Harry stared at the SHIELD facility through his apartment's enhanced surveillance system. The building looked ordinary enough from the outside, but his senses were screaming warnings. Something inside that facility was wrong. Not just enhanced criminals or advanced technology. Something cosmic.
"Still hung up on the financial district raids, you lot?" he muttered to himself, switching between camera feeds. SHIELD had been busy since the successful operation. Seven enhanced criminals captured, their coordination network dismantled. But they'd missed the bigger picture.
The energy signature from that building hadn't disappeared when they captured the criminals. It had moved.
Harry pulled up the electromagnetic readings he'd been tracking. The signature was stronger now, more focused. SHIELD had recovered something from the raid. Something he was confident they didn't understand.
His laptop chimed with intercepted communications.
"Transport complete," Agent Morrison's voice came through the speakers. "Asset secured in Lab Seven. Dr. Selvig is requesting immediate analysis."
"Understood. What's the energy output?"
"Beyond our measurement capabilities. Whatever this thing is, it's not like anything we've seen before."
Harry leaned forward. They'd found the source of the enhanced augmentation. Some kind of device or artifact that had been artificially boosting the criminals' abilities. But his instincts were telling him it was far more dangerous than SHIELD realized.
He stood up and walked to his window. The black SUV was still parked across the street. SHIELD's surveillance team had been watching his building for eight days now. They were getting closer to identifying him, but they still didn't know what they were looking for.
A wizard hiding in plain sight.
His phone buzzed with a text from the building's concierge. "Mr. Potter, the same gentlemen are back asking about you. They seem more insistent today."
Harry typed back quickly. "Tell them I'm still traveling. Extended business trip."
"They asked for your travel itinerary."
That was new. SHIELD was pushing harder, asking more specific questions. They were running out of patience with the mysterious consultant who kept providing perfect intelligence.
Time to give them something more substantial to chase, then.
Harry opened his secure connection to the city's surveillance network. He began searching for patterns related to the artifact SHIELD had recovered. Energy signatures, electromagnetic anomalies, anything that might explain what they were dealing with.
What he found made his blood run cold.
The energy readings matched something from his memories. Not from his time as the Master of Death, but from the deepest parts of magical theory he'd studied. Cosmic singularities. Objects of immense power that existed at the intersection of magic and physics.
He'd read about them in ancient texts, dismissed them as theoretical constructs. But the energy signature coming from that SHIELD facility was unmistakable.
They had a cosmic singularity.
Harry closed his eyes and reached out with his magical senses. Death's presence stirred in the back of his mind, responding to his query. It was not as actively present in his life in this world, but the essence still lingered.
Yes, came the whisper. One of six. They do not understand what they possess.
"Six?" Harry asked aloud.
Singularities of creation. Power beyond mortal comprehension. In the wrong hands, they could unravel reality itself.
Harry opened his eyes. SHIELD had recovered an artifact capable of unraveling reality, and they were treating it like enhanced technology. They had no idea what they were dealing with.
His laptop chimed with more intercepted communications.
"Energy readings are fluctuating," Dr. Selvig's voice came through. "The artifact is responding to our testing equipment. Almost like it's alive."
"What kind of responses?"
"Increased energy output when exposed to electromagnetic fields. Resonance patterns that suggest internal structure. And something else. The energy signature is changing, adapting to our testing methods."
Harry grabbed his jacket. A cosmic singularity that was adapting to scientific testing was beyond dangerous. It was catastrophic. SHIELD needed to stop their experiments immediately, but he couldn't just tell them to stop without explaining why.
And explaining why would reveal far more about himself than he was ready to share.
But if they continued their testing, they might trigger something that would make enhanced criminals look trivial by comparison.
He walked back to his computer and began typing an encrypted message.
"Priority warning regarding recovered artifact. Device exhibits properties consistent with cosmic-level energy manipulation technology. Testing should be suspended immediately pending full analysis. Continued exposure to electromagnetic fields may trigger catastrophic energy release."
Harry paused. The warning was accurate, but it didn't explain how he knew. SHIELD would want details, sources, even evidence. Things he couldn't provide without revealing his magical abilities.
He needed to give them enough information to take the warning seriously without exposing himself.
"Artifact energy signature matches theoretical models for quantum singularity devices. Recommend immediate consultation with theoretical physics specialists. Device may be self-aware and responsive to external stimuli."
That should get their attention. Harry attached the energy readings he'd been monitoring, cross-referenced with physics journals that discussed theoretical cosmic objects. Enough scientific backing to make the warning credible.
"Source designation: The Consultant."
He sent the message and sat back to wait. SHIELD would receive it within minutes. Their response would tell him how seriously they took warnings about cosmic-level threats.
His laptop immediately chimed with intercepted communications.
"Sir, we just received another message from The Consultant," Agent Morrison's voice crackled through. "Priority warning about the artifact."
"What kind of warning?"
"Says it's a cosmic-level energy manipulation device. Recommends immediate suspension of testing."
There was a pause. Harry could almost hear the wheels turning in Agent Coulson's mind.
"How could The Consultant know about our testing? We just started the analysis two hours ago."
"Unknown, sir. But the energy readings they attached match our current data perfectly."
"This is getting ridiculous. Someone is monitoring our operations in real time. They know about classified artifacts, classified testing procedures, classified facilities."
"What are your orders, sir?"
Coulson was quiet for a moment. "Continue testing, but with increased caution. And I want a full analysis of how The Consultant is obtaining this intelligence. Someone is inside our organization, or someone has capabilities we don't understand."
Harry frowned. They were ignoring the warning. SHIELD was too focused on the mystery of his intelligence sources to pay attention to the actual threat.
He needed to make the danger more immediate.
Harry opened another secure channel and began searching for information about cosmic singularities. Ancient magical texts, theoretical physics papers, anything that might give him leverage to make SHIELD take the threat seriously.
What he found in the Nordic archives was worse than he'd expected.
The cosmic singularities weren't just powerful artifacts. They were fragments of creation itself, pieces of the fundamental forces that held reality together. In the wrong hands, they could reshape the laws of physics. In the hands of someone who didn't understand them, they could accidentally destroy entire worlds.
SHIELD was playing with forces that could end civilization.
His phone rang. Unknown number.
"Harry Potter," he answered cautiously.
"Mr. Potter, this is Agent Phil Coulson of SHIELD. I think it's time we had a conversation."
Harry felt his heart rate spike. They'd found him. Despite all his precautions, all his misdirection, SHIELD had connected The Consultant to Harry Potter.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Agent Coulson."
"We both know that's not true. You've been providing intelligence to SHIELD for over a week. Perfect intelligence. Intelligence that no one should be able to obtain through normal channels."
Harry walked to his window. The black SUV was still there, but now he could see additional vehicles positioned around his building. SHIELD had surrounded him while he was focused on the cosmic singularity.
"You have me confused with someone else."
"The Consultant. Financial records traced through shell companies. Communication patterns analyzed. Cellular tower triangulation. We followed the digital breadcrumbs you left for us."
Breadcrumbs he'd left? Harry reviewed his actions over the past week. He'd been careful to hide his identity, to route his communications through untraceable channels. But maybe too careful. Maybe the very sophistication of his concealment had revealed patterns that SHIELD could follow.
"I'm just a British consultant, Agent Coulson. Technology investments. Nothing exciting."
"A British consultant who somehow knew about enhanced criminal networks that SHIELD couldn't detect. Who provided tactical intelligence that saved my agents' lives. Who warned us about cosmic-level threats two hours after we recovered an unknown artifact."
Harry closed his eyes. They had him. Not completely, but enough to justify direct confrontation.
"What do you want?"
"Answers. And cooperation. You've been helping us, but you've been doing it from the shadows. Time to step into the light."
Harry looked at the SHIELD vehicles surrounding his building. He could disappear right now. Go invisible and escape, establish a new identity, continue monitoring the situation from a distance. But the cosmic singularity was still in SHIELD's possession, still being tested by people who had no idea what they were dealing with.
If he disappeared, he'd lose his ability to influence their actions. And the singularity would remain in the hands of people who might accidentally destroy the world while trying to understand it.
"Where do you want to meet?"
"Your penthouse. I'm already in the building."
Harry felt his magical senses flare. Coulson was telling the truth. He was in the building, probably in the elevator right now. SHIELD had gotten past his building's security, past his early warning systems, past all his precautions. He'd set up wards to ensure those looking for him didn't know where he was, but nothing short of the Fidelius could prevent people from getting it done if they already knew where he was.
They were good.
"Agent Coulson?"
"Yes?"
"How did you get past building security?"
"Same way you've been getting past ours. We learned from the best."
The line went dead. Harry set his phone down and looked around his penthouse. Command center, surveillance equipment, files documenting enhanced criminal networks. Evidence of capabilities that no normal consultant should possess.
He could try to hide it all, make it look like a normal apartment. But SHIELD had already connected him to The Consultant. There was no point in maintaining the pretense.
Besides, if they were going to discuss cosmic singularities, they needed to understand who they were talking to.
It had been fun playing cat and mouse with a government agency, but it was time to face the music. And perhaps this was truly the best way going forward.
Harry walked to his front door and waited. His magical senses detected Coulson approaching, along with two other agents. Armed, cautious, but not openly hostile.
They were treating this as a potential recruitment, not an arrest.
The elevator chimed. Footsteps in the hallway. A pause outside his door.
Harry reached out and unlocked the door with a thought. No magical spell, but electronic manipulation through his magic's influence. But the timing would make a point.
Agent Phil Coulson stood in the hallway, looking exactly as Harry had expected. Mid-forties, professional demeanor, and sharp eyes that missed nothing. The two agents behind him were alert but not threatening.
"Mr. Potter."
"Agent Coulson."
They studied each other for a moment. Harry could see Coulson evaluating the penthouse, the surveillance equipment, and the evidence of capabilities that exceeded normal parameters.
"You're younger than I expected."
"You're more polite than I expected."
Coulson smiled slightly. "May we come in?"
Harry stepped aside. "Please."
The three SHIELD agents entered his penthouse. Coulson's eyes immediately went to the command center, the multiple screens showing police scanners and traffic cameras.
"Impressive setup."
"Technology consulting pays well."
"I'm sure it does." Coulson walked to the windows overlooking the street. "Nice view of the surveillance teams."
"I noticed them on day three."
"Day three? We've been watching you for eight days."
Harry smiled. "I noticed the competent surveillance on day three. The obvious surveillance started on day one."
Coulson turned back to face him. "You've been playing with us."
"I've been helping you. There's a difference."
"Is there? You provided intelligence that led to the successful capture of seven enhanced criminals. You guided us through a tactical operation that could have gone badly wrong. You warned us about cosmic-level threats."
Harry nodded. "And now you want to know why."
"That's part of it. But mostly, I want to know how. How did you obtain intelligence about criminal networks that SHIELD couldn't detect? How did you provide tactical support in real time? How did you know about the artifact we recovered?"
Harry walked to his coffee maker. "Coffee?"
"Please."
Harry began preparing coffee for four people. Coulson's agents remained near the door, alert but not threatening. The atmosphere was tense but not hostile.
"You're not going to arrest me?"
"Should I?"
"I've been monitoring classified SHIELD communications. Technically that's espionage."
"Technically, you've been providing intelligence that helped us capture enhanced criminals and prevent potential disasters. The espionage charge would be hard to make stick."
Harry poured coffee into four cups. "Cream? Sugar?"
"Black, please."
Harry handed Coulson a cup and gestured toward the couch. "Shall we sit?"
They settled into comfortable positions. Coulson's agents remained standing, but their posture relaxed slightly.
"So," Coulson said. "The Consultant."
"Not my best alias."
"Better than some we've seen. Direct, professional, memorable. Good branding."
Harry sipped his coffee. "You traced my communications."
"Eventually. You covered your tracks well, but all digital action leaves traces. Investigation into shell companies, encrypted channels, financial records, and cellular networks. Our teams followed the patterns until they led us to this area, and with you being so reluctant to meet us, the location was easy to pinpoint in the end."
"And now?"
Coulson set down his coffee cup. "Now we have a conversation about the artifact you warned us about. The cosmic-level energy manipulation device."
Harry felt Death's presence stir in his mind. The cosmic singularity was still being tested, still responding to SHIELD's instruments. Still potentially catastrophic.
"You're still running tests on it."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I can sense it from here."
Coulson's expression sharpened. "Sense it how?"
Harry considered his answer carefully. How much should he reveal? SHIELD was dealing with cosmic forces they didn't understand, but they were also a government organization that would want to weaponize anything they could comprehend.
But if he didn't give them enough information to understand the danger, they might trigger something that would make the choice irrelevant.
He could manipulate them, choose the shadows as he had before, or he could finally change his approach and try to gain allies.
It was a challenging choice for him, one that would change everything going forward.
To read more, visit the link on my profile. The username is KyleVirex everywhere, so that would help out too, I guess. Thanks!