Chapter Forty-Two: Stirring Macrocosms Pt. II
August 1st, 1998 | Marauder Enterprises HQ, Washington D.C, United States | Earth-1
Within his lab in the depths of the Marauder Enterprises Tower, Harry Potter was hard at work. The introduction of Raccoon City and its timeline to this world had made his plans for the future change drastically. He now had to deal with the Umbrella Corporation, its experiments, as well as the people that belonged to his past universe. He restarted with the plans he had proposed the day he left Raccoon City. Project Inferi, the S.T.A.R.S project, Operation Failsafe, and Operation 'A.B.S.A' - the new Anti-Bioterrorism Security Agency, and the former Private Anti-Biohazard Service. Harry had also begun new plans. Advanced weapons and armor for policemen, detectives, and specially trained officers like those in S.T.A.R.S. The plans to expand and fortify the Raccoon City Police Department were underway as well, with plans to create safety and security measures for the future apocalypse.
Harry didn't plan on stopping the outbreak. He knew he couldn't if he tried. The universe had told him more than once that messing with time tended to end with it messing back. Harry understood that if he tried to outright stop Birkin and the rest of Umbrella, they would just release something far worse than the T and G Viruses on Raccoon City. So he was forced to focus on preparations instead. If he couldn't outright stop the outbreak, then he would do everything in his power to limit the casualties it caused and ensure that city wasn't destroyed the by U.S government. And thus began Harry's extended time in his lab, developing new plans and new blueprints that he would then hand off to his team to develop, produce, and distribute.
Work had already begun for the first Knight-II's, with their augmentation chambers and armor sets having already been finished. They wouldn't be able to customize them yet given the need to develop new sets of armors and helmets, but they would be once the second batch of Knight-II's began their training. The first batch's training would begin in a week, and the second batch of volunteers would start in early October. This would ensure that the second batch underwent their augmentations two months after the first, allowing Harry and his team time to ensure that the new augmentation procedures were successful. The last one hundred volunteers wouldn't finish their training until January of 2000.
Even with projects at work, Harry felt like he was needed elsewhere. Hermione and Daphne were still pregnant and spoke very much of how they wanted to spend more time with him. They never complained though. They knew how important his work was, but they still couldn't help request his presence in this new time for all of them. Even Eleven and Valentine spoke their worries, stating that he worked too much in the lab. With the stress of it all on top of his wives' worries, Harry began trying to find a way to multitask. He thought of duplicating himself magically, but he decided that it would take too long to figure out how to modify that spell and it would only increase the stress of his life. So Harry decided to pull an Andrew Wiggin. He would split his Aiúa into one or more bodies, before cutting off the connection. This would create multiple Harry 'clones' who could help alleviate some of the stress on his shoulder.
And so Harry performed the 'procedure', splitting his Aiúa into six different bodies. He avoided the Horcrux issue by pulling more Aiúa's from the Outside into himself, keeping his own Aiúa intact while creating new Aiúa's. The first four Harry's would focus on spending time with his wives. The fifth would spend his time in the laboratory focusing on projects. And the sixth Harry would focus on Marauder Enterprises as well as the International Armed Forces. The main Harry - or 'Harry-01' - would go to Raccoon City. There, he would focus on gaining a useable space for the new Marauder Enterprises location that would exist in Raccoon City. He would also focus on the Raccoon City Police Department, ensuring that it was up to standards and would be ready for the programs.
The seven Harry's - of course, it was seven, but Harry didn't care enough to make more Harry's to change the number - would alternate between each other, ensuring that they all didn't get overwhelmed by their tasks. All but Harry-01 would alternate, seeing as he wanted to spend most of his time in Raccoon City. He wanted to reconnect with Jill, meet Chris properly, bond with the S.T.A.R.S members, and hopefully meet Claire. Harry had so many things he wanted to do. So Harry would go out and do them. He stepped out of his lab alongside the other five Harry's, who all then disappeared in matching bright blue lights. Harry ignored them and moved into the elevator. His destination was Hangar Bay 03.
He received a call from Dr. Alyssa Truit. He accepted the call on his Quickware. The short-haired brunette held a worried expression over her face. Her eyes darted on and off of the screen. "Sir...I wasn't sure if you were aware. But...you're here in the Control Room. And there are six other signatures identical to your own within the tower. What's going on,"
"Ask Harry-02. He'll fill you in," Harry replied. "I need a Fireship prepped and ready in Hangar Bay 03,"
"You got it. Heading back to Raccoon City?"
"Yes. I have work I need to do there. Besides, it'll be fun to catch up with everyone while I'm there," Harry replied.
Alyssa grinned. "Good. Good. Your Fireship is prepped and ready,"
"Thank you," Harry ended the call, exiting the elevator on Hangar Bay 03. He stepped toward the Fireship reserved under 'Lord P.', boarding the vessel as he climbed into the pilot's seat. "Ready to go, Athena?" Harry asked as he placed his 'UNSC' AI chip into the ship's console. The console suddenly lit up, the holographic image of Athena appearing in front of Harry. The Fireship rose off of the floor, taking off out of the hangar before jumping into FTL. "Not feeling very talkative?"
Athena shrugged but soon smiled. "Not particularly, no. Would you like to talk about something?"
"If you want,"
"No time," said Athena. "You're here," It was true. The Fireship was hovering over the Raccoon City Police Department, right over the helipad. The ship landed and the ramp lowered to allow Harry access to the building. With a sigh, Harry stepped out of his seat and moved out of the Fireship. He wouldn't bring any weapons or his armor. He didn't need them here. Not with Irons and Wesker gone. If anything did happen, Harry could fight back with his other more superior abilities. His mind seemed to wander as Harry moved through the police department, his goal being the chief's office. When he arrived, he was met by a man he had never met before. The man was standing behind the chief's desk, carefully going over stacks of paperwork. Harry took a peek into the man's mind using legilimency and frowned.
The new chief of police was named Neil Kaur. He had been one of the senior detectives in the department and had been against Irons for most of his career. His disdain for Irons made him the number one choice for the chief of police outside of Chris. The door closing alerted Kaur of Harry's presence. The man got to his feet at once, his hands reaching up to straighten his tie. "Lord Potter. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I'm in town for the next few weeks working on a new location for Marauder Enterprises. I figured I would stop by and see how things were running after everything that happened with Irons," Harry explained.
"Everythings going well. Everyone is just adapting to the new environment," Kaur replied.
Harry smiled, nodding. "Yes, I'm sure they are. I hope it's no trouble, but I wanted to stop by the S.T.A.R.S office to check on everyone. I hope that's ok,"
"Of course!" said Kaur. "You're welcome within the station whenever you want. Hell, I'll have another master key made for you so you can get around easier. It's the least I can do, seeing as you've accepted us into the IAF. Speaking of which, when can we expect to see some of the new stocks offered by your program?"
"Soon. That's actually why I'm here. On top of the new Marauder Enterprises location, I'll be working to ensure that the Raccoon City Police Department is fit to hold and use our equipment. Over the span of the next month, I'll be making a few minimal changes to the location to ensure it's making the best use of its space. By late September, the department will be covered in the latest M.E products. And you shouldn't have to worry about being understaffed. We have thousands of volunteers ready to take on positions within local police departments,"
"It sounds like you're going to be very busy," said Kaur.
"I will be. But it's nothing I haven't been through before,"
"That's for sure. You're a legend, Lord Potter,"
Harry shook his head. "Please, it's Mr. Potter. I reserve 'Lord' for people I dislike,"
"Well then, it's a pleasure," The two exchanged a firm handshake before going their separate ways. Kaur returned to his seated position behind his desk, carefully going across his notes. Harry stepped out of the man's office, moving through the waiting room before stepping onto the Main Hall east balcony. The officers that passed him watched him with unease, no doubt caused by his very unusual height as well as the suit he was wearing. It seemed that the people of Raccoon City weren't fond of people in suits. But Harry wasn't bothered by it. He continued through the Main Hall, making a trip through the Library and the Lounge before entering the west hallway. After a short walk, Harry opened the door to the S.T.A.R.S office.
There, he was met with several S.T.A.R.S members. Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Rebecca Chambers. All were situated at their desks doing work. At his entrance, all eyes were on him. Harry smiled, offering a small wave while he stepped forward. "It's good to see all of you are doing well after what happened," he said. "I hope its no trouble, but I'm going to be around the department for the next few weeks, and need a place to work,"
"There's a storage -"
"You can work here," Rebecca spoke, interrupting Chris, who gave her a pointed look that she quickly ignored. "Wesker's desk is open...obviously,"
"No. If you're working in here, you can work over there," Chris interjected, motioning towards the empty desks on the opposite side of the room from Wesker's office and the Armory. Bravo Team's desks. Harry accepted the spot, clearing a space for himself on one of the many desks lined against the wall. He started by removing his portable desk, which he attached to the surface of the wooden surface of the old desk. This place was in dire need of upgraded equipment and technology. The rooms were filled with very old computers, and there were no signs of anything made by Marauder Enterprises. Those in the room spotted him working on setting up his desk. It seemed Rebecca in particular was interested in it.
She stepped up to him, taking a seat at the desk beside him. "Is that a HoloDesk?"
"Yes,"
"We used to use those in school. But I haven't seen one in years. The department doesn't get enough funding to let us use them," Harry frowned. She was being very open about a lot of things that he already knew. The department only received enough money from the state to arm their cops and ensure any possible riots could be stopped. But besides that, the department had no extra money to spend on expansions or upgrades to equipment. Rebecca smiled. "Do you think we'll get some of those now that we're under the IAF?"
"The department will be going through a lot of different changes in the next few months. New equipment, new weapons, new vehicles, new personnel, and new technology. You'll each get one of these," Harry explained.
"And what role do you play in all this?" Chris asked from the other side of the room.
"I have a history with Raccoon City that I can't seem to escape. It holds a special place in my heart, and I plan to use what I have to make it a better and safer place. My role in all this, Mr. Redfield, is to protect everyone here from harm,"
"Harm from what?" asked Jill.
"Umbrella," Harry replied. Everyone went silent. They hadn't been expecting that answer. "While it's true that I could be protecting R.C from riots, mass murderers, rebellions, or even possible alien invasions, I'm really here to protect the city - and the world - from Umbrella. It's too dangerous to be kept running. I know from experience. My job for the next few months will be to prepare this station and the world for any bioterrorism attack. I've been working on several plans for the future regarding bioterrorism defense that I plan to institute using RPD. Advanced anti-bioterrorism weapons, advanced shielding devices, armor, all of the works. I want Umbrella gone as soon as possible. No matter the cost,"
"Show us," Jill said, rolling her chair over so that she was seated behind Harry.
Chris remained at his desk, though he was visibly interested in what Harry had to show them. Harry sighed, swiping his hand across his HoloDesk to reveal his work desktop. He scrolled up to his latest projects, throwing them into their own folder before accessing said folder. "After the Mansion Incident, I decided to focus on Umbrella's bioweapons and bioterrorism in general. It's no secret that Marauder Enterprises is working on gene therapy, molecular restructuring, body enhancement and replacement, all of that, and more. But we haven't gone into the realm of bioweapons and organic weaponry. And we won't. That field of science is dangerous, and Spencer was a fool to think it would ever bring him good fortune,"
"You really hate that guy," Rebecca commented.
"You don't understand the half of it," Harry replied. By now, Chris had decided to join them by the desks. Harry motioned to his projects. "On top of the new vehicles, equipment, and armory the department will be receiving, I'm working on these new failsafe's,"
"Project Inferi, Project S.T.A.R.S, Operation Failsafe, Operation 'B.S.A', Project Police Force, and 'The New RPD'," Jill read.
"Project Inferi are anti-bioterrorism weapons. Bullets laced with the T-virus cure. Hard light weaponry designed to kill bioweapons, and only bioweapons. All of that. Project S.T.A.R.S is my plan to expand S.T.A.R.S within the RPD, and expand it to other departments across the nation. I think it will be a useful thing to have, sort of like my Knights. It will fall under 'The New RPD' plans, which I plan to use to expand and restructure the entire building. You know and I know that there's a lot of unused rooms in this station that could be put to good use, and a lot of it needs renovating,"
"What kind of expanding are you thinking? There are properties all around here, and we can't go up much further," said Rebecca.
"The parking garage to the west has been abandoned for several months. With the mayor's permission, I plan to tear it down and install a new wing to the station where the parking garage is located. It will be the new home of S.T.A.R.S, as well as house the new vehicle bay," Harry explained.
"What could we possibly do with all this space?" Chris questioned, examining the new plans for the station.
Harry shrugged. "I hope to have S.T.A.R.S' roster increased tenfold. You'll all need spaces to work, training centers, your own personal armory, etc, etc," He swiped to Project Police Force. "This falls under 'The New RPD' as well as 'Project Inferi'. All of the officers in this station will receive Marauder Enterprises latest law enforcement armor, weapons, equipment, and vehicles. Those in S.T.A.R.S will receive more specialized equipment to go with your skills, but that will have to be decided when the time comes," Harry moved to Operation Failsafe. "These failsafe methods will be used in the off-chance of a bioweapon outbreak. A shield will be placed around the city limits to keep bioweapons in and people out. Then this building here -" Harry motioned to a new, small tower he planned on building. "- will hold a large amount of the vaccine once it's developed. It will act as a dispersal tower, spreading the vaccine throughout the city,"
Jill frowned. "You don't have a vaccine, yet?"
"No. But Umbrella has a stockpile of it in its facilities below the city. If I can get my hand on a single vial, I can replicate it to produce more,"
"You plan to infiltrate Umbrella's facilities," Rebecca commented.
"Yes,"
"I'm in," Jill and Rebecca said at once. Chris shook his head, clearly against the idea.
"No. The retrieval of the vaccine is a one-person job. I'm going to go in, steal the vaccine, and get out. Hopefully in so little time that no one will notice I was even gone," Harry explained. Chris looked a bit happier to hear that his people wouldn't be walking into a death trap, while Jill and Rebecca seemed disappointed. Jill because she desperately wanted revenge on Umbrella for the Mansion Incident, and Rebecca because she seemed fixated on Harry and his work. He moved onto the last piece of the folder. "Operation A.B.S.A, or Anti-Bioterrorism Security Agency,"
"Anti-Bioterrorism Security Agency," Jill repeated.
"Yes. It's the new agency I'm creating to focus solely on Anti-Bioterrorism. It will work much like the Knights, being able to go from country to country to fight off and eliminate any bioweapons that might spring up," He swiped at the desk, turning it off as he spun to face them. "Any questions?"
"The Knights," Chris started. "Chambers was telling us about them last week, and the training they go through. What kind of training will this Anti-Bioterrorism Agency receive?"
"I haven't put much thought into that yet, but I have a few ideas in mind. Mostly standard military training, advanced armor, weapons, vehicle, and equipment training. And even more, training to prepare them for fights against bioweapons,"
"And what if there's a bioweapon that's too powerful for one of these Agency members?" asked Jill.
"If there's ever a bioweapon that could survive the Hard-Light Rifle, then I'll be impressed. If that were to happen, then we would send in the Knights. And if somehow they couldn't eliminate the bioweapon, then we would eliminate both it and its surroundings using our more...superior firepower," Harry explained. "Any other questions?"
Rebecca grinned. "Nope. I just can't wait for all the changes this place will get. It's going to be exciting," Harry smiled, nodding in agreement as he turned back to his work. He had to agree. This was going to be a long yet exciting few months. Chris and Jill returned to their work at their desks, while Rebecca stayed by Harry to watch him work. Harry didn't mind.
August 4th, 1998 | City Hall, Raccoon City, Missouri
After only three days in Raccoon City, the new Police Chief Kaur had received word from Mayor Michael Warren that S.T.A.R.S was to be disbanded due to its inefficiency in combat situations. His proof was the Mansion Incident, stating that 'all' of Bravo Team and a member of Alpha Team were unable to stand against 'a few measly murderers'. This led to the events of the current day, in which Harry, Kaur, Chris, and Jill traveled to City Hall to make the case to Warren that S.T.A.R.S was necessary for the department as well as the city. Upon entering the mayor's office, Harry was met with a sudden surprise. Katherine Warren - Mayor Warren's daughter and a former Raccoon City survivor - was sitting opposite of her father.
Harry hadn't seen her since October of 1998 in his former universe - or 'Earth-2', his home universe being labeled 'Earth-0'. Katherine looked very angry, possibly due to something Mayor Warren had said. At the sight of Harry, Police Chief Kaur, Chris, and Jill, Mayor Warren shot to his feet, performing the seemingly standard action of straightening his tie. He extended his hand out to Harry. "Lord Potter. I didn't expect you so soon," Harry shook the man's hand, resisting the urge to snap his wrist for being the coward that he was. Warren turned to the others. "Kaur. Redfield. Valentine. It's good to see all of you. Though I must admit I'm confused as to why you're present in Lord Potter and I's meeting,"
"I asked them to be here," Harry replied.
"Ah...I see,"
"Do you?" asked Harry. Warren frowned, seemingly confused. Harry smiled, placing his hands down on the mayor's desk. He leaned forward, his face inches from Warren's face after he had sat down. "I have a lot to discuss with you, Mr. Warren,"
"Mayor," Warren corrected.
"Not for long,"
Warren narrowed his eyes. "Are you threatening me?"
"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?" Harry asked, his own eyes narrowing as he stood up. He straightened his own tie and took a seat next to Katherine, who looked both worried and excited at the same time. "I recently arrested former Police Chief Brian Irons on the basis of his dealings with Umbrella Corporation in the murders and attempted murder of all members of S.T.A.R.S. His cooperation with Umbrella was quite extensive. But I'm sure one person has him beat,"
"I'm not sure I know what you mean," said Warren.
"You know exactly what I mean, Michael," Harry spoke. "You've been working with Umbrella for a long time. Laundering governmental money. Allowing Umbrella to operate within and underneath the city. Ignoring the very clear safety violations Umbrella presents. Even the planned murder of several Raccoon Police officers. Those who were too close to discovering your secret," Warren sneered, his fists clenching over the desk. He glared at Harry, who continued. "Your actions have been nothing short of criminal, Michael. And for that, I will have to take you into IAF custody,"
"Over my dead body," Warren replied.
Harry smiled. "I can arrange that," Warren acted first, his hand shooting below his desk. He grabbed hold of what looked like a small revolver and lifted it above the table, aiming it towards Harry. But he was too slow in the draw. Harry extended his own arm, his hand grabbing an invisible force as Warren went rigid in his chair. An orange pulse radiated off of the man, and he was visibly trying to fight the hold Harry had on him. This was one of the first times he had been able to utilize the Forerunner nanites within his blood, being his first use of telekinesis in public. While he held the mayor, Jill and Chris had immediately pulled out their sidearms and Kaur had moved to protect a very frightened and disbelieving Katherine. "You're too slow, Michael,"
The man was still struggling. "What...the hell...is this?"
"Telekinesis," Harry replied simply. "I'm holding your body still, preventing you from firing that gun at me. If I wanted, I could close my fist and crush your body into a ball of meat and flesh. But I'll refrain from doing so to keep this civil," Getting to his feet, Harry stepped around the desk, his arm still extended to hold the mayor in place. "Oh, Michael. If only you could have known how close you were to being found out. Maybe you would have stopped working with Umbrella. Covered it all up. Maybe you would have tried to bribe me. Try to keep me quiet. But I must tell you that both of those options would have failed. I've known for quite some time about your dealings with Umbrella. And you cannot bribe me,"
"You own the world," Katherine commented, still shaken up from the events that had transpired in her father's office.
"Well...no. Not technically. But I have access to the world. More access than any living person on the planet. And more money than I know what to do with," Harry grabbed hold of Warren's arm, yanking him out of his seat. The gun the mayor had been holding before disappeared, giving Harry room to grab the man's wrists. As he restrained Warren, Harry spoke into his ear. "Changes are coming to Raccoon City, Michael. It's a shame you won't be here to see any of it," With that, Harry shoved Michael around the desk and out of the office. They moved all the way down to the front doors of City Hall, opening the gates to find a swarm of civilians and reporters. All wanting to see the arrest of their mayor. Cameras were going off as they stepped towards the Fireship that had landed by the gates.
"Trying to embarrass me, Potter?" asked Warren.
"Nope. I'm just making sure everyone here really knows who they voted for," Harry replied, shoving Warren into the hands of an IAF Marine. The man was easily caught and led into the back of the Fireship. After a few moments, it took off, leading the former mayor away to the nearest IAF facility for booking and a trial. Chris and Jill were both at his side, their gaze fixed on the retreating vessel. Harry frowned. "Well...that was fast,"
Chris let out a chuckle. "Yeah. That's got to be a world record,"
"Something like that," Harry said with a shrug, turning back toward City Hall. "Who do you think they'll vote for next?"
"I heard Devlin Harris has a shot at it. He was supposed to verse Warren in the next election," Harry regarded Jill in surprise. He hadn't heard of a Devlin Harris the last time around, and certainly nothing to do with an election battle. The three separated, with Harry returning to his apartment while Chris and Jill returned to the police station. He stepped into his apartment, activating his terminal. Almost as soon as the display appeared, Harry got a call. Daphne. He accepted the call without a word, taking a seat at his desk while he examined his wife. She was dressed up in a dark green dress, and her blonde hair had been tied back into a braided ponytail. She looked beautiful. But she wasn't looking at the terminal and was instead looking off to the side in her office. "Hey, Daphne,"
Daphne frowned. "Harry. Are you ok?"
"Yeah, are you?"
"Of course. Why did you call? Is everything ok over there?"
"Yeah. Everything's fine. I didn't call you,"
"I didn't call you," said Daphne.
Another caller suddenly appeared in a third box over the call, and Hermione appeared. She was wearing her nightgown and was seated in their bed. Hermione was reading a book, one of the other Harry's at her side. She seemed unaware of the call until Daphne spoke. "Hermione?" Hermione glanced up at the sound of her name, examining the terminal from afar.
"Harry? Daphne? What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. You joined the call," Daphne replied.
"I didn't join. I've been sitting here all morning," Hermione countered.
"Then how did we get into this call?" Harry asked.
Another caller entered. Their terminal camera wasn't on. But their voice was as clear as day. "You're in this call because I made it so," The mysterious voice let out a low chuckle. "This day is going to be the most remembered day in history. It will go down in the history books as the day the most powerful man in the world crumbled,"
Hermione stepped up to her terminal. "What are you talking about?"
"How do you make a man fall, Mrs. Potter?" The voice asked. "You take away everything he loves. His family. His friends. His work. His life. You take it all away, and eventually, he'll finish it himself. Because without all of these things, a man isn't truly a man. He's nothing. A hollow shell. I learned many years ago that when you play chess, you have to be ready to lose a few pieces. So, Lord Potter. Are you ready to lose a few pieces?"
"Who are you, asshole?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowing.
"You know exactly who I am, Harry. More so than any person on the planet. We have a long history," Harry didn't recognize the man's voice. But then the man spoke again. "Besides. Name-calling is never nice," Harry's eyes widened. He'd heard that phrase before. And the voice. It sounded familiar to him now. He recognized it from so long ago. In Raccoon City. The meeting with the General right before Leon and Sherry were taken. "Ah...don't be like that, kid. Name-calling is never nice. If anything, you were close to a real monster for almost a year, and you let him train you," The hooded figure. The same hooded figure that had broken through his wards and had helped in kidnapping Sherry. He was here. He was here. "You remember me, Harry?"
"How the hell did you get here?"
"Well, kid, when you're as experienced as I am...anything's possible," The man said.
"If you hurt -"
"Oh, I won't hurt anyone, Harry. I make it quick and painless," Harry turned to examine Daphne and Hermione over the terminal, trying to catch any signs of something dangerous. "Oh...you're worried, aren't you? You're dear wives. Both are pregnant with children. You're going to be a father soon. Very exciting," The man spoke. "But they're only pawns in this game of ours Harry. And you know me. I love to make the first move,"
"Daphne!" The woman in question spun around just in time to spot it. Harry watched in horror as the glass window in her office shattered. A bullet ripped through her skull, her blood spreading onto the terminal. Harry screamed in horror. He disappeared in a cloud of smoke, reappearing in the middle of Daphne's office. There she was, lying on the floor. Dead. Harry was at her side in an instant, his eyes closing to focus on her Aiúa and philotic structure. The Aiúa was slipping back into the Outside. But...it wasn't the only one. There were two other Aiúa's inside her abdominal area. The babies. They were dying too. The trauma sustained was too much for them. "A hard choice, Harry," The hooded figure spoke through the terminal. "Do you save your wife? Or your unborn children? Will you have time for both? Or must you lose one to save the other?"
Harry knew what he had to do, but he didn't know if he had the strength to do it. "Harry. All three will be gone soon," It was Athena. She was speaking through the neural link in his brain. "You need to save one or the other. Or they'll all be lost," Harry understood what needed to happen. His focus shifted to the twins developing in Daphne's abdomen, his tendrils extending to grab hold of them. They accepted his touch without question, allowing him to pull them out of their current shells. Harry turned the rest of his attention to the philotic structures of their underdeveloped bodies. Daphne had only been pregnant for four months. They wouldn't survive in their current bodies outside of their mother's body. So he needed to construct new structures based on their current ones.
He did just that, recreating and stretching out their philotic structures. Harry tried to get them to their nine-month-old self, and when he was sure he got it right, Harry pulled their Aiúa's into the new philotic structures. Once he was done, he turned to Daphne. Her Aiúa was gone. His head lowered as he let out a deep sigh. He couldn't save her. He'd failed. The stranger won. "You did the right thing, Harry," Athena spoke. Harry gave her a small nod, trying not to let his emotions get the better of him. He retreated to his mind-palace.
"Come on, Harry," The stranger spoke. "My move isn't over,"
"Hermione," Harry breathed. He didn't even get a chance to stand up before hearing a loud BOOM! and a large rumbling of the tower. Debris fell down past the broken window. Harry understood at once. A bomb. Grabbing hold of the newly formed infants that lay crying on the ground, Harry and the twins disappeared in a cloud of black mist, reappearing within what used to be his penthouse. The entire level was covered in scorch marks, glass, and debris. Hermione was nowhere in sight. But the other Harry was visible, lying on his front near the bathroom. He was dead. "You're lucky, Harry," The stranger spoke, this time from what was left of his bedroom terminal. "Move fast. Or I'll be forced to go again," The call ended.
"Harry?" Spinning around, Harry came face to face with Hermione. She was clutching her waist, which held a pretty sizeable hole. Harry rushed forward, conjuring a large enough crib to hold the twins. With his hands free, he grabbed hold of her, guiding her down to the floor. "Sir!" Harry's eyes darted towards the now-open elevator door. Alyssa was standing there alongside several medics and a few Marines. Her eyes were on Hermione. "What the hell happened?"
"Remote detonation of an explosive," Harry replied. His hand pressed down on Hermione's abdomen, trying to apply enough pressure. He was funneling magic and shadows into her in an attempt to heal the wound.
"How did the bomb get up here?" Alyssa asked. "We have anti-apparation wards all over the place,"
"The person who did this is more magically powerful than I could hope to guess. He was a resident of Earth-2. I don't know how, but he's here and he wants blood," Harry explained. He removed his blood-covered hand off of Hermione's abdomen and smiled. The wound was gone. But then the cries of the twins seemed to jar his memory. The baby. Harry closed his eyes, opening them a moment later with an angered expression. Hermione witnessed the change in emotions and reached out for his hand. He answered the unasked question. "She's gone,"
Hermione let out a soft sob, rolling over to cry into Harry's lap. All the while Harry held her, retreating back to his mind-palace. The hooded figure had made a disastrous move today. He had taken away Daphne and Harry's unborn daughter. Harry swore to himself that he would make his own move better than this one. He would kill the stranger. Paint his blood over the tower. While the medics attended to the twins and the Marines surveyed the area, Alyssa stepped to Harry and Hermione's side. "Sir...what do we do now?"
"The hooded figure waged a war today. I intend to accept,"
"Another war?"
Harry nodded. "Yes. But I won't stop with his brains on my boot,"
August 5th, 1998 | Umbrella Corporation Europe HQ
Oswell Spencer sat within the Umbrella Corporation Europe Headquarters in the outskirts of France, his eyes steadily watching the hooded stranger in front of him. The strange man was wearing a dark brown hood, his face invisible to the naked eye. The man had entered Spencer's office with the request to talk and had yet to speak, with the two spending their time staring at each other. After several minutes, Spencer lost his patience and spoke his mind. "You entered my office without making an appointment. No one saw you enter the building. And you've sat in my office for the past five minutes staring at me like a lunatic. So, speak now or I'll call security to drag you off of the premises,"
"You know Harry Potter, yes?"
"Harry Potter. The CEO of Marauder Enterprises. Minister of Defense within the IAF. Of course, I know Harry Potter," Spencer replied.
"Well. How would you like to learn a little secret?" The mysterious man leaned forward. "Harry Potter suffered a major loss yesterday with the loss of his first wife and his unborn daughter. He's weak. He's vulnerable. I have dozens of ways to break him. And when I do, I'll reap the benefits of his work. I want to offer you a place in my quest,"
"You want me...to wage a war against Harry Potter," Spencer deadpanned.
"Yes. But it won't be a futile effort," The stranger explained. "I know Harry Potter better than anyone. Even himself. I can break him. When I do I'm going to take everything he has. And when I'm done, I'll let him witness the loss of everything he loves and has created, before killing him once and for all. This war will be a quick one. And its victor will be certain,"
Spencer shook his head. "I need more if I want to even consider this,"
"How about this? One billion dollars. Harry Potter's certain death. And his position as Minister of Defense?"
"What position would you receive?" asked Spencer.
"I would become...president? Hegemon? Emperor? Who knows? All I know is I will be on top,"
"Hmm..." Spencer took to tapping a pattern into the table, his eyes scanning over the figure. He was a young enough man to hold an aura of arrogance and a bit of stupidity. But the young man seemed confident in his belief that he could kill Harry Potter. What sealed the deal for Spencer was the briefcase the man produced from thin air. He cracked open the case to reveal a large number of money stacks. All consisting of $100 bills. Spencer examined the contents of the case for several minutes, before concluding that there were at least three million dollars inside. The hooded man spoke once more. "The other 997 million will be transferred to you once you accept my invitation to my 'empire',"
"I accept your invitation,"
