Chapter 2

"So... a wizard, huh?" Natasha asked as she stood up.

James scowled.

"I was afraid, when you left me," Natasha said demurely. "That... Malfoy would've sold me... I..."

"Stop," James kept scowling, "and don't pretend. You aren't helpless."

Natasha kept the act up for another moment before finally sighing and standing up straighter. "Again, thank you," she nodded, and saw him soften just a bit.

"You're welcome," James said with an odd sense of familiarity, as if he was used to saying it very often. Law enforcement, Natasha decided. "You know," James continued, "I can practically see you think. Can't you be a little subtler?"

"And would you trust me more if I hid my thinking?" Natasha countered, to which he gave a reluctant shake of head. "Thought so." She smirked.

"Yes, well," he shook his head, "So... let's talk prisoners, shall we?"

Suddenly, she was all business.

"As we are in United States of America," she said exactly as had been instructed to her, "the crime and all its criminals fall under the purview of our intelligence agencies."

"No," he replied flatly, "Malfoy goes with me. You don't have the facilities to contain him."

"We have the finest–"

"No you don't. Trust me on this."

"Why?" she asked, finally.

"Because we're part of the Wizarding World."

That stumped her for a moment. "I know that those sticks of yours–"

"Wand," he interrupted her.

"Fine," she glared at him, "those wands of yours are quite versatile weapons, but take them away, and you're only human."

James smirked. "Actually... no. Wands are not what makes us a wizard."

"So what, you dance naked every full moon night and eat frog soup for breakfast?" she asked sarcastically.

"Not every full moon, no," James replied easily.

"As I was saying," Natasha visibly calmed herself, "I'll be taking the pris–"

"Sorry," James interrupted her, again, "that's just not possible. They would be loose before you could say 'Quidditch'."

"What-itch?" Natasha asked incredulously, perhaps she had overestimated the intelligence of this man. "You don't under–"

"YOU don't understand!" James' eyes were glowing strangely, "We can literally teleport out of any bloody prison you coulda' made!"

She scuffled back in shock, and no small amount of horror.

James looked at her, then sighed, and his eyes stopped glowing. "Sorry about that. Usually I have much better control over my anger." He then glowered. "Damn Shacklebolt and his 'learning experience', my arse."

That gave her enough time to calm down and gather her thoughts. Teleportation? Energy manipulation? Invisibility tech? Who the fuck were these guys?

"Anyway, I'd be taking Malfoy, here, and am leaving you with the rest. Those should be enough for your superiors."

Natasha was now getting close to where Malfoy's stick had fallen. Just a little bit, and...

She dove behind one of the pillars for cover, and jumped over to the spot, grasping the wand in her hand.

James was left gaping at her.

"I guess I now have a stick as well," Natasha smirked in victory, but inside she was sweating, please don't let him realise...

"You can't use it, didn't you hear me?" James was almost on the verge of laughing at her.

"I had... thought... you were bluffing." She admitted. When James was just starting to say something, she used the perfect distraction to jump towards James and tackled him to the ground.

Only to then be blasted back, away from him, and get smacked on her head.

"Ouch!" both of them exclaimed in unison, one rubbing his jaw while the other massaged the back of her head.

"Whatever was that for?" James asked.

"Had to try, didn't I?" She shot back.

"Well, you tried, and failed. Alright?"

"No," Natasha growled, flipping over on her foot instantly and running towards James.

"Bloody hell! Nihil adhuc!"

She had one moment to widen her eyes before she started skidding on the floor. "What did you do!?"

"Cancelled the friction on the ground! Incarcerous! Stupefy! Impendimenta!"

Impressively, even though she couldn't change her direction, she did manage to dodge the first two spells. The Impedimenta Jinx, though, being a more area of effect spell, she couldn't dodge, and was instantly stopped in the air. She was struggling to even move her neck.

James remained standing, not willing to fall for his own spell of removing friction. "Again," he said, "I apologize for what I have to do, but this is a matter of national security. Finite! Petrificus!"

She didn't have time to capitalize on the momentary freedom, as the blue coloured light hit her in the shoulder, and her limbs and torso snapped into a rigid attention and she promptly fell back. Surprisingly, she was still able to move her head and breathe, and... speak.

"What... Let me go!" she growled at James.

"As I said, I'm sorry." And he did appear to be sorry, even if he didn't cancel his magic. "Accio thugs!" James waved his stick in a specific manner, making the thugs lurch and start flying towards him, piling up into a heap in front of James.

"Will you even tell me your real name?" Natasha's strained voice asked him.

Something in it must have worked, because James turned towards her. She didn't have to pretend to wince, as the headache from her earlier head-bump was only growing.

James gave her a long look, perhaps not even looking at her, but through her. She remained silent, watching him closely. Finally something gave, and he sighed. "I don't know why I'm doing this, Shacklebolt will have my hide as is. Oh well," he shrugged, "Harry James Potter, pleased to meet you. And you?"

Perhaps it was the way he had given away his name, without roping her into providing some more info.

Perhaps it was the bump on her head.

Or, perhaps, she was in just plain shock, due to the revelations that day.

Whatever the case may be, she felt her mouth move, and her throat vibrate, her tongue click. And she heard herself say, "Natasha Romanoff."

James gave her a tired look, looked at the thugs, and muttered, "Obliviate."

Even as her eyes widened in genuine shock, he grabbed Malfoy, looked at her, mouthed "Sorry," and disappeared with a pop sound.

Only then did she hear the distant sounds of S.H.I.E.L.D. choppers rapidly closing in on her location.

Despite everything that had happened, despite the fact that she was a trained spy and assassin and she really shouldn't be showing her emotions so easily, despite it all, she started laughing.

And continued laughing.

She didn't even notice that at some point her body had been surrendered back to her whims, the frictionless and petrification jinxes getting dissolved.

No, she continued laughing.

She was laughing all the way back to the base.

"Oh, you magnificent bastard!"

OoOoOoOoO

"Agent Widow, report," was the Director's succinct and clear command.

Natasha didn't know where to start.

"We don't have all day, Agent."

"Yes sir. I have witnessed some truly extraordinary and disturbing things today, I may even have come in contact with a person or persons who have mind control abilities. So it is imperative that you not believe a word I have to say."

"Leave that decision to me, Agent. Your job is to report. I have teams waiting to inspect and analyse your report."

"I believe that I encountered some extraordinary humans today. They call themselves 'Wizards' and apparently live in a 'Wizarding World'."

"They could call themselves codswallop for all I care. Did they control your mind?"

"I don't think so, but considering I saw them control others, I could very well be under false impressions."

The Director only nodded.

And so Natasha continued giving her report.

"Were you successful in coaxing out his real name?"

"No." Years of training and conditioning allowed her to lie as easily as she was talking about the weather. "I'm afraid he managed to successfully deflect that question every time."

Again, the Director gave her the barest of nods before he turned around and walked away from the Quarantine room that had been assigned to her as a precaution, she did just claim to have encountered a Mind Reader after all.

She didn't know why she lied. Or, perhaps, she knew, and didn't want to admit it to herself.

"Oh and Agent Widow?" came the Director's voice over the speakers in the room.

"Sir?"

"Consider yourself on vacation for the next six months." Again, these were only standard procedures put in place after more and more 'enhanced' people had started to pop up all over the world.

"Yes sir," was her calm response.

OoOoOoOoO

"This is a clusterfuck of epic proportions, Mr Potter, I trust you're aware of this," Shacklebolt's piercing voice made it's way to Harry's ears. "This could, very well, lead to the discovery of our world. I believe the mission parameters were stealth, above all else."

Harry winced but responded, "It's only your fault for assigning me a stealth mission, you know? I'm Harry-Bloody-Potter, these things keep happening to me all the time."

Shacklebolt only glared harder.

"I'm sorry, okay?"

"Not good enough, Harry."

"I didn't even wanna go for this mission," Harry now glared back, "so stop trying to guilt me. I know my strengths and weaknesses. And I didn't. Wanna. Go," he enunciated each word clearly.

Shacklebolt tried to keep his glare, but Harry had faced down the very best glares, his didn't even come close to the top five. With a sigh, his shoulders drooped and he sighed. "How hard was it to Obliviate that one girl?"

"Out of question," was Harry's stubborn reply, "She only helped me. I won't hurt innocents."

"It's not hurting anyone, is it?"

"Of course it's hurting them!" Harry shouted, before cooling himself, belatedly realising that he was talking to his boss. "They just don't remember it."

"I see your point, Mr Potter, but even you must realise just how much this little generosity has endangered our world."

"And what Draco was doing?" Harry challenged. "What about so many other cases of muggle-baiting? Had I not been with her today, she would've probably gotten her mind wiped and would even now be serving her new owners." Harry's eyes darkened. "You know my opinions of such, Shacklebolt."

Kingsley had to actually look away from his piercing glare. He shuffled some of his papers, allowing Harry to calm down a little bit. "I'm sorry–"

"Wasn't your fault!" Harry growled, but Kingsley could see that his anger had been redirected... inwards. "It was my fault. I should've been more bloody careful."

He kept staring at a wall, hard enough that Kingsley was actually worried that the wall might spontaneously burst into flames.

The wall was spared by a knock on his door. Penny's head entered his office. "It's time for your meeting with Leather-master, Minister."

"Thank you Penny," and she understood that he was thanking for more than just the reminder.

She nodded and walked away, closing the door behind her.

"Are you sure you don't have her name?" Kingsley hated to do this, but he had to ask, it was a matter of their national security, "The diviners have to earn their pay after all."

"No," Harry spoke with a certain finality, looking out the only window in his office, "I don't know her name. I'm sure."

Kingsley nodded and stood up, Harry mirroring him a second later. They exchanged a cordial nod as they exited Kingsley's office, and went separate ways.

OoOoOoOoO

AN: I know I know short chapter and all that. Sorry, but this really felt like a good place to end it. Next chapter would be their next encounter.

Smirks

You didn't think I can be cruel enough to actually stop the fic right here, would you?

All your questions will be answered in due time. Who was Harry talking about? Speculate in the reviews if you want, I'd love that, in fact. Might even be enough to change my mind.

Speaking of. Holy shit. Mother of God. Jesus effing Christ. 99 follows for the first chapter. Wow.

Not gonna lie, that was one of the major reasons I wrote as quickly as I did. This chapter has been fighting me. A lot.

Stay Home, Stay Safe, peeps. And keep reviewing!