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Chapter Seventeen
by shadowphoenix55
Percy staggered backwards, gasping for air, as the three landed in a small room filled with bottles with stuff in them (potions?). His vision spun around him as he attempted not to fall down. What in the world had Harry done?
Percy bumped into a wall. He grabbed the corner, using it to keep himself upright. One, two, three, breathe in, four, five, six, breathe out -
And then his focus came rushing back.
Harry, apparently, hadn't been affected by the jump. He had grabbed some bottles full of a dull red potion and were shoving them down Annabeth's (who was lying on a table) throat. Once he'd emptied two and a half bottles, he waved his stick-thing. A glowing ball of light appeared where Annabeth had gotten shot. It was a light red, at first, but it quickly turned to a whitish yellowish color.
Harry's posture immediately relaxed.
Harry turned to Percy.
"She's going to be okay."
It took all of Percy's will to not hug the restaurant owner right then and there.
Annabeth was going to be okay. The words rebounded in Percy's head as he stared at his girlfriend. She looked a bit pale, but otherwise, she looked fine. Annabeth was going to be okay.
Percy was so focused on Wise Girl that he almost didn't notice Harry leaving the room, opening a dark wooden door on the side and telling him that he'd be right back.
Annabeth was going to be okay.
Harry rushed downstairs. Doors - locked. Windows - with the blinds down. Every single ward he could possibly think of, and then three more - cast.
No one was coming in - or out - of his restaurant until he said so.
Harry slid into his bar, opening the cupboard on the bottom left. Inside was a bottle of his special type of firewhiskey - perfect for getting himself ready for the stunt he was about to pull.
Harry poured himself a large glass. He picked it up, watching the drink swirl around as he moved his hand back and forth in a circular motion.
He had to tell her. If he didn't, and she heard it from someone else -
He was a dead man.
Well, a twice dead man. She'd most likely decided to kill him once for his actions and another time for not telling her.
Harry knocked back the drink, waiting until he could feel the burning in his throat to slam the glass back on the table.
Harry opened his mouth and a burst of fire came out. He let himself endure the pain, the burning, for a few seconds longer - and then the flame died out.
It was high time to stop procrastinating and to be a Gryffindor.
Harry rummaged through the cupboard again, feeling the side of the wall until his finger caught the edge of the secret panel. He popped it open and reached inside, his arm at an odd angle. His hand felt cold and he grabbed the mirror.
Harry started, for a moment, thinking back to the time where he saw Sirius' face in the glass, or when he saw Dumbledore's - well, the other Dumbledore -
But those were times of the past, and in the present, there was only one face Harry wanted to see.
"Hermione." Harry stated clearly, activating the spell Hermione had put in the device.
The said witch appeared in the mirror in seconds.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, brushing a strand of hair from her face, "I've been meaning to mirror you, but the last few days have been busy - we well, I, really - have found the source of the energy surge from a couple of weeks ago - you'll never guess -"
"Hermione." Harry interrupted.
Hermione gave Harry a half-hearted glare.
"Harry, can't this wait?" Hermione asked, her tone tinged with exasperation.
"No." Harry replied, collecting his courage.
"Then what is so important than the largest surge of energy on Earth for centuries?"
"I broke the Statue of Secrecy." Harry started off, "I fought off some type of spy organization who knows of my magic. Oh, and I saved two teens - both of which are some sort of magical."
Hermione stated, open mouthed. It looked as if she was trying to form words but no sound came out.
"They're upstairs." Harry finished.
Hermione's mouth moved soundlessly for a few minutes longer, before -
"HARRY JAMES POTTER." Hermione began. Harry winced, "Out of all the irresponsible things, you went for the worst. You BROKE THE STATUE? Do you have any idea what this means? MASCUSA is going to come after you, no doubt about it - how many muggles were there?"
"A bid a ba." Harry murmured.
"What?"
"...two dozen. And I'm pretty sure they had cameras."
"What?"
Harry looked everywhere but the mirror.
"Do you have any idea how bad this is?" Hermione shouted, "With all of the muggles' new tech, we were already on the brink of exposure - how am I supposed to spin this, Harry? What am I supposed to tell Kingsley? How am I supposed to get you out of it this time? I can't believe yo-"
There was a distant dull sound. Hermione stiffened, glancing to the right. Then, the image went dark.
"Hermione?" Came a muted, all-too familiar voice, "What… I thought I heard voices."
"Just… I just got frustrated with my work." Hermione said, "Again. Sorry, Ron."
"Yeah, tone it down, sista!" Came another voice, this one even more muted. George, "No offense or anything, but you sound like you're going bat-craaaaaazy!"
Hermione laughed.
"Okay." She said, "I'll be down for dinner in just a moment."
"Hurry - Victor's coming soon!" Another, this one high-pitched, voice exclaimed.
Someone- Harry assumed Ron - harrumphed. There was a sound of a door closing, and then Hermione's face came back into view.
Harry raised his left eyebrow.
"Víctor?" He asked.
Hermione blushed.
"He was in a game Ginny was playing in - George and Ron dragged me to it - and we met up afterward…"
Harry smiled.
"I'm happy for you, honest." He told his best friend.
Hermione smiled back.
"Well, it probably isn't going to work out, but at least Ginny will be able to meet him - she's been going on about him for ages - but that's not important."
Hermione gave Harry a look.
"Nice try, but you can't distract me so easily."
"I think I just did." Harry replied with a smirk.
Hermione levelled a playful glare.
And then her face went slack.
"Wait… what was the name of the organization?" She asked, suddenly more intense than before - quite a feat.
"Uh… SHIELD." Harry said.
Hermione's eyes widened.
"Well, shoot." She said, "No, no, no… you have no idea how bad this is, Harry."
"What?" Harry asked, eyes flashing with worry.
"The energy flare... we traced it to its source. It's at a secret government base - they're called SHIELD."
Harry's mouth hung open.
"So they're most likely evil." He finally managed, "And they have a highly destructive energy source… and they know about us. Or almost do, at least."
"In summary, yes." Hermione replied, biting her lip, "Okay, okay… operation one five nine six, instituting immediate lockdown… operation one nine nine three, infiltration of an organization who is figuring it out and taking the information… operation one nine nine three B, obliviation squad... and… maybe… operation Merlin… I need to go to the ministry."
Hermione turned to leave, but then looked back.
"Don't do anything stupid when I'm gone." She said, "Do try to curb those Gryffindor tendencies."
The mirror went dark.
Harry stared at it for a moment longer, tilting the mirror back and forth a bit, unable to take his eyes away.
So SHIELD was a bigger problem than he thought. And, as much as the Unspeakables denied it, Harry knew that the stamp for the energy surge was magical - he felt it.
Maybe that was a Master-of-Death thing. He wasn't really sure. Honestly, he wasn't really sure of anything anymore.
"Uh… Harry?" Came a voice. Harry looked up from the mirror to see Percy standing at the foot of the hidden stairs, "Annabeth's awake."
