Chapter 7
Justin's Hammer's email to him had been full of rambling sentences that Harry had no hope of understanding. Really, the man was an idiot and if he thought Harry would be impressed with "highly kick-ass Hammer Drones that will make your head bob" then he was clearly on some kind of drugs. Still, there was an open slot on the festivities and Blaise always got a kick out of watching people fail. Especially when it came to people who were supposed to be an expert in their field.
He was in the middle of typing up a response when Clint stepped through the door. He smiled from his position on the bed and waved his friend closer. At least tomorrow he would be in the tower and not this place.
"I heard you've been going a little crazy trying to follow me around the expo."
"You don't make my life easy," Clint agreed. He stood by the edge of the bed instead of sitting.
Harry looked up at him with a frown. "Clint, you okay?"
"I have an assignment. The director thinks I'm getting too soft following you around."
"I could put myself in front of a few criminals. Would like relax his mind?"
Clint smiled (just barely, but Harry could see it). "Asshole. Coulson and I are going to New Mexico. Seems something happened and … yeah, so I didn't listen to the briefing that well. Shit happened, I've been assigned."
"And you just got here, too." Harry sighed and put the laptop off to the side. "All right, I can last a few days without you on my ass."
"Sorry, but Fury doesn't trust this whole big thing. You've been assigned a new agent."
Which was utterly ridiculous considering Fury knew exactly who and what Harry was. "Fantastic. When does he get here?"
"She gets here in two days. Until then, Fury insists that you stay in your tower. Since you'll be finally moving in, I don't see that as a problem."
"I can take care of myself."
Clint shrugged. "Not my call, but I know. He seemed agitated about something. Nat's bringing someone with her, too." He hesitated. "Remember that guy I knew? The Tony Stark fanboy on the run?"
"Yeah, I remember. I said I didn't want any more spies in my house."
"That's who she's bringing." Clint stepped back to go to the door. "Don't ask me why, neither would say anything."
"If Fury thinks he can use me for some kind of large prison or something…"
"No, Banner wouldn't go for that. Really, I think you'll like him." Clint stopped by the door and turned to look at Tony. "Keep in touch, okay? I mean it. I want updates on the expo and the new suit you're making. At least one message a day, Stark, or I will hunt you down and put an arrow in your balls."
"You do that and you won't remember who you are."
Clint laughed and Harry was glad that he had gotten it out of him. "Noted. I'll let you know if anything interesting goes down."
"I expect it."
The door shut softer than Clint had ever closed a door before and Harry sighed. He witnessed war and saw how soldiers were born. He knew that Clint was already getting his mind geared up for whatever mission this was. Clint was never actually officially assigned to him, but it had been an unspoken agreement between himself and Fury that Clint could stay with him. This wasn't his first mission, but it was the first time Clint wasn't leaving him alone.
Something wasn't adding up.
Harry finished his email to Hammer before setting up the computer so he could call Fury. Clint already showed him how to cut through all the crap in SHIELD's phones and Harry had to hold back a laugh when Fury's irritated face showed up on his screen. The irritation doubled when Fury realized who he was talking to, so Harry let himself smirk.
"Mister Stark, I won't bother asking how you managed to bypass my security feeds. What do you want?"
Harry knew that Fury had some trouble putting Harry Potter and Tony Stark together as one person, which really made this situation all the better. Before in their interactions, Harry had refrained from being Tony around the man, but they had also been alone then. He could see the people behind Fury and that gave him permission to make this work. If Edwin were here, he'd be proud.
"You ignored your free ticket into my expo, Director. I'm hurt.'
Fury narrowed his eye and looked away from the screen. "You got two minutes, Stark."
"Sure, not a problem. I just want to know why the hell you feel the need to bundle my SHIELD pet off to New Mexico. I was finally getting attached and remembering to feed him." Someone behind Fury quirked their lips and Harry was glad that someone did. "On top of that, you think I need another babysitter?"
"This isn't your decision, Stark." Fury shifted and a woman stepped up next to him, papers in her hand. Harry had never seen her before. "You are to stay in your ugly tower and keep out of trouble until Agent Romanoff arrives with Doctor Banner."
"See, that's the part of this plan I don't like," Harry told him, making sure his sigh was long. "You of all people know that trouble follows me."
The woman finally looked at him. She hesitated, took a second look, and then her eyes flickered up at Harry's forehead. He hadn't seen that particular gesture in years and he hated it, hated how it reminded him of things lost. He narrowed his eyes at her.
"Who the hell is she," Harry demanded, interrupting whatever Fury had been going on about.
Fury looked between the woman and Harry before shaking his head. "Now is not the time, Stark."
"She knows, doesn't she." Harry just needed the wide-eyed look of the woman to confirm that. "Shit, Fury, did you tell everyone that works under you?"
"I can assure you, Mister Stark, that this is not the time. Agent Hill is my second-in-command as well as one of our liaisons between a few secret societies throughout the world." Fury reached toward his feed. "Good day, Stark."
The screen went blank and Harry swore, leaning away from the computer. Really, he shouldn't be so surprised by this. In an organization like SHIELD, there was bound to be someone who knew who Harry Potter was. But knowing Tony was actually Harry? No, Harry wanted to choose just who he told. Someone like that knowing the truth didn't feel right.
His computer lit up again, warning him of an incoming call. Harry knew he shouldn't answer while still frustrated, but he needed a distraction more. He accepted it (from SHIELD) and leaned forward to be seen in the feed.
He hadn't expected the woman to be staring back at him. "Agent Hill, right?"
"This is a secure line, Mister Stark, so know that you may talk freely. Yes, I am Agent Hill. I'm assuming you want to talk to me."
"I just want to know who you are," Harry told her, mostly honest. "How do you know who I am? Fury say something?"
"I have known you were Harry Potter since your disappearance from Britain, sir. Your ministry informed me as soon as they knew, as well as every other agency. They only wanted to find you."
She didn't moved at all while she spoke and that unnerved Harry. Clint was pretty animated, but Coulson was closed off. Fury definitely didn't move a muscle. Were all SHIELD agents trained the same way?
"Did you tell them?"
Finally, she moved. A slight shake of her head. "I trusted that you had a reason to parade around as Howard Stark's son. I'm assuming the boy is dead?"
"Buried him about a mile away from the accident." It had been crudely done, too. "So Fury knew…?"
"From day one. He is my superior and it's our job to know things about people. You have always been on the watch list, even as Harry Potter." Her lips quirked. "Thank you for saving us some paperwork by becoming one person."
"Remind me not to do it again." Harry rubbed at his eyes as Hill went back to not moving. "How many in SHIELD know everything?"
"Director Fury and I are the only agents on base that know everything."
"And off?"
"That depends on how much you have told Agent Barton."
"That's it?" Three people? Harry felt himself relax, but only slightly. He could deal with just three people. Maybe. "What about the paperwork?"
"I handled it myself." Hill's eyes flickered off the screen. "I need to go, Mister Stark. I just wanted to reassure you that your secrets are safe with us. SHIELD doesn't like to play around."
"Any chance you can call off my babysitters?"
"No, but I will give you a piece of advice." Hill stood and leaned over the desk she had been sitting at. "Don't piss either of them off. One will kill you and the other will watch with a gleeful smile. Though, in the end, I'd be more afraid of the smile than the fist pushing you into the ground."
The feed cut off and Harry was once again left to stare at a blank screen. "Well, that just sounds lovely."