Grim: Last Hope (HP/DC/Marvel)

Disclaimer: This is a story based on Harry Potter, Marvel, DC and Image comics characters and all recognizable characters, plots belong to Jk Rowling,Marvel, DC and Image comics. I claim no ownership to it.

Chapter 13: The World Was Not Ready : Part I

Siberia

Hydra Base.

Harry looked at the hidden Hydra base in Siberia. He had Apparated all the way from Britain, crossing multiple international borders and breaking both magical and Muggle travel laws in the process. As expected, the Aurors had been too slow to track his apparition points, proving their inefficiency once again.

The base was in the middle of nowhere, and the amount of money spent to build it without anyone knowing was enormous. He had long since lost any sense of wonder for such marvels, especially after his attempts to escape this universe had taken him to the DC universe—then to Marvel—where he had seen comics of one world existing in another. That had been truly wondrous.

In his first life, Harry had never read comics and had no idea who the fuck Thanos, the Mad Titan, was. It was only after dozens of time loops that he realized nothing could be done through the magical world alone. Thus, his pursuit of dimensions and alternate universes had opened his eyes to the multiverse.

The amount of knowledge he had gained and forgotten over time was staggering. But Harry knew that universal truths remained almost the same across realities. In many lives, he had seen this base, and in others, it had been abandoned. As he extended his telepathy, he sighed in relief upon detecting two dozen minds—both scientists and Hydra soldiers—along with his actual targets.

Six Winter Soldiers. Mad animals frozen by Hydra because even their mind-control technology couldn't fully restrain them.

Well, I have no problem with that, Harry whispered as he casually entered the mind of the security officer in the control room.

The screens split into multiple feeds as the cameras moved to capture different areas of the base. With a flick of thought, the man severed the connection between the cameras and the computers, simultaneously shutting down the communication system.

It took only a minute, and the moment the system was down, all the other Hydra soldiers collapsed, unconscious.

Harry whistled a tune as he entered the base using magic. As he walked, he used telepathy to sift through the memories of the scientists and guards. Even with his enhanced processing abilities, he couldn't scan so many memories at once. Instead, he took a snapshot of them, to be reviewed later if needed. For now, he was brute-forcing his way through, searching for alarms or any failsafe that would alert Hydra to the base's loss.

He disabled any such alarms and severed all links to the outside world.

Harry finally reached the labs. The room was vast—large enough to fit a quarter of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. The scientists had collapsed when he had seized control.

"Well, well, it seems this base has almost everything needed to produce my first power-up—the Super Soldier Serum," Harry murmured to the empty air.

When he knew he could be send to before he was 17, he had thought so much about the things to acquire. In one of his lives he appeared in Marvel universe, it had been during World War II, and Dr. Erskine had no defense against his Legilimency. Though it had taken Harry nearly a dozen lifetimes of practice to master, the science behind the serum had proven to be worth the effort.

He had even modified the formula to eliminate harmful effects, ensuring it could work on any being—whether wizard, mutant, or even Inhuman.

The Super Soldier Serum was designed to push a human to the peak of their species—at worst. A regular human could reach that level through years of training and the use of chi, but the serum, combined with Vita Rays—essentially life energy—provided a significant chi reserve for the user. It was essentially a shortcut that many chi users took years to achieve, whereas a Super Soldier could reach it after enduring tremendous pain.

============

Harry moved forward and reached the six iced Winter Soldiers' pods. It amazed him how much more advanced other worlds were compared to his own. He saw the unconscious minds of the soldiers and just grinned. It was the perfect state for manipulation.

He didn't copy their memories, as they were fragmented. When he entered their minds, he encountered interference. It felt like regular psychic protection, but it was ineffective against his experience and power. He found the trigger words used to temporarily control the soldiers and erased them. Next, he altered their memories, making them loyal only to him. in their memories the purpose would be to infiltrate Hydra, becoming his personal weapons.

It was exhilarating to gain powerful minions. After ensuring the former soldiers were now his, he deactivated the freezing mechanism. He had two hours before they thawed out, so he walked toward the control room.

His initial plan had been to kill everyone except the soldiers and then place the base under the Fidelius Charm as his own. But now, after processing the general memories of the personnel, he realized that almost none had significant outside connections—no one who would notice a difference. So he decided to keep them alive, ensuring their loyalty through telepathy and a magical contract that no sane person would willingly sign. The contract would be so one-sided that betrayal of his secrets would be impossible.

Magical contracts worked even on Muggles if signed in blood, as life energy itself was used to bind them. Harry smirked as he recalled another benefit—he could break such contracts as easily as breathing. Only if the other party enforcing the magic was more powerful than him would he be bound by the terms. Here, however, the other party consisted of Muggles. They couldn't even enforce the contract on regular wizards, let alone him.

=============

Every person in the base, except for the Winter Soldiers, assembled before Harry in the dining area, standing in orderly lines. Panic, surprise, and anger were visible on every face. Some tried to bite down on the poison hidden in false teeth, others attempted to reach for their guns or panic buttons—but all their emotions shifted to pure fear when they realized they had full control of their bodies except for those specific movements to accomplish such things.

They stared at the apparent child before them, feeling the power oozing from him, radiating a danger greater than anything they had encountered before.

Harry waved his hand, transforming a chair from one of the desks, and sat in it like a king.

"Now, now, you've gotten that out of your system. You can't move a single muscle against me. My first plan was to kill everyone and take control of the Winter Soldiers with my magic,

There were immediate protests and denials, but with a wave of his hand, their voices vanished.

"Don't interrupt me," he said coolly. "As I was saying, you now have two choices. This here is a magical contract that will make you unable to share anything about me with anyone else. If you attempt to do so three times, you will die. Sign it, and I will leave with the Winter Soldiers, sparing your lives."

His telepathy made the offer seem like a godsend to every single one of them. It was child's play for him to make sure every single person sign and not choose death. 

The apparent leader of the base opened his mouth to protest, but a concentrated telekinetic burst exploded his body.

Many shouted in shock and panic, but they were Hydra—they had seen gore before.

"This is not a negotiation. Sign it. I have other things to do."

Pragmatism won. One by one, they all signed.

Harry smirked as he sensed their hidden plans to signal their superiors in various ways.

"Now, I am a wizard. And the first thing you should know is—never enter a magical contract or oath without understanding its full terms. If you look at the contract you signed, you will see more terms written in invisible ink."

His grin widened. "Welcome to Team Harry. You all belong to me now, not Hydra."

"What?!" the lead scientist shouted in shock.

Harry chuckled. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Every single one of them felt an invisible pressure settle over their minds and bodies.

Satisfied, Harry ordered them to keep the base running as usual, ensuring Hydra wouldn't suspect they had lost such valuable assets.

"Now, scientists, come to the labs. I'll teach you how to make the real Super Soldier Serum. You will prepare it exactly as I instruct, and you will never reveal its existence to Hydra."

Despite their fear and anger, curiosity flickered in the scientists' eyes as they listened.

================================

Days Later

Harry stared at the greenish liquid in the vial—the perfected Super Soldier Serum, specifically designed for those with magic. The fact that Hydra had unknowingly borne the cost of its development made him grin. Even though he was following Hydra's methods of control and world domination, it wasn't out of pride or to welcome some inhuman monstrosity from another planet. He had his own plans.

Around him, the scientists spoke animatedly, discussing everything they had seen and learned from him. Harry could feel their fear and loyalty shifting—from Hydra to himself. Everyone had a price, and for these scientists, curiosity and knowledge were their addiction.

Three days earlier, he had already assigned his Body scan and Memory Cache thought streams to determine whether the serum would have any harmful effects on him. He had also factored in the ritual of adaptation he had previously undergone, preparing his magic to accept changes. The third ritual he needed to complete from the set of seven was the one that enhanced strength, stamina, and reflexes. His knowledge and calculations told him that while some effects might overlap, the different sources of power would still provide unique benefits.

"Assignment complete."

 Body Scan echoed in his mind, and a mental hologram of his current form appeared in his vision. Different colors marked how the two strength enhancements would work and where they would overlap. There were no signs of detriment. The decision was made—he would undergo the Super Soldier Serum enhancement now.

Stamina will be essential if I am to use this body to its full potential. Harry thought as he finally decided to use the Serum. Even now, using one of his thought Stream 5% of magic reserves passively reinforcing his body, along with a telekinetic shield on his skin—similar to the bio-electric aura of Kryptonians, though nowhere near half that powerful.

Only his magic had fully unlocked its potential due to his soul's nature. His psychic abilities, while formidable, had not yet reached their full omega-level capacity. It was only his skill that allowed him to push his current power to its limits, making the difference between him and an untrained, fully freed Jean Grey almost negligible. But with the Super Soldier Serum strengthening his body, he would be able to unlock even more of that potential.

"Everyone out." He ordered. 

The scientists hesitated, confused. A flare of his power sent them scrambling to obey.

Harry used his telekinesis to set up the Vita-Ray machine and all other necessary equipment for the injection. It took nearly an hour of careful preparation before everything was ready. He stepped into the pod.

The needles pierced his skin, injecting the serum while Vita-Ray energy bathed his body.

Harry had already disabled his passive defenses and activated Body Scan, prepared to welcome the changes and document them. As the serum entered through his hands, his magic responded instantly, welcoming the foreign substance. The serum spread quickly through his bloodstream, reaching the bone marrow and infiltrating every single cell.

Then the pain began.

Every individual cell in his body became a conduit for life energy—Chi. His body greedily absorbed the Vita-Ray energy, and the radiation fueled the transformation. His strength, endurance, and reflexes skyrocketed.

But then the pain intensified drastically.

It became unbearable as his body reshaped itself on a cellular level. His magic and telekinesis lashed out instinctively, trying to eliminate the source of his agony—the Vita-Ray machine. He had to use every ounce of his mental strength to restrain his abilities, forcing them into submission, rather than allowing them to automatically lash out against the pain.

The pain became too much. His vision darkened, his body convulsed—

Then he lost consciousness for a minute.

===========================

Harry regained consciousness with a feeling of nothingness.

Oh, fuck. Did I die? he wondered, recognizing the sensation as eerily similar to Lady Death's realm. But that was impossible—his calculations had been precise, and even if something had gone wrong, it shouldn't have resulted in death.

"No, Harry. Your first enhancement was a magnificent success. You were merely unconscious, and I pulled you into my realm instead of the Dreaming Ones," Lady Death said from her throne.

Lying on the cold floor of the grand hall, Harry lifted his gaze and saw Lady Death sitting regally on her throne.

"For a multiversal being who claimed she couldn't interfere when it came to Thanos, you seem to meddle in my life quite a bit. I wonder why?" Harry remarked, his tone sharp.

"Oh, my dear Harry, don't you know? I've already explained that my hands were tied by the Living Tribunal's decree and my own binding words. I cannot interfere in lesser matters, but you… you are no ordinary man bound by such limitations."

Harry didn't respond immediately. He wasn't sure if she was telling the truth.

"I see you've started achieving, what you set out to do. The Super Soldier Serum is a good starting point for improving your body's strength, which—if I may say so—was severely lacking before," Death said, mockingly.

"And whose fault is that, I wonder?" Harry snapped, knowing full well that she was to blame. Being the Avatar of Death had its unintended consequences.

"Yes, yes, you've blamed me a million times before," Lady Death said with a dismissive wave.

Harry gritted his teeth in frustration but held his tongue.

"Now, the reason I've summoned you here is to inform you that the Mad Titan is making his move," Lady Death stated.

Harry's anger evaporated instantly, replaced by dread. What madness is he planning now?

"What did he do?" Harry asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Viltrum has appeared in the merged universe, on the outskirts of Thanos's territory. Thanos possesses enough cosmic awareness to realize that these new memories are fabricated, meaning he knows something has changed. Here—see for yourself," Lady Death said.

Without warning, Harry's mental defenses were bypassed, and entire Viltrum war was forcibly imprinted into his memory.

Harry was left speechless. One of his key advantages had been stripped away so suddenly.

With a weary sigh, he muttered, "Well, at least Nolan, the descendant of the Emperor, is on Earth with Mark. So… everyone else is dead?"

"No, not yet. Though some time has passed, Thanos has been biding his time, experimenting with Smart Atoms and the Yellow Lantern Ring. Fortunately for you, he hasn't been able to integrate Smart Atoms into his own body, but he has partially succeeded in enhancing his Black Order and the Chitauri."

"He already has an Eternal-Deviant body. Why would he need more power?" Harry asked, confused.

"You're correct—his Titan physiology is already at the peak of mortal potential. However, he craves the adaptive abilities of the Viltrumites. He seeks to further enhance his strength, particularly because he still cannot move against Odin. If he had this ability during his confrontation with Odin long ago, he would be far more powerful than he is now, because the atoms would have adapted."

Harry processed the information and nodded.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, after all. But I still don't understand—why has he left them alone until now?"

Death snorted. "Because he wants to give me all thirty thousand at once. Even Thanos knows he cannot kill them all without a planet-busting attack, but with the Viltrumites' ability to survive in space and their faster-than-light flight, they could scatter before such an attack is fully powered up. Thus, he's focusing on improving his troops—but so far, his efforts have been only partially successful."

"So, I have time to save at least some of them for my cause," Harry mused, refining his plans.

"That you do. I will keep you informed of any significant developments on his end. It's quite ironic—Thanos has spent centuries trying to block the sight of higher entities, thinking they care to watch him, but the poor fool hasn't even considered shielding himself from my gaze."

Harry chuckled at that.

"Your plan to secure the support of the wizarding world to manage Earth's affairs is sound, but I suggest you start making moves beyond the magical world now rather than waiting. Phoenix has been bitching for ages about being bound by the bald fool, and I'm getting quite tired of it."

"I will ensure Lady Phoenix is freed and accelerate my own plans," Harry said, his mind already formulating strategies.

Death said nothing more, simply dismissing him with a wave of her hand.

======================

Harry woke up with a sharp gasp inside the pod. The lid hissed open automatically, and he conjured a mirror to inspect himself.

His reflection revealed a twelve-year-old boy rather than the ten-year-old he had been before. He would undoubtedly be the tallest student at Hogwarts when school started.

He curled his fingers into a fist, feeling the raw power now thrumming within his body. The strength was nearly equivalent to what he would have when channeling 5% of his magic and psychic abilities through himself. A grin spread across his face as he activated Body Scan, comparing his current form with the projected upgrades.

The most significant difference was his healing. He had expected some enhanced healing —Super Soldiers were known for it—but somehow, his magic had further refined the serum, improving the healing aspect over and above every other aspect of the serum. 

As he sat up, the scientists entered the room. They had already witnessed the transformation.

"Sir, how are you feeling?" the lead scientist asked, a mix of awe and apprehension in his voice.

"I feel fantastic. The process was a success," Harry confirmed. "Prepare two additional vials of the serum immediately."

The lead scientist nodded eagerly. "What's the difference between your version and Erskine's formula? I can see significant differences in the ingredients."

Harry debated whether to share the truth but seeing the budding loyalty in their minds, he decided that a little knowledge could serve as the perfect bait to suborn their loyalty from Hydra.

After all willing submission is more efficient than brute control.

"What Erskine's formula does is essentially what skilled Chi users accomplish through years of training—except the Super Soldier Serum achieves it in mere minutes. It enhances the body to its peak, improving every aspect of the individual. My version, however, is designed specifically for wizards while also fortifying the physical body. If a non-magical person were to take it… they would die."

And he wasn't lying. It had taken him nearly a decade in another life to refine this formula.

The scientists gulped in fear.

"I also have the original version," Harry added, his voice smooth and enticing. "Serve me well, and perhaps I will grant you an upgrade."

Excitement flashed across their faces, along with renewed determination.

===============================

Two Days Later

In the past forty-eight hours, Body Scan had recorded continued improvements—denser muscle mass, increased energy reserves, and an even stronger connection to both his magic and psychic abilities. His magical reserves had deepened, and his magic recovery rate had improved.

He wondered what would happen once he performed the Set of Seven Ritual designed to enhance magic further.

During these two days, he had also been integrating knowledge into the six Winter Soldiers, ensuring they understood the magical world and the superpowered threats they might encounter. No one outside this base even knew they had been reactivated. Not even Baron von Strucker, the Hydra leader in charge of this facility, cared about them—his focus remained on Bucky Barnes and his use when needed.

Harry had also equipped the soldiers with enchanted rings—each embedded with runes for various utilities, the most crucial being an emergency portkey linked directly to the base if they were critically injured. These rings also allowed him to track them anywhere in the world.

Their first mission: Locate and capture Ulysses Klaue and seize every last scrap of Vibranium in his possession.

To aid them, he provided enchanted compasses and a potent sleeping potion—less effective than the Draught of Living Death but strong enough for their needs. Hydra had vague intel placing Klaue somewhere in South Africa, but nothing precise.

As the soldiers departed, Harry observed the rest of the base's personnel sighing in relief at their absence. Harry had ensure the Winter soldiers over and above the memory manipulation by magical contracts. By now, everyone has understood the wizard had somehow made the mad soldiers be loyal to him more than Hydra. 

Harry gave them their orders and assigned tasks before leaving the base to return to Britain. Naturally, he didn't inform them when he would be back or where he was going. Keeping them uncertain would ensure they remained cautious.

====================

Black Castle.

Harry sat opposite Arcturus Black in the Lord's Solar, a bottle of Firewhiskey between them. His gaze wandered over the various knickknacks and books displayed in the showcase while he listened to the latest news from the Ministry.

"Harry, are you even listening to me?" Arcturus snapped, irritation creeping into his voice.

"Of course I am, Uncle. I have parallel thought streams, after all," Harry replied smoothly.

Arcturus huffed but continued. "As I was saying—Sirius is free, and the majority of the houses aligned with House Potter have come to me, inquiring about you and the status of the alliances."

Harry nodded. "Ah, well, tell them you have no contact with me. Keep the alliances as they are, and make it clear that you won't be making any decisions without speaking to me first."

Arcturus looked intrigued but soon shifted topics. "And what about the old goat? He's expecting a letter from me asking about you. Should we make trouble for him?"

Harry leaned back thoughtfully. Since his clash with Dumbledore, his mind had been analyzing which version of the man he was dealing with. He had been genuinely surprised that Dumbledore had not stalled Sirius's release once the evidence was presented.

"Don't send the letter," Harry decided. "He's no fool. By now, he's likely concluded that I'm with you and possibly even that I was the bodyguard in Azkaban—or even a time traveler. The explosion at the Dursleys' and my survival is enough to raise his suspicions. Yet, he hasn't made any visible moves against us. He's taking a wait-and-see approach. Let's do the same… after all, I still want to attend Hogwarts."

Arcturus scoffed. "Why, in the name of Morgana, would you waste time at Hogwarts?"

Harry smirked. "I need access to the castle itself, and I have a few recruits in mind. Besides, Hogwarts is the perfect place to lay low while I make my moves. Dumbledore's secret-keeping habits will ensure that no government interferes too soon."

Arcturus considered that before nodding. "I can see why you want to keep up the ruse for now. Anyway, after some well-placed threats and gold, I've acquired the patent from the Parkinsons and transferred it to House Potter."

"Excellent," Harry said with satisfaction. "Also, Uncle, make sure no one learns about my time travel. I'm passing it off as a one-time vision."

Arcturus took a sip of Firewhiskey and nodded.

Changing the topic, Harry asked, "Now, I need to know something—have you undergone any rituals?"

Arcturus frowned. "That's a personal question to ask, unless you're the Lord of the Family asking to its members. Why do you ask?"

"I need to know whether you and Sirius have done the Adaptation Ritual," Harry explained, a smug look on his face. "If you have, your magic won't fight against the Super Soldier Serum I developed."

Arcturus blinked in surprise. "Super Soldier Serum? You mean the same one that enhanced that Captain in the Great War?"

"The very same," Harry confirmed. "It will restore your health and extend your lifespan beyond even normal wizarding limits."

Arcturus scoffed. "You just want to enhance your side. Don't try to manipulate me, dear nephew."

Harry merely shrugged. "That's part of it, yes, but in the grand scheme of things, the Super Soldier Serum is just a basic enhancement. There are far greater things I'll be dealing with."

Arcturus sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll take it when it's ready." He set his glass down and leaned back. "Now, have you finished your work in the Muggle world for now?"

Harry shook his head. "No, I'm just getting started. It's time for me to visit America—I have some people to recruit."

Arcturus raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then do you need me to arrange a discreet international Portkey? MACUSA is a pain in the ass when it comes to controlling where you use magic."

Harry smirked. "No need. I'm visiting Muggle America, not their magical world. Even if MACUSA detects magic, they won't be able to pinpoint me—my defenses against scrying are too strong."

Arcturus nodded in understanding. "Very well. Just be careful, nephew."

=========================================

Alexander Pierce.

Washington DC

He looked at the reports in front of him and frowned as his own experience as a seasoned spy and agent of Hydra raised all sorts of red flags. All the reports were as expected, except for two.

One was from Surrey, London, handled by Coulson's elite team and the Black Widow. More than that, Director Fury had flown down there to oversee it personally, which interested Pierce very much. The fact that Fury did so while hiding it from S.H.I.E.L.D. records was even more intriguing. He looked at the report and scowled at the name Potter.

For the life of him, he couldn't remember where he had heard the name, though he was sure he had overheard it somewhere before. The fact that it was barely mentioned in the middle of the report, almost as an afterthought, meant he wouldn't have even noticed it—if the name Potter hadn't rung a bell.

Sighing, he realized that even after five minutes, he still couldn't recall where he had heard Potter before. Shaking his head, he turned his attention to the more important report from his Hydra underlings. As a head, he kept an eye on all the other heads, and Baron von Strucker was one of the most important ones he monitored. The Baron carried the natural arrogance of nobility—his family had led Hydra for generations, and as a result, he saw Pierce as lesser. Additionally, the six Winter Soldiers were under the Baron's authority and base, requiring special oversight from Pierce.

That's why it was interesting that, two days ago, there had been a brief power outage, and then everything had returned to normal—except for the sudden increase in resource consumption and funding for a new Super Soldier Serum experiment. As usual, it turned out to be a dud. There had been no prior reports indicating they were close to the testing stage or even that this experiment was in development. It had come completely out of the blue, and that made Pierce wary.

Pierce sighed in exhaustion as he realized he would have to speak to the Baron to check on this. He couldn't contact that cell directly, meaning he would now have to suffer the indignity of dealing with the Baron's pride. Memories of various meetings flashed through his mind—gatherings where the generational heads of Hydra mocked the newer ones and spoke nostalgically of the Red Skull. They often reminisced about how it had taken dozens of special individuals to defeat Hydra's ambitions—Captain America, Stark, Black Widow, Dumbledore, the Human Torch, Potter…

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt as the name Potter surfaced again.

Damn it. That's where I've heard the name.

So this kid is probably the grandson or great-grandson of that enhanced Potter. I wonder if it was that enhanced ability that caused this destruction. I need to keep a special watch on that investigation now.

 ==============================

Shield Base of Operations

UK

Coulson was tired and at his wits' end with this investigation. Harry Potter was a dichotomy of truth. No one remembered him, even when S.H.I.E.L.D. had found some physical records here and there after a thorough search. Whoever had planned the expungement of records had been in a hurry, and only the knowledge of Potter's actual existence had allowed them to find at least some bare records in backups.

"Is every investigation like this?" Natasha asked.

This was her fifth assignment after defecting, and her handler for the first three had been Hawkeye. The fourth had been under Fury himself, where she had been tasked with trying to woo Bruce Wayne and investigate him.

And then came Coulson.

Even now, Natasha's trained assassin mind came up with several methods to kill the balding man—her handler for this mission. She knew the first three missions had been under Hawkeye because, depending on the circumstances, he might have been able to beat her. But this one? Even with considerable skill, both Natasha and Coulson knew he was outmatched by a huge degree.

Yet, there was no doubt from Fury, Hawkeye, or Coulson about her loyalty. It was Coulson's sheer talent for making friends and ensuring loyalty. Even after only weeks of interaction, Natasha knew she would hesitate if she had to kill him. It was as if Coulson had opened her black heart and triggered her empathy and kindness again.

Coulson, unaware of the harrowing thoughts running through his subordinate's mind, simply smiled.

"Maybe, Natasha. It depends on the situation, but I can say this is one of those cases where we have almost no clues. Our lack of knowledge on magic and its world is a major hindrance."

"I'm actually surprised. Even with all the knowledge the Red Room crammed into me, there was no mention of magic. I'm surprised Director Fury trusted me with this information since it appears to be so well protected."

It was then that Fury entered the room like he owned it—which, in a sense, he did.

"That's because, for all its protected status, in the end, it's useless to you if you defect from us, Black Widow. Even ordinary Muggle-born parents know the truth about magic. You could never find them without someone in the know escorting you."

"Director," Coulson acknowledged, while Natasha simply nodded.

"Director, so why doesn't S.H.I.E.L.D. just acquire knowledge from the Muggle-born parents?" Natasha asked curiously.

Fury sighed, knowing the answer would not be welcomed by Coulson or Natasha—especially Natasha.

"That's because our primary playing ground is North America, and there, MACUSA is stricter than even the Chinese. They protect the Statute of Secrecy more than anything. Any Muggle-born child born there is traced as early as possible, and then they take the Muggle-borns to MACUSA, obliviating the parents and anyone else who has knowledge of them. The child is then either blood-adopted into prominent families or, if that's not possible, raised by the Ministry's care system, which, as of now, lacks nothing. Every orphan is given a single guardian, so even the children don't feel like orphans.

If the child is too high-profile, they bind the magic permanently, ensuring there would be no outward display of magic unless under highly stressful circumstances."

Both Coulson and Fury could see the anger in Natasha—it was too reminiscent of the Red Room. The only thing that made it easier to swallow was that at least, here, the children were given love and care.

"And the rest of the world doesn't do anything? I mean, this is barbaric. At the very least, Britain should fight against this, given their prejudice against Muggle-borns," Natasha said.

Fury nodded at the question and answered,

"The truth is that the International Confederation of Wizards silently supports this method. Their main goal is the protection of the Statute of Secrecy above all else. They have excellent resources, and their war wizards are not to be trifled with.

Britain, on the other hand, still considers every other country inferior due to their proud heritage and the vast amount of magical knowledge among British families. However, that knowledge is dwindling—more and more Magical Lords are appearing in America, while Britain has only Albus Dumbledore. More than that, Britain doesn't want to start a war with MACUSA because almost all the families in MACUSA are descended from the bastards left behind by British purebloods. No one wants a wizarding war between powerhouses right now."

Natasha remained silent, not wanting to comment further.

"Director, how do you know all of this? Last time, you said it was only Peggy Carter's knowledge that helped you learn about it," Coulson asked.

"I just had a meeting with the Queen and the Prime Minister regarding the Surrey Incident. They had the latest intelligence and informed me of several things. There was also some news related to Harry Potter. It was chaos in Wizarding Britain..."

Fury finished his long explanation and threw several newspapers onto the table with the heading Daily Prophet.

Both Coulson and Natasha's eyes widened in surprise at the moving pictures, but Coulson had a far more important question.

"Director, are you saying that someone who personally knew Captain America is alive, still in fighting shape, and related to our person of interest? And that we may even have to meet him during our investigation?" Coulson exclaimed in wonder.

Fury sighed as Natasha smirked.

"Phil, this is not the time for your fanboyism over Captain America," Fury said in exasperation.

Phil flushed but, within moments, had regained his usual calm demeanor.

"So, Albus Dumbledore will be in trouble when Lord Black finally moves against him because he can't produce Harry Potter's location?" Natasha asked.

Fury just scoffed.

"Ordinarily, nothing would happen, because Albus Dumbledore is not someone to trifle with, and Britain can't afford to lose his influence and image. But with the bodyguard in play I am unsure what will happen."

"So this was the energy we detected in the ocean—where nothing was supposed to be?" Coulson asked.

"What energy?" Fury questioned.

Coulson's eyes widened as he realized something.

"Director, our satellites and all our equipment in the UK were tracking for any energy outburst similar to the one at the Dursleys' residence. A few days ago, we barely picked up a reading from the ocean. Look at this—an image of a prison being destroyed by what appears to be a magical attack.

What if both incidents are connected?"

Both Fury and Natasha were surprised, though they showed no outward signs of it.

"And we have no way to compare the two, right?" Fury asked.

Coulson simply shook his head in disappointment.

"I trust your instincts, and that's one hell of a guess," Fury admitted.

"I agree with him."

A calm voice echoed from the shadows, and immediately, everyone tensed and moved.

Even before the sentence was finished, two bullets shot toward the new presence in the corner of the room. Both rounds stopped mid-air, halted by an invisible shield.

"Now, now, is that any way to welcome a guest?" Star said, his voice carrying an amused edge.

The three agents finally got a clear look at the masked and hooded figure. It was unmistakable—this was no ordinary intruder. The uniform robes, the magical shield… this was a wizard.

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Authors note: yeah a cliff hanger… The Star is here… i know no one knows how the SSR serum works and thus this is my version of working... it is a permanent shortcut when other chi users works their ass off...

Read ahead three chapters in pat reon : search for black wolf