Harry looked from the corner, looking at the hallway in Cloud's house, but it was a battlefield. He looked towards the stairs and two Death Eaters who walked up, 'About twenty meters? Three seconds.'
"Find him!"
Harry looked at the wands they were holding but didn't act until one of them turned to open the door with the hand he was holding the wand.
"Expelliarmus!!" Harry cast the spell at the same time he started running. Over the month, the part he had learned the most was aiming right while running.
He took the opportunity that the Death Eater's wand left his hand, and the other took the time to turn and face him. By the time the other one pointed his wand at Harry, he was already behind the first one, who had lost his wand. He pushed him over his teammate, casting the spell, "Stupefy!"
"Stupefy!" "Stupefy!!"
"Up there! He's up there!!"
Harry backed away, running backwards, "Molliare!"
He created an invisible cushion on top of the stairs, hoping someone hit their leg against it and fell.
"Giorgio," He increased the cushion size to block the stairs and watched as one of the Death Eaters came running, colliding against it, stopping in his tracks.
"Diffindo!"
He cut through the cushion, attacking the Death Eater, causing him to fall from the stairs. He hesitated, thinking if he should go forward and finish the job, 'Wait…there was that spell…that spell…uh…uh….'
He squeezed his eyes shut, and a bell rang, "Just give me a second?"
"You'll be dead in a second," The house, the people, the fainted Death Eaters that surrounded him disappeared, one after the other. He looked at the empty hall and the two other people sitting there.
"The spell you were thinking about was probably Humenum Revelio. If it were me, I would have used that," Hermione clapped her hands together, "Now it's my turn."
"Damn it… I was so sure that I could have taken out all five of them," Harry scratched his cheek, dragging his legs as he walked over.
"Sir, there is an urgent guest for you."
Cloud looked towards the speaker over a steel gate and stood up. He looked on the other side of the one-sided glass, seeing May standing there, "That woman. Hide your wands."
Harry and Hemione nodded, and Cloud opened the thick metal door, "Who is it?"
May looked inside, moving her eyes between Harry and Hermione, when Cloud spoke again, "Who is it?"
May finally paid attention to him, "I don't know. He says he's from an organisation with a big name."
"Hm," Cloud furrowed his brows with a look of annoyance when Hermione held his palm.
She tilted her head, smiling, "It's my turn."
Cloud nodded, pulling away his palm, and walked out with May, moving towards his office when she looked over her shoulder, talking to him.
"If I am not wrong. Hermione is 16, right?"
"Probably. Why?"
"It's a crime, Statutory Rape. You should be careful."
"Isn't that applied when an adult has sex with someone under eighteen?"
"Yes," Qiaolian May looked at him, head to toe, "Are you saying you are seventeen?"
"Eighteen as of 11th of this month."
Qiaolian May scoffed, giving him another look before she came to a stop, "You are serious?"
"I have no reason…ok. I do. But I am not."
"Wait, does that mean when you started this company?"
"We were about 13 or 14."
"How did you get a license?"
"Contacts. A lot of bribes. None can be proved, of course."
"So, who are you with? Tifa? Aerith or her?"
"I am with none of your business," Cloud kept walking, and she followed right after.
He walked into his office, thinking it might be Nick who came to see him, but it wasn't. It was someone else entirely.
"Who are you?"
"Hello. I am Phil Coulson," The Agent smilingly raised his hand, drawing Cloud's eyes towards it.
He shook his hand awkwardly, "What is it? Mr Coulson?"
"I am from Strategic—"
"SHIELD, yeah. I know. I saw you in LA. You are the guy that got left behind."
Coulson scratched his head, "Ah…yeah. Not the best way to be remembered."
"I am not good at making deals. That's Tifa's and Aerith's department. What do you want?"
"I…" Coulson glanced towards May, and she didn't wait for Cloud to speak as she went out, closing the door after her.
"I was wondering if you'd be interested in making a deal with SHIELD."
"Not my department."
"But we can't contact the other two of your Partners. If you don't mind, would you pass this on?"
"What deal?"
"Your employees, the ones you are training, are exceptional—especially the ones like Mr Murdock and Miss May. Let alone, Mr Genesis. The head of the LA Branch. They would make fine Agents."
"You can't give me enough. They'd make much more than anything you can offer me."
Coulson shook his head, "You are not hearing me. Mr Strife. They will make fine agents. And others know it too. Now then…I have delivered the message. I will be taking my leave. Thank you for your time."
Cloud stood there, watching him leave, and sat down on the chair.
'Echo…I am not built for this. Can't I fight and get over with all this?'
[I am afraid not.]
'If I am not wrong…then someone is making a move on this company. If they close it, employees will be homeless, and there is a chance to recruit them. That is what the message meant, right?'
[…]
'How am I supposed to deal with these governmental organisations? I don't want to fail…especially when Tifa and Aerith can't be here.'
[Find Red Room.]
'What is Red Room?'
[Solution to your problems.]
'How am I supposed to find it?'
[Find Nat and Yelena in Ohio.]
'Can't you give the coordinates?'
[This will keep you busy when Hermione's gone. If you can't find her on time, I will provide you with the coordinates.]
'Yeah. She's leaving today,' Cloud stood up, returning to the training room, and passed through the thick door rather than opening it. He found Hermione and Harry duelling against each other, which they stopped when they heard footsteps.
"Your turn."
The day's training ended, and they went home, saying goodbyes to those who were here and those who were not.
The two of them were nervous, mainly Harry, since he had to go to school tomorrow, and being the one who was kidnapped, he was bound to get much attention.
He hoped to talk to Cloud, but he seemed lost in thought. Even when they got home, Cloud went up the stairs to his room without saying anything.
"Did something happen?"
"I'll ask," Hermione went up the stairs, opened the door to Cloud's room, and closed it after her. She watched him take off his shirt, "What is it with you? It's our last day here."
"Is that why you are upset?"
"Maybe," Cloud dropped the shirt on the ground, "Just…a lot on my mind."
"Like…?" Hermione walked over, stopping in front of him, watching him with curious eyes.
"Nothing. You focus on going back, and you must find those Artifacts."
Hermione pushed him onto the bed, climbing on his cupping his cheek, "Ok."
(To be continued)