Chapter 56: Chapter Fifty-Six
Harry had stared at the page for a full minute, before Varko spoke up, "Do you want me to copy directions down for you? You wouldn't need to memorise the page that way." Harry was still stunned, but shook his head. He pulled out his phone and took a picture. As the flash went off, Varko blinked his eyes. "What is that?"
Harry turned the screen so that Varko could see it, "I took a picture. This is common technology from my world."
"This is marvellous!" Varko exclaimed as he took the phone from Harry's hand. "You can just copy anything like this?"
"I can do even better." Harry said as he took the phone back. "I can send it to anyone that has a similar device." To demonstrate Harry sent it to Tony. "See, now my pilot has the location as well. I can also send him instructions in either text or in my own voice." The conversation was helping. He was still shocked, but his occlumency was helping regain control.
"Text?" Varko asked, before getting a gleam in his eye. "Could this device copy a book?"
"I believe it could." Harry confirmed. "Let me quickly find out." He pulled up Tony's contact and called.
Their ship had an IRDR, which was standard for all PI/EPI ships, so that they could stay in contact.
Tony soon picked up, "Harry? Aren't you in the other room?"
"Yes. I'm just demonstrating what a phone can do for Varko." Harry said. "I also wanted to know if the phone could store books and if so, how many?"
Tony did some quick calculations, while he replied, "Of course. Books, once digitised to text, could take as little as a one megabyte, so considering the space on your phone, you should be able to store up to a hundred and thirty thousand books on your phone."
"Thanks Tony." Harry said. "Did you get the map?"
"We were looking at it when you called." Tony confirmed. "Are we going there today?"
"We'll probably go to the site, but not through the pathway. I'd like to check something." Harry denied.
"Okay, see you later. Eitri's showing us the forge." Tony said and hung up.
"Damnit! I wanted to see the forge too!" Harry whined, welcoming the change from the troubling thought.
"Well?" Varko asked.
"Well, what?" Harry asked.
"Books, boy, books!" Varko insisted.
"Oh, right. Tony said my phone could potentially store over a hundred thousand books." Harry said.
"Hundred thousand?!" the dwarf exclaimed as he sat down heavily. "I could read a new book every day for the rest of my life and never run out of things to learn!"
"Are you interested?" Harry asked. "Remember, not all of our books are educational. There's a large variety of everything from romance and comedy, to science and science-fiction. All of it in all the languages of my world."
The old dwarf just smiled at him, "You have obviously not been taught Allspeak. Do you think I'm speaking your native language now?"
Harry remembered Thor mentioning something like that. "That's right! I still need to learn that!"
"I'd suggest you put it at the top of your priorities if you want to read any of these books without me having to translate for you." Varko said. "Not that I mind, of course! I would also like to request access to some of your books or stores of information. It would be great to have a new source of entertainment around here. I am too old to take part in training exercises."
"I'll make a note of it for you. I'm sure we can arrange access to a digital library." Harry said.
"I really do appreciate that. Least of all my sight!" Varko seemed to suddenly remember as he jumped up again and started humming a song as he started packing the books in the correct order. "I'll be at this all day." he muttered. Harry thought he sounded happy at the prospect.
He wondered if this dwarf was the exception, or the rule. He had seemed to adapt so easily to the idea of seeing again that he had forgotten the fact almost instantly and went back to work. Shrugging his shoulder he walked out of the library to find Radek waiting for him. He had apparently been listening the entire time if the look of respect he saw was any indication.
"You truly are divinely gifted in the art of creation!" Radek said. "To have given a blind man his eyes back with only slight effort, all so that he could find you a small amount of information? Your feat here today will be told to any who sees the old man suddenly having recovered his sight and spirits!" he enthused.
"I wish I could say I invented the magic involved, but it is something I do for all of the people I can." Harry said. "I can also create artificial limbs for those who lost them and sometimes even fix birth defects." When Radek's eyes bulged, Harry held up his hands, "I'm not bragging, honest. I'd like you to spread the word, though. If there are any in need, then I'll make the time to come help, just as soon as I'm done with my current mission."
"Of course, King Harry." Radek said. "I'll make sure there is a list made, with priorities as needed."
"Thanks." Harry said. "Where are you leading me, by the way?"
"You said you wanted to see the forges, correct?" Radek asked as they came to a large door, which he swung open with ease. "Welcome to the forges of Nidavellir."
Harry was astounded at the sight. He had seen the energy being drawn from the sun for a moment as they approached the station, but what he was seeing now was much more… just more. There were fires burning in many locations, with dwarves working at them, but their fuel seemed to be a large construct in the middle, where he could see the spheres from the sun leading.
"So it works like a battery for solar energy?" Harry murmured to himself.
"Not exactly." a deep voice said from off to the side. Eitri was leading the others to them, "It's pure heat and power."
"So how many millions of degrees of heat can this battery take?" Tony asked.
"Many." Eitri said with a smirk. "I'm afraid I can't share the process of its creation. It is one of our dearest secrets."
"Fair enough." Tony said. "Harry probably wouldn't even need that to work with Uru. He can melt Vibranium with pure magic… and a trick or two."
"Truly?" Eitri asked. "Would you be willing to try?"
"Not today, if you don't mind." Harry said. "Fiendfyre is dangerous in the best of circumstances. I'd rather not unleash it on a space station, even if I can control it completely." he apologised. "We also have to start moving." He turned to Tony, "Did he sign?"
"Yes." Tony said. "I realised that you couldn't leave the sword here otherwise. You do intend to leave it here, right?"
"I don't have any plans for it." Harry confirmed before turning to Eitri again. "I realise I'm speaking to a weapon smith, but I'm going to warn you again: Not one scratch with that sword. If you even so much as knick yourself, you will die."
"You have warned me twice now." Eitri confirmed solemnly. "I will make certain that my people know that you are not to blame if I end up killing myself accidentally."
"How about you just make sure you don't die?" Harry asked. He looked around, "Where's Rocket?"
"He saw something and ran off." Natasha said. "Loki went after him."
"Oh, boy. Let's go find them." Harry said urgently.
"Why, what's wrong?" Eitri asked.
"Rocket is a kleptomaniac and Loki is a prankster." Harry informed him. "Put them together and leave them alone and things might end up becoming… interesting."
They found Rocket being magically restrained by Loki as he eyed a Dwarf with a peg leg.
"What is it with you and prosthetics?" Harry asked exasperatedly. "Thanks Loki." He said under his breath at Loki.
"What? Can't a guy have a hobby?" Rocket asked.
Harry spotted something, "Is that a chunk of Uru in your satchel?"
"No! Um, I mean, I brought this from home." Rocket lied badly, as he winked at Harry very openly.
Harry couldn't help it as he started laughing. "You really are incorrigible!" He used a summoning spell for 'stolen ore' from the satchel and was surprised to find quite a bit of stuff flying out of the satchel. "Is that an expanded bag?" he asked.
Rocket ignored him and huffed as the chunks of metal levitated in front of Eitri, who took them and threw the largest chunk back at Rocket. "You may have that piece. If you find a way to manipulate it without the power of a sun, then you deserve it."
Rocket cheered up and put it back in his satchel. He looked at Harry, "What? I don't tell you not to magic. Don't tell me not to steal."
Harry continued chuckling and caught a glance from Eitri. Fortunately he wasn't upset as much as amused. It's not like Harry was lying to him. "And the bag?" Tony asked.
"Expanded space rune cluster." Rocket agreed. "You'd be surprised what you can steal if people don't see you walking away with their stuff, especially when it's large stuff."
Soon Tony and Rocket were discussing his rune cluster for space expansion, while Harry and Eitri discussed what he could tell them about his form of enchantment. From what Harry could tell it would be very difficult to impossible for him to use their method. They may be able to use his runes though, so he drew Tony and Rocket back into the conversation as they made their way back to the ship.
"We'll be in touch." Harry greeted the dwarf king. "I promised Varko books and Radek will be setting up a waiting list for magical prosthetics."
"What's this?" Eitri asked as he turned to Radek.
"King Harry was able to restore the sight of Varko, with enchanted glass things." Radek said, lamely.
"They are called glasses or eyewear and they aren't really a necessary part, since I can enchant eye-patches and glass eyes as well, but I thought glasses would suit the Librarian perfectly." Harry explained.
"Indeed. King Harry told me that he'd be willing to create these constructs for our people to replace lost limbs and correct disfigurement." Radek said excitedly.
"Not all disfigurement." Harry apologised. "It depends on their physiology. If something is fundamentally different, it may be impossible."
Eitri looked stunned at Harry, "I thought you went to the library to find out about Niflheim?"
"I needed someone to read for me since I don't know your written language." Harry shrugged.
"How quickly do you enchant?" Eitri asked, shocked. He hadn't been gone all that long after all.
"He can do things pretty quickly." Natasha said proudly. "He can enchant an item for intent-based flight in under half an hour." She said referring to the carpets. Brooms were quicker, but more difficult to explain.
"Half an hour?" Eitri asked. "How do you summon such power so quickly?"
Harry just smirked and made his power ring visible, "You have your batteries and I have mine."
Eitri's eyes widened comically, "I sense many, multiple times your normal power through that ring! How is that possible?"
Harry kept smiling, but Natasha replied for him, "Just as your construction methods are secret, so are Harry's. How did you put it? It's one of your dearest secrets?"
"Natasha is right." Harry said. "I can't tell you how I made it, but it does allow me near instant access to massive amounts of stored energy." He let the ring vanish from sight again.
"How are you hiding it so that I can't even sense it?" Eitri asked.
"That would be a whole other kind of secret." Harry smiled. Who knew Fidelius charms could be switched off and on again, as long as they are kept small?
Eitri nodded, finally understanding what Harry had offered with his friendship, so he lowered himself to one knee, to get to Harry's level and held out a hand. Harry grew his hand comically, but was able to grasp hands with Eitri. "You will be a good friend to have." he said. "You may call upon us if you are ever in need of aid. And tell your other brother that we will embrace an alliance based on equality, as you have shown us you are capable."
"Likewise. If you have need of help, you know who to contact." Harry said, before he turned and entered the ship.
They lifted off and started heading to the planet the long way. "Should I stop so you can make a portal?"
"I think we need to discuss something first." Harry said. "Everyone here, but Rocket, knows about the Master of Death."
"What's that?" Rocket asked predictably. Loki quickly filled Rocket in, with a nod from Harry. "Summon the dead?" Rocket asked incredulously. "Nice."
"It's not something I chose." Harry said.
Rocket just shrugged. "I've seen stranger things."
"Probably." Harry said with a nod. "Anyway-" he started. He told them of the significance of the symbol and how he wanted to see the site to find out if it was just coincidentally used or if what he feared was true. He also told them of the horrors. If his fears were true, then he was meant to go to the indicated location. It was predestined, and he hated prophecies.
Tony slowed them to a stop and Harry opened a portal to just outside the atmosphere above the indicated location. They soon arrived on the surface and slowed the ship as they looked down on what seemed to be some sort of stronghold next to a large mountain. There was the remnants of an ancient road leading off to the side of the mountain and what appeared to be a collapsed cave, barely visible in the distance.
"What do you think?" Harry asked nobody in particular.
"It looks like it was built to keep something in." Tony said pointing at the obvious doors and the giant bars of solid metal blocking the door from opening from the outside.
"If this was built to block an opening from Niflheim, then it would explain the precautions." Loki said.
"There." Natasha said pointing above the door, where a Triangle with a Circle in it, which was bisected with a Line, appeared. "Seems to be an identifying mark. Does it mean anything, Loki?"
"Nothing that I recognise." Loki said. "It isn't unheard of for places of power to be marked with unique identifying symbols." he offered.
"No." Harry denied. "There's something here. I can tell I'm meant to be here. I just don't know if I'm supposed to be here now or if I'm supposed to just continue with my plans to come back when I'm ready."
"I vote for when you're ready." Tony said. "No offense, but these Demon-tors sound like we'll need some prep."
"Dementors." Harry corrected before nodding. "I didn't intend to go today anyway. I'll need the help of Strange for what I have planned."
"Strange?" Tony asked.
"Yes." Harry nodded in thought. "Okay, we can go." he said. "I'd rather we don't spend any unnecessary time here."
Tony agreed and started them up and out of the atmosphere. When they were in the vacuum, Harry had Tony wait. "Do you want to try something new I came up with?"
"How untested is this?" Rocket asked with a smile, while Loki calmly tightened his safety belt.
"Completely." Harry said smiling back.
"What's the plan?" Tony asked.
"FTL." Harry said. "Magic style."
"Harry, I hate to break it to you, but your portals are already faster than light." Tony said.
"Not like this." Harry said as he connected with the ship again after closing his eyes. "Point us in a direction." he told Tony. Tony adjusted the ship to point at a tiny star, which was barely visible. Harry then pushed himself to maximum magnification and placed a portal. Then he let his magic connect to both sides of the portal to sample the distance. Then he allowed himself back into normal view, while keeping the magic up, and told Tony "Go through slowly."
Tony obliged and went through the portal. Once they were through another portal appeared and Tony looked at Harry who nodded, even with his concentration being fully occupied, so Tony went through that portal again. When another portal appeared, Tony decided to go through without asking. "What are we doing Harry?" he decided to ask when he didn't understand.
"Look behind us." Harry said as he dropped the magic and closed the portal that had opened next. It was very draining, but completely manageable.
Tony flicked a switch and the monitor in front of them flipped to the rear view of the ship. "Did we just…" Tony asked shocked.
"What am I missing?" Natasha asked.
Tony jumped up and pointed out a very specific barely visible star, "We just came from there." Tony said. "We just travelled light-years by line of sight!" He flicked the switch again and noticed something for the first time. "The star I was aiming for is gone!"
"That happens sometimes." Rocket said. "Stars die out, but their light is still travelling to get to where we were."
"I knew that!" Tony said, but then he got a wide smile. "Do you know what this means?!"
"What?" Harry asked.
"We can go back and see the star again and figure out when it dies, so that we can monitor the event!" Tony said excitedly. "We could potentially witness a star's death and record it!"
"I hate to break it to you Tony, but I was on maximum magnification and I didn't even know we were aiming for that star. I didn't see it vanish, so chances that we'll be able to see the event in any detail are very small." Harry said.
"That doesn't matter. I could probably use Rocket's space expansion runes to create a telescope that can see a hundred times further than you can on your maximum magnification." Tony scoffed. "You keep on forgetting I'm an inventor and a billionaire." Tony said. "If I can imagine it, chances are I can make it happen."
Harry just chuckled. "We'll need to retrace our steps, but I don't see why not." Then he opened a portal to the lunar base. "How far is your space station from launching?"
"Our space station," Tony corrected him, "should be operational and ready for occupation by the end of the year. I'm also almost done with the design of the craft that will take the occupants."
"Why do you insist on calling it our space station, when you're doing all the work?" Harry asked.
"Because you have a better name than I do, okay?" Tony said with a bit of resentment in his voice. "You can never get away from your past. People still think any project I'm involved in will be one that creates weapons. Claiming our companies are working together, however, has been proven to completely bypass that." he laughed sardonically. "Apparently you keep me in line."
Harry smiled at that. "Stranger things have happened." He turned a new portal into being and the ship soon stopped at the lunar base again.
"We'll need to start planning tomorrow. I want to get whatever unpleasantness awaits me over with. I don't like living with such an unknown over my head." Harry said.
"Why not just send a mirror through with a note and a contract?" Tony asked.
"I don't think sending her magical artefacts is a good idea." Loki said, noting Harry nod along with him. "She might have the ability to drain part of its magic and use it to other ends."
"That would be bad." Tony agreed. "So, we'll need some sort of gift basket, a non-magical way to communicate and a way to search for someone specific on the planet, right?" he asked.
"Just about, yes." Harry confirmed. Hearing it put like that made it sound that much harder to achieve. "I do have another idea about how to find her, without having to step foot on the planet and breaking any laws."
"What did you have in mind?" Tony asked.
The next week was busy as they put together the 'care package'. Sending an IRDR would not work as that would set her up with a personal wormhole to Earth. Who knew how she could use that? No, they decided to find a way to space outside of the planet's atmosphere. If they could establish an orbit, they could use the ship to scout and its on-board IRDR for communications.
In the end, it was decided that they would need to go to the location of the hidden pathway, have Harry use the ship's systems to look through the breach and then open a portal through which he could scout further. Strange had been asked to help protect said portals with an opening to the mirror dimension, just on the other side of the portal. He agreed easily enough. Apparently saving Yao had been something that had gained Strange's trust and cooperation. Harry would have asked Yao, but didn't want to put any pressure on a person who was, for all intents and purposes, on their first holiday in centuries.
Tony was in charge of setting up some sort of mobile communications hub, which would be deposited through a portal. Tony had offered to make an orbital drop pod, but Harry decided against it. Better to keep things simple and save cost if it wasn't absolutely necessary. Tony's part was done in hours.
The thing that took the longest was planning for contingencies. A planet with demonic soul-sucking monsters, a goddess of death and who knew what other horrors, demanded being careful. It was around the second day of planning when Harry got a call from an irate Director Brand.
"Mister Potter, I do believe you forgot to inform SWORD about your plans to send Earth-based technology to a possible hostile planet." Brand said. "Imagine my shock when I had to hear about it from Director Fury, of all people. I was made to look like an idiot. You know how much that man pisses me off." Brand said it all in a low, quiet voice. She was controlling her temper today it seemed.
People had asked Harry why she was in charge of SWORD and he gave them the same answer every time; she was driven, had the required skills, wouldn't take crap from anyone, including himself, and she knew her priorities. To mention the fact that she checked out on many different levels and even Fury couldn't find fault with her, besides having an immense dislike for her attitude, would have been overkill.
"I'm sorry Director Brand." Harry said. "This mission is a personal one and I would like to handle this errand on my own."
"If it is a simple errand, you wouldn't mind coming to Midnight to explain the plan, would you?" Brand said with a smug smile. "I'll see you in ten minutes." she said and closed the connection.
"She knows you can fire her, right?" Tony asked, having heard the conversation. He also wasn't a fan, but then, Brand didn't care who liked her. Her job was to protect the planet.
"Technically, I can't." Harry said. "That power lay with the branch heads and Fury. I couldn't have people treat me specially, when they are meant to do a job, so I needed to remove that kind of power from myself. If I want people to be able to tell me when I'm making a mistake, then they need to know I don't have veto rights or the final say in anything."
"It also removes the temptation from people to try and befriend him for advantages he could offer." Jarvis said from his office. "When people start to worry about Harry having private armies, he can simply admit the truth; He started and funds an organization, but he doesn't have any power within the command structure, except to advise the current heads of international and intergalactic security. Every division has its own command structure and even those at the top need to report to the World Security Council."
"Not that they need any specifics when it comes to your off-world missions." Rocket spoke up from Jarvis's lab, where he had claimed a spot, having developed quite a liking for him. Jarvis was helping him develop a personal rune, which, according to Rocket, would blow people's minds. Harry hoped he didn't mean literally. "Don't look at me like that! I know about politics." He defended when he saw Harry's raised eyebrow.
"I just didn't know you knew about ours." Harry said.
"First rule of space, Harry." Rocket said. "When you're in new territory, know who holds all the power and either befriend them or replace them." he said. "That works for prison too."
Harry chucked when he saw the evil grin on the creature's face. "You know what, Rocket? You're kind of cool."
"I know." Rocket said with a shrug as he continued working on a virtual rendering of the rune he was working on. Harry had never seen any rune that detailed before. He was zoomed in to just a small piece and it looked like he was trying to add even more lines at that level.
"What are you working on anyway?" Harry asked as he started getting ready to go report to Brand.
"My rune mastery project." Rocket said. "If I can get this to work, it will change what we can do with runes in a big way."
Harry blanched. "Wasn't your rune mastery about manipulating supermassive black holes?" he asked with real worry in his voice.
"Nah, I was just messing with you." Rocket said. When Harry's face showed his relief, he said, "I'm working on something even better."
Jarvis nodded along, "If he succeeds, I'll be wanting one of what he's planning on making."
Harry decided he didn't want to know. He was better off getting his story in order before he went to Brand. At least with Jarvis involved, Harry didn't need to worry about accidentally destroying the planet.
Three hours later, Harry returned. Brand wasn't happy about everything he had been doing, meeting with the dwarves and exploring foreign planets without her clearance. She knew she couldn't stop him, but she expected Harry to follow the rules, just like everyone else. He should be briefing her and then debriefing her as well, so that she can help see where things are falling apart when they start to do so. Her job wasn't just to fire a cannon into space after all. She needed to ensure the safety of off-world personnel. Never mind that she'd prefer the golden goose to stay home, where it was relatively safe.
Harry couldn't hold it against her, but wouldn't let it limit him. He ended up agreeing to submit memories of anything he did and at least having Jarvis inform her of his movements, should he go off-world. Unless it was to visit friends or family. Brand accepted it, since she couldn't get him to budge on that.
By the end of the week they had ended up ignoring all the plans in favour of a new one. They'd had to take the apparition ship, nicknamed 'Tardis', which was the one they had taken to the Quantum Realm, to fit it with the insubstantiality runes for the Phantom Drive. Harry could power them manually if needed, since the entire car was outfitted with adamantite wiring. Fortunately they could also incorporate a couple of extra MSC Shells, since they wouldn't be apparating, for standard rune-based propulsion.
Rocket took it upon himself to outfit the car with a couple of mean-looking cannons, all protected by MI Tech, of course, and set up a weapons station for himself on the bridge, where Tony had sat before. Harry helped him create a 360 degree rotating system that he could use to fire the cannons all the way around the car. Rocket loved feeling so in control of the cannons. Harry ended up adding one of the BFG Cannons for Rocket, in-case it became necessary. It was not nearly as powerful as a full four-cannon array would be capable of, but it would still do some serious damage on short range, even if the green plasma moved only at just under the speed of sound, it would still be devastating to any organism, living or dead.
When they were ready, the team that would be going, assembled and entered the car.
Rocket was spending more time with Jarvis and Harry's team on Earth, while Quill and the Guardians did a couple of standard rescue missions for the Nova Corps. Mostly broken down ships and such. The pay wasn't bad and it kept them from certain sectors of space, where the Kree were still out looking for them, since their mission to monitor their movements blew up on them.
Tony had decided to be the pilot again, while Harry was co-pilot, even though Harry was in the captain's seat and Tony in the co-pilot's. Jarvis was keeping in contact with them from Harry's office and with a host of mirrors around him so that he could help add protection, by pointing out anything of interest. Natasha was seated by another set of monitors, these all monitoring the ships internal systems. Any breaches or issues and she'd be first to know.
Loki had simply sat down at the table and sipped at a cup of tea. He was only there to support Harry, so he couldn't actively take part in what they were planning. Fortunately the law expressly forebode someone from stepping foot on the face of Niflheim. As long as they never actually landed, it should be fine.
They ran a quick systems check and then took off, out of the hanger and into space. Once they were certain everything was fine, Harry opened a portal for them and they appeared on Nidavellir. Just outside of the large blocked doors.
"Activating Phantom Drive." Harry said as they rose up. He put his hands on the rods and powered the runes that made them insubstantial.
"Going through." Tony said. They had tested and found that Uru was not, in-fact, affected by being out of phase. Harry was glad his sword had blocked all those attacks, otherwise Natasha would have killed him, if the dwarves didn't. So they rose up and dropped through the ceiling of the structure, which was still a whole lot of rock to go through, completely avoiding the metal bars that blocked the front door.
Even so, Tony took it slowly, while Natasha kept a strict eye on her systems. If they came to a barrier of some sort that blocked them while they were out of phase, it could damage the adamantite wiring and affect their phasing capabilities.
"How are you holding up, Harry?" Natasha asked over her shoulder.
"I'm fine." Harry replied honestly. So far it felt like normal rock and nothing else. The Phantom Drive didn't need that much power, but power requirements did go up the larger the object was. Fortunately Jarvis had thought to add the adamantite wiring before Harry expanded the space inside the car, so he just needed to worry about the outside of the car.
Pretty soon they were through the thick mass of rock and in a completely dark chamber. "Dropping Phantom Drive." Harry said, before looking around. "I really hate cold, dark spaces like this." he said.
"Well, then? Light her up." Tony suggested. Harry nodded and cast a lumos through the frame of the ship. Suddenly the entire inside of the building was reflecting bright white. "Whoa! A little bright there Harry!" Tony complained.
Harry instantly dropped the intensity, "Sorry about that. I keep on forgetting how well adamantite conducts magic."
"Feel free to forget it when you channel attack magic as well." Rocket chuckled. "Can't ever have enough of that."
Harry smiled at him for a moment, before looking around again. "See anything?" he asked his friends.
Tony pointed, "It goes down there." He had spotted a large hole at the far end of the chamber. When they reached the location, they looked down into the hole. There was a winding staircase, carved from the stone itself, around the outside of the hole. Apparently the dwarves had been working here. "Looks like some sort of excavation site."
"What do you think they were looking for?" Natasha asked, her eyes still affixed to their systems.
"I haven't seen anything that would indicate one way or another, but this looks like igneous rock." Tony said pointing at the wall of the hole they were slowly descending. "The mountain must have been a volcano at some point."
"What could have been down here, then?" Harry asked.
"Metal." Rocket said pointing to where he saw a glint in the wall. "The metal must be part of the planet's outer core."
"So the magma contains their most precious resource?" Tony asked. "It would explain why they were digging here, at least." he conceded.
"It could even be something else, which they use to produce Uru." Rocket said. "All I know is that I'd love coming back here to see what we can find some time."
"Not if there are Dementors here." Harry said. That reminded him, so he glanced at both Tony and Rocket, to ensure they were both wearing their runed glasses. "If you couldn't see one-" he started.
"We wouldn't know where to run." Tony and Rocket said together. Just in case, Harry had insisted Loki and Natasha carry their own ones on them anyway. They had been able to see the patronus, but it was better to be careful. "It's like you think we're going to die, or something!" Tony complained, never looking away from the monitor, which he had oriented to look down.
"Why are you doing that?" Rocket asked.
"Doing what?" Tony asked.
"Orienting us horizontally while you fly vertically." Rocket said.
"Because…" Tony started before he realised they had gravity control in the ship. "Damn." He swore before correcting their orientation.
"This thing sure goes deep." Harry said worriedly.
"It's a mine Harry." Tony said with a smirk. "The deeper you go the better the stuff you get."
There were a couple of passages going off to the sides, where one vein or another were obviously followed, but Harry kept on telling Tony to continue on down, as he somehow knew that's where he needed to go. Until he felt something, "Stop!" he warned quickly, almost jumping from his chair, but controlling himself. He slowly ended the light spell, dimming it until it was almost completely out.
There, in front of them, was some sort of distortion. "What are we looking at?" Tony asked.
"That is a tear in reality." Loki said as he stood to walk closer to the display. "Not a pathway. And this was created by intelligent design."
"Impossible." Tony said. "This is the first time I'm here."
Loki turned around, but instead of the smirk they were expecting, a look of fear adorned his face. "This is not good. Whatever made this, left the opening on purpose, or couldn't fix it."
Harry channelled his magic through the ship and tested the anomaly. In hindsight, he probably shouldn't have done that. This was obviously not what they thought they'd find and he didn't even know what was going on. That being said, Harry looked up and said, "Guys, this is not a portal."
There was no answer, so he looked around quickly only to realise he was alone. "What the hell?"
"Not exactly." a voice said from somewhere behind him. Harry turned around and realised he was suddenly not on the ship anymore. Instead he was suddenly standing in a well-lit, comfortably furnished room with a couple of couches and a coffee table. In one of the comfortable looking chairs sat none other than Albus Dumbledore.
Harry knew better than to fall for this, though. "You're not him."
"Of course not." 'Albus' agreed. "Tea?"
"Who are you?" Harry asked, not moving.
"You really should take a seat. While we have all the time we might need, the tea will still get cold, even here." the man insisted.
"Where is here?" Harry asked. "Where are my friends?"
"Your friends are fine." the man said, pointing to the side. An image appeared on the wall showing Tony, Rocket and Natasha all looking at the breach as Harry sat and concentrated on his magic. "So are you for that matter." the figure said.
"What is this?" Harry tried again.
"Well done, all you need now is 'how' and 'why'." the figure joked. "Relax, will you? I come in peace." he said holding his pointer and middle fingers out in the peace sign. "Sit, have some tea. We have much to discuss."
Harry was certain he shouldn't trust this 'person', but he hadn't felt a lick of magic and he didn't feel his own either. Completely powerless, but unwilling to admit it, Harry sat down and poured a cup for himself, before sitting back and taking a sip. "Thanks." he said dryly.
"That's better." 'Albus' said. "Now we can have a decent conversation, all civilised like."
"Why did you bring me here and where is 'here'?" Harry tried again.
"I've removed us from time. We're currently inhabiting a moment between seconds." 'Albus' said. "As for where… we're in your head."
"Is this like that time I met Albus at the train station?" Harry asked. If this being was in his head, chances were he/it knew about that anyway.
"No, not really." it said. "And also, yes, kind of."
"Could you stop looking like him then?" Harry asked.
"Sure." it said and turned into a Labrador. "Is this better?" the dog asked.
"Not really." Harry said, trying not to smile. It was rather comical watching a dog speak human words without human lips. Seeing the tongue move to make speech possible was quite interesting too.
"What about this?" the voice asked, suddenly becoming a copy of Harry. "Does this look better? Does it meet with your approval?"
"Hey, don't go wearing my face!" Harry objected.
"Actually, I could say the same thing. I am you after all." it said.
That brought Harry up short. "You're what?" he asked, flabbergasted.
"In a manner of speaking, of course." it said.
"Could you explain it to me?" Harry asked hopefully.
"I can try." it said. "When the universes were formed-"
"Stop!" Harry said. "I'm not going to be able to follow this am I?"
"Not really, no." it said.
"Try it more simply then. Are you a human?" Harry asked.
"No." it said.
"Are you a god?" Harry asked.
"No." it said.
"Do you have family?"
"No."
"Are you actually here?"
"Yes, but then I'm kind of everywhere aren't I?" it said. "Well done, Harry. I can see you've figured it out."
"Death?" Harry asked with a look of dawning comprehension. The mark of the Deathly Hallows.
"Would you prefer I look like this?" it asked, suddenly in a hooded black robe, looking like a skeleton with a scythe. "You humans have the strangest notions about me."
"It's true then?" Harry asked. "I'm the Master of Death?" He had always hoped, at least to a small degree that it was just a coincidence or misunderstanding. That he could refuse the title or that he needed to make some sort of choice before it happened.
"Actually, that part was wrong." the figure said, taking a sip from its cup and spilling all over the place. "See! I can't even drink tea without lips." Then he turned back into Albus. "I'm staying this guy. At least you were inclined to speak to him, when you first saw the face."
"That's because I have a lot of questions for the old man!" Harry objected.
"Ask them then." 'Albus' said. "Chances are, I know the answer."
"What do you mean they got it wrong?" Harry asked, changing the subject back. If he ever wanted answers, he'd get it from the man himself.
"Okay, let's try this in words you might understand better." it said. "Remember Odin telling you that faith gives things power?" Harry nodded. "That's what I am. Enough people believed in Death as an actual entity, that I kind of popped into existence a couple of universes ago."
"Universes?" Harry asked.
"It's in a cycle isn't it? It expands, then after everything goes too far apart, everything dies and it starts again, but only after everything crashes back together for another bang." he said.
"How many times?" Harry asked.
"Oh, many times." it said. "In fact, it's happening right now in a universe a couple of existences away."
"What is happening?" Harry asked.
"A universe is about to complete its cycle. That's why I decided to come speak to you now and left that message for you." it said.
"What message?" Harry asked, but before it could answer, Harry knew. "The symbol for the Hallows?"
"Of course." it said. "Well, I couldn't really affect the world again. I just kind of inspired the person who chose the symbol for this place a while back. It's not an uncommon symbol in an infinite amount universes, let alone multiverses, but I knew it would get your attention. Let me tell you, that's one of the tiring parts. So many duplicates of everything and everyone." Then it looked at Harry, "Except for you that is."
"Me?" Harry asked.
"Yes you." it said, before turning back to the subject. "I come to you now, because I'm taking a break, with that other universe not having gained any life, not yet anyway, I have a bit of free time."
"How does that work." Harry asked. When it opened its mouth, Harry reconsidered. "Never mind. I just know you're going to try and give me a headache."
It smirked at him. "Okay, let's carry on." Then it sat back and said, "So I'm Death, and I exist, but not in any kind of physical form, but all these creatures and people personify me an infinite amount of times, so now I exist and I need a body. Thus I have a problem. If I don't take control of my own existence, I might be forced into that skeleton thing. Or something not of my choosing."
"I'm with you so far… to a degree." Harry said.
"Good." it said. "So, I'm going about my business when I realise that I need to catalyse my own existence. Enter the Peverell brothers. I've been through the cycle a couple of times and knew how to affect things to bring about your existence."
"Wait, what?!" Harry asked shocked.
"It's true." it said. "I'm not your father or an ancestor or anything, but still, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't exist."
"So I'm what? A body for you to take over when you're ready?" Harry asked, suddenly afraid and knowing he didn't have access to his power. Even the ring on his finger wasn't doing anything.
"Don't be stupid." it scoffed. "I don't want a body. I just want to do what I do. You keep doing what you do and we'll be fine."
"Why then?" Harry asked.
"Oh, right." it said. "There is a loophole in how these things work. If there is a person who was imbued with my power, my designated spokesperson, of sorts, then I don't have to worry about people trying to control my power. Like that fucking Thanos guy. He gives me the willies."
"Wait, you know about Thanos?" Harry asked. "And he gives Death the willies?" Harry shuddered at the concept. This Thanos was obviously a bigger threat than he thought.
"Don't worry about it. As long as you keep going the way you are, things will work out." it said. "But be careful anyway. While you can't be killed, those you care for still can and you don't have the power to bring back the dead, not permanently, anyway."
Harry nodded before frowning, "Wait, you never said why you needed to have me be born. Why not, like, literally anyone else?"
"Because you, Harry Potter, are the culmination of many generations' of powerful and influential people. Your power was great to begin with and uniquely qualified to benefit from a connection to what I can provide. You also care about people and would never abuse your power. Your experience makes you unique as well." it said. "I can tell you that most people who have gone through what you went through, wouldn't stop to incarcerate bad people and offering them second chances. You've literally blamed yourself for billions of deaths and still refuse to kill needlessly. If there's one thing I hate, it's needless death, even though I am powerless to do anything about it."
"What do you mean you're powerless?" Harry asked. "You were capable of creating the Hallows and affecting the world through them."
"Exactly," it smiled sadly, "I can't do that for just anyone. If I hadn't stepped in, the Peverell brothers would have died, before your line was ever brought into existence. By making that single change I affected the entire course of the history of your world. I'm sorry to say, because of my intervention, Tom Riddle Junior happened."
"WHAT!?" Harry jumped up incensed. "You did that?! You caused the death of an entire world?!"
"Why do you think I needed you!?" it asked also standing up, for the first time raising its voice. "The only way I could make a difference, was by setting in motion the creation of the 'Master of Death'. That also set in motion the creation of Tom Riddle Junior, son of Merope Gaunt, daughter of Marvolo Gaunt, descendant of Cadmus Peverell. A line that only existed due to Cadmus', the second brothers', survival that day."
Harry lost all colour and felt sick. It continued, "That's right. You and he were very distantly related. He'd be your cousin, like, thirty times removed." This did not settle Harry's stomach. "If it makes you feel any better, the woman Cadmus lay with to continue that line was a common harlot from a branch family of the original Slytherins."
"It doesn't." Harry said. He took a couple of breaths before looking up. "Let me get this straight; you're Death. You wanted to be in control of your own destiny, which I can understand, frankly, but for you to do that you had to do something that you knew would bring an end to my world, just so that I can be born, for you do dump the responsibility of being your representative in this world on. Is that right?"
"No. You're my representative on any world that ever will exist. Death is a super-omniversal constant, after all. I exist throughout all time and I permeate all of every existence." it said. "Also you do have the responsibility of fixing that as well."
"Fixing what?" Harry asked.
"Your old world." Death said. "But you don't have to worry about that right now. You'll know when the time is right. That Yao fellow is a frightfully intelligent man."
"Yao is a woman." Harry corrected.
"Oh, right. Sorry, different world. I get them mixed up sometimes." it apologised. "Anyway, there are some aspects of the future better off unknown. I can tell you, though, that if you ever tire of this world, I can take you to the next one. You can be my representative wherever you are. The fun thing, for me, is that you can change things and I get to see a new cycle start with every new universe you visit."
Harry was dumbfounded. "This is a lot to take in." he finally said.
"I understand." it, Death said. "Take your time. We literally have forever, even though we won't be seeing each other often. I have to wait for special occasions, before I can take a literal moment, like now."
"What do you normally do?" Harry asked, strangely intrigued what a being or existence on this scale would find interesting.
"Oh, there's a bunch of things." Death said. "I like to go visit realms of constant change. Places unaffected by my stopping the flow of time like I'm doing now. Or I take a step back and look into the eternity of everything, forever. A moment of that can be very entertaining."
Harry was holding his head, "I'm sorry I asked."
"You should have known better." Death agreed. "Can I ask a question?"
Harry was somehow shocked that this entity that knew everything that happened over the entirety of existence, wanted to ask him a question. All he could do was nod.
"How are you enjoying life?" Death asked, with a sad smile. It was with a sudden shock that Harry realized this entity must never get the opportunity for a conversation. From its perspective this must be a first. So Harry sat back and started chatting with the entity, telling it about his experiences and asking questions of interest. He was finally able to get some answers about the afterlife even. Death did swear him to secrecy though. Apparently he wasn't supposed to know, either. That's how Harry found out there were other entities, out in the universe, which were omnipresent and all-knowing.
By the end of their visit, which felt like days, but also minutes in this strange timeless place, Harry felt he knew the entity better than anyone alive, which was a funny thought. When he shared it with Death, he laughed and shared another thought that made him laugh, himself, but Harry couldn't understand. Upon thinking about it later he couldn't even remember what was said. Even by Pensieve.
When Harry felt the need to return to his people, Death allowed it with a warning, "Don't let anyone tell you what Death is supposed to be like or when I'm supposed to come. You know me. You will always know better than anyone what is right when it comes to me."
"I'll keep that in mind." Harry allowed.
"Bye." Death said.
"Bye." Harry said.
"Are you leaving?" Tony asked, having heard Harry greet Death. Then he noticed the anomaly vanishing, "What just happened?"
"The rift just vanished." Loki said looking at Harry who was still reaching out to the space with his magic through the rods. "Did you just close a rift in reality?"
Harry's face was a blank mask as he allowed his magic to subside. He was quiet for a moment, before replying, "Let's rather say; I know now why it was there and I was able to facilitate its closure by having its' purpose be fulfilled."
"Harry?" Natasha asked. "What just happened?" She could tell something big had just happened. Her connection to Harry felt like it had been reset somehow, like he didn't exist for a moment and her ring just reconnected to him.
"It's going to be difficult to explain." Harry waved it off for now. "Let's rather focus on what we came here for, shall we?"
Natasha's eyes narrowed before she nodded and turned back to monitoring the systems. Tony was already moving them forward, still avoiding the spot where the anomaly had just been. Rocket didn't seem to care, as his trigger finger was itching and he really wanted to test the BFG for himself.
Loki was still looking at Harry. Had it been anyone else, he'd have tried entering his mind to find out what had just happened. He could feel the aftershock of something immense having happened and whatever it was, it centred on Harry.
When they reached the bottom of the very long shaft, they found one last corridor moving off in the direction of the mountain at the end of which Loki and Harry could both feel the passage open before them. "This is it." Harry said as he cast an illusionary path for them to follow through the rods. He looked to Tony, "Remember the plan." he said seriously.
"Of course." Tony said. "The moment we're through, you're making us intangible. We go straight up and out of the atmosphere, where you open a portal for us to go home from."
"Good." Harry said. "Rocket?"
"I shoot anything that tries to follow us." he said with a smile.
"If there are Dementors, they will sense us the moment we're close by." Harry agreed.
"I'll be telling you if any of our systems are affected by anything." Natasha confirmed without being prompted.
"Okay." Harry said before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Let's get this over with."
"Full speed ahead." Tony said as he accelerated them through the passage where Harry had outlined it for him. Soon enough they came out in the middle of some sort of crater, the impact of a meteor having helped in the creation of the portal or uncovering it. Tony shot straight up and they started ascending.
"I'm seeing something!" Rocket shouted.
Harry looked over at him and saw what he meant. It was as they had feared; there were Dementors, and many of them. "Fire!" Harry said.
"Don't need to tell me twice." Rocket said with a smile as he opened up with both of his normal cannons. As Harry expected, the normal weapons fired right through them, without even slowing them. "Trying with BGF!" Rocket said when he spotted the same thing.
Harry pressed his release button, noting that the things were closing in on them even as they increased their speed. "BFG unlocked." he said and Rocket fired the first shot.
As Fury had noted on Midnight that first time, there was a recoil from the cannon as it fired its magical payload of green plasma. It streaked towards the horde of incoming soul-suckers and while the first few avoided it, it still impacted on one of them and did what it was supposed to do. A concussive wave of force energy exploded from the point of impact, blowing hundreds of the creatures to pieces.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Rocket cheered. "You have to get me one of these, Harry." he said, as he fired again into the next wave of incoming enemies.
Still, with so many dead, or at least dissipated, it seemed that they were just a fraction of these creatures, as thousands swarmed after them, attracted by the large group already racing to catch up with their prey. Rocket didn't mind as he aimed into the centre of each wave until he shot his eighth shot.
That last shot was technically unnecessary, as the creatures had been pressing it, trying to fly that high. They soon had to stop as they couldn't fly that far from the surface anymore. "I suspect our oldest sibling either knows or soon will know that someone was here." Loki said.
"I bet she felt that." Natasha nodded. "If I could feel it, there's no chance she didn't."
"Good." Tony said. "We won't have to look too far if she comes to investigate."
"Let me know when we are outside of the atmosphere." Harry said as he let up on the Phantom Drive. He didn't want to test what would have happened should the function only help the creatures get to them, though Harry suspected the many layers of runes and shielding, meant to protect from other-dimensional stresses, would block them from so much as touching the outer shell that still looked like a Humvee.
"Will do." Tony said. "Should be a couple of minutes still."
"Thanks, Tony." Harry said with a smile as he continued to watch Rocket's image of the rear of the ship, where the Dementors had given up and started moving off, all in the same direction this time. "You keeping an eye on their destination?" he asked Rocket.
"Yeah." Rocket replied. "You sure you can't load another MSC Shell? This BFG thing is fun. Too bad it takes so much energy. Did you ever figure out how to increase the amount of energy you could store in one of those?"
"He did." Jarvis said from Harry's office. "He could potentially increase their capacity twice over, but the enchantment factory can't duplicate that process, so we'd need to start using real Shells again, rather than conjured ones."
"That's too bad." Rocket said. Then he looked at Harry with puppy dog eyes, "What do I need to do to get one of your Super Shells?"
"Those are not available to anyone at this stage." Harry said. "Sorry."
"But I'm not anyone!" Rocket objected.
"What would you use it for?" Tony asked. "I know what you are studying. You shouldn't need that much power."
Rocket mumbled something unintelligible until Harry asked, "What was that?"
"I said," Rocket began, "I don't need it, but it would be nice to not have to come asking Brand for new Shells. I couldn't even find them to steal one or two, last time I went looking."
Harry chuckled, "Yeah that would be very difficult. It's protected magically. Brand insisted on multiple layers of security."
"You know, your magic is so convenient sometimes, that it's inconvenient." Rocket said.
"That's what I said!" Loki laughed. "I wonder how Darcy is doing these days?" he asked contemplatively as he remembered the occasion. He had been disappointed that he wouldn't be able to rub lotion on her skin at the time, due to Harry's magic making it unnecessary.
"She recently broke up with her boyfriend." Harry said offhandedly.
"She's single?" Tony and Loki asked at the same time.
"What's your interest in her?" Loki asked Tony. Wasn't he with Pepper, still?
"Well," Tony said, "I was hoping to hook her and Cap up. He needs someone to loosen him up."
"She's too much of a woman for him." Loki scoffed. "He'd be running for the hills when her confidence becomes too much for him."
"Not to speak badly of Darcy," Natasha said, "but Loki is right. Darcy is too experienced and worldly. He wouldn't be able to spend ten minutes alone with her."
"Why are you looking for 'mortals' to hook up with?" Tony asked, "I thought your parents would disapprove."
"They used to, until Harry convinced them we were old enough to make mistakes, as long as we knew the consequences." Loki said. "Now I can finally have a bit of fun, as long as I don't do anything rash."
"Consequences could still happen." Harry warned. "Do you have a spell to ensure you don't cause pregnancies?"
"Aren't women on Midgard expected to know when they are receptive?" Loki asked with a frown.
"They do for the most part, but accidents still happen." Natasha said. "Rather be safe than sorry. Unwanted pregnancy is something that happens here all too often." Then she turned to Loki, "And it's considered common courtesy for the man to have protection, even if it's unneeded, since it protects both partners."
"I don't need to worry about that." Jarvis said.
"Jarvis!" Harry and Tony said at the same time. Harry with a smile and wishing he could high-five him, while Tony looked affronted.
"I meant to say we're not moving that fast!" Jarvis objected with a deep blush.
Tony sighed in relief, "Don't scare me like that."
"I suppose it is a good idea to wait a bit." Harry said. "It is customary to wait until people are in their late teens."
"Fifteen to eighteen, statistically." Jarvis said. "And I'm not telling you when or if I do. That will be a private affair, when or if it happens."
"Just, do me a favour? Do what you do or don't do at her place?" Tony asked with a whine.
"No!" Harry objected. "You're supposed to spend a bunch of time in your room with her, listening to loud music so that you freak Tony out. It's tradition!"
Jarvis smiled. "Why would you do that, Harry?" Tony asked, having noticed Jarvis' smile. "I thought we were friends?"
"I'm also Jarvis' friend." Harry said. "With you as the parental figure, who else is he going to annoy as he goes through his rebellious phase?"
"But you're giving him ideas!" Tony objected.
"He's not going to school, where he can be influenced badly and learn." Harry said.
"A point in his favour." Tony countered.
"And Harry is the cool uncle." Natasha said with a smirk.
"A point against him." Tony said.
"Then there's the fact that I'm my own person and will choose who I wish to emulate, if anyone, on my own." Jarvis said.
"And I'd not expect anything else from you." Harry said with a smile.
Jarvis smiled at Harry. "See, cool uncle." Natasha said with a smile of her own as Tony frowned.
"I don't identify with Harry other as a friend, though." Jarvis said.
"Friends are the family you choose." Loki said, wisely.
"Point." Jarvis conceded.
"We're here." Tony said with some relief.
"Slow us down please and let's look at this planet." Harry asked. He could have looked by Rocket, but the main window was much better and showed the complete, impressive image.
What they saw was a completely white planet, with one stretch of land visible all the way around the equator. What land they saw was all desert. "I thought hell was supposed to be warm? This place looks frigid." Tony said.
"Hel is the place where spirits find their resting place. It is not the hell you think of." Loki said.
"Do I need to point out the Dementors?" Tony asked incredulously.
"Hel is a place for those who believe as your Norse did. There are different places for those who believe differently." Loki said. "It doesn't matter anyway. The Terrors can only devour living souls, from those who still draw breath. Once the victim dies, the spirit is released to its afterlife."
"So they don't torment the dead, then?" Tony asked.
"The dead don't interact with the living world," Loki said, before he looked at Harry, "Normally, at least."
Harry was watching the planet again. He knew he couldn't try to sense anything magically. The distance was too great anyway. "We're still going to struggle finding her." Harry said.
"Meh." Tony scoffed. "We just put Friday on it. I'll be able to setup something for that in a day, provided we can drop it off in orbit here with one of your portals."
"Awesome." Harry sighed in relief. "That will save us a bunch of trouble, I think."
Taking one last look at the planet, Harry opened a portal and they went back home.
The moment he and Natasha stepped into the house, she gave him a look that said she wanted answers.
Weekly Power Status
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