Avengers HP Crossover Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Faster.  Harry ducked a blinding curse, and spun under it releasing a devastating return charm that the first masked man had no hope of deflecting, blocking, or dodging.  The powerful move took a valuable second away as the other three began pushing Harry backwards.  Harry’s wand was a blur of movement, and his body seemed to flow in between the curses that couldn’t seem to touch him.  Harry growled internally…faster.

With a flick of his wrist his secondary wand went into his hand and he felt the familiar holly and Phoenix feather wand begin pumping magic towards his enemies.  Another fell under the combined strength and speed of Harry’s second wand.  This left the fight to be two on one and Harry withdrew his second wand just as fast as he pulled it out.  Now Harry was in a deadly dance of deflecting spells, and turning the magic of his enemies against them.

These masked men seemed to follow Harry like a plague.  After Harry had bested Voldemort in a duel and officially reclaimed the Elder Wand a new group had arisen, and they seemed to come from everywhere in search of besting the Master of this particular Hallow.  If only they knew that with this wand in Harry’s hand, he was near unbeatable.  He almost pitied the two before him.  Almost.

The fifteen inch long wand made of thestral hair and Elder wood swirled in circles absorbing and sending magic at the two assailants at unnatural speeds, but that wasn’t because it was the most powerful wand, it was because Harry was a powerful wizard, and he was more than capable of taking on a pair of mercenaries, they were nothing compared to what he faced in the war.

With a quick circle Harry froze both of his opponents and had them face each other with a force that could not be seen.  Harry grinned maniacally as the two began raising a wand to the other, and though he couldn’t see their faces he could feel their fear, “Death comes calling for every man.  It seems that she is coming early for you two.”

With that Harry turned and walked away as two green lights filled the darkness of the night, and he began striding back towards his home.  That was the second time this month that he had caught people snooping around his wards.  His house at Potter Manor wasn’t super difficult to find, but the wards surrounding it were erected by the Elder Wand, and those were spectacular, but he didn’t like surprises, so as soon as his detection wards would go off he would go to meet whoever his would be intruders were and exterminated them.  It would not do to be assassinated in the night because he got careless, and the smallest of probes would alert him that his wards could be under siege.

Harry sighed as he sat down in his living room.  His dinner had burnt due to his assailants, and he suddenly wished he had made them suffer just a little bit for making him dive into his freezer food, “You should really take better care of yourself Harry.”

Harry flinched at the voice, and froze in place as he tried to ignore the voice of his oldest friend echoing in his head.  She was one of the first to die in days following the Battle of Hogwarts, and he hadn’t seen the bushy haired girl in anything but his nightmares in years.

A depressing chill hit Harry a moment after the thought, no one was really here anymore.  The British Wizarding Community had evacuated over five years ago.  The resistance fought and fought against Voldemort, but once Ron and Hermione were killed by Voldemort himself, and Harry began just slaughtering Death Eaters in the street…what was left of the community fled as the Titans of magic would battle in the streets of populated areas.  The devastation seemed to occur in the magical communities once a week.  The ones that stayed behind usually wound up dead.  The only survivor of Harry’s friend group was Neville, and he had gone off to America to accept a job being an unspeakable like his uncle.

Neville had begged Harry to go with him.  They had fought and won a war together almost single handedly the last two years, and they felt they could do anything together, but Harry needed time.  Harry planned to one day leave Wizarding Britain and go join Neville in America to be with his only friend left in the word.  He wasn’t sure when that day would be, but it was his plan.  He was hoping to wipe out this random force of mercenaries that kept showing up trying to kill him for the Elder Wand before he went to be around Neville.  He didn’t forgive himself for a lot of deaths, but Neville was one he couldn’t stand.  After all they did their fighting, they made it through their war.  They deserved a normal life now.  Or at least Harry felt that Neville did.

Harry grabbed a beer out of the fridge, and grabbed some microwave chicken that he was going to make for the night when he heard a pop coming a short distance from the front door.  Freezing Harry stretched his senses and felt that two familiar magical signatures were arriving on property.  It was awfully late for a surprise visit, and usually they came with at least a patronus.  Harry’s surviving colleagues knew that he didn’t like surprises.

As if someone read his mind a white ethereal Lion came flying into the room, “Harry my uncle and I have arrived on urgent business we need to discuss with you.  Please open the front door when you can see us.”

Harry dropped his microwave chicken on the counter, but took his beer with him as he quickly and excitedly made his way to the front door.  When he opened it he saw Neville and he felt a true smile wash over his face, “Neville!”

Neville opened his arms up with a big smile and the two embraced tightly and quickly separated, “How are you mate?  If you had told me you were coming I would have made supper!  It's been what?  Almost 3 months?”

To most 3 months wouldn’t be a long time to go without seeing a friend, but to Neville and Harry that was the longest since they left Hogwarts.  The two were always looking out for each other these days, and Harry honestly missed those days, “I honestly didn’t know until late this afternoon.  My uncle showed up and said he had something that he needed to discuss with both of us, and before I could even send a patronus to you he grabbed me, and we portkeyed across the pond all the way here.  A bit disorientating, but I managed to stop him from barging right in.  I convinced him that in the interest of his life we should announce our arrival.”

“Always the smartest Longbottom you were mate.” Harry said with a smirk at Algernon.

The man rolled his eyes, “Oh it’s a real pleasure to see you again too Potter, who would’ve realized how much I miss your insulting humor.”

The man went straight to the fridge and pulled out a beer similar to Harry’s, and tossed one to Neville.  Harry growled, “OI!  Who invited you to my alcohol?”

The man growled back, “You did when you opened the door this late at night.  It's been a long day Potter and I have big news for you.  Can we all sit down and get this started.”

Algernon knew this was not the ICW.  Sweet talking Potter with fancy offers, and high sophistication would not impress this man.  This man knew war and he was good at it.  He was a soldier, and Algernon knew to treat him any differently would be a mistake.

The three sat around the dining room table in Harry’s parlor and Neville broke the conversation first, “Alright Uncle you wheeled me halfway around the world, and took me off a rather enjoyable assignment I was on tailing that redhead from Queens, and now I am half way across the world dealing with you two.  What gives?”

Algernon took a deep breath, “What do you two know about what's going on in America right now?”

Neville shook his head, “I work in the same department as you, so quite a lot.”

Harry also shook his head but confessed, “I don’t keep track of things beyond what Neville keeps me up to date on.”

Algernon grinned and started flipping through the videos he had shown the ICW earlier, but he ended this time with the video of Loki trashing the intelligence base.  By the end of the video both Harry and Neville looked grim, “The man is bullet resistant and carries a powerful unknown weapon that appears magical in origin.”

Harry shook his head, “The ICW needs to be doing something about this.  This man is dangerous.  I know a killer when I see one.  These people in the videos if they were to band together it would be a start, but it’s not enough.”

Algernon smirked, “Glad you feel so strongly about it because I am here to offer you the title of Wizarding General.”

Neville and Harry both looked blankly at the man.  Algernon’s smirk immediately vanished, “You two know what a general is right?”

Both boys rolled their eyes, and Neville said, “We don’t exactly have the old team still alive, and we were more of a resistance than an army.  Voldemort always had the numbers on us.”

“We were more of the army of two!” Harry said with a grin holding his beer up towards Neville as they toasted.

Algernon wanted to berate the boys, but knew these two would not take it lying down, “Sounds like if you are going to be a general then you will need an army.  How do the entire Wizarding Worlds forces sound to you?”

Neville and Harry continued to look blankly at the man, Neville asked first after several moments of silence, “The entire world?  What does that even mean?  The nations of the ICW don’t have armies.”

Harry looked suspiciously at the man now as if he were trying to sense a double cross, “Algie you’ve been beating around the bush just tell me what the ICW wants.”

Algernon held his hands up in defeat, “The title is no joke, but here is the proposition.  You are probably in the top 5 most powerful wizards in the world, and probably in the top 10 magic users.  Among anyone who could be higher than you none have fought a war and won with basically…” Algernon looked at Neville and the boy was about to protest clearly offended but he continued, “As minimal support as you had.  They would like you to go in, and offer ground support to this team that could be potentially fighting off an invasion level event.”

Before the words or thoughts could process Harry said, “No.  Absolutely not.”

Algernon was shocked at how fast the boy had turned down the offer, but Neville beat Algernon to the punch, “The ICW identifies a threat and they want Harry to just go handle it on his own?  What he deals with Voldemort, and now they want him to deal with this too?  Offer him a fancy title, and send him into a war of enemies we don’t know or understand and expect him to just go along with it, much less alone?”

Algernon immediately went on the defense, “He won’t be alone he will have you as his go to and point man.  Congratulations Consultant Longbottom.”

Harry and Neville both calmed but only slightly giving the man a chance to explain, “You will be operating outside of the ICW on this.  They may have sanctioned this mission, but the international statute of secrecy is of paramount importance.  You would present yourself to the world as if you were one of these enhanced individuals, and only your team of people that SHIELD has put together would know of your true origins.  The goal is to assist in the needs of an invasion, and be on a first response team.  If things were to go pear shaped then you would command the wizarding forces around the world into battle against any foreign enemy.  It might also be an incentive that we would like to get you a seat at a table with the Sorceress Supreme, and see what we can do for wizard/sorcerer relations.”

Harry and Neville who were both on their feet about to walk out on the man just moments before sat down.  Algernon felt that they were warming up so he continued, “Neville will be based out of whatever city you are based out of so you will always have an ear to talk to, or someone to spend time with if you need some time away.  Also you will be briefing Neville on everything and he himself will deliver the reports to the ICW so you will not have to bore yourself with the politics.  They have also given the Carte Blanche to name your price, and you will of course not be limited by any laws when combating forces that are not magical.”

“I can use any magic I want?  Any magic I see fit to keep myself and whatever response team you are putting together safe?” Harry questioned seriously impressed that ICW would be willing to trust him so much.  After all, his own country had forsaken him half a dozen times a year.  HE was lucky if he had more than two consecutive months of positive publicity.  Of course that was when the Daily Prophet still existed and Magical Britain was still alive.

Algernon immediately agreed, “Without a question.  Obviously nothing that would give away the identity of wizards so let’s keep the dark mark out of the sky!”

Neville and Harry both snorted at this.  Neville then asked, “If things are really bad would I be allowed to step in and help Harry?”

“Absolutely.  Neville I actually put your name forth first for this response team, but they wanted someone just a little higher in the power scale.  Many still preferred you I think when I walked out, but the Supreme Mugwump suggested Harry by name.”

Harry ran a hand through his hair, “This could mean more fighting, and a lifetime in it.  I stayed away from the Auror corps for a reason.”

“Yes, and that was mostly the paperwork, and all the bullshit rules you have to follow.  Harry, this is a great opportunity for you.  Go out there, meet new people, make a ton of money, some new friends, and maybe even save the world a few more times.  I know you miss the smell of combat every warrior does when his war is over, but Harry the war could never end here.  You could spend a lifetime doing what you were born for.” Algernon was sure he had Harry at this point.  The boy was born into war, and it was practically all he knew.  He had lost every bit of friends and family he had in the world except the other orphan that was currently in the room with him.

Neville and Harry locked eyes for a moment, and Harry said, “I want to speak to Neville alone for a few minutes before I agree.”

There was a cold silence in the room for a moment, and Algernon was reminded that he did not fight in a war with Harry, and he did not have the young man’s unwavering trust like his nephew did.  After all, the man had fled the country during Voldemort’s reign.  A fact that he was now going to pay for, “Very well.  I will take a little walk on the grounds, and come back in 15 minutes.”

Neville and Harry both nodded at the man, and the room was silent for a few moments even after the front door closed.  Harry sighed, “What do you think?”

Neville took a deep breath releasing a sigh, “SHIELD is no joke.  They are basically the only department in the Muggle World that more than one person knows of our existence.  They know our kind, and some of our power.  They also know how to recognize our wards.  They found Hogwarts pretty easily, and they have a crazy amount of intelligence.  Personally I think a squib is in their ranks pretty high somewhere, and is working behind the scenes.  I met a team of their field agents just a few years ago in Budapest, and…well they were good Harry.  Real good.  I think if SHIELD is assembling a team of Earth’s best warriors then you need to be on this team.”

Harry looked at the boy continuing, “What about my problem?  If I am in the public for too long they are going to figure out I don’t age.  What about her?  What if she disagrees?”

The two got real silent when Harry brought up some real hard to answer questions.  The fact is that Harry was immortal.  He was never going to age, and unless his body just gets destroyed there really wasn’t a way to kill him.  Harry was the Master of Death.  He controlled all three of the Deathly Hallows and survived Death’s kiss two times now.  Harry had even met Death, and she was not unkind, but she believed that Harry was her master, and that she answered to Harry.  She didn’t come around a lot, but when she did it was usually at an incredibly inconvenient time.

Neville finally responded, “It can easily be explained that you use magic to appear young, but you will die at an old age just like anyone else, and Harry…we don’t know if that is unnecessarily untrue.”

The two had argued this point many times before.  Neville didn’t want to believe that Death had really made him immortal.  Hell Harry didn’t want to believe it either.  That meant that he would never see his family again outside of the shades he occasionally summoned, and it also meant that one day Harry was going to have to live in a world without Neville, and that was not a thought he enjoyed.

When Harry didn’t respond Neville continued, “Think of it this way.  This time the world is literally just going to accept your say.  Tomorrow aliens come from the sky, and you have the power to snap your fingers and end the International Statute of Secrecy that has been in place for over 300 years.  That’s power Harry, and then you would have the entire Wizarding Community of the world backing you in a fight.  Can you imagine what that day would be like?”

Harry could imagine it, and it sounded like it would be a really good day for Death, and a really bad day for everyone else.  That kind of battle is one where millions could die, and he would be responsible.  Harry sighed, “I know what Algie thinks.  He thinks I know nothing, but war.  Neville, you know this better than anyone in the world, but I don’t want to fight forever.  Despite what people may believe.  I may stay here, but that’s because they think I am protecting the Death Stick; they don’t realize I am protecting a lot more than that.”

Neville sighed, “I have always supported you Harry, and if you don’t want to do this then we just refuse it.”

“Just like that?” Harry asked in surprise.

“I’m not like the others, Harry.  I have always trusted your judgment and integrity.  Do I think you should do this? Yes.  That is all I can say.  I have offered my insight, and opinion. Your decision however will be perfectly backed by me.  We can disagree in private all night long, but no one will ever know it but us.” Neville said with a smile.

The two shared this smile for a moment, and Harry grinned, “It was that attitude that had one of Hufflepuffs finest falling for you for all those years.”

Neville took a smaller smile and had a distant look in his eye after all Harry wasn’t the only one who lost it all, “She was something else.”

Nothing else was going to be said on the subject, and if there was one thing Harry never did that was push.  The silence became comfortable and the 15 minutes was up.  When Algernon came back in Neville spoke first, “Let Harry think on it for the night alright Uncle?”

The man looked disappointed for the first time that evening, but nodded, “Very well.  Harry good evening to you, and I really hope…I really hope you agree to this.”

The two shook hands, and Neville and Harry embraced without either boy saying a further word.

Before Harry could offer refuge for the night however he sighed, “No need to wait till tomorrow I will do it.  Where are we going first?”

This caused both men to smile.  Neville smiled in pride for his best friend, because he never was able to run from a fight, while Algernon smiled because he felt that the best possible thing to happen to the young man was soon to come.