Author Note: I saw the trailer for Infinity War and couldn't be more excited. I cannot wait and decided to get this story on the way. Also, this story will have a LOT of quotes and moments from the MCU movies. A few from each movie. They are for the story's purpose before people starts telling me that I'm quoting a LOT. I do know I'm quoting a lot.

Anyway, enjoy the story!

Chapter II – Haraldr Mortem

TIME: UNKNOWN – LOCATION: UNKNOWN

It all started with visions.

Everything was blurry at first, like a mirage or mist that was clouding my vision. Even if I squinted my eyes, I couldn't see clearly. And everything was moving too fast for me to concentrate on what I was seeing.

'Why can't I see it clearly?'

"Focus, Master. Do not let the visions control you. It is your own will that allows the visions to flow through you. You are only as good as you allow yourself to be."

"How can I possibly…?" I trailed off as memories of trying and failing to be better, and living up to expectations of others. I could still feel the mental violation of Snape breaking through my mind, rifling through my brain and invading my private thoughts and memories. It wasn't enough for him, or any of them, and now…

I gasped when it all hit me at once.

It was a whirlwind of what was, what is and what will be…

"Rogers, Steven."

"I can do this all day…"

"Sometimes, I think you like getting punched."

"I had him on the ropes."

"You get your orders?"

"The one-o-seventh. Sergeant James Barnes…"

It was war. Hitler had started his purge upon the world and would see it through. But there was something else, another plot has risen.

"Bucky come on, there are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."

"Don't do anything stupid until I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."

"You're a punk."

"Jerk. Be careful."

A friendship that would last a lifetime… and more.

"Do you want to kill some Nazis?"

"I don't want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from."

And from there, the little guy was enlisted into the army.

"Grenade!"

A small, frail looking corporeal man threw himself on top of the hand grenade, covering it with his body as everyone else took cover behind army trucks.

"Get away! Get back!" He waved away a woman in army wear, her eyes widened in shock and admiration at the small man's actions of bravery. He looked around when he realised that the bomb wasn't blowing him up, and everyone was alright. He looked to the two men nearby that had caused the commotion. "Is this a test?" He asked, breathless from the sudden excitement.

"He's still skinny." A man grumbled before storming away. I chuckled quietly to myself, amused by the display of courage and the denial of the old man.

The small man was strapped onto a framed container, needles piercing his skin. The man was lifted up to a vertical position before he was enclosed into a container. Lights flashed, noises thundered and there was a scream.

"Steve! Steven!"

"Shut it down! Shut it down, now!"

"NO! DON'T! I CAN DO THIS!"

"That's 100%!"

When the container opened, instead of a small, frail looking man… there was a tall, strong man of muscle, strength and power. I could sense a change in the man, seeing and feeling like he would cause great changes in the tides of the war. 'He would become something great.' I thought to myself, feeling Death agreeing with me.

"Bucky."

"Steve."

"I thought you were dead."

"I thought you were smaller."

"Come on." He lifted his now smaller best friend, sparing a lasting glance to the map on the wall nearby.

"What happened to you?"

"I joined the army."

"Hey! Let's hear it for Captain America!"

The men cheered for the man that saved them and brought them a small victory.

Then it turned to scene where Steve and Bucky were with a few other men, ready to hang-glide themselves to an oncoming train. Their mission was to retrieve a man that was on the train. His name was Dr Arnim Zola. The mission had begun alright, and through shooting many enemies, they had managed to retrieve Zola. But at the cost of Steve Roger's best friend.

James Buchanan Barnes a.k.a Bucky Barnes, was presumed dead after falling from the train.

I felt a tear fall from my eye at witnessing the man falling, Steve's grief, and the revenge that he wanted against Johann Schmidt.

So much war… so much pain and hardships. Yet, there was still hope. I watched and smiled at the friendship and cheers of the man that was now known as Captain America. 'Such courage… a true Gryffindor.' A friendship so rare.

The world darkened and disappeared, leaving me in darkness.

"Many individuals will endure hardships. But from hardship, greatness awaits to those true and just."

The vision showed me so much more. It was a universe that I never thought possible. A dimension so different from mine, yet so much more alike. Like my own world, this one experience its own wars, and in some ways, has its own supernatural traits.

"More than you know, Master."

The world went black and sucked me into a different time and place.

It was a war zone. Missiles were flying through the air, and army men were shooting at an unknown enemy. But then a man wearing a dark blue three-piece suit appeared, looking out of place in the frantic and terrorizing situation. He ran for cover, before trying to contact someone on what looked to be a high-tech phone. It wasn't long before shock took over as a missile landed right next to the man, a clear slogan on the weapon that the man seemed to recognise and dread.

STARK INDUSTRIES.

The scene faded away before the same man from before dishevelled and had a… car battery connected by wires that were linked to the man's chest; to Tony Stark's chest. It was horrifying, yet fascinating. Stark was being held prisoner by a group of terrorists, the Ten Rings they called themselves, led by a man called Raza. But he never gave up hope of escaping. He made a plan that would make sure he and his friend named Yinsen would escape their captors alive. He created a suit of armour from scrap metal, with Yinsen's help he made the suit that would be their hope of freedom.

But not everything had worked out in the end.

Yinsen had died to give the suit more time for the system to finish booting up.

"My family is dead, Stark… and I'm going to see them now." He confessed to Stark. "It's okay, I want this… I want this." He reassured Tony.

"Thank you for saving me…" Tears gathered in Stark's eyes.

"Don't waste it… don't waste your life, Stark."

And Yinsen died.

I had tears falling down my face for the loss of a kind and brave soul.

But the advice has managed to sink in Tony Stark. Having been rescued from his captured, Stark began with shutting down his weapons company, and started his plans on building a new suit. The red and gold suit that would become a symbol of hope and safety, was soon looked upon with greed from prying eyes.

Stark, in the end, had managed to find the corruption and cause of his kidnapping was none other than Obadiah Stane. He had managed to create a suit of his own, a monstrous creation known as the Iron Monger that Stark had managed to put down in the end, as well as Stane.

And the world had found its new hero, and the start of a chain of events had finally taken hold with four simple words.

"I am Iron Man."

"'I am Iron Man'. You think you're the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you've become part of a bigger universe, you just don't know it yet."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Ah…"

"I'm here to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative."

I was beyond confused by that statement that caused such an uproar from the press. But then the scene faded away, leaving me with mixed feelings about everything.

"What is the purpose of these visions?" I murmured to myself.

"I cannot answer that, Master." Death replied, not apologetic but formal. I merely turned to see that the world around me had not changed at all. But it seemed the vision didn't care about me not keeping track of time.

"Once, mankind accepted a simple truth. That they were not alone in this universe." A deep voice rippled through the air. An older man with two boys trailing behind them walked in halls of gold and royalty. It was like a palace and way too extravagant for people of earth.

I had to wonder where I was, because there were no places like this on earth.

"It is not just mortals that are at risk, Master. Worlds will be drawn into the coming war."

"From the realm of cold and darkness, came the Frost Giants." A war between monstrous creatures of ice and darkness and warriors of gold and strength. It was a long battle and had moved from Earth to a world of cold and darkness like the creatures fighting.

"After the battle, we withdrew from the worlds. And returned home, to the realm eternal… Asgard."

"A wise king never seeks out a war, but… he must always be ready for it."

"Both of you were born to be kings."

King Odin Allfather was a stern and just ruler but was ready to retire and pass on the leadership to his son and heir. Celebrations and feasts went on for weeks of news of a new king ascending to the throne. Thor, the God of Thunder, and his brother Loki, the God of Lies… It was all so… different from my world, yet similar in some ways.

I stopped the vision going further.

"What could I possibly do for Gods that they can't do themselves?" I asked Death, incredulous at its idea of me, a once-mortal man helping Gods bring peace.

"You think too little of yourself, Master. Even the smallest drop can change the tide." I could sense the amusement of Death, even as I merely gave the entity a blank expression.

"I highly doubt I will make such a difference, Death."

"On the contrary, I think you will make the biggest difference of all."

And from there on, the visions showed me possible outcomes… futures that would end in chaos, and only a few that would see Earth and the Universe heal and be at peace.

"I come with glad tidings, of a world made free."

"Free from what?"

"Freedom. Freedom is life's great lie. Once you accept that, in your heart. You will know peace."

"This is a Level Seven. As of right now, we are at war."

"Who are you?"

"Natasha Romanoff."

"And if I say no?"

"I'll persuade you."

"And what if the Other Guy says no?"

"Love is for children, I owe a debt."

"I got red in my ledger, I'd like to wipe it out."

"Can you? Can you wipe out that much red?"

"You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers."

"There was an idea, Stark knows this, called the Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to fight the battles we never could."

Aliens invaded Earth. They came from the sky in dozens and started firing their weapons on civilians. It was devastating to watch. It was war…

"The Chitauri are coming. Nothing will change that. What have I to fear?"

"The Avengers. That's what we call ourselves; we're sort of like a team. "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" type thing."

"Yes, I've met them."

"Yeah, takes us a while to get any traction, I'll give you that one. But let's do a head count here: your brother, the demi-god; a super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breath-taking anger management issues; a couple of master assassins, and you, big fella, you've managed to piss off every single one of them."

"I have an army."

"We have a Hulk."

"Loki! Turn off the Tesseract or I'll destroy it!"

"You can't! You can't stop it! There is only… the war!"

"Puny god…"

The battle was won, and the God of Lies fell.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll have that drink now."

The visions continued on for a while, never allowing me a chance to rethink or go over the events. It seemed my powers were telling me how important these events were and needed to be seen. It showed me space, ships that travelled from one galaxy to another. It was beautiful and each world held its own source of energy.

I watched in amusement as a man, wearing a long red trench coat and protective get-up was listening to music with old-style headphones and dancing to whatever beat he was listening to. If I focused hard enough, I could hear the music and found the dancing appropriate. It was a song I recognised, though an old song that I found pleasing to listen.

I watched the man and later found out his name was Peter Quill, was going to prison for assault, petty-theft and other crimes worthy of imprisonment. He was joined by a few others as well.

"Subject 89P13, drop your weapon!"

"Aw crap."

"Gamora, adopted daughter of the Mad Titan, Thanos. Surgically modified and trained as a living weapon."

"What the hell?"

"They call it Groot."

"YOU DARE!"

"You're Drax, the Destroyer."

"If it is a weapon, we should use it against Ronin."

"I present Taneleer Tivan, the Collector."

"Oh, my new friends. Before creation itself, there were six singularities. Then the universe exploded into existence, and the remnants of these systems were forged into concentrated ingots... Infinity Stones."

I gasped as an onslaught of memories and information burned into my brain, making me scream in pain. I could hear and see the pain and death of entire civilisations. It was… horrifying and completely terrifying. There were no words to describe the amount of power each… stone had. They were power of the Cosmic Entities, the sources of creation and destruction.

"This is why you are here, Master."

"What?" I breathed out. The pain was far worse than the Cruciatus Curse, and Legilimens of any kind. Like a thousand burning hot needles piercing into my skull and a hundred sledge hammers beating into my body violently. "What in the name of Merlin was that?!"

"The essence of Creation and the Tools of the Cosmic Entities."

"So, they're yours?"

"Partially mine." Death agreed, "There are… were four of us. Death, Entropy, Infinity and Eternity. We made these stones, to store power and energy."

"Why would you make such things?! These stones could destroy worlds… universes in the blink of an eye! All the suffering, pain, death… the greed for more is poisonous. It's…"

"Monstrous." Death finished, tone even and cold. "You forget, our reasons are beyond your comprehension. We have no need to explain or show you why we, as Entities, do anything. We do what we do, because we do. It doesn't have to make sense to you, or anyone."

I remained silent for a while. To be fair, I had not right to accuse or ask things like that and I knew it. But at times, I wondered why I was here and why Death would show me things like that and not question it. I was still human… sometimes.

"Sorry." I mumbled, ashamed at my outburst. Instead of silence, Death surprised me by pulling me into a form of embrace that was warm and cold, gentle and rough at the same time.

"You are not human anymore, Master. While you do have some human attributes that have remained with you, it is not to say that you are mortal anymore. You are my Master and will become a much stronger being." Death was comforting, yet harsh. But I welcomed the very human-like act all the same.

I realised that I would need to change, to become someone stronger than I was and I would, but I wasn't ready. Not yet.

The visions continued their onslaught.

Ronin, the Accuser was in possession of an Infinity Stone. They called it the Orb and had plans to use it to destroy one planet called Xandar. He wanted it destroyed for the deaths of his father and grandfather during a war between the Xandarians and Kree. He made his way to Xandar after refusing to give the Orb to Thanos and claimed to have control over the stone. He swore vengeance on Thanos after he destroyed Xandar.

It was a hopeless battle. The Nova Corp, the military forces of Xandar did their best in protecting their home world, but the power of the stone was too great. And having help from the likes of Peter Quill and his new 'friends' with Ravagers was odd but, it looked like the Nova Corps were appreciative for the extra, and much needed support.

"No! Groot, you can't! You'll die! Why are you doing this?! Why?"

"We. Are. Groot." A friend sacrificing himself for those he cares for. I smiled and nodded my head respectfully to the tree-like man. He was much like a Hufflepuff, known for his loyalty to his friends.

"Behold, your Guardians of the Galaxy!"

It ended with Ronin's death, the Nova Corp swearing to guard the Orb and the freedom of the newly dubbed Guardians of the Galaxy.

"These visions… They're showing the outcomes of just one set future. But they can change…" I trailed off.

"At the smallest interference. Yes… the future is not set in stone, Master. With a little help, things can change."

"Good to know." I murmured with a small relieved smile.

"Shit!"

I blinked in shock at the sudden curse.

"Language! JARVIS, what's the view from upstairs?"

"Loki's sceptre much be here. Strucker couldn't mount this defence without it. At long last." I surprised to see Thor on Earth again, after the battle in New York, but I guess having rebuilt the Bifrost had something to do with his return. But what I couldn't get over was the item they were trying to retrieve.

The Sceptre.

'It looked like as if…' My eyes widened in shock. "An Infinity Stone." I realised, watching more closely as two 'enhanced' young adults interfered with the fighting on behalf of HYDRA. The young woman, Wanda and her brother, Pietro; the Maximoff twins. She had abilities that were similar to wandless magic, but also limited in some ways. While her brother able to run really fast. 'Super speed.'

But then Tony made a mistake, due to Wanda's power's invading his mind. He was 'persuaded' to creating a new Artificial Intelligence, by using the power of the Sceptre. It was a disaster in the end. They created a robot that didn't know the difference between right and wrong. And that was their undoing.

And to fight the murder-bot, they brought a new robot to live unintentionally.

"The Mind Stone has ways of working into making you believe that doing something, even if it is wrong, and turning it into an event of great chaos, or great success."

"This power is not for Men, or anyone." I stated, shaking my head as Stark continued believing his actions were for the best. But what I saw next could not compare to the war I fought for Wizarding Britain… it was much worse.

"This is peace in my time."

The town of Sokovia began to lift into the sky. It was like a giant piece of a puzzle that was Earth was being removed from the other piece.

"Do you see? The beauty of it, the inevitability. You rise, only to fall. You, Avengers, you are my meteor, my swift and terrible sword and the earth will crack with the weight of your failure. Purge me from your computers, turn my own flesh against me. It means nothing. When the dust settles, the only thing living in this world… will be metal."

"Sweet Merlin…" I breathed in horror at how one simple act could cause such discord in the world. All because Tony Stark wasn't strong enough to know the difference between what is right and what was… essentially wrong in bigger picture.

But somehow, the team came together to fight for their world, no matter who was at fault. The twins came to join the team, having realised what Ultron had planned to do and that they were only wanting to destroy Stark, not the world.

"Is that the best you can do?!" Thor yelled at the robot that floated nearby.

An army of robots that were all part of Ultron joined him in facing off against the Avengers.

"You had to ask." Rogers muttered.

"This is the best I can do. This is exactly what I wanted. All of you, against all of me. How could you possibly hope to stop me?"

I had to ask that question myself.

"Well, like the old man said… Together."

I had to smile at that. But my smile didn't last for long.

Pietro Maximoff gave up his life for another, saving the lives a small boy and Clint Barton. His last words were also the first words when he first met Barton at the Hydra base.

"You didn't see that coming."

Wanda's scream of despair and loss echoed throughout Sokovia. Her power responded to her emotions and crushed all the man robots that were around her, ready to kill her.

"So much pain… so much death…"

They managed to save the world.

"You're afraid." The newest member known as Vision spoke to the last robot that was Ultron.

"Of you?"

"Of death. You're the last one."

"You were supposed to be the last. Stark asked for a saviour and settled for a slave."

"I suppose we're both disappointments."

Ultron chuckled before agreeing, "I suppose we are."

"Humans are odd. They think order and chaos are somehow opposites and try to control what won't be. But there is grace in their failings. I think you missed that."

"They're doomed."

I could agree with that to some extent.

"Yes." Vision nodded. "But a thing isn't beautiful because it lasts. It's a privilege to be among them."

"You're unbearably naïve."

"Well, I was born yesterday."

All I could do was sigh at that. Humans were so incredibly flawed and at times, it was almost unbearable to watch as the race of Man held so much greed and power-hungry individuals. But it couldn't be helped. No one was perfect.

"I'm going to miss these little talks of ours." Thor smiled at Rogers and Stark.

"Well, not if you don't leave."

"I have no choice. The Mind Stone is the fourth of the Infinity Stones to show up in the last few years. That's not a coincidence. Someone has been playing an intricate game and has made pawns of us. But once all these pieces are in position…" Thor trailed off.

"Finally, someone thinking of the bigger picture." I muttered, rolling my eyes and Stark's carefree attitude.

There was a large gold gauntlet, having circles indented into the back of the metal, before a door opened to reveal the one who caused all the mess that was happening on Earth.

I glared darkly at the Mad Titan.

"Fine. I'll do it myself."

I stopped the visions for a moment. Thinking on the events and what it would all lead up to. I realised that everything Earth did, it wouldn't be enough.

"That is why you are here. You are the final trump card. You are what is needed for the world and this universe to stand a fighting chance against the Mad Titan."

"I know." I replied.

The visions that followed were filled with of the members of the Avengers. They were being called to be detained and told to stop their actions. The Sokovia Accords were a set of rules the Avengers needed to follow to prevent international war.

It all lead to civil war.

The Avengers were divided.

The results were drastic and not expected at all.

Young warriors were called back-up.

Black Panther.

Spider Man.

Ant Man.

The return of the Winter Solider, Bucky Barnes.

"Are they all idiots?!" I yelled out in frustration, nearly pulling my hair out at looking at the members all turning against each other. "What possible reason can you have to be reduced to fighting one another?! The Winter Soldier is not at fault! These Sokovia Accords are wrong! And for the love of Merlin, stop being so simple-minded and actually think about the reasons on why you are fighting one another, instead of talking this out like civilized people!" I ranted and could go on for hours, but it was no use. They couldn't hear or see me, and these visions were only as they were, not events that have happened yet.

"I don't care! He killed my mom."

"He's my friend."

"So was I."

Civil war had broken the team apart and as a result, the Avengers were no more… for the time being.

"I have a lot to fix." I gritted my teeth in frustration.

There was a medical man by the name of Doctor Stephen Strange. He was known as the best at what he does; a Neurosurgeon.

"But without my work…"

"Is still life! This isn't the end, there are other things that give life meaning."

"You came back from a place there's no way back from. I'm… I'm trying to find my own way back."

His hands were heavily scared, a constant tremor was seen in both hands. It was clear that he had been in an accident of some kind.

"The place you're looking for is called Kamar-Taj. But the cost there is high."

"How much?

"I'm not talking about money…"

"You're looking for Kamar-Taj."

"The sanctuary of our teacher. The Ancient One."

"You're a man looking at the world through the keyhole, and you spent your whole life trying to widen that keyhole. To see more, know more. And now, on hearing that it can be widened, in ways you can't imagine, you reject the possibility?"

"There's no such thing as spirit! We are made of matter, and nothing more. We're just another tiny, momentary speck within an indifferent universe."

"Open your eye!"

And within moments, the world took hold and showed a different world, within a different world. It was bright with colours and was like…

"Magic!" I exclaimed, seeing something similar to my old world. I felt it, much like my own magical core and couldn't believe that magic was here, in this new universe. "Death, is this true?"

"Yes, Master. It is by no means the magic you love and cherish. It is a form of magic that is only hones and used in this universe. Only a few are able to master the Mystic Arts, and you, Master, know them all."

"How do I know them? I've never seen such magic before." I was being truthful. I had never seen this kind of magic, and while it may not be like my own magic, it was a form of magic. And that was all that mattered to me. To see and sense magic itself was something that made me miss my home. I craved it, and to know that it existed in this new world, I wanted it more than ever.

"In time, Master. Time is something that will bend to your will and give you what you need to learn and master such abilities."

The visions were insistent that I return to seeing them and were thrusted upon me as I allowed them to invade my mind again.

The beauty of magic returned to me and I witnessed as Stephen Strange was hurtled through the many different dimensions of the multiverse.

"You think you know how the world works? You think this material universe is all there is? What is real? What mysteries lie beyond the reach of your senses?"

"Who are you in this vast multiverse, Mr. Strange?"

"Teach me…" Strange was on his knees before the Ancient One, hands trembling and his eyes holding a wild and desperate look.

"No." She refused outright.

It showed of Doctor Strange's determination to learn, to be able to work hard so that he may gain control of his hands. He longed for his old life and was prepared to do anything to get it back. But his mind and ego were holding him back from achieving even the most basic of techniques that others were able to accomplish.

I could sympathise for the man. To lost something that was yours, never anyone else's and having it being ripped from you in another moment.

And now, as I watched Doctor Strange continue his training, improving after he had to learn the hard way in knowing what it meant to 'surrender' his control before he could progress to become great.

But then, evil has a habit of making itself known and causing chaos. Kaecilius and his followers were determined to destroy the Sanctuaries that were in London, New York and Hong Kong. The fighting continued, one almost in claiming Stephen Strange's life, but he managed.

But another battle took the life of the Ancient One.

"You're dying!" Strange exclaimed, following the woman's spirit as she glided through walls and stopped on a balcony. Overlooking the frozen world around her, and Strange trying to get her to return to her body.

"You have to return to your body. You don't have time." He reminded her.

"Time is relative. Your body hasn't even hit the floor yet."

"Do you wonder what I see in your future?"

"No." She merely gave him a small knowing smile. "Yes." He admitted with his eyes down.

"Arrogance and fear still keep you from learning the simplest and most significant lesson of all."

"Which is?"

"It's not about you." I replied in unison with the woman. I shook my head at the man who could achieve so much but was blinded by his emotions.

"I've hated drawing power from the Dark Dimension. But as you well know, sometimes one must break the rules in order to serve the greater good."

I scowled. The greater good was something I was all too familiar with and could never understand why people think that way. Sometimes yes, protecting the world over a select few lives would be a better option, but so would finding a solution that saves everyone.

"You can't save everyone, Master."

"I know… I'm not naïve as to think that I can save everyone. But sacrificing lives knowingly, that's a different matter entirely." I glared harshly as I remembered a certain old mentor of mine. One that lead me on my entire life. 'Like a lamb to slaughter.' I thought bitterly.

"I'm not ready." Strange admitted hesitantly. Not that I blamed him.

"No one ever is. We don't get to choose our time… Death is what gives life meaning. To know your days are numbered, your time is short. You'd think after all this time I'd be ready. But look at me, stretching one moment out into a thousand… just so I can watch the snow…"

She disappeared the next moment. And the heart monitor gave a resounding never-ending beep.

I was dazed, caught up in the moment as the woman's words replaying in my mind. She was right, Death was something no one could avoid, no matter who, what or where you are. It was inescapable.

Except for one.

"You are in control of your fate, Master."

"No… I'm not. Not really…" I murmured to myself, knowing Death could hear me but didn't correct me either.

And the visions stopped, as if to pause for a breath or something. It confused me greatly, but I didn't mind the break.

But when the visions came back, it wasn't in the continuous flow.

It showed me different things. Parts where I was in the visions, where I changed things. It was odd but comforting to know that I had a purpose and could make a difference.

But that changed when I was shown a different, much more dangerous outcome.

I couldn't control the sense of dread and fear that was not my own welling up inside of me. It was like watching Voldemort re-emerge into the world all over again. Much like him, this evil brought a presence of certain end with it, wherever it went.

There was no vision, only words spoken by a deep thundering voice that some would call a God.

"In time, you will know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail all the same… Dread it. Run from it… Destiny still arrives."

The world… no, the universe needed a hero, now more than ever and I had to make a choice.

'Well… I always did have a 'people saving thing' and it seems that's not going to change anytime soon.' I concluded in my head, deciding to ignore the amusement radiating from the entity.

I don't know how much time passed in the world I was in, but it didn't matter. I needed all the help I could get to make sure that I saved this universe. I would destroy the threat of a certain Mad Titan and would deliver him to Death on a silver platter. But to do that… I needed to become someone stronger than Harry Potter. I needed to think differently and become more powerful than the mad Titan.

I needed to become someone else, and leave Harry Potter behind.

24th JANUARY 2010 – NEW YORK

Director Nicholas J. Fury was at a loss at what to do.

The week had been going as planned, surveillance was normal and performed in timely management, the recruits were doing their duty and daily routines, and the secret facilities were giving their reports every few hours.

But that all went to Hell when something else happened.

The past few hours, SHIELD had been monitoring an unknown disturbance that appeared on their radars. The signal of the disturbance had been found in New York. A black figure in the shape of a man had appeared in the middle of park at 2AM in Central Park. The camera had been facing towards Gapstow Bridge when suddenly out of nowhere, he appeared a second later in the middle of the path. The man was dressed in black and immediately waved his hand, causing the camera lose the signal and image.

Fury had immediately taken action in sending the nearest team to the location and locate the man, or any indication of where he had gone to. Unfortunately, no leads had been found, not even footprints.

It was frustrating, and very disconcerting.

And ever since that one appearance and disappearance of the man in black, SHIELD has been using every resource they could use to find this man.

"Any updates?" Fury asked Agent Hill.

"None so far." She informed, "Ever since he appeared, we have been searching all of New York in the hopes of trying to catch a glimpse of him. We've monitored every camera and surveillance in New York, but there's been no sign of him."

"Keep looking. This is the first appearance of an abnormal we've seen in years." He ordered, irritated.

"Yes sir."

'This whole mess is causing way too much trouble.' He thought bitterly, but reigned in his anger and irritation as much as he could. But he couldn't get the image of the man in black out of his head. There was something else that involved this man. He didn't just appear out of nowhere, he had waved his hand at the camera, almost as if he had known where the camera was and where it would be facing.

Fury's eye widened in shock.

'It was planned.' He realised before processing. "That son of a bitch."

"Sir?" Hill questioned, cautiously. She had seen the look of shock on her boss's face and it unsettled her.

"He wanted to be seen doing this. He knew that the camera would be directed towards the bridge. He has shown himself and wants to be known about." He concluded, and Hill was immediately confused.

"Why would he do something like that?" She questioned, "Why expose himself if he knows he would be at risk of being found?"

"It's a test." A man's voice replied from behind.

Fury and Hill turned to see Clint Barton a.k.a Hawkeye and Natasha Romanoff a.k.a Black Widow standing there, watching the footage being replayed over and over again of the man in black.

"Explain." Fury demanded.

"Well, as Hill said, why show himself when he knows he would be seen doing something like this? What's the point of exposure if you know you're going to be seen?" Clint asked hypothetically.

"He wants to test himself. To show anyone if they can understand and figure it out." Natasha answered, her eyes narrowed on the figure in the dark, yet clearly seen appearing out of nothing and waving at the camera before it lost the image.

"Right. So, what he's really doing is telling the people watching that there are other… things out there in the world."

"But why show himself like this?"

"Because he knows that there are people like us ready to catch him."

"He wants to play a game of hide and seek?" Hill asked incredulously.

"Seems like it. Well, I am very much inclined to play and hunt him down." Fury sneered, "But we won't. If he wants attention, then we are not going to do anything. We would be playing right into his hand if we give him more focus than he wants. For now, keep an eye out for him, and if he shows… we force him to play by our rules." He ordered.

"Provoking him will be dangerous, sir." Clint commented evenly.

"It will force him to come out into the open and then we will be ready to strike. Just get it done." Fury ordered before stalking off to his office. He couldn't believe that this was happening. As if SHIELD didn't have enough things they needed to worry about.

'For now, though…' Fury spared a glance to the man in black, his image blurred. 'We have to find this new threat and put him down as soon as possible.'

26th JANUARY 2010 - LONDON, ENGLAND

A man in dark walked along the rainy streets, whistling a cheery tune. He passed by people that didn't give the man a glance, and he in turn didn't bother noticing them either. He continued down the streets, a wide smile stretched across the man's face, a hood covering the man's face but never the lower part of his face.

"A little extreme in your methods, Master." A disembodied voice echo from an alley the man was passing. The man stopped to turn his head to a dark alleyway, seeing shadows rippling and a pair of glowing silver orbs.

"I've been seeing the visions and replayed them over and over in my head for a very long time. I have the advantage in knowing how the people think, and what would be better than letting them know that there is a new player in the game."

It was clear that Harry Potter had changed into a new and much more powerful man… no, being, stood in his place. Haraldr Mortem had been reborn in Between after everything that happened. Harry Potter had been in a time where he knew he wasn't going to be good enough as he was now. He would need to be better than ever and become something more.

Harry Potter needed to be laid to rest.

Haraldr Mortem was born after vigorous, non-stop training. Physical, mental, spiritual, magical and all other kinds of training. Safe to say he was put through literal Hell before he collapsed from exhaustion. When he had asked how long he had been training himself for, with Death's assistance, he choked on his spit when answered with, "Fifty-two years in mortal terms."

Yeah, not really the best experience but useful to know that time has no sway over the Master of Death.

"I want some Treacle tart." Haraldr muttered out loud, before turning away from the dark alley and moving towards a bakery across the street.

"You're showing those bright insane colours again, Master." Death informed, before disappearing from sight, but never from Haraldr's senses.

"Yes… to be normal is to be restrained, and I will not be bound by strings." Haraldr mused in his head at his own words, remembering a certain A.I program saying something similar.

"I had strings, but now I'm free. There are no strings on me."

"Hmm…" Haraldr began humming the haunting song, startling a few passer-by's that heard the tune but not seeing where it came from.

"What will you do now, Master?"

"To be able to observe the progress of a lot of people and knowing where in the timeline I am, I need to have eyes and ears everywhere. And to do that… I need someone that will never betray me, never be captured and will never reveal my plans."

"And who did you have in mind?" Death asked with slight mocking.

"Not who… No such person exists. But something else will suffice." Haraldr replied, a devilish smirk spreading across his face and green eyes glowing with untold mischief.

It was times like these that Death had to wonder if Haraldr would become the protagonist, or antagonist.

Not really going in the direction I'm wanting to, but I think it's going in the right direction… somewhat. I know Harry's character changed suddenly and quickly. But there's a reason for that. I also know there are a LOT of quotes from the MCU. I thought it would be cool to add a few in there.

Tell me your thoughts! Please review!

Till next time,

-lostfeather1 ;)