Harry had fallen asleep almost as soon as Tony had told him to rest.
Tony had momentarily considered joining Harry, however, with everything that had happened, he wasn't sure it would be welcomed.
Not knowing what else to do, Tony went back to the couch that Harry had previously been laid on and called Jarvis once again.
Tony, through Jarvis, accessed Bruce's notes on the sceptre. Bruce had concluded that the magic around it acted as another type of energy. Depending on the situation that energy would change slightly. There was a side note that was added just after Bruce had returned back to the tower that said 'Loki's magic may work similar, emotions could influence that energy and cause certain changes to the magic. Further ideas needed.'
That passage made Tony pause, he had been thinking in terms of technology, not energy. He also hit himself with how thoughtless he had been. Everything surrounding Thor and his world was energy based. Even those portals to the other worlds that was how they tracked Thor. They had even used the same idea for searching for Loki.
Tony flexed his fingers, wanting to do and work with this newly found hunch. If this was not technology and it was indeed energy, it wasn't a case of recreating the weapon, no instead it was harnessing that energy. However, there was the problem of identifying that energy.
Tony told Jarvis all of his current ideas on how to identify said energy, if it was possibly to isolate it.
"Sir, Mr. Rogers is requesting your presence," Jarvis had interrupted after a few hours had passed. "He says it's a SHIELD matter."
Checking the time, Tony groaned. It was with a further sigh that Tony sent a message saying he'd be along soon. Spying some paper on the side, Tony left Harry a message.
Harry,
Sorry about leaving but I had to get back to the tower. Bruce and the others needed me for something and it couldn't wait. I left your phone just in case you still wanted it. My number is already there so just let me know when you wake up. It'll stop me worrying about Teddy being left alone.
If I don't hear from you by mid-day I'll send someone to check on you.
Tony
Tony pulled the mobile from his pocket and left it next to the note.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
"There's been some strange energy readings," Steve told Tony. "Fury wants us all on high alert."
"In the middle of the night?" Tony pointed out, more irritated than he should be.
"The readings came in earlier but they wanted to see what it was. Finding nothing made them worry," Clint said. He was sat next to Natasha, his hair a mess.
"What were the readings?" Tony asked, trying to finalise the information clearly.
"They don't know," Steve took over. "Just unusual energy readings. Something big."
"Like the portals?" Tony asked, thinking back to his thoughts earlier.
"They didn't say," Natasha pointed out. "Just something strong they couldn't place."
"They asked Thor to come, he can pick up some energies better than we can," Bruce said. His eyes met Tony's. Tony saw the slightly pointed look Bruce gave him and his bobbed his head slightly, acknowledge that the man wanted to talk.
"We don't have that much information to go on," Tony said dryly.
"There wasn't much information to give," Steve said sharply.
"So what? We just sit around and wait for something to happen?"
"We're part of the surveillance team," Clint said.
Tony raised a brow at that. "Surveillance?"
"Yes, the area may be a hotspot for activity or future Loki's. SHIELD wants surveillance on the area," Clint said, knowing that he would be part of the group at the very least.
"Right, well this has been lovely," Tony started to say.
"Fury wanted to talk to you," Steve said, shutting down Tony's getaway.
"He knows how to reach me."
"He doesn't want you looking into the sceptre," Steve continued, as if Tony hadn't spoken.
"No can do. Bruce and I are onto something," Tony said bluntly.
"Tony –"
"No Capsicle," Tony said firmly. "This is important."
With that said, Tony turned and walked away. His mind processing what was said. The strange energy readings seemed to have appeared at a very convenient time indeed.
"Tony!" Bruce called, following the man.
Tony slowed his pace to let him catch up.
"Tony, the readings came from near Harry," Bruce said softly once he had caught up. The two continued into an elevator.
"How near is near?" Tony asked, slightly concerned about the two people he had left behind.
"It was located in that area. They don't know what caused it but there was consistent readings from around the area over the past several days."
Tony hummed in thought. He was aware that Harry had only just moved to New York, although it was unlikely the readings came from him, after all Tony had spent more than enough time with the man. Plus, the latest reading was today, whilst Tony was there. The brief suspicion that had arose was washed from Tony's mind without another though.
"There will be people watching the area, so be careful," Bruce said. Tony heard the warning, if he wanted Harry and Teddy to be kept a secret from the others he needed to stop the visits.
"Right," Tony said, a frown forming.
The two continued in silence until they reached the lab.
"How was Harry?" Bruce asked, slightly unsure if he should be concerned.
"Tired, both of them were. They went straight to bed after you left," Tony shrugged. A memory came to mind, "speaking of them. What happened when you went to check his pulse?"
"Oh," Bruce vocalised. "I felt like I was given an electric shock. Probably static and I overreacted a bit," Bruce admitted.
"Even so," Tony said. "It was a big reaction. You didn't even do that when I shocked you."
"It was different," Bruce said, rubbing his arm. "I don't even know how to describe it, the other guy backed off as soon as he felt it."
"That's new," Tony mused. He and Bruce had done a few tests on what Hulk would react to, mainly on Tony's insistence. "He didn't do that before."
"No, it made him more aggressive before," Bruce agreed.
"That'd explain why you were a bit shook up then," Tony filed that information away for another time. "Strong energy readings, how do they effect people?"
"I'm not sure, I would guess that it's the same as any strong readings, it would probably be associated with nausea, fatigue, confusion, anxiety and so on, but that is a guess based on other data," Bruce pointed out.
An unpleasant thought struck Tony, "could it cause loss of consciousness?"
Bruce looked to Tony, his eyes widening slightly, "I guess it could, although if you are thinking about Harry, both you and Teddy should have been influenced by the high readings as well."
"I don't recall any of us but Harry acting out of the ordinary," Tony said. "He just went outside and then fainted."
"Why did he go outside?" Bruce asked, rubbing a hand across his face.
"No idea. I thought for a moment he might have seen something but there was nothing there," Tony said. Not likely how his mind was linking Harry to the strange readings.
"I know I said be careful," Bruce said. "But I think Harry might –"
"Don't," Tony warned.
"We should just be careful, maybe get him here and see if we can find any readings. I know you read my notes so we could –"
"Bruce," Tony said tiredly. "Trust me, Harry is not a problem here. I –"
"I get it," Bruce said softly. "Hulk didn't respond to him until the shock. Normally he would make it known he doesn't feel comfortable. It was only after the shock that I felt him and it wasn't anger, more like a scolded child."
"Harry isn't the problem," Tony said again.
"No, but he might be used," Bruce pointed out, thinking back to Clint under Loki's influence.
"I'll find a way to get him here," Tony said, wanting to prove that he was right. "We need to have something to read these energy readings though."
"Let's start working then," Bruce said, noticing how determined Tony had become.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Harry woke to a silent house. His head still hurt and his throat was dry, almost as though he had been screaming. Whilst his dreams of Death had disappeared, his memories of the war and his Uncle had returned.
Harry sat up groggily, feeling his clothing protest against him. It took a second for him to recall the previous night and that, no, he had not drunk enough to take down Hagrid, instead he had met Death.
The rest of the night was still foggy in Harry's brain, he remembered Teddy going to sleep and Tony, Tony stayed the night.
With that thought clear in his head, Harry pushed himself out of bed, waiting slightly to stop himself from falling before he got changed into comfier clothing.
Checking on Teddy, he found the child still in his bed fast asleep, his limbs hanging out of the covers. Shaking his head at the sight, Harry continued onwards, making his way slowly down the stairs.
"Tony?" He called, poking his head into the living room.
Nothing.
Frowning slightly, Harry moved into the kitchen. Still, he saw nothing to hint that Tony had actually stayed.
Making his way back into the living room Harry spied the phone on the table, as well as the note.
Harry,
Sorry about leaving but I had to get back to the tower. Bruce and the others needed me for something and it couldn't wait. I left your phone just in case you still wanted it. My number is already there so just let me know when you wake up. It'll stop me worrying about Teddy being left alone.
If I don't hear from you by mid-day I'll send someone to check on you.
Tony
Harry shook his head, trying not to acknowledge the faint disappointment that the man had left. He picked up the phone and stared at it for a moment. He pressed the one button that was on the front of the phone and watched in fascination as the screen lit up.
"This is cool," Harry said softly as he followed the on-screen instructions to unlock the phone. Harry sat on the couch and gingerly pressed the screen to see what the different icons did. Having opened one, he fumbled with the phone before deciding to press the button that lit the screen up. With a laugh, Harry realised that it took him back to the home screen.
"Muggles are amazing," he thought out loud as he found the texting icon.
'Hi Tony, just letting you know I am awake and ok. Thank you for this. Harry.'
It was with a smile that Harry continued to explore the different aspects of the phone.
'Great, I can't talk much at the moment – big project, but I will get back to you later. Stay safe.' The message read from Tony as it flashed across the top of the screen.
Harry smiled goofily, feeling better than he had since Death had arrived.
