and I know you have been looking for work. The world is changing and it is SHIELD's job to protect it."

"What happens if I say yes?" Harry asked cautiously, not immediately jumping at the chance, not wanting to seem too eager.

"You attend the SHIELD Academy of Operations. This academy trains both Agents and Specialists. If you pass, then you will be a member of SHIELD. The pay is very good as well." Phil put a USB stick on the table. "Information for you to look over, it will erase itself in twenty-four hours. Here is my card, please call and let me know what you decide. Also, we're are a covert agency, do not speak of this with anyone."

Harry took the card and USB. "Alright."

"Have a nice day Mr Potter."

"You too Agent Coulson." They shook and the agent left.

Harry finished his breakfast and went back to reading the paper. He figured they could track the USB and didn't want to come across as too eager. He then showered and headed out, after locking up the card and stick in his safe. He got on his bike and headed out to continue his tour of DC, taking a White House tour. Despite being in the city over a month he still hadn't gotten around to seeing the place. He stopped to have lunch out before eventually heading home to look at the file. He plugged the stick in and watched as several files appeared. He spent the next several hours reading through all of the information, doing some independent checking of the well-known facts online. He figured the stick gave them a way in and sure enough he picked up on a program activating, watching everything he did on the computer and going through his files. Nimue was not impressed with the intrusion but allowed it because he did, his newborn AI was very protective of him and his data. Not that there was much to see other than some emails to a buddy in the SAS, or so it appeared. He was actually another MI7 agent posing as a member of the SAS to let Harry keep in touch outside the magical mailbox they'd gotten him. So, he decided to email his old friend.

Keith,

Still having fun just being a tourist. And yes, still enjoying living in my own place rather than barracks! Bet you wish you were here. Hope you and the others are staying safe. Oh, I got a job offer. Shock of all shocks. Not sure what to do, not like I need to work.

Harry

He went to start dinner but went back when the email alert started.

Harry,

You, never work again? Don't make me laugh! You'd go nuts without anything to do after two days. It's why the docs hate seeing you. If you like the look of the job, then go for it. Things here are quiet for the moment. Nicky's trying to take your spot as team prankster, doesn't have your knack for it. Oh, and Sally says hi. Can't believe another month and I'm a Dad! Will, of course, send baby pics.

Keith.

Like they would have told him to turn it down when that was why he was here. Though they were surprised at the speed at which he'd been recruited. He went back to getting dinner and then settled in with a movie before going to bed.

He left it another day before calling the number on the card.

"Coulson."

"Agent Coulson this is Harry Potter," he doubted he needed to say it since he knew they had his phone number.

"I take it you read the files?"

"Yeah, I'm in," this was it, no turning back now.

"Very good. Welcome to SHIELD Mr Potter."

TBC…