Well, I'm gratified at the rather substantial interest this story has garnered. I should really make a few points though. Firstly, Harry has some consequences to deal with for his buggering off into the future and leaving Magical Britain to sort out its own messes.

Secondly, Shepard doesn't have any canonical first name, save for what the players give him or her. Jeanne was a deliberate choice, a subtle hint to her ancestry, which will be confirmed in this chapter.

Thirdly, the title was a bit of a reference. I've heard of, peripherally, the BBC series Tomorrow's World, which, if I am correct, was basically to the UK what the Aussie series Beyond 2000 and its successor Beyond Tomorrow was.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, when I brought up potential new Potterverse crossovers I am working on, I am also giving serious thought to a Rising of the Shield Hero crossover.

Anyway, enjoy...

YESTERDAY'S WIZARD, TOMORROW'S WORLD

CHAPTER 2:

THE WIZARD AND THE QUARIAN

It had been something of a shot in the dark, Harry knew. Hermione and Luna helped him get this far, but this had been a gamble. After all, he had no reason to believe that this soulbond existed before the Gringotts test, no reason to believe that Tali was anything more than a figment of his imagination, born of the mind of a lonely boy whose bedroom was a cupboard under the stairs.

And yet, here she was, in that gorgeous figure-hugging environmental suit (well, it had nano-engineered mechanisms underneath for various functions, from temperature control to waste disposal, from medical functions to neural stimulation), a veil covering her helmeted head. True, he was fairly certain he knew what she looked like beneath the suit, as a few times, she had experimented with her apparel in their shared dream, but he had mostly seen her in this. Her glowing eyes were wide in shock behind her visor, but she returned his embrace eagerly.

She cringed a little, though, as his hug pressed on her right arm. "Tali…" Harry said, breaking off their hug, "are you hurt?"

"I got shot," Tali said in that lilting, vaguely Eastern European accent of hers, distorted by her external speaker system, before indicating the red-haired human woman wearing the plastic uniform nearby. "Dr Michel treated me."

"Thank you," Harry said to the woman.

"My pleasure, but…who are you? And what were you doing in that crate?" the woman asked, her voice betraying a French accent.

"It's a very long and boring story that you wouldn't believe if I told you," Harry said, perhaps a little too flippantly. "You're a doctor? Could you please give me a check-up, any vaccines I might need?"

"…Very well, though I want an explanation later," Michel said.

As she checked him over with what looked like an orange hologram projected over her wrist, he said, "Just assume I've been in stasis for over a century. It's pretty much the truth."

Dr Michel nodded, while the rotund alien in the pressure suit waddled up to him, making a loud gasping inhale, like a less malevolent Darth Vader, looking at his own orange hologram. "Earth-clan Harry, was it?"

"Harry Potter, though I'm not sure such a name means anything to you."

"Ah. I am Barla Von. It seems that Wotan, the information broker that your…stasis pod, for lack of a better term, was in the custody of has seen fit to give you identity papers. They have seen fit to forward the digital particulars to Tali'Zorah there. This also includes access to rather substantial funds, which they have assigned custody of to me. Later, once your business is resolved, come see me in my office in the Presidium. We can discuss investment options at that time. Your friend is welcome if she has anything she wishes to invest or exchange, whether it be valuable minerals, Credits, or even information. Good day to you all." And with that, he waddled off, the hulking reptilian creatures in armour accompanying him.

"He seemed surprisingly nice for a Volus," Tali remarked.

"Don't be fooled," Dr Michel said as she ministered to him. "Volus are excellent financiers, and Barla Von is noted for allowing people to channel their money through legal loopholes in the galactic economy. He's also an information broker, acting either on his own, or as an intermediary for the bigger ones like Wotan or the Shadow Broker. Hmm…no sign of antigens for many vaccines. Not even COVID-19. Well, let's fix that…"

Harry was glad that most of the vaccines were oral. One of the benefits of future technology, he guessed. Still had to be injected with some, and Dr Michel warned him that he may run a fever while the vaccines took effect.

As they waited at the clinic, trying to await this Shepard person, they sat in an awkward silence. Eventually, Tali, who was fidgeting, broke it. "I didn't think you were real, you know."

"Same here. Even after I got that test at Gringotts, I wasn't sure. But I had this nagging notion after we had that argument…especially after you told me you got attacked…what if I was wrong? I gambled on that. I'm glad I got it right. A shame Hermione and Luna aren't around to meet you." He sighed morosely, setting up Privacy Charms as he did so. "And now, here I am, marooned in the future. And someone's gunning for you. You mentioned that recording last time. That SPECTRE and that woman saying stuff about Eden Prime and the Conduit and the Reapers. Figured anything out?"

"Only that the woman is probably an Asari, as she's speaking their language," Tali said quietly. "That, and the Geth think that the Reapers are an ultra-powerful machine race. I didn't get much more from their data core. But if it really is someone like Saren Arterius after me, then I'm in deep shit."

Harry nodded. From what Tali told him in his dreams, SPECTREs were like the James Bonds of the Citadel, an irony considering that SPECTRE back home was the name of the organisation Bond fought. Saren Arterius was perhaps the most infamous, a Turian (whatever that was) known for getting results…but with a lot of collateral damage. Tali had summed him up succinctly as a bosh'tet, a Quarian expletive roughly meaning 'bastard'. And apparently he was something of a xenophobe, not liking Quarians, and certainly despising humans.

"I'll try to protect you, Tali. I know you got combat and survival training on the Flotilla. I'm just worried about you."

"I know. If it wasn't considered nepotism, my father probably would have sent Kal'Reegar and his squad with me," Tali joked.

"I thought your father was distant," Harry said.

"Yes, but…sometimes, he actually shows he gives a damn," Tali said. "Though I'm closer to Auntie Raan, as you know." She leaned into him. "Keelah, I'm glad you're here, though. Our arguments aside, you're one of the few people I could talk to without, well, it getting awkward because my father's a Fleet Admiral. Or being a bosh'tet. I hope that, if I ever get back from my Pilgrimage alive, I am never sent on a mission with Prazza. He's a Kal'Reegar wannabe who thinks insubordination is actually initiative and creativity. He barely scraped through his Pilgrimage. He only got as far as he did because of nepotism, and yet, he accuses me of the same thing."

"Yeah, you've bitched about him before," Harry said. "And I'm glad my gamble paid off."

"But what about your friends back in your time? Back in the 20th Century?"

Harry nodded solemnly. "True, but…when I think about it, a lot of my friends were only that because I was the Boy Who Lived. Ron and I…we grew distant, apart, partly because of what happened during the Horcrux Hunt. He wasn't being malicious, the Horcrux was fucking with our heads, but…it hurt us. It hurt me. And Ginny…she had this romantic notion of being with me that didn't match the reality. Not to mention that bitch Andromeda not allowing me to see my godson, because she blamed me for the death of Teddy's parents. And even though we were heroes…it didn't feel like we had truly accomplished anything."

"You stopped that bosh'tet Voldemort, didn't you?"

"Yes, but…his followers were still around, or those sympathetic to him. They didn't want to change or improve the status quo. And I was so sick of the attention, the expectations…in a way, this was an escape from that. Then again, I've been running from stuff for my whole life. Away from Dudley, Voldemort…why not run away from my own time?" He frowned. "Though didn't you say that Wotan said to use that phrase? The Marauders' phrase?"

"Yeah, I thought that odd," Tali admitted. "It means Wotan somehow knew you, or, more likely, knows something of your life. And a name like Wotan suggests human origin. I think it comes from your Norse mythology, that it's a variation of the name of the god Odin."

"Hmm. They helped me get to you, so they might be a descendent of someone I knew," Harry mused. "Anyway, I need one of those Omni-Tool things at least."

"A good gun wouldn't hurt either, to use in conjunction with your spells," Tali mused. "I mean, that IS magic you can use, right? Not some weird biotics?"

Harry just shot her a look, before he noticed the door to the clinic opening, dismissing the Privacy Charm as he watched the newcomers. Humans, all with a shifty look, and with weapons. "There she is," one of them said, raising his weapon, as did the others. "Get the Quarian, kill the others."

Harry promptly fired off a wandless Disarming Charm, and sent the quintet of humans flying, their weapons landing at his feet. He then fired off Stunners, and they were soon left unconscious. Incarcerous spells left them tied up. "You're popular, Tali," Harry remarked, more calmly than he actually felt.

"I never would've thought so, what with all the armed men trying to kill me," Tali retorted, as Harry went over.

He didn't want to do this, using this spell left a bad taste in his mouth. But he needed to. He revived one of them, and meeting their eyes, murmured, "Legilimens."

What he saw in the man's mind was nasty. The man was a career criminal, working for a local crime lord named Fist, who had associations with both the Shadow Broker and Saren. The latter had apparently contacted Fist and told him to deal with a certain Quarian problem, intending to capture Tali and interrogate her before killing her.

Honestly, he'd like nothing more than to kill them. Unarmed and tied up though they were, they were also already unrepentant murderers who wanted them dead. But explaining away corpses would be problematic. So, for now, he contented himself with shrinking them and putting them in his coat pocket. The guns he took and put in his Mokeskin Pouch.

Dr Michel, who had been staring at him, eventually said, "What was that?"

"Magic," Harry said cheerfully.

Her mouth worked up and down, before she said, rather intelligently, "You…but…I…you can't…"

The door chose that time to open, and something stepped inside. Harry whirled to face it, and stopped, and stared. It was another alien, but one he hadn't seen before.

It wore blue metallic armour with a large collar, and had a gun at the ready. The face was brownish-grey, with swept-back crests of horn and blue markings painted on parts. The blue eyes were set in deep sockets, while the mouth had a vaguely feline air to its structure, albeit with a pair of external mandibles. Overall, he got the idea that this alien was a reptile.

"Garrus? What's wrong?" Dr Michel asked. Clearly, she knew the creature.

"I got a tip-off that some of Fist's men were heading here," the alien said, his voice warped and flanging. Yet despite this, the effect was not sinister. Indeed, his voice was gentle and concerned. "Looks like they aren't here yet."

"They were here," Michel said. "But…this one dealt with them."

Harry cursed Dr Michel in his head as she indicated him. The alien turned to him. "Oh? And how did you do that?"

"Easily if you know how," Harry snarked.

"A wise guy, huh? Look, if you show me where you put them, I'll take them down to lockup."

"Lockup?"

"This is Detective Garrus Varkarian. He's with C-Sec," Michel said. "And Tali, he's one of the better ones." To Garrus, she said, "She had a bad run-in with Chellick."

"Chellick, huh? No wonder. He doesn't like Quarians."

"Does any Turian?" Tali snarked.

"Hey, as long as you're not doing anything criminal, I don't care," Garrus said. "I think I was sent down here to stop my investigation. Anyway…"

At this point, a trio of humans, followed by a scarred, hulking example of one of the reptilian aliens that had followed Barla Von, entered. All four were in armour. Two of them were women, one with red hair with surprisingly glamorously beautiful and vaguely familiar looks for a soldier, the other dark-haired and tanned. The man was dark haired. The reptile alien had a crimson crest and similarly-coloured eyes. It was that one who spoke, in a deep, tenebrous rumble. "…Huh. So they haven't arrived?"

"No, apparently this one dealt with them," Garrus said, indicating Harry, who once more mentally cursed Dr Michel.

"So where's the bodies?" the reptile asked.

"In a moment, Wrex," the red-haired woman said, before turning her attention to Tali. "Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, I presume? I am Commander Jeanne Shepard. Oh, by the way, I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

"Mischief managed," Tali and Harry chorused.

Shepard nodded. "Good…though to answer your question, Wrex, if this guy is who I think he is, he probably dealt with Fist's goons." She indicated Harry.

"…You know me?"

"Of you. My ancestors included William and Fleur Weasley."

"What, you're Victoire's descendent?" Harry asked incredulously. "Are you…?"

"Squib, actually. I think explanations are in order, but we need to get Tali over to the embassy first. I'm hoping Anderson managed to get that asshole Udina to delay the hearing until we got her."

"Wait…do you mean the Council hearing into Saren Arterius' conduct?" Garrus asked. "I've been working on that case ever since the first rumours came out of Eden Prime. Pallin seemed about to pull the plug on the investigation when I got the tipoff to come here."

"Well, looks like I've made your day," Shepard said. "But we need to get going…"

Introductions were hurriedly made on the way over. Aside from Garrus and Shepard, the hulking alien called Wrex was a Krogan mercenary, hired by the Shadow Broker to take out Fist after Fist chose to take Saren's money over their own. The other woman was Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, while the man was Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko. Wrex had encountered the humans shortly after he had killed Fist in Chora's Den, having learned about Tali, and going to see if her information was good for the Shadow Broker. He took the fact that Wotan had already called dibs in his stride.

On the way over, Tali also pointed out the other species of Citadel Space. The Asari were basically an all-female race who basically looked like blue-skinned sexy women with tendril-like crests instead of hair, and who could apparently mate with any species, somehow. The Salarians were spindly, reptilian creatures with large eyes and who had a reputation for hyperactivity. Those two were Council species, meaning they had a seat on the Citadel Council.

She also pointed out others. He'd met a Volus in the form of Barla Von. The Elcors were hulking, massive, gorilla-like creatures who were surprisingly serene and gentle, with strange gill-like grills where their mouths were, and who prefaced each sentence with their emotional state due to the way their language normally worked. The Hanar were shiny pink jellyfish creatures that spoke of themselves in the third person, and usually politely. She brought up others like the Drell or Batarians, but they saw none on the way.

The meeting in the Human Embassy amongst the shining spires of the Presidium was a little more fraught, if only because the Ambassador, Donnel Udina, was an arsehole who reminded Harry of Fudge, if Fudge was more competent and belligerent. Harry liked Captain David Anderson better, the burly dark-skinned man reminding him of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Tali was coaxed into playing back the file, and Harry could tell that those present were elated, and concerned. But then, Shepard brought up how she had visions of the Reapers from the Prothean Beacon. Oh joy, nightmarish visions, that ended well. Harry spoke from experience.

As they prepared to head for the Council Tower, Harry knew that he'd just gotten roped into something huge. Time would tell if he'd regret it. Though he knew he wouldn't regret being united with Tali…

CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:

So, there you have it. Shit has turned out somewhat differently to canon.

No numbered annotations this time.