Harry didn't know what to think about Tony's minion bots. At first he just thought they were like mechanical house elves. Obliviously rolling around, picking up random things from the floor and placing them back to their proper places. Bruce had introduced one of the robots to him. It was called Dummy.

Here was Dummy now refilling his cup with more tea.

Harry muttered an awkward, "Thank you?" He smiled when Dummy clicked its mandibles and bobbed its head up and down.

Harry turned back to Bruce again. "Anyway… I hope I'm not intruding, but I really need to use your bathroom."

"Oh! It's that way," Bruce pointed behind him.

Harry thanked him as he placed the tea cup back on the table. Crossing over the basement, he had to admire the way Tony treated his collection of cars. They were polished perfectly – bold colors shining flawlessly. He might not appreciate their value but he could understand the way Tony appreciated them. It was like his collection of brooms.

His shoes crunched over glass.

He frowned as he realized there was glass and the lid of a toilet on the ground. He peered through the hole in the door and wondered what had happened. Inside there was only a toilet and sink built in a modern metallic style. He turned back to Bruce, "Err… this isn't the bathroom."

"I'm sure it is – I used it before," Bruce yelled from across the room.

"There's no bath. How can it be called the bathroom?" Harry asked.

"Wait –oh – you want a shower?"

"Well… yes, a bath or shower – whichever. I haven't had one in days if what you say is true."

"Come upstairs. I'll show you," Bruce said as he climbed up the stairs. "I'm using one of the guest bedrooms but I think there's another one."

"There is one other guest room," JARVIS added. "Across from Dr. Banner's."

"Thank you," Harry said, looking up at the ceiling. He was still awed when he had learned from Bruce that JARVIS was only a computer. He decided it was like having a rather polite ghost. He noticed Bruce's title. "You're not a medical doctor, are you?"

"No, nuclear physics, but all that feels like a life-time ago." Harry didn't ask anymore, because Bruce's reply had felt too short – too uncomfortable.

Harry walked back across the basement and smiled when Dummy followed. The rolling stopped when Harry climbed the stairs. He turned back and looked down at Dummy who was whimpering and couldn't go up the steps. He chuckled and shook his head as he was reminded of Dobby.

Bruce waited for him up another set of stairs. "You probably need a set of clothes. I can give you some or maybe dig around Tony's wardrobe, but I don't know how well you'll fit in them. You can roll up the legs and sleeves if you need to."

Harry sighed – here was another reminder of how short he was. He never finished his growth spurt and was several inches shorter than Tony and Bruce. "It's fine right now. I can clean the clothes I have on."

"You want to use the washer and dryer?" Bruce asked in confusion. "I haven't been able to find them in this house."

"No- no, I meant I can magically clean them," Harry explained. He noticed the quirk on Bruce's mouth when he said magic.

"Alright, well here it is." Bruce waved his hand towards a white door.

"Thanks," Harry said as he stepped through.

"I'll order some food while you're up here. Tony doesn't keep anything in his kitchen. Want anything?"

Harry looked out through the glass walls and saw the sky lightening with shades of light blue. Was it morning already? He shrugged and suggested, "Whatever is convenient for you."

"Don't take too long; we're expecting extra guests." Bruce was trying not to smile. "I'll be downstairs."

Maybe waiting here wasn't a good idea, Harry thought as he closed the door.

He took in all the details of the room. The bedroom was all white or off white with smooth curves. Lamps dotted around - it was a minimal approach but still elegant. The glass walls became tinted and opaque as he passed them. So that's how privacy was possible.

He walked into the bathroom and stopped in front of the mirror that covered one half of the wall. A boy's face stared back. Stripped of all glamours, this was the face of his past and through some unknown twist became his present. And now here in this strange world similar in some ways to his own, he had died twice but got back up again. Without looking for it, here, he possessed what Tom had craved. He shut his eyes – he needed to get out of here, back to home where things made more sense.


Harry got a surprise when he stepped out of the shower.

"Merlin-!" Harry cried – he almost slipped. "Dummy! How did you get up here?"

Dummy had somehow rolled itself into the bathroom and was patiently waiting, holding a towel out. It nudged the towel forward and Harry reluctantly took it. Wrapped in only a towel, Harry awkwardly went around Dummy's large frame, grabbed his Tergeo-cleaned clothes, and backed out into the bedroom. When Dummy turned around, Harry stepped forward to close the door.

"Stay," Harry ordered. He didn't know if it would work, but the whine through the door was a good sign. He figured there must be an elevator somewhere in the house. It was the only explanation he could think of.

He dried himself and dressed quickly before leaving the room – sighing in relief when he didn't hear the sound of wheels. He went down the stairs to the ground floor and was about to enter the basement when he heard the doorbell. Assuming Bruce was downstairs, he decided to answer it. The door wasn't a traditional one and Harry wondered where the knob was.

JARVIS remotely opened the door - and Harry gasped, then Apparated across the room.

It was Agents Romanova and Coulson. Natasha had changed to a blouse and dress pants while Coulson remained in his standard suit.

They both stepped through – one carrying a large brown paper bag smelling of food and the other, with that ever-present smirk.

Agent Romanova gave a brief smile, maybe a bit too intense. "You didn't stay for dinner, so we decided to join you for breakfast."

Before Harry could reply, Bruce popped his head up from the basement. "Oh you're here. Come downstairs – Tony's down here too."

"You did that on purpose," Harry whispered accusingly to Bruce when he got to the stairs. He paid close attention to the two agents as they descended down the steps – particularly on the red-headed woman. She moved with the grace of a Veela and the air of a predator.

Bruce looked surprised and then chuckled. "Actually, I didn't, but I figured the timing was close enough together that they'd somehow intercept the delivery guy."

Agent Coulson's smile grew wider. Once they reached the sofas, Romanova slipped out something from her belt and knelt next to Tony. Must be smelling salts, Harry realized. The second thing he noticed was that both agents stayed a certain distance away from him. Probably as a precaution in case he wanted to send them away.

Natasha waved the smelling salt around Tony's nose and he woke up with a startle. He blinked furiously, sat up, and shook himself.

Tony looked back and forth between Coulson and Romanova. "Oh no… it's Agents Mulder and Scully. See? Home invasion."

Harry closed his eyes in frustration. Is there anything that comes from that mouth that he can trust? Now their names are Mulder and Scully?

Bruce cleared his throat and sat next to Tony. "So I'm guessing we're all here because of … Harry."

All eyes turned to him - nervousness crept in. He went with a standard introduction. "Hello, my name's Harry Potter."

"So, Mr. Unlucky Passerby has a name. Well I've already introduced myself and this here is … " Coulson trailed off.

"Natasha Romanoff," Natasha supplied.

"Ah-ah-ah, I know now. Romanova." Tony crossed his arms.

Natasha only raised an eyebrow. "Oh you finally figured it out."

"What? That's it? Your super-secret identity known – and that's it?"

She showed him a confident smile – completely unfazed. She gestured to the paper bag. "It's rude to keep your guests waiting."

Harry knew that a smile like that meant she was hiding something else. The fact that she wasn't bothered at all was probably because Tony still didn't know her super-secret identity.

Tony scowled and snatched the brown bag that was set in the middle of the table. Harry had forgotten about the food – but his stomach hadn't. It growled.

Tony dug around the bag. "Bruce, did you order again?"

"Yes, what's wrong?"

Tony sighed, "It's just you got this the last time. Anyway, here Harry."

"What is it?" Harry asked as he caught the sandwich that was tossed to him.

"A chicken biscuit," Tony replied.

Harry blinked and stared at the wrapped chicken biscuit. "You must be joking."

Tony looked confused. "No, I'm actually being serious." He didn't say for once but everyone but Harry knew those two words were there.

Harry rubbed his face. "Bollocks. So you're saying that you eat chicken with biscuits?"

Natasha smirked, already figuring out Harry's problem. She didn't say anything though.

"Yeah," Tony said.

"Are you mad? Chicken with bloody biscuits? Cookies?"

Bruce interrupted, "Oh! – they're not cookies. They're not those biscuits. Just open it and try it."

Uncertainty passed over Harry's face, but he opened the packaging anyway. It really was a chicken sandwich. He took a careful bite and sighed – this was the closest to a meal he had eaten since he had stumbled into this world.

"We even got waffle fries … and how about chicken and waffles, if you want," Tony unhelpfully added after catching on … just to mess with Harry some more. Harry glared back.

"Going back to business..." Coulson started. "Harry, are you our John Doe? You match all descriptions down to the clothes you're wearing."

"I'm sorry, am I who?"

Bruce winced. "You must be talking about how Tony and I had dug up Harry from that cemetery."

"Oh, you mean Joe Bloggs," Harry realized.

"Mind explaining how you're alive?" Coulson asked.

Harry answered honestly, "I don't know."

He felt like he was being interrogated. Their questions and manner were mild, but their keen eyes told a different story. He swallowed nervously. When Coulson asked the next question, Harry felt like he had just passed their judgment.

"You demonstrate several abilities – you are human right?"

Harry gave a firm "Yes."

Natasha inspected his face. "You appear young enough – did your abilities just manifest?"

Harry frowned. "I've had them since birth."

"That's unusual," Natasha commented. "Normally, abilities become apparent during the teenage years."

"About that… I'm 41 and I'm not from around here. So however you're trying to categorize me, it's not going to work."

"So you really are 41?" Tony asked. "And you're stuck as a teenager?"

"Don't remind me."

It was a strange day when one Tony Stark had a pitying look on his face. Tony could still remember all that teenage angst, hormones, and just all the good stuff puberty brought. "Harry, I have to say that I am so sorry for you. A teenager forever." Tony cringed.

"Thanks for reminding me," Harry flatly said.

"I think this explains some of your behavior, you act… young," Natasha commented.

Harry sighed, "Thanks again for reminding me." Harry had noticed it too; all his friends had mellowed out later on in their adult lives while he … hadn't so much. It helped that he had a sedentary occupation, but sometimes his impatience and quick defense of his pride would still bubble up.

Bruce spoke when the conversation stopped. "What Harry said about not being around here … according to Tony –"

"I didn't do it!" Tony just blurted out when Natasha and Coulson turned to him. "I was working on teleportation when he just dropped in - literally."

"I came here on accident from another world," Harry confirmed.

"See? And to be more specific, it's another universe."

"I'm sorry if I've caused any trouble, but I've been trying to go home the entire time," Harry admitted.

"Well this simplifies things. Any consequences from your arrival?" Coulson asked. "And how do you plan to go back?"

Harry wasn't sure how much he should say. Based on the reactions from Tony and Bruce, mentioning magic to anyone here didn't seem like a good idea. "I've somehow left my world and landed in Stark's basement. I don't think there are consequences to you, but to me, yes. Things work differently for me here - I haven't figured it out. There's been no precedent."

"Well … there might be," Tony said.

"Really?" Harry sat up.

"Maybe not exactly like yours, but similar," Bruce admitted before he looked apologetic to Coulson and Natasha and asking them, "Do we need clearance to contact him for Harry?"

Coulson nodded. "Granted. With both of us vouching for your sincerity, Mr. Potter, you've been authorized."

"Dr. Evil's Number 2 cleared him that fast?" Tony asked incredulously.

Coulson tapped his ear piece. "He's been listening the entire time."

"JARVIS! I'm going to disown you one day."

"I am too integrated into your life for you to attempt it," JARVIS countered.

Tony tossed his hands in the air. "The world's conspiring against me."

"I'm surprised you didn't already go ahead and contact him," Coulson said.

"I already did," Tony replied and then scowled. "He didn't pick up – that drama queen."

Drama queen? Harry wondered what kind of person Tony would describe in such a way.

"Try Dr. Foster," Natasha suggested. "She can get a message to him wherever he is – even if it is indirect."

Harry noticed the way Romanova had said wherever. She turned to him and gave him a cool smile. Harry realized that this woman never gave anything away unless she intended it. He wanted to ask how she wasn't a muggle, but he didn't think she would answer – truthfully. He remembered how fast she moved and how she had lifted that table like it was an annoyance. In close range, she had the clear advantage.

"Who is this Dr. Foster?" Harry asked.

Natasha answered, "Jane Foster – the foremost expert on Einstein-Rosen Bridges and theoretical astrophysics –"

"Not so theoretical now," Tony quipped.

" - and current Director of the Laser-Interferometer Observatory and Propulsion Technologies."

Harry didn't understand that last part. It showed on his face.

"It's that interstellar travel project that I mentioned earlier," Bruce helpfully added. "We're going to ask her to get a … long distance message across. She's one of us."

"JARVIS, you heard that?" Tony asked.

"Yes sir."

"We were a four-member research group – you know Tony and me, and she's the third one," Bruce whispered to the side for Harry.

A virtual screen appeared in front of Tony. A visual representation of the phone ringing waved across the screen. On the fourth ring, the call was picked up. There was a brown haired woman standing and looking into the screen. A bit of her hair was sticking up and a cup of coffee in her hand. "Tony? You're up this early?"

"Yeah, extended sleepover," he said as he spread his hands apart to blow up the screen and then flicked it out so that everyone could see.

Harry was amazed. Had he missed so much of the muggle world that he never noticed such clever innovations?

"I just got into the office, but what's up guys?" She sat in her seat with a warm smile. Jane finally noticed the two agents in the corner of the screen – she frowned. "Tony, what did you do now?"

"I did nothing this time! Why does everyone think it's my fault?"

"He's calling on my behalf, Dr. Foster," Harry said as he waved to get her attention.

"Oh, call me Jane." She was quick to offer a friendly smile.

"Harry Potter, but just call me Harry. I've been told that you can contact someone who can help me."

Jane's eyes flicked to Coulson and then to Natasha before she pressed her lips together. "I'm assuming in an unofficial capacity?" When she received a nod from Coulson, Jane stood up and left her desk. Harry couldn't see where she had gone, but he could hear the rustle of curtains and the sound of a lock.

"Jane, you don't have to do that. JARVIS can remotely secure your office, you know," Tony impatiently reminded her.

"Just trying to be careful, that's all," Jane said as she sat back down with a little bounce. "By the way, I never thanked you for picking out such a nice chair for me. So what is the message and to whom?"

"That was Pepper – she picked out all the furnishings. Anyway, we got someone who's displaced."

Jane gave a confused response, "There was no signal from their Bifrost. Anyone who went through it, I would know."

Bifrost? Harry thought it was an appropriate name for interstellar travel. He wondered where these muggles traveled to – what was on the other side of the bridge.

"Our resident zombie here didn't go through the Bifrost. He's from a different universe."

Jane blinked at Tony's description of Harry but then dismissed it. Her entire attitude changed suddenly and she faced Harry again – all professional. "A different universe? So, you're trying to get back? I'll send it, but I don't know if a message is even necessary. He's so in-tune with the higher dimensions he might know already - maybe not any specifics, but he'll be looking for you."

Harry thought his situation was looking better already. "That could speed things along. Brilliant."

Tony snapped his finger. "Ooh… you're right Jane, he might know already. Hey, Harry, can we pretend that I figured out the teleporting thing? I just want to see his face when –"

Jane interrupted, "Alright, so I'm guessing you are all coming here?"

"Set it for tomorrow," Tony decided. "I still got some things to do here."

"Okay, how many should I be expecting? All five of you?"

Natasha shook her head. "I'll be withdrawing from this case. I'll report in. Phil?"

"I'll be staying on. The case isn't closed yet."

"There aren't enough rooms for a fourth person," Tony said gleefully. Harry wondered what Tony had against Coulson.

Without missing a beat, Coulson smoothly replied, "I'll just meet you all here tomorrow morning."

"Okay then, I'll see you guys when you get here and I look forward to meeting you, Harry." Jane hung up with a wave.

Well that was easy. Harry thought that had gone fast - but brilliantly. He felt like he was well on his way home.

There was something lingering in the corner of his mind though – nagging him. Not once, had they said who he was meeting.


Later in the afternoon well after Coulson and Natasha had left, Harry found himself back in the basement. He felt tired, but he was feeling too restless to sleep. He was still adjusting to the fact that for Bruce and Tony it had been several days, but for him, it only felt like one very long but very eventful day.

His wand halves were still in his pocket but they were useless. With no Elder Wand and no Ollivander around, he couldn't fix his Holly wand. With nothing to do, he decided to push his newfound wand-less abilities a bit further. Reparo was a simple spell meant to mend small broken objects. He wasn't sure if it would work but he was going to try it – on the glass door.

Harry lifted the toilet tank cover from the floor and walked around the glass pieces that littered the ground. He set the cover to the side. After crouching next to the door, he inspected the man-size hole. He suspected it was probably Tony-sized.

He held his hand out, palm facing the hole. He willed the glass to come together even scrunching his face in concentration. Nothing happened. He sighed and tried again while thinking the word Reparo. He thought he saw a piece of glass move – he couldn't be sure, the movement had been so small.

He shut his eyes this time and tried to imagine all the glass shards on the floor … and pulled them together like a jigsaw puzzle.

"Huh – maybe I should hire you to fix my broken stuff. I have a lot."

Surprised, Harry jumped a little. The glass that hadn't merged into the door yet fell and clattered back to the floor. It was a partial success.

"You mean you break a lot," Harry retorted.

Tony just grinned. "So what spell is that?"

"It's called Reparo – invented by Orabella Nuttley around the 18th century," Harry recited from memory.

Tony crouched down and whipped out a holographic screen. "JARVIS, play footage of the door." After zooming in on individual glass shards and tracking their movement he looked up at Harry. "Hmm, seems like you're just reversing velocities… I wonder …"

Harry was still amazed at how many electronics were still able to work in the presence of his magic. "Where I'm from, I don't think your little torch there would survive."

"Torch? Oh you mean my arc reactor. It's not just to illuminate my dashing figure by the way."

Harry took one last look at the circular pattern of lights before going back to the glass door. "Even seeing this, you're still not convinced?"

"I don't know what Bruce told you – well I can find out – but it's in our nature to be skeptics. Hell, we're trained skeptics … so if someone has extraordinary claims, he better come with extraordinary proof."

"I can agree to that … but I can't give you more than my word and what I can show you here."

"Yeah, so far you haven't shown anything that we haven't seen before ... well what you're doing now is new."

Harry studied his hands, turning them to see if he could find anything unusual. "Here, magic feels different – behaves differently."

"You keep saying that – maybe it is, but I'm going to persuade you that science works for you."

Harry gave him a doubtful look. "They really don't mix – they can get explosive."

"If you're saying that magic interferes with electronics … well electronics can interfere with other electronics. Has to do with electromagnetic frequencies or wavelengths – and if you match up the wrong ones – or should I say the right ones - you get interference or worse."

Harry paused to digest this new information. "I'll have to consider that," Harry admitted.

"Even if it turns out that Bruce and I are completely wrong – don't ever tell anyone I said that – science isn't defined by a set of natural laws; it's careful discovery. It's formulating theories and claims based on available data – and possibly changing them to adopt new ideas or new evidence. It's a way of thinking."

Tony crouched down beside Harry and picked up a piece of glass and then dropping it before continuing. "We're very good at acknowledging what we don't know and maybe you're part of that, but it doesn't mean that we're going to leave it as an unknown. Maybe we'll never figure it out, but we're going to try. Human history has been plagued with ignorance – and we'd just be going backwards if we didn't try to explore."

Harry chuckled – finally Tony was making sense. "Well, if you're going to describe it that way, then yes, we do share a common way of thinking. Can't say the same about the majority of the magical population, but at least among the Unspeakables."

"Sounds like the untouchables."

Harry scowled. "We're researchers on magic. Our work is classified – ergo no speaking."

"Ah – so what did you work on?"

Harry looked surprised for a moment. He touched his mouth before looking up again. "They're gone. There should be magical constraints – restrictions on how much I say… but I no longer feel them. If they were there, my mouth would automatically shut if I tried."

Tony looked horrified. Harry had a feeling that it wasn't because of his sake, but because Tony imagined it on himself … and how many people would be happy if it did happen. Harry sighed - here was another difference between this world and his.

"Don't ever mention it to anyone," Tony demanded.

Harry didn't think he could cast it, so he easily agreed, "Alright."

"So, about your work?"

"Without going into specifics, I worked on a number of things. I particularly focused on Prophecy, dark magic, and I wanted to study more on the nature of Death, but then I tripped my way here. You know the rest." When Tony opened his mouth to ask about those subjects, Harry shook his head. "It'd take too long to explain." It was obvious to the both of them that Harry just didn't want to talk about his work.

Harry focused back on the door again. It was only half-fixed. With his hand hovering over what remained of the hole, he closed his eyes again and pictured the fragments flying and assembling under his hand. He felt them collecting near his palm and heard the crackling of glass. He gave a small laugh as he opened his eyes - he had done it. Flattening his hand on the door, he felt the coolness and the solidness of the glass.

"Hey can you fix my car?" Tony asked all of a sudden.

Harry rubbed his forehead. "I've never tried it, but are you sure? It could go horribly wrong."

"Can't do worse than what I did to the last one."

"What did you do?"

"Uhh… dropped another one of my vehicles on top."

What? Harry just dismissed the answer as another one of Tony's eccentricities. He approached the blue car with the white stripes and winced at the dents on the hood. The damage wasn't extremely bad, but to someone critical – like Tony, they might as well be scars.

"Only these right? Is it possible to separate the hood from the rest of the car? As a precaution, I'd like to stay away from the engine and battery."

"How about if I lift the hood up? Is that enough distance?" Tony propped the hood up. The hinge was at the front instead of near the windshield like on other cars.

"Probably."

Harry walked around to the front of the Cobra. His fingers traced the smooth contour of the hood and stopped at a dent. He yawned – the fatigue from the day finally getting to him. He blinked the sleepiness away and wanting to get this done quickly, he just whispered out, "Reparo."

It was a mistake.

The metal under his hand popped up and out like it was supposed to ... but it didn't stop there. Shite. Harry immediately turned to Tony to gauge his reaction. Tony smacked Harry's hand away to see what had happened. There was a large bump where there was a dent.

"You made it worse!"

"I – I can fix it!"

"When I said that you couldn't do worse than me, it wasn't an invitation to try, Harry! I rescind my job offer."

Irritated at Tony and his own magic, Harry replied, "I wasn't looking for another one anyway. Just let me try one more time."

With a glare, Tony just crossed his arms. Harry took it as a go ahead.

Harry breathed in and then out to focus. He placed his hand back on the hood and gently pushed Reparo onto the painted metal. The metal underneath popped back down and smoothed out. Harry slowly moved his hand away and breathed out a sigh of relief. The hood looked alright now.

"Huh – good as new. Not bad," Tony complimented.

"You're welcome." Harry covered his eyes and yawned again when sleepiness returned. "I need to sleep, so if there's nothing else…"

"Nope, nothing else. Oh wait, there is one thing. Call me Tony," he said, sticking his hand out.

"Harry." They both shook hands.

"I'm probably going to break my brain trying to figure out your Frankenstein trick, but it's worth a try."

"I am not wishing you luck on that."

"Who needs luck when I've got skillz?"

Harry just gave him an indulging smile. From sheer exhaustion Harry failed to hear Dummy rolling into the basement until the robot stood next to him. He had forgotten that he had left it upstairs.

"Dummy, where have you been? I can still donate you to a community college," Tony threatened. The robot just ducked its head. Tony turned back to Harry. "Oh, I forgot. These are Test – " Tony pointed to the furthest robot. "- Crash –" A finger went to the one on his left. " – and you know Dummy."

Harry gave an uncomfortable smile to the last one. "About Dummy… why does he keep following me?"

"Oh that's normal for him. He just thinks you're going to spontaneously combust."

Harry's smile froze, and then slipped off.


AN: Well I'm back to writing this story after just finishing its prequel. :D I had to complete that one before continuing this one; Riddle would spoil the ending to Cognosco. It should be obvious who Harry's meeting.
If you're wondering about Natasha, here's a hint: she was smacked by the Hulk in the Avengers movie. She got back up with no injuries and you think she's normal?