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.

Anyone who is looking to provide support and get access to early chapters for my stories or see my original content, please visit Pa t-reon / FavoriteAuthor

On that note, a big thanks to my newest patrons – Lucas L, Austin L, LarsGameS, Shazbot, Wesbrook, Marcus H, and Andy S! I do not know if I would be as motivated without the support.

This story is dedicated to Stephen Bartley, for his support.

Chapter 8: The Battle of New York Part 6 – Nice Catch, Iron Man

The alien creature emitted a deafening roar. It abruptly redirected its course, aiming itself toward the remnants of Grand Central Station, seemingly intent on completing what its fellow creatures had initiated when crashing into the structure.

Realizing he had to take action, Harry shook his head in hopes that a better plan would come to him before any harm came his way. With a resigned shrug, he made a decision and disapparated from his precarious position in front of the remnants of Grand Central Station ...

... only to reappear instantly, finding himself now standing on the back of the space whale.

Caught off guard by the abrupt shift in momentum, Harry swiftly dropped to his knees to prevent himself from toppling off the moving space whale. His hands reached forward and gripped a massive armor plate tightly, steadying himself against the whale's movement. Gaining stability, he scanned ahead and realized that his unusual ride remained on course, still aiming directly toward the cavernous hole where Grand Central Station's front wall once stood.

Understanding the urgent need to divert the alien creature's path before even thinking about attempting to stop it, Harry's eyes widened with a sudden realization. A smile crept onto his face as he recalled the antics of the best diversionary role models he had ever known. Memories from his fifth year at Hogwarts flooded his mind, centering around the farewell escapade orchestrated by the twins.

Drawing upon that inspiration, Harry conjured three brilliantly bright, neon flashing orbs of light. With a deft flick of his wrist, he propelled them forward. The orbs whirled and darted beneath the space whale before ascending almost vertically, positioning themselves almost directly in front of the creature's looming face, where they seemed to hang there for a second. Then, in a sudden change of direction, they veered sharply to the left and Harry held his breath hoping the distraction was sufficient.
Enthralled by the dazzling lights or perhaps attracted by the prospect of chasing a moving target, the alien creature seemed momentarily captivated, its focus diverted from the looming structure ahead. The distraction had precisely the desired effect: the creature altered its trajectory, fixated on pursuing the flashing lights conjured by Harry.

Harry let out a relieved sigh, thankful that the light diversion had swiftly worked in redirecting the alien's attention. Equally reassuring was the fact that he had managed to cling on when the space whale abruptly changed its course. The sudden shift in momentum had nearly thrown him off.

As the space whale's flight stabilized and its trajectory became more predictable, Harry cautiously rose to his feet again. He adjusted his balance, anticipating and compensating for any shifts in direction, grateful that, for the most part, the creature's flight path remained relatively steady.

However, Harry's initial assumptions were swiftly confirmed: none of the spells he cast seemed to make the slightest amount of difference to the creature. At best, his spells resulted in a faint discoloration of the creature's skin or left superficial scratches that barely grazed the surface layer. Even his most potent Bombarda spell, one he was confident that would have been capable of blasting a hole through Hogwarts' fortified walls even with the wards—proved utterly ineffective against the space whale, only resulting in a mildly annoyed sounding roar.

Frustratingly, Harry's attempts seemed futile. The only tactic that appeared to have any semblance of impact was when he began transfiguring pieces of the creature's own armor into wolves. Perhaps due to their shared material composition, the transfigured wolves managed to inflict small punctures in the whale's skin. Yet, despite their attacks, the damage inflicted by the wolves seemed negligible against the immense bulk of the creature. Harry couldn't shake the feeling that, in comparison to the space whale's colossal size, the wolves were mere irritants, barely more bothersome than he would have found it if a mosquito landing on him in the middle of this battle.

As he witnessed the creatures' lack of reaction to his attacks, Harry couldn't help but feel slightly disheartened as he wondered whether the alien whale remained unaffected by the assaults or if, in truth, it simply didn't register the relatively ineffective attempts of Harry to try and stop it.

Due to his futile attempts in directly assaulting the space whale, Harry opted to utilize his position atop the creature to cast spells at the aliens riding the fliers and stationed on nearby buildings as they passed by. He found a little comfort in the belief that, despite his inability to affect the whale directly, he was still contributing in some measure by targeting the other aliens.

However, Harry had barely spent two minutes aboard the alien when a series of small explosions rang out, accompanied by a faint rush of warm air emanating from the creature's side. Warily peering over the edge, careful to maintain his balance and avoid the risk of falling off, Harry observed the dissipating aftermath of small detonations along the alien's flank. Yet, before he could consider the idea of a successful attack, his hopes were dashed. The assault responsible for the explosions proved as ineffectual as his previous endeavors with the transfigured wolves and the direct spells.

Shaking his head in a mix of disbelief and concern, Harry peered over the side of the space whale, trying to determine the origin of the explosives that had targeted the creature he found himself precariously riding. To his surprise, he spotted Iron Man gliding on a parallel course to the whale, easily maneuvering between the city's towering structures. It seemed evident that Iron Man had also recognized the ineffectiveness of his attacks. Abruptly altering his course, the armored hero surged forward, appearing to aim for the front of the colossal beast.

Desperately trying to signal and catch the attention of the man within the suit of armor, Harry waved fervently, hoping that together maybe they could work on a strategy that would be effective. However, Iron Man either chose to ignore Harry's presence or failed to notice it, as he was entirely fixated on executing his own plan, paying no heed to Harry's attempts at communication.

With his gaze locked on the vivid red and gold-clad figure, Harry watcehd as Iron Man briefly vanished from view, only to reappear directly in front of the space whale, hurtling back toward them.

Well … definitely not going to win a game of chicken with this thing … just what does he think he is doing?

Harry observed with anticipation as Iron Man approached, a split second before realization dawned upon him. He paused, understanding the superhero's plan: Iron Man intended to fly into the alien's mouth, banking on the hope that the creature's interior might be less fortified and more vulnerable.

Within moments, Harry's assumption proved accurate. As from his vantage point atop the alien's head, he witnessed the Iron Man's plan unfold. As the space whale opened its massive jaws in a bellowing roar, Iron Man flew right inside. Barely two seconds later, the Iron Man's assumption was proven accurate as well, marked by a series of explosions from within the creature.

Yet, any happiness Harry felt at the success of this incredibly maneuver was swiftly killed. Without warning, an explosion erupted directly beneath the segment of armor where Harry stood. The force of the blast propelled him violently upward, launching him off the alien and into the air with a startling force.

Aware of the danger of attempting to apparate while rotating and spinning around in such a rapid and erratic motion, Harry instinctively spread himself out, recalling a technique taught to him by Oliver Wood during Quidditch practice to stabilize his descent if he fell off his broom. Mimicking this method to stabilize himself, he anticipated it might serve him well in this unexpected freefall.

Even before reaching the peak of his ascent, as he found himself gradually beginning to slow down, he gazed upon the cityscape with a mixture of apprehension and concern. The extent of the devastation already inflicted weighed heavily on his mind. He fervently hoped that the Hulk had encountered Loki, the individual Clint had mentioned as the one in charge, and managed to stop him. Hoping that by figuratively cutting the head off the snake, the battle might end. Knowing that restoring the city to its former state would already be a monumental undertaking.

As Harry concentrated on his descent, he mentally conjured an image of the pond he had glimpsed in Central Park, envisioning it as his chosen apparition destination. He calculated that the water would serve as a soft landing spot, effectively halting his fall and stopping the momentum of his descent in a way that would leave him intact. The familiar sensation of magic began to gather within him as he focused on the designated destination, preparing for the apparation.

However, just as he felt the magic building, something unexpected occurred. Metallic hands suddenly seized his feet, bringing his plummet to an abrupt halt. Harry found himself dangling upside down, suspended hundreds of feet above the ground with no control over his predicament.

A slightly metallic voice echoed from above, cutting through the disorientation of the situation. "And just what in the hell did you think you were doing?"

Startled by the unexpected interruption and disoriented by the awkward hanging position, Harry's concentration wavered, causing him to lose his focus on the apparition. He awkwardly attempted to twist around, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever or whatever had caught him.

However, his attempts at movement prompted another call from the figure above, indicating that his actions might be a little much.

"Alright, take it easy there, kid. It wouldn't look great on my resume, or for the team, if I dropped you after saving you," came the voice from above, laced with a hint of sarcastic humor. "I'm literally saving your life here ... You're welcome, by the way. Stop fidgeting, or you might end up getting to the ground before me."

Harry halted his squirming, realizing the wisdom in those words. He knew without a doubt that a fall from such a height would likely be fatal—well, at least without the aid of magic. Accepting the situation, he settled down, limiting himself to subtle movements as he rotated his torso to adjust his position. His efforts were rewarded with a glimpse of a red and gold-clad torso.

"Iron Man?" Harry called out, yelling his question to be heard over the roaring wind.

The descent vector of the figure shifted slightly as the familiar metallic voice responded, "In the flesh ... so to speak."

As Iron Man guided their descent, Harry found himself without anything to say, hanging precariously by his feet. Silence continued on as they descended the remaining stories until, abruptly, Iron Man deposited Harry onto a small patch of grass below.

"Alright … you're safe now, kid. So, what the hell were you doing up there?" Iron Man's tone carried a distinct hint of accusation.

"I was just trying to help, so I …" Harry attempted to explain before being swiftly interrupted.

"You tried to help by somehow hopping onto the back of a three million-ton flying space alien? That's a brilliant plan," Iron Man retorted, sarcasm dripping from his words. "What were you planning to do? Give it a friendly punch until it decided to cease its attack, gently set you down, and then kindly apologize, leaving behind a blank check for the damages? Outstanding plan, kid. Maybe leave the whole 'saving the city' gig to the professionals."

Harry fixed his gaze upon the figure encased in the metal suit, a scoff escaping his lips. "No offense, but it seems like you could use all the help you can get. I appreciate the save, but I'm quite capable on my own. Perhaps you should check in with your archer or the assassin; I'm sure either of them could vouch for me."

Iron Man inclined his head slightly, and in a seamless motion, the face shield of his suit slid upward, revealing a rather confident, if somewhat smug, face with a goatee. "You've met Clint and Natasha..."

Harry interrupted Iron Man's response. "I have, but that's beside the point. Instead of brushing off help or trying to micromanage every little thing, maybe you should consider welcoming assistance. Honestly, I'm tired of others who think they're the only ones capable in a fight and expect everyone else to obediently sit on the sidelines. Dismissing help seems pretty dumb. But there are more important things happening in this city right now. I'm going to keep trying to help those who need it ... Besides, it's not as if you could actually stop me."

With those words, Harry apparated away, leaving Iron Man standing alone in the street, his gaze darting around in a state of mild bewilderment. Suddenly, a robotic British voice resonated from the suit, breaking the silence.

"Slightly impulsive, eager to help, a touch rude, unafraid of authority figures ... I quite like him," the robotic voice mused. "Now that I consider it, he does remind me a bit of ..."

Tony Stark scoffed dismissively. "Don't even bother finishing that thought, Jarvis, or I'll swap you out for that female voice I've been tinkering with."

"As you wish, sir," replied the composed British voice.

"Good. Make sure that all your sensors were accurately recording when the boy disappeared. I'll review the data later. I want to know how he pulled off that disappearing act. But for now ... that boy … he might have had a point. We need to figure out how to put an end to this. Locate Loki."

"Scanning ... scanning … Loki located. Although, I believe we have more pressing matters at the moment. Incoming call from Director Fury," Jarvis informed Tony.

"Put him through," Tony ordered, waiting for the connection to establish. Upon hearing the click, he spoke in an exasperated tone, "I'm a little bit busy up at the moment, Director. Really, I'd love to catch up, but we're dealing with a full-blown alien invasion ... just in case you haven't noticed …"

- HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel -

In that moment, Harry found himself once again perched atop a skyscraper, gazing out over the sprawling cityscape, his body leaning over the edge. The building he had apparated to afforded him a vantage point that coincidentally overlooked the very street corner where Iron Man had been left, bewildered and searching, undoubtedly attempting to pinpoint where Harry had disappeared to without success.

Peering downward with a playful smile, Harry observed as the hero stopped his frantic search, appearing to engage in a conversation with himself. The sight drew a faint chuckle from Harry; it seemed Iron Man had reached the conclusion that he was needed elsewhere, and that there were more pressing matters than tracking down or reprimanding Harry, the hero swiftly flew up and then rocketed himself down the street, departing from the scene.

As Harry glanced upward, he noticed and recognized a building a couple of blocks away. Fixing his gaze on the slightly lower rooftop where he had left Clint, a sudden chill swept through him. A dozen alien fliers were converging on that specific building. It dawned on Harry that the aliens must have finally realized the continuing location of Clint's relentless attacks, realizing that a single flier hadn't been sufficient to neutralize him. Consequently, they had opted for overwhelming numbers to overwhelm and subdue him.

Watching the fliers steadily closing in on the rooftop where Clint was positioned, Harry sensed the urgency of the situation. Without hesitation, he apparated directly behind Clint, who was in the midst of kicking an alien off the edge of the roof.

His sudden arrival prompted Clint to whirl around, reacting to the apparition noise. "Kid, you're killing me. You gotta stop ..."

"Sorry, archer, no time for chitchat," Harry swiftly interjected. "You've got about fifteen, maybe twenty, seconds until a dozen alien fliers come swooping around that building, and I'm pretty certain they're aiming for this rooftop. We need to get you off here, and unless you were planning on jumping off the roof, I can help ... but it might not really enjoy it."

Clint's expression shifted instantly, adopting a determined expression as he followed Harry's pointed glance over his shoulder, surveying the imminent threat.

"Well, I mean, I guess I'd probably prefer whatever your method is compared to leaping off the roof," Clint remarked, his tone pragmatic.

Nodding in acknowledgment, Harry maintained his focus on the archer. "Where do you want me to take you? I can do any place within line-of-sight or that I've seen before."

Clint raised an eyebrow, taking a momentary pause as he scanned the buildings around them, mentally assessing their options.

With a decisive gesture, Clint pointed toward a building, indicating their intended destination. "See that building over there, the one with a chunk missing from its outer wall … and the exposed floors? If you can take us there, that should do the trick. I'll have a clear view down the street and can pick off the aliens as they fly over this building. It'll be like shooting fish in a barrel."

Harry acknowledged Clint's choice with a nod, moving closer to the edge of their rooftop to survey the targeted building Clint had singled out. However, as he glanced back to confirm the selection, something caught Harry's attention over Clint's shoulder, giving him pause. The dozen fliers had advanced past the specified building and were swiftly closing in on their rooftop.

"Um ... time to move. Get over here and grab my arm. Otherwise, you'll have that jump," Harry urged urgently, sensing the imminent danger.

Responding swiftly, Clint closed the distance between them and seized Harry's arm. "Alright, what's the plan now?" he inquired, a tinge of nervousness evident in his voice as he observed the approaching fliers.

Harry turned towards Clint with a reassuring smile. "Just hold on tight ... and try not to get sick," he quipped, his expression filled with determination.

Clint's gaze snapped back to Harry, eyebrows raised in confusion and concern. "Wait ... what do you mea—"

But his sentence was abruptly cut off by a sharp crack, the sound of their conversation instantly silenced.

Moments later, the rooftop erupted into chaos as the concentrated fire from the swarm of fliers obliterated the spot where they had previously stood, as Harry and Clint reappeared precisely where the archer had indicated to Harry before their abrupt departure.

"... that wasn't …" Clint began to express before abruptly stopping, his expression now a mix of disorientation and nausea. He staggered, hurrying to the edge of the floor that overlooked the street below, and retched uncontrollably.

Harry started to chuckle at the sight, remembering his own first experience with side-along apparition. However, his laughter was abruptly stifled by a strangled scream coming from behind him.

Spinning around quickly to investigate the source of the noise, Harry froze in his tracks, noticing a young girl standing there, seemingly paralyzed with fear.

Harry raised his palms in a placating gesture. "Hey ... Sorry about the surprise. We're not here to cause any trouble. My ... friend and I were just trying to escape from the bad guys out there."

The young girl fixed Harry with an intense stare, almost as if she were assessing him before easing her posture slightly. "How did you do that?" she inquired, her tone direct and probing.

Harry glanced out of the window toward the spot where the aliens were previously hovering over the building they had vacated moments ago. He turned back to the girl, offering a nonchalant shrug. "Well ... that's a bit of a long story."

Glancing over at Clint, Harry redirected his attention. "Hey, it seems like your opportunity's here. They're flying over the building ... Clint, your 'fish in a barrel' moment is here."

As Harry turned his gaze upward, he noticed the aliens beginning to turn as a group, redirecting their focus back toward the rooftop, likely searching for any survivors. Although it appeared to be an unnecessary act, as the roof was now engulfed in flames, rendering any of their survival, had they not escaped by magic, unlikely.

As Harry fixed his gaze on the fliers, a series of twang sounds echoed repeatedly, the grouping so tightly clustered that they melded into what seemed like a single sound, echoing by his ear. His attention was drawn towards the source of the noise, and he turned he caught sight of a line of arrows hurtling straight towards the cluster of fliers.

Turning toward Clint, Harry uttered in a slightly puzzled tone, "Ummm ... Clint, there are more than eight ..."

Clint, in the process of wiping his mouth, grinned at Harry, offering a simple response, "I know," while gesturing back toward the volley of arrows that had just reached their intended targets. Harry watched in awe as every arrow hit its mark with extraordinary accuracy. One of the arrows pierced through a pilot's shoulder, causing the flier to lose control of the craft. Before it began its downward descent, the same arrow continued its trajectory, puncturing the fuel tank of another nearby flier, resulting in a sudden explosion.

He observed as another arrow apparently struck the steering controls of one of the crafts, causing it to veer sideways directly into the path of two other fliers. The collision resulted in a huge explosion, and all three vessels spiraled downward, engulfed in flames. Amidst the chaos, seven of the eight arrows found their marks on the fliers, ultimately leading to the destruction of all the enemy crafts.

Turning towards the archer, Harry applauded as he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, okay ... that might just be the best shooting display I've seen from you yet. Although, if you knew you didn't need all of them, why did you fire eight? You ended up missing with one arrow."

Clint simply met Harry's gaze with a smile. "Ohhh … did I?"

His words prompted Harry to whirl around just as the last arrow made contact with their former rooftop. In an unexpected turn of events, a massive explosion of water erupted, extinguishing the flames that had previously engulfed the entire area.

Harry turned his attention back to Clint, his eyebrows raised in appreciation, while trying to ignore Clint's smug smirk. "Okay ... I'm impressed. How did you manage that?"

"Trick arrow," Clint replied nonchalantly. "But as for where the water came from ... that's a trade secret. Let's just say an old friend owed me a favor for saving his daughter sometime after he lost his wife."

Before Harry could respond, the young girl, temporarily forgotten by Harry, interjected excitedly, "Oh my god! You're the archer ... you saved my life ... that was incredible ..."

Noticing the amused glint in Clint's eyes, Harry realized that Clint was thoroughly enjoying the moment. However, as Harry peered through the hole in the building, gazing into the distance, his eyes widened at the sight of a large missile hurtling over the water, heading straight toward the city.

Harry's concern soared upon spotting the approaching missile, especially when he identified the small figure darting toward it, unmistakably recognizable as Iron Man. Understanding that Iron Man wouldn't rush to intercept a harmless missile amidst the ongoing battle for the city, Harry's worry intensified.

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.

- HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel - HP - Marvel -

The crack startled the little girl, causing her to stumble backward in surprise, just as her mother hurried into the room.

"Oh my god, Kate! Move away from that hole. It's not safe," her mother exclaimed, her voice filled with concern. "I thought I heard voices ... We need to get out of here. Your father ... it's not safe here ..."

Kind Regards,

FavoriteAuthor

Up Next: Saving Iron Man … Becoming an Avenger?

flashversespeedster - Thanks! I wanted to start him off at a level where he was competent but still had his struggles. I am glad it came off well

josephgparis1 - That's a fair critique, although in the books it is not like Harry used an enormous repertoire of spells when fighting, but rather relied on just a couple. So whereas there is alot of fanfic where Harry fights with every single spell know to the wizarding world, I just felt that was a little too much OOC. So while Harry will eventually become more competent, he needs to work his way there.

-Chan - And I love your feedback.

jhsilver123 - Thanks so much. And that is a fair point. In the end his magic skills will grow as he learns the magic of this universe and his magic has time to "settle" into this world.

god of all - Thanks so much!

Vukk - Haha poor Harry, although that would certainly fit the whole Potter luck.

cameron1812 - Thanks! Obviously its not that the avengers ignored the people but there was just other things to do, and I thought it was a good way to build the world

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 – I expanded the attack on Clint's roof to give Harry a little more time to make it there and save Clint from having to jump off a building. Preventing Clint from having a Die Hard moment, sorry Clint!

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.

Twitter: FavoriteAuthor_
Instagram: FavoriteAuthor_Fanfic