A.N. well this is my first ever attempt at publishing fanfic so any comments are welcomed.

I hope you will like it

Prologue

Harry was starting to question his life choices. He was sitting on some crates looking at the shady deal that was occurring a few meters ahead of him. The man he met around 5 hours ago was exchanging money with some harbor workers and got some papers in return. Harry guessed these were passports and other documents that were needed for them to leave Britain. A few minutes later the man, 'Bucky' Harry remained himself, reproached him, and handed him a closed envelope.

"This has some money for emergencies" he explained "I think you better have it in case I would have to leave you. It has the address and details you need as well just in case"

"Thanks" he said and took the envelope. Opening it he saw a bunch of hundred dollar bills "It is too much, I told you I have money"

"Yeah, in a bank surrounded by people who would happily return you to your family" the man, Bucky, replied in a bitter tone "And don't even start arguing, we both know I am right otherwise you wouldn't have been here right now"

Harry just looked down and stared at his hands. It was only five hours ago but his whole world changed. It was funny how he woke up this morning thinking the weirdest thing in his life was the wizarding world and now, as the sun was setting, he knew being a wizard might be the most normal aspect of his life. Which clearly said something about how fucked up his luck was.

Bucky patted his shoulder "c'mon kid let's get a move on, you can still be miserable on the plane" Harry just got up and picked up the duffle bag Bucky gave him. It held his necessities only which wasn't much but then again he learned to live with little to nothing and Hedwig was going to find him once he was settled again. The two got on Bucky's motorcycle and headed to the airport. Within two hours Harry found himself drinking coffee trying to stay awake as they waited for their flight. Bucky was lying down on some seats, not caring for all the space he was taking. He was sporting a new cap that hid his eyes but Harry had a feeling the man was watching him, observing his every action and reaction. He wondered for the first time how his friends would react when they would find out he was gone when they would read his note. He knew Sirius and Remus would be devastated but there was no other way. He would not risk anyone else for his sake and even if a small portion of what Bucky was telling him was true then they were all in danger as long as he was still there.

His mind kept drifting to the moment his life changed.

- flashback-

He was slowly spinning on the merry-go-round in the park near the Dursleys house. It was hot and dry and Harry was exhausted. His nightmares about Cedric kept him up again and Petunia kicked him out as some neighborhood ladies came over for tea and gossip. He was just about to leave when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rising but looking around he couldn't spot anything odd. It was the same feeling he had when Sirius was following him two years ago- not ominous but slightly unsettling. Harry's hand twitched reaching for his wand and suddenly the feeling was gone and a man was approaching him from the other side of the park. The man had shaggy brown hair and his clothes resembled that of a homeless man but far less dirty, it was odd though, that he was dressed like it was mid-spring with a jacket and boots. The man stopped a few steps ahead of him and just stood there. He was no wizard, of that Harry was certain as he could not find the familiar buzz that surrounded magic. They stood there for a while just staring at one another until Harry lost his patience.

"Can I help you with something?" he snapped and the man smiled

"It is more of the opposite Harry" he tensed and the feeling of tension slightly returned "don't worry I am not here to fight you so no need to get your wand out" the man said raising his hands in the universal gesture of surrender

"How do you know about magic?" Harry asked his eyes narrowing in suspicion as he still couldn't feel any trace of magic

"Simply put I have been following you for the last ten years" the man smiled "nice to finally meet you in person Harry. My name is James but everyone calls me Bucky"


Bucky rose from his chair as their flight was announced and Harry followed him closely. They waited in line to board when someone bumped into Harry causing him to trip, he would have fallen but Bucky's hand gripped him tight

"How did you pass through the metal detector with that thing?" Harry wondered and looked up in horror as he realized he voiced his thoughts aloud. It was a wonder already that the security at the airport allowed Bucky to pass with his glove on but the metal hand should have raised the alarm.

"No idea, it just doesn't" Bucky said "I had a different hand before metal detectors became common things, HYDRA had it in the 70s but I never asked the exact material. I was more focused on the pain" Bucky said and Harry felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment

"I'm sorry" he said once again cursing the lack of blocks between his mind and tongue

"It's fine kid let's just say that my past was just as bad as yours" Bucky said as he handed their tickets to the flight attendant. They set in their seats and Bucky handed him a small mp3 with headphones "you might as well put these on and try to sleep there's a long flight ahead of us"

Harry nodded and he tried to sleep. He was exhausted but he was afraid to dream of Cedric again. Screaming in the middle of a flight could not be the best course of action when you want to avoid attention.

- flashback -

"James?" Harry repeated in shock

"No kid I am not your father" the man said.

"I knew that" he defended himself, his face flaring bright red, he felt stupid, he knew that man was not his father but the name still caused his brain to fry "what do you mean you've been following me?"

Bucky went to the swings and set down "look that's a long story and I am not sure if you will believe me but at least hear me out ok?" Harry said nothing expecting the man to continue

"I was a soldier in an organization called HYDRA, it's a lot like your death eaters mixed with the MI6. They brainwashed me and made me into their perfect little soldier. Around 10 years ago they tasked me with observing you. I wasn't always following you but once every couple of months I would get a mission and when it was done I would come here and see how you were, they had more steady officers checking in on you once a week or so" Bucky took a long pause as he considered his next words "they want you kid, and before you ask I am not sure why, but they are waiting for your world to fail you so they could recruit you. These are very bad people we are talking about kid. Worse than your Dark lord and far worse than that fat walrus that keeps beating you" Harry stilled at the mention of Vernon

"And what's it to you huh? Why are you suddenly here offering your help if you said I am your mission?" Harry asked still baffled by the lack of danger he sensed from the obviously dangerous man

"You were my mission but a couple of months ago I managed to shake their hold on me and escaped them. My memory was fuzzy but I remembered you. You kind of remind me of an old friend you see? And as I am trying to make myself worthy of his help I figured that helping you would be a good way to start, and it's not like I could just keep you with these awful people that seem to attach themselves to you wherever you are"

"I can handle the Dursleys" Harry mumbled

"But can you handle the others? This Voldemort person and his crazy flock that hunts you down? Or Dumbledore that pretends to care but is willing to throw you under the bus for his greater good bullshit? And what about the rest of the people who feel comfortable letting a teen fight their wars instead of standing up for themselves?" Bucky's voice held no accusation instead, to Harry's surprise; he seemed to be really worried

"How do you know all of this?" Harry asked "you're a muggle I know you are"

"HYDRA love to keep tabs on anyone with power and the wizarding world had many potential assets" Bucky said "you didn't question my remark on Dumbledore, why?" he asked eying the boy curiously

Harry just shrugged "I am not an idiot it is just easier when people think that you are" Bucky smiled at that and nodded

"So what do you say? Are you going to let me help you?"

"How can you help me?" Harry asked skeptical of any muggle able to help him

"Have you heard of Captain America?"

"Of course I have, I don't live under a rock" Harry snapped. He, like the rest of the world, was glued to the TV during the alien invasion in NY. The re-appearance of the Asgardians was all people talked about in his first year at Hogwarts and in the third after Loki tried to take over the world. Merlin, he could still hear Malfoy boasting over his family's origins in Asgard thought Harry wasn't going to believe that a boy who got taken down by a single punch could be related to the two gods he saw on TV.

"Well, he was the friend I was mentioning before. I am sure that the avengers will take you in with open arms once you will tell them your story"

"No they wouldn't, they have better things to worry about, and besides they don't know about the wizarding world or magic" Harry said

"Sure they do! SHIELD has been keeping a close eye on your community, much like HYDRA if only slightly less sinisterly" Bucky argued "and as to why they would help. Well, Steve would understand you; he is a lot like you both in family life and people's expectations. The rest will agree once I will pull out my ace"

"Which is?" Harry asked while forcing himself to crush down any hope that was growing within him

"Me reminding them that helping you save the world will include saving the lives of all of the idiots who live in it" Bucky smiled proudly at his own wisdom. Harry just rolled his eyes at him

"That's stupid" he said

"look kid if there is one thing you need to know about these people is that it is their literal job to save the world and they, unlike others, won't live it in the hands of a fourteen-year-old"

"I am almost fifteen" Harry argued blushing again as Bucky directed him a look that said 'really? This is your argument?' "Well, you still haven't told me what's in it for you? Other than this whole redemption arc"

Bucky was quiet for a moment once again considering how to proceed "they can't kill me in front of a kid"

"What?" Harry asked in disbelief

"If I will go to the tower alone I will be either killed or arrested but if I came with a kid who looks like a beaten puppy I might get a chance to explain myself first"

There was silence as they both stared at each other

"so I will be acting as a live shield?"

"yes"

Harry took a moment to think of his options. He could either ignore this man and continue with his crazy life wondering when a crazy organization might try to recruit him or he could bet his chances on a homeless-looking man who might get him help from earth mightiest heroes.

'well at least this time I would only risk myself' he thought as he sighed and agreed to follow Bucky's plan


Harry was really starting to question his life choices. His last thought before he fell asleep was 'why the hell did I even believe him?'