Harry spent a few weeks tying together lose ends, finishing off training and research. He made his rounds telling people he would be leaving, promising he would visit. He and Yao had that frank discussion on major events of the future, and not he tries not to think about that concept.
He was standing alongside Yao watching the training grounds. Apprentices in red and trainees in white moved through their katas in the stone laid courtyard, "You know it feels like just yesterday when I stumbled into the London Sanctum looking for answers."
"Yes and just like most of my students you proceeded to grow and evolve at a rapid pace." She turned toward Harry, "You will find many obstacles on your journey but you are always welcome here." Her serene face morphed into something lighter, "Especially since your tea has almost reached my level and I tire of always making our tea."
Harry shot her a smirk before letting his face fall into a light and easy look. He turned to face her completely and gave a bow at the hips, "Thank you for all that you've taught me." He then surprised her by giving her a quick hug. "I know I can be troublesome, but it's been so long since I've found a friend that I'll miss you while I'm away."
"There was no trouble, as you were a very easy student and an excellent friend." Suddenly she gave him a considering look, "You know I don't think you ever went into the vault. Come let's see if you can find yourself something." She turned quickly on her heel walking towards the Library before turning into a small hallway leading to a door that swung open and cases and racks of items and weapons galore. Harry knew of the items in the vault, he knew it wasn't him judging the items, but the items judging him. He had almost made a full circle when he heard a slight shuffle off to the right along the wall. Heading over he saw a cloth beneath a cupboard, nailed down by a leg. He gave the furniture a heft up to let it slip out when a cowl of black material swung around his shoulders. Standing there in his blue robes, wrists cuffed with wrappings that extended to his hands, pants cuffed the same way at his ankles leading to his boots. The cowl hung down just below his shoulder blades and rose up into a hood with the attached mask that covered his mouth and nose.
"Ah the Cowl of Krishna, now that is something that hasn't been seen used in years. The last was a sorcerer of some ability during the holy wars of Rome, his name was Altair or Altare." Slowly she trailed off as she was lost in thought. "Never mind that, it isn't an extremely strong artifact but has uses I think you would use more than most."
Harry continued to look over his new artifact, it's material soft and breathable, made from silk so dark it seemed like it sucked the light from the surroundings, where it draped over him felt cool and comfortable. When Yao didn't elaborate anymore he look back her with a raised eyebrow, when she still didn't explain anymore he huffed, "What does it do oh Ancient One?"
Yao gave him a teasing smile, "That, Master Potter, is an artifact found during the 2nd century. It has the ability to disguise it's current holder and hide their face below the hood. It can only be removed by the holder and is nigh on indestructible, turning incorporeal anytime it might be damages by something."
At that Harry got a surprised look on his face, "You know sometimes I think these artifacts know more than we do."
Yao gave a nod in understanding, "I have been the Sorcerer Supreme for quite some time and I still haven't figured out what half of these artifacts can do. Now, with that over, it is time for you to make your next appointment." Harry gave a nod of understanding before popping away, "Great things will come from you Harry Potter. Great things." Yao then proceeded to leave the vault in darkness as she returned to her duties.
—-
Coulson had just left the Triskelion when his senses warned him of someone watching, "No need to be afraid Agent Coulson. My name is Harry Potter and I just need your help with something."
Coulson turned warily eyed the young man with a mask covering his face that stepped out of the shadows of a nearby park, "What exactly do you think I could help you with?"
The young man, Harry Potter, made a himself look non-aggressive while slowly reaching for his new cowl pulling it down and freeing his mouth to smile, "I want to meet with Nick Fury. I believe we could help each other."
Coulson gave him a blank look, "I don't know who you are talking about."
Harry gave him a considering look, "Fine. Let me convince you first that I have something Fury would love to get his hands on and then you can relay that I want to meet him." Harry proceeded to open a portal to a motel room and walked in. Coulson hesitated for a moment before tapping his watch behind his back three times and following through. The portal closed behind him as Harry pulled a large trunk out of nowhere. He set it on the ground before opening it and stepping down into it. Coulson nearly had his eye pop out of his head watching the show before Harry looked back outside, "You coming or what?" then proceeded to drop out of sight.
Agent Coulson, having seen many things in his years as an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., was baffled at what he was seeing. Peeking over the edge of the trunk he could see a ladder leading down into what looked to be a coat room. Gingerly stepping down he was amazed when he turned around to find not just a coat room but a whole sitting room with a fireplace, couches, chairs and a small kitchenette that was next to a long hallway with 2 doors on each side. The young man he followed was sitting off to the side drinking, what looked to be a beer, with another on the table next to him. "Come sit agent, we have a lot to go through."
Coulson took the seat, sitting right on the edge. Harry rolled his eyes and nodded his head towards the opened butter-beer. "First let's talk information." He paused for a moment staring at a portrait of Hogwarts sitting on the opposite wall, "Where I am from prophecies are real. Prophecies don't always apply or happen, but when they do, they are immutable. I spent my entire life fighting a prophecy that stated I would be the one person to kill the madman who made me an orphan. My life was dictated from my second Halloween of my young life by the people in power, from Barmy Headmasters to corrupt politicians. I watched this madman destroy my world with me not having the power to stop it." Harry paused to take a sip of his drink and look at Coulson to gage his reaction.
Coulson had picked up his drink and take a tentative sip. His eye opened in astonishment at the sweet almost butterscotch flavored drink. When he heard Harry mention 'his world' he stopped abruptly eyes swinging to the young man beside him, "Your world?"
Harry took a long pull, "Right my world." He realized how his words might be taken, "I'm not an Alien if that's what you're thinking. I was brought to this version of Earth attempting to fix the issues back home." Harry sighed and eyes took on a slightly haunted look before quickly snapping back out. Most people wouldn't have even noticed, unless of course they were a trained spy. "When I found myself here I had attempted to find my people, Wizards, but there was no one there. There was no sign of the magical world that I knew. So I searched for answer and got some from… Well let's just say I made some friends who gave me advice on how I could use my skills and knowledge to help and in turn I would be given the opportunity to save my world."
"So why talk to me? Why come to S.H.I.E.L.D. at all?" Coulson questioned honestly. His mind was already swaying in favor of bringing this to Fury, just because anyone who could survive what this man was talking about, would be a huge asset.
Harry gave him a knowing look. "We both know that S.H.I.E.L.D. is the forefront defense of this world. Something is coming, I don't know what, if you were going to ask, my life is never that simple, but I know for a fact that I can help save this world." Silence hung in the air for a moment as Harry finished his drink.
Harry suddenly clapped his hands together, "Well enough of that let me show you the goodies I can use to help Fury and his agents." He abruptly stood as he made his way down the hall. He glanced over at the still sitting agent, "Coming?"
Coulson swiftly followed him as they came first to the door on the right. "This is a workshop where I can tinker with my research and enchanting." The door opened to a slightly messy room, metals, woods, and half completed objects dominated the tables and ground. Walls filled with shelves were immaculate in comparison, everything in the proper place, no trash or refuse in sight. Just barely noticeable in the corner was a bed with a slept in look. Closing the door Harry led him to the next door on the right.
This time he was preprepared for the sight before him, or so he thought. The room was massive, larger than airport hangers. Boxes stacked 30 feet high on the right, each labeled with inventory sheets. The left was just a wall of gold stacked meticulously, gems littered overflowing chests and trunks, sorted by type or color. Then was the far wall, as the approached he could see glass cases and shelves dotted with items of indeterminate usage. Racks with old brooms, rolled up carpets, rolls of material that looked like silk and lizard skin, and stone bowls on plinths some cracked but mostly whole. There were stacks of what he could tell were covered artworks reaching up to the ceiling.
"This is mostly stuff I saved from around the world in countries from across the globe. Some of these items I created myself, either through crafting or enchanting." Harry slowly moved through the aisle of his inventions looking for a specific set of items.
Coulson found himself moving through the items reading the description cards that could be found. Invisibility cloaks, anti-demon tags, light sticks, quills, expanded bags, sneak-a-scopes, and weapons of all types; daggers, swords, axes, clubs, and what looked like wands. He was reaching for one when he heard Harry shout, "Found it!" Harry came bounding around the corner holding up a gold ring with a black gem laid in the center. It had a sleek profile making it seem both classy yet underrated. "This is a gift for Fury. It's a ring that can detect ill-intent from anybody around you. It heats up slightly when someone who wishes you deadly harm is nearby."
Coulson was reasonably stunned. This entire experience was impressive and now he got to tell his boss, the ultimate paranoid spy-master, that this item could detect people with lethal intent. "I don't know what to do with this information."
Harry guffawed at his incredulous expression, "I know what you mean. First time I saw the wizard world and went to our shopping district I couldn't remove the massive grin from my face for weeks." He started walking back to the exit. "Come on I got more to show you."
"More?!" Coulson was almost exasperated at this point. Here he had seen literal piles of gold and gems, riches likely never been gathered together before, and here was this young man, Harry Potter, just moving on like it was nothing important.
Moving out of what he could only call a warehouse, the went directly across the hall. This room wasn't nearly as jaw dropping at first glance. It looked like a simple gallery where many paintings lined the walls with couches interspersed throughout with tables nearby. It took a few moments to notice that the art lining the walls was moving, people running through fields or talking to each other only to try and say something to them as they passed. No noise left the paintings but it was still a strange scenario. "Don't worry about what they are saying, most of them can only say a few things anyway. It just gets to be a bit much when they all try and talk at once." He finished his sentence as they walked through an archway into a massive circular room. Book shelves spiraled with the slope of the floor, gently going up and up for a dozen or more floors. The center bright like noon at the park.
Harry walked to the center and spun to Coulson giving a sweep of his arms, "This is my favorite room, the last of the knowledge from thousands of years of wizarding society from all over the globe. This is the Library of Hermione! I collected each of these works, some only have double digit copies in the world. I organized them over years of work with some help form friends who have since perished. There are fictitious works, research journals, textbooks, research notes, any and everything you could think of. Millions of books mostly about magic. This is my collected knowledge that I could use to help the world be better, do better."
Coulson was entirely flabbergasted. He had never seen a library so large or been presented with knowledge so alien that literally only a single person knows it. That thought then completely blew his mind as he stagger back and fell into the seat he had left earlier, barely noticing the shifting world around him.
Harry smirked a bit, "Little too much for just an hour huh?"
Could gave him a withering look as he finally regained his bearings. "First, you are right that library is very impressive. Second, how did we get back to this room?" Coulson asked as he reached for the still frost drink he was given earlier.
"You heard me go on about magic earlier, climbed down into a trunk, only for that same trunk to hold a warehouse and library, and you're questioning moving through space?" Harry asked with a laugh.
Coulson had the good sense to blush a bit before schooling his expression. "This is great and I do think Fury would be interested in meeting, but I need a real answer this time. Why S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
Harry leaned back and gave him a serious look. He thought over everything that Yao had told him, he thought about the consequences of interfering with any major events before the collaboration of 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes'. "I'm afraid I can't tel-" Harry cut himself off remembering something specific about what she had recommended Fury. "Actually, just mention to Fury that I would like to join The Initiative. Make sure you emphasis the capitals on that." Harry finished with a wink, polishing off another butter-beer.
—
After arguably the weirdest meeting of his life, Coulson found himself riding back up to Fury's office just two hours after leaving it. Fury stood at the window looking out at DC.. "Coulson reporting in sir. I have a level 9 situation, Mike Alpha Charlie Echo niner niner priority." Coulson stood with his hands clasped in front.
Fury first shot him a pointed look before walking over to his desk and pressing a button. The whole room went dark before the lights came back up. Buzzing was coming from the walls and all devices in the room lost signal. "You know I hate that call-out. So what's the rundown?"
"We have someone looking for you." Coulson then proceeded to explain what had happened, what he was told about the potential asset, he assumed skill-set, and the so-called incentives.
Fury was glaring at the ring in his hand, hating himself for being tempted by this one item. He sighed before slipping it on slightly surprised when it fit perfectly. "Tell him we can meet. We'll go to the warehouse."
The next night Harry walked into a dark warehouse with only a table and two chairs directly under a spotlight. He stepped up to the spy and held out a hand. "Good evening Fury, glad you liked my gift." He said nodding toward the ring on Fury's left thumb.
Fury glowered at him for a moment before shaking his hand. Fury nodded at the table "Take a seat Potter. I have some questions."
Harry nodded expecting something like this. "Sure. I can't say I'm an open book, but I can tell you a lot."
Fury proceeded to basically interrogate Harry over the next hour. Asking about his family, where he lived, his average day before the demons attacked, favorite sport, team, and vehicles or transportation. He asked questions about what he could bring to the table, how he knew about The Initiative, what he could tell him about the threat, and why he picked S.H.I.E.L.D.. Finally Fury sat on the chair he hadn't used yet. Harry gave him a slightly annoyed look. "I know I implied you could ask me anything, but I didn't think you would actually ask me everything."
Fury smirked at him, "That was nothing. If I didn't know you were from another world before this meeting I wouldn't have stopped at so few questions."
Harry gave the most exaggerated eye-roll he could, before leaning back and grabbing the glass of water that he conjured with a wave of his hand. After quenching his thirst he looked over at Fury who started glaring at him, "Oh I'm sorry, are you thirsty?"
Fury didn't respond instead moving on to the tablet that he pulled out of his coat. "This is the current roster for the Avengers Initiative that I have." Harry picked up the tablet and swiped through the list. He saw some names he recognized from his travels and research; Hulk (Bruce Banner), Beast (Henry McCoy), Black Widow (Natasha Romanov), Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Mockingbird (Agent 33 Bobi Morse), and Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers). "These are some of the best I have with some members who's abilities may help us." He then slid a folder across the table, "This is paperwork to make sure you exist. The only people who will know where you come from will be the people you tell."
Harry looked over his new documents; passport, drivers license, birth certificate, and resident visa. Included was a cellphone and wallet. "Thanks for that. Now I can get an actual hotel room instead of that motel off the highway." Harry quipped with a grin. Fury continued to give a blank if slightly annoyed look. He thought Fury just might be more fun to rile up than Wong.
Fury gave a pointed nod towards the door. "I'll call you in soon. Do you have a preferred moniker? Something to go by in the field?"
Harry gave it a thought, "Call me Summoner."
—
Harry and Coulson stepped out of the elevator talking animatedly back and forth about heroes. Coulson going on about Captain America and Harry mentioning the few times he has run into the X-Men. Coulson was in his typical suit, whereas Harry was in, what he dubbed, 'Hero Cloths'. His cowl was pulled up over his mouth and nose, the hood hanging just past his shoulders. Opal-eye dragon hide robes covered his torso to mid thigh, dark black forearm wraps kept his hands free, while a viper-tooth vest covered a black tee, black pants were tucked into viper-tooth hide boots. He had been working with S.H.I.E.L.D. for just over a month at this point, being the point guy for anything slightly out of a normal agent's wheel house. Had even run into sorcerers responding to the same call.
Both he and Coulson were stopped when a female voice called out to Harry. "Summoner, we need your expertise on something strange that we picked up." Walking up to the two men was Natasha Romanov, the Black Widow. She handed him a tablet showing destroyed building and a pair of kids wrapped in blankets and a missile sitting center stage of the photo. "They were found in that destroyed building next to a Stark bomb that never went off. There were some strange readings in the area after it happened. Out equipment was pinging off of the girl and giving some concerning readings." Harry took a breathe realizing who this might be and how it could affect the future. "Leave this with me, I'll take care of it." He said goodbye to both Coulson and the Widow before disappearing into thin air.
"You know I don't think I'll ever get used to that." Coulson said blandly, Nat gave him a single eyebrow raise before walking back the way she came.
Author's Note:
I had forgotten to add this note yesterday.
A few things I feel like I should discuss before I get too far into this story.
1. I am a new writer. I will make mistakes and adapt my style as I go. I will strive to make my goals and post to a schedule. My style and writing ability will change continuously as I try increase my skill level I just hope it doesn't negatively affect those who are reading my works.
2. While being new means many things, it also means that I've never really replied to comments or kept up a presence with people enjoying my work. I will try my hardest but it's just not ingrained in my habits yet.
3. Some have noticed the pairing is Nat/Harry, I'm going to be upfront and mention that there will be one or two more people added to that pairing, both female. Sorry but I don't write slash. My work is also posted on Ao3 and realized you don't have the tag to get the heads up. I'll try and keep the relationships realistic and no I won't be writing lemon scenes. Also Wanda will not be one of the pairings, she has a different role in my story.
4. I know my story is very familiar to people who have read burnable's 'Post-Apocalyptic Potter from a Parallel Universe'. That is intentional. I read burnable's novel and loved it but I wanted to change certain things expand on others until eventual I had an idea that could be its own fanfic. I will try and make it as unique as possible but sometimes ideas just can't be pulled in that many directions using someone else's IP. If burnable does have a problem with my novel I encourage him to let me know so I can either change my novel or work on a different project.
I will endeavor not to make too many Author's notes but if I need to make an announcement I'll do it this way. Thanks for reading.
-Galaleo
Current Schedule: Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, and Tue will get a chapter around 6 PM CST.
I will be posting everyday up to chapter 10 and then move on to my permanent schedule.
