Chapter 65: Iron Man (Part 2)

"I hate wizards." Watching Daniel Davis fly away on his broomstick, May's expression turned distinctly sour, while the Captain's face remained impassive.

"Get a plane to my location immediately," Coulson barked into his phone.

"The fact that wizards really exist in this world is unbelievable," Hill remarked from the depths of a secret room in Triskelion headquarters as she watched Daniel fly away on his broomstick, disbelief etched across her face.

"Keep tracking him," Fury ordered, his face emotionless as he observed the scene. After a long silence, he spoke into his earpiece with stern resolve.

"Understood," May's voice replied through the earpiece.

"Finally, the miniaturized Arc Reactor makes its debut." Daniel, seated on his broomstick and trailing a piece of fabric, muttered to himself. 

The kidnapping of Stark and the emergence of the Iron Man suit were significant, but the real game-changer was the miniaturized Arc Reactor. Energy is paramount in both the scientific and wizarding worlds, although wizards measure energy in terms of magical power. 

Even though the Harry Potter world lacks a precise unit for measuring magical power, it clearly differentiates between strengths. For example, if a child tried to use the Killing Curse against an adult Auror, it might only cause a nosebleed at most, failing to be lethal.

In the mundane world, the Arc Reactor's arrival heralded massive changes, though most ordinary people wouldn't directly feel these shifts. 

In movies, such nuances are even less perceptible.

Iron Man suits have existed in the Marvel Universe for a while, with Stark Industries' competitors like Oscorp also delving into similar technologies. However, their suits were impractical without a powerful energy source, often tethered to large cables for power during demonstrations—a clear disadvantage on the battlefield.

The advent of the Arc Reactor solved this energy conundrum.

Despite this breakthrough, Iron Man suits didn't proliferate in the Marvel Universe for several reasons. Key among them was the necessity for an AI system to fully utilize the suits' capabilities. Without AI, operating an Iron Man suit could be less effective than using a tank, especially considering the suits' exorbitant cost.

Post-Arc Reactor, not only could it power the suits but also tanks, planes, and even rockets and missiles. 

It could be argued that tanks, planes, and vehicles might need a redesign to incorporate Arc Reactor energy, significantly enhancing their capabilities.

Hydra's Insight program and their three massive heli-carriers were only feasible thanks to Stark's Arc Reactor and the anti-gravity system.

Given these factors, the rarity of Iron Man suits in the Marvel world becomes clear. Even SHIELD and Hydra lacked the AI to make full use of such technology.

"With an Arc Reactor, I could build an Iron Man suit and use it to take down Voldemort. That would be quite something. But to achieve that, I'd need to launch satellites in the Harry Potter world first." Daniel, contemplating Voldemort battling a swarm of Iron Man suits, chuckled at the thought as he flew on his broomstick.

Living in the Marvel Universe, Daniel had spent his free time studying Iron Man suits and Stark's history. He envisioned two potential designs for his own Iron Man suit.

The first was Stark's model, with a person inside, aided by AI, allowing for highly agile combat.

The second involved remote control via AI, which, while less flexible, wouldn't require a person inside. This option, not needing to prioritize human safety, could be more robust and carry more ammunition, making it cheaper to produce.

For Daniel, with his ability to use an Undetectable Extension Charm, space wasn't an issue.

Human-operated suits required safety considerations and costly materials, whereas unmanned suits didn't need such precautions and could even be designed for kamikaze attacks if necessary.

Unlike Stark, who could afford lavish displays like fireworks made from Iron Man suits, Daniel needed to be frugal. His current resources paled compared to Stark's wealth.

But that was only the current situation. Daniel was confident that his future ventures would eventually surpass Stark's. His ambitions extended far into the cosmos.

Of course, to maintain the integrity of Stark's character, Daniel didn't plan to use Iron Man suits in the Marvel world. But in reality, who cared about maintaining a persona? The main reason was that Daniel lacked Stark's influential background. If he showcased an Iron Man suit, others would quickly try to seize it, along with his AI.

Another reason for sticking to his persona was self-preservation. Daniel's mysterious wizard identity offered significant protection, especially with the fabricated wizarding community backing him up. Although this group was no longer entirely fictional.

This fabricated wizard community was Daniel's strongest shield, akin to why Thor could operate on Earth as an Avenger—he had Asgard behind him.

"There's nothing more dangerous than an educated rogue," Daniel thought, feeling a twinge of pity for the terrorists who had kidnapped Stark. How could they have been so short-sighted to let Stark build the first Iron Man suit right under their noses?

Aside from Obadiah Stane's deal with the terrorists, they had hoped Stark would create Jericho missiles for them. Yet, the difference between a missile and an Iron Man suit should have been evident. If anyone among them had been a bit smarter, Stark might not have survived.

"It looks like we've found him." Spotting the fabric fragment descending, Daniel scanned the desert below and saw a figure trudging along. Adjusting his broomstick's course, he flew closer and recognized Stark, who looked on the brink of collapse.

"Lost traveler, you seem to be in need of some help," Daniel called out with a smile as he flew closer to Stark.

"Water... water..." Stark, swaying and barely conscious, looked up at Daniel on his broomstick without a hint of surprise, mumbling for water before collapsing.

"You really are in a bad shape," Daniel remarked, dismounting his broomstick and approaching Stark. Noticing the Arc Reactor in Stark's chest, he shook his head slightly, then drew his wand and muttered, "Aguamenti."

A gentle stream of water flowed from Daniel's wand, reaching Stark's lips.

After a few sips, Stark regained some clarity, his eyes widening in shock as he recognized Daniel.

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. You've been missing for so long; Pepper is really worried." Daniel smiled.

"No, wait. I think I saw someone flying on a broom just now," Stark recalled, puzzled.

"You mean this?" Daniel pointed to the hovering broomstick, a mischievous grin on his face.

"What kind of new tech is this?" Stark immediately rushed to the broomstick, examining it closely.

"It's not tech; it's magic." Daniel joined Stark, who was inspecting the broomstick with disbelief. He then sat on it and pulled out his wand, conjuring a transparent seat in front of the broomstick.

"Let's talk later. We need to get out of here." Daniel patted the transparent seat, gesturing for Stark to sit.

"Magic? That's impossible. It has to be some cutting-edge technology." Stark, ever the scientist, ignored the seat and continued scrutinizing the broomstick.

"Don't break it. This is the latest model of the Nimbus 2000 series, and it cost me a fortune," Daniel warned as Stark probed the broomstick's tail. 

In the wizarding world, the Nimbus series was the equivalent of a Ferrari or Lamborghini in the mundane world.

After a thorough inspection, Stark finally conceded that the broomstick lacked any advanced technology. "This defies all scientific logic," he exclaimed, baffled.

"It does, but it's perfectly magical," Daniel chuckled.

"Alright, let's go. I don't want to stay in this desert any longer." Daniel remounted the broomstick, signaling Stark to join him.

"Is this thing safe?" Stark glanced at the scorching sun above, then at the broomstick, before hesitantly climbing onto the transparent seat.

"Don't worry, it's certified safe by the International Confederation of Wizards. Absolutely no issues with safety." Once Stark was seated, Daniel waved his wand, and a safety harness appeared, securing Stark to the seat.

The broomstick then lifted off and began its flight. Daniel's wand conjured a transparent umbrella, shielding them from the sun.

Since they were both seated, the broomstick's flight speed was moderate.

Though Daniel could have opened a portal back to New York instantly, he chose not to, to maintain his cover. Similarly, Apparition wasn't an option; Stark's chest injury made it too risky, potentially lethal under the pressures of magical travel.

"Wow." Stark, despite having flown countless times in planes, was exhilarated by the experience of flying on a broomstick.

As they flew at a low altitude, Daniel reflected that Stark was likely airlifted out, given the difficulty SHIELD and the military had in finding him. On the ground, experts in tracking would have found clues long ago.

Daniel's use of magic to locate Stark worked primarily because of the desolation of the desert. In a bustling city, the sheer number of people would have diluted any magical traces left by Stark, similar to how physical tracking becomes challenging with many footprints overlapping.

Magic wasn't omnipotent. In crowded places, traces left by others would overshadow any singular presence, much like trying to find a specific footprint in a busy snowy field.

"Who exactly are you?" Stark asked after his initial excitement faded.

"I'm a wizard," Daniel replied just as their surroundings darkened. Looking up, they saw a black plane overhead with SHIELD's insignia—a Quinjet. The aircraft hovered above them, its ramp opening.

"Hey," Coulson greeted, waving at them to come aboard. Daniel deftly maneuvered the broomstick into the Quinjet.

"Mr. Stark, it's a relief to

 see you safe," Coulson said as Stark dismounted the broomstick, though Stark barely acknowledged him, his focus fixated on Daniel's wand.

"Is this the wand?" Stark asked, eyes wide in astonishment at the wand that had conjured the sunshade.

"Yes, it's a wand, made with a dragon's heartstring core." Daniel handed the wand to Stark, casting a discreet glance at May and Coulson before continuing. "It's my only wand, and it's quite delicate. Please handle it carefully. If it breaks, I'll have to explain to the Ministry of Magic and get a replacement."

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