The Power Within: A Harry Potter/Doctor Strange/Avengers Crossover Fanfiction
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters: all rights belong to JK Rowling. I do not own Doctor Strange, Avengers or any of their associated characters: all rights belong to Marvel. I do not own any other crossover references used in the story: all rights belong to their original creators. I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter.
Plot: Secret of the Stone Response: What do you call something that can do the impossible? The power of the Gods. What do you call someone that can do the impossible? Harry Potter.
Challenge Information: DZ2's 'Secret of the Stone' Challenge: Harry had the Philosopher's Stone: now he just had to put it in a safe place out of Voldemort's hands. So what does the Boy-Who-Doesn't-Do-Normal do? The last thing Voldemort expects.
Rules: Grey Harry ONLY
As it says above, the story MUST start with the encounter on the third floor corridor
When Harry realises he has the Stone, he feels a weird, strong compulsion to protect the Stone
Voldemort MUST reveal he knows Harry has the Stone before Harry goes to protect it
How does he protect it? Harry EATS the Stone
As a result of eating the Stone, Harry MUST become magically-influenced/affected/transformed by the ancient, mysterious power within
What form this power takes is up to you
Unlike other things people eat, the Stone CANNOT 'come out the other end' meaning its form, power and mysteries are now part of Harry forever
The fact Harry's eaten the Stone MUST be the source of weird thoughts, disbelief and even horror from others
All pairings are welcome
Guidelines: Crossovers
Super/OP Harry
As a result of eating the Stone, Harry becomes immortal/gains a Wolverine-level Healing Factor
The power Harry receives is actually a curse (e.g. Midas Touch from the Stone's connections to turning lead into gold)
The magical clash of the Stone and Harry's magic causes the Horcrux inside him to be expelled/exorcised/destroyed
Nicolas Flamel takes an interest in Harry's new powers
The Stone is somehow flawed, limiting or putting a strain/price on Harry's new powers
Instead of swallowing the Stone whole, Harry chews it up like candy (think Natsu eating Etherion in Fairy Tail)
As a result of eating the Stone, Harry's magic goes supernova-level
Slash
Harems
Harry/Multi
A prophecy speaks of this very strange occurrence
Forbidden: Dark or Evil Harry
Harry NOT eating the Stone
The Stone's power not changing/affecting Harry somehow
Harry 'passing' the Stone through his body and the Stone 'coming out the other end'
Harry siding with Voldemort
Anyone convincing Harry not to explore/to give up his new power
Other than that, it's up to you…
Author's Note: So, as weird as this is going to sound, this idea came to me mostly thanks to my new Avengers crossover and a weird bit of inspiration from a non-Marvel fandom – kudos to you if you can figure out which one – that evolved into this adventure.
So, let the fun begin.
And, as always, if you don't like it, don't read it.
Recommended Reads: Harry Potter and the Mystic Sorcerer and Custos Aeternus by Winged Seer Wolf, Child of the Storm and Ghosts of the Past by Nimbus Llewelyn, Trickshot, Bonded, Magical Spider, Widow's Vengeance and Wands and Claws by JustBored21, Magical Origins by Dante 2K-25, Lightning, Part 1 and Lightning, Part 2: An Eventful Fourth Year by The New York Bear, Master of Death and Wielder of Infinity by bhanfhen, Magical Blocks and Bonds by raspberry dreams, A Third Path to the Future by Vimesenthusiast and Harry Potter The Protector of Magic by TigerSwarm9122
Key Pairing: Harry/Wanda
Other Pairings: To be determined
Normal Speech
'Thoughts'
'Mental Speech'
/Parseltongue/
Chapter 1: The Manhattan Philosophy
Even as he felt the weight against his leg, and the feel of the surface beneath his fingers, Harry still couldn't believe it.
Somehow, incredibly, he'd managed to get the Stone out of the Mirror of Erised, in a way that, like magic, had managed to somehow transport it into his right-side trouser pocket while, in front of him, Professor Quirrell seemed to be more-focused, if not obsessively-distracted by the idea of wanting to know exactly what Harry was seeing.
As Harry tried not to show an outward reaction to the Stone's presence in his pocket, he looked again into the Mirror, only to see his reflection smile at him before, to Harry's curiosity and surprise, his other self seemed to speak to him.
"When the time comes, you'll know what you have to do, Harry. Good luck."
Then, the image faded, leaving Harry unable to mask the shock and disbelief from his face, earning a confused, but still curious look from Quirrell as he asked, "What is it? What do you see?"
Realising he had to give an answer, if only to try and figure out a way to get away from Quirrell, Harry quickly stammered out, "I-I-I'm shaking hands with…with Dumbledore; I…I've won the House Cup and…"
"He lies!"
As the weird, ice-cold voice, which Harry had heard before argued against the frankly-weak – and even Harry admitted it, if only to himself – excuse that he'd come up with in a bid to stall Quirrell and buy himself a little more time to figure this whole thing out, the emerald-eyed scion jumped and gasped in alarm as he felt an ominous prickling wash over his lightning-bolt scar, coupled with a sudden jolt of shock when Quirrell once again responded to the cold-toned voice.
"TELL THE TRUTH! WHAT DO YOU SEE?"
"Let Me speak to him!"
As soon as Quirrell heard that dark suggestion, however, he seemed to lose all his bravado and confidence as he turned away from Harry before he seemed to once again become a cowardly, stammering figure, "W-w-w-w-what? But…but M-M-M-Master, you are not strong enough."
"I have strength enough…for This!"
Suddenly, Harry had a very bad feeling about what was coming as he saw Quirrell turn his back to the mirror, before his hands moved to unravel the disgustingly-foul-smelling purple turban that he wore. As Harry tried to back away from the Professor, he found himself unable to look away as Quirrell removed the final folds of his turban.
What was concealed beneath those folds, however, was something that would haunt Harry's nightmares for a long time afterwards.
Pale, blotchy, frail-looking skin. Ophidian – snake-like – features that seemed to stretch out from the back of Quirrell's head. And, most-importantly, blood-red eyes that leered at Harry before a pair of very thin, bloodless lips turned up in a smirk as the face hissed at Harry.
"Harry Potter…we meet…again…"
If he was being honest with himself, Harry didn't need that sentence, nor the familiar heated pain that he could still feel emanating from where his lightning-bolt scar was located, to know exactly who this face belonged to.
Somehow, he just knew who this was.
He also realised that he should have known all along who this was, even when Quirrell had been responding to the voice.
"Voldemort…"
TPW
As Harry conversed with the spectre of his parents' murderer, which included a very tempting moment when the Mirror showed the young boy his parents' images, once again identifying them as the source of his heart's desire, he had no idea of how, at that moment, the hands of destiny were closing around him.
Fate, Chance and, yes, even Magic were about to ensnare Harry James Potter in their clutches.
And, when they released him, he would be someone else…
He would be…something…else!
TPW
"…you see, Harry; there is no good and evil. There is only power and those too weak to seek it…"
Try as he might to deny it, even if only because of who was saying those words, Harry felt his heart grow cold as the Dark Lord's words echoed in his mind. All of a sudden, he was reminded of the hypnotic, mesmerising whispers of a certain serpent from a certain famous Kipling story.
They seemed to have the same hypnotic effect on Harry too, who now held the Stone in his hand, looking down at it with a mixture of forlorn desire and pained defeat. Both of which, he showed in his face as he looked up at the Dark Lord, as well as the reflective, ghostly images of his parents staring back at him from within the Mirror of Erised.
It would be so easy…he could finally have everything he ever wanted…he could be free…he could be…whatever he WANTED to be!
All he had to do was submit, right?
As Harry felt his spirit seemingly turn in the direction of his choice, as though it was the most-inevitable thing in existence, he also felt a jolt pass through him as he heard Voldemort go on.
"Together…we'll do extraordinary things…just give me the Stone!"
And, just like that, Harry's desire changed right before his eyes…literally, in fact, as the Mirror itself proved when the ghostly images of Lily and James Potter vanished, only to be replaced by the image of Harry that had given the real deal the Stone in the first place.
And, just like last time, the reflection of Harry smiled before he pointed to Voldemort before he shook his head; when he did so, the ghostly image drew a thumb across his throat, earning a look of surprise from Harry before he nodded.
Now he understood what the image was telling him…he knew what his heart's desire was.
And it wasn't his family…especially not if it meant selling out to the mortal equivalent of Lucifer himself.
As far as Harry was concerned, there was only one thing he had to say to Voldemort's offer, "You liar!"
"KILL HIM!"
Even as Quirrell launched himself at Harry, however, time seemed to slow down for Harry as he looked again to the Stone, letting his eyes flicker between the Mirror and the Stone before, once again, the ghostly voice of his reflective self filled his mind.
"You know what to do…"
And, just like when his desire changed in front of him, just like that, Harry did know what to do.
It was a weird, crazy, insane thought, for sure, but it was the only thing he could think of right now.
Ducking out of the way of Quirrell's lunge, Harry leapt off the steps at the end of the chamber, bringing himself to a stop next to the mirror while Quirrell rose up in shock, alarm and outrage. "What?"
"You want this Stone so badly, Quirrellmort?" asked Harry, a part of him laughing at the absurdity of the name he'd just used to challenge the Dark Lord and his treacherous host, but, at the same time, his current train of thought was focused on the very crazy, insane thought that had come to him, hitting him like a bolt out of the blue.
Holding the Stone high, Harry's eyes shone with a glint of madness as he sneered. "Well, come and take it…"
With that, he shoved the Stone into his mouth, earning a dumbfounded, alarmed and even horrified, disbelieving look from Quirrellmort.
When Harry crunched the Stone up like hard candy, almost shattering his teeth in the process, Voldemort was the one to voice his disbelief.
"NO! YOU FOOL! DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING?"
"Yes," sneered Harry, before he lifted his head and audibly swallowed the pieces of the Stone, gulping several times just to be sure that the Stone was no longer in his mouth, but, instead, sliding down his gullet on its journey to his belly. As he swallowed the last bits of the Stone's form, wincing slightly as the sharp edges seemed to cut his throat on the way down, Harry let out a sigh of finality before he looked up to the Dark Lord.
"I'm stopping you, just like my parents would have stopped you, Voldemort!"
"YOU FOOL, HARRY POTTER!"
"Maybe," agreed Harry, stifling a burp before he scoffed, "But what do you expect? I'm eleven! Being foolish, childish and juvenile is part of being that young; I mean, what did you expect? I'd come in here all guns blazing like some over-obsessed spirit of vengeance? I'm Harry James Potter, not the Count of Monte Cristo!"
"KILL HIM!"
As Quirrell lunged again, however, Harry suddenly felt his body buckle before, to his shock, he retched, feeling something rise up through his stomach, where it proceeded to burn at his oesophagus and fill his mouth with a strong, violent taste that was hotter than the hottest chili pepper.
At the same time, what could only be described as a fierce wave of ancient, almighty magical force seemed to wash over Harry's body, enveloping him like the wings of a dragon and an archangel combined, flooding the boy's body with far more power and energy than he had ever felt before.
As this wave consumed Harry, the only thing the young boy could do was scream as the force and fury of this superheated wave exploded out of Harry in a burst of crimson-coloured magical fury. The burst was so powerful that it actually shattered the Mirror of Erised into a billion pieces, while the torches in the chamber were extinguished by the burst's magic, leaving only a hell-spawned reddish glow to illuminate the chamber's interior.
This reddish glow was all Quirrellmort got to see before the same eruption of ancient, arcane magical energy struck him hard and fast, leaving the body of the Defence Professor burning up with screams of inhuman terror, the shade of Lord Voldemort seemingly following suit. Fortunately, the walls of the chamber seemed to be the force's limits, as the blast reached the door Harry had walked through before it finally dissipated, leaving Harry coughing, gasping and, eventually, vomiting onto the ground at his feet.
"Wha…"
"HARRY!"
Harry looked up, just in time to see a flurry of brown hair, and a twinkling pair of blue eyes.
But, before he could say a word to the owners of the features, his body buckled once again, causing Harry to retch heavily before he stood up dead straight, tall and fierce, his green eyes watering as he looked at the frightened faces of his friends.
"I…I'm sorry…"
Then, to the horror of Ron and Hermione, and the alarm of Albus Dumbledore, Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, exploded!
But instead of a shower of blood, gore and guts, the only thing that exploded out of him was wave upon wave of magical energy, which seemed to fly through the halls of Hogwarts like a ghostly shadow, making each and every one of the portraits, suits of armour, gargoyles and even the ghostly spectres – including, but not limited to, the House Ghosts and Peeves – all tremble, shudder and even whimper at the force of magic that swept through their citadel.
TPW
In Dumbledore's office, Fawkes the Phoenix felt this wave collide with him, sending him into a Burning Day that was so bright, fierce and magically-empowered that it made all the Headmasters' portraits – even the usually-stoic Phineas Black – retreat as far into their frames and canvasses as they could go.
As for the Sorting Hat, he could only stare in abject disbelief as Fawkes' flaming body seemed to grow larger and larger, forming a literally-burning silhouette of a phoenix, which spread its wings far and wide, seemingly enveloping the entire office in his glow.
"Merlin's beard!" gasped the old hat, his wrinkled visage now in a state of perpetual amazement, if not alarm, as he asked, "What is this magic?"
Then, before the hat could get an answer, Fawkes' fiery body vanished, leaving nothing but a very small pile of phoenix ash to drift onto the ground beneath the ancient, powerful creature's beautiful perch.
TPW
Many miles away from Hogwarts, in a hidden sanctuary that could only be found by those who knew where to look, a pair of green eyes suddenly snapped open with a look of alarm, disbelief and awe, all of which he briefly hid behind a firm, official look as he leapt to his feet and ran out of the chamber where he had been meditating.
Passing through the corridors of his sanctuary, the figure, Doctor Stephen Strange, Earth's Sorcerer Supreme and one of the highest figures of authority and power in Magic, raced straight towards the Viewing Globe, which, to Stephen's alarm and disbelief, was currently alight with magical recognition, on a level that had never been seen.
At least not in Stephen's time as Sorcerer Supreme.
"What…what is this?" asked Stephen, raising his hands to the globe, if only to get a better look.
However, as he began to try and pinpoint the source, Stephen's eyes widened when, as quickly as it had appeared, the magical resonance vanished just as quickly, leaving the Earth as peaceful and calm as it had often been.
"What?"
"Strange?"
Turning to the sound of Wong's voice, Stephen saw his friend and ally looking at the sphere himself, his expression a mixture of alarm and curiosity, which he at least managed to mask quickly enough behind his stoic face, "What in the name of the Ancients was that? All that power…so suddenly and so…so intense; the only thing I can compare it to is…is Dormammu."
"Trust me," argued Stephen, shaking his head as he looked up to the globe. "If he were here, we'd know…no, Wong, this…this is something more! I just wish I'd had enough time to pinpoint its source before it vanished, so we could, at least, offer some aid to whoever or whatever is responsible for this…this beyond-human…heck, beyond-me-level Magic!"
"Well, I don't normally condone this, but have you tried using the Stone?" asked Wong, earning a shake of the head from Stephen.
"Something tells me even using that won't help us, old friend; we're just going to have to keep a stern watch on the Earth and hope that…whatever that was gives us another chance to try and help it again…before it's too late…"
TPW
"Harry? Where…where is he? What happened? Why…why did he…where's he gone?"
"I wish I knew, Miss Granger," replied Dumbledore, standing in the now-ruined chamber with an injured, but, mercifully-alive Ronald Weasley and a now-distraught Hermione Granger, his blue eyes fixed on all that remained of his prized student and someone whom he had prayed would be able to survive in the dark times ahead.
However, as was evident by the badly-burned, shredded and bodiless Gryffindor robes that were strewn across the floor before them, Albus had to concede that this was not the case, though he didn't fully understand the who, what, where, why, how or whatever might explain what had just happened in this room.
The magic here…it was so…so primal…maybe even primeval.
And yet, all that was left of it was Harry's robes, a destroyed Mirror and, thankfully, a clearly-vanquished Voldemort – whose presence Albus silently cursed himself for not noticing or recognising until it was too late.
"Is…is he…dead?" asked Ron.
"I don't know," replied Dumbledore, biting his lower lip as he slowly drew the Elder Wand from his robe, holding it up to the air before he whispered softly, "Homenum Revelio. Nomenis Homenum Revelio."
At the old man's command, a whisper of magic filled the chamber, before it seemed to settle over the ground, revealing the presences of Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Albus Dumbledore and…
"HARRY!"
Dumbledore sighed with relief: yes, Harry was here…but they couldn't see him.
What did that mean?
Was he invisible?
No; Hermione answered that question for Dumbledore when she ran towards where the boy had been standing, only to hit dead air and feel nothing as she stumbled over his ruined robes.
However, the spell had revealed the presence of a fourth person in the room, and – as the second spell had been meant to do – the magic of the spell had also revealed that Harry Potter was there, so it couldn't be an impostor under glamours, Polyjuice or even pretending to be Harry while hiding in plain sight.
So…what was happening?
As Dumbledore watched Hermione fall to her knees, gathering up Harry's ruined robes, while Ron slowly stumbled towards her, if only to help her gather up everything there, the Headmaster smiled as he looked up to the rest of the room.
"Harry…wherever you are…whatever magic this is…please, my boy…come back to us soon…if not for our world, then, at the very least…for your friends, whom I suspect will never stop looking for you…which means…"
Stepping into the room, Dumbledore cleared his throat, drawing Ron and Hermione's attention to him.
"Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, as tragic, mysterious and relieving as this news is, I'm afraid I must ask you both to do something…terrible…but, at the same time, necessary if we are to discover the truth about Harry's location…and how, if not where, he may be as we speak…"
TPW
As Dumbledore explained his plan to Ron and Hermione, however, none of them noticed a single torch bracket's fiery contents burn brighter, before smoky letters seemed to form over the flames, spelling out one word…
HERE
Sadly, none of the people in the room noticed it.
TPW
"And so, due to the terrible condition he was left in by Professor Quirrell's treacherous assault, I'm afraid Mr Potter has needed to be sent to a secure location for emergency treatment and, at this time, it is unclear when he may return…if at all."
Even as they played the roles that Dumbledore had requested of them, Ron and Hermione couldn't help but notice how the rest of the school seemed to share in their pain, even the Slytherins – whom even Ron found surprisingly-civil, if not neutral to the news of Harry's accident and the treatment that he would require after protecting the school, as Dumbledore had claimed.
Speaking of Dumbledore, he quickly continued in a solemn voice, "It saddens me that one of our own, a soul whom many of us owe our lives, if not our futures to, after the terrible events ten years ago in Godric's Hollow. It saddens me that now he has paid the price for his heroism, and how blind we have become to the wolves in our flock, which is why, at this time, I ask you all to remember how, when you hear that Hogwarts is the safest place in the world, I ask that you also remember even sanctuaries can be breached by those desperate enough or evil enough. Remember our hero, and what he sacrificed so all of you can join me here tonight…"
A few people actually wept tears as Dumbledore's eyes hardened suddenly, glancing once to the apathetic features of Severus Snape – who visibly flinched when he saw those eyes and the intensity in them – before he focused his attention mainly on the Slytherin Table as he quickly continued.
"And, when you remember what Harry has risked for all of us, twice-now in such a short, talented lifespan, I hope you all understand why I say that any attempts to degrade, belittle, smear or even abuse or seize the higher ground by taking advantage of his heroic sacrifice for your sake will be met with extreme prejudice! And any staff member, be they Professor, Head of House or even Caretaker whom does not deliver swift retribution for this badmouthing, will also face the same extreme prejudice when it comes to answering for your lack of professional neutrality."
Even the Slytherins themselves couldn't resist looking to their Head of House, as Dumbledore became solemn and caring again.
"However, I also promise you this: Harry Potter will return…and when he does, I hope you all join me in reminding him of the very thing that Professor McGonagall says year-in and year-out: that our Houses are like family, which makes Hogwarts our home away from home. So, join me now in raising your wands in salute, and well-wishes, to the boy who we pray will find his way home soon."
Not one wand stayed down, not even Malfoy, Snape or any of the dark-aligned families.
TPW
As the lights of the wands filled the air, however, nobody noticed the enchanted ceiling turn overcast and stormy before bolts of green lightning criss-crossed over the ceiling, forming letters that spelled out words.
I AM HOME
I AM HERE
PLEASE
SEE ME
I DON'T KNOW WHERE I AM
However, the light of the wands kept the messages hidden.
And, by the time the wands were lowered, the messages were gone.
Wow, talk about spooky: there's something strange in the neighbourhood, but I doubt even the Ghostbusters could help: so, who might help see the messages and help a lost boy return home?
Also, where is Harry? What happened when he ate the Stone and what will become of him when he returns?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapter: Time passes, but the strange things don't stop coming to Hogwarts: however, it looks like the school might have an unseen Guardian Angel…but why is he unseen? How long will this ghost-not-ghost remain inconspicuous to those around him and what, if anything, will bring him out of whatever Limbo he's in?
Please Read and Review
AN: Portrayal
Albus Dumbledore: Jude Law
OC SPELL
Nomenis Homenum Revelio: An Advanced version of the Human Presence Revealing Spell that reveals the identity of any and all humans in the spell's reach; cannot be fooled by Invisibility Cloaks, glamours, Polyjuice Potion and/or other identity-concealing magicks