It was a couple of months since Harry had been made part of SHIELD. Fury had not been kidding. Physical conditioning and combat training had not been too bad. A life on the razor's edge had kept his reflexes sharp and thanks to his constant work, Harry wasn't in bad shape. He was probably one of the fitter agents currently active.
What tired him out was his constant missions. He was sent mostly to extract friendlies in bad situations and to collect intelligence. He was permitted the use of obliviation on friendlies only to protect his own secrets. No matter what he did though, questions were always asked about how. A rumour started circulating that SHIELD had a deep cover operative of immense skill. They referred to said operative simply as 'Ghost'.
He was never seen or heard and was apparently capable of getting in anywhere. Fury didn't confirm anything and as a result people obviously thought it was true. When he wasn't on the field he was conducting research and producing more potions. Miraculous recoveries became another topic of discussion, since nobody ever remembered how the wounded had been fixed.
Harry was sent all over the world, sometimes just to visit places. He'd take pictures and play the Tourist, until he had familiarized himself with an area. Fury had jumped at the idea that Harry could be anywhere when needed, as long as he knew the area. Harry had come up with a book of coded phrases that would refer to where Harry had to go and what his mission would be. Anything written in one would appear in the others. A small two-way mirror mounted inside the book's cover was used for direct communication. Harry kept his book on him at all times and it would vibrate when a new message was added or someone wanted to speak to him. Fury and Coulson kept theirs in their bags, which was with them at all times as well.
For meetings Harry had enchanted their badges to be two-way portkeys. It would deposit them in an extended space he had set up under this new house, given to him by SHIELD once he proved his usefulness, which was protected by a Fidelius. Their modified contracts allowing them to speak frankly without fear of being overheard or the information ever getting out. Fury had not been pleased the first time he had taken the portkey. Not only was it a nauseating experience, but he had forgotten to leave his cell phone behind. It had not survived the trip.
Harry had elected to call the briefing room 'Marauders Den'. When he explained it significance, both Coulson and Fury agreed and toasted to the name. Harry had opted for a comfortable setting with couches enhanced with cushioning charms and a coffee table. There was a bar in the corner with stools and a couple of bottles mounted overhead. He had gotten a couple of bottles of what Fury and Coulson liked, with a cold cabinet, enchanted to keep things at exactly the right temperature for beer. Harry had found he liked a cold beer every now and then and had taken to Coulson's favourite. They had a couple of Fury's preference there as well.
Harry had a bottle of firewhiskey up for himself and both a soda and butterbeer on tap, which he had enchanted to turn water into their respective drinks. They still turned to water a while after being ingested, but sometimes you just need a cold drink and when you've had enough alcohol it was nice to not have to switch to plain water. Coulson had tried to convince him to replace the soda tap with his favourite beer, but Harry insisted that he loved his soda and Butterbeer and used them too often. They were too sweet for Coulson's tastes. He had been considering adding to the taps for them for a special occasion, but there had yet to be one.
Harry had been shocked to find both Fury and Coulson there one day when he entered for a cold one. They were sitting at the bar drinking shots of firewhiskey slowly, listening to some music on his rune-protected radio. Apparently life as the director of SHIELD left him with a strong paranoid streak and few places he felt secure enough to let off some steam. The Marauders Den was one such place. Apparently there were some things Fury had to do that he didn't like and couldn't talk to even Coulson about. Not officially anyway.
Fury liked that there was a place to talk and reason, in a place that breached no secrets. He had had Harry set up another contract with his second-in-command, Maria Hill, shortly after the den was created. She was given a demonstration and at the urging of her director signed the contract. She was then given a pouch and mirror in case Fury needed to be contacted when he was at Marauders Den. She also had an emergency portkey. Only one-way though, so if she used it she would be stuck in the room until someone came to fetch her. She could always just hitch a ride with one of the other two in that case.
Harry was in his research lab working on his research into replicating a secrecy sensor for Fury. He had finally has some success, when the book vibrated. He stopped what he was doing and opened the book. The mirror was active and he saw Fury's face, covered in dust. It was night-time and the image was dark, but Harry could tell something was very wrong.
"Agent Potter. We have had a level seven security breach at secure site alpha. We need you to get to home-base immediately. Employ Protocol WS5. I repeat WS5 is active and report to the home-base." Fury said. WS5 indicated that he was to use his best stealth and strongest protection and that it was an emergency. Harry had never been called to any of the bases outside of that first week of training. It was done to hide both his involvement with SHIELD and that he was an active agent. He had also never been told to activate WS5. He knew what that meant.
"It's that bad, sir?" Harry asked. Already moving to his room to equip his Dragon-hide Armour.
"Worse. We have many men down and a lot trapped, but we need you on stand-by. I'm bringing them in." Fury said.
"Understood. See you at home-base. Potter out." Harry closed the book and set about getting ready. He was dressed and armed with a pistol he had been told to have with him at all times. Going back to the lab, Harry picked up his latest creation and Apparated out.
Harry re-appeared on the deck of the Helicarrier. He was told where it was and had a picture of what it looked like, in-case he was ever needed. He was already invisible, for added protection Coulson had made him modify his armour. It now had a hood that he could pull over and mask he could pull up to under his eyes. He had placed a spell on the inside of the hood so he could see through it from his perspective. He had other modifications, which he had been adding to over the months that helped him with his work. He was no longer in the magical world. He had needed to evolve his ways.
Harry employed one of them now. It was a modification to the inversion hex. Bill had taught him this one. Apparently the Egyptians loved it. Normally the inversion hex affected a room, and changed gravity for the subject. For Harry, in this first setting, it would make whatever direction he wanted, be down. He walked up the side of the command deck, like he was taking a stroll on a flat surface.
He walked to where he could see through a window and a safe arrival point inside. He then cast a silencing charm on his arrival point and apparated there. No sound was heard at his arrival, on the ceiling of the command deck. He then sat down and waited.
It was a while later when Fury finally arrived. Harry, having long since gotten tired of sitting, was lying down and looking up at the people working their jobs, some taking breaks at their stations, so as not to leave their posts. Harry got up and started walking towards where Fury was. He walked down the wall and to the floor. He walked up behind Fury. Fury was staring out the window as he waited for the people he was expecting to arrive.
Harry froze Fury in place for a second and whispered, "Its me." He immediately unfroze Fury. The first time he had done it without freezing him, he had almost been shot. Fury didn't like it, but it was better than giving anything away. Fury turned to Maria and said, "Let me know when they arrive. I've got something to take care of." Then he walked away. Harry followed him.
When they arrived at Fury's office, he closed the door and pressed a button. There was an electric sound as all communications were blocked and then Fury said, "It's safe. You can come out." Harry allowed himself to slip from invisibility. He kept his hood and mask up, though.
"Good day, Director." Harry said.
"No it's not. I'm afraid we might have to break your cover and I don't know if we're ready. The Tesseract was stolen by Loki, Thor's brother. We don't know who he's working with but it seems like he can control people's minds. Like one of your unforgivables. What was it called, again?" Fury asked.
"The Imperius Curse, sir." Harry thought for a moment, seeing the desperate look in Fury's eye. "It's not easy, but it can be fought. Did the recipient's face go blank and did they only respond when spoken to by the caster?" Harry asked.
"No, he freely volunteered information. It's like he was the same person, just on the other side. His eyes seemed a different colour as well." Fury said. "Any ideas?"
"I don't know, sir. Maybe. I'm afraid I'd need to read his mind to find the cause." Harry said.
"I won't order you to do it, but if push comes to shove, we may have no choice in the matter. I've sent Romanoff to go get Banner. Coulson is going to speak with Stark and then he's picking up Rogers." Fury said.
"Coulson's going to go fan-boy on him you know." Harry frowned, "Are you sure sending her to Banner is wise?"
"She knows what she's doing. I also gave her a calming draught to give him should he need it. Worst case, she can use it as a bargaining chip. Let's just hope it works on him." Fury replied.
"Let's. Oh, I almost forgot." Harry reached into his pocket and handed the item in it to Fury.
"Is this…?" Fury asked.
"Yes. Just completed it when you called. You'll have to test it, but I know the enchantments took this time. Just be warned; people that use dark detectors too much, begin relying on them. You'll start seeing evil around every corner if you use it too much." Harry warned him.
"I'll take that into consideration." Fury said as he pocketed the item. "Stick with me. We're expecting guests. I want you to be there for the briefing."
"Yes, sir." Harry replied, becoming invisible again.
With that, Fury pressed the button again and left the room with Harry following a couple of feet behind him.
It was a short while later that Romanoff, Banner and Coulson walked into the command deck. They discussed the plan and as Romanoff was about to lead Banner to his lab, he turned and spoke directly to Fury. "Director, I need to know exactly what was in that vial. I've not been able to come up with anything like that and other mood altering drugs don't work on me at all. If there is a possibility of me living a normal life after this, I need to know. Romanoff says that you are the only one who knows where it comes from."
"I am. That information is classified, though. I can't tell you…" Fury started.
"Don't you know what that would mean for me?" Bruce interrupted. "Please, I'll do anything to just feel like myself again."
"As I was saying." Fury loudly interrupted him. Some of the agents nearby flinched and started looking at Bruce like he was a bomb. "That information is classified, but if you help us out here and this situation gets resolved, then I'll be in a position to get you more info." Fury said. He had discussed the situation with Harry once before. Harry had likened the Hulk to someone inflicted by lycanthropy. He didn't like what the army was doing and had said that he would be glad to help. Given the doctor's extreme intelligence, he might even be able to help Harry figure out how to modify the Wolfsbane Potion.
"I've actually discussed your situation with the concerned party already and they are willing to help more than just with keeping you calm, if you are willing to lend your extreme intelligence to them, they believe it might even be possible for you to maintain control when you change." How had Harry put it? 'More carrot, less stick?' "They have been busy with other projects for a while now, but might be willing to move up their schedule if I asked them to."
Bruce was dumbstruck. If that was the case, why hadn't he heard of any labs working on something like this? It must be a private research company, or Fury would just say that it's classified and left it at that. That he had already discussed the 'Other Guy', must mean that Fury was getting a different view than the army seemed to have, from whoever he was speaking to. "Um, thank you." Bruce said.
"I've not done anything for you yet, Banner. Go find me the Tesseract and then we'll talk." If Fury had any say in it, Harry and Banner would be working side-by-side and who knows what they could accomplish then. Fury was already loath to send Harry into harm's way. His value to SHIELD was astronomical. If he could have a Hulk-sized bodyguard, all the more reason to get them together.
Harry placed a listening charm on Coulson while he was talking to Rogers about signing his collection. Harry was going to have fun mocking him for this one day.
Just then they got confirmation that there was a sighting of Loki. Steve left with Widow and Fury went directly to his office, expecting Harry to follow. Once the door was closed and the security enabled, Harry became visible.
"I need you in Stuttgart. See if you can protect any of the civilians, but stay out of the way if you can. We need Loki brought in. Wait for the Captain to arrive. He's seen weapons like this before. I won't risk losing you to that staff of his. If you can, hit him with a tracking spell and then stay out of sight. Got that?" Fury asked.
"Yes, sir." Harry said and went invisible before immediately apparating away.
Harry arrived close to the location Loki was said to be. He apparated by line-of-site from there until he arrived at what seemed to be a grand ball. Guests were already screaming. Guess he was too late. He made his way inside and saw Loki walking away from a man lying bloodied on an altar. He couldn't do nothing. It had always been his problem. He went to the man once Loki had exited the room, changing into something similar to the myths he remembered of him.
Harry checked his pulse and found the man was still alive and started healing him. The eye is a delicate instrument and needed precision, so it took longer than he wanted to spend, but when it was complete, Harry obliviated him and left him unconscious where he lay. He noted the name badge said: 'Dr Heinrich Schäfer'. He'd need to remember that. Why had Loki focussed on him?
Harry then made his way outside to hear Loki speaking of free will and the need to be ruled. Why do the bad-guys always monologue? Harry then finally saw him, all three of him. Well, that sucked. He was never the best with illusion magic. Fortunately only one was speaking, so Harry made his way slowly over to him. He waited for a moment, knowing he'd have to apparate away immediately and hopefully avoid detection, so he put a silencing charm around himself in preparation.
That was apparently his first mistake. Loki spun around as if someone had called him. "What have we here? A ghost in the night, perhaps?" Loki smiled knowingly, looking around as if searching for something. "I can feel your power, so I know you're there. Why don't you show yourself? Afraid I might be too powerful for you?" He lifted his spear. "Or do you know what this can do? Are you afraid of becoming your best self, without fear? Or are you going to hope I avert my gaze so that you may strike me in the back?!" Loki shot a pulse of energy just past Harry, who stayed as still as he could, not wanting to give his position away.
"Are you a coward? Too afraid to move? Then how about I make you!?" He picked up one of the people kneeling by his side and hurled them at where he had felt Harry's magical discharge. Harry had no choice, he had to intercept the person before they broke their necks on the steps behind him. He used a momentum absorption spell at the person and caught them in his arms, allowing himself to become visible and putting the person down.
"Ah, there you are! Isn't that better? Now, why were you sent? Do they think that one man can stop me? I am a god and you are but a mortal. Whatever kind of power you wield cannot hold against my might!" Loki snarled.
"I have heard that before." Harry finally said. "I didn't believe it then either. You don't happen to have daddy issues too, do you?" Harry was hoping to keep his attention off the innocents. He did not know what a hot button subject he had stepped on.
"How dare you!?" Loki screamed. He lost control of his illusions and they disappeared. "You will suffer for your slight, you insignificant worm!" as he said this he strode to where Harry stood, spear at the ready.
"I've heard that before as well," Harry said flippantly, "do all the bad-guys buy their books at the same book store?" At this Harry apparated twenty feet back. Continuing his mocking, he said "Excuse me, sir! May I interest you in a book on bad guy catch-phrases? It's sure to drive fear into your enemies' hearts or your money back! Half price for first time Villains!"
Just as Loki was about to reach him again, he apparated 20 feet to the left of where he had been. "Seriously it's like none of you can be original!" Harry had noted that the people had finally started to run away, but one idiot was standing there with his phone recording what was happening. Having no other choice, Harry apparated to the man and the apparated him to his arrival point, before immediately returning to where he had been.
This was apparently his second mistake. Loki was standing there waiting with a smile on his face. He touched the sceptre to Harry's chest and said, "I will have all of your secrets and all of your fears and then I shall visit them upon you over and over until you scream for mercy. Then I'll have you murder anybody you hold dear before I allow you to die, but not before carving out that insolent tongue!"
Harry felt the power in the staff trying to affect him. It was washing over him, like a tidal wave of force bashing against his occlumency shields. It was not like the Imperius at all. It seemed to affect memory at some level, which is what his shields protect. He just stood there looking at Loki and then smiled. "That one was entirely new!" and he shot Loki in the face with a blasting curse. Loki flipped end over end before landing on the pavement, hard. "But it will take more than your fancy staff to take my mind. I have been through more pain and mental assaults than you can imagine and I'm immune to that and the threats of a spoiled brat! How's your nose, by the way?"
Loki, nose unfortunately still unbroken, was suddenly back on his feet faster than Harry had anticipated and shot a bolt of energy back at Harry, who had not been ready. It hit him in the chest and sent him flying. He crashed to the pavement, the air already having been knocked out of him. Loki approached him, weary of it being a trick. When Harry seemed to be in genuine pain, Loki smirked and said, "Now I'll turn you into a real ghost!"
As he unleashed another bolt, headed for Harry, Harry raised a shield, but it was unnecessary, as just before it reached him Rogers jumped in front of him with his own SHIELD. "Why is it always Germany?" he asked with mild humour.
Harry started focussing on himself as the Captain and Loki started fighting. It seemed he had landed badly and one arm was broken. He focussed his magic on the problem and a minute later, he was ready to go. He got to his feet and started jogging to where the confrontation had moved. He needed to make sure Rogers knew he was up and didn't need protecting. He wouldn't be able to use his full capabilities while he tried to keep Loki away from Harry.
Harry made himself invisible and stalked around the fighting pair. When he was sure Loki was engaged, he took a shot at the back of one leg, while becoming visible. Loki was so engrossed in the fight, he didn't take notice till it was too late. His left leg felt like it couldn't hold up a feather, let alone himself, and he started falling with a curse. "Damn you!" He pushed off with his other leg, buying himself time as he went tumbling off to the side.
"Don't let him recover!" Harry said to the Captain, who ran after him.
Loki seemed to concentrate for a moment and Harry realised he was pumping energy into the leg, forcing any unwanted energies out. A moment later he was on his feet again, just before Rogers could go for the knock-out. At this time, rock music started playing over the speakers of the nearby quinjet and then Stark was there. It was all over after one last hit from Iron Man. Loki lost possession of the staff and his clothes reverted to another style.
As Loki was led away by agents, at gunpoint, Rogers turned to Harry and asked, "Are you okay? It looked like he gave you quite the beating …" he trailed off looking at Harry's arm. He could have sworn that was broken.
"I got him as much as he got me. When he started threatening the people, I couldn't just sit back." Harry said.
"Nice fight, kid. You'll have to let me check out your tech sometime, but next time, wait for the professionals." Stark said walking up to them before Rogers could reply.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, suddenly worried even though the part of his face you could see didn't show it.
"I watched the whole thing. Didn't you notice the cameras?" Stark asked.
Harry looked up and realized the same cameras that caught Loki also got him. He sighed. Fury was going to blow a gasket.
Oh well, what's done is done. He walked onto the plane without invitation, touched Loki's head and knocked him out. He also put a tracking charm on one of his shoes. Hopefully, since it's not on his body, he wouldn't notice. When he turned, about to leave, he realized he had several guns pointed at him. "What did you do?" came the cool voice of Natasha.
"I knocked him out. Don't want him trying to escape. My work here is done so I have to leave now." Harry replied in clipped tones.
"I'm afraid you'll have to come with us," was her reply. "We don't know you. We don't know who you work for."
Harry just sighed again and turned towards her, "Don't you know me 'Natalie'?" Harry asked whispering the name so only she could hear and winked. Her eyes widened for a moment, but Harry put a finger over his mouth and looked sideways to where the other people were standing behind him.
Having realised who he was and knowing he was in some way connected to SHIELD, she knew to keep her suspicions to herself. Nodding slightly and lowering her weapon, she made eye contact with one of the agents and said, "Let him go. He's a friendly."
Immediately they lowered their weapons and Harry walked out. Steve smiled at him and said, "Thanks for the assistance. I realize not everybody would risk themselves for others." he looked over at Stark as he said this.
Before Stark could interject, Harry spoke up, "Don't be so hard on him, Captain. He's not a soldier and doesn't need to do what he does. He's famous enough without it. He puts himself at risk anyway. The rest of the time he's an ass, but a well-meaning one. Nobody challenges him intellectually, I suspect, the one thing he values above all else." Harry defended Stark.
Stark was quiet for a moment, before asking, "Who are you?" unintentionally copying Rogers' thought.
"That, Mr Stark is my secret. And don't give the old man a hard time. He comes from a time where sarcasm wasn't funny, but rude. Your modus operandi will not just confound him but also cause problems between you." Harry said with a knowing look. "That being said," here he turned to Rogers, "I believe you owe Mr. Stark and apology. Your insinuation just now was derogatory and I expected better of you. What would Coulson think?"
Steve actually looked at his feet before nodding and saying, "You're right." He turned to Stark, "I am sorry for my insinuation. It was uncalled for." he said sincerely.
"No problem." Stark said. He was watching the man with the hood and mask as he looked between the two of them.
"Good. I've really got to go. See you later." And with that he walked around the jet, turned invisible and Apparated out.
"Did he just say 'see you later'?" Tony asked.
"Yes he did." Steve said.
"Weird." Tony said. Rogers agreed, but didn't say it.
Five minutes later, Fury was his office with Coulson and Harry. Both of them were staring at Harry. "What, I said I was sorry! How could I know he could detect my magic? At that point I needed to intervene before he started killing innocents, trying to get me to reveal myself!" Harry explained for the second time.
"We know." Fury said. He was still staring daggers.
"What we want to know is why you didn't knock the cameras out. You've never been caught before." Coulson said.
"When I was done saving that Schäfer guys' life, I realized he had no problems with hurting innocent people. I couldn't let them suffer because of my mistake. I can't allow that to ever happen again, not after Sirius." Harry said all that without emotion.
"Fair enough." Fury let out a sigh, and then he smirked ever so slightly. "Well I guess the cat's out of the bag. Someone uploaded a video of you taunting Loki and it's gone viral."
"Was it from a phone?" Harry asked thinking about the guy he had apparated to safety.
"No. Why, was there a phone?" Fury asked.
"I don't think that footage would have survived the Apparition, but I had to get back to Loki, so I didn't check." Harry explained.
"The footage was from a CCTV feed." Coulson said.
"Stark! Why does he do these things?" Harry asked. "Now I'm going to have punish him. Should be fun. Bring a camera." Harry suddenly smiled at the thought.
"Enough about that. I think it's time we discussed your participation in the Avengers Initiative." Fury said.