"The House Cup goes to Gryffindor this year," Dumbledore announced in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Gryffindor students erupted in excitement, tossing their wizard hats into the air. The hall ceiling sparkled with bursts of light, much like fireworks in the Muggle world. Magic truly was marvelous in such instances.
Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students also looked pleased, while the only discontent came from Slytherin. It was the first time in over twenty years that Slytherin had lost the House Cup. Draco Malfoy, in particular, glared unhappily at Harry and his friends. Despite some changes in Draco, old habits die hard.
The last time Gryffindor won the House Cup was when James Potter was in school. Back then, James had truly earned it through his abilities. Harry, on the other hand, received a generous helping of points from Dumbledore, tilting the scales. Though Harry had scored plenty of points for Gryffindor in Quidditch, they were still significantly behind Slytherin. Dumbledore's additional points not only closed this gap but also put Gryffindor ten points ahead of Slytherin.
Dumbledore's reasons for awarding Harry were valid enough that even Snape, despite his displeasure, had nothing to say. The official reason given was that Harry thwarted a Death Eater plot. The return of Voldemort was not publicly disclosed, and Dumbledore made no mention of Daniel's contributions.
Daniel didn't mind this omission. He had no use for the credit, and if Dumbledore wanted to continue with his plan for Harry as the savior, so be it.
After Professor Quirrell was dealt with, Dumbledore had spoken with Daniel. Although Dumbledore hadn't revealed his plans, Daniel had guessed them.
After the House Cup ceremony, students packed their belongings and prepared to head home for the holidays. Harry, despite his reluctance to leave Hogwarts and return to his uncle's house, had no choice.
Before he boarded the train, Hagrid gave Harry a photo album with moving pictures of his parents, undoubtedly arranged by Dumbledore.
After saying his goodbyes to Dumbledore, Daniel opened a portal and returned to London. Knowing that Grindelwald was at his house, Daniel opened the portal in London and Apparated home from there.
"Here's what you asked for," Grindelwald said, pointing to a stack of documents on the table as Daniel arrived.
With little else to occupy him, Grindelwald had been managing Daniel's ventures in the Muggle world. After months of effort, they had made some progress in the realms of novels, TV shows, and films, despite facing considerable opposition and interference.
Among the most vocal opponents was Harry's aunt, Petunia. Daniel remembered her name because of her strong protests, especially against TV shows depicting romances between wizards and Muggles. Fortunately, there was no organization like the Second Salem in England; otherwise, she would likely be its leader.
The wizarding world, on the other hand, showed little reaction to these ventures. Individuals like Malfoy would undoubtedly oppose such things, but without electricity or even any electrical appliances in their homes, they remained unaware.
Despite electricity having been invented nearly a century ago, most wizards, except a few, did not use it, including those in the Ministry of Magic.
Daniel's first phase goal was to electrify the wizarding world. Unfortunately, even Dumbledore couldn't quickly bring electricity to Hogwarts due to opposition and the practical challenges of working within a living castle.
Everything had to proceed slowly.
"This progress is too slow," Daniel sighed, looking at the report on the development of mobile phones.
Mobile phones were the key to transforming the wizarding world. Once introduced, the wizarding world would have to change, although such a shift could lead to major conflicts. Such sacrifices were inevitable; merging two worlds with different ideologies could not happen without clashes and sacrifices.
In some ways, Grindelwald's ideology was correct, but his methods were too radical, while Dumbledore was too idealistic.
"Your idea is good. If I had followed your approach back then, things might be different now," Grindelwald remarked, pouring himself a glass of wine. Although the bottle bore no label, Daniel knew it was a fine wine, perhaps even superior in quality due to its ingredients.
Despite its overall backwardness, the wizarding world had wizards who kept up with modern trends. Some old wizards, given their long lifespans, explored various hobbies, including winemaking.
Nicolas Flamel and his wife chose to end their lives, but others did not.
"Even if you knew this method back then, you wouldn't have used it," Daniel replied, setting down the documents. Grindelwald's thoughts had changed with age. In his prime, he sought quick, decisive action, not the slow, time-consuming approach.
Grindelwald was neither a pure-blood supremacist nor a Muggle supporter; he was a wizard supremacist.
In comparison, Voldemort's ideology was far less sophisticated. Despite being a half-blood, Voldemort pretended to be pure-blood and persecuted other half-bloods. This behavior was akin to collaborators during a war and was not uncommon in the wizarding world, as seen with Ministry official Umbridge.
Such individuals, mocked by pure-blood wizards in their youth, blamed their parents for not giving them noble blood rather than seeking revenge on pure-blood wizards. This mindset baffled Daniel.
It was strange that while there were half-bloods pretending to be pure-bloods and attacking Muggle-borns, there were no Muggle-born wizards retaliating against pure-bloods. This could be due to a twisted desire to integrate into the pure-blood class and enjoy its privileges.
"You're right," Grindelwald admitted after a moment's silence. His radical actions had alienated potential allies.
"What are your plans for the holiday?"
"I'm going back home. You keep an eye on things here; it's almost time to start there," Daniel replied. Transforming the entire wizarding world couldn't be done from England alone. On this, Grindelwald's broad vision far surpassed Dumbledore's and Voldemort's.
In the global wizarding power structure, the East was the weakest, with very few wizards. This situation was ideal for Daniel.
The entire East had only three magic schools: in China, Russia, and Japan.
Advancing this world's technology had always been Daniel's plan, but he hadn't shared with Dumbledore or Grindelwald which country he would start with.
Daniel felt starting with China was a good choice. The root servers for this world could be placed there.
"Very well," Grindelwald didn't object after a brief silence.
In the following days, Daniel consulted Grindelwald on various aspects of dark magic. Then he packed all his belongings and prepared to fly to China.
There were two ways to travel abroad in this world. The first was through the Muggle world via planes and ships. Due to suppressed technological advancement, planes here were slower than those in his previous life or the Marvel world.
The second way was through wizarding means. Apparition had distance limits, but Portkeys didn't. For official travel, wizards could apply for a Portkey from the Ministry of Magic, quickly reaching their destination. However, this method had many restrictions. Wizarding jurisdictions were very territorial, and without official business, the Ministry wouldn't issue a Portkey. Foreign wizards also needed to apply for entry permits, making it a complicated process.
Even private travel required such permits and constant monitoring by the host country's Ministry. Once business was concluded, the wizard had to leave.
Of course, there were ways to bypass these channels, like magical smuggling. Magical smuggling was far more advanced than Muggle smuggling; using a Portkey, one could instantly cross borders. The only drawback was the high cost.
The wizarding world's backwardness was partly due to such restrictive practices, akin to a form of isolationism.
However, China's policies in this regard were much better.
"Finally back," Daniel thought as he stepped off the plane at Shanghai International Airport. Seeing the majority of black-haired, yellow-skinned people gave him a sense of nostalgia.
Although this was another world, the familiar faces were comforting.
In this world, the existence of magic meant certain things differed from his previous world. For example, China maintained its territorial integrity.
Additionally, there was little famine. Since entering the modern era, the Muggle world could request help from the wizarding world. Even in times of poor harvests, magic could quickly produce large amounts of food.
"Once I'm settled, I can return," Daniel mused as he exited the airport, paying little attention to the shadow following him. As a Hogwarts professor, his identity wasn't completely hidden. A nation's power could easily uncover his presence, especially since he had entered the country officially as Daniel, not through smuggling.
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"Done." Looking at the four large containers of supplies, Daniel Davis excitedly waved his hand and then pressed a button. Instantly, the four large containers shrank into miniature boxes.
In the wizarding world, there are spells like the Engorgement Charm and Shrinking Charm, but they are not as convenient or stable as Pym Particles. Magic, although miraculous and capable of many things, is not omnipotent.
"I don't know when I'll come back next time. It's up to you guys now, Dumbledore and Grindelwald." Saying this, Daniel set up a spell on one of the boxes. This spell would notify Grindelwald to retrieve the contents of the box if Daniel did not show up in time.
The box contained his ideas and plans for the Harry Potter world, as well as Muggle Studies textbooks for Hogwarts for the next few years. Even if he didn't make it back in time, Grindelwald could follow these textbooks and find someone to continue teaching the students at Hogwarts.
There was also information about Voldemort's Horcruxes in the box. Dumbledore's eventual death was due to being backfired by the Horcrux. With Grindelwald around, Dumbledore should avoid that fate.
"It's time to leave." Looking at the house he had just bought in the suburbs of Shanghai, Daniel activated his Ant-Man suit, entered the Quantum Realm, and once again arrived in that strange world.
Instantly, Daniel appeared in a familiar space.
The Quantum Realm has no concept of time. It may have seemed like he spent a long time traveling through different dimensions, but that was just his perception.
Didn't the Wasp stay in the Quantum Realm for many years without eating or drinking and come out just fine?
"Has it only been a week?" Looking at the time display in front of him, Daniel was very surprised. He had spent nearly half a year in Harry's timeline.
"Time really flows differently."
Kamar-Taj's dimensional magic involves traveling through different dimensions, where not only can you encounter dangers in dimensional space, but the flow of time is also a crucial factor. You might spend only a few minutes in another dimension, but when you return, you could find that decades have passed, with your acquaintances either old or dead.
"It seems preparing in advance was indeed the right decision." Given the time flow difference between the two worlds, if he spent too much time in the Marvel world, Voldemort could be defeated over there.
The time flow difference doesn't mean that the Harry Potter world's time is slower than the Marvel world. For ordinary people, if based on lifespan, the time flow is essentially the same.
So, trying to extend his lifespan by staying in the Harry Potter world is not feasible.
Of course, this is not a problem for Daniel. Whether it's Kamar-Taj's magic or bio-viruses, they allow him to live far longer than ordinary people.
"If I get the chance, perhaps I should try training in the Quantum Realm." The energy in the Quantum Realm is similar to that in dimensional space, which provides twice the result with half the effort for Kamar-Taj's sorcerers.
Look at the Wasp, who was just an ordinary person but became different from ordinary people after absorbing quantum energy for many years in the Quantum Realm.
With Pym Particles, Daniel wouldn't get lost in the Quantum Realm. In fact, combining Pym Particles with dimensional magic is a perfect match.
Afterward, Daniel stopped worrying about the time issue. Time is something humans can't fully explain, and even the Ancient One with the Time Stone might not have a complete explanation.
Just like in Avengers: Endgame, where after returning the stones, Captain America reappeared as an old man. It seemed he had found Peggy Carter in the past and lived with her.
Actually, this is just the surface. If you delve deeper, you'll find many problems. For example, why did Captain America age? The Super Soldier Serum has anti-aging properties. Even Nick Fury, who received a weaker version, aged very slowly, let alone the original serum.
And if Captain America lived in the past, wouldn't there be two Captain Americas? And what about the controlled Winter Soldier and the murdered Howard Stark and his wife? If he lived in the past, did he just stay with Peggy and ignore everything else? If so, is he still Captain America?
It doesn't make sense, does it? And if it doesn't, then you're on the right track. Anything involving time usually doesn't make sense if you think too hard about it.
Putting aside the time issue, Daniel laid down all his equipment, then took out a small box. After examining it, he sighed softly.
"As expected, different worlds' spaces cannot be connected." This box had been enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm. Daniel mainly used it to experiment with whether spatial items could work in both worlds. The answer was no.
However, Daniel wasn't too disappointed. The Undetectable Extension Charm could still work in the Marvel world, just with some modifications, like connecting it to the dimensional mirror there.
The charm's advantage is obvious. It allows the creation of items like space rings.
The same goes for Apparition.
"It seems there's nothing much going on these days." Opening the Red Queen system, Daniel had her send a message to Stark and Pepper, informing them of his return.
After a conversation with Pepper, confirming that there were no pressing matters, Daniel decided to stay home and carry out some major renovations.
"A box made of vibranium, I must admit, is quite luxurious." Daniel had spent considerable time in Harry's world studying the Undetectable Extension Charm because he was fascinated by Newt's case.
Newt's case is a magical marvel, but it's too worn out, allowing magical creatures to escape from it.
Daniel always wondered why Newt didn't get a better case.
Now, as he crafted his own box, he didn't hold back. Besides the box, he also used the Undetectable Extension Charm to create a large space behind a cupboard in his basement. This was to serve as his laboratory, eliminating the need to open a mirrored dimension for experiments every time.
The box itself served as a portable space.
Apart from these two, Daniel also made a small bag enchanted with the Undetectable Extension Charm, mainly for carrying everyday items.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
In the cupboard space, besides a section designated as a lab, there was also a training ground and a shooting range. Daniel, holding two automatic pistols, kept firing at a target, shooting continuously without any pause until he emptied over a hundred rounds.
Using the Undetectable Extension Charm, each magazine could hold two hundred bullets. The pistols themselves were made using a 3D printer with rare metals, including vibranium and gold.
The extravagance was necessary because ordinary pistols couldn't fire so many rounds consecutively.
Though firearms aren't often useful for Daniel nowadays, it's better to be prepared. In fact, for him, the real heavy hitter is a Gatling gun enhanced with the Undetectable Extension Charm.
Unfortunately, despite spending over half a year in Harry's world learning many things, there were still things he hadn't mastered, like the Weasleys' flying car or Hagrid's flying motorcycle.
If he learned these, he could modify a S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet into a magic-powered vehicle. Though aircraft don't hold much significance for him, given his ability to teleport and Apparate.
"A mansion, a beach, a beautiful view, just missing a bikini-clad beauty," Daniel muttered, lying on a deck chair under a sunshade on his private beach.
Owning a multimillion-dollar villa by the sea naturally came with a private beach and even a small private dock, where a luxury yacht was moored.
Of course, the yacht wasn't his. Although he was now quite wealthy, he hadn't embraced the wealthy lifestyle. Luxurious cars, private jets, luxury yachts—typical rich people's possessions—he hadn't bought any.
The four luxury cars in his garage and the yacht at the dock belonged to Stark. Stark had already given him the cars, and the yacht was temporarily moored there.
Pepper had recommended several aircraft manufacturers for private jets, but Daniel declined. He didn't need one and saw no point in wasting money. Unlike Stark, who frequently traveled between his home and New York and owned several private jets, Daniel might not even fly once a year.
The yacht was used for parties, particularly those bikini parties Stark liked to host.
As Daniel leisurely read a magical book, he noticed a small yacht approaching from afar. A simply dressed young man in a baseball cap disembarked and waved as the yacht left. The young man walked towards Daniel.
"A rare guest," Daniel said, standing up as he recognized the man. Though he had some difficulty recognizing faces, he would never mistake this one—Captain America, Steve Rogers.
"Hello," Steve greeted with a smile.
"Hello, Captain. Please, have a seat," Daniel said, gesturing to the extra deck chair.
"Fury told me everything. Thanks a lot, or I'd still be lying somewhere." Steve had come to express his gratitude, though Daniel felt a bit embarrassed, having traded the information for a lot of vibranium.
"You're too kind, Captain. I grew up watching your stories. It's an honor to help you." Daniel's words were sincere, even though it was a different world's Captain America.
"I didn't do much back then," Steve said, sighing. Waking up seventy years later to a different world left even someone as resilient as him feeling lost.
"Call me Steve." Steve interrupted as Daniel was about to say something.
"Alright, Steve. Regardless, you sacrificed yourself to save the world. That's indisputable." Red Skull's final plan would have been catastrophic for Earth.
"Now that you're awake, enjoy the peace." Seeing Steve's continued silence, Daniel tried to encourage him.
"
Peace, huh." Steve smiled, a smile laden with hidden meanings.
"Well..." Daniel didn't know how to respond. Given Steve's abilities, Fury would certainly keep him busy.
"If not for Fury, I wouldn't believe in the existence of wizards," Steve changed the topic after a pause.
"I was just lucky," Daniel replied with a smile.
"I was too," Steve said, looking out at the sea, lost in thought. He had been the least likely candidate for the Super Soldier program but had been chosen.
"Alright, I should be going," Steve said, standing up before Daniel could respond, and started walking away.
"Leaving so soon?" Daniel was surprised but didn't try to stop him, instead picking up his tablet to browse the hacker network and opened a video.
"The Hulk has appeared," Daniel noted, recognizing Bruce Banner from the footage of a university campus. Although the video was grainy, the green giant was unmistakable.
The video had been removed from regular networks but persisted in the hacker network, where users speculated about the green monster, suggesting everything from aliens to government experiments.
"I wonder when I'll get some of the Hulk's blood." In the Avengers, the Hulk was undoubtedly a powerhouse. If his strength continued to grow, he could rival even Captain Marvel.
Both the Hulk and Captain Marvel's powers originated from the Tesseract, also known as the Space Stone. The Hulk's creation was due to gamma radiation, a type of energy emitted by the Tesseract. This is why in Avengers, Bruce Banner suggested using a device to detect gamma radiation to locate the Tesseract.
The Hulk's creation also linked to Captain America since Bruce's research combined gamma radiation with a weakened version of the Super Soldier Serum to create a super soldier.
While contemplating how to obtain the Hulk's blood, Daniel's tablet suddenly alarmed, displaying a photo.
"Finally found you, Kilgrave." Daniel muttered, seeing the photo of a stylishly dressed, handsome young man in a purple suit. Without hesitation, he grabbed his tablet and Apparated inside his villa.
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