77 Erik's Mind

When Harry and Natasha popped into Harry’s London apartment, the familiar scents of familiar scent of the apartment wrapped around them like a warm embrace. No sooner had their feet touched the ground than Harry tugged Natasha flush against him, capturing her lips in a deep, fervent kiss.

Natasha melted into him, her hands threading through his thick hair as she hooked her legs around his waist, anchoring herself to him. The heat between them ignited like dry tinder, and the world outside their private sanctuary faded into irrelevance.

When they finally pulled apart, breathless and flushed, Natasha rested her forehead against his, eyes gleaming with mischief. “What brought this on?” she murmured huskily.

Harry brushed his thumb across her cheek, his green eyes staring into her blue. “It’s been too long since we’ve been here,” he admitted. “I couldn’t help myself.” He leaned in again, trailing kisses along her jawline, nipping gently at the sensitive skin of her neck. Natasha let out a soft laugh, her lips curving into a smirk even as her breath hitched.

“You’re insatiable, Potter,” she teased, though the way her hands gripped his shoulders betrayed her own desire.

“As much as I’d love to keep this going,” Natasha murmured against his ear, “we need to meet Coulson. He said it’s an emergency.”

Harry groaned dramatically, resting his head on her shoulder and inhaling her familiar scent. “Can’t we push it to tomorrow?” he grumbled. “We’ve been running ourselves ragged hunting down those Extremis soldiers and cleaning up AIM’s mess.”

Natasha’s fingers gently combed through his hair. “We already did remember,” she sighed. “Coulson’s been blowing up my phone since we landed in the UK. Whatever it is, he’s desperate.”

Harry lifted his head, his green eyes narrowing with annoyance. “Fine,” he relented with a playful pout. “But I’m holding you to a proper day off after this mess. No Avengers, no AIM, no Stark Industries. Just you and me.”

Natasha smirked, brushing her thumb over his bottom lip. “Deal,” she said softly. “Maybe we’ll even sneak in a little mini-vacation while we’re at it.”

“Fine,” Harry conceded with a sigh, “but I need five more minutes to recharge my batteries.”

Natasha chuckled softly. “Five minutes, Potter. Clock’s ticking.”

They settled back into a comfortable embrace, Harry resting his head on her shoulder while her fingers absentmindedly traced circles on his back. Neither of them admitted that the "five minutes" stretched longer than promised, but eventually, duty called louder than comfort. Reluctantly, they disentangled themselves and drove through London's rain-slicked streets

When they arrived, Natasha led the way inside, flashing her credentials to the guard at the front desk. They were swiftly directed to the surveillance room, where Phil Coulson was already waiting, his brow furrowed as he reviewed footage on a monitor.

“You’re here,” Coulson said with a stoic tone as they stepped in. “Thanks for coming not so quickly.”

“Phil.” Harry greeted him with a warm hug, clapping him on the back. “How’ve you been? How’s the new field assignment treating you?”

Phil grinned, shaking his head. “Babysitting a bunch of kids, but they’re good ones. Got potential.” He paused, smirking. “Keeps me on my toes and on quinjets more often than I'd like.”

“Sounds exhausting,” Natasha quipped.

Phil chuckled. “Oh, it is. But watching them grow into proper agents? That’s worth it. Besides, I’ve been through worse.”

“New talent for SHIELD, huh? Glad to see you’re shaping the future,” Harry said with genuine respect.

“Someone has to,” Phil replied with a gleam in his eye.

“So, what’s going on here?” Harry asked. “Natasha said it was urgent.”

Phil nodded. “Dr. Foster called me a few days ago. She’s worried about Dr. Selvig. Since being freed from Loki’s mind control, his behavior has gone off the rails.”

Harry frowned. “How bad are we talking?”

“Well, for starters,” Phil said dryly, “he was arrested at Stonehenge naked, waving lab equipment around like a lunatic and claiming he was trying to ‘save the world.’”

Harry blinked, taken aback. “That sounds dramatic.”

“Oh, it gets better.” Phil tapped the monitor, pulling up footage of Selvig animatedly lecturing a group of mental patients using two mismatched shoes as props. The kicker? He wasn’t wearing any pants.

Natasha raised an eyebrow. “Creative teaching methods?”

Phil sighed. “More like a cry for help.”

“What’s he talking about?” Natasha asked, her brow furrowing.

Phil sighed. “He keeps rambling about the Convergence, of how all nine realms from Norse mythology will align.”

Harry’s eyes narrowed as he watched Eric’s behaviour.

Phil continued. “We’re worried there might still be remnants of Loki’s influence messing with his mind.”

“I’ll check it out,” Harry offered, already focusing his thoughts on how to approach Selvig's fractured psyche.

The three of them made their way to a private meeting room, where Dr. Selvig was escorted in by two guards from the mental institution. His wild eyes gleamed with excitement as soon as he spotted Harry.

"Harry! How have you been?" Selvig greeted enthusiastically, pulling Harry into an unexpected hug. "Haven’t seen you since New York! Are you here to witness the Convergence too? It’s the first time in 5,000 years. It’s magnificent!"

Harry gently pulled back, offering a calm smile. "Actually, a lot of people are worried about you, Erik. I’m here to make sure Loki didn’t leave anything behind in your mind."

“There’s nothing wrong with me!” Erik defended with a wave of his hands.

Phil stepped forward to retort. "Dr. Foster and Darcy Lewis think otherwise, Doc."

Selvig frowned, exasperated. "If only they’d listen to me! This alignment of the Nine Realms causes the dimensional boundaries to thin—thin, I tell you!" He gestured dramatically. "When that happens, all kinds of anomalies can occur."

Phil's brow furrowed skeptically as Selvig rambled on.

"And that’s where my gravimetric spikes come in," Selvig continued, eyes shining with conviction. "They can stabilize the focal point of the Convergence, guiding it safely past Earth. Simple. Elegant."

Phil exchanged a glance with Harry, his expression deadpan. "Elegant?"

Harry sighed. "I'll need to dive into his mind to untangle this."

“It’s just a routine check,” Phil assured Erik with a calm smile. “Having Harry take a look inside your mind won’t hurt a bit.”

Erik’s eyes narrowed skeptically. “I had Loki in my head. Will this be anything like that?”

Harry chuckled softly, exuding reassurance. “Nah, nothing that dramatic. It will be super easy, barely an inconvenience.”

Erik blinked, some of the tension easing from his shoulders. “Alright... what do I have to do?”

“Just sit back, relax, and focus on my voice,” Harry instructed gently.

Erik hesitated but nodded, settling himself into the chair. “I hope you know what you're doing.”

Harry gave a confident nod. “I always do.”

“Just look into my eyes,” Harry instructed softly.

Erik nodded hesitantly, and in the next moment, Harry was inside Erik’s mind.

The space was chaotic. There were swirling fragments of memories colliding like out-of-control atoms. Ghostly impressions of diagrams and constellations flickered in and out of existence, interspersed with fragments of lectures and vivid, feverish thoughts about the cosmos.

Harry furrowed his brow. Harry could sense the oppressive signature of Loki’s influence still lingered within Eric. It reminded Harry too much of what he had encountered in Loki and Clint’s minds during the Battle of New York. He knew he had to be careful with this one. One wrong move and Erik’s mind could collapse in on itself, causing him unbearable pain.

Harry exhaled deeply, focusing his magic. “Alright, let’s try something new,” he whispered to himself.

He willed the chaotic swirl of Erik’s thoughts to coalesce. For a man who thrived on reason and knowledge, a library seemed the perfect fit. Golden tendrils of magic rippled outward, molding Erik’s mindscape. Towering shelves sprouted from the ground, stretching high into an endless expanse. Books fluttered into existence, pages crackling as they settled neatly onto the shelves. A grand oak desk appeared in the center, polished and inviting, with a reading lamp casting a warm glow.

Harry marveled as the memories started to transfigure themselves into books, allowing him to sort them into shelves. Scientific theories, childhood recollections, and fragments of conversations with Jane Foster all found their proper homes. Harry guided them gently, placing each onto the shelves with care.

As he worked, Harry couldn't help but smile faintly. “Not bad,” he muttered. “This might actually work.” The once-chaotic carousel of Erik’s thoughts now stood as a grand library. Harry took a step back, surveying the intricate mental architecture.

Satisfied that he had organized enough of Erik’s memories, Harry shifted his focus to the real problem, the remnants of Loki’s scepter.

They drifted above the library like a malevolent storm cloud, swirling and pulsing with sickly yellow energy. Tendrils of corruption flickered out from the mass. The blob writhed like a living thing, hungry and chaotic, threatening to taint the pristine library Harry had created.

Harry's jaw tightened. He knew better than to approach recklessly. The scepter’s influence was stubborn, clinging to Erik's psyche like a parasitic curse.

With a deep breath, Harry extended his hands and willed his magic forward, threads of shimmering blue weaving through the corrupted mass. The blob hissed and recoiled as Harry’s magic touched it, resisting his efforts to contain it.

Come on, let's shape you into something I can work with, Harry thought.

Drawing on his knowledge of Transfiguration, Harry envisioned the formless chaos transforming into something tangible, something manageable. The blob quivered, its chaotic edges beginning to warp and solidify under Harry’s control.

Slowly, the swirling mass compressed, shrinking into a thick, luminous sphere. Runes etched themselves along its surface, forming a containment seal that pulsed faintly with golden light. The toxic energy now vibrated within the sphere, no longer threatening to corrupt the library.

Harry exhaled, steadying himself. Step one down. Now to see what secrets you’re hiding

It was a fierce contest of will. The swirling toxic blob resisted Harry’s every attempt to mold it, lashing out with tendrils of chaotic energy that crackled through the air. Sweat beaded on Harry’s brow as he pushed harder, channeling his magic.

At first, it seemed impossible to force the mass into a tangible form, but inch by inch, Harry’s magic prevailed. The blob quivered, shrinking and warping until it solidified into the shape of a massive tome towering eight feet tall and five feet wide, with countless pages bound together. Each page shimmered faintly, as if infused with cosmic energy.

Harry conjured a towering pedestal in a newly formed section of the library. The tome floated gently onto the pedestal, settling into place. The cover of the book glimmered with a swirling depiction of the cosmos, stars and nebulae shifting across its surface like a living map of the universe.

But there was a problem.

Thick, serpentine chains of gleaming black and yellow metal wrapped tightly around the book, locking it away from anyone who dared to access its contents. Harry frowned. He reached out to touch the chains, but couldn’t seem to break them open.

Harry’s brow furrowed as he surveyed the chains binding the massive tome. He had already tried standard unlocking spells like Alohomora, transfiguration attempts, and even more arcane incantations, but nothing had budged the enchanted bindings. Each chain link pulsed with an unyielding energy that seemed woven directly into the very fabric of Erik’s mind.

This isn’t just Loki’s work, Harry mused, sensing a far more ancient and cosmic force at play.

Determined not to be outmatched, Harry relied on his creativity. He conjured a colossal pair of gleaming diamond wire cutters, their blades shimmering with magical energy. Gripping them tightly, Harry channeled every ounce of strength and willpower into severing the chains. Sparks of golden light exploded as the first link gave way with a deafening snap, followed by another, and then another, until the final chain shattered into fragments that dissolved into motes of light.

The tome trembled on its pedestal, releasing a deep, resonant hum that reverberated through the library. Harry braced himself, expecting a surge of malice or chaotic remnants from Loki’s influence. But none came.

Instead, the book radiated a serene, awe-inspiring energy. The swirling cosmic cover calmed, revealing intricate constellations and celestial diagrams etched into its surface.

There was No malice. No manipulation.

Harry cautiously opened the tome, and as the pages unfurled, he was enveloped by a flood of ancient knowledge. His breath caught as shimmering symbols and diagrams floated in the air around him, maps of gravitational anomalies, threads of interwoven realms, and equations that described the very fabric of existence.

This was not Loki's doing. This was something far greater.

The knowledge was vast, infinite in scope, far beyond what a mortal mind was designed to comprehend. Harry marveled at it, realizing that Erik Selvig had not been driven mad by malice but by sheer overload of cosmic truths imparted to him. They had overwhelmed his limited human cognition.

This was a revelation from a source of unimaginable power, one that expanded consciousness and unlocked untapped potential. Harry’s instincts whispered that this very force could twist reality or elevate ordinary beings to extraordinary heights if harnessed properly.

Harry closed the tome gently, encasing the knowledge safely within Erik's mind. With the chains gone, the information was now accessible, but it would no longer threaten to fragment Erik’s sanity.

"Brilliant," Harry whispered to himself, awed by the sheer power of Loki’s scepter and how the majesty of the cosmos was revealed within Erik so that he could tap into the full power of the tessaract.

Harry’s eyes fluttered open as he pulled himself back from Erik’s mind. The real world reasserted itself with the muted hum of the asylum’s ventilation and the faint creak of the chairs in the visitors' room.

He blinked and took in the scene of Phil and Natasha, who were hunched over a small folding table with a well-worn deck of cards spread between them. Phil looked comically frustrated, tapping his fingers on the edge of the table, while Natasha’s expression was one of cool, smug satisfaction.

Harry smirked. "Who's winning?"

The sudden sound of his voice jolted both agents out of their focused state. Phil sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Who do you think?" he grumbled in defeat.

Natasha’s only response was a sly, triumphant smile as she tapped the pile of cards on her side of the table.

"Let me guess, high-stakes game of War?" Harry teased.

"Go Fish," Phil admitted dryly. "Don't ask how, but she's found a way to psych me out in Go Fish."

Natasha dealt another card with a casual flick of her wrist. "Trade secret," she said with mock seriousness.

Harry chuckled as he sat down beside them, appreciating the odd normalcy of the moment. SHIELD agents were always portrayed as sleek professionals embroiled in high-stakes missions, but here they were, killing time with a simple card game.

Phil leaned back in his chair with a rueful grin. "You know, most people think this job is non-stop action, but it's a lot of this — waiting around for something weird to happen."

"And here I thought espionage was glamorous," Harry joked.

"Stick around long enough, and you'll get tired of winning at Go Fish, too," Phil shot back.

Harry's grin widened. "We'll see about that."

"So, how's Dr. Selvig?" Natasha asked, shuffling the cards back into a neat stack. "You took a while in there. Is there something wrong with him?"

Harry exhaled, running a hand through his hair as he glanced back at Erik, who sat quietly in the corner, eyes wide and distant as if seeing worlds beyond comprehension.

"I was trying to sort out the remnants of Loki's influence," Harry explained.

Natasha leaned forward, her voice softer now. "Were you able to fix it?"

Harry nodded slowly. "I think so. There’s no trace of Loki’s control left. But there’s something else."

Natasha's brow furrowed. "Something worse?"

"Not worse, just vast." Harry clarified. "He has knowledge that’s too much for a regular human mind to handle. I isolated what I could, but it’s going to take time for him to process everything."

Phil, always practical, chimed in. "Will he be stable enough to help us?"

Harry met Phil's gaze. "Yeah. He should be better now.”

"Dr. Selvig, how are you feeling now?" Phil asked, snapping his fingers in front of Erik’s face.

Erik blinked rapidly, his dazed expression lifting. "My apologies," he said, sitting straighter. "I feel as if... my thoughts are finally in order. It’s remarkable."

Harry gave a small, satisfied nod. "I did a bit of mental housekeeping for you."

"Housekeeping?" Erik's brows furrowed before realization dawned. "Ah, that explains it. The information is all still here, but clearer now. The understanding I have about the cosmos... It's phenomenal."

Phil tilted his head, wary. "Should I be worried about that statement?"

Harry chuckled. "Nah, it’s not as ominous as it sounds. Loki loaded Erik's mind with knowledge about the workings of the cosmos so Erik could use the Tesseract. But Erik's human brain couldn't process it properly. It was like a filing cabinet that had exploded all over the room."

"And you cleaned it up," Natasha surmised.

"Roughly," Harry confirmed. "It’s not perfect, but now he can actually access that knowledge without it driving him mad."

Erik's eyes lit up as he stood up with urgency. "We need to get to Jane's apartment," he insisted, his voice filled with renewed clarity. "There's a lot to do if we want to make sure Earth isn't affected by the Convergence."

Phil raised an eyebrow. "Affected how?"

Erik's expression darkened. "Gravity shifts, spatial anomalies, potential tears in the fabric of reality... You know, the usual catastrophic stuff."

Harry exchanged a glance with Natasha. "Sounds like a party we don't want to miss."