So yes, this story. It's ten parts(or chapters if you prefer) and strictly Harry/Natasha for a pairing(even if said romance is not the focal point of the plot that much). And I'm sure there's some standard disclaimer that I don't own anything that regarding Marvel or Harry Potter. Updates will happen on Sundays, or I'll try to at least.
Part One.
Fog settled on the docks in the early morning hours. This was the type of morning where no one expected something evil and underhanded to be going down, yet there was something evil and underhanded going down. A group of dark and shady individuals circled around, dressed in black outfits. The leader of the group wore a pinstriped suit and carried with him a briefcase, where he walked towards the leader of another group.
The contraband in the crates was the real prize they had before them. The men who brought it to them, they did not ask questions. The only delivered what was in the crate for a substantial fee. That fee would make them all for life. That was one thing that was for certain. They could fetch a high price due to that.
The two groups stared each other down before one party spoke.
"Do you have it?"
That question was asked by one of the members of the group and the crate pried open to reveal, yes they had the contents. Weapons that would allow their employers to be masters of the universe. It took a long time to smuggle these babies into port but the time it took, it was well and clearly worth all of the wait and all of the trouble.
"It all is present and accounted for," one of the men said, lighting up a cigar, with a calculated expression in his eyes. "The real question is, is our money all present and accounted for?"
The man on the other side shifted and did not like the accusatory tone this question had been given in. "Are you trying to say that we would double deal you?"
The tension in the air could be felt by both sides, and it grew by each passing minute.
"Not saying that at all...it's just in our business, every cent counts."
Tension reigned in the air with these parties, neither of them truly trusted the other. Yet, they all had to trust each other, if they wanted to do business with each other. That was the state of the game, the name of what they were doing. The two parties looked at each other, before a third man stepped in. Someone had to act as a mediator.
"Everything will be in order, there is no need to throw around accusations."
The man delivering the items was not going to back down from what he thought is claims should be. "I am not throwing around accusations, I just feel it is prudent to make sure that my money is delivered to me as planned."
"Yes, it will be," the mediator agreed but there was a rustling of the wind behind them which caused them all to perk up.
The wind rustled from behind them more and they stood on their feet. They laughed after this moment of being terrified. Surely, there was nothing to be terrified by the wind? It was natural as anything that they could deal with. The group stood, laughing with each other. This moment of being terrified brought them closer together.
One of the men felt a crack of his skull before he slumped down to the ground. Pain filled his body when he dropped to the ground. The man's eyes rolled into the back of his head, when he began to cough and breath heavily. The second man fell down, with a blast of blue light impacting his back and he got dropped down to the ground.
"We've got compromised!"
The man who stated this was thrown down to the ground, his legs and arms breaking when he flew to the ground. His heart sped up, beating heavily in his chest, before his invisible adversary shot razor sharp ropes against his fellow gang members.
"Sloppy."
This word was projected away from the target but it caused his enemy to turn around and shoot towards a shadow that was not there. The attacker flew forwards and the sound of limbs cracking and snapping could be heard. They went down swiftly and painfully.
Another enemy flew down to the ground out of it, and the rest of them tried to run away, but a helicopter touched down on the ground. The wind from the blades caused the men to throw their arms over their heads, when they stepped back a few feet, shuddering from what was before them. Their knees buckled and knocked together.
Exiting the helicopter was a tall man dressed in a black trenchcoat, black skin and bald with an eyepatch on. He was an imposing figure to say the least and one that many people wet themselves over when they saw him. Nick Fury showed up and punched out one of the goons before he could make a movement. The goon crumpled to the ground knocked down with one punch.
The next man was dressed in purple, with blonde hair, and he pointed an arrow. He turned around and fired the arrow. The arrow disarmed one of the attackers. He was called Clint Barton, but he was known as Hawkeye. More arrows fired at a rapid barrage fury when he moved in, taking out the remaining attackers that their invisible friend did not take out.
A red haired woman with green eyes, dressed in a catsuit rolled forward and stood ready to pounce. She used her powerful legs to take down the enemy. She was one of the top spies in SHIELD by a mile, skilled and intelligent. She swooped in and took control of her enemies, wiping them out with ballistic fury. Natasha Romanov or the Black Widow, was not about to take them down without a fight and they scattered.
"Run."
A loud bang echoed and a net appeared in mid air, wrapping around the people who tried to get away. They struggled, their limbs thrashing, before an electrical pulse shot through them. The group landed on the ground with a thud. Nick Fury stepped forward, looking through one eye, before he turned around and decided to get to the matter at hand.
"Who are you and who are you working for?"
The criminal they took out was definite as usual. He practically spat out his next statement to Fury. "I'll never talk to you."
"I wasn't giving you the option," Fury stated in a tone that would make most wet themselves.
Which these men were doing, they twitched and shivered, also shuddering a little bit while Fury waited in his most impatient expression. He could get into their heads all day and all night, there was no use of them waiting. His eye narrowed when he stared them down.
"They're working for the Liberators Movement."
Fury turned and saw a figure standing there in a black robe with a hood up. He turned and pointed his gun towards this robed figure, while his two best people stepped in and watched him carefully. If he attacked, they'd be ready.
"I beg your pardon."
"The Liberators Movement, they were using magically modified Muggle weapons, giving them a supernatural qualities. They're being funded by the British Ministry of Magic, the old purebloods don't want to give up the ghost, even if it's been years and years since they've had any say or had been relevant at all. The Muggle Government's taken more control of that world and they've been brought into the twenty first century or at least the twentieth given how far behind we are. Granted, it's going to take time but these people are more concerned about their power, even if they are an endangered species."
Fury eyed him suspiciously.
"I know of your hidden world but I was wondering...who you are?"
The young man underneath the robe smiled. "I'm sure you've heard of me."
"That doesn't exactly narrow it down," Fury stated when he stepped forward, bracing himself for a fight.
"What Commander Fury wants to know is who are you and what is your problem with this Liberators Movement?" asked Black Widow when she stared at this young man, well she could see nothing but a hood and a faceless blur.
The young man shifted and they could almost tell he was smiling. "Well this Liberators Movement, they seek to undo any positive chance that they can. Not that the Ministry is any better with more Muggleborns and Half Bloods in charge. Stupid politicians are still stupid politicians no matter what blood or background they have."
Fury knew what he was talking about. He dealt with his share of idiots in office every day.
"You want some more information, how about a demonstration?" the hooded figure stated when he stared them down. He looked at Black Widow and Hawkeye. "Attack me. If you hold your own, you might get me to part with more information."
Hawkeye, feeling that this young man was an easy target, set himself up. "Oh believe me, we'll do more than hold our own."
One arrow was shot but turned into a bouquet of flowers when it fell to the ground. Hawkeye stopped and stared, his eyes blinking when he watched.
"Not bad, maybe you would have had a better shot if I was blindfolded."
Hawkeye gritted his teeth together in a pained grimace, pulling himself up to his feet and popping his elbow twisting it around. His eyes screwed shut before he offered a moment to shake loose the cobwebs. He wanted to figure out what he did wrong and go back to the attack. He armed himself and moved forward to go for the attack.
The figure he tried to attack was not there.
"Here today and gone tomorrow, that's the problem with attacking an opponent you can't see."
Black Widow charged forward, her heart beat a bit more steadily when she tried to attack her opponent. Said opponent dodged her assault and she did a flipping roll over his back. The spy landed on her feet, spun around, and swung for the fences. Her adversary dodged the swing nicely, before she flipped over onto her feet.
Natasha both enjoyed the challenge and was annoyed.
"You have some kind of powers, don't you?"
There was a pause. "Give this lady a gold star."
Natasha tried to shock her adversary but the attack repelled back towards her. She was shaken but not stirred. Her head felt like it been trampled on and he swept the leg out from underneath her. She flew head over heels and flipped onto the ground, landing with a thud.
Hawkeye reached up and helped Natasha to her feet. Natasha gritted her teeth before she spun around. "Let's try this one together."
Natasha's eyes flashed with intensity. She was thrilled at the challenge. "Lets."
Natasha and Clint made their movements towards their attacker but he dodged their attacks with grace and precision. He dodged another attack, dropping down and weaving around, before he tripped them up. He pushed them down onto the ground.
Two SHIELD agents tried to attack and two SHIELD agents were on the ground, thanks to an enemy that they did not see.
"Well I'll think things over, thanks for the workout."
Fury turned and looked forward before he responded in a gruff voice. "This isn't over."
He could almost since this hooded man smiling, taunting him. "No, it isn't over."
Natasha pulled herself up and she could hear with a faint pop that he was gone. Something told her that she should be looking forward to some sort of rematch between the two of them. When and where that happened, she had no earthly idea.
X-X-X
Over a year passed since that meeting and the team of the Earth's Mightiest Superheros, the Avengers were going strong and expanding their ranks. The world at large were trying to figure out what the Avengers were all about. Were they the force for good that they presented themselves out. Or did they do more harm than good? There were many questions and people kept changing all of the answers.
"Give them all you got."
That was the voice of Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, who had determination that could not be matched by anyone on Earth. He gritted his teeth, when he held up an impressive shield. He smashed towards the yellow clad enemies that stood on the ground and faced them, ready to win the day and the battle, like he always did.
"Giving them, got it."
Tony Stark or Iron Man dropped down to the ground. He wore yellow and red armor and fired a series of impressive attacks at his enemies. That staggered them.
The growling of the Incredible Hulk proceeded him smashing his enemies with all of his might. They flew backwards with a tremendous sonic impact.
Black Widow dropped down, knocking and dodging the attacks of one of the weapons that fired upon her. She stood up and knocked the weapons out the hand of her attackers.
Thor, the God of Thunder, dropped down, swinging his mighty hammer, before he smashed it hard. "So who are we dealing with again?"
Iron Man grunted before he propelled them backwards. "They're called...The Advanced Idea Mechanics and...yeah I've dealt with these jokers a few times before and their big headed leader."
Carol Danvers, a gold haired woman dressed in a red and black bodysuit, with a mask jumped down, before she launched energy attacks from her hands. "So, the typical take over the world types, then?"
"Pretty much, yeah," Iron Man agreed when he fired upon the attacks. He gritted his teeth in concentration, firing upon his enemies.
"It does offer us an impressive work out for our newly expanded team," Captain America responded when he smashed them.
"Yeah, our three new recruits, they need some breaking in," Hawkeye responded when he staggered back a little bit.
Black Panther, one of the new recruits, turned his head behind his shoulder. "Seems like you need some fine tuning, my friend."
Hawkeye took this statement in stride, before he turned around and fired another rapid barrage of arrows, shot at the attackers. The arrows stuck in the armor of the attackers and blew them to bits, sending them backwards. They scattered and was about to bring out the big guns.
"So that's what we do now?"
Jessica Drew, better known as Spider-Woman, showed up. Her costume was a combination of reds and yellows, her black hair flowing from behind a mask.
"Okay, I got this one."
Spider -Woman swung upwards, wrapping her ankles around the heads, before flipping her adversary to the ground. She made sure he landed hard and she propelled herself up into the air, before she drilled a knee into the chest of an enemy. Said enemy spasmed underneath the attack and Spider-Woman drew herself back, before hitting a punch.
"What are they after?" Thor asked, when he smashed his hammer into his enemies.
"That's what we're trying to...argh...find out," Captain America stated when he swung his shield and cracked it against the face of his enemy. "They're making sure that truck gets out of here...Hulk, you know what to do."
The Hulk rushed forward, his eyes glowing with a primal fury, when he slammed his hands on the back of the truck. The truck remained in place, with the Hulk bending his knees. The green giant kept the truck in place, rocking himself backwards, rolling his shoulders back. Said shoulders popped back with a grimace and his teeth gritted. The Hulk stood on the ground, focused and determined, there was nothing compared to what he could do.
"Get back here," Hulk grunted, when Ms. Marvel blew out the tires with a well placed energy attack from her hands.
The truck opened up, to reveal that no on was inside, unless one counted the bomb that they needed to disarm.
"Avengers, back off," Captain America stated when he turned towards them.
Nice and easy did the trick, and Iron Man was in straight away to disarm the bomb and prevent the cataclysmic event.
The large yellow pod rose from the crowd and it aimed their enemies, but suddenly a blast fired through the air. It impacted the side of the pod causing it to smoke and the pilot to jump out. Thor took down the pilot but his eyes widened when he saw several more pods levitate in the air, swirling in a wave of magic.
"By the Allfather," Thor stated, eyes widened and he was not the only one.
Black Panther stood on the ground, he was a man of few words but he was certain that there would be many to describe what he saw here.
"Wow," Iron Man managed, when he saw the pod smash together and the pilots shoot from them. Technology that took months to assemble ripped apart in a matter of seconds by some mysterious force.
The dust cleared, and a figure wearing black robes with a hood over them stood before them.
"Remember me," he stated, turning towards Black Widow and Hawkeye.
"Yeah my backside remembers you alright," Hawkeye stated, when he prepared to fire on him but remembered how well that went last time. The hooded figure chuckled.
"I have to thank you for the assist," Captain America stated when he paused. "But I don't know if..."
"If you could trust me, that's smart, you shouldn't trust anyone in the world at face value," the hooded figure stated when he rocked back and forth to look at them.
Black Widow took a step forward a little bit but he dodged the attack. "Nice try, but it's too slow, much too slow."
"One could say that you're too fast," Iron Man responded, showing a great deal of mirth at how his teammate was unable to get a shot in on this guy, when she tended to school all of the members of the team with the exception of Hulk, Cap, and Thor in sparring.
"I've heard about you, you've popped up several times in the past few months," Ms. Marvel remarked. She followed the news and heard that this mysterious hooded savior popped up. "Who are you?"
"I go by many names," the hooded figure stated in a careful voice, not trying to give anything away.
The truth was for the past fifteen years, the man beneath the hood walked the Earth, learning all that he could. The moment that Lord Voldemort died, he turned around, walked out of Hogwarts, and kept walking. It did not matter, his purpose was done. Most of his friends died in the battle with the Death Eaters to begin with. The few that did, well they got on with their lives. He figured that out after the first few years when they stopped trying to find him.
Then the idiots in the Liberator's Movement started up. The Wizarding World was like the mafia, once you thought you were out, they kept pulling you back in. The only way he could be free as if they all ended up killing themselves,which he figured was inevitable.
Iron Man decided to try a different tactic. "Well this guy isn't important enough for us to know him, so that's why he's not saying his name."
"I'm sure Fury's pieced it together by now, he just isn't telling you," Harry responded in a careful voice and an eyebrow raised.
"Fury knows, that's not surprising," Hawkeye responded when he drew in his breath and swung his arms by the side.
It would not surprising to anyone if he knew everything. Nick Fury knew when you were sleeping, he knew when you were awake, he knew whether you were bad or good.
"The pieces aren't really that hard to put together, although I've covered enough of my tracks to make sure that everything has rolled into place."
Captain America decided to be the voice of reason as usual. "Come with us..."
"I'll be the one who dictates meeting conditions," the hooded figure stated when he turned his head and smiled.
Ms. Marvel knew the type of game he played. "He does have all of the cards."
"That he does," Iron Man agreed, he hated when someone held all of the cards like that. "How about we find some kind of neutral territory where we meet? And maybe we'll get some answers."
"Maybe you will," the hooded figure stated when he shrugged his shoulders. "I could be in a good mood. But take your little criminals, I have no use for them. Some of them might still be breathing. These attacks over the last year, I don't think that they're a coincidence. There's someone pulling the strings, between AIM and the Liberator's Movement, but that's all you'll get from me."
The hooded figure vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the Avengers with more questions than they had answers.
X-X-X
In the mist in a distant land, sat a golden haired woman dressed in green, with a crown over her hair and simmering fury in her blue eyes. She watched the actions happening down on Midgard with interest, perhaps with a bit of a personal interest. The object of her obsession was down there, fighting with that group of heroes. The group of heroes that that fool Loki lost to all of those months ago and she turned around, to ponder the house of cards fate dealt her.
Her name was Amora, but she was better known as the Enchantress, she was one of the most powerful Sorceress in all of Asgard. Her intelligence was pretty strong as well when she tapped her fingers on the pedestal next to the throne she sat. She watched him, she watched Thor, she watched every single movement Thor made. Even when he bathed, she watched him intently.
Thanks to her enchantments she could watch Thor anywhere that he was, through all of his ups and his downs. Amora could watch his most private, intimate moments, and the Son of Odin would be none the wiser.
Yet when she watched the events of today, another interesting party showed himself. Amora prided herself on her observation skills and what she observed was the young man who stood with a hood obscuring his face in the shadows. She saw him several times over many months, always in the shadows, always lurking. Amora made notes that this young man kept lurking in the shadows and sometimes showed up to lend a hand.
He had great power and whilst Amora focused the most on Thor, only a fool would not notice that there was another person standing before them. Who was this person, well she did not know, but she could find out.
Her contact on Midgard buzzed to life and she picked up the device, before placing it to her ear.
"Speak," the Enchantress stated when she listened to the device.
"The pawn is being set in place, the Avengers are looking towards AIM and this Liberator's Movement, they'll never suspect what we're doing," the voice stated on the other end of the communication link, garbled, with Amora only barely able to make out a word of what was said.
She frowned before she responded in a crisp voice. "You had best hoped that this plan goes to specifications. There is no room for error, do you hear me, absolutely no room for error?"
"So you have told me but don't worry, unlike that weak fool Loki, I never make mistakes," the man responded at the end of the communication link.
Amora heard that one before from several men and she could count the mistakes that they made. Yet this individual was the biggest pawn of them all for her plan. "Do not allow your pride to be your downfall. Know that I will be watching and I will be waiting. There is much on the line and there is much left to do. Do I make myself clear?"
"You are clear," the man on the other end of the link stated, confirming her words.
"I'm glad that we're all clear," Amora stated in her most nasty tone, she did not want today's plan to go south, no matter what.
She waited for the chess pieces to be moved into place, while she kept one eye on Thor's progress. A smile crossed her face when she continued to observe him. Their mystery sorcerer was also following Thor and the rest of his team of Avengers.
The Enchantress continued her observation.
X-X-X
"So you wanted to meet me and here I am."
Nick Fury was not used to having the ball thrown out of his court and he turned around, before he watched the hooded figure. He had a pretty good idea who he was. Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Ms. Marvel, and Hawkeye popped up as his backup.
"I think you can remove the hood now, we're among friends and there's no cameras here," Iron Man stated and sure enough, the hooded figure removed the hood, to reveal that he was wearing a black and white skeleton mask. "Cute, very cute."
The young man smiled from behind the mask before he offered one statement to them all. "You said to remove the hood. I removed the hood."
"Well he does have a point," Natasha conceded but she wondered what was underneath that mask.
Carol wondered as well, but she supposed it was his right to be anonymous.
"The mask isn't to protect me from the world, it's to protect the world from me," the man stated when he turned to them.
Iron Man could not resist chiming in with a few words of his own. "What, do people turn to stone when they look in your face?"
The man's face turned to a smile before he responded with one swift answer. "That's about as close enough to a logical explanation that you're going to ever get."
"You know who all of us are, but yet they don't know who you are," Fury responded when he looked at the masked man. "Now, I have a pretty good idea why you do what you do. The Liberator's Movement, they killed your best friend, didn't they?"
"Maybe," the young man shifted a little bit. The mask was good at hiding emotion but it could not disguise body language.
"Let's try this one again, Mr. Potter," Fury responded in a stern voice and the young man stood up straight.
"Bravo, you have done your homework, you keep your eye on the ball but can you keep it there?" Harry responded but the mask was on his face. "The truth of the matter was that the Liberator's Movement killed many people, Muggles, Muggleborns, Half Bloods, Blood Traitors, and even themselves. Until I destroyed all but a select few of them that hang around like cockroaches. Of course, that didn't leave them with much of a world left."
Harry remembered it will, they made Riddle and his lackeys look well adjusted indeed. Granted, Tom and the gang did their usual share of genocide but it was within reason, well somewhat within reason. At least it was not completely out of line with what Harry thought, the young man twisting his expression into a pained grimace.
"The Liberator's Movement, they were puppets on a string dangling with some kind of higher power, so are AIM, and even the Avengers are being played as saps," Harry responded when he turned his head around.
Black Widow pounced out that statement, one that she was both intrigued and suspicious about. "How so?"
"Well, there is some mastermind out there, controlling the entire thing, it's amazing what he or she could do," Harry stated when he looked at Fury. "And by keeping your eye on me...you really botched things up a little bit."
Harry did not say any more but Fury understood what he implied.
By keeping his eye on Harry, he took his eye off of the real threat, whoever that real threat might be. The young wizard looked as if he only had a vague idea as well, at least that's what Fury thought.
"If you remove the mask, we can face each other and work together," Fury responded when he eyed him.
"I hold the cards, not you," Harry answered, sure enough he understood what he had on the line. "But I will say this much to you and I hope that you take me seriously. I hope you understand what's on the line."
Cryptic, that was something that Harry instinctively picked up from years of being around Dumbledore. It was amazing how one could become something that a person loathed with another practice. At least that's what the young man figured, when his eyes turned towards the group. All of them remained locked on him, carefully staring him down, and Harry hitched in a breath, working together was something that he dreaded for a few simple reasons.
Iron Man broke the silence. "Do you really know as much as you think you do?"
Harry cut that situation down as quickly as possible. "Likely, I don't know as much as I think that I do. But I know enough to understand what we're dealing with and that is someone who is playing for far higher stakes."
"We're in the big leagues now," Ms. Marvel responded but Harry held up a hand, turning around.
Black Widow continued to watch him, suspicion was something that she learned as a spy. Fury trusted him, at least as far as Fury would trust someone. Nick Fury knew that blind trust was not something that was given and Natasha agreed with that point, her eyes narrowed a little bit when she watched the young man before her.
"So tell me, are you going around in circles to wait for you to learn more information?"
"It's nothing like that at all, it's just...I've never been one to collect information until fifteen years ago," Harry responded when he looked over his shoulder. "I've been more of an action oriented person, doing rather than thinking. Which could end up working out pretty good or pretty bad."
Captain America's voice stood crisp and firm. "And that is..."
"I've been on both the winning and the losing side, but even when a person loses, I've found that they win in other ways," Harry responded when his eyes shifted a little bit.
Harry thought that it was prudent to elaborate on what he was saying eventually but there were other problems that pushed him out of his thoughts and pondering of what he wanted to do.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Fury yelled when he slammed his hands down on the console and spun around to the Avengers.
Iron Man was the one who spoke up. "What do we have to be kidding you about?"
"It's...it's an attack, on one of the top security SHIELD prisons," Fury responded when he tried to keep his cool, even though he was about to blow his stack. His eye closed when he thought about it. He turned towards Harry, doing a slow burn before he spoke to him. "I don't suppose that you..."
"Know anything about this," Harry interjected when he turned around, his eyes narrowly from beneath the mask that he wore. "No, I have powers but the ability to predict every crime on Earth is not one of them, it'd be dead useful."
"No kidding."
Fury had no time to think about this, he had action. Who would want to spring this many super criminals?
X-X-X
Maxwell Dillon was the super criminal known as Electro, he ran into Spider-Man most of the time but he also fought a number of the other heroes around the world .He gave them their share of headaches but despite his brutality, he was driven by one thing. It was the thing that most criminals were driven by and that was money.
Money made the world go around and Electro prepared to fry the locks of the prison. One line of defense was down but there were several more to go. His glowing eyes flickered with malicious fury. he was dressed in a skin tight black bodysuit, with a bald head and goggles. His skin glowed blue, to give off the sensation of electricity and his ears were burned completely off. He could still sense sounds through his powers.
Electro grinned before he aimed for the locks and fired a bolt of electricity towards it.
"SHOWTIME!"
Dozens of criminals, some minor some major, were all unlocked from the secure SHIELD facility and brought forth to bring carnage on the world.
To Be Continued in the Next Part.