All Hallow's Eve - New York

Some say that on All Hallow's Eve, the borders between this world and the next are much weakened and that on this day and night the spirits of those who had passed away would return to the mortal earth.

Harry Potter, Master of Death, knew better than that.

Spirits either lingered on earth, becoming ghosts, or they went on to - as Albus Dumbledore liked to call it - 'the next great adventure'. They didn't move back and forth between the two. Once they had left the mortal plains for the afterlife, they couldn't just decide to leave it, not even on this night, unless they were summoned.

Of course, the fact that there were far more lunatics willing to summon a ghost on Halloween did give some credence to this idea.

But there was an actual direct truth in these folk tales as well: the lines between this world and the next are always weaker around this time of the year. But not between this world and the afterlife - no, between the different worlds that make up all existence.

With all these facts taken together, Harry really shouldn't have been surprised when he was suddenly displaced from the grocery store and found himself in front of a manically cackling man in a very dramatic outfit.

"Yes! Yes! Now do you see, you foolish mortals? I have conquered Death itself and it shall do my bidding. By becoming the Master over Death, I have become the Master of all!"

"Yeah, that's great buddy," a red and gold robot said irreverently.

The raving mad-man's reply was rather predictable: "Silence! You have lost! The mighty Avengers have failed and the world shall fall to my feet!"

Harry blinked and decided to ignore the obviously delusional man for a moment to fully take in the situation he suddenly found himself in. They were in a park that was surrounded on all sides by a city skyline. An elaborate circle had been painted on the grass with a suspiciously red fluid that - considering the mental state of the man who he assumed had made it - Harry figured that he did not want to take a closer look at. The park was empty besides him, the guy dressed in elaborate robes that only Albus Dumbledore would consider appropriate wizarding attire, and a group of five people outside of the circle.

The man dressed as an American flag started some sort of brave, self-righteous speech that sounded like something he himself might have said back when he was still Dumbledore's little soldier and believed that the side of light was incorruptible and would always triumph over dark.

Luckily this man seemed to be wiser to the way of the world than Harry had been back then (and than Dumbledore ever was) and instead of waiting for the crazy guy to suddenly decide to repent, he actually followed up his words with actions. The blue, red and white shield went flying at the bad guy and - as if that had been the cue for the others by his side to act as well - this attack was followed by a weapon's blast, an arrow, a quick succession of two sleek knives and a very large hammer.

All of which bounced harmlessly of the magic shield that covered the summoning circle.

The stereotypical evil laughter made Harry look at the other man in the protective circle in disbelief. He didn't think anyone actually did that outside of a film. That man had not just gone around the bend – he was going in circles on a roundabout.

When the lunatic was done laughing, he straightened himself and pointed imperiously at Harry: "Now, hear me Death! We will start a realm of endless terror on this mortal world! And as your new Master I will rule all. For now I will give you these mortals," he waved his hand dramatically at the Avengers, "Take them!"