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After defeating Voldemort Harry Potter spent his life running; running from home, running from friends, but most of all he was running from death - not literally, because at this point; at his 304 years of age he wanted nothing more than to join his loved ones, but unfortunately the great Albus Dumbledore didn't ever consider the life he subjected to by letting Harry collect the hallows. It was at the age of 36 when he returned to the UK for the last time. He had been exploring the world and finally got to see what he was denied during his childhood, he spent years exploring country after country. But after an unfortunate encounter with an ancient tomb in Greece and a chance encounter that would change his life as he knew it; he decided to go home.
Little did he know that his return would be met with outright scorn when returning – he dropped in on his friends Hermione and Ron finding them less than receptive to his unplanned escape, his friends who were there for him through thick and thin began to berate him for not taking up what they perceived to be as his duties and finally when he got a word in edgewise he decided enough was enough;
“Very well then, I assumed as the two who knew me the most, knew what my life was like before during and after my life in the wizarding world would understand why I felt the need to have some time for myself. You were my first thought at coming back but seeing how little you have changed and are acting now I am glad to have left.”
“How dare you?” Hermione screeched. But Ron remained silent for once realising what was about to happen, he’d seen his friend like this very few times but whenever it happened Harry tended to get his way, for the most part his friend was passive and let people walk all over him before finally drawing a line in the sand. The last time had been when he had dated a slytherin and naturally Ron had some choice words with him but unlike the usual where their fights were two friends who blew up at each other they were normally fine within a couple days. Harry’s reaction that time however was not a blowup or equalling the infamous Weasley temper. No, this time his words were methodical, slow and almost detached.
“You won’t win this fight Ron, Daphne was with us throughout during the DA, she was always open and accepting and if you cannot get over your petty vengeance towards all things Slytherin then you’re no better than Malfoy you useless bigot”
The words had hit him like a physical blow that his best mate would compare him to someone who spent the entire time antagonising them but what hurt worse was the expression on his face, the ice that his ex-girlfriend was known for was a warm summers day compared to the hardened look in his friends eye as if he was nothing more than an ant to squish under his boot. He wasn’t even able to reply remembering the look on his brothers face so he tucked tail and ran. It was this exact same face that was currently unleashing a verbal smackdown on his wife and once again Ron found himself unable to reply as he knew what was about to happen. The so-called golden trio had been torn apart with Harry’s absence and Hermione took it rough especially with the wizarding world’s stagnation without their so called “hero” to look up to.
Ron used to be jealous of all the attention his best mate used to get simply by existing, but as he grew up and he and his wife were left without the “golden” part of the trio he realised the folly of fame and the reliance on the wizard world had on their heroes. He and Hermione had pretty much been indoctrinated into positions of power as to force them to not leave like Harry had done. Hermione may have been reacting out of pain and anger for once she was the slow one in the group for once as she was still pushing and Ron, the chess master, the general of the group could only silently map out his brothers face as the realisation hit that the rift of Harry leaving was a quite pleasant dream he had built into his head. The truth was the trio had been disbanded for 20 years, and he was only just starting to realise. He opened his mouth to say something, anything but Hermione made one last mistake:
“Always so irresponsible and leaving me to clean up after you, Ron and I have been rebuilding the wizarding world without any help, communication or anything from you. I thought you had gotten past this behaviour at 15 when you got Sirius killed.” Hermione breathed out, her hair literally frizzing with the buildup of magic, but it might have been a drop in the ocean because all of a sudden the temperature in the living room went below zero, the world stopped as Hermione slapped her hand over her mouth and Ron watched his friend who had gone from blank and cold to completely and utterly still.
“Harry I am so sorry that was uncalled for I was just so worried and –“
“Enough,” this time his tone was picked up by both and both knew this was over, Ron hadn’t been quick enough to speak up and prevent the fallout and this was it. His teeth were chattering from how ice cold the temperature was now and both he and Hermione could see the shadows behind their friend literally lengthen as if any light was allergic to him.
“I’m done, I came back to come and see my brother and sister and you two are so pathetically pretending that the wizarding world didn’t make its own problems – you’re so proud of your so called achievements at keeping the pathetic sheep of this world afloat that you’re willing to berate me while it’s you who memory charmed your parents so that they’re no longer aware of you. I may have killed Sirius out of negligence but don’t doubt you killed your parents willingly and knowingly.
The words were delivered with such vitriol that Hermione immediately burst into tears and Ron’s ears went red with anger, but for once he didn’t react. He knew at this point his two best friends; his wife and brother had said the worst thing they could think of to each other, and he wasn’t sure how they were going to come back from this. Before anything else could be said however he fell to his knees as a loud CRACK echoed through his and Hermione’s house and his best mate was gone. Hermione collapsed as tears spread through her cheeks and he sidled up next to her, cradling her hair into his shoulder.
“I shouldn’t have said that, why would I say that, oh god Ron he’s not going to forgive me” Hermione bawled. Ron sighed:
“Herms, he was already too far gone. I’ve only ever been on the end of an argument like that with Harry once. He told me to leave him and his relationship with Daphne alone or he’d be done with me. It wasn’t the words he said but his tone of voice that made me back off the subject. I think the trio has been a duo for quite a while now.”
Hermione said nothing, staring at the wall behind with unwavering focus her breath hitching into her husband’s shoulder.
A month later a lone figure stood at Hogwarts next to Hagrid’s hut staring at the path he once walked into the forbidden forest. He’d thought with his return his friends and himself would have gotten through to the message he’d received in that temple, but now alone he was, alone he shall be. He was sat there for quite a while imagining the path walked remembering his last stint with death when he felt a familiar motherly warmth step by his side.
“Potter” the strict voice stated, with an undeniable edge of affection.
“Hello professor” he replied still not turning around when he felt a dainty hand slip through the crook of his elbow as he was shoved into a massive hug.
“It’s good to see you Harry”
“You too McgonaMum” he replied with a smirk. She shook her head at his antics
“Alright Potter, you’ve been here for three hours, call it a head of house’s intuition but I think you need something so come on up and let’s see if we can sort it out”
Harry was pulled forcibly along by his old school professor, and as he reemerged into the great hall of Hogwarts he was met with the familiar feeling of home, the castle seemed to respond to his reappearance as torches blared brighter, and stairs would move as if accommodating the man and woman on the way to their office.
“What’s troubling you Harry?” Mcgonagall asked from behind her desk, the question rendered him mute as he had a flashback to his time in Greece:
Falling through a hole in the ancient tomb – coughing up blood as he got up and was immediately met with bright orange flames – an entity called the phoenix force – “be careful master of death, do not forget to embrace life”
He recounted his experience to his professor asking if she had hopefully seen or heard from Fawkes since Dumbledore’s death, she was unable to help him however but insisted that whatever he need he come back. After spending a couple of hours with her he departed for his next location, however on his way he was slammed into by a familiar flash of blonde hair.
“Daphne” his eyes lighting up upon seeing her, however her expression remained resolute and closed off
“Potter, finally back then, are we?”
“No, sorry just had to check on something, you take care of yourself Daph” Harry replied, his eyes noticeably dimming on her response but before he could continue down the hall he was slammed against the wall and kissed within an inch of his life.
“You’ve got your I’m about to do something stupid face on Harry, I know it well seeing as the last time I saw it you broke up with me.” She reached up to cup his face “I will always love you but darling whatever you have done is obviously significant as you look the exact same as you did when we broke up, shouldn’t you have, you know, aged in the past 20 years?
Harry’s sharp intake of breath was all she needed to know was that he hadn’t realised how deep his problem was, so Harry found himself dragged into a room he never contemplated he would ever return to. Snape’s old dungeon office. Before he could say anything however he had his hands full of sobbing blonde which froze his mind as he had never seen his powerful ex cry. A couple hours later he got up from where they were laid next to eachother placed a tender kiss on her forehead.
“I will always love you too princess” he whispered, kissing her briefly on the lips once more before grabbing his clothes and leaving. Daphne’s eyes popped open a single tear rolled down her cheek before being replaced by her expressionless mask once more.
268 years had passed since his last cowardly goodbye to the love of his life, Hermione and Ron never were able to find him again, looking back the rift between his and his former friends had been quite childish in hindsight but after the emotional upheavals of his life he was looking for any excuse to lash out. He saw them one last time when Hermione inducted into being chief warlock of the winzengamot at the age of 62. The youngest ever, he was proud. They didn’t know he was there Polyjuice being a very useful potion. Someone did though she never mentioned knowing he was there and didn’t try to break up his self-enforced isolation. But had kept a literal murder board of little things to keep up with her ex. Her current husband, Nott had never found it as it was hidden in a fidelius in their walk-in closet, but she knew now what had happened to the love of her life and she was at once depressed because he would never allow her to help him and furious that some higher power was fucking with her man. She would live to the age of 203 and on her deathbed, she felt the same kiss on her forehead that she remembered all too well dying with a smile on her face.
Now at 304 Harry had finally had a breakthrough, Fawkes had finally reappeared 2 years back and had bonded with him, they were able to speak nonverbally and his new and improved connection with the phoenix had allowed him to figure out his possession of the hallows had made him all but immortal. Fawkes had come up with a ritual sacrificing him and the hallows in a suicidal trip into being reborn. Sacrificing his immortality for an equal exchange of one more lifetime so here he was sat cross legged next to the immortal bird.
“Thankyou my friend” Harry stated smiling at the only thing he had left, Fawkes let out a mournful trill before igniting the braziers surrounding him and just like that pain worse than a thousand crucios ignited his being and Harry screamed.
8-year-old Harry Black was currently still as a statue next to other operatives of the red room, he had learnt when he was captured by the shady organisation to bide his time. He was sickened by the red room but somehow, they had managed to prevent his powers with a collar. He had been here for 3 years at this point, and he hated to admit but the indoctrination that the Soviets had put him through was starting to work just so he could get through the monotony of day-to-day life he was close to giving in. Today was different though, most of the girls he was surrounded by were already drinking the shit that the red room was shovelling. Today however he was disturbed from his peace by a tiny red head girl who he had to assume was only a little younger than him. Her little hand slipped into his as soulful sea green eyes look at him.
“Why are you the only boy here?”
Harry smirked at the precocious child, she’d just been captured by a terrorist organisation, and she had the sheer brass to introduce herself like this. For someone as jaded as Harry she was a breath of fresh air. He turned to look at her and said:
“You have strength, what is your name?”
“Natalia”
“Well Natalia” he said looking into her eyes with a gaze that reminded her of someone far older than what his age suggested “Hold onto that strength and do not let anyone take it from you. These people are the worst that humanity has to offer and they will try to break you, never let that happen”
He squeezed her hand and just as he was about to leave his collar shocked him and as he fell to his knees gritting his teeth, as she tried to follow to help, he shook his head hoping she would take the hint. He’d been punished for his words but even if he died in this place, he was happy that he got to help. She seemed to understand the message as she slipped through back to the new arrivals, holding his gaze for a bit before she turned to follow them down the corridor.
Harry and Natalia or Natasha as she was renamed by Dreykov the leader of the red room were there for 10 years. Harry tried to help as much as possible, but privacy wasn’t much of a thing for the assassins-in-training. Harry knew his time was coming too as the red room had a new project that had been introduced a year ago. An American that had been captured by HYDRA and had literally been brainwashed into the perfect assassin. Meaning the little boy with mystical powers that had refused to use them even under pain of the shock collar was becoming obsolete. Unfortunately, Harry had failed to realise that even those private moments between him and his precious Natalia had been recognised by Dreykov and to solidify the best Black Widow they possibly could have, he was going to end up as part of a sick test. He was headed to the training room stoically awaiting what yet another torture session. Dreykov entered minutes later
“Ah, Harry my boy” not noticing Harry’s minor flinch at the term “It is time for the graduation of the widows and you too, are you ready?”
“Aye sir” Harry responded, face as stoic as ever
“Good” Dreykov said, he held up some kind of blue cube that’s power input was so strong that Harry could feel that his collar wasn’t blocking his powers, but before he could do anything the automatic door opened once again and in walked Natalia whose stoic face froze for a second when seeing Harry standing next to Dreykov.
“Ah, Natalia, fantastic, you are the best widow we have ever trained. Meaning this is your graduation test…” he paused for dramatic effect, “all you have to do is kill this useless recruit” he laughed manically knowing the relationship between the two had transformed from their first meeting into an unlikely joining of best friends. She was closed to Harry then she was to Yelena her sister and this was the ultimate test of loyalty. He grinned inwardly.
Natasha’s face froze as she looked into Harry’s eyes, the emerald and sea green meeting and she could tell by the tick in his jaw that he knew what was happening and blaming himself, he seemed to gather himself and with one gaze she knew that there was no getting out of this she knew Harry’s fighting style and he knew hers, they were best at missions together and were able to intuitively know what the other was thinking. Harry read off her face that she wasn’t going to be able to do it, the one thing he had always told her was to never break and she was going to do something stupid like defy Dreykov so he did the only thing he could do, his flying fist was caught by the girl who looked at him in betrayal before hardening and the fight began to step up from that point. Both friends began for real and soon both were covered in bruises and blood. Natasha was more aggressive than usual not understanding why her friend was going along with this, he was the only thing she had left even her sister had broken at some point. The little boy who told her not to break had broken and she was feeling super betrayed, she couldn’t even read him anymore and her brain was calculating all the different things Dreykov had said to him before she had arrived to make him act as such. But then out of nowhere his eye flickered and the old Harry reappeared smiling warmly at her, it was such an abrupt change that she didn’t react in time and her knife went sailing into his heart.
Her breath caught in her chest as she looked into the emerald pools of the boy she loved but refused to admit to it, he mouthed thankyou to her just as he pressed his fingers next to the knife surrounding his chest and the air shimmered, blood seemed to flow out of the wound covering her in some weird blood red shield, he smiled at her blood dribbling from his mouth as he turned and said.
“Goodbye Natalia”
She pounded at the shield screaming at him, but he didn’t respond, just pressed more of the blood into his chest which formed into a massive spear of blood and shot out towards Dreykov who was stunned into silence.
“You were able to do this all this time, and you didn’t reveal it? He demanded incredulously. Looking up into the smirking face of Harry Black. But as the blood reached into the blue cube it seemed to spark, and Harry’s felt something primal and the hairs on the back of his neck raised. Probably out of all the stupid things he had done in his long-lived life he grabbed the cube. It burned his skin and the collar he was wearing finally fizzled and slipped off leaving a clear white band around his neck from the device not having been taken off. He chanced one look back at Natalia realising this was something beyond what humanity should have a hand of. She was still pounding the shield and some cracks had began to form so he did the only thing he could and created another one around him Dreykov and the cube which finally fizzled flashed once and once again Harry was experiencing that burning sensation only this time his screams weren’t the only ones, Dreykov literally being boiled alive in front of him and Natasha had finally broken from where she was just in time for his new shield to implode taking him, the cube and Dreykov from the room. Natasha arrived just in time to see her knife clatter to the ground, covered in the blood of the only companion she had had for over 10 years.
Harry slammed into the ground bleeding profusely. Opening his eyes he was able to make out some massive kind of creature that looked kind of look a demonic version of the gigantic squid from Hogwarts.
“Hmmm hell doesn’t seem too bad if this is meant to be scary”
Just as he finished his sentence a woman landed in front of him holding a shield and sword and batted the demonic creature away, grabbing him and throwing him over his shoulder and sprinting away.
“Just leave me, I’m dying anyways, save yourself weird medieval woman who definitely shouldn’t be in Soviet Russia”
“Names Peggy Carter kid and I’m afraid you’re not in hell and you’re also not dying”
Harry froze, touching the wound on his chest and screamed
“NO NO NO NO, THIS BETTER BE THIS FUCKING DIMENSION THAT’S HEALING ME AND NOT ME, YOU HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO GET RID OF IMMORTALITY”
Carter paused while still carrying him
“Look I’m all for company in this shitty place but how did you get here and can you not scream before the creature catches up to us again”
“Fuck you, I swear to every god in existence if I don’t get to finally die and get to the afterlife, I’m going to hunt them down and slaughter them”
“Wow you’re a melodramatic kid, aren’t ya?”
Harry just flicked her forehead, jumping off her shoulder and started to walk next to her, eventually they reached some kind of cave made of pink viscous meaty liquid. They sat there, shoulder to shoulder just trying to acclimatise to whatever had happened to them within the last couple of hours. Peggy ended up relating how she ended up trying to help the US forces steal some kind of cosmic cube from a nazi named the Red Skull and Harry explaining the red room and how he had been apart of the assassin-in-training program that loved to indoctrinate kids for soviet Russia.
Eventually after a couple hours of relating to each other the cave seemed to vibrate and the same portal that dragged them from their home reality popped back into being, just as the big tentacle monster followed from the other end. Harry stood up crossing his arms and screamed releasing a telekinetic pulse from his arms pushing the monster back. Turning to Peggy he said,
“Might as well see if you can get yourself out of here Captain”
Peggy gauged him for barely a second before grabbing him and they were forcibly pulled through some kind of wormhole with the alien following behind. They ended up in some sort of laboratory surrounded by scientists and men in blue and black uniforms jaws agape. Just before anyone could say anything one of the tentacles came out, wrapping around Peggy before she sliced the tentacle off and Harry threw out another concussive blast, half the monster’s face was in the portal just as it seemed to have a power cut slicing it in half. Harry turned to Peggy and said:
“Well, that’s disgusting”
Her response was to just give him a look indicating that his humour was not appreciated in this situation.
“Wait you’re telling me its currently 2011?” Harry asked incredulously, looking at the guy who was currently trying to annihilate him with a staring contest
“Yes” he replied shortly, “now who the hell are you two, because currently, Peggy Carter is in a hospital bed at the ripe old age of 93”
Peggy gasped from beside him, so he let a hand drop on her shoulder squeezing it comfortably.
“Alright, I’m Harry Black, I was trained by the red room since I was 5 years old until the idiot in charge Dreykov decided to battle with forces beyond his comprehension by capturing a tiny blue cube that allowed me a chance to escape, I fell through a portal assuming I was in hell until I found this vision next to me, didn’t feel too hell like after tha-augh”
Peggy elbowed him in the stomach and shot him a very dry look before explaining that she was trying to stop Hydra and Red skull before the eldritch thing came through and she pushed it back into the portal saving Howard Stark and Steve Rogers and then the dumbass next to her fell through a minute or two later. At this point Fury was physically rubbing his eyes trying to deal with the headache that these two were currently causing him. He was about to call for Romanoff and Rogers to join him when the portal once again pulsed bringing all 3 alert. Peggy grabbing her sword and pointing it. Harry’s presence in the room got a little sharper and gravity seemed to increase and fury cocked a pistol at the portal just as a man with spiked horns and a green robe introduced himself.
“I am Loki, prince of Asgard, Earth is now my domain… KNEEL”
He roared spreading out his arms and the blue gem in his sceptre pulsed once, but before he could continue his eyes locked onto Harry’s and his eyebrow quirked up.
“A Seidr? Wow I thought you were wiped out ages ago, join me seidr and we can rule over these apes”
Harry burst out laughing, wheezing and literally clutching at his sides as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Do all bad guys have the same book or something? Fucking hell, I thought I was talking to old Voldeshorts again, do you have daddy issues too?
Loki’s reaction was to tense his jaw and slam the staff in the ground literally causing quakes throughout the building before grabbing the scientist next to him named Selvig and tapping him with his spear, spinning it around and doing the same to an archer trying to sneak up on him. Seeing this Fury seemed to speak into his ear for a second which was followed by explosions causing the building to start collapsing around them. Harry and Peggy shared a look before they grabbed fury and started to sprint out of the collapsing building grabbing a jeep followed closely by Loki and his new subordinates. Loki blasting blue beams of energy behind them at frequent intervals. Eventually they made it out just as Loki exploded the car that they were in, sending them flying just as the building collapsed behind them and Loki drove off.
Not long after a helicopter arrived with Fury’s second in command Maria Hill who seemed to appraise Harry for a second which was unlike her and made Fury tense for a second.
“Harry Black?” Maria questioned
“No clue who that is” Harry replied, once again being elbowed by Peggy
Maria seemed to tense before nodding and they were all sent back to Fury’s helicarrier. Harry whistled when it came into view
“I’ve been to the future and the past and nothing was built quite like that”
Peggy rolled her eyes but seemed to be riveted to the massive machine too. Eventually Fury brought them into a conference room and explained the Avenger’s initiative and brought up the screens showing Tony Stark in an Iron man suit blowing up terrorist cells making Harry whistle again, Bruce Banner turning into a green troll made his eyes quirk up. Finally, the other two videos played, and he froze in his seat unconsciously clutching Peggy’s arm who seemed to squeeze his right back, both their gazes fixed unwavering on the screen, Peggy was staring at a Steve much different to the one she remembered, this one was super muscular and was wearing a suit very similar to her own. Harry had his jaw clenched as he saw Natasha infiltrate the red room effectively dismantling it from the inside.
A couple hours later Peggy and Harry were noticeably silent staring at the wall trying to figure out what the fuck they were going to do, they went from being forcibly ejected from their previous places in their own timeline/dimension into the future where old faces that they recognised were now being assembled to join them to stop a possible alien incursion.
“So, a lot huh?”
Peggy let out a little chuckle appreciating Harry’s stupid little comments, it was weird, they had only met for hours but in that moment of weakness where Harry was complaining about not dying, she had figured out quite a bit about the sarcastic git. One that he was unreservedly a hero and two that he was super jaded. Still with him there it was a lot easier to adjust to being caught out on this brand new mission. Just as she was about to reply, the automatic doors slid open and three people walked in, two people visibly inhaling sharply. Steve seemed to recover first moving towards Peggy with a determined gait
“Pegs?”
Interrupted by Harry’s harsh laughter
“Pegs, I’m going to have to use that one Carter”
“Shut it Black”
Once again interrupted by yet another inhale from the redhead that had heard his name being used, Harry finally turned and once again sea green met emerald and she saw his face, the noticeable smirk and the blood on his clothes that reminded her of the worst time of her life, unlike Steve who walked slowly to Peggy she sprinted to Harry puncing him in the face.
“Well at least I know I’m in the right dimension” Harry chuckled only to be punched in the face again so he wrapped Natalia in a hug as she ineffectively beat his back.
“I’m here Natalia, I’m here”
“Stupid fucking idiot, if you ever do something like that again I will kill you”
“I missed you too Natalia”
She grabbed his ear twisting it
“It’s Natasha now”
“You’ll always be Natalia to me”
In another corner of the room Peggy and Steve were wrapped around each other, two super soldiers trying their best to break the other in a back breaking hug. Bruce stood off awkwardly to the side trying to figure out what was going on.