Disclaimer – It has come to my attention recently that I unfortunately do not own any part of Harry Potter or the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the characters that belong to those entities. One can dream I suppose. Although I did buy a ticket to Disney World one time.
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This story is dedicated to Stephen Bartley, for his support.
Chapter 9: The Battle of New York Finale – Nice Catch, Harry Potter
Turning abruptly to Clint, who had been engrossed in conversation with the girl, Harry seized the man's shoulder. "Sorry for interrupting your hero worship here, Clint, but we need to go, now."
Clint's gaze shifted from Harry's hand on his shoulder back up to his eyes. "Oh no ... not again ..."
Before Clint could voice any further protest, a resounding crack echoed, and Harry apparated them both to the top of the Stark Tower. Harry's heart raced as he had realized the missile had seemed directed toward the city center, hinting that whatever was happening or whatever was going to happen … it was likely going to unfold right there.
As Harry and Clint appeared on the rooftop of Stark Tower, a sudden and pronounced crack echoed through the air, startled the current occupants. The two individuals, engrossed in their activities around a large mechanical apparatus centered on a revolving, luminous blue cube, swiftly pivoted to identify the origin of the unexpected sound.
Harry found himself unfamiliar with the older, Scandinavian-looking man present, but upon seeing that it was Natasha that was standing beside him, he greeted her with a warm smile and a friendly wave. Natasha, after immediately identifying Clint focused on him, who unfortunately, after side-along apparating to the roof, had darted towards some air conditioning units, succumbing to a bout of rather conspicuous dry heaving.
Concern laced her voice as she addressed him, "Clint ... we lost you on comms during the Chitauri attack on the rooftop. We thought the worst … How did you manage to get up here?" Her inquiry was abruptly interrupted as she noticed Harry, prompting her to add, "Oh ... well, I suppose that answers that question."
She paused, scrutinizing Harry with a thoughtful gaze, "Once all of this chaos is settled … I know some people who will undoubtedly have a whole bunch of questions for you."
Harry responded with a smile, "I suppose I'm looking forward to it. What can I ..." His words trailed off as he noticed Hawkeye straightening up, evidently collecting himself and moving to join the conversation. "... I guess, what can we do to help?"
The older man directed a curious glance toward Harry before choosing to focus on Clint, ignoring Harry. "We need your help to protect us, specifically to protect Black Widow here, as she attempts to close the portal which is going to stop more reinforcements from coming through. I built a back door into this that will all her to use the scepter ..." He paused, gesturing towards the scepter in Black Widow's hands, before continuing, "... to seal the portal."
Harry beamed with relief and released an audible sigh, drawing the attention of everyone around him. "Well, that's the best news I've heard all day," he exclaimed. "I was beginning to worry that we'd be stuck in an endless cycle of battling wave after wave of non-stop enemies pouring through that portal until we fought all of them … or we won. Knowing there's a way to cut off reinforcements gives us a fighting chance. When we were over there I saw Iron Man, flying towards an incoming missile, I couldn't shake the concern that the military had abandoned the city."
A brief exchange of panic-laden glances passed between Clint and Natasha. She whispered urgently to herself similar to the way Clint had spoken earlier on the rooftop, her words clearly intended for her team mic. "Tony, what on earth are you doing? Chasing a missile? Where did it come from? And when were you planning on sharing that little piece of information with the rest of us?"
While Natasha focused intently on Tony Stark's response, the older man turned his attention toward him with a questioning gaze. "Just who are you? When I was with Loki, he didn't have any information about you."
Harry raised an eyebrow, a hint of suspicion coloring his expression as he involuntarily took a step backward. "You were working with Loki?! Just who are you?" he demanded.
The man shook his head, a weariness evident in his expression. "Not willingly ... it's a long story, but Loki was using me, and I couldn't do anything about it. I'm Dr. Selvig, an astrophysicist. He needed my expertise to get his device working."
Harry scrutinized Dr. Selvig, lingering suspicion in his gaze, before reluctantly offering an answer to the man's question. "I'm Harry, and I suppose that's an even longer answer. But it doesn't matter at the moment. What matters is that I'm here to ..."
"A NUKE!" Natasha's exclamation pierced through the air, abruptly cutting off the remainder of Harry's response. As Harry, Clint, and the older man turned their attention to her, she continued urgently, "What do you mean you know where to put it ..." Her words trailed off as she glanced up at the portal, a horrified realization etched across her face. "Oh my god ... Tony, you can't be serious. You don't know what will happen if you go through the portal, and you don't know if you can even come back from that ..."
The rest of her sentence was swallowed by the thunderous roar of exhaust, emanating from the missile as it flew past the edge of the building. Almost immediately, it became apparent that Iron Man was changing its direction from below. It soared up past the side of the Tower, perilously close to the edge, just a stone's throw away.
Harry, alongside the others on the rooftop, watched intently as Iron Man deliberately guided the nuclear missile, directing it straight into the breach in the sky. Positioned just below the opening, Harry had a clear view of a colossal ship surrounded by hundreds of whales and thousands upon thousands of smaller flying entities.
As Iron Man and the missile disappeared into the portal, Harry wordlessly shifted his gaze back down to Natasha, who stood there, eyes fixed on the opening, silent and contemplative. Suddenly, a muted explosion, barely audible, reached his ears, prompting him to look upward. Through the portal, Harry witnessed the previously obscured large ship illuminated by the swiftly expanding mushroom cloud of light. The stark brilliance revealed not only the massive ship but that he had sorely miscounted and there were thousands of the space whales and, quite possibly, tens of thousands of smaller flying entities.
As Harry observed the expanding mushroom cloud of radioactive material through the portal, he heard movement and shifted his gaze downward. Natasha was briskly, if mechanically, walking toward the large device she had been near when he first popped into existence on the rooftop.
Noticing her lifting the scepter, Harry risked a glance upward but still couldn't see Iron Man's figure having come through the portal above the city. "Wait ... what are you doing?" he asked, taking a step toward her.
His movement was abruptly halted as he felt Clint's hand on his shoulder. "We need to close the portal, kid. Can't afford more aliens pouring in, and who knows what else. Besides, that radiologic debris might start raining down on the city. Tony ... he knew what he was doing. He knew that it was likely always going to be a one-way trip ..." Clint trailed off, and at that moment, a loud clicking sound resonated across the rooftop, which was immediately followed by the abrupt cessation of the blue sky-beam indicating that Natasha had successfully shut off the machine.
Harry shifted his gaze away from Clint, focusing on the expansive portal in the sky. His eyes followed the shrinking portal, observing as it rapidly diminished in size. Just as the portal was on the verge of closing, disappearing entirely and leaving behind an unblemished sky, Hawkeye, apparently having the sharpest eyesight, burst out in a loud exclamation, "Holy shit ... he's through. Nat … Tony fell through just in time!"
The collective attention of everyone on the rooftop swung back to the space where the portal had existed just moments before. After a second of squinting, Harry couldn't help but smile as he identified the familiar red and gold hues of a figure tumbling through the air.
Although Harry's initial encounter with the armored superhero hadn't left him in awe, finding the man rather condescending, he acknowledged that Tony had been risking his life throughout the day to safeguard the city's inhabitants. This included daring maneuvers like flying directly into a space whale to gain an advantage in a fight, something that even Harry thought he'd have avoided doing. Harry decided that perhaps Tony's brusque demeanor could be attributed to the mental and emotional strain of the day … even though he was pretty confident in his assessment of Tony's personality.
Harry's reflections on Iron Man were abruptly cut short as Natasha turned her attention to Clint, her expression shifting into one of concern. "Um ... Clint … it doesn't look like he's slowing at all … and his descent is out of control ..."
These words immediately killed the smiles on Clint's and Harry's faces which had been growing bigger every second since the nuke had been diverted into the portal. Harry's eyes shot back up, confirming that Iron Man's armored figure was indeed not slowing down but rather picking up speed as it hurtled towards the ground, gaining momentum. As he watched, he couldn't help but remember his own experience with falling from height, in his third year when he had been surprised by dementors during a Quidditch match with Hufflepuff, leading to a fall from his broom far above the pitch.
The thought flitted through Harry's mind as he watched Iron Man continue to accelerate, realizing that a sudden stop at the speed he was traveling would likely prove fatal. Another memory surfaced, this one of a conversation with Hermione after waking up in the Hospital Wing following his fall from his broom. It was a discussion about the spell Professor Dumbledore had used to save him … a spell Harry had quickly learned, just in case any of his teammates ever faced a similar predicament. It was a spell he had already used a couple of times since his arrival.
Knowing what needed to be done, Harry stepped forward, pushing past a visibly startled Clint and Natasha, both locked in expressions of concern and fear. His strides were purposeful as he approached the very edge of Stark Tower, or, as he casually observed, because the building had lost several of the large letters during the battle, it could now be humorously deemed the "A Tower."
Standing on the building's edge, Harry drew a deep breath, grounding himself and tapping into the magic coursing through him. Meanwhile, the once distinct red and gold figure of Iron Man, now reduced to little more than a colorful blur, streaked past him, hurtling relentlessly toward the ground.
In a moment of focused concentration, Harry roared, "Arresto Momentum!" The incantation echoed through the air, and as he released a deep breath, seeing an immediate effect. Iron Man's descent began to slow, the force that had propelled him earthward gradually losing its grip.
The incantation had barely left Harry's lips when he sensed the three other individuals who had shared the rooftop with him hastening to his side, eager to witness the outcome of what he had done, concerned about Iron Man's fate. Together, they reached the edge of the building just as Iron Man gracefully came to a halt on the pavement below.
The onlookers observed as three diminutive figures rushed to Iron Man's side and Harry could feel as the collective gaze of the others on the roof shifted towards him.
"Okay, kid … that's got to be the best one yet …," Clint remarked, breaking the silence.
Dr. Selvig shook his head in disbelief, "That is impossible. What you just did ... there's no way that could have actually ..." His words trailed off into mumbles of disbelief.
Harry turned to Natasha, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. A subtle smile adorned her face as she mouthed the words, "Thank you."
Returning Natasha's smile with a nod of acknowledgment, Harry then directed his gaze outward, scanning the skyline of the city. A deep breath escaped him as he noticed the relative tranquility that had settled over the city, noticing that there no longer seemed to be any flyers or space whales flying through the sky, and he decided that it was either due to closing the portal or the explosion of the nuclear missile with the ship in space.
The absence of the relentless clamor and the sounds of destruction caused by the alien invaders marked a stark contrast to the chaos that had engulfed the city just minutes before. And as a result, the city, while still marred by blaring alarms and numerous fires visible from his lookout, seemed eerily peaceful in comparison to the recent mayhem.
Turning back to Clint and Natasha, Harry inquired, "So ... is it finally over? I'll admit, that was quite the welcome to the city."
Clint met Harry's gaze with a somber laugh, glancing around as if to confirm the lack of threats. "I think so ... I sure hope so."
Natasha's demeanor shifted instantly to seriousness as she turned her attention to Harry. "Well, the battle is done, but we'll need to find and capture Loki. Otherwise, there's no reason he can't try something like this again. But beyond that, we need to ..."
Her sentence was abruptly cut short by a resounding roar from the Hulk, echoing up from the street-level below. This prompted everyone on the rooftop, including Dr. Selvig, who had begun to wander back to the machine responsible for opening the portal, to rush back and peer over the edge at the trio surrounding Iron Man, who was still seemingly prone on the ground far below.
"Umm ... kid ... he's okay, right?" Clint inquired tentatively, his concern evident in the hesitation of his words.
Harry strained his eyes to pick out any details far below, attempting to identify any signs of movement amidst the figures around Iron Man. A fleeting bit of hope crossed his mind, wondering whether he had caught a glimpse of subtle movement from the hero still laying prone on the ground, before he shifted his gaze back to Clint.
"As long as he was okay when he fell through the portal, what I did wouldn't hurt him. I only cushioned his fall, so he didn't become paste when he hit the ground," Harry explained, his words aimed at alleviating their concerns. "But I have no idea what exactly happened to him when he flew into the hole with the missile or when he returned ... or even whatever happened to him when he was through the portal."
Natasha and Clint exchanged worried glances, his words failing to provide the comfort they sought. In a effort to offer some semblance of reassurance, Harry reached down and grabbed a piece of debris. "But if you want, I can get you down there so you can check on him."
Both Natasha and Clint nodded slowly, though Clint's complexion turned slightly pale as he mumbled, "Oh hell no … no, not again."
Harry gazed at the rock, quietly casting the incantation "Portus," infusing it with magical energy. He then handed it to them, a smile playing on his lips as he addressed Clint, "Don't worry, Clint. It's a different form of travel ... although I would advise you not to let go." He paused to smile and then added, "... Just say 'New York,' and this will take you down there. Oh … and good luck with the landing."
Stepping back with a grin at the apprehensive look on Clint's face, Harry overheard Natasha utter 'New York.' In an instant, they vanished from the rooftop. Harry and a very surprised looking astrophysicist, leaned over the edge to witness their reappearance about fifteen paces from the other heroes down below, eliciting surprise from that group.
Harry couldn't help but laugh as he watched Clint fall to his knees, although he couldn't help but be impressed that Natasha had managed to land on her feet and was already sprinting towards the figure of Iron Man, while Clint was slowly getting back on his feet, appearing to be staring back in the direction of the Stark Tower.
Turning around, Harry was met with the surprised expression of Dr. Selvig, who stared at him in amazement.
"Sorry about that, Doctor. Do you want to go down as well?" Harry asked, leaning down to grab another piece of rubble.
Dr. Selvig eyed the piece of debris warily before meeting Harry's gaze and shaking his head. "It's alright … I should probably make sure that machine is stable. The last thing we want is for the portal to accidentally reopen … or for there to be a vast energy discharge that levels the city …" He paused, then glanced at Harry. "What about you? Don't you want to go down and celebrate with the other heroes?"
Harry shook his head. "I'm not really a hero."
Dr. Selvig raised an eyebrow. "Well, it sure seems like you were helping them, and I don't know what you would define as a hero but helping the city in a time of need ... seems to me to be something a hero would do."
Harry lifted his gaze from the ground and locked eyes with the astrophysicist. "Well, I was just trying to do what I could. But at the very least, I am not a member of their team," he said, pausing to cast a thoughtful glance down at the six individuals below. "At least … not yet. Besides, Natasha mentioned finding Loki, and I think I have an idea as to where he is."
The revelation caused Dr. Selvig to pale slightly, his eyes darting anxiously around.
Harry reassured him, "Don't worry, Doctor. I'll go find him; you just worry about the machine." Observing the astrophysicist nod in agreement, Harry turned and made his way to the other side of the roof, where he had spotted stairs leading below. Grateful for the chance to walk rather than apparate, he felt the weariness from all the magic use beginning to catch up with him.
Climbing down the stairs, Harry peered through the expansive glass windows, revealing the penthouse beyond. As anticipated, a figure occupied the space … a figure lying on the ground … a figure he was fairly certain was Loki.
Upon reaching a glass door on a balcony that granted access to the large room within, Harry stepped inside, confirming that the prone figure within was indeed the same individual he had witnessed flying by earlier. However, Loki's ostentatious crown was currently absent, and he lay in a small crater on the floor.
Approaching the concrete crater, Harry watched as Loki noticed his presence, a surprised expression flickering across his face as he surveyed the room. After determining that no one else was present, Harry witnessed the man's appearance briefly and faintly shimmer before abruptly solidifying, leaving a disappointed look etched on his face.
The man in the crater began to gingerly sit up, a slow and evidently painful process. "Ah, I don't believe we've met. I'm Loki," he declared with a touch of theatrical flair. "I half expected that dysfunctional team of do-gooders to be here. I suppose it is too much to hope that the battle was a success, and they are no longer a thorn in my side?"
Harry shook his head. "Sorry, Loki. The attack failed. The cleanup might take some time, but it looks like all the attacking aliens are down. As for the superheroes, it looks like they will all be okay."
Loki, still on the ground, gazed up at Harry. "Well, I guess you win some and lose some. I was promised a drink; would it be too much to ask for that drink now? I feel I would be a sore loser if I was not able to toast to your success ... Mr ..." He left the question hanging, a sly grin playing on his lips.
As Loki's voice trailed off, Harry noticed another shimmer in Loki's image. This time, the distortion lingered a bit longer before smoothly settling, and Harry was confident he had seen a momentary doubling of Loki's image. However, once the shimmer disappeared entirely, and the apparent double faded away and Loki cast a suspicious smile up at Harry, a gesture that left Harry feeling a tad disconcerted.
In a hushed whisper, Harry uttered, "Petrificus Totalus," under his breath. To his shock, Loki continued to move, readjusting his position until he was sitting upright.
"Well, okay ... no names, very mysterious, by the way. Although who am I to judge someone with a flair for the dramatic. So what is your plan? Going to keep me talking and try to prevent me from leaving before the big guns get here," Loki inquired with a smirk, his eyes narrowing in a challenging manner.
Harry continued to stare at the figure of Loki, a growing concern gnawing at him as the man before him appeared impervious to his magic. As he pondered this, he couldn't shake the unsettling realization that the spell he had cast seemed to have travelled through Loki rather than having any impact, something that reminded him of watching a spell being cast at a ghost at Hogwarts … like the target wasn't even there.
A sudden freeze overcame Harry as he stared intently at the figure in front of him, a suspicion taking root that this might be nothing more than an illusion. To confirm his doubts, he whispered another spell, "Inimicum Revelio." It was a spell Hermione had developed during their hunt for Horcruxes, born out of desperation when she found that Homenum Revelio didn't always work against non-humans. Inimicum Revelio, on the other hand, would reveal nearby enemies, but only if they were actively planning against the caster or were on the verge of launching an attack.
Uncertain about whether Loki was human enough to trigger Homenum Revelio, even though he certainly appeared more human than the Chitauri had, Harry opted for the safer option of Inimicum Revelio, considering its advantages over Homenum Revelio.
Almost immediately after casting the spell, Harry sensed a presence right behind him. Reflexes honed by both genetics and necessity … forged during his upbringing with the Dursleys … kicked in, prompting Harry to leap to the side while simultaneously spinning around.
Loki seemingly materialized out of nowhere, a knife slicing through the space Harry had just vacated. Loki's eyes adjusted to Harry's current position, registering a look of surprise on his face.
Wordlessly, Harry cast a silent Levicorpus, reveling in both the sight of the spell connecting with Loki's body and the immediate effect as Loki was knocked over and suspended in the air by his ankle.
"What ...? How did you ...? Even my own brother is not able to realize when I'm not there. Put me down this instance, you dull creature! I will not be ..." Loki's protests were abruptly silenced as Harry shook his head and cast Silencio. Harry chuckled to himself as he observed Loki becoming aware of his newfound inability to make sounds, which was accompanied by the violent shaking, and what Harry assumed were vulgar gestures in response to that realization.
"Sorry Loki … but don't really need anyone else trying to kill me today. Had enough of that earlier thanks to you. I just wanted to pop by here and make sure you hadn't disappeared before the Hulk managed to lead the rest of his team back up here to deal with you. I'm pretty sure there are going to be a bunch of questions they'd like to ask you," Harry explained with a wry smile, enjoying the irony of Loki's muted frustration and observing with a subtle smile as the color drained from the man's face at the mere mention of the Hulk.
"But you are for them to deal with. I'm going to see who I can help and maybe try to get a start on fixing this mess you created," Harry declared with a touch of anger, his gaze fixed on the city of New York beyond the window.
Glancing back at Loki, he called out, "Stupefy," relishing the shock that flashed across Loki's face before the man succumbed to unconsciousness. Confident that the spell had achieved its intended effect, Harry proceeded to cast the counter-jinxes for the dangling and silencing spells. Subsequently, he employed Incarcerous, watching as ropes and a gag seemingly materialized out of nowhere, binding Loki securely in place, just in case he somehow managed to shake off the stunning curse before the heroes found him.
Looking down at Loki, Harry paused, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. He decided to add a touch of humor to the situation, transfiguring the restraining ropes into an extra-strong Christmas ribbon, complete with a bow. Chuckling to himself, he transformed a drink glass from the bar into a card, which he charmed to act like a Howler. Placing the card onto the ribbon just below Loki's head, Harry grinned at the sight he had created.
Exiting the penthouse, he strolled towards the edge of the elevated balcony, the laughter fading as the gravity of the city's damage began to weigh on him. Mumbling to himself, "Well ... it looks like there is some serious work to do. Better get to it."
With that, Harry apparated off the balcony, disappearing into the city below.
HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel - HP
Less than fifteen minutes later, the Avengers gathered around the gift-wrapped form of Loki. The animated letter, once vocal and lively, now lay silent, having fallen back onto the bound individual, its last words still echoing through the room.
"... My name is Harry Potter. I am the Master of Death, and I am here to help."
Their collective gaze was fixated on the letter, watching as it silently burst into flames. The room remained hushed, absorbing the moment, until Clint released a brief laugh, his eyes scanning the circle assembled around Loki before settling on Tony.
"Say what you want about your meeting with him earlier. You may not like him, Tony, but even you can't deny: Harry Potter's got style."
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Up Next: Knock Knock - Dealing with the Aftermath
malinkody - Loved the feedback. Thank you for the comment.
James Birdsong - I am glad you liked them.
Gary - Well if you liked her appearance, I am sure you will like what is coming up
Time Emperor - Thanks for the feedback and I am glad you like their friendship. It is something that was not originally planned when i was making the outline but sort of organically happened based on the dialogue. And honestly I also liked where it went so will definitely keep it going.
.upg - More is definitely on its way!
cameron1812 - Thanks so much!
SanadaTenchi - Thanks for the feedback, I hope you liked this just as well
David Saville - Well I dont like giving anything away ... especially with who may or may not appear or for how long they will be in the story ... but ... there is definitely going to be a red room arc and Nat and Harry working on somethings ...
Thanks to those of you out to those of you who enjoy my stories, I promise to keep updating the stories as long as you enjoy them, and a special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to leave feedback or reach out to me directly. All feedback is welcome (hopefully constructive!) Looking forward to hearing what you think!
Story Note – While I am not entirely sure as to how Loki's illusion ability works, although it is good enough to fool Thor, including managing to do it right in front of his eyes while he was in the containment unit on the Shield Carrier. I always wondered why he never used it at the end of the Battle of New York. But I assumed that he was too tired to do it convincingly (hence why Harry saw a brief flicker) and might have been worried that Stark's tech could see through it. So that is why he was willing to give it a try since there was only Harry (an unknown) looking at him. But while he could mostly fool Harry's eyes could not fool the magic.
Disclaimer 2 – This story will be inspired by the Earth 199999 (AKA – the Earth from the MCU movies, shows, … ) but not exactly the same, specific changes being highlighted in story notes when they appear. Think of it more as Earth 199999.1.
I hope you all liked the start to the new story, and I look forward to hearing your feedback. This is a story I have been looking forward to writing for a very long time.
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