ARC 4

PART 2: Failed attempts, nightmares and Ragnarok.

Broken glass, sleek and crystalline, greeted Harry's eyes as he entered the residence. The abject horror of the deep destruction curdled within the pits of Harry's belly as his mind kept screaming at him "It was him! Voldemort had unleashed Ghidorah's gravity beams over here. It was him! Look how far he has come." Dumbledore was using halo-projection spells to see what had happened here while Harry traversed around the scene to gather clues on what had most likely happened in the residence.

As Harry walked by a broken glass widow and a broken fish tank, he noticed a photo frame facing downwards with glass shards spewed in all directions around it. He found it to be curious so he picked the picture frame up. As he turned the frame around, he saw that the picture had an old man with a big portly belly, a balding head and a walrus moustache, grinning widely and shaking the hand of a young teen whom Harry found out to be familiar. Upon closer inspection, the heart came to a stop and his fingers quivered for a brief moment once he recognized that teen. No, it just couldn't be him.

It was Tom Riddle.

The same 16-year-old Tom Riddle he had met in the Chamber of Secrets in his second year. The very same Tom Riddle who was hell-bent on coming back via possessing Ginny Weasley. He looked a bit older in the picture but there was no doubt that the teen was Tom Riddle. Harry's eyes caught a face of another teen, who looked to be older than Tom, in the background smiling briefly and then scowling at Horace for a brief while. Harry wondered who that was.

As Harry stared at the picture, he saw that Tom would occasionally glance at a ring he wore on his left hand which would glow briefly, in repeated pulsations then it would die out. Seeing this, his curiosity peaked ever-the-more so he pocketed the picture and looked around for Dumbledore. For a brief moment Harry panicked because he couldn't see Dumbledore but then he heard Dumbledore's low mutterings. He followed that to see Dumbledore walking in circles in the living room with his wand glowing blue and pointing towards the center of the room and his eyes were glowing blue as well. It seemed as if he was making mental notes on something only, he could himself see. Harry didn't want to disturb Dumbledore. But when he heard the faint growls and crashes of thunder he called out. He didn't see it but the storm that was brewing, was flickering in an alien light. A light, which shouldn't be in a regular storm.

'Professor!' he received no answer from Dumbledore. 'Professor!' he tried again, but to no avail. 'Sir!' he tried again, and the try was futile. Deciding that enough was enough, he yelled out 'ALBUS!' in frustration.

Dumbledore's head snapped towards him and his eyes showed fright for a brief moment then it turned to annoyance and it then flickered to his usual twinkle.

'Harry, it was rude to break my concentration. But anyways, you were saying?' he asked absentmindedly

'Professor, a storm is coming in so it is the wiser course of action that we head back.' Harry proclaimed with a hint of urgency in his voice.

'What?' he was a bit bewildered by Harry's statement and then he looked outside to certify Harry's claims. He visibly paled when the storm shined yellow for the briefest of moments.

'Harry, we have to go, NOW!' Dumbledore yelled out, noticing the color of the flickering storm. He had no intent to be here any longer once he saw it. He didn't want to risk countless other lives. No, as powerful, violent and vicious Gigan may be, he cannot take on him. He just cannot. Then with the sudden agility of a much younger man, he ran over, grabbed Harry's hand and disapparated away.

'SIR WHA-' he only could scream only much as he was taken away with Dumbledore.

'-T ARE YOU DOING?' Harry finished as they re-apparated on the border of Berlin.

'Harry, I am really sorry but I had to urgently take you away. You may haven't noticed it but the storm was flickering yellow. Yellow. You may haven't noticed this but I certainly did.' Dumbledore profoundly apologized.

'Sir wha- you mean…WHAT?' Harry yelled out. 'Sir, you mean it was him and that was an ambush set by him?' he connected the dots and asked.

'Yes Harry, I do believe it wa- HARRY DUCK!' Dumbledore yelled out after seeing a bright purple light streaking towards the pair.

'Sir wha-' he could only say much as Dumbledore whipped his wand out and casted the strongest variation of the shield charm he knew. As the launched spell ripped through the air and crashed in Dumbledore's shield, a large crash could be heard for miles. The spell, while failing to penetrate the shield, managed to weaken the shield which led to Dumbledore staggering a bit and then another beam of purple light ripped through the air but this time was true on its target, or so it looked like.

Seeing the beam coming towards him, Harry ducked and heard nothing other than a thump and the familiar crack of disapparition echoing faintly. Harry looked up to see Dumbledore on the ground. Concerned, he rushed over to Dumbledore and began shaking him awake.

'Professor! Sir! Wake up! Please wake up!' he cried out while shaking Dumbledore. He never felt so worried for the headmaster. He just lost one parental figure; he wasn't willing to lose another. He just wasn't willing to. Momentarily, emotion blinded his rational train of thought. But after seeing that Dumbledore truly isn't waking up, he wracked his brain thinking what would someone like Hermione do in this case.

After wracking his brain, he remembered a wiser course of action that could be taken here. Fuck underage magic restriction. Fuck the trace. Honestly, just fuck it. He whipped his wand out and cast.

'Rennervate' he cast. Hoping that it would work. Nothing happened. 'Rennervate!' he tried again. Nothing happened. Having no idea on what to do, he went for an option that he had never used before. He wasn't sure on whether would it work or not. But he tried it anyway, in hopes that it would prevail.

'Rennervateus Maxima' (1) he tried. Dumbledore began to stir. He rubbed his eyes, looked around where he was as if he was recollecting where he was. Once his eyes rested upon Harry's face, he then looked up and met his eyes with him. Dumbledore tried to say something but no sound would come out. Frowning, he tried harder. Words failed to come out. He tried again, this time worried.

'Water, Harry.' He rasped out in a weak voice. His voice was most likely weak and raspy from the spell. Seeing Dumbledore beg him for water, Harry tried his best to conjure up a small goblet for the headmaster. He had never really used conjuration in a while.

'Coniurare'(2) he tries. ' Coniurare' he tried again, but to no avail. After five tries, he finally managed to conjure one. He then quickly cast 'Aguamenti' and cold water began to rush out of Harry's wand. As soon as it filled the entirety of the goblet, Harry stopped the spell and the water stopped right at the moment where it was about to overflow. He then lifted Dumbledore's head and gently placed the goblet on Dumbledore's lips while Dumbledore drank graciously.

After that, Dumbledore sat up to regain his breath. He then looked over to his injured arm and was rather shocked to see that the injury he had suffered on his hand, looked worse. It looked worse than it did previously. He then wandlessly summoned his wand to him and cast a few healing charms to temporarily heal the worsened injury. He then put the injury into a stasis and cast a multitude of glamour charms over it. After that, he turned to Harry and rasped out in a bit fuller voice. While his voice wasn't back to how it used to be, it was quickly growing back to normal with each word he spoke.

' Are you alright, Harry? Are you hurt?' he asked, placing Harry before himself as his main priority.

Shaken, Harry shuddered out. 'Sir, what was that? What was that spell? Are you alright sir? I have never been more shaken up. I was really worried Professor. Who even was that for that matter? Did you manage to see?'

'That I believe, my dear Harry, was a failed assassination attempt. An attempt to assassinate you. And as to regarding that spell, all I could make out that it was a beam purple light which narrows it down to a set of options but it doesn't make any sense. Wait, hold on. If that was-' Dumbledore monologued but was cut off by a rather inquisitive Harry.

'Which spell was it sir?' he asked.

Dumbledore politely let out 'I believe I was getting to that.' Harry then pinkened and mumbled out a 'Sorry' and scratched the back of his neck. Dumbledore only laughed lightly in response to it.

'Ah Harry, that was from what I believe an EMP charm. More specifically an Electro Magnetic Pulse charm. If the person knew that you have a Titanus form, then this is really worrying as if they know your form, which I suspect they do because of the thrown EMP charm, I believe there is a spy in our ranks. A spy apart from Severus, which I had hoped would not have happened.' Dumbledore finished sadly.

'Who's there not to say that it could very well be Snape after all? Who's there not to say that the person who you believed is for the light has been dark the entire time?' Harry asked in a heated rant.

As Dumbledore was about to contradict his points, they all heard familiar cracks of apparation throughout the area. Their breath stilled as a thick German voice sounded from the left of Dumbledore.

'Hände hoch, Zauberstäbe runter. Was ist lautet dein Name , alter Mann?' (Hands up, wands down. What is your name, old man?) sounded a deep german voice, presumably a male.

'Alexander, ich bin es,Albus Dumbledore und der junge man hier neben mir ist niemand anderes als Harry Potter. (Alexander, it's me, Albus Dumbledore and this young man here is none other than Harry Potter) Dumbledore replied in German.

The German's eyes widened, even though Dumbledore and Harry could not see it and he called out to his teammates.

'Zauberstäbe runter, Freunde! Das ist Dumbledore und Harry Potter!' (Wands down, Friends! That is Dumbledore and Harry Potter!')and all the present Germans lowered their wands.

Harry quietly asked Dumbledore 'Sir, who are they?' he was kind of intimidated by seeing all the wizards surrounding him.

'German aurors Harry. Although the one I talked to is an Order member. I suspect they came because of the magical signatures our spells gave off as there shouldn't be any magical activity here.' Dumbledore answered in an equally quiet voice.

The German wizard came up and began to speak English with a thick german accent. 'Hallo Albus, I wasn't expecting you to be here. What brings you here?' he asked, switching between German and English.

'Alexander, first of all, hello. It looks like that you became an Auror after me pushing you to become one. The job suits you well. And as to why am I here? Harry and I here just narrowly escaped Tom in his other form. And I wanted to apparate the both of us back to my manor but for some reason, we landed here. I don't know really why but that's what happened.' Dumbledore finished with a frown on his face.

'Also ist das Gerücht wahr? Riddle is back?' (Ah, so is the rumor true? Riddle is back?') asked Alexander with a sad frown on his face.

'Yes, it is my dear friend. It is. Can you perhaps apparate Harry and I, back to my manor? You have been their countless number of times so you know where it is.' Dumbledore asked hopefully.

'Yes, I would Albus. Yes, I would.' Said Alexander in the positive. Then he turned to Harry and shook his hand while saying 'Hello there Mr. Potter. Thank you for getting rid of Riddle back in...I cannot remember the English year... but we would say Neunzehneinundachtzig.' Asked Alexander while momentarily switching back to German.

'I am sorry? I don't speak German.' Harry asked and made it known.

'Oh! I am sorry! I meant nineteen eighty one. I tend to switch to German when I forget a certain word. Forgive me.' Apologized Alexander. He then turned to his comrades and ordered them to go back to the Ministry while he turned back and said 'I best believe, that it is time to go back to Herr Dumbledore's manor?' He politely asked while offering his elbows to both of the wizards.

'Yes, I believe so old friend, that it is indeed the time to return.' And he took hold of Alexander's left elbow while Harry took hold of the other one.

'Alright, and now here we go!' and then they apparated without leaving a trace.

As they re-appeared in front of Dumbledore's ward line, Alexander looked at the manor and whistled.

'Just as I remember it being. Never ceases to amaze me. I believe this is my time to leave now, Dumbledore? Harry?'

'Yes, I think so to, dear friend.' Answered Dumbledore.

'Yes, it is Alexander.' Affirmed Harry.

'Alright then Albus, Tschüss! (3)' waved off the German wizard.

'Aufwiedersehen mein Freund. (see you again my friend)'said Dumbledore in german.

'Good bye Alexander!' waved off Harry.

'Tschüss Harry.' Alexander said before promptly disapparating on the spot.

'Well, that was quite anti-climactic' Harry bluntly stated.

'Quite anti-climactic indeed Harry' Dumbledore replied back and both of them started walking towards the front door of the manor. While walking, Harry asked multitude of questions to Dumbledore. Primarily regarding the attack and was he alright.

'Professor, ar-are you alright? Whosoever was the attacker, who do you think was he going for? Or she for that matter? And how come can an EMP wind you up that badly?' Harry asked Dumbledore, stuttering out of worry and curiosity.

'Harry, yes. I am alright. No need to worry about me my dear child. And as to regarding the intended victim, it was most likely you as the spell looked like to be aimed for you but the funny thing is that after I had deflected it, the incoming barrage was focused on me. I have no idea on as to why would they switch targets. And as for the EMP's effects, I just staggered at first due to the sheer force of impact of the spell. And for the second time? I honestly have no clue. Perhaps Gigan's weakness is the EMP charm. That's what I can surmise. But seeing that the spell was aimed towards you, the attacker does know that the Gojirans were particularly weak to Electro Magnetic Pulse waves and had a tough time dealing with the MUTOs. But as how would they know, I have no idea. Except for the fact that the attacker is a Magus Titanus and can turn into the Titanus Jinshin-Mushi' Dumbledore monologued.

'MUTO's? What are the MUTOs, sir? Another Titan species?' asked Harry.

'Yes Harry. And seeing that it is nearly midnight it would be best if we talk more about this tomorrow. Ah look! We have nearly arrived!' Dumbledore informed Harry

As they walked up to the porch, Dumbledore turned towards Harry, lightly grasped Harry by the shoulders, looked him in the eyes and softly said 'Harry, listen. If I do not live to see the end of this war, if I do not make it, promise me. Promise me that you would live and defeat Tom. Promise me that you would settle down and have a family. Harry, I know that is what you want after all you had told me your deepest desire in the halls of Hogwarts when you were merely a first-year student. A first year in their first christmas at Hogwarts. And a certain old man had said "It doesn't do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live." Which I still standby today. After the end of the war, do not dwell on what you perhaps could've had. Focus on what you can have. Focus on what you will have. Even if I die to make sure you will be able to reach that day, even if I die before seeing the next generation Harry, I would die happily to know that I helped you have a happy life. A happy and safe life for the young wizards and witches to come. So, this is where I bid you goodbye my dear child. Get in the manor and get some sleep. Your bags and Hedwig are all on your bed. Both Tobie and I made sure of it.' Dumbledore then lightly kissed Harry on the forehead and ushered him to get into the manor.

As Harry opened the door, he turned around and said in an emotional voice.

'Professor, you are becoming the grandfather I never had. Th-Thank you for that, Albus.'

'I couldn't be any more grateful than I already am Harry, to have you as a surrogate grandson.'

As Harry went sleep, his mind couldn't help but ponder on today's events. A particular event struck a deep chord within him. The attack. His mind couldn't just let go of the emotions he felt during the attack. Dumbledore's commands, the crashing of the spells against his shield, the surprise and the freight and the chilling cackle he heard.

His mind wouldn't just let go no matter what he did. It just wouldn't.

As sleep took over him, he dropped into a peaceful sleep. But only hours later, the peace turned into restlessness.

He was in the attack again. Dumbledore yelled to duck but as the second spell streaked through the air, it hit Dumbledore again. But this time Harry knew the spell. He was intimately familiar with the goddamned familiar green beam of light. The godforsaken killing curse.

He just couldn't help but watch on as his mentor fell to the ground, dead. All the while Harry couldn't help but feel helpless.

His arms felt like they were made of lead, his legs felt like they were stuck to the ground. He tried to yell out that it was the killing curse, he needs to move out the way but he couldn't, no sound would come out. As he saw Dumbledore being struck down with the killing curse, Harry fell through the ground and only re-appeared to what seemed like the attack once again but this time in place of Dumbledore it's Hermione. And the first spell wasn't like it was the last time.

The first spell itself was the goddamned killing curse. She was struck down, at that sight, Harry couldn't breathe properly, couldn't think properly. As he looked over to the general direction of the sniper, his eyes widened to see Voldemort himself stepping out and cackling. He tried to yell at him but Voldemort cast the Gravity Beams at Harry's memory form and then seemingly looked over to the real Harry and cast it on him as well. Harry couldn't help but feel confused. Did the dream Voldemort know that it was him? No he possibly couldn't. There had to be someone else behind him that Harry didn't see. He filed it away to see it in a pensieve. As Harry had the gravity beams cast on him, he exploded into a multitude of ribbons but only seemed to re-appear at a different sight.

He was looking at a world, no, not a world but one of the nine realms. Which one was this again? This seemed familiar. Ah yes, Asgard. This was Asgard. Then everything went by in a blink of an eye which normal person wouldn't be able to see but it was at a completely normal speed for him. He briefly saw a hammer being crushed by some pale thin feminine hand. Good lord. And as to what hammer was it? No idea. It looked like Mjölnir. What? Mjölnir? 'Oh dear that is not good at all.' He thought.

He also saw a big, fire demon, with horns on his head, erupt from the center building of Asgard and destroy everything around it with 'Wait. Is that a sword that the demon is carrying? And wait a bloody minute. That demon was…. who was it again? SURTUR! Yep. Wait. Surtur? Then that's means- no. It just cannot' realisation dawned upon Harry's face. Ragnarök. The end of Asgard. It loomed nearer. He could not tell when would it happen, but he knew. He then has a brief glimpse of the All Father, Odin Borson, dying. Odin? Dear god. This all fits in with the prophecy of Ragnarök.

He also saw a glimpse of Loki, the god of mischief getting his neck snapped in half by a big gauntlet. Harry looked to the face of the wearer of the gauntlet and was momentarily confused by him as he was unfamiliar with him. Then as he watched on, a weird thin-faced person, is it even a person? Walk towards the owner of the gauntlet with a shiny blue cube and said 'My humble personage, bows before your grandeur.' The owner of the gauntlet was in battle armor and he took off his helmet and armor while the weird person kept on talking. But this time, he bent down on one knee.

'No other being, has ever had the might to gain enough ability, to wield not one but two infinity stones. The universe lies within your grasp.' And with that comment, the gauntlet wearer gently took the cube and crushed it with one hand. It took some force to break as he was scrunching his face up while doing so and once the cube broke, a faint blue light leashed forth from the palm of the gauntlet wearer. Once he opened his palm, Harry saw there were glass shards of the cube, fine as powder, resting on the gauntlet wearer's arms which Harry just noticed had a purple shiny stone. Harry was confused by all of this. The gauntlet wearer gently blew away the glass shards and the glass shards turned into blue wisps of light as they were blown away. Harry then took notice of a shiny blue stone within the powder-like shards. The wearer then took the stone and placed it into a slot next to the purple stone and upon contact, there was a surge of blue energy all around. The wearer relished the power he felt. Harry's mind was reeling with the next sentence he would speak.

'There are two more stones on earth my children. Find them and bring them to me.'

And then he turned around and seeming looked at Harry and said, 'Harry wake up.'

Harry's eyes widened.

'Wake up Harry'

Then a female voice came out of the wearer's mouth 'Wake up Harry'

And then he woke up.

AN: Kudos to anyone who can find out who is the 'Gauntlet wearer'

Till next time,

Toodles.

1) A Magnified Rennervate

2) Incantation for Conjuration

3) Just another way to say goodbye in german.

A big thank you to all of my beta readers for fixing my fic. Wouldn't have done it without ya.