Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks to my wonderful beta, Zyzyax.

Chapter 6

Harry watched in the shadows as Tony and Steve argued with each other. Joining in would be pointless and add to the overall intensity of the atmosphere. Plus, he was supposed to be subtle now. Harry made an attempt to tune back into the conversation. Steve was worried that it had been too easy, and, as far as Harry was concerned, he was right. Loki was strong and that was not including the presence and the man's cunning. That had been far too easy, but Tony was not at all concerned. He was talking nonsense and throwing in random facts, facts that were not important, and making the entire conversation ridiculous. The fact that Steve only knew basic things about the modern world made it seem more faddish than it actually was to him. What Steve didn't understand, and what Harry knew, was that it was a way for Tony to manage stress that didn't involve alcohol. Those two were not going to stop arguing anytime soon, and they were now going in circles. Harry decided to turn his focus elsewhere.

Natasha, if Harry's vision was correct, was observing Loki and making it quite obvious. It seemed that she was not at all concerned about him also observing her as a spy should have been. Secrecy was usually of the utmost importance to a spy, but working here might have changed that, especially with Tony using his abilities as a computer genius and hacking into SHEILD's databases regularly. It could also be a power play, he mused. She wants him to think she isn't afraid. Then again, Harry supposed it could also be desperation. He would be the first to tell you that desperation to prevent a war could lead to vast amounts of mistakes and stupidity all around. The wizarding world was, is, and had been a prime example of that, upon reflection. Harry moved out of his musings and examined his surroundings once again.

From the corner of Harry's eye, he could see Nick Fury entering the scene. The man reminded him of Moody, even though he wasn't magical and didn't have the peg-leg or the whirring eye. Paranoid that one, but with good reason, he supposed. Fury probably didn't make a whole lot of friends in his line of work. Harry could appreciate the direct approach, but he knew it would rub some the wrong way. The man was middling in terms of using force. He could hold back if necessary but would give a kill order if push came to shove. Fury's eyes continuously scanned the room with same constant, unending vigilance that Moody would prize and that he hadn't possessed until the end of the war. Yes, Nick Fury could run and hide as well as stand and fight. He would do well in Slytherin. Harry smirked at the thought.

Harry felt Thor coming closer just before thunder hit the sky. The man's power buzzed across his senses like the thunder entity he was. Well, it seemed like everyone here liked to make grand entrances; Thor wasn't even trying to hide his coming to Earth. He knew he had once been arrogant, but, now, he tried not to be, at the very least. Harry had been young, but what was Thor's excuse? He was far older than Harry had been. Harry had a half a mind to scold Thor for it, but as amusing as it would have been to watch Thor's expression when a seemingly regular seventeen-year-old boy was berating him, it was not his mission. Harry was supposed to keep things in check, not stir them up. At least, not too much. Besides, Harry actually preferred peace and quiet and pissing off Thor would not get one peace and quiet. Though Death basically allowed him to create chaos within reason, there was one thing Death had not managed to cure Harry of yet: it was his wish to stay in the background. All his life, he had wanted to be just himself, not in the spotlight, not the-boy-who-lived, just Harry. Thor could wait. Harry was going to listen in to this next part. It would probably yield more than Tony and Steve's bicker match.

"Say anything?" Fury asked.

"Not a word," was Natasha's curt answer.

Lighting almost hit the jet, making Harry rethink his decision not to scold the immortal being. The man could have easily killed the men and women aboard. Honestly, didn't Asgardian's have mandatory classes on this stuff? It was common knowledge that humans were closer to eggshells than stones in terms of biology. Seriously, whatever reason he was on Earth, it had clouded his senses. Making everyone aware of his presence was not a good place to start, even when making a grand entrance. Some immortals disliked when others came into or near their territory. Some, like Death, were hypersensitive to the Bifrost and it could cause them pain. Everyone looked oblivious to that, well almost everyone as Loki was trying not to cringe at the thunder.

"Where's this coming from?"

Well, it seems that in recruiting people to fight Loki, they had forgotten to mention Thor and his power, an oversight like that could easily be used against them. Idiots, he was surrounded by dramatic idiots. Great, now he was starting to sound like Snape.

"What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?" Steve had noticed Loki cringing.

"I'm not overly fond of what follows."

Thor made an entrance and was starting to grab Loki by the throat. Harry had observed enough. He flashed out of the shadows and stood in front of Thor. Now, he was mildly angry. "For an immortal being, you are rash and imprudent. In all your life has nobody explained you the balance between power and peace, magic and mind, black and white and so on?"

Shit, he had not said that, had he? What happened with the idea to be cautious and think things through before acting? Right now, he was no better than Thor. Okay a bit better, he knew what he was standing against and had had the element of surprise, but still. Scolding thunder gods was not on his list of safe, ordinary life options. Everyone had fallen silent and they were now gaping at Harry. Even the thunder had calmed down. The shock would do that. Harry guessed Thor had not been scolded much in his life.

Tony broke the silence. "You scolded Thor. I think you are my new favorite person." Everyone except Thor, Loki, and Tony pointed their weapons towards Harry and Thor.

"Whoa, whoa you don't want to kill my favorite person, right?" Tony comes closer, hands raised, a gesture of peace. Harry wondered what the man saw that made him not worry about him. Or perhaps Stark just had no self-preservation instinct.

"Another two Asgardians?" asked Steve.

Harry did not correct the man and Thor was too busy staring at him to correct that assumption. The man seemed to be trying to come up with something. A response? His identity? Harry feared that Thor might suspect who he was, but it seemed that he had just been completely shocked. Well, Odin was probably the only one who had scolded him for a very long time. So far, still undercover.

"Anyway, would you please take your companion," he gestured at Loki "and his magic play and return to Asgard. I have enough problems without it." Harry spoke in a high cold voice. Harry normally didn't care for bullying and he didn't enjoy intimidation, but he had already started a show, why not to continue? Everyone shivered, even Loki and Thor were uncomfortable. Besides, this Earth really didn't need any more problems, especially not Asgardians. They tended to cause mass destruction and these humans were not advanced enough to repair it in any kind of convenient time.

"Stop the shenanigans and explain," demanded Fury.

"You hide secrets from everybody and yet you expect others to tell you everything?" Harry snapped, almost growling the words. The entire room flinched. Harry knew he was leaking, oozing power, but felt a flash of cold rage at the reminder of Dumbledore. He'd had enough manipulation for this life and any other.

"He has a point," Tony interjected. Furry growled at him and turned his attention back to Harry.

"My responsibility is to take care of this country." The man stated with a calm, deadly demeanor and a quiet pride.

"Your self-imposed task?" Harry's voice was back to high cold and chilling everybody. Even though Harry had yet to notice that fact, he was so used to Death and her coldness that he had started to imitate her tone and mannerisms.

"Could we break that conversation and concentrate on the situation?" asked Steve.

That had Thor speaking again. "I am here to take Loki back to his home and also bring Tesseract."

Ah, Infinity Stones - a creation of Cosmic Entities as they were called in the Scandinavian world. Six Infinity Stones to hold the Scandinavian world together, representing six aspects of the universe: space, mind, reality, power, soul and time. Well, that explained Loki's scepter - a mind stone. But who was controlling the mind stone, it certainly wasn't Loki as it was influencing his mind a bit too much for that.

"I have no home," said Loki at the same time Fury snapped out, "You are not taking the Tesseract with you."

"It belongs to Asgard," Thor argued right back.

"It belongs to nowhere," Harry interjected, wanting to prevent interplanetary warfare. Do they even know what the Tesseract is? Harry mentally griped. Even if it did represent space, it still had the power to corrupt the minds of people. Harry didn't want to come close to the stones, even if he was Master of Death, and Death was one of the four Cosmic Entities who had created the Infinity Stones. He still was wary of the stones, though he probably could control at least one. They were not meant to wielded as weapons.

"The huge one is Thor from Asgard. There is no file in S.H.I.E.L.D about you, Green Eyes." Tony said, with a faint smirk. Harry thought he resembled a cat that got a canary.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to hack into S.H.I.E.L.D databases?" Fury snapped, glaring at Tony.

"A couple more. So who are you, Green Eyes?" Tony made an eye contact with Harry.

"You just named me, Green Eyes, obviously." Harry grinned. It was the sort of retort Fred would like. Tony was now looking at him with a very hungry sort of curiosity.

"How have you been avoiding S.H.I.E.L.D?" Ah, that voice belonged to Natasha. Harry would almost be fond of her if her curiosity was not impeding his ability to just fade out of their minds. He had hoped to be lost in the confusion, but it was far too late at this juncture. Plus, he had contributed to that.

"Who says I have been avoiding it? Though, I prefer not to make myself a living target " said Harry and raised an eyebrow at Thor, who looked a little sheepish. He should be. Harry thought rather savagely. The man could have killed at least eight people for his own vanity. Not to mention, that Asgardians were not known for their ability to contain conflict in one world.