Harry took a slow breath as he held his arms out slightly from his body, ready to blast the muggles away if necessary. For a moment, no one moved or said anything.

Suddenly, the red and gold robot tilted his head, seeming curious. "A kid?" The robot asked, looking at Harry and then at the other muggles. "I don't remember a kid being involved in this. Do you guys? Have you always been here? And how did you get up here? This is private property, you know." The robot posed question after question, never waiting for an answer, bewildered by the fact that there was a stranger in his tower.

Thor strode up in front of the group with a huge goofy grin. "Harald! I was wondering where you went. I told you to follow me! I was afraid that we had lost you again…"

Harry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt an ache pound behind his eyes. Not exactly sure of what to tell the big oaf, Harry said: "then why did you speed off like that? No one can follow your speed, Thor."

Thor grinned as the robot made some spluttering sound in the background that sounded almost like, 'excuse me, I was talking?' but no one reacted to him as Thor spoke up, facing Harry and Loki.

"Did you see our glorious battle?" He laughed as he slammed a massive hand down on Harry's shoulder, almost making his legs give out.

"The halls of Asgard will sing of this victory for eons, and the people will celebrate. Tonight, we will celebrate with the mightiest heroes of Midgard! And you helped Loki! That is indeed something to celebrate."

Harry frowns as he takes a calming breath; there is no point in hitting Thor right now. Harry felt his fingers twitching when he mentioned how he completely dumped Harry and then boasted about the goddamn war that probably had destroyed half of Manhattan. However, at this moment, Harry did not dare to move from his potion directly in front of Loki as he would be in the line of fire for the others who still hadn't lowered their weapons. He wondered how fast he could take them down and if doing so would even be possible.

'Oh, don't hold back for me,' Loki drawled over the bond, startling Harry briefly but not so much to make the other notice 'he still hasn't learned about his inside voice, and I'm afraid he never will; at least he is house-trained.'

Harry snorted lowly but didn't answer him, instead looking over at the blond oaf. "Perhaps we should solve this situation before deciding to drink?"

Thor looked back at his brother, then at the others, and finally at Harry.

"What situation?" He echoed, ignorant of the eyes staring hopelessly at him. "What could be more important than celebrating this grand victory, brother?"

"…"

Harry was lost for words; he opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Loki chuckled darkly behind him, and Thor's companions stared at the god like he had lost his marbles.

"What?" Thor exclaimed, his voice booming with astonishment. "You've already found Loki and, judging by the outcome, managed to rescue him against all odds. We've confronted the outside threat and emerged victorious, ensuring we'll live to witness another dawn. This sounds like nothing short of a triumphant quest to me!"

"I didn't need to be rescued like some kind of helpless damsel in distress," Loki sneered at his brother.

"And these," Thor declared, disregarding his brother's protests with the booming authority of a god, his arm sweeping grandly towards the assembly of wide-eyed muggles, "are Earth's mightiest heroes, The Avengers." His grin was as broad and fierce as a storm on the horizon. "Avengers, meet Harald—my brother-in-law and shield brother," he announced, his voice ringing with pride and the promise of shared battles.

"Charmed," Harry said as a greeting and could not help but snicker internally at the gob-smacked faces of the muggles as Thor introduced him.

"…...you've got to be kidding me." It was the bowman that broke the silence that had come after Thor's greeting.

Loki gave a small grunt as he pushed himself up and out of the crater, making the muggles flinch.

"I'm afraid he genuinely means what he says; sadly, he's just as clueless as he appears." Loki stretched his stiff fingers, causing his brother's companions to tense up and brandish their weapons. Loki rolled his eyes dramatically at them—honestly, such a jittery bunch!

Paying no attention to the bowman, Loki brushed off a few specks of dust from his shoulder. "Now that all that titter and tatter is out of our way, if it's all the same to you, Stark, I would appreciate that drink now, if the offer still stands," Loki said as he plucked a piece of pavement out of his hair.

Harry's eyes lingered a few seconds longer on the sceptre in the red-haired woman's hand before looking away, no one noticing the struggle that went through his thin frame. The pure power the sceptre emitted made the hair on Harry's arms stand up, yet he could not help but think that Loki only wanted to move away from the stone as fast as he could.

"Seriously?" Harry asked as he risked a glance over his was it with Asgardians and their drinking habit?

"What?" Loki drawled and looked over at him but not directly at him.

"Blimey... how are you thinking of drinking right now? What is wrong with you Asgardians and drinking for everything?"

"No time like the present," Loki said, "and that stunt you pulled has given me one hell of a headache, so yes, I would like that drink that I was offered."

"Well, the ridiculous stunt actually worked," Harry snapped back. A strong glass of fire whisky seemed like exactly what he needed right now, but unfortunately, that wasn't his top priority. He glanced at the muggles standing before them; some appeared bewildered, while others wore expressions of anger or indifference that only added to his frustration.

"Wait a minute now," The American flag protested, "just what is going on here? The criminal is right before us, and we're all going to let him be? Just like that?"

Harry's body tensed as he surveyed the muggles before him, ready to defend himself and Loki if needed. He could feel the tension in the air and knew that things could escalate quickly if he didn't diffuse the situation.

"Oh hell no," The bowman said, raising his bow and pointing it at Harry.

"Listen," Harry said calmly, holding his hands up in a gesture of peace. "I'm not here to cause any trouble"

The bowman narrowed his eyes at Harry, not lowering his weapon. "And what about him?" he sneered, pointing his bow at Loki who was now leaning against the bar, looking bored.

Loki scoffed, rolling his eyes. "If I didn't have a headache I could kill you, right now it's too much work,"

A suddenly harking sound was heard from the group as they stood a few steps away, still wary about the whole situation.

"Yeah…All right, sorry to interrupt this small dispute. It is an excellent question you have, and we will come back to it soon," The robot, 'Stark', said as the front of his suit opened, and out walked a man, shedding the metal like old skin.

"However, I believe a presentation is in order before we continue this," the man declared with a flourish. "Any objections?" He scanned the room briefly but didn't pause long enough for a response. "No? Good! You probably already know who I am, so let's skip that—"

Harry furrowed his brow, a puzzled look crossing his face. "I can't precisely say that I do."

"What...what? Seriously?" The man's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth falling open as if Harry had suddenly sprouted a second head. "You... don't know who I am? Huh, that's a first. What rock did you crawl out from?" He shook his head, a mixture of incredulity and amusement flickering across his features.

Harry couldn't help but snort, "A huge one; you would not believe me if I told you." The wizarding world had missed many things, that was for sure, like flying robot-muggles.

"Oh? Was that a challenge, I heard? It was, wasn't it?" The man grinned. "Well, challenge accepted."

Harry felt a shiver travel down his spine. Did he make a huge mistake? He looked over at the man as he poured some whisky into a glass, sweeping it down in one go before doing it again.

"I wouldn't hold your breath, Stark," Bowman hissed, narrowing his eyes at Loki with deep suspicion. "Filth like them never change, they're never worth any trust or time."

"And you are?" Harry asked defensively.

"You…"

"Clint," The walking flag said in a tight voice, "stand down."

"You got to be kidding me," the newly named Clint growled "why aren't you doing anything? He's right there; why are we even hesitating?"

The walking flag looked over to Harry and Loki, measuring the situation, and then back to his companion, "We will see that justice is served, but only after we get all the necessary information." He turned to Harry again.

"My name is Steve Rogers; this is Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, and the Hulk, also known as Bruce Banner." Steve pointed at each of the newly named people as he introduced them, "and you already know Thor."

Harry nodded as Tony grinned. "Good, now when this little introduction is over, I will ask what everyone in this room is too chicken to ask: we know reindeer games over there, but who are you, kid?"

Harry felt his eye twitch; he hated being called a kid. He was about to correct the man when the green giant decided he wanted to be part of the conversation.

"He's Fairy!" Hulk ground out before he could say anything.

Tony stared at Hulk, then a slow grin formed on his lips. "Fairy? Oh! That's golden," he cracked.

"Don't ask," Harry said to Loki, who had raised an eyebrow at the nickname. "My name is Harry Potter, not Fairy."

"Son, that is not the name Thor introduced you by," Steve remarked, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized Harry with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. The atmosphere was tense, and Steve's voice carried a hint of authority, suggesting that he expected a truthful explanation.

"It's a long story, and it's not something you'll be hearing about anytime soon," Harry remarked with a shrug.

Steve opened his mouth to voice his protest but Clint interrupted them.

"Now that this delightful introduction is behind us, can we proceed with capturing the criminal and his accomplice? We've clearly heard he's hiding plenty, god know whats more he have up his sleves" Clint said sharply, still holding his bow at the ready.

"Already on it, no need to stress," Tony replied casually as he approached with two glasses in hand. Harry's muscles tensed as Tony approached, but he continued forward, handing one glass to Loki while keeping the other for himself. "Sorry, no adult drinks for kids; I might have some juice in the fridge if you're interested."

"What are you doing, Stark?" Clint bit out.

"Giving him his drink, what does it look like? Did you want one?" Tony asked with a raised eyebrow. "If so, the bar is over there; make one yourself. God knows that you look like you need one… or two."

'I like him.' Loki chimed in over the bond as he eyed the glass in front of him.

Harry shook his head, but even he had to admit that the man was something else, 'of course you do.'

'Can we keep him?'

Harry chose not to answer the question, focusing instead on watching Clint, who was still in a heated discussion with Tony. Despite this, he appreciated that Loki had decided to keep the connection open for him. Merlin, it was even a lot for him to take in.

"This is absolutely insane!" Clint shouted, his voice booming with fury. "He's the one who manipulated me, turned me into his puppet, and unleashed a bloody rampage! Need I remind you that he murdered Coulson in cold blood? He's the one who's been orchestrating all of this chaos!"

"Hold on a second, Mr. Barton," Harry interjected. "You are missing most of the information." Harry felt his magic starting to crawl underneath his skin at the reminder of whose fault this actually was.

"Loki is as much a victim in this situation as you are."

Clint snarled, "I wouldn't call him that, he has killed over 80 people theas last days and-"

"-and how many have you killed?" Harry asked defensively. "You were in the same position as him, am I correct? You reek of the same magic as Loki, and if I'm not wrong, you're an assassin too."

"No," Clint bit back, teeth showing and the crazy desperate glint in his eyes magnifying. "It wasn't my doing! He is the one who controlled me."

Harry stared at him. "And someone was controlling Loki; what does that tell you about the enemy?"

Before Clint could answer, Steve held up a hand to stop him, "What do you mean?"

Harry glanced at the captain and said, "Think about it, someone out there had the ability to control a god. What does that say about the situation? If even Loki couldn't stand a fair chance against him, what could any of you possibly have done?"

"We could have followed the higher commanders' decision if we had the correct information," Clint stated defensively.

Harry blinked, intending to respond, but words escaped him as he stared at the soldier. The decision of the higher-ups? that would have taken houers if not days.

"By the Norns, you're giving me a headache," Loki sighed as he drowned the last of the golden liquid and put the glass down, wishing it had been something more substantial; the human drink was so weak. "There are far more worlds outside your little planet than you can imagine."

"..Is he for real?" Clint huffed out. "Other worlds?"

"Yes, I think Reindeer games here is on to something. When I flew that nuke through the portal, I got a glimpse of what was on the other side, and trust me, it was anything but pleasant," Tony concurred, twirling the glass in his hand.

"Nuke?" Harry exclaimed, shocked by the news. Why would they launch a nuclear weapon at their city, even during an alien invasion? But now when he thought back to the time when Loki and he had jointly attacked Thanos' mind. He had noticed a significant break in Thanos' focus then; could that have been the cause?

"Yeah, you know, a big bomb that goes 'boom'," Tony made a gesture with his hands like an explosion.

"So, let me get this straight—you're saying the government's brilliant plan was to send a nuclear bomb to Manhattan and they didn't even bother evacuating the citizens?" Harry paused, his eyes shifting to the others, finally resting on Clint, who seemed to shrink under the gaze. "And now you're pointing fingers at Loki, trying to detain him for actions he took while under mind control? you can't be serious!" Harry's voice wavered, caught between disbelief and the unsettling possibility that this was all true.

"They likely felt they had no other option," Steve argued, standing up for his leader.

Harry glared at him, "And that makes dropping a nuclear bomb okay?"

"The aliens—"

"—were under Thanos' command, and it was just a scouting group," Harry cut in, exasperated.

"Harald…."

"No!" Harry barked at Thor, his voice a whip crack of fury. "Don't you dare start with me, Thor Odinsson!" His emerald-green eyes darkened to a venomous shade, seething with unstable magic that crackled dangerously around him.

"They've got the audacity to accuse Loki of murder, while he was nothing but a puppet under mind control, yet their so-called government was poised to massacre an entire city! How can you turn a blind eye to that?"

"Take it easy, Harald; they simply don't know any better. They're still just a young race," Thor said, attempting to defuse the situation.

Harry felt an intense itch on his back, signaling his wings were eager to emerge in his fury. Calm himself... oh no, he had no desire to calm down; he wanted to erupt right there and then. His magic was on the brink of bursting out in rage. He would have, if not for the sound of the elevator pinging, followed by its doors sliding open.

" ! Stand down."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Harry growled when yet another person tried to tell him to calm down. He glared at the new threat because that was what his mind registered the man as.

Initially, it seemed as though he was gazing at the Minister for Magic, yet he sensed no magical aura from the bald, Black man confidently making his way toward them, as if he commanded the entire room. With his black trench coat and an eye patch over his left eye, he resembled a contemporary version of a pirate captain.

"And who the bloody hell are you?" Harry snapped angrily, not standing down at all.

The black man looked over at the Avengers and then back at the wizard with a raised brow, unimpressed with this situation. Why did he have to have the Wizarding World's golden boy mixed up in this mess?

"I'm Director Fury. You probably know of my brother Kingsley?" Fury said.

Harry looked at the man, magic crawling over his skin but ready to do its master's command. The man did look like the minister. "Yes….. I know of him. Are you the one in charge of these muggles?" Harry asked. "If so, then you already know that we're wasting time standing here and arguing."

"That is debatable," Fury said as he clapped his hand behind his back. "Everything in due time, Mr. Potter. The Higher ups want a scapegoat. They want to bring justice for what happened and Loki made himself the perfect target."

Harry snorted, his disbelief evident in the sharpness of his voice. "They want someone to take the fall and cover up the fact that they authorized a nuclear bomb to hit Manhattan, a whole city with innocent people?" His words hung heavily in the air. The silence that followed was thick and suffocating, as each person exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of the unspoken truth pressing down on them all.

"No," Harry insisted, "I won't let you do that; it would just waste our time." He scrutinized the man standing before him, trying to assess his choices despite his mind feeling foggy. Thanos was no longer a factor, but there was always someone ready to continue where he had stopped.

This whole situation unsettled him deeply, leaving him torn between disbelief and suspicion. So many unknowns hovered in the air, casting shadows over the truth. His eyes were drawn to the flickering sceptre in Natasha's grasp, amplifying the chaos of emotions swirling around the room.

"You might as well put that one down," Harry said, breaking the silence, and nodded to the sceptre in Ms. Romanoff's hand. "The sceptre doesn't care for whom it takes hold of. Only that is a willing mind"

"Are you saying the sceptre is alive?" Natasha asked, unable to believe it.

Harry squinted at her, tilting his head slightly. "No, it's not more alive than this building; it's still just a stone with some... awareness?"

Tony leaned forward, his curiosity piqued, and his eyes narrowed with interest as he examined the intricate details of the sceptre. The polished surface gleamed under the overhead lights, and mysterious symbols seemed to dance along the shaft.

"What kind of awareness are we talking about?" he asked, his voice carrying a note of challenge. "Because let me tell you, my building is wired with cutting-edge tech and can perform a multitude of impressive functions," Tony added with a confident smirk.

"No, not exactly awareness, more like an energy and..." Harry gestured vaguely, struggling to find the right term to describe the sensation of the stone.

"Magic?" Loki suggested.

Tony's expression tightened. "No way. We're not going down that path or calling it that," he insisted. "Magic doesn't exist. It's just science we haven't figured out yet. I'm not about to refer to that glowing stick as 'magic.'"

"But you just said that it doesn't care? That implies that it is able to feel," Natasha asked, ignoring Tony's rambling.

"Yes and no, apart from the sceptre, that holds the mind stone, there are five other stones," Harry explained as he let his arms relax at his sides. "They are said to be scattered throughout the realms, separated from each other because if they ever were brought together, it would invite disaster, and it would bring the wielder unlimited power. That is what Thanos was after them in the first place."

"The Infinity Stones?" Thor said, bewildered.

"Congratulations, brother," Loki drawled, "You have a surprisingly good grasp of the English language; good for you. Now shut up." Thor turned around, annoyed at him, and Loki glared right back, challenging.

"All right, back up and take it from the beginning. Who's Thanos, and why does he want the stones?" Director Fury asked.

"Thanos had a lot of names, The Mad Titan, The Destroyer, a conqueror of worlds. He commits genocide as he walks from world to world searching for the stones- "

"-And is not a problem anymore as he is dead," Loki drawled as he interrupted Thor's explanation, "not our business anymore, but the stones are."

"So, why haven't we heard about this galactic Hitler before today?" Tony asked as he frowned, not liking that they did not have any information on this threat whatsoever, and if he hadn't seen the ship with his own eyes, he would not believe them. Honestly, he was surprised as Loki answered him, not with a sneer or at all.

"You...Midgardians are growing. Maturing. You are starting to reach beyond yourselves, and in that aspect, you touch a greater power - some of which you barely understand," Loki looked at them as he spoke, "and you are not necessarily able to respond in favour of your actions."

Loki rolled his eyes with a mocking laugh escaping his pale lips, "I mean no disrespect to either you or humankind, but your planet is not exactly a threat to anyone else in the universe as it is."

"Brother," Thor admonished.

"I only speak the truth, and you know it," Loki drawled as he vanished the glass from his hand.

"Why… yes… but still, you did not have to say it like that," Thor protested.

"Why not? I don't need to coddle the Midgardians the way you do," Loki retorted, his voice dripping with disdain. "They wanted to play with the big boys; well, here they are." He flung out his arm dramatically.

"That doesn't mean that they are ready-"

"They were playing with an infinity stone; what did you think would happen?" Loki tells him bluntly and rolls his eyes, "there is still the matter of finding the four other stones."

"Wait, back up," Steve interrupted. "Four? There were five a moment ago."

"We got two right here," Harry said. "The first is the sceptre there that controls minds," he nodded to the thing in Natasha's hand. "The second one is the tesseract, containing the space stone; it opened the portal. So only four are missing."

"And how do you know all of this?" Natasha asked suspiciously

Harry shrugged, "I read about them."

"You...read about them?"

"Yes." He nodded, not bothering to develop his answer, he had suspicions about where the other stones would be, but it was dangerous information to have, and even more, to share.

"Then we have to destroy them," Tony said firmly.

Harry shook his head, capturing the group's attention once more. "You can't," he said. "The infinity stones are linked to different aspects of the universe. They were created at the dawn of time and are remnants of six singularities that existed before creation. That's why they can't be destroyed. Ordinary people wouldn't even be able to touch them with their bare hands—they're too powerful for a single person to handle." The information swirling in Harry's mind made him feel dizzy, likely because he was recalling memories from Harald's lifetime. He could remember reading the books in his mind, yet he had never physically held them.

Following that moment, an eerie silence fell over the scene only to be broken by the captain. "Is Earth safe?" Steve suddenly spoke up again.

"Probably for the moment," Thor said as he scratched his chin, not knowing what else to say.

"No, it's not! This is the signal to all of the realm that earth is ready for a higher form of war," Loki argued, surprising half of the avengers because it sounded like he cared for what happened to the Earth.

"A higher form?" Fury asked and shook his head. "You forced our hand as soon as you invaded our planet."

Loki curled his lip with a sneer, but swallowed the biting remark that threatened to escape. If they wished to march toward their own ruin, who was he to intervene? He would even ask for a front row seat to see it all if he weren't going to rot in the deepest dungeon in Asgard when this was all over.

"Well then…. the current threat is neutralized," Tony said as he looked around. "So, what now?"

"As long as the stones are still on Midgard, it will continue to attract threats," Thor said. "I will bring them back to Asgard where they will be safe."

Harry relaxed slightly but not entirely, "The use of the stone is a sign to the rest of the realms that Midgard is becoming a target, but it is probably too late to change that anyway."

"Let's bring them back to Asgard," Thor suggested. "They'll be safer there than anywhere else, and it's where they truly belong."

"Now wait a minute," Fury interrupted, he could not let them take both the tesseract and the sceptre.

"If I were you, I would be listening to the gods here, Director Fury," Harry said.

"Yes," Thor said as he stood up, "I can promise you that my father will protect the stones with everything Asgard has to offer."

Fury's expression remained stoic, a mask of indifference that betrayed no emotion, yet he didn't refute the accusation. "And what exactly should I tell the World Council, hm? That I simply allowed Thor to snatch everything away, including Loki? I assure you, that won't sit well with them."

"They have no alternatives," Harry retorted, frustration boiling over as his head throbbed relentlessly. "They can't possess anything they desire to manipulate or turn into a weapon."

"Well, they do enjoy feeling like they're in control," Fury sighed, deciding not to debate with the god and his kin. Maybe it was for the best. "They despise feeling helpless, especially when it comes to something like an intergalactic war."

Harry looked at him as if he'd gone mad, and he noticed a few other muggles doing the same. "What? Do they want a lesson in what true power is? Because whatever power they think they can attain, it won't suffice. Earth isen't ready to take part in intergalactic wars; they need to understand that." Harry rubbed his head, feeling overwhelmed by the conversation.

Fury stared at him with a neutral expression, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. He had gathered a significant amount of information already, yet the notion that someone had possessed the power to control an actual god sent his heart racing. The fact that someone more powerful than Loki—who had brought such chaos—had existed was both terrifying and fascinating. And here was this young man who had managed to handle it somehow. A rare shiver ran down his spine, a mix of awe and apprehension battling within him.

"I might not be an expert on these stones, but I do know that this particular stone emits energy. If you combine the two stones, the energy will be even stronger. I suggest we keep at least one of them on Earth." This would make it easier to handle the higher-ups. Not that he was concerned. If they wanted to challenge actual gods and someone capable of defeating a god and still standing ready to fight, they were welcome to try.

Harry scratched his neck, hesitating, "Perhaps, we should…" Thor began to protest, his voice rising, but a sharp glare from Harry silenced him mid-sentence. The words hung in the air, and Harry's mind raced with uncertainty. "Asgard would be its next target if anyone decided to collect the stones," he explained, though doubt tinged his voice. "Is that really what you want?" he asked

"We can take it," Thor argued, but doubt flickered in his eyes. "We have done it before and can do it again."

But I don't believe we can take the risk, do you?" Harry asked him, his voice tinged with doubt. "And that way, perhaps the council would back off slightly from Loki?" The last question was directed at the director, who looked deep in thought.

Fury rubbed his chin as he considered their words. He had to admit that keeping one of these powerful stones on Earth was a risky move, but he couldn't deny that it could serve as a valuable bargaining tool. And if they were to face another attack like Loki's, having a stone in their possession could prove useful.

Thor did not look happy at all, and Loki desided to keep his thorugh to himsel.

After a moment of thought, Fury spoke decisively. "Alright," he declared. "We'll keep one of these stones on Earth. However, I have a non-negotiable condition: our S.T.R.I.K.E team will guard both stones until you depart. This is to ensure," Fury gave Loki a pointed look, "that no one gets any more bright ideas." Thor nodded in agreement, while Loki let out a frustrated grunt.

Harry exhaled deeply. He knew Loki wouldn't be alone; Thor would likely stay close by his side. As for himself, he wouldn't venture far either, feeling he wasn't quite ready to do so. Not now that he had finally found him.

"Good, come one, Hill," Fury turned to the women who had entered after him, and had been silently observing throughout, "let's greet the council, I'm sure they'd find something to complain about even without this mess." Fury said, leaving with a dramatic turnaround that could rival a specific professor's walk as he swept out of the room.

"Well, that happened," Tony deadpanned as he looked around at the bunch that was left, standing there, dirty and sweaty.

"This has all been informative and fun, but we still have a significant problem on our hands, so what do you all say that we take a break, shower, eat some well-deserved food and then sleep on it?" Tony said as he clasped his hands, no longer having the patience to stand still. They were all exhausted from the intense discussion and revelations, and Tony's suggestion of a break seemed like a welcomed idea.

Steve nodded in agreement, "We could use some food and rest before we come up with a plan." Natasha also chimed in, "I agree. "

Harry couldn't help but sneak glances at Loki every now and then, unable to shake off the uncomfortable feeling in his chest. He had expected this reunion to be difficult, but he hadn't anticipated just how painful it would be.

He looked over at Loki again and then quickly averted his gaze. The other man seemed lost in thought, staring down at nothing with a distant look in his eyes. Harry couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his mind.

Harry understood Loki. He had been freed from his mental torture, and his memories were back, The presence of Harry, who resembled Harald so closely, only deepened the conflict within Loki. Harry was both a reminder of what he had lost and a constant reminder that Harald was truly gone, making the situation even more unbearable.

Loki glanced at him briefly, and Harry suddenly felt a disconnect in his chest. He frowned, trying to understand what he had done to cause Loki to close off their connection. It had been open all this time, but now Loki was suddenly more closed off.

Harry swallowed, trying to keep his composure. Who was he fooling? This entire mess had gone downhill at an alarming rate. Obviously, Loki wouldn't be thrilled to see him there. His soulmate was dead, and he'd been brainwashed and tortured for who knows how long.

Harry averted his gaze from his mate. Even now, as Loki distanced himself and blocked the bond once more, Harry tried to push aside the harsh reality. It was a wretched feeling, an emptiness that gnawed at him, like being cast aside. A part of him silently cried out for acknowledgment, yearning for the lost familiarity that left his very soul aching in its absence. Pain tingled in his chest as he closed his eyes for a second. One thing at the time.

While Tony organized the accommodations in his enormous tower, he assigned rooms and floors to everyone. Even Thor got a spot right between the assassins. However, Tony decided to keep both Harry and Loki there temporarily, as he didn't trust them, which was likely a wise decision.

Yet, they were not prisoners, but they still didn't want Loki to do anything, and by the bracelet that Thor had provided, his magic was not wholly sealed but almost. He could still do a few things but not to his usual extreme, and it was one of the conditions the humans had put up. Although, really it was proof enough that Loki was too tired as he accepted it without any protests.

Harry let out a heavy sigh, his mind spinning with thoughts and emotions. He couldn't believe that he was here, in this unfamiliar place with people he barely knew. And Loki...he couldn't even begin to imagine what he must be going through.

With a deep sense of sadness weighing heavily on his heart, Harry closed his eyes and let the exhaustion overtake him. He was physically tired from the journey and emotionally drained from the events of the past few days.

Harry's mind drifted back to Loki. He couldn't help but feel guilty for causing more pain to his mate. But what else could he have done? He couldn't just ignore the pull towards Loki, the undeniable bond between them.

But as much as he wanted to offer comfort and support to Loki, Harry knew that it wasn't something he could force upon him. They both needed time to process everything that had happened.

The sound of a door opening and closing pulled Harry out of his thoughts. He opened his eyes and saw Thor standing at the doorway, watching him with concern.

"Are you okay?" Thor asked gently.

Harry rubbed his face tiredly. "I don't know," he replied honestly.

"I understand," Thor said softly as he walked over to Harry. "Loki is going through a lot right now, so are you. I still can't belive that you are alive and here"

"I know," Harry said with a heavy sigh. "I just wish there was something I could do."

"You being here is already a great comfort to him," Thor reassured him. "He may not show it now, but I know my brother well enough to see that he's grateful for your presence."

Harry nodded, feeling slightly better knowing that Loki wasn't pushing him away completely. He was still there. But, there was an undeniable strain in their bond that left him feeling hollow.

Thor patted him on the back before standing up. "Get some rest, my friend. We have a lot to discuss tomorrow"

Harry saw him walk away and stood in the hallway for a few more minutes. Soking in the silence before he walked over to the first room he came across.

The room Harry entered was quite plain; it appeared almost clinical, as if it had never been occupied, with no attempt to add any warmth or character. But Harry didn't care—he'd slept in far worse places and was completely exhausted. There was a bed, and it smelled fresh and appeared newly made, so he walked over and collapsed face-first onto the mattress, his body sinking into it like he was lying on a fluffy cloud.

He was just alert enough to set up a protective ward around the floor, driven by both his and Loki's paranoia at the moment as his mind would not allow him to rest otherwise. Within moments, he was fast asleep.