2 Chapter 2

Harry Potter, boy-who-lived, Master of Death, The savior of Wizarding kind, was standing on the beach looking at the men who had attacked a young girl and her boyfriend… well, that's what it looked like anyway. He had just used legilimency to scan their memories to take them home. He was shocked, on scanning their memories to discover they were not in some safe haven he hadn't heard of, but that there seemed to never have been a war. There was never an escalation of hostilities as endless muggle dignitaries, rulers and leaders were killed for no seeming reason.

At first he had hoped… hoped that he was sent back in time and that he might be able to destroy Tom Riddle before his reign of terror started, but found that it was still the same day as the day he went after Voldemort after finally destroying his final horcrux. Almost 30 years after his parents were killed by a madman.

The same madman who's body had been just over the next dune. He had checked that he was dead. Twice. And then destroyed the body with fiendfire after decapitating it with Gryffindor's sword. He felt no relief. No satisfaction. Not after everything he had lost and had to do. Not after the madman had finally destroyed everything. The planet itself could not even support life properly.

The only reason he was still alive at all was because of a prophecy and the hallows. Once he realized he had stopped aging, he promised never to stop hunting the man who had cost him everything. And he had done it. Finally.

Now it seems he was in a new place, dimension, timeline, something. Tom had obviously been trying to leave the world he had so thoroughly destroyed. Only for Harry to interrupt him in the final stage. A one way trip. He didn't even know what to do. He had been fighting a war on his own for the last two years. At least now he could rest.

He used legilimency on a couple of the soldiers and found they were sent because of some energy readings that were similar to something they had experienced in the past. Something about a bifrost. That sounded familiar. Something Hermione had said at some point no doubt.

The thought of his best friend still hurt him immensely, but without her he would never have gotten as far as he had. Without her instruction and research he would not be the man he was.

He still obliviated the last minute of their conscious memories away before standing and waiting for the people he was sure to follow. He heard them coming of course. How could he not? He stood there with his back to them knowing when one of their number walked up to him quietly. He saw the gun they had at the ready and continued to just stare over the water. The waves soothing his frayed nerves.

When the person was close enough to hear him, he said "Don't worry, they aren't dead."

The person stopped dead, hand twitching, ready to fire at a moment's notice. He suddenly moved his hand to his ear and listened to something Harry could not hear. He then stood upright and put his weapon away, slowly withdrawing, while another man approached.

Harry turned around and looked at the man. He was a balding man with an unassuming face. He seemed friendly, but Harry had learned long ago not to judge people on the faces they wore, but their actions. As the man came close enough to start speaking, Harry subtly moved his hand and released the soldiers from their magically induced sleep. A stunning spell is easy to remove with magic, but modern technology might struggle achieving the same feat.

"Hi, my name is Agent Phil Coulson from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. I was sent to investigate when we lost contact with some of our people who were sent to look into a strange occurrence at this location. Could you help me out? I really hate to take the director bad news. And no news is bad news."

"Hi, you can call me Harry. As for what happened here, I'm afraid I can't divulge that information as it is a matter of British national security." The standard Auror hitwizard response, when obliviation is not viable. He might not have been one for too long, but he remembered those lessons well. It was learned in a time of war after all.

Just then the first of the men started stirring, to the Agent's obvious relief. He made a hand motion and some of the men that came with him moved in to check them out. "MI6? I can assure you we have a strong working relationship with all the British agencies and most of the European ones."

"Agent Coulson, if you please, you cannot imagine how long my day has been. I will have to get in contact with my people through my own channels before I can divulge any information." Harry said, noting the glimmer of intelligence in the man's eyes as he tried to connect dots. Dots that would never line up. He would not let Harry go without someone from higher up telling him to do so and until then, Harry was an unknown and possibly a security risk.

"I understand. Until you have made contact with your people we can supply you with quarters and something to eat. Do you need anything from us to contact your people? We will, of course, provide you with transport to your destination." It was not a question. They would go with him to ensure he doesn't try to run. Of course he could leave them whenever he felt like it, but that might end up with him on a list of wanted criminals. He disliked politics, but even he knew the red tape was necessary… for them anyway.

"Thank you. That's a kind offer that I will take you up on. I expect to be contacted in the next couple of days. If you have a place for me until then, that would be appreciated."

Agent Coulson nodded at him and spoke to one of his people who had checked on the soldiers. Apparently they remember arriving on location, finding a girl standing in the dark and then nothing. Their digital equipment seemed to have been tampered with as none of the recording devices were in working order. At this the agent looked at Harry, but Harry did not respond or even look like he was listening.

The agent finished his conversation and walked back to Harry. "If you'll follow me?" He started walking off in the direction of the road.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked with mild interest.

"We have an office in Malibu, but it's an office building. Most staff that work here buy or rent. We'll be going to a hotel." the agent replied with a small smile. "Feel free to get room service. As I understand it, its tax deductible, depending on which agency you work for."

Harry simply smiled back, knowing the agent was just fishing for more information. This was a game he could play. After all, who's more secretive than a person who's been trained to keep his very existence a secret?

He would soon find out that the Director if SHIELD might actually trump him.