Chapter Seven: The Plague

Harry Potter had spent the past four months planning his disappearance and had almost every detail planned. He planned to fake his death, deciding that the best way to go would be a complete accident. He had found two hunters who continuously hunted deers in the forest every two days between five and eight o'clock. All it would take was to get shot, create a fake but passable body, and flee into the shadows. Then he would go to Hawkins National Laboratory, where he would seek shelter from Director Sam Owens. He didn't need shelter or food, seeing as he could create those things himself, but he needed the Lab's trust. And to do that, he would need to be creative with his powers by allowing the Lab to use them. And in return for his powers, he would give them a deal. For his powers, they would stop chasing El and would give her a new identity, allowing her to live a normal life out of isolation. It came from months of preparation, both for the plan as well as Harry himself. He didn't want to leave, but he knew he had to. For the sake of El and everyone else in this universe. And perhaps he could do some good work with Dr. Owens. Perhaps he could make a positive change for the universe.

So there he was, sitting in the living room of their new home. Hopper's family cabin. It had been expanded with Harry's magic to make room for three of them and was now filled with Christmas decorations that had yet to be taken down. Harry was too focused on El and her education, trying his best to motivate her into learning more. And she was doing surprisingly well. Her speech had expanded greatly alongside her word choice, and her powers had heightened exponentially. She could now Void-Walk for two and a half hours without getting a nose-bleed, and she had gained the ability to use her powers to enhance her physical attributes. She was quicker, stronger, more agile, more durable, and held a decent amount of endurance. During one of their workouts, she had been thrown into the mat with the force of a truck four times before she decided to quit. It had all gone nicely. But it was almost time to go, and Harry was determined to make sure El got the most out of their remaining time together.

He got up from his seat at the kitchen table after breakfast and stepped up to Eleven's door. She had finished her breakfast early and had returned to her room to watch TV. He placed his fist against the door and rapped his knuckles against the wood three times. The door immediately opened, and there she was sitting on the floor, silently watching the screen. Harry smiled, dropping to the floor with his legs crossed. "El. Want to go on a trip?" She turned immediately, her attention fully on him. His smile only grew at her hopeful expression. "I was thinking we could go somewhere new. Like Spain. France. Italy. Maybe Japan. It's up to you, but we can go anywhere," Harry explained. And he meant it. She knew of enough places to choose several, and the map of the world on her wall would give her a few pointers.

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere,"

"Where is who going?" It was Hopper. He had heard their conversation and was now leaning against the doorframe. El sighed, returning her attention to the TV. Isolation was already beginning to affect her, which was more than a good enough reason to take her on a trip. Harry sprang to his feet, motioning for Hopper to leave with him. They sat down at the kitchen table once more, and Harry spoke. "Look. I agree that keeping El hidden is for her safety. And it was a good call to make. But the isolation is getting to her. She needs to get out. See new people, see new things. There are only so many things she can see or learn from textbooks and my shadows. I just want to go on one trip,"

"Too dangerous," said Hopper.

"Not too dangerous. Not with me there. Across the world, no one would know us, and if someone somehow recognizes us or we get in trouble, then I can just displace us out of there. And if we stay in America, I can protect us with shadows. There's no danger. It's only here that going outside would be dangerous. So please, just let me take her somewhere," His desperation was deep, and Hopper heard it. It made the man glance at El's door, a look of contemplation passing over his face. After a few moments of complete silence, Hopper sighed a deep sigh.

"Fine," Harry almost lept out of his seat in joy but was able to control himself enough that he remained silent. Only his breathing increase as he resisted the urge to rush into El's room. "But you have to watch her at all times. If she gets out of sight, then you damn well better make sure you find her and make sure she's safe. And no funny business either,"

Harry rolled his eyes at the comment but ignored it for the sake of respecting Hopper's choice. Any lip may cause Hopper to change his mind. Once Hopper was done with the rules, he got out of his seat and rushed into El's room. He didn't bother to knock this time, and he closed the door behind him. Harry knelt beside Eleven, who was watching him with surprise. Kneeling beside her, Harry took El's hands in his and motioned to the world map on the wall. "Hopper said yes. We can go anywhere you want," El's eyes widened in shock, no doubt unsure of how to process this. Leaving the house? Unheard of. She hadn't even been allowed to continue her daily walks, spending all of her time indoors. "So where do you want to go?"

"I don't know,"

"Well...we can go to Paris. London. Singapore. Tokyo. Rome. We can go anywhere you want," Harry explained.

"But not to Mike," El commented, her smile contorting into a frown. It broke Harry to see it, but he couldn't let her see Mike. The one time was dangerous enough. Not now. Not when they had a permanent home and a stable life. Right now would be the end of everything. Harry shook his head, taking her hands once more as he put on his best smile. "Not to Mike. Not yet. But in the meantime, we can go see the world together. We can climb the Himilayas, go to the top of Mount Everest, climb the Great Pyramids, get to the top of Willis Tower, see the Eiffel Tower, meet the Queen of England. We can do anything you want," Harry explained. Some of those ideas intrigued El because she immediately glanced over at the world map again.

"London first," El spoke, poking England on the map. Harry smiled, reaching out his hand as he pictured the 'Big Ben' in his mind. It was a somewhat simple structure to remember, which made shadow-apparation easy. El took it immediately, and the two disappeared in a swirl of black and silver mist. The next few days were going to be fun. But Harry planned for the trip to last two weeks at most, meaning El would be gone for half a month. Hopper would not be pleased. But it wasn't very important, so Harry took them to London.

They started with a visit to Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, the National History Museum, and even saw a show in the West End Theatre District. And when the day was over, Harry led El to a local restaurant near the best hotel in the city. They ate as much as they could handle - with Harry paying the restaurant a bill of over a hundred dollars - before heading to the hotel. There, they took a swim in the indoor pool, ate dessert in the hotel's restaurant, and finally collapsed from exhaustion in their room somewhere around midnight. The day had ended with two children smiling to their ears as they lie down on their separated beds. Harry knew he had done something good. El seemed happier than she had been in months. And it only made Harry want to go somewhere even better than London the next day.


April 5th, 1984 | The Langham Hotel, London

Harry was shaken awake by the twelve-year-old girl accompanying him on their trip around the world. She had climbed onto his bed, and her energy indicated she was ready to move on and see more. So, Harry got to his feet, got both of them dressed in a wave, and subsequently frowned. He realized that the clothes she was wearing were those that Hopper had chosen for her. Eleven had zero clothes over her own, and while Harry knew absolutely nothing about the female lifestyle and their clothing, he figured he could at least offer her the chance to buy something from her own personalized style. Once the two left the hotel, Harry led El off to the nearest clothing store. There, they were met with a woman who greeted them with a friendly smile. "How can I help you two?"

"My sister wants to change her style a bit, but she doesn't know what she wants. I was hoping you could help her?" Harry asked, motioning to Eleven, who smiled as she hugged Harry by the arm with a smile. They had rehearsed this the night before. Harry was Eleven's older brother, and they were with their family visiting London for a few days. When asked where their parents were, Harry always replied 'at the library'. It had started as a joke in remembrance of Hermione, but it soon caught on and he used it all the time. And it worked well, seeing as Harry had recolored his eyes and hair brown to match El's, though he removed the changes when they were alone. The woman frowned. "Well, of course! Follow me, dear. We'll find you something nice to wear. But could I first ask where your parents are?"

"They're at the library down the street. And I was hoping to get a whole wardrobe for her. Mum and Dad want to make sure she's got enough for school," Harry explained.

"Alrighty then. Come along darling," The woman spoke, gently placing her hand on Eleven's back as she guided the young girl towards the girls' section of the clothing store. All the while, Eleven turned to face Harry, a look of both anxiety and excitement on her face. She hadn't been in a situation like this before and was turning to him for help. But he would not. El didn't need him for this, and Harry would in no way be helpful if he had decided to offer his assistance. But he was there. She could see him. And the fact that he was there hopefully offered some form of comfort.

The shopping lasted three hours, with El trying on every single article in the story tailored to girls her size. She wasn't entirely sure what she wanted, so it made sense for her to take a bit longer than normal. And Harry didn't mind. He spent his time planning and planning, trying his best not to change his mind. And when he wasn't planning, he was reaching into his mind to expand on his power. It was getting tricky to focus on just one thing at a time, and thus he decided to focus on his Occlumency, determined to discover why he had multiple lines of thought going at once. It made things frustrating, and thus he felt more inclined to lash out at times. It was a shameful part of his life, but he got angry quicker now. It could have something to do with the fact he was trapped in a thirteen-year-old body filled with ever-changing hormones, but he had a feeling the mood swings and never-ending thoughts had something to do with his trip here.

Falling through multiple universes couldn't be good for the human body if his de-aging was anything to go by. But Harry was unable to come up with anything concrete. Perhaps Owens could help him figure it out when Harry disappeared. The pain in his chest returned as he thought about it. He watched Eleven with a smile, thinking of the day when he would leave. It wasn't going to be easy at all. Then he began to think about what exactly Owens would use his powers for. The war against Russia? A new space expedition? Or maybe Owens would go down the path of creating energy and wealth in the world. Perhaps Harry could make a real difference in the world. But he didn't put all of his hopes in Owens' views and beliefs. Harry would just be disappointed.

When El was done, she joined Harry at the counter, where - coincidentally - eleven bags full of clothes were waiting for them. Harry passed the woman eight twenty-dollar bills, receiving a shocked expression from the woman, who had been expecting for them to return the clothes and claim it was a prank to waste her time. But the money was real, and so she watched as the two children walked out of the store carrying almost a dozen bags full of clothing. When they returned to the hotel, Eleven decided that they would go to the Himalayas next. She wanted to see the view that she had seen in the books Harry had shown her, and so Harry decided to oblige. Only after Eleven had dressed into one of her new outfits.

The outfit was a black low-cut dress with red neon patterns all over. She wore a wide red belt around her waist and was wearing white and red sneakers. It was a nice outfit, one that he liked. Though the color red didn't seem to suit her. Though it could go nicely with the nose-bleeds whenever she got them. He wasn't the judge of her fashion choices, and so with a smile, Harry took El's hand and the two disappeared in a flash of light and black smoke. And in only three seconds, the two reappeared within the depths of Asia, dropping down onto the snowy peak of Mount Everest itself. The signature signs of their location were gone. There were no clouds, no freezing temperatures. A perfect view that could be enjoyed without dying of hypothermia. Harry had cast heating charms over the two of them and had cast shadows over the area to remove cloud cover. A simple illusion, but perhaps eventually he could find a way to reverse the life-cycle of clouds, removing them from the air.

But the snow was still there, and when El slipped, she clung to Harry as tight as she could. But her eyes never left the sight ahead of them, and neither had his. Harry had seen many wondrous sights at Hogwarts and in his studies, but this was new. This was great. They sat there for a long time, merely admiring the view. But soon Eleven turned to Harry and spoke. "Are we brother and sister?"

Harry was taken aback by the question. So much so that he visibly frowned. While he most certainly loved Eleven, he wasn't sure if he was ready for a family. Not as he was planning to leave and retreat into the shadows. And then he watched her. Her hair hadn't grown much in the past few months and only fell past the middle of her hair. Her eyes reminded Harry of Hermione but were filled with an innocence that Harry envied. And her new sense of fashion radiated in the air, adding to her sense of self that had been lost due to Papa and Hopper. She was intelligent and a quick learner, but many would be unaware of that due to her late start at education. And she was powerful. The only other person Harry had met in this world capable of great things. And he loved her. Not like a sister. Not like a lover. But he knew he loved her. "I...don't think so. We live together. But...we haven't for long,"

"So...we're more than friends?" El asked. Harry frowned once more. More than friends? Harry hadn't taught her anything to do with romance or anything beyond her time with Mike. Mike. She had learned from Mike. After all, it was clear that she had feelings for the boy, and no doubt they had discussed it. Harry wanted to say no, and was going to, but was too slow. His silence had been misunderstood, and while they stood on the peak of Mount Everest, Eleven leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Her lips were soft, and the kiss was completely juvenile and bland. But Harry didn't care about that. He pushed her away, careful not to make her slip and fall. Harry felt disgusting. He felt criminal. He was almost nineteen years old mentally, and here he was receiving a kiss from a twelve-year-old. It wasn't right, and he knew it. And he wasn't going to let it happen. Besides, she belonged with Mike. Their connection was deeper, and the two reciprocated the other's feelings.

"No...no. Not more than friends. Not siblings. Just...friends," Harry explained. Eleven was unable to process this and thus didn't speak. Harry signed, taking El's hand as he took them away from the Himalayas. He took them to Rome, where they took a seat in the Colosseum. Harry tried to brush past the odd moment that had taken place before and waved his hand. Hundreds of shadows appeared down below in the pit, reenacting gladiator battles from the past that Harry had researched and memorized. Eleven watched the battles with interest, doing exactly what Harry had taught her to do. Watch, learn, memorize, and repeat. She was examining the moves performed by the shadows and was trying to formulate how to recreate the move in her own battle with her own powers. El had only done this once before in one of their training sessions, in which she had sent Harry to the ground using one of his own moves.

It had been a major accomplishment and landmark in her training, leading Harry to the belief that she was almost done with needing him. After all, her powers would expand with age and practice. Not training from someone who had no deep understanding of her powers. And when they were done with that, Harry took them to Brazil, Tokyo, Washington D.C, New York City, the Great Wall of China, Cartegena Spain, and Paris France. The trip lasted almost a week, and soon the moment had passed into distant memory. But it was still there, and Harry remembered perfectly well what had happened, and would ensure nothing came out of it. He would be gone soon. And thus everything would fix itself. The plague would be removed, and the vaccine would be administrated. All that mattered was time.


April 11th, 1984 | Hopper's Cabin, Hawkins, Indiana

Harry and El returned a full week after their departure, shadow-apparating onto the front steps of the Cabin with a faint 'POP' that seemed to alert the resident inside. The sound of a pistol clock echoed through the cabin, and the door swung open to reveal Hopper. The bags that had once been under his eyes were gone, but he still seemed restless and tired. He had slept in during their trip, but worry had plagued him. Harry regretted not sending word to Hopper that the two were doing fine, but he had gotten lost in the trip, and thus had forgotten. He would make it up to the man with an apology, and hopefully be forgiven. At the sight of his two housemates, Hopper sighed and lowered the gun. "Where the hell have you been? And what are you wearing?" He was motioning towards El's new outfit, another dress with a belt.

"The trip lasted a little longer than expected. But it was safe. No one noticed us. And it was an all-around good experience," Harry explained, leading El into the house. He removed their groceries and souvenirs from the shadow-realm and deposited them onto the couch. Hopper examined everything with an expression of disbelief, one that spurred Harry to speak. "El wanted a bit of a change in style. I obliged. The rest are mementos and souvenirs we got from the places we visited. I'm sure El can tell you all about it," And she did. El and Hopper took a seat at the kitchen table once more, and El explained to the man all of the things they had seen and done throughout the world. Climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower and Mount Everest, watching a battle in the Colosseum of Rome, and a dozen of other experiences that he led to an amazing week.

But the excitement was over, and Harry was needed elsewhere. Somewhere where he could be useful and not a threat. So, Harry decided to set his plan into motion. "I'm going out for a walk. It's been a while since I've visited the town," Harry spoke, getting up from the couch as he moved into the kitchen. He started by pulling El into a backward hug from her position on the chair, placing a kiss on the top of her head as he patted Hopper on the shoulder. Harry trusted the man to look after Eleven. After all, he had been doing a splendid job with the two of them. They took his leaving as just another one of his evening walks, with neither questioning why he would want to leave after just returning, and why he would want to visit the town of all places. But the chief and mutant were both engrossed in El's stories of their trip, and they never saw him leave. And they never heard the gunshot that would 'kill' Harry Potter. A gunshot that would be heard by no one in the sparsely populated forest.


"So, you want to build the future. With magical powers. Powers you obtained at birth alongside other abilities gained throughout your life," Doctor Sam Owens wasn't a dumb man, and he couldn't be fooled easily with claims of witchcraft and sorcery. But the boy in front of him had been in the last files ever written by the late Dr. Brenner, and the former Director of Operations had made many things clear. This boy wasn't a boy at all, but a man that could one day be used as a very valuable weapon. While the boy's magic or other abilities hadn't been seen by Brenner, Owens had to wait for the boy to show him for himself. He didn't have to wait long. The boy flicked his wrist, sending out a bright blue mystical phoenix into his office.

"A Patronus. A spell I learned when I was thirteen," Potter explained. "But I can do so much more, and I have ideas. Ideas that will hopefully revolutionize science and technology. I can get us to space. To the moon. To Mars. I can make life easier for everyone if you just gave me the chance," The boy removed a small vial from his pocket. "I developed this a few months ago, and I've developed others. This is the cure to the Spanish flu. I have another for ebola, measles, and smallpox. I can help harness the energy of the Sun. And I can stop the Russians," Those last two caught Owens' attention greatly. Harnessing the power of the sun would mean almost infinite energy for the entire planet. And stopping Russians? That was a very great thought. Perhaps it would garner attention from the higher-ups in the government, and perhaps Owens would receive a promotion.

"Ok kid...let's see what you've got,"