Chapter 2
Life is a Bitch.
Harry decided that it was probably a good idea to avoid the city for a while after that night. He mostly stayed home and kept to himself. That first week it was kind of hard, being in that big house all alone for so long. He had been living there for almost two years now and yet he hadn't furnished any room beyond his bedroom and the upstairs kitchen.
After a couple days, he decided to change that. Even if it
just to fight off his boredom. He furnished the basement, which had a home theater and bar, as well as a deco kitchen. The Living Room and two of the remaining 5 bedrooms. The whole process took him about two weeks. Then it happened. Harry woke up in the early hours of the morning feeling like his insides were fighting to be on the outside.
At first, he wrote it off as nothing. Probably just something that he ate. But as the days went by and the Nausea continued to fade in and out, he knew he had to get himself checked.
Luckily, most of the Healers for the magical whorls were willing to do home visits. Harry really didn't want to go to the hospital and cause a scene. The convenient thing about Magical America, they were far more modern than their European counterparts. They weren't quite at the point of being able to use Cellphones and computers just yet. But Harry did have a Dial telephone in his room that was for magical use. As well as a magical phone book too.
That afternoon, not even an hour after he had called, Harry greeted the healer at his door. She reminded him, oddly enough, of Luna in a way. She had this happy smile on her face that would have been infectious, had he not felt like crap. Strawberry blonde curls that bounced as she walked. She looked a bit older than Harry, perhaps ten years or so. But probably the most impressive thing to Harry was her clothes. They were most definitely Muggle, and modern Muggle fashion, not Victorian. Or whatever the hell Wizards in Britain thought was modern Muggle fashion.
"Hello there," She said happily. "My name is Serene Hearthrow. I believe we spoke on the phone."
"Yes, thanks for coming." He said weakly, ushering her inside.
She got him to sit on the couch as she checked his vitals. "So when did this start?"
"I think it was two, maybe three days ago. I woke up almost puking in the bed, and then it just persisted after that."
"Hmmm." She sounded as she looked around the room in thought.
One of the good things about home visits was that the healer could look for anything that might have affected him in some way. But at the moment, the thing that struck her was the new furniture. It was all brand new. No dust or signs of wear anywhere.
"Did you just move in?"
"Huh? Oh, no. I've been living here for almost two years now. I just didn't bother to furnish or decorate until recently."
"Do you live alone?"
Harry looked at her suspiciously. "Yes…"
"No lovers?"
Harry blushes as he now understood what she was asking. "No."
"Roommates, business associates, even friends coming to stay?"
"No, no one else lives here. Why?"
"It's a big house for one person is all. If others had visited, or you were physical with someone. It could be possible that you contracted something from one of them."
Harry blinked and shook his head. "None of my friends know my address, and I'd like to keep it that way. Asked for being
I've only been with one person since moving here. But he was a Muggle, so I doubt I picked anything up from him."
"I'll be the judge of that, thank you very much." She said swishing her wand at him.
After a few minutes of casting spells she began chewing her lip in thought.
"Well, you don't have any STDs, or other ailments, magical or otherwise. And I can't detect any sort of allergic reaction to anything…"
"So, what do you think it is? A bad potion or something?"
"No, I would have picked up on that when I was checking for allergies. I'll be honest, I'm stumped. If you had told me you had slept with a Wizard, I would think you were pregnant, but that's just silly." She laughed. In order for a wizard to be pregnant, they either needed a special potion or have a partner with magic of their own.
Harry, however, was not laughing.
"C-Could you check anyway?"
Serene blinked, "sure, but I don't see how you could-" she grew silent as she cast the spell and a tiny green light ignited at the end of her wand.
Clearing her throat, she recast the spell on herself. But the light was white for her. Once more she cast it on Harry, and once again, she got a green light.
"Well, I suppose congratulations are in order."
Harry banged his head against the armrest of the couch.
Steve was sitting in a cafe in London, staring at his coffee in thought. He had asked Furry almost two months ago if Shield could help find Harry. The Director had admonished him for the request, but acquiesced all the same. The problem, The only Harry Potter they had found from the UK who would have matched his age and description, seemingly disappeared when he was eleven. No records to be found anywhere. Same thing for his Mother, and they had absolutely
on his Father save for his name on Harry's birth certificate and his own death certificate. Steve had gone and spoken to Harry's Aunt and Uncle to try and see if they knew how to find him. But that turned out to be a mistake in so many ways. They were truly awful people. Their Son Dudley,on the other hand, had been somewhat nicer when they spoke. Although he hadn't really given Steve any useful information to find Harry. He had made it clear that if Harry didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be.
He was supposed to be meeting with a Hermione Granger who apparently knew Harry. Dudley had arranged the meeting. He just hoped he could get some answers.
"Excuse me, are you Steve Rogers?" Asked a woman who had just come in.
" Yes, are you Hermione?"
"I am. I'm sorry if I'm late, I got stuck in a meeting."
"Oh, no you're fine."
She took a seat in front of him, smoothing out an invisible wrinkle in her skirt. "Now then, I feel I should tell you, I was actually
when my mother called me and told me she had a patient related to one of my best friends." She started, chuckling a bit.
"I was even more surprised however, to discover that it was
of all people. And that he wanted to put me in contact with you because of Harry. I'm not sure you can understand just how lucky you are."
"I, umm…"
"Harry hasn't spoken to his Aunt and Uncle since he was 17. And as far as I know, he has only ever exchanged one letter with his cousin since then." She said giving him a profound look of curiosity and a feeling of being impressed. "Someone upstairs must really want you to find him to set up this series of events."
"So you know where he is?" He asked
"Nope." She said watching him deflate. "Sadly, I haven't spoken to him in almost a year, his decision, not mine I assure you."
"What happened, if you don't mind me asking."
"First things first, I'm going to need you to sign this." She said removing a sheet of yellowed paper from her purse.
Looking at the paper she handed him he was somewhat surprised to see it looked like a contract of sorts.
"What's this for?"
"Insurance," She said simply. "Not to insult you or anything, but I don't know you, nor do I know why you're looking for him. I'm not about to tell you anything if I think you're going to run off to the tabloids."
"Why would anyone-"
"Please, just sign the agreement." She cut him off holding out a red pen.
Not sure why she thought a contract was going to supposedly stop him from theoretically telling all of Harry's secrets, he took the Pen and signed on the dotted line. As soon as his name was on the paper, he noticed a distinct stinging sensation in the back of his hand.
"Everything alright?" She asked looking at the hand he was now rubbing.
"Yes, my hand just feels sore, that's all."
"I see,"
The following conversation was a long one. Hermione wanted to know why he was looking for Harry in the first place. That then led to another line of questioning, which in turn led to an explanation of magic, and who Harry Potter really was. In all honesty, he felt like he was the one being interrogated. And he just couldn't wrap his brain around the idea of magic.
"It's a lot to take in, I know." She said, rereading the letter Harry had left him. He had kept it since that night. Re-reading it over and over. His anger had long since abated, and now all he wanted was to see him again.
"Well, at least it explains what he meant in the letter by from different worlds."
Hermione hummed in agreement. It wasn't like Harry to have one-night stands. And it certainly wasn't like him to leave without a proper explanation. And yet, that made it all the more believable. Harry wasn't himself right now. Perhaps this man could help to heal him from the pain he was suffering. Had she not approved of his reasons for looking for Harry, she had planned to obliviate him and be done with it. She was pleasantly surprised to discover that he was a very likable and kind-hearted man.
"There isn't much I can tell you." She began, causing Steve to stiffen in attention. "I know he lives somewhere in Staten Island, and I know it'll be a big house. Harry doesn't like enclosed spaces, you see. So, think 4 bedrooms or more. Also, a big property, either with a tall fence, a thick tree line, or most likely both." She explained handing him the note.
"Thank you so much."
"Oh, don't thank me. You know that contract you signed?" She said packing away the few things she had brought out to show him to prove Magic's existence. "It's a magically binding agreement, it states that if you should use the information I've given you to attempt to deliberately hurt him in anyway, then the magic of the agreement, signed in your blood, will kill you."
Steve's eyes widened. She smiled a beautiful but terrifying smile at him.
"I'm very protective of my Family Mr. Rogers. And make no mistake, even if we aren't related by blood. Harry is my family." So saying, she stood up, nodded to him once more and left.
As Steve sat there alone, her final words ringing in his head, the only thought that came to him was,
Dear God, Women are Terrifying!
—
"For the love of Merlin! Why do women choose to put themselves through this more than once!" Harry complained for about the umpteenth time that day.
It had been almost a month since he found out he was pregnant, and he was not enjoying the ride. His stomach was slightly distended already, and he was constantly switching between puking his guts out and eating everything he could get his hands on.
"As I already told you," Serene responded patiently. "Men have it harder than women because, despite magic aiding in the conception, the male body isn't made for childbearing. Thankfully, you're almost out of the worst of it."
Serene had ended up moving in when she insisted that Harry have another magical person on hand Incase something happened. But since Harry didn't want his friends to know where he was, and he wasn't about to ask someone else. That just left her. Thankfully, because of her Healer's oath, she couldn't do anything that could potentially harm him. That included blabbing to anyone about him. But over the last month the two had become close friends, even if she did keep insisting that he should find Steve and talk to him.
"I would think the worst of it would be the birth itself." Harry pouted.
"Don't pout," She said with amusement. "and no. The birth is painful sure, but you do it and boom, it's over. It also doesn't help that this is your first time. Your body is rearranging itself to make room for the baby. Your waistline is going to be all over the place until the magic settles down." she explained once more. But she had to get one more dig in. "Things sure would be if we had another body around here."
"No," he said simply
"Oh for the love of Morgana Harry! You're pregnant! You don't think he has a right to know?"
"And how exactly am I going to explain to him that I, the one-night stand that slept with him and disappeared the next morning, am now almost three months pregnant with his child...when I also happen to be a man?"
"There are plenty of strange things in the world Harry, he'd probably just think you were a mutant."
"Oh yeah, I totally want to go tell him now!"
"I didn't mean it like that. I meant as in an actual mutant. You know, a no-maj with special abilities."
"I still hate that word. It's too similar in its meaning to freak for my taste," he explained to her. He hadn't gone into details about his upbringing, but she had gathered he hadn't had a happy childhood.
Before she could say anything else, the doorbell rang. With a sigh and a verbal assurance that she would get it. She left the room and went into the entrance hall. Upon opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of two men. One was skinny middle-aged and mousy looking. With blond hair, pale skin, and brown eyes. The other one was much taller and struck an imposing figure with his broad shoulders, severe expression and eye patch.
"Can I help you?" She asked
"I hope so," said the smaller man looking rather flustered. "Is this the residence of Harry Potter?"
Serene narrowed her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."
"Ah, I am sorry, but if you aren't Mr. Potter then-"
"Who is it Serene?" Harry Asked coming to the door. He took one look at the two and scowled.
"I don't care if it's a Dark Lord, giant meteor, or even a resurrected evil God. I'm not playing Hero for a bunch of idiots who keep making more problems than they fix anymore."
"You must be Harry, my Brother said you could be pretty shrewd." Said the imposing man.
Harry looked at him. "Director Nick Fury. Director of the Organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D., you also happen to be the younger brother of Kingsley Shacklebolt. The present Minister of Magic for Britain."
Fury's lip twitched slightly. "Not bad, but can you name him?" He asked gesturing to his companion.
"I don't need to," Harry said scowling, if possible, even harder at the smaller of the two. "Pale, physically weak, has a touch of arrogance that comes with growing up with magic at his disposal. He carries his wand in a poorly concealed waist holster, a sure sign he's never had a serious duel in his life. And he has a magical pin prominently displayed on the lapel of his jacket." Harry said picking the man apart. "Obviously, he's someone from the ICW, most likely a mid-level office worker. Someone chosen that wouldn't make it seem as though they were insulting me by sending me a nobody, but not so valued that he would be missed if something happened to go wrong during the search for me." He finished crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame. "How am I doing so far?"
The Wizard looked like he had swallowed a lemon whole. But Fury was just trying not to laugh.
"I'd say you hit the nail on the head." Fury responded. Oh, he was going to like this guy.
"M-My name is Nathaniel Martinez, I am a representative of the ICW, m-may we please speak?" The Wizard spoke looking half terrified, half furious.
Harry shrugged and sighed. "I suppose I can't just ignore you. Come in, but this by no means, means that I'm agreeing to anything." Harry said evenly.
Harry led them back into the living room where the coffee table was still covered with baby shopping catalogs. Martinez looked like he wanted to comment, but as soon as he saw Harry and Serene's faces, he thought better of it.
Harry reclaimed his place on the couch with Serene and gestured for them to sit in the two comfy chairs he had in the room.
"Right," Martinez began pulling out a Manila folder from his coat. " , we are here on behalf of ICW and the WSC respectively. I'm not sure if you-"
"The World Security Council. An international government-funded shadow organization founded by international politicians of different political super powers. It's in charge of overseeing the safety of the planet from threats both on and off its surface." Harry said cutting him off.
"Um, yes well." Martinez cleared his throat before continuing. "Both bodies would like to offer you a proposal."
Harry said nothing waiting for him to get to the point.
"Basically Potter," Fury said stepping in, now just as fed up with the mousy wimp as Harry. "The ICW has come to realize that they can't handle Dark Lords like Voldemort and Grindelwald on their own while maintaining the Statue of Secrecy." He explained, noting that Harry was listening to him. "The WSC also recognizes what a threat these 'Dark Lords' that always seem to pop up are. So they decided they wanted to found a new Division titled W.A.N.D."
"Do I even want to know?" Harry asked pinching his nose in frustration.
Fury smirked. "Wizarding Analysis & Negation Division. Originally it was a smaller department of SHIELD the Wizardry Alchemy Necromancy Department, but recently it was decided to make it its own separate entity."
"What exactly would I have to do?"
"It's actually simple, you would be in charge of the Statute of Secrecy, meaning that you would have full authority over its enforcement and amendments." Martinez chimed in, happy that Harry seemed to be considering it.
"You would also be in charge of dealing with Dark Lords like Grindelwald and Voldemort, as well as handling the restriction of any magical artifacts or knowledge that could be potentially dangerous to the entire Planet population." Fury continued eyeing Martinez with his one good eye.
Harry hummed in thought as he accepted the folder handed to him. Inside was the contract for the position of Director. He skimmed over the part about payment, he didn't really care about that. The section pertaining to the Statute was interesting. Apparently, he would be able to grant waivers to people to allow them to tell others. Another interesting bit was that he'd have full autonomy over staffing. That was always good to have. There were a few minor restrictions, but they were just that, minor. Things like having to aid SWORD and SHIELD in serious situations. Or must provide advisors to either department or a government body on a moment's notice. This contract gave him far too much authority for it to sit well with him.
"Tell me, Fury, have you read this?"
Nick nodded. "Yeah, I have, and I had the same concerns as you. But remember the ICW and WSC are two separate bodies. They can't both have authority over you at the same time for the same things."
"Ah, so it's an oversight on their part, is it? Or perhaps," he said turning back to Martinez "The seven Sisters had a vision?"
Fury looked confused and glanced at Martinez who had gone pale.
"I figured, no way those idiotic bureaucrats would ever give me this much freedom unless something scared the shit out of them," Harry said before turning to Fury once more.
"The Seven Sisters are a group of powerful and skilled seers who have learned to pool their abilities together to gain more detailed visions of the future. Typically, the visions they have are useless or unavoidable. Showing minor conflicts or wars that can't be stopped. However, some of their visions do show conflicting futures. That's why the ICW never got involved with the Voldemort issue. If they had, he would have gained even more power than Grindelwald at his peak."
"I was not made aware of this." Fury said scowling at Martinez.
"They don't like to advertise it much," Harry explained. "People always want to change the future for the better, but since you typically can't change what's seen in the visions. It tends to just make things worse. I only know about it because Dumbledore's portrait in Hogwarts felt like being particularly chatty one day." He explained, noting how Martinez was even more pale than before.
Dumbledore had explained that, before he had become a part of the ICW, they had relied so heavily on the Seven Sisters visions, that nothing ever got done. He was the one who set the new rules that made it, so they were only ever able to use the visions once a year, or if another potential Grindelwald appeared. The Seven Sisters weren't even all women. They had changed out many times over the years as they either passed or became too old to help in the pooling of power. But the first group had been made up of Seven women who claimed to be Sisters, and so the name had stuck.
"I take it then that you'll be accepting the position then?" Martinez asked nervously.
Harry sighed, "I hate Divination, there are just too many unknowns involved." he said even as he reached for the pen. "But if there's one thing I know, it's that it only takes one idiot with a wand to believe in it to make it come true."
Harry signed on the dotted line and was immediately handed another several folders.
"Excellent, well I'll just be on my way then." Martinez said and made a hasty retreat out of the house. Fury, on the other hand, lingered a bit.
"Was there something else Director?" Harry asked already tired if this crap.
"Two things actually. First off, I wanted to give you a heads up that Pandora Peters, the former Director of WAND, isn't happy about losing her position to you." he said. Pandora was an excellent Agent. She would undoubtedly be an asset to Harry once he started taking on his duties as Director. But, as was expected, she did not take to the idea of her being essentially demoted and replaced by someone half her age.
"Duly noted, and the other thing?" Harry couldn't blame her for being upset. He'd probably be livid if their roles were reversed.
"Fair warning," Fury began with a slight smirk. "Captain Steve Rogers will most likely be stopping by soon. If we were able to find you. He certainly will."
Harry groaned much to Fury's amusement.
