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Chapter Text

Prologue: The Aftermath

Harry was floating. Lying on a dusty, old couch in Grimmauld Place, he just let himself drift, vaguely aware of the radio program playing quietly in the background. Since the end of the war, he often did this, just closing his eyes and letting himself go numb. He couldn’t fall asleep, he couldn’t dream, but he could drift.

The war ended four months ago now, and he had spent most of that time alone, much to Hermione’s chagrin. But it wasn’t as though he had much of a choice.

…

“Seven horcruxes…” Kingsley repeated, looking a bit sick. He was sitting at Dumbledore’s desk, looking more tired than Harry had ever seen him.

Harry stared blankly at Dumbledore’s portrait. The former headmaster appeared to be softly sleeping, but Harry didn’t know whether to believe that or not. He didn’t know what to believe anymore when it came to the old man. Shaking himself out of it, he rubbed his eyes and sighed.

“Yes.” He stated. That was the important part, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything more now, or maybe ever.

Kingsley leaned back in his chair, the normally stoic man completely shellshocked. “We..we almost didn’t…he wouldn’t have died, and nobody would have known why if you hadn’t..”
He cut himself off with a deep breath.

“I will have to consult the Department of Mysteries…”

“Not until the ministry has been overhauled, Kingsley.” Harry said, a hard edge to his voice despite his clear exhaustion, straightening slightly in his chair. “The ministry is corrupt and Voldemort being gone won’t change that overnight. This is not safe information in the ministry’s hands, not even the Department of Mysteries.”

“Yes… you are right, of course. I just need to think about how to proceed. People will want answers, but this is one I can’t give. You have to be careful, Harry. You will be asked about this more than anyone else.”

“I know.” Harry slumped back into his chair. He felt like a puppet with his string cut, in more ways than one. They lapsed into a tense silence. Harry staring at the desk and Kingsley just watching him, brows furrowed.

After a minute or so, Kingsley broke the silence, concern etched across his features. “Harry… Do you need anything? Have you seen a healer yet?”

“No need. I’m not hurt and Madam Pomphrey is busy enough.”

“Are you sure? When Hagrid carried you back, you looked..injured.”

Harry jumped out of his seat to suppress a flinch, and turned away from Kingsley. He began to walk towards the door.

“Let me know if you need anything else from me.” Harry said without turning around, and he stumbled out of the headmaster’s office, before pausing. Ron was with Hermione in the great hall. When he last saw them, they had their heads bent together, speaking in low voices about what was going to happen next. Ron had to stay with his family, help hold everyone together with Fred gone, and Hermione had to find her own parents. Harry had sat listening to them, not saying a word when Kinsgley had finally beckoned him over the day after the battle.

He stood still with indecision, before finally turning towards Gryffindor tower. Ron and Hermione had finally gotten their act together, and he didn’t need to be there as they made their plans for the future together. He was happy for them, but he felt distant now. Ever since the forest, he felt separate, wrong in his own skin, and he couldn’t tag along as they finally found what was right.

…

So he didn’t go with them. They argued and fought, but when Hermione left for Australia and Ron left for the Burrow, he stayed at Hogwarts. He pointed out that he could do more good at the school than anywhere else, and they had folded, with promises to write.

Tears ran down Hermione’s face as she flung her arms around him.
“Please take care of yourself.” She whispered as she hugged him, Ron just behind her.

“Don’t worry, Hermione. It’s Hogwarts, how much trouble can I get into here?” He joked, smile not quite reaching his eyes.

She rolled her eyes, chuckling wetly. Hermione took a step back and looked him over again.
“You should get away from here, Harry. Get away from all of this. You deserve it more than anyone.” She said softly.

He shrugged, not quite meeting her eyes. He knew he would have to leave. He wanted to. As the adrenaline was wearing off, he started to realize how haunted these walls were for him. But for now, he didn’t know where to go.

As if she could read his mind, Hermione leaned in and said, quiet enough so only they could hear it, “Maybe it's time to do something about that letter.”

Harry immediately tensed under her hands, unable to speak.
“No, Hermione…”

She didn’t respond, just looked at him. He couldn’t tell if that expression was exasperation or pity.

“Good bye for now, Harry.

For the first week, he helped to clear the rubble and rebuild the castle. His muscles ached, both with the strain and unhealed injuries that still littered his body, but it was grounding in a way. No one tried to approach him at first, too lost in their own grief or focused on the family and loved ones. So he was able to throw himself into clearing the stain of battle from the place he once thought of as home. But that didn’t last forever, once the initial shock wore off, attention turned back to the Boy Who Lived.

Reporters came in droves the minute the Daily Prophet was back up and running under the new ministry. At the first flash of a camera, he apparated to the one place he had left to go. Grimmauld.

And he stayed there, on a dusty old couch in the drawing room with the radio humming. He had visited the ministry a few times, less than willingly, and tried to visit some families of the fallen, but it seemed like anywhere he went, the attention he brought did more harm than good. So, he stayed alone. Well, with Kreacher, but mostly…alone.

Chapter Text

Chapter 1: The Letter

Harry’s eyes flew open at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder. His hand was already around his wand as he shot off of the couch and promptly fell to the floor.

“It's me, Harry! You’re okay!” He blinked against the gloom only to see a blurry mop of bushy brown hair enter his field of vision.

“Bloody hell Hermione.” He groaned, as he tried to calm his racing heartbeat. He groped around the carpet for his glasses, which must have fallen during his incredibly graceful awakening. He put them on as he settled back against the couch.

“Harry, when was the last time you slept in an actual bed?” She asked, one eyebrow cocked as she took him in.

“I don’t know, Hermione. What year is it again?” He shot back, ignoring how she rolled her eyes. “Where’s Ron?”

“Asleep. You know Mrs Weasley has one made up for you in Charlie’s old room.”

“I know.”

“You know. So you are still sleeping on the couch because?” Merlin, had she mastered the ‘I am unimpressed with your bullshit’ look. Harry guessed that dating Ron required a certain skillset, he just hated it when it was turned on him. He rubbed the gunk out of his eyes and sighed.

“Listen, I appreciate the lecture that is inevitably coming and I am happy to see you, but is there a reason you’re here at…..” Harry glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room and his eyes widened. “Damn, Hermione, it's 3 am!”

He had just gotten to sleep too, having been tossing and turning for the better part of the night, weighing the risk of nightmares against the exhaustion that he can never seem to make a dent in.

“I know..it's just…” She looked over at the ancient radio beside him and taped it with her wand. Static filled the quiet room as she flipped through the stations. Finally, the voice of a muggle news reporter became discernible.

“Tony Stark is spotted in Berlin with Captain America fighting an unknown entity calling himself ‘Loki’. The status of the involved parties is unknown as conflicting reports are coming through. If you have any information on the entity known as ‘Loki’ please c….”

Harry cut it off with an irritated wave of his wand and turned away from Hermione. He could feel the heat of her gaze on the back of his head as he wished for oblivion.

During Scrimgeour’s delightful birthday visit the year prior, he gave Harry a letter that was found in Dumbledore’s desk after his passing. It wasn’t in the headmaster’s will, but Harry’s name was written clearly across the envelope. Harry remembered later how odd the absence of the headmaster’s looping script was as he stared at his name. He had meant to wait until he could be alone to open it, not really knowing what to expect, but then the death eater’s came and that plan went to shit.

He didn’t think about it again until Ron left that winter. Hermione was oscillating between crying and reading Tales of Beedle Bard. She was lost to the world around her and he needed a distraction, any distraction. If he knew what it said, he wouldn’t have opened it.

…
Dear Harry,

If all goes to plan, we are reading this together someday, all four of us laughing at my attempt to explain this, but I drew the short straw, so here it goes.

You see when a boy and a girl love another boy very much…kidding, kidding. But seriously, your mom and I have another partner, who we love very much, but cannot be brought into the war. He has been with us since before we were married but he is a muggle. We are not ashamed and you shouldn’t be either, but with Voldemort rising to power, and Dumbledore placing us in hiding, we had to leave him. We can’t bear to lose him to either the dark’s hatred or Dumbledore’s ambition and we have to keep you safe, so we told him we would be gone for a year. We went into hiding here in the Hollow while he stayed in America. He doesn’t know yet that Lily is pregnant with you. We just couldn’t spring that on him as we were about to leave.

Once again, hopefully our family is complete in the future and this becomes a relic of dark times, but in case something happens to us, we need it written out. Tony Stark is one of your biological fathers and as much your dad as I am. I have blood adopted you, so you will forever be a Potter but you have a bit of each of us, Potter, Evans and Stark. However, I know you will outshine us all with the amazing person you grow up to be.

Your mother and I love you very much, and I know in my heart that Tony will as well.
We look forward to meeting you soon!

James and Lily Potter
…

To say it was a shock is the understatement of the century. After reading it, Harry froze, for how long, he doesn’t remember. When Hermione noticed something was wrong, she gently picked up the letter and read it herself. They didn’t speak for a while after that. Neither of them knew what to say. Then he found that bloody sword in the woods and the war picked right back up again.

After Hermione let it rest for so long, Harry thought that maybe she had forgotten. Wishful thinking, but it was a nice thought. Ever since she returned from Australia last month, she had been increasingly prodding at the topic. It was getting worse with Iron Man all over the news in the last few weeks. Oh yeah.. because Tony Stark was bloody Iron Man. Brilliant.

He brushed off each carefully worded question about his intentions. He knew that she had kept it a secret for him, even from Ron, but that she was confused. He didn’t know how to explain to her why he didn’t reach out. How could he explain that everytime he looks at the letter, visions of Sirius, Remus and James hit him like a ton of bricks. How he has thought of booking an international portkey, but he starts to shake at the thought of leaving the gloomy, small, and controlled world he has made for himself. How he wants to leave the ghosts of his path behind, but he’s scared that if he leaves, more death will follow. And that a part of him believes that living with the ghosts and the nightmares and the memories is his penance for the destruction he left in his wake. He can’t bring another person into his broken life, even on the off chance that Tony Stark would want to get to know him in the first place.

“arry..Harry, are you okay?”

He rubbed at the scar on his chest, trying to refocus on the present.

“Yeah..sorry, what were you saying?” She eyed him, as if trying to judge whether he could handle the conversation or not. Although, as it was 3 am and he was groggy as hell, the argument could be made that nobody would be able to handle this conversation like this.

“I was saying that…he seems to be just as good at getting into trouble as you are.”

Harry snorted. “Excuse me madam prefect, but you were in that trouble right along with me.”

“I never denied that,” she chuckled, “but ignoring your pathetic attempts to distract me, I had an idea. I was wondering if we should take a trip to New York, just you, me and Ron. Get away from the reporters and chaos for a bit. Ron and I miss you, and I think that maybe he needs a bit of a change in scenery as well.”

“You know, usually you are more subtle than this, Mione. Try harder.” Harry said, narrowing his eyes at her. She rolled her eyes.

“Listen, you need to get out of this god damn house, both for your sanity and for the sake of my dust allergy every time I want to visit you. I’m not pressuring you to do anything, but I think being a little closer just opens the door a bit. Gives you an opportunity to think about it away from severed elf heads and in a place where you can act on whatever decision you make.”

“No, Hermione.” He said, a hard edge entering his voice. He doesn’t want to think about this right now. He doesn’t want to think about this ever.

He could see her frustration building. “Look here Harry Potter, I am giving you two options, either we go to New York, or I will drag your hermit ass back with me to the Weasleys.”

“Come on, Hermione..”

“No, I am done watching you wallow. You don’t eat, don’t even try to deny it Kreacher told me. You don’t sleep, you don’t talk to anyone. Please…” She took a shuddering breath, and continued in a whisper. “Please stop making me watch you kill yourself.”

And that is how he found himself throwing up in a trashcan in the middle of New York City. Fucking portkeys.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: The City

One week later…

“Blimey mate, this hot dog is amazing.” Ron groaned around a mouthful of food.

Harry’s best mate looked absolutely hilarious. Currently, his shockingly orange hair was covered by a Yankees cap, clashing against a bright red ‘I heart NYC’ t-shirt, which now had mustard running down the front. That paired with the sunglasses, cargo shorts and flip flops standing in the middle of Times Square made for quite the sight. Despite Harry’s discomfort, he couldn’t help but grin as Ron dove in for another bite.

He really couldn’t deny that Hermione was right, about Ron at least. Ron had been wearing himself down for weeks now, running the joke shop for George while becoming a rock for a family trying to heal. He had obviously matured since the days where his mood would switch on a dime. But Harry could see the dark bruises under his eyes. He could see how his smile would fade once someone’s back was turned. However, the minute they arrived in New York, it was like Ron was finally able to breathe. He started joking around again, his smile finally reaching his eyes as he transformed back into the idiot Harry knew and loved.

Harry wished he could do the same, but it was too crowded, too loud for him to relax. He had never been good with busy places (growing up in a cupboard will do that to you) but ever since the forest, since he got a taste of true peace, that sensitivity had been dialed up to ten. So, walking through the tourist sites of New York City was a new kind of hell. He flinched at every jostle of his shoulder, his hand gripped tight around his wand in his pocket as he followed Hermione and Ron through the city.

“Harry, turn towards me!” He heard Hermione call out to him, camera up to her face. He rolled his eyes and Ron flung an arm around his shoulders. At the portkey station at MACUSA, Hermione bought a camera and announced to both of them that it was about damn time they had some pictures together. She became an absolute menace from then on out. Ron, being the whipped puppy he was, indulged his girlfriend at every turn, dragging Harry along with him.

The camera flashed, and she straightened.

“Alright guys, have we done enough for today?” Harry grumbled, “I’m getting a bloody headache, and if I get screamed at by a crazy dude one more time, I’m going to flip out.” He wished he was kidding.

Hermione sighed. “Fine”, she said, “we have two more weeks here anyway, we can always come back.”

“Of course we can!” Ron said, grinning at her as Harry groaned. He grabbed Hermione’s hand as the three of them made their way back to their hotel.

When they got to the hotel, they separated their respective rooms. Hermione and Ron offered to share with him, but he had absolutely no desire to repeat the tent situation. Dealing with their maddening sexual tension was bad enough the first time, thank you very much. Harry breathed a deep sigh of relief as he swiped his key card and entered the dark and quiet space. Putting up a muffliato in case he fell asleep, he lay down on the bed and let himself zone out to the muffled sounds of car horns and city life below.
…

BOOM!

Harry jolted awake.

‘What the hell was that?!’ He thought to himself. He cautiously walked to the window, wand in hand and opened the curtains.

“Shit!!” He jumped back as something red and gold sped past his window, followed by a hoard of the ugliest creatures he had ever seen. Seriously giving blast-ended skrewts a run for their money.

Harry’s brain blanked as he ran out of his room. People were starting to line the halls and he could hear screaming in the distance. He pushed past everyone at breakneck speed towards Ron and Hermione, heart racing and he tried to control his panic.

“What in Merlin’s saggy ball sack is going on!” Ron yelled, clutching Hermione, whose eyes were wide with shock.

CRASH! They all jumped. This time the walls of the building shook, dust raining down from the ceiling.

“EVERYONE TO THE GROUND FLOOR, NOW!” Harry yelled out to the hall of terrified people. Nobody moved, seemingly frozen in place.

He cast a sonorus. “NOW!!” That got everyone moving. They all rushed to the stairs. Harry grabbed hold of Ron and Hermione and, not caring if anyone saw them at this point, apparated to the ground floor.

It was chaos. Through the glass doors of the lobby he could see an army of those creatures running through the streets shooting at people trying to escape. Harry could see them start to enter the surrounding buildings, massacring any civilians they saw.

“Hermione, ward the door! Quickly!” He yelled to his friend. She looked at him and nodded. Harry could see his friend’s shock turn into battle hardened determination. She approached the door, wand raised, and began layering protective spells.
“Ron! Help me get the other entrance!” She called behind her. Ron ran to the other side of the building. Nobody in this building would die today.

Harry could feel his magic build under his skin, rearing for a fight. He could feel himself focus in, thrumming with restless energy. Without thinking, Harry apparated outside.

Right into the middle of the battle.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: The Battle

There was destruction all around him. He could see bodies trapped under rubble and the cacophony of violence became a ringing in his ears. For a moment, just a moment, he wasn’t in New York anymore.
…
They blasted through the wall, heavy pillars of stone flying into the crowd of students. But Harry couldn’t stop running, he had to keep going. Desperation warring with panic, he sprinted through the corridor, trying to ignore the screams and the bodies littering the floor. Just as he reached the end of the hall, he glanced back, catching a flash of orange hair covered in blood.
…

An explosion went off nearby, making the ground shake. Harry shook the ghosts out of his mind and began to move through the streets. He dodged debris and blasts, eyes peeled for people trapped.

“STUPEFY” he cast. An alien crumbled to the ground, just before it could reach a family huddled together behind a bus. He ran towards them, sending another stunner at the alien approaching them from behind.

“You have to get out of here now!” The father stared at him, clutching his trembling children to his chest. Harry looked him straight in the eye, willinging the man to trust him.

“I can get you to safety. Run to the hotel two blocks down. It's secured.” Harry said levelly, as he slowly picked up one of the children. The father held on to his daughter tightly, face betraying his panic.

“I will help you but we have to move. NOW!” Harry pulled them all to their feet and started running.

The hotel was in sight when a shadow eclipsed the street. As the darkness reached him, Harry looked up into the face of a beast. At first he panicked, thinking he was face to face with a dragon, but no, the beast was as alien as everything else being thrown at the city. It was larger than anything he had ever seen, dark plated scales lining its back and sides. Scores of more aliens hung on to it, all shooting people as they ran from its path.

He quickly handed the man’s daughter back to him, casting a protection charm over them.

“Keep going and don’t look back!” Harry urged before turning around to face the monster.

His magic swirled around him, his power tangible, heavy in the air as he lifted his wand. It's times like these, where magic itself bends to him, that he remembers he is the master of death. He knows that he hasn’t been the same since he re-entered the world of the living. Sometimes, the cold, overwhelming power at his fingertips terrified him, made him scared to use his magic at all. But now, as he stood unyielding in the face of a monster, he channeled it all.

The creature was close enough that Harry could see the rows of teeth gnashing and smell the putrid breath washing over him. He glanced at the man's retreating back, still carrying his daughter. This was not the time to hold back. He narrowed his eyes and thought just one word, ‘Stop.’

The beast suddenly jolted to a stop, as if it hit a brick wall. The aliens on its back flew off as Harry watched it flip over his head, crashing into the street, lifeless.

Harry took a deep breath as he watched the aliens still alive run from him, afraid. His power still settled over the air around him. He focused on the ground, on the rubble beneath his feet and tried to reign it in.

“I didn’t know there were any sorcerers left on Midgard.”

Harry whipped around at the heavily accented voice coming from behind him. His wand now pointed at a man, if you could call him that. He looked like a man, but just... more. Shoulder length blond hair brushed against shining armour, red cloak flaring out behind him. And just as Harry’s wand pointed at him, he pointed a hammer at Harry’s head. A hammer? Really?

“If you didn’t know already, then you weren’t meant to.” Harry said, voice low and cautious.

“Are you friend to Loki, little sorcerer? Are you a part of this madness?”

“No,” he said shortly, offering no room for disbelief. The corner of Harry’s mouth twitched upward. “I’m just a tourist.”

“You have much power for one so …. fragile.” The man said, beginning to smirk. Harry bristled. He killed the darkest wizard of all time, thank you very much! He was many things, but he was not fragile.

Harry raised one eyebrow and blasted another alien out of the air, stunner going right over the man’s shoulder. Blondie didn’t even flinch. Bastard.

Seeing his discontent, the golden man let out a hearty laugh. One definitely out of place in a war zone.

“If you are not with Loki, will you lend your power to us.”

“And what would that entail?” Harry narrowed his eyes. He knew better than to lend his power to just anyone.

“Come with me, I will show you” Blondie reached towards him, but Harry took a step back.

“I don’t need a lift big guy, point where you need me and I’ll meet you there.”

He cocked one eyebrow, stupid smirk still plastered across his face, as he pointed to a nearby rooftop. A rooftop that happened to have the word STARK hanging below it. Great, just great. Harry hesitated for a heartbeat before he brought his firebolt out of his pocket and enlarged it. What did the Statute of Secrecy really matter when the world was being taken over by aliens? He turned his eyes away from the muscled idiot and kicked off. Following a stranger in the middle of a battle to a building most likely owned by his long-lost father. He had done stupider things.

Touching down on the rooftop, he could feel some kind of energy radiating off of it in waves. In the distance, for the first time visible without the dense buildings blocking his view, a great hole in the sky appeared, creatures spilling out of it like poison onto the earth. Walking towards the small huddle of people, he heard a whirring sound next to him and saw the great caped wonder land beside him. All traces of smirk gone, the man locked in on the scene before him.

A red haired woman was speaking urgently to an older man, gesturing furiously at a blue cube floating in some kind of contraption. Harry continued towards it until the woman whipped around, gun in hand.

“And who are you? Thor, explain.” the red haired woman said, glaring at the pair.

“Peace Natasha, he is with us. I witnessed him taking down an entire league of Chitari. He may be able to aid us in this.” Thor said gesturing towards the cube.

Harry ignored them both, staring at the cube. He looked towards the old man, who had stayed back, watching the interaction.

“What is it doing?” Harry asked him.

“It is the energy source maintaining the portal. Powering the bridge from earth to the other end of the universe.”

“Why don’t you shut it down, just remove the cube?”

“I can’t” He said, turning an ashen face towards the wound cut into the sky.

“Well, I can try.” Harry said, a flash of determination crossing his features. He circled the cube, feeling the weight of the eyes tracking his step, but ignoring them for now.

“Reducto!” He tried, to no avail. The spell just seemed to be absorbed into the glowing force field. Normal spells wouldn’t be able to overload it. He examined it more closely. It seemed as though the energy was being funneled back into the cube, creating a self sustaining energy source. If he could overload the connection at its weakest point, where the energy looped back inwards, he would be able to break the cycle. His magic picked up again, the air around him starting to shift.

“I can close it.”

“Are you sure?” Natasha asked, voice low, eyes searching his face for some sign as to who and what he was.

Harry met her gaze straight on. “Just tell me when.”

“Wait!” A shaky voice came from the device on Natasha’s ear. The line was full of static. “A nuke is heading into the city!”

Natasha brought her hand up to the side of her face, eyes widening. “Are you sure Stark?”

Harry froze.

“Yes I’m fucking sure, I’m currently carrying it on my fucking back!!”

“Okay Tony, calm down.”

“Don’t you tell me to calm down Red!” The voice paused for a moment, and Harry felt his heart pause with it. “Can you close the portal, Nat?”

She looked at Harry, who gave her a tight nod.

“Yes.” She said quietly, something like fear, or was it sadness, settling on her face.

“Then I know what to do with it.” The voice said, hard and resigned.

“Tony, wai..”

“No, there’s no time! Just promise me you’ll close it!”

“...we will.” The radio went silent.

Harry was confused, what was a nuke and why did it sound like he was going to sacrifice himself?! A horrifying reality washed over him as he took in the faces of those around him. He was..

“What are you guys doing!?,” Harry yelled, blood draining from his face. “Somebody stop him!! There has to be another way!”

Natasha looked away from him. “There isn’t. None of us could divert the nuke and lightning over there would just set it off.” Thor looked stricken. “A nuke would level the entire city.”

Harry could almost feel leaves crunching under his feet as a cruel voice whispered in his head, ‘For the greater good.’ Harry wanted to vomit, and he didn’t know why. He had never met him, he was just another never meant to be. But this wasn’t right, this wasn’t how it was supposed to go! But who was Harry to begrudge him the choice, not when he had made the same.

A red and gold blur flew past them and the radio turned on one last time. “Close it.”

Natasha looked at him and nodded. But Harry’s head was spinning. Condemn another father or an entire city. The picture of his mother and father dancing amongst falling leaves, smiling, flashed through his mind. They loved Tony..enough to leave him. His magic, which had saturated the air around him, began thrashing violently as Harry screamed in frustration.

“NO!!”

Harry mounted his broom and kicked off, hard. Ignoring the voices calling after him, Harry sped through the air towards the spec of gold in the distance. A heat wave pulsed from the portal and flames began to emerge. He kept going. He had to get there.

Then he saw him. A suit of armour plummeting towards the earth. He wouldn’t make it.

Harry flung his arms out, tendrils of magic reaching out towards Iron Man and the cube alike. In the periphery of his awareness, he could feel the cube crack and the portal slam shut with a massive shockwave. He was pushed off his broom, and reached out, summoning his father into his arms, as they both fell.

“ARRESTO MOMENTUM” Harry screamed, wand pointed at the man he was holding and it worked. They slowed down more and more before landing on the ground with a thud.

All Harry remembered seeing was frantic brown eyes and a mop of freckles before he promptly passed out.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: The Father

Tony jolted awake with a gasp. He frantically clawed at his helmet, needing to breathe. He was alive! Well, he thought he was.

”Jarvis, you there.” He asked, blinking hard, trying to clear the bright spots clouding his vision. 

”Yes sir.” He breathed a sigh of relief.

”And I’m still here?”

”Yes sir, despite your very best efforts.” Everyday he regretted programming sarcasm into his AI. Realism be damned.

Tony let his head fall back against the pavement. He really thought that he was dead, for a second he even thought he saw…No it wasn’t possible. Looking up, he saw his team of misfits standing over him, as well as two teens. Damn, that orange hair may just blind him all over again.

”Hey, guys.” he said with a smile, waving his arm weakly before it fell back onto the pavement. “We’re alive, that’s awesome. Go team, even you Romanov. You get a gold star.”

”…and he’s back,” someone said, probably Cap. Tony couldn’t really tell, he was too busy appreciating the fact that his lungs could still fill with air.

”Are we done? Did it close?”

”Yes, it's done. Clint is supervising transfer of the tesseract and prisoner now. You did good Iron Man.” said Natasha, a small smile on her face.

”Eh,” Tony waved his hand, smirking a little, “It was a group effort.”

“Actually, more of a one man show towards the end, thanks to Merlin over there.” Natasha said, gesturing besides him. 

What was she talking about? Tony turned his head to the side and felt his heart stop. 

A teen lay next to him, his head cradled in the ginger’s lap as another waved a wand (if his suspicions were correct) over his unconscious form. Tony went blank, as scenes of black hair, laughter and a crooked grin ran through his mind. Remembering the warmth of auburn hair and green eyes left him feeling cold, as he took in the person beside him. 

His face must have shown his shock, because Thor approached him, concern in his voice.

”Do you know this sorcerer, Stark?”

”I..i..” Tony didn’t know what to say. The kid wasn’t James, that much was clear, but a deep sense of familiarity and sadness settled in his chest. He looked so familiar, but Tony had never seen James look so thin, so gaunt. Something was very wrong and he could feel his stomach start to sink. 

“He does not.” A tight voice rang out. It took Tony a few seconds to realize that it came from the girl crouched near him, bushy brown hair hiding her expression. 

She looked up at the other teen. “I can’t find anything wrong with him besides magical exhaustion, which is not surprising considering the idiot used wandless magic to close a literal hole in space.”

”He closed it?!” Tony said, still in shock. The girl ignored him, still looking at the ginger.

”Do you think he needs a healer? Maybe MACUSA could …”

”No Ron, he just broke the Statute of Secrecy in front of the entire city, not that they were really paying attention, but he would probably be arrested. And even if he wasn’t, the attention would be the last thing Harry would want. It would be all over the prophet by morning.” She pushed her hair out of her eyes, revealing an expression of pure exhaustion. “He just needs rest I think. Besides, I’m not going to let any auror or healer stop me from giving him the chewing out he deserves right now. When he wakes up, I’m going to kill him.” Tony couldn’t tell whether she was joking or not.

She glanced sideways at Tony, looking like she was about to say something, before she shook her head. “We should get him back to the hotel.” 

“Wait!” Tony said, just a bit too loud, sitting up despite his head rush so he could look the girl in the eye. “I mean, we have better facilities at Stark tower. Top of the line. The kid just saved the world so..”

”And you.” Natasha cut in.

”What?”

She looked between him and the sleeping teenager, something unidentifiable in her gaze. “I just told him to close the portal, but he somehow managed to do that and catch you at the same time. 

“Can’t seem to shake the habit, can he.” Ron said, looking at Harry with complete exasperation. 

Tony spared him a glance before focusing back on the teen girl. He got the impression that she would be making the final decision. He didn’t fully know why he was rearing to fight this, why the thought of the kid disappearing set him on edge. But, he could feel the determination settle into his very skin, the kid would be coming back to Stark tower with him. 

“Listen, I don’t know what you did to examine him, but if he fell as far as I did, magic aside, he needs better medical care than he could get at a hotel. At least at the tower, we could monitor him until he wakes up.” The girl met his gaze, unblinking, and he could almost see the gears turning in her head. She crossed her arms and said nothing as Tony clambered to his feet, placing a steadying hand on Steve’s shoulder.

“Also, I heard you mention something about attention? Well, I can guarantee there will be a whole lotta that heading our way after this fiasco. Do you really think you could keep him out of that in a public hotel? Let us help protect him, I mean we certainly owe him one.” Tony could see the ginger bristle out of the corner of his eye.

“Listen mate, you don’t know a damn thing. We can protect him ourselves, as we always have. We know better than to trust some gang of weird ....”

“Fine.”Hermione said quietly, not lowering her stare. Ron looked at Hermione, stunned.

“But Hermione, they’re muggles. We should be obliviating them, not moving in!” Hermione’s eyes flicked to the sleeping Harry. 

“I think he has already known about magic for some time, haven’t you Mr. Stark?” She looked at him knowingly. Tony swallowed and looked away, the pain of loss shooting through his chest. He looked at the rest of his team, who were watching the interaction play out, clearly confused. 

He nodded slowly. She crouched back down beside her friend. 

“Let’s continue this conversation once he’s settled. No offense, but you all look like you require some medical attention as well.” She wasn’t wrong, Natasha had a nasty cut above her eyebrow that probably needed stitches and he didn’t like the way Cap was clutching his ribs.

“You’re right.” Tony clapped his hands, trying to regain some control. “Let’s all go inside. Would you like to bring the kid, little lady?”

Hermione sighed, “I don’t think I should apparate with him like this.”

“I’ll bring the sorcerer.” Everyone turned towards Thor, mouths hanging open in surprise. Hermione sized him up before nodding. Thor bent down, gathering the young man in his arms gently, before straightening up again.

“Alright, let’s go.”

…

An hour later, everyone had found rooms (ones not destroyed by Hulk and Loki’s playdate) and were resting. Tony had a delivery order in for shawarma for everybody, but he had a feeling the wait would be a bitch. 

After Bruce de-greenified, he helped Thor and Tony get Harry settled in the room he used whenever he got hurt in the lab, Hermione watching like a hawk the whole time. It already had enough basic equipment to last them until Pepper could fly in their personal doctor from DC. Harry had been hooked up to a heart monitor and oxygen, before Bruce took a blood sample, just to cover all their bases.  It appears that flying out of the troposphere can leave you a little short on air. At least Tony had a helmet on for god's sake. 

After Bruce left to stitch up Natasha and the red-head went to pick up their stuff from the hotel, Tony was left alone with the teen witch, watching Harry sleep comfortably, the only sound in the room being the soft beep of the monitor and his steady breathing.

“Dr. Banner told me he’s underweight.”

“Yes, well. Harry has had a hard life. Getting him to eat can be…difficult.” Hermione looked pained.

“What happened to him?”

“That is not my story to tell.”

Silence descended again.

“They are dead, aren’t they?” Tony knew the young witch would know who he was talking about. She was the only one not shocked by his reaction to Harry, the one who knew that he had encountered magic before.

“Yes…I’m sorry. They died 17 years ago.”

“I knew … When they didn’t come back after a year, I had Jarvis search for them. He never found any trace of them except for the title to a grave plot labeled Potter. I knew it was a common name so I never really let myself believe but …. I think I knew in my heart that they were … gone.”

“...I’m sorry.” The worst thing was that she looked like she meant it. A tear slowly ran down her face as she kept her eyes on Harry. Tony wished he knew what was going through her head.

“He’s their son, right? I never saw any record of a kid but … God, he looks so much like them…” 

Hermione grimaced before saying carefully, “In one way or another.”

Tony glanced at her sideways, noting her vague answer and making a mental note to have Jarvis run that blood sample through a DNA test. Was it ethical? No. Was it legal? Maybe. But when did Tony ever let that stand in his way.

Tony needed answers. It had been almost two decades since the only people he had ever seen a future with went missing. Since then, he went crazy with the loss, checking in and out of rehab, sleeping with anyone that could make him forget, even if it never truly worked. He needed to know what happened to the loves of his life all those years ago and he needed to know if this was their son. But he felt like he already knew the answer, and either way, Tony could already tell that he would move mountains for this brave soul, who caught him as he fell from the sky.

That night, after everyone was patched up and had at least 5 servings of shawarma (10 each for Thor and Rodgers), Tony escaped to the privacy of his own room. He settled down on an armchair and finally let himself go. Tremors racked through his body as his brain finally caught up with the fact that he nearly died today. He didn’t even second guess it. He knew he would make the same choice again, but honestly, Tony had had a bit of a death wish for a long time now. Then he was saved by a person who…

Tony buried his head in his hands. He didn’t know how long he was sitting like that, shaking, before Jarvis gently broke the silence.

“Sir, are you all right?”

“I’ll be fine Jay…”

“I have the results of the DNA test you requested. Would you like to hear them now or wait until a better time?”

Tony took a deep breath. “Go for it Jarvis.”

“The patient is indeed related to the Evans family through the maternal side. Lacking a direct DNA sample from Lily Potter N.E. Evans , it can be assumed that she is the mother.”

He just nodded. Tony knew it from the minute he saw Harry. But why didn’t Lily and James tell him she was pregnant? She could have gotten pregnant while in hiding, but if Jarvis’s age estimate is to be believed, the timing doesn’t match up.

“Thank you Jarvis.”

“I am not done yet sir. I was able to get a direct hit on the paternal side.” The AI paused, as if hesitating to finish the report. That should have been a sign, but Tony was already at his wits end after everything that had happened in the last 24 hours.

“Not getting any younger here Jay.”

“Sorry sir. His closest paternal relative, with 99.8 percent accuracy, is Tony Stark.”

Tony felt his heart crack.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: The Awakening

The next morning, Tony walked into his kitchen and sat at the island. His entire being was sore, as if he had just gotten run over by a tank. Although considering the hell that was the day before, that may have been preferable. Not being able to sleep probably didn’t help, especially when his body screamed for the rest, but he just couldn’t.

Last night, for the first time in a long time, he let himself completely breakdown. Tony had been chasing danger for so long because he was alone, because he had no one to live for. In his life, the only thing that was worth anything, was being Iron Man. He had known where that path would take him a long time ago, so when it came time yesterday to go down in flames, it seemed inevitable.

But then he learned that he would have been leaving behind a son, his son who he had never even met, and he broke. He couldn’t begin to grapple with what he almost lost.

Not only that, but a deep sense of shame had settled in his chest. How could he not have known? Lily and James died 17 years ago, meaning that Harry had been alone for 17 years and Tony never knew. He was a genius, he had the best surveillance in the world at the tips of his fingers, and he didn’t know. He should have looked harder for them, but he was a coward. He saw that grave and he stopped looking because was terrified at what he would find. And now his kid looked like he'd been through hell, long before the trauma of yesterday’s battle. This was his fault. How would his son forgive him? Would Harry want anything to do with him after he had done nothing for the past 15 years but make mistake after mistake? Tony wouldn’t forgive a father like him, not if he’d been left at the mercy of the world.

“You have visitors, sir.” Jarvis said, jolting Tony out of his downward spiral.

“Dr. Smith has arrived from D.C. I have taken the liberty of directing him towards the room where your young guest is staying.”

“Thank you, Jay.”

“Also, Director Fury is waiting for you.”

“Of fucking course.” Tony groaned, rubbing his hand over his eyes.

“I have already attempted to give him your standard business hours and the number of your secretary, sir. He did not appear to be amused.”

“Thanks for trying.”

“Anytime, sir.”

Tony got back to his feet. He would go see the doctor first, the one-eyed wonder could wait.

When he reached Harry’s room, the doctor was already in there, as well as, which Tony was not surprised to see, Ron and Hermione standing stiffly against the wall. Dr. Smith was busying himself looking over Dr. Banner’s notes and checking the monitors in place. He looked up as Tony entered the room.

“I see no direct reason for him to still be asleep besides exhaustion. I am going to place him on an IV for dehydration and nutrition. He is deficient in almost everything, most likely a side effect of the malnourishment.”

Tony nodded along, heart clenching in his chest.

“Additionally, his body temperature is extremely low, I recom….”

“That’s normal for him.” Hermione cut in, looking pale.

The doctor took her in, eyebrows raised. “I see ... Nonetheless, I recommend heating the IV fluid prior to administration, Dr. Banner should be aware of the procedure.” He looked back and forth between Tony and the teenagers listening in. “Mr. Stark, may I speak with you privately?” The two teens looked murderous.

Tony sighed, “ You can speak freely here, Dr. Smith.”

“Fine. The patient appears to have extensive scarring and bony deformities, implying previous unhealed fractures. I must insist he be admitted to a hospital for further evaluation.”

“No.” Hermione cut in again, staring him down. “We will not move him again, unless it's back home.” Tony saw that for the threat it was. She was letting him know that they did not need to be here, Tony’s feeling’s be damned.

“Mr. Stark, I must insist, I have rarely even seen soldiers with such…”

“We said no,” Ron’s face flushed red. Tony knew he would have to step in before the good doctor found himself on the wrong end of a wand.

“Please discuss his care with Bruce. He has to stay here for now due to security concerns but we can get you anything you need.” Tony narrowed his eyes. “And it goes without saying that you will discuss this with no one.”

“Of course,” the doctor scoffed, before storming off to find Dr. Banner.

Tony took a deep breath in before he allowed himself a glance at his son’s face. Harry was sleeping soundly, but a furrowed brow betrayed a tension that did not even release him in his sleep. Tony didn’t want to look any longer, not until he could meet him, until he could look his son in the eye. He shook his head.

“I have to go play politics.” He sighed, already dreading Fury’s temper tantrum. “Do either of you need anything, are you guys injured at all?”

“No, Mr. Stark.” Hermione said stiffly.

“Well, if you change your mind just call for Jarvis, or let Cap know. God knows he’s always willing to jump to someone's aid.” He said with a chuckle. Hermione just looked at him blankly.

“Well, nice talk. I’m just going to… yeah.”

Tony had reached the doorway when the girl finally spoke.

“Did you figure it out?” Ron looked at her, obviously confused.

“Yes,” He breathed out. “You could have just told me, you know.”

She snorted. “Harry would have been pissed and I’m not too interested in dealing with that at the moment. Besides, I heard you were a genius, I shouldn’ t have needed to say anything.”

Self-hatred hit him in the gut. She was right, he should have known, she shouldn’t have needed to say anything. He just nodded stiffly, before walking out the door.
…

Natasha was talking with Director Fury when he finally reached the lobby.

“You know, Nick, usually once a job is done, the boss can fuck off. No supervision needed”

“And what would you know about having a boss, Stark?” Fury said, turning to face Iron Man. “I just wanted to offer my congratulations. Never would have guessed it, but I guess you can be a team player after all.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “As long as that team strokes my ego enough, and let me tell you, Cap is amazing at compliments. Something about his hero next door personality, I guess.”

“Control yourself Stark, I just wanted to make sure everyone is okay here?”

“I mean Clint was a little injured in our pillow fight last night, but I thi….”

“Okay, enough. It is too early for this shit. Before I go, I had a quick question. Do you know anything about another individual who joined the fight yesterday, possibly an enhanced person?” Tony’s eyes flicked to Natasha, who gave an imperceptible shake of her head, right outside of Fury’s field of vision.

“Nope, I’ve had to come to grips with enough “enhanced persons” already during your little project.”

Nick raised his hands in surrender. “That’s all I wanted to know. I will keep in touch, Tony.”

“Oh, I’m sure you will.” Tony mumbled at the directors retreating back. Once he was out of sight, he turned to Natasha.

“Why didn’t you tell him?”

Natasha just looked at him. “Do you think I’m blind Tony? I can tell the kid means something to you. And you should have heard him when you flew by with that missile. He was terrified. I know something is going on here… and we’re a team, I’ve got your back.”

Tony broke her gaze, fighting back tears. Natasha was the last person he expected to hear that from. He felt like he was witnessing the moment Natasha went from spy to soldier.

“You sound like Steve.” He choked out. Natasha snorted.

“Besides, Fury doesn’t need to know everything. I have to keep some secrets of my own or he’s going to make the mistake of thinking he owns me.”

“Woe to anyone who makes THAT mistake.” He said grinning at her as she smirked back at him.

…

Harry’s eyelids felt heavy as he slowly returned to consciousness. The surface under his fingers was soft and warm and he could hear a faint beeping sound in the background that reminded him of a muggle hospital. The air smelled…clean. Dry enough to sting his nose as he breathed in. Was that a mask over his face? Harry tried to lift a hand to his cheek, but only made it about halfway before he gave up, hand falling back to his chest.

“You know mate, this is really getting old.”

“Ron?”

Harry finally opened his eyes. He was in a grey room, with a large window overlooking the city. He craned his neck around. He saw that the bed he was in was bracketed by a couple of machines, flashing numbers and lines, which appeared to be the source of the soft beeping noise. He would have guessed that he was in a hospital, but the room was too spacious, and the bed was a king, loaded with pillows and a soft comforter. A stark difference from the scratchy sheets and plastic mattress he remembered from the one time he stayed at a hospital as a kid, after Dudley had broken his arm.

“Where are we?” His voice was garbled by the mask. He tried again to reach his arm up, this time able to take it off.

Ron ignored him. He glared at Harry, looking a bit too much like Mrs. Weasley for comfort.

“You know, watching you fall from your broom once was enough for me. I didn’t really need a repeat of the experience.”

“Ron, I..”

“Actually, you know what, watching you disappear, run off on your own in the middle of a battle because you are a self-sacrificing moron, was another trend I thought we had put behind us, but no. Fuck me, I guess.”

Harry flinched, looking up at his best friend. Ron looked haggard, and his expression kept flitting between anger and relief. He was in fresh clothes, recently showered, but he looked tired. The tension in his shoulders that seemed to bleed away during their time in New York was back in full force.

“I’m sorry, Ron. I wasn’t thinking, I just..” Harry didn’t know what to say. He felt ashamed. Harry hadn’t told his friends where he was going, he just left them. He knew they would be able to keep themselves safe in the building, so he didn’t think twice when he apparated away. But looking now at the haunted look in his friend’s eyes, maybe he should have.

Ron seemed to deflate, sighing as he sat back in the armchair beside Harry’s bed.

“I know, mate.” He sighed, “I’m going to leave the real lecture to Hermione, she’s better at it anyway.” He said with a small smile.

They sat in silence for a while before Harry tried to get up, propping himself up on his elbows, before he was able to sit back against the headboard. He had to struggle against a tangle of wires that seemed to pull on his skin at every movement. Ron walked away for a second, returning with a glass of water that he placed gingerly in Harry’s hands.

Harry hesitated, before saying quietly, “Am I allowed to ask now?”

Ron snorted.

“You’ve been out since yesterday. We were going to contact a healer from MACUSA, but considering you probably would have been arrested for breaching the Statute of Secrecy, we’ve been staying with muggles instead. Bloody hell, these muggles are smart, you should see this place! Dad would have a fit!” Harry rolled his eyes.

“And this place is..?”

“Stark Tower, according to Hermione.”

Harry just gaped up at him.

“And Tony Stark …. Is he here, too?” Ron just looked at him, confused, like Harry was a bit mental.

“Well yeah, it's his house isn’t it.”

“He’s okay?”

“Well, a little banged up, but he was able to walk away from the whole thing, unlike you. Nice catch by the way, show off. Although falling off your broom,” Ron grinned and shook his head, “ come on man, you don’t even have dementors as an excuse this time.”

Harry huffed. “I’d like to see you hang on to that hunk of metal! It must have weighed a ton.”

“You’re about 500 pounds off kid, but close enough.”

Harry whipped his head towards the door, where a man leaned in the doorway. Here goes nothing.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: The First Meeting

Harry looked at his father for the first time.

Harry didn’t know why, but Tony Stark was shorter than he had imagined. He knew that James had been relatively tall, so Harry had always just attributed his height to his childhood and bad luck, but now he may have to rethink that. He also had black hair, but it was cropped short and impeccably styled. With the way he slouched against the door frame, seemingly at ease, one wouldn’t guess that he had almost died two days ago. The only sign of battle was a black eye and a slight tension in his shoulders.

He knew he was staring, but Harry couldn’t bring himself to look away. His heart was beating fast. He frantically racked his brain for something to say, anything.

“I..uh. Hi.” Smooth…real smooth. Way to make a first impression. Merlin, what was he doing? He felt horribly awkward in front of the man who appeared to have mastered ease. Harry shifted in the bed, trying to get more comfortable. This was never the plan, he had never meant to meet Tony in the first place. But now, he wanted nothing more than to…impress him…prove something…please the little boy in the cupboard that he never truly grew out of. He didn’t know.

“Hi.” Tony smiled gently. Harry thought for a moment that his eyes looked misty, but he must have been imagining things.

Ron looked between the two of them cautiously, before determination crossed his face and excused himself.

“I’ll see you in a bit, mate.” Tony nodded at Ron as he walked past before shifting his gaze back to Harry.

“Thank you by the way, for not dropping the hunk of metal. That would have been one hell of a dent.” Tony said, smirking a little.

Harry relaxed a little, snorting.

“That would have been one hell of a pancake.” Tony’s grin grew wider and he started laughing.

“Hey, don't underestimate the suit.” His smile was contagious, Harry could feel the corner of his mouth begin to twitch.

“Jarvis would be offended, he ran the impact tests himself, right Jay?”

“It takes more than that to offend me, sir.” A disembodied voice spoke out, seemingly filling the room.

Harry jumped, whipping his head around. The last time he heard a voice surrounding him like that, coming seemingly from nowhere…..

Bring me Harry Potter rang in his ears, summoning him to his death. Warmth and peace, followed by cold, never ending cold. Harry didn’t think he had been warm since. He started shivering, staring at the wall, trying to snap himself out of it. He must not have succeeded quickly enough, because Tony took a step towards him, hands up trying to calm him.

“Woah, kid you are okay, it's Jarvis, my AI. He…it's just tech. You’re safe.”

Harry clenched his fists in the covers, trying to come back to the present. He was making a fool out of himself.

“Yeah…sorry. He sounds like a friend of yours.” Harry smiled tightly, determined to pretend that didn’t just happen. Merlin, he keeps embarrassing himself. Tony doesn’t even know that he’s his son yet, and he already was acting like a “freak”.

Tony looked at him closely, looking like he wanted to say something more before deciding against it.

“Well, I built him, but he sort of took on a life of his own. So, yes… I think a friend would be the best description.”

“That is the nicest thing you have ever said to me, sir. I apologize for startling you Mr. Potter.”

Harry looked to Tony, as if for permission before looking at the ceiling. “It’s fine, not your fault, I startle easily…should I call you Jarvis?”

“Yes. If you need anything, you can always ask me.”

“Thank you.” Tony watched the interaction carefully, smirk gone, replaced by something like sadness in his eyes. Tony took one step back towards the door.

“Well, I’m going to let you rest. You took one hell of a nose dive. Scared the living daylights out of everyone, especially your friends.”

“Hermione is here, too?”

“Oh yeah, been here for one day and already running the show. My kind of person.”

Harry laughed, he couldn’t stop himself. “I’m not surprised. She’s been running our lives for 8 years.”

“Reminds me of Pepper. You’ll meet her soon enough, she should be coming in tomorrow with Rhodey. Second guessing that decision now, though. The two of them in one room would be terrifying. I think you may have reason to be terrified already. I heard her say and I quote, ‘when he wakes up, I’m going to kill him’.”

“Brilliant.” Harry grimaced. Wait, tomorrow? Harry started panicking.

“Mr. Stark, I…”

“Tony.” Harry looked at him, surprised.

“Okay…Tony,” He said slowly. “I appreciate you letting us stay here, but we can get out of your hair now. We have a hotel room and..”

Tony snorted, holding up a hand to stop him. “Listen, you just passed out for 24 hours straight after saving my life. I’m not letting you leave until you are back to full health and don’t even think of fighting me on this. I got permission from your friends and everything.”

“But…”

“You can take it up with them. We are having a team dinner tonight if you are feeling up to it, so don’t be shy. And, I know he already said it, but seriously, if you need anything ask Jarvis or me, okay?”

Harry just nodded, feeling a little shell shocked.

Tony looked at him a second longer, like he had something else on the tip of his tongue before clapping his hands. “Rest well, Harry.”

Tony left the room, leaving Harry staring at the door. What just happened?

…

“Coward, coward, coward.” Tony whispered, berating himself as he left Harry’s room.

Tony didn’t consider himself a very warm person, more comfortable around technology than people, but when Harry, his 18 year old son, looked at him with those bright green eyes, lost and a little scared, he wanted nothing more than to wrap him in a hug. He wanted to spill everything, to apologize for not being there, to ask if he was okay, to protect him from whatever had made him flinch like that.

And he was planning too. Well, at least planning on telling him about the DNA test, but no. Tony was a coward.

Tony took a deep breath in. It was okay, they could talk after dinner, if Harry still wanted to talk to him, that is. He should have warned him about Jarvis, the kid had just been in a battle for Christ's sake, and remembering Lily and James, probably knew jack shit about tech, of course he would be startled! Tony felt like he was already fucking this up.

But he wouldn’t stop trying.

…

Ron stormed down the hall to the room he and Hermione were staying in. Hermione was on the bed, flipping through the pages of one of the hundreds of books she brought with her on vacation (because why wouldn’t she).

“You know something,” he said, the minute he entered the room. She looked up from her book.

“You’ve been acting all weird and dropping little comments to Harry all trip. And the way they spoke to each other… I dunno ... just.. somethings going on and you know what it is.” He said, gesturing furiously.

Hermione sighed, putting her book to the side. “It’s Harry’s business, Ronald, and I don’t think he has wanted to speak about it until now.”

“He’s my best mate! I should know what’s going on!” Ron said, volume rising. “I can’t help him if I don’t know and he needs help!”

Hermione looked at him sadly. “Ron, I don’t think either of us can truly help him with this.”

“Say’s the person who has been interfering this whole time, don’t think I didn’t notice.”

“I may have prodded, but I can’t do anything to truly help either. Harry has to tackle this on his own.”

Ron deflated, sitting down in bed beside her. “I’m tired of him tackling things on his own. He hasn’t been himself since…for a long time, and I just can’t.”

“You can’t fix everything Ron and you’ve been doing enough, for George, for your mother, for me, and for Harry.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's calm, steady presence.

“Tony says we should come to a “team dinner” tonight.”

“Sounds brilliant, he’s good at ordering food. Who knew muggle food was so good?” Hermione elbowed him, rolling her eyes.

“Do you ever stop thinking about food?”

“Nah.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: The Dinner

Since Tony left, Harry had just sat there on the bed, staring into the distance. He didn’t know what to do at the moment. He knew that Tony deserved to know what happened to Lily and James, but telling him that would require telling him that Harry was his son. Tony didn’t deserve to have a kid thrown at him out of nowhere, especially not a broken 18 year old who couldn’t get through one conversation normally. Harry just wanted to escape.

He had spent his entire life fighting, but for the first time he truly wanted to run away. Run away from the sorrow, the disappointment, and the hope that was filling his chest for the first time since Hagrid burst through his door with a squashed birthday cake. So Harry sat back against the headboard and tried to float, trying to reach the state of numbness that had been keeping him alive from the moment Voldemort’s body hit the floor. But, he didn’t succeed.

There was a short knock on Harry’s door, giving him enough time to come back to himself, before Ron and Hermione stepped in.

“Hey mate, you ready for dinner? You have to come try this muggle food, it's amazing!” Ron said, grinning, any residual anger from their prior discussion apparently forgotten.

Hermione on the other hand walked in with her arms crossed tightly across her chest, lips pursed, disturbingly reminiscent of Professor McGonagall. Harry gulped, trying not to meet her eyes. Luckily, she had obviously decided to put a raincheck on the verbal lashing that he could see building behind her tightly closed mouth.

“I’m not very hungry, but you guys go ahead.” He said, smiling weakly, “Anyway, getting out of all of these..whatever they are.. seems like a pain in the ass. Not worth it.” He raised his arm, swinging his IV tube and a truly impressive number of wires to highlight his point.

Ron’s smile faded slightly and Hermione’s eyes narrowed.

“Harry, please tell me what is going on.” Ron whispered. Harry startled a little at the look on Ron’s face. He thought he was familiar with all of his best friend’s expressions. He had seen Ron happy, he had seen Ron grieving, he had seen Ron terrified. But now Ron looked heartbroken as he sat down on the bed by Harry.

“Hermione told me that it was something that you had to deal with on your own.” Harry glanced quickly at Hermione, seeing her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Ron continued. “But, I used to know everything about you, before I…I walked away…before.”

And Harry’s heart dropped as he understood what Ron was getting at, why Ron looked like that. Ron thought he was keeping secrets, keeping distance because he didn’t trust him anymore. Looking back, they never had really spoken about it afterward, but it must have been eating away at Ron all this time.

“Ron, no, it has nothing to do with that. I just…” Harry gulped. He needed to do this, Ron had been with him through hell. “It’s just, I haven’t really said it out loud yet ..to anyone. It’s just, telling people means I have to face it, and I don’t know if I’m ready for that. Or if I ever will be.” Harry said willing Ron to believe him.

“Okay mate, I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Said Ron, still looking a little bit like a kicked puppy. Fuck it.

Harry swallowed past the knot in his throat and whispered. “Tony Stark is my father.”

Ron obviously heard him, as his eyes widened, jaw dropping. The anger on Hermione’s face bled away, replaced by sympathy as she looked at Harry.

“Blimey, but James Potter...but…what?” Hermione held up the letter Harry had stashed in his hotel room, forgotten in the adrenaline rush of the battle. He nodded at her, unsurprised that she had found and retrieved it. Hermione handed it to Ron, who grabbed at it frantically, mouth still open in shock.

Harry watched Ron’s eyes flit back and forth across the page. After he put the letter down in his lap, nobody spoke, anxiety built in Harry’s chest as Ron processed the information. After a few tense minutes, Ron chuckled, rubbing his hand across his face.

“Damn, your mom really had a type.” Harry slapped a hand over his mouth at the surprised laugh that fell out. Trust Ron to point out the obvious. Even Hermione couldn’t hold back a smile.

“So, why don’t you want to come to dinner? Don’t you want to get to know your dad?”

Harry looked down at his hands. He could feel tears gather behind his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.

“I don’t know if he would want to know me.” He said, trying to keep his voice level. “Or even if it would be safe for him.”

Understanding crossed Ron’s features. “Mate, he’s Iron Man. I don’t think you could scare him off.”

Harry said nothing. Hermione finally broke her silence, crossing the room to sit on Harry’s other side, she placed her hand on Harry’s.

“Harry, you always did this, ever since I first met you. You assume that people are less than they are.” Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Hermione squeezed his hand, silently asking him to let her finish.

“First year, you truly believed we would leave you to go after Quirrell alone. Fifth year, it was with the D.A. and last year, you tried to leave us at Burrow, deciding for us that it was too dangerous, that you would be better off on your own.” She said, her hard tone softened by the gentle way she held his hand.

“Maybe it’s time to give people a chance to decide for themselves what they can handle and what they want, before you write them off.” Her tone became clipped, “Besides, the lone wolf act if really getting old.” There it is. Harry still couldn’t look at her.

“I meant what I said, this is not something we can force you into, but Harry…you deserve to give yourself a chance.” She sighed. “And maybe Tony Stark could deserve a chance as well. Come to dinner with us, please.” Harry was focused on holding back tears. What could he say?

He gave a stiff nod, and let Ron pull him to his feet. He gathered himself and Ron handed him back the letter, his eyes looking suspiciously wet as well. Harry took a deep breath and the three of them walked through the door.
…

Tony was panicking, as Happy walked in with a truly sickening amount of chinese food. He knew it was necessary, the side effects of hosting a super soldier and a literal god, but he was struggling.

With Fury’s encouragement, everyone agreed to stay in the tower, at least until the media frenzy died down. Tony was rather adept at dealing with the vultures and therefore was uniquely situated to handle this situation without relegating the team to dingy SHIELD barracks or safehouses. Even Point Break decided to stay instead of following his brother back to Asgard. Something about a brotherhood of warriors and post-battle revelry…Tony had no idea.

But as terrifying as his grocery bill would be in the coming months, the cause of his current panic attack was the skinny, green eyed teenager sitting in bed on the floor above him. Harry would come to dinner, right? His panic just continued to build as a steady stream of people started to come into the living room.

Eventually paper plates were distributed and there was the cacophony of wooden chopsticks being unevenly broken. If he was any less stressed, he would have laughed at the sight of Thor looking at the thin, fragile utensils as if they had personally challenged him. But, the absence of the great and magical trio was weighing on him.

Just as he had given up on hoping to ever see his son again, that his son would ever like him and whether Thor would ever learn how to use chopsticks, a mess of black hair walked in.
…

Harry walked into the living room, a step behind Ron and Hermione, and was hit with noise. Scanning the room, he saw Clint and Natasha arguing above the merits of knives versus arrows, Dr. Banner was attempting to teach Blondie how to use chopsticks, and Captain America was shoveling food into his mouth at a rate that would put Ron to shame. His eyes slid over the chaos and landed on Tony. Tony was sitting on one of the huge couches (Merlin, one of those was the size of the Gryffondor common room!), looking much less at ease than he had earlier.

Tony’s head whipped up as the trio walked in and he visibly froze. He just stared at them for a few seconds before he smiled widely.

“Come in guys, grab a plate and sit anywhere! I hope you guys like chinese food. Or, well, what counts as Chinese food on this side of the pond.” Tony said, waving around a piece of orange chicken.

After getting some food (a mountain in Ron’s case), they all took a seat side by side on an empty leg of one of the couches, front facing the chaos, back facing the exit. Sitting nearest the exit was a habit none of them had quite been able to break. Slowly, the conversations around them came to a close as everyone took in the newcomers. Harry squirmed in his seat as all eyes eventually turned to him.

“Steve Rodgers.” Captain America broke the ice, holding out his hand to Harry.

“Harry.” He said, shaking the outstretched hand.

“We’ve introduced ourselves to your friends earlier, but I wanted to get the chance to thank you. You really bailed us out earlier, closing that portal.” He said, with an earnest look on his face. Harry had rarely met someone he would describe as earnest, but Cap certainly fit the bill.

Harry blushed and shook his head. “No, I didn’t really do anything.”

Natasha snorted, “Sure kid. We must have been hallucinating when you dragged your skinny ass a mile into the sky and lit the place up.”

“Language,” interrupted Cap. The room gave a collective groan, before Thor spoke up.

“She is right, sorcerer. A warrior should not downplay their achievements, for it downplays their impact on others.” Thor said, looking at Harry with something unidentifiable in his gaze. Eventually, he slammed his cup down on the table, soda spilling over the sides. “No, they should be celebrated, with tales and revelry!” A grin spread over Thor’s face as Clint gave a whoop from the sidelines. Everyone laughed, even Harry let loose a small chuckle.

“So what brought you to New York in the first place? Considering your friend's shock, I’m guessing it wasn’t to give us a hand.” Bruce said, smiling gently. “And by your accents, you guys are a long way from home.”

“We are just tourists, you know Time’s Square, the works.” Harry grinned as Ron pointed to his obnoxious ‘I Heart NYC’ shirt. Merlin, Harry wished he would burn that thing.

Clint whistled. “You three have shit timing.” The trio looked at each other before bursting into laughter.

The gentle buzz of conversations fell back over the room. This time, Harry relaxed a little bit more, and with a glance over to the side, he could see Tony doing the same. After about ten minutes of comfortable silence, punctuated by sporadic jokes and the sounds of food being devoured, Harry was spoken to again.

“So, Harry.” Clint said, taking a long slurp of noodles. “What are you?”

Harry nearly spit out his food and started coughing. Ron, ever a pal, slapped him hard on the back.

“W…what?” He said, rubbing the bruise forming on his back.

“You know, not just anyone can Merlin their way through an alien invasion.”

“He’s right,” Thor said, eyes narrowing slightly, “You appear to be some kind of sorcerer, but I was not aware they existed on Midgard.”

“Uhhh.” Harry stuttered, eyes shifting towards his friends, before settling on Tony who was looking at his hands. Just how much shit would he be in if he said the truth? It’s not like they hadn’t already seen him do magic. Harry shifted in his seat, unaware of how to respond.

He heard a sigh and turned his head towards Tony. Tony held his gaze, as he said quietly, “He’s not a sorcerer … he is a wizard.”

The shock on Harry’s face must have been obvious, because Tony looked at him, consoling. “It's okay, I’ll take the blame for telling them. What are they going to do to a ‘muggle’ like me?” he said, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice, ignoring the way Harry’s jaw must have dropped to the floor. Tony shifted his eyes around the room, a clear warning in his gaze. “Besides, they will keep it to themselves. I trust them.” Sounded more like a threat than an assurance but okay.

“There are a bunch of wizards around, but they just mostly keep to themselves. It’s easy enough with magic and memory charms.”

“Memory charms..” Clint repeated, looking slightly nauseous. Natasha narrowed her eyes at Tony.

“‘Keeps to themselves’ is a nice way of saying fucking secretive.” Natasha said. At Tony’s questioning look, Natasha continued. “SHIELD has had some dealings with them, but I was never directly involved. But I’m a spy, sue me, so I always kept an ear out. The big question is how a civilian playboy such as yourself knows so much about them.”

Harry saw Tony flinch at the word playboy.

“I… I just..” Tony took a deep breath, determinedly not meeting Harry’s gaze. “I used to be in a relationship with a witch and wizard.” He stared into his hands. “... a long time ago.”

The room went silent. Harry felt Hermione squeeze his shoulder.

The tension lasted for a while longer as everyone processed the information. Noone asked any more questions, but Harry was sure they would come later. It definitely said something about the room they were in that nobody was in disbelief, just shock and acceptance.

Harry began to panic as the silence drew on, and Tony didn’t move. He just kept staring at his hands, shoulders tense, not looking at Harry. Hermione’s hand on his shoulder became painful. He looked towards her. Hermione nodded towards Tony and to the door.

Harry took a deep breath, trying to steady his shaking hands. Before he could think too much, he blurted out, “Tony, can we…talk.”

Tony looked at him, eyes wet with sadness, but Harry could see a seed of hope. He nodded frantically, jumping up.

“Sure, of course! Let’s talk in the lab. It’s right through there.”
…

The dim lab was covered in various bits of machines. Tony brushed some spare metal parts off of a stool, just letting them clink to the floor, before gesturing for Harry to sit. Tony pulled up another stool for himself.

Tony clasped his hands and leaned back, “So…”

Harry chuckled weakly, “So…”

There was a pause before they both spoke at the same time.

“I’m your father.”

“You’re my father.”

They just stared at each other for a few seconds in shock. Harry just gaped at him, not knowing what to say. Tony watched his stunned silence with panicked eyes and started rambling.

“So you look a lot like James and I just wanted to know what happened to him, to him and Lily, so I may have given you a DNA test, but I wasn’t expecting to be on it. I didn’t know before the test, but God I wish I had. I’m so sorry, I should have found you or at least said something earlier, I just..”

“Wait,” Harry could feel his brain do a hard reset, as he just continued to stare at him in shock. What the hell? “Why are you sorry? It wasn’t your fault you didn’t know. They didn’t tell you…”

Tony just stared at him sadly, word vomit successfully interrupted. “But I should have known. I looked for James and Lily for years, but I gave up. If I had just kept looking or looked harder, I could have found you, I should have found you.” Tony had such a devastated look on his face that Harry could feel his heart break.

“It wasn’t your fault.” He repeated, hesitating, before he pulled the letter out of his pocket. He set it on the table next to Tony, who picked it up with shaking hands. Harry watched carefully as Tony read through it, watching a tear run down his face. Harry lifted a hand to his own cheek, surprised to feel wet there as well.

Neither of them said anything for another five minutes as Harry watched Tony try to pull himself together.

Eventually, Tony straightened and looked Harry in the eyes. “Are you safe?” Harry was not expecting that to be Tony’s first question.

“The letter says that they were in hiding and that they needed to keep you safe. Are you safe?” Harry tried to think of how to respond. Was he safe? Probably less so than the average person but definitely more so than any other time in the last 18 years.

“More or less.” Tony rubbed a hand over his eyes, discreetly wiping away the tear tracks.

“Can I ask… how did they die? I just…need to know.”

Harry looked down, feeling his chest clench the same way it had when Hagrid explained it to him, what felt like a lifetime ago.

“They were killed by a dark wizard, a terrorist. The spell helping them hide didn’t work and he found them.”

Harry didn’t want to tell him the full story yet, it would be too much, for both of them. And honestly, Harry didn’t really know where to begin. Harry looked Tony straight in the eyes, knowing there was nothing he could really say but he tried, “They fought him. They fought like hell.”

Tony smiled weakly, “I expected nothing less. James and Lily were the bravest people I have ever met…a trait it seems you inherited.”

Harry shook his head, expression going blank. He wasn’t brave. He remembered how terrified he was walking through the forest and how scared he was to return to the world. If he had just been braver, if he had gone sooner… No, he wasn’t brave.

Tony looked at him concerned.

“So, do you want to stay in the tower, or I could take a vacation to England, let Pepper handle the company. We could talk and just…”

“Wait, you want to talk?” Harry felt the hope in his chest continue to grow, but he couldn’t bring himself to believe it. A dark part of himself thought that Tony would kick him out, get his answers about Lily and James and just…let him go.

Tony looked confused. “Of course, I want to talk. I would like to get to know you. You are my son.”

Harry never thought he would hear those words, and looking at Tony’s tear stricken face, now full of determination, he decided. He would give this a chance, give himself a chance.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8: The Consequences

Tony groaned at the morning light coming through the curtains. He sniffed at the scent of fresh coffee brewing from somewhere in the penthouse. Bleary eyed, he checked the time before dropping his head back down onto his pillow. It was hours before he usually got up, but in all fairness, he did fall asleep early last night, a welcome change from his normal insomnia-driven routine. After his talk with Harry, they sat in silence for a while, neither really knowing what to say, before they parted. The minute Tony got to his room he collapsed into bed, the toll of the last few sleepless days catching up with him.

Pushing off his covers, he sighed, realizing that he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep now. Dragging his sore body up and into the bathroom, Tony tried to stretch before feeling shocks of pain shoot through his body. He forgot how stiff a full night of sleep makes you, and the fact that he was still one large bruise wasn’t helping. He splashed some water on his face and tried to slap himself awake. Eventually, he made his way into the kitchen, ready to snap at any person who got between him and the damn coffee that woke him up in the first place.

Tony stubbed his toe on the counter in his single minded pursuit of caffeine, cursing out any god he could think of (including a certain blonde one he swore he could hear snoring from the floor above). As he kept limping his way over to the coffee machine, desperate at this point, he heard a choked laugh from behind him.

Whipping his head towards the kitchen table, he saw a familiar mop of black hair. The young man, his son, trying to hold back a small smile as he watched the probably pathetic sight of Tony trying to function before noon.

“Good morning” Tony said, straightening up and running a hand over his bedhead. Harry smiled timidly and made his way over.

“Coffee?”

“Oh god yes.” Tony said, not able to hold back the longing in his voice. Harry laughed as he poured some into a mug (which he didn’t even think he owned but magic), and slid it to him.

Harry looked up at him, slowly sipping his own cup.

“I hope it was alright, that I made some coffee. I tried to find tea but…”

Tony snorted. “You sound like Lily, you should have heard the horror in her voice the first time they stayed over and she couldn’t find a kettle.”

Harry’s smile grew a bit wider at that.

“You know, you remind me so much of Lily, you have her …”

“Eyes… yeah, I’ve heard.” Harry said tersely, a blank look settling over his face. Tony was immediately unnerved. He remembered that blank look Harry had the night before, at the mention of bravery. He was confused by it then, but now looking more closely, under the mask, Harry looked more haunted than numb, as if he were somewhere else.

“Well, I mean, yes… but I was going to say more of the way you act, her demeanor. James was louder and…well a bit of an idiot about most things, like me. Lily definitely knew how to pick them.” He said with a self-deprecating smile. “But she was always a little quieter, fiercer, smarter, more aware of others. You remind me of that.”

Harry looked at him like a deer in headlights. Tony started to panic at the growing silence, he searched around for something to say.

“Yep… but James and I were definitely idiots. Well sort off. I am a genius you know and James definitely had a brain, but then again I saw him somehow make toast inedible once so the jury is still out on that. You would have thought he had never seen a toaster before.”

Tony frowned a little. “Although looking back, he probably hadn’t.”

Harry cocked his head at him, a question in his eyes.

“How did you find out about ma…” Harry started before he was cut off.

“Sir, there is a situation.”

Jarvis cut in, voice as urgent as an AI could muster.

“What’s wrong, J?” Tony asked, both he and Harry jumping to their feet, coffee forgotten. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Harry’s hand twitch towards his back pocket.

“Director Fury and four others somehow entered the building without my knowledge.”

“They apparated in.” He could hear Harry tell him, voice almost at a whisper.

“Sir, they are heading towards you now, I could not detect any weapons on them. They do not appear to be armed.”

“Wizards never do.” Harry mumbled under his breath, before grabbing his wand and producing a silver mist. “Tell Ron and Hermione that we have company.”

If it were any other time, Tony would just bask in the miracle Harry just produced. But now was not the time.

“Jarvis, call the dream team.” He turned to Harry, “You should leave, let me handle Fury.”

Harry’s gaze turned hard, “I’m not leaving you to the mercy of wizards, whether they are with a friend of yours or not.”

“Not a friend, a wildcard. Just for now, leave. I can handle ….”

They heard the chime of the elevator, their heads whipping around, unable to do anything but watch as the metal doors slowly opened.

Fury and four men in long flowing robes stepped off of the elevator, briefly looking around before their eyes landed on Tony and Harry. Harry was tense beside him, wand held tight in his grasp pointed towards the group.

Nick sighed, taking in Harry’s presence with a look of exasperation, “Really, Stark?”

He could feel Harry startle as Fury and another man stepped toward them. The man besides the director was in long dark purple robes, with hints of gold, and carried himself with a sense of power and self-assurance.

“Kingsley?” Harry said, eyes on the second man, who had an almost identical look of exasperation on his face. “What are you doing here?”

Kingsley and Fury shared a look, before he turned back to Harry. “First let's all sit, you can stand down Harry.” Kingley said with a deep, heavily accented voice. Harry slowly lowered his wand, wary gaze never leaving the group and wand never leaving his grip.

They all moved slowly towards the couches, air heavy with tension. Eventually Fury, Kingsley and another sat across from him and Harry, with the other two wizards taking up post behind them. Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath, the three men of power looking incredibly out of place on a couch in the middle of Tony’s living room, especially with Tony and Harry currently in their pajamas with shockingly messy hair. What that particular poor couch had been through flashed through his mind, and Tony had to bite back a couple remarks he was sure would not go over well, especially as Fury’s single eye was trained directly on him.

Eventually, after they had stewed enough, Kingsley clasped his hands in front of him. “Harry, Mr. Stark, I would like you to meet President Jackson of MACUSA.” Tony nodded at the third man, while Harry just sat, frozen. The President was in red robes, less cumbersome than his British counterpart, and had a hard look about him, an unyielding expression partially covered by a short, well groomed grey beard. President Jackson nodded back.

“So what brings you to my humble abode?” Tony said, his light tone of voice in direct contrast with the sharp glint in his eyes.

President Jackson clasped his hands. “The three of us have spent the last 24 hours trying to decide what to do about the situation we find ourselves in, and the massive breach of the statute of secrecy that occurred during the battle you participated in.”

Harry bristled. “People were dying, I had friends and family in danger. There are always legal exceptions for life or death situations.”

“Which is why you are not currently in a prison cell, although the option is not yet off the table, despite Minister Shaklebolt’s lengthy objections.” President Jackson cut in, glaring at him.

“Nevertheless, that does not change the fact that magic was used in a very public manner, with no-maj’s across the world tuning in. Good intentions aside, you have put us in a very difficult situation.”

Tony could feel heat flush over his face, and hot anger licked at his insides. Difficult situation!? This man sat there judgmental and unharmed, trying to stare down the teenager who just fought a man’s battle without any help from the president living in the city he saved. Hell, he ignored Tony who almost died redirecting a nuke from his government’s headquarters! “Well, maybe if your government had stepped in at all, he wouldn’t have felt the need to put himself and your people at risk!” Tony said.

“Stark!” Fury cut in, “You are lucky to be privy to this conversation at all. In fact, you and the team are lucky you still have your memory intact, which I fought like hell for by the way, not that I am expecting a thank you!”

“Excuse me?” Said a quiet voice from behind them. The two wizards on guard turned towards the entrance to the living room, wands outstretched. Barton was standing in the doorway, bow out and loaded, with what looked like the rest of the avengers behind him. Barton’s face was pale and his eyes wary, as his eyes trained on the wands pointing at him. The wonder twins were beside him, eyes scanning the situation before them.

“What was that about memories? What the hell have you got us caught up in, director?” Clint bit out. Natasha came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder, more gently than Tony thought her capable of.

Fury swept his gaze across the lot of them as they piled in, weapons still at the ready. Obviously they were preparing for a fight from the minute Jarvis called them (awww, they got suited up for him and everything! Tony was touched). The director took in the questioning looks from Steve, the caution in Natasha’s eyes, and the utter confusion in the group upon walking in on what appeared to be a civil discussion between Tony, the kid and men in bathrobes.

Fury sighed and glanced at the wizards besides him. “You all might as well sit in, this involves you as well. But just listen for now, you will get to ask questions later.”

“Now, as I was saying…,” President Jackson said, sizing up the team now settling stiffly on the couches around them. Hermione and Ron stood behind Harry, mimicking the guard wizards behind the Minister and President. “We are in a situation. One which we hoped to avoid by staying out of the fight. Now we must decide how to act to protect the sanctity and secrecy of the wizarding world” His eyes glanced towards Tony.

“Why did you wait so long to act, then? Even just to arrest me? Magical governments are not exactly known for their patience?” Harry said, voice cold.

“Because, Mr. Potter,” Fury cut in, “All current intelligence at my disposal, which I have shared with my colleagues here, suggest that people are not questioning your origins at all.”

“You were seen performing magic alongside Asgardians who were also performing magic in the middle of an alien invasion who were utilizing magic as well, at least in the eyes of muggles.” Kingsley cut in. “Who would question an impossible being surrounded by other impossible beings.”

Fury nodded, “All current chatter suggests that people are either assuming you are another Asguardian,” Harry glanced quickly at Thor, obviously making sure he didn’t take offence, but on the contrary Thor was just nodding along, eyes shifting to Harry the minute he looked away.

“or just another enhanced individual. None are looking further. Not even our own government, as I informed them previously that a team of enhanced individuals would be put together as a part of the Avengers initiative. So that's that… for now.”

“Then what is everyone worrying about?” Tony said, frustration rising.

“We are worried Mr. Stark, about keeping it that way!” President Jackson said, face beginning to turn red, fists clenched white in his lap. “Just because no one is asking questions in the immediate aftermath does not mean that there is no scrutiny that will follow. You have no idea the danger that this could pose to the magical community!”

“Boys!” All eyes turned to Natasha, who was sitting calmly next to Barton, stoic, as if none of the revelations coming from this conversation phased her. “That’s enough. You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have some sort of solution. Please get to the point.”

President Jackson’s face contorted with anger, but he took a deep breath before gesturing for Fury to speak.

“The suggestion has been made that Mr. Potter stays on, temporarily, with the Avengers.” Harry’s jaw dropped. “We will state that he is a uniquely enhanced individual, and for the larger public, say that any further background is classified. For those government officials who can’t mind their own damn business, we will play on the fact that he was seen interacting with the tesseract, saying that his powers are an accidental side effect of SHIELD experimentation with the cube.”

“That is why you are not modifying our memories” Natasha whispered. Captain America’s eyes turned to Harry, obviously considering this plan. “You want us to work with you, to help him hide in plain sight.”

“Yes, and with enough of a cover that people would not even begin to guess that there is an entire magical community among them. We will attribute his powers to him alone, just as we have for every other enhanced individual with us.” Fury’s eyes glanced at Bruce.

Steve turned towards the wizards. “Wait, but you guys are magic. You have to have some other solution?”

“Don’t you think we would have already done that if we could?” said President Jackson, scoffing at Rodger’s ignorance. “We are powerful, but we do not have the ability to obliviate on that scale. It has only been done once before, but that was with resources no longer available. Additionally, that was before you no-maj’s mastered recording devices. We cannot use the methods we used to rely on.”

Kingsley began, “All Harry would have to do is to continue to be seen with you, whether at the tower or on missions…”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Tony said, shaking his head. “I have a funny feeling that the Avenger’s are going to have ‘missions’ frequently. You are seriously telling me that you want to send an eighteen year old kid into potential battles, potential warzones?! How can you seriously suggest throwing a teenager into those kinds of fights!”

Every wizard in the room, including Harry, turned to stare at him, like that idea had never crossed their minds. Harry in particular looked confused. Tony did not know whether he was confused because he did not understand the situation in general or that he did not understand Tony’s concern. Tony feared it was the latter.

“And why are you all looking at me like this is some novel concept!” Tony said, nearly yelling at this point. He could see Harry wince.

Kingsley coughed, looking slightly ashamed. “Forgive us, Mr. Stark. I, personally, was against putting him back into this environment but, I can assure you that Harry can handle himself.”

“It’s not about whether he can handle himself or not, I know he can! I just witnessed what he can do but he just shouldn’t have to! He’s barely an adult for Christ's sake!” Tony narrowed his eyes. “Wait, what do you mean putting him back in this environment?”

Harry’s eyes widened as he swiftly avoided Tony’s eyes. Looking at Kingsley, Tony could see Harry give a quick and frantic shake of his head. Minister Shacklebolt nodded subtly and stayed silent.

“Well?” Tony repeated. He knew that something had happened to his son, between the scars, the malnutrition and the way he flinched towards his wand at every noise. There was something else going on, and no one would fucking tell him!

After the silence drew on for a beat too long, the President spoke again.

“Unfortunately, there is no choice involved, this is for the good of the magic community as a whole.” Tony bristled at the obvious dismissal, but he knew he would find out. Tony always did, one way or another.

“Hasn’t Harry sacrificed enough already, for the good of the magic community.” Hermione whispered, speaking up for the first time during this interaction. Her tone was hard and angry, but her expression was scared, as if she was looking for a way out of this, but could not find one, yet. Tony had a feeling that despite her momentary resignation, this was not the last they would hear from her. She did not strike Tony as one who wouldn’t continue to fight for her friend.

At this, even Jackson shifted uncomfortably, “Yes well, that is another reason he is not in a cell right now…but there is no other solution apparent to us at the moment. If you find one, feel free to bring it to us at a later date. For now, I suggest that you and Mr. Weasley return to England.”

“And who are you to tell us to leave Harry!” Ron spat, fighting against Hermione, who was trying to hold him back.

Jackson straightened, “I am probably the only person with the power to tell you to do so, so there will be no more discussion!” Ron huffed in anger but fell silent at Hermione’s prompting.

The President turned back to Harry, who had not said a word throughout this entire encounter and was sitting stock still, staring at his hands clenched tightly around his wand.

“Welcome to America, Mr. Potter. Please arrive at the ministry on Thursday at 10 o’clock for further registration. Now if you would excuse me, I have another appointment.” He said, standing up and apparating away, along with his guard. Tony jumped at the loud crack made as they disappeared into thin air.

Kingsley spoke again, standing quietly, his eyes resting on Harry’s still form. “Harry, I am so sorry… “ He didn’t seem to know what else to say.

Harry sighed, looking up at him. “It’s fine Kingsley… I got myself into this mess. I should be thanking you for keeping me out of prison.” Ron and Hermione scoffed, anger still apparent. Tony narrowed his eyes at the Minister and Fury, who was still sitting.

Kingsley looked pained, “Let me know if there is anything you need…Please take care of yourself, Harry.” Tony watched his son's face close down as he looked away. Kingsley waited for a response for a moment longer, before shaking his head and apparating away as well.

Finally, after all the wizards left, Fury stood. He walked up to Harry and held out his hand. When Harry took it, the Director gave a small smirk.

“Welcome to the Avengers.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: The Confrontation

“Welcome to the Avengers.”

Harry stood there, shaking the director’s hand limply, face blank. There was a ringing in his ears, as the shock of the last 30 minutes began to drain away. A year ago, hell, six months ago he would have said something, he would have pissed off every greasy politician that came in front of him rather than fall right back into becoming another pawn.

But, somehow, at this moment he felt nothing. He was becoming quite good at that these days. He felt nothing but certainty that this was inevitable, out of his control like his life had always been. Although, this time he couldn't really say that, he brought himself here, no prophecy, no Dumbledore, but this was an outcome he never could have imagined. Feeling the anger and shock radiating off of Ron and Hermione, he could tell that this was a shared sentiment.

Although he didn’t have time to process for long when Tony jumped to his feet.

“What game are you playing, Fury?!” Tony said, shaking with anger.

“I don’t know what you mean, Tony.” The Director said calmly, dropping Harry’s hand and turning to face his angry…father? Damn that would take getting used to.

“You know exactly what I mean. This was your idea, wasn’t it?!”

“Now wai…”

“No! You saw the footage of the battle and thought you would add a shiny new weapon to your collection. And don’t lie to me! Remember, I have access to your system.” He said, voice hard and threat apparent.

“Indeed, sir.” Jarvis confirmed overhead.

Bruce stepped out of the corner, arms crossed in front of him, and spoke in that quiet, rational way of his. “I have to agree with Tony, Director. It’s one thing to have Clint, Nat and Steve, they already worked with SHIELD. But, you dragged me into this against my wishes, and while I came back by my own choice, I can’t stand by while you drag a teenager into this as well. I get that you made this team for a reason, but this is going a step too far.”

“Stark, Dr. Banner..” Fury sighed, “This was the only plan that would stand a chance of being passed by the paranoid assholes I just spent the last two days with. Which could have been cut in half if you had just allowed me access to Mr. Potter earlier, Stark. Thank you for that, by the way. Also for your inability to keep your mouth shut about the wizarding community. Made my job so much easier when I was trying to convince the President that there was no need to wipe your memories.”

“I didn’t tell you he was here for this exact reason, because I knew he would be dragged into one of SHIELD’s brilliant schemes. I don’t want you to pressure my s…” Tony swallowed before shaking his head. Harry could feel his heart clench. “Pressure an eighteen year old into fighting your… our.. battles!”

“Tony, it's fine,” Harry said quietly. He didn't know why Tony was getting so worked up. He felt his stomach drop as a sobering thought came over him. Was it because he didn't want him in the tower?

Tony turned to Harry, and he could see the anger melt from his face, leaving an expression of deep concern.

“Harry, it is not fine. You are being pushed into this shitshow because you saved me. You saved the whole damn city!” Tony said pleadingly, trying to get him to see. “Lily and James died to keep you out of danger. I won't be the person to put you into more of it. I can't do that to you.”

The room stilled for a moment, every person's eyes focused on the two of them. Harry could see a tear roll down Hermione's face out of the corner of his eye.

And then Fury began to chuckle.

Tony whipped his head around, expression murderous, and lunged at him.

“Tony NO!” Harry watched in shock as Steve and Bruce held Tony back.

“Okay! Everyone calm down!” Natasha said, coming into the center of the room, trying to get the situation under control.

Tony shook off his team's hands, and took a breath.

“I'm good, I'm good.” Tony said, hands up, before turning his eyes back to Fury, who was infuriatingly calm.

“Please enlighten us as to the humor in this situation…..Director.”

“I'm sorry, Tony, that was out of line.” Director Fury said, not looking all too sorry. “But I think Mr. Potter may actually be safer with us than he has been in years, if my intel is correct.”

Both Tony and Harry paled. Probably for different reasons.

“What intel? I knew SHIELD would have knowledge of the magic community in general, but how do you have information on Harry as an individual?” Natasha said, obviously trying to maintain control of the discussion before another fight broke out.

Fury actually looked surprised, “Did you not keep up your connections in the wizarding world?”

Natasha almost looked embarrassed for a second, before her mask came back up. “Loosely, but my contacts were never the most open people.”

“Even with loose connections, I’m surprised the name never came up.”

Harry worked to keep his face neutral as all eyes in the room towards him, despite his inner panic. Hermione placed a hand on his arm and squeezed. His gaze met Tony’s. Tony’s eyes were wide with a mix of devastation and confusion. Guilt clawed at his chest. That exact look is why he never wanted to reach out to him, why he never wanted to involve another person in his shit show of a life.

“Fury, cut the cryptic shit.” Tony said, officially fed up.

“I agree. Director, we can’t be a team if you are not honest with us.” Steve said, crossing his arms across his chest.

“I would debrief you, but I believe Mr. Potter knows more of the facts than I do…” Fury said, gesturing to Harry, who glared at him.

Harry ignored him.

“Listen, I’m fine with staying, or at least I know that three different governments would try to track me down if I didn’t.” Harry said in what he hoped was a steady, neutral voice, speaking directly to Fury now. He was fully ignoring the arguments breaking out around him now. Enough was enough. “But Director, I do have to warn you, I will not be used as a pawn. I will show up, but what I participate in will be my decision.”

Tony opened his mouth to speak, but Fury cut him off.

“Of course, the only terms of the agreement is that you are seen publicly on a few missions of your choosing. And this is temporary, just until the scrutiny dies down.”

Harry narrowed his eyes at the director, catching the lack of a strict timeline. Merlin, he hated politicians.

“Fine, but in the meantime, don’t keep tabs on me. I will keep to the terms, but I hear that stalking is looked down upon nowadays. And I won’t be locked up. ” Harry said. “I’m not interested in going on the run again, but if you force me to, I guarantee you will never find me again.”

Fury smiled and nodded lightly. “Minister Shaklebolt warned me you may be touchy about that.” Harry glared at him again. He had a feeling that would become a common occurrence.

“Well considering the Minister has acted as a jailer for me before,” Harry said coldly. He liked Kingsley, but those Dursley summers would not leave his mind any time soon. “He would know.”

The Director held up his hands. “I won’t go out of my way, I assure you.”

Clint snorted in disbelief, before trying to cover it up with a cough.

You could cut the tension in the room with a knife. Just as Tony opened his mouth to speak, most likely to lay into Fury again, Natasha stepped towards the Director.

“Sir, perhaps the rest of this conversation should continue at a different time. I think it would be best if you leave now.”

Fury nodded sharply, turning to leave, but not before calling over his shoulder, “I will be in touch Mr. Potter.”

Harry didn’t doubt that. The elevator doors closed behind him.

“What the hell Nat! I wasn’t finished!,” Tony said, eyes blazing, fists still clenched looking for a fight.”You can’t seriously be okay with this!”

“Tony, I don’t think we have much of a say in whether or not Harry is involved. Despite your overwhelming diplomatic talent, nothing you say is going to make a difference!” Natasha bit back. “I know the kid means something to you, but think! We are better off figuring out among ourselves how to keep him safe!”

Tony closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose.

“Fine, we can try to set some ground rules for now, but I am not letting this drop.” Tony smirked dangerously, “And wait until I catch Pepper up on what is going on. She will burn SHIELD to the ground. Magic be damned.”

“Would you like me to begin the protocol necessary to assist her, Sir?” Jarvis chimed in. Tony didn’t answer, obviously thinking it over.

“Guys, you really don’t have to do this.” Harry said quietly. Harry was battling with feelings of panic and mourning, watching Tony lose control. He couldn’t go anywhere without leaving a disaster behind him. So much for trying for a family, for some kind of normal relationship. He should never have let himself hope, even if only for a night. He squared his shoulders, trying to pull himself together.

“Believe it or not, I really can take care of myself. I will not be a burden on you or your team and I bloody well don’t need protection.”

If Tony’s face could fall any more, it did at that. Harry looked away from him. He was used to staring down danger with his head held high, but he couldn’t watch this. Not the look of disappointment he was sure to see. Although maybe watching Ron roll his eyes was not a much better option.

“Why do you let them control your fate in the first place, Sorcerer?” Thor spoke up for the first time this morning, watching Harry like he was a puzzle to be solved. Everyone fell quiet. Harry looked at him, eyes wide in surprise.

“What do you mean?”

Thor continued. There was no judgement in his gaze, just curiosity.

“I may not be as adept as my brother, but I am still a son of Frigga and of Asgard. I can sense your power. It far outstrips that of the mortal wizards we just encountered. Your magic feels closer to that of the sorcerers and gods of Asgard than what remains here on earth. You have no reason to bend to their will.”

Harry froze completely, stunned. He could feel his skin tingle uncomfortably and the chill that always seemed to cling to his bones became more pronounced. Hermione and Ron’s eyes bored into him. He never told them what happened in the forest. They knew he was more powerful since the final battle, but he hadn’t told anyone about the changes he felt since becoming the master of death, about the cold, sharp power he could feel flowing through his veins.

Thor’s voice softened as Harry struggled to speak. “You do yourself a disservice, Warrior.”

Harry did not know why he felt tears prickling at the corner of his eyes, but he was mortified, standing in the middle of his long-lost father’s living room, unable to say anything.

“Harry?” Tony stepped closer to him, hand outstretched like he wanted to console him, but Harry flinched away, not able to control his reactions at this point.

Hermione and Ron flanked him, both placing a hand on his shoulder as they shielded him from the rest of the Avengers.

“Sorry, but we are going to have a private conversation with our friend.” Ron said, drawing himself up and puffing up his chest. Harry could have laughed at Ron’s attempt to look threatening in a room of Earth’s mightiest heroes, but he was still frozen in place.

Hermione glared at those around them, before leading Harry out without another word. Harry didn’t think he could have fought her at this point even if he wanted to.

…

Tony watched his son being led out, looking so small held in his friends steadying grips. He felt like such a failure. What kind of father would let this happen to their son? He had stood by as his son was made a scapegoat by both Tony’s people and his own, and in all his genius, he couldn’t think of anything to do to stop it.

Tony felt determination rise within him and his expression hardened. He would not let this continue.

Step one was to get more information. He caught all of those little slips and jabs aimed at Harry’s past and he knew he couldn’t be caught unawares any longer, not if they were going to try to use Harry as a weapon. Tony wanted to wait until Harry was ready to open up to him, which was obviously not now considering his look of panic at any mention of it. But he needs the basics, otherwise he will always be two steps behind the sniveling cowards trying to mess with his family.

“Jarvis.” Tony said, voice hard.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Do a deep background on Harry Potter. I don’t give a damn what firewall you have to break through. Go through SHIELD, MI6, CIA, everywhere, I don’t care.”

“I would have done so anyway, Sir.”

Natasha came up to him.

“Tony, are you sure that is a good idea? Harry seems like a private person.”

Tony looked at her, letting some of his desperation through. “I can’t let people like Fury know more about him than I do and use it against him like that! I need to do something!”

Natasha considered him for a moment, before nodding slowly. She cocked her head at him.

“You know, I never imagined that you would be the overbearing father type, but I guess the situation calls for it.”

Steve choked on his coffee. Bruce and Thor turned to him, surprised and Clint just sat back with a small smirk.

Tony sighed, “Was it that obvious?”

She smirked, “No, I’m just that good. It also helps that you have matching bedheads.”

Tony ran a hand over his hair and picked up his now cold coffee. How has it been the longest day of his life and he hadn’t even gotten the damn coffee he came out for in the first place?! Tony looked around at the surprise on the team's faces. Steve in particular still had his mouth wide open and Tony swore he was dribbling.

“And you couldn’t keep it to yourself, Romanov.” Tony groaned. Natasha just shrugged. God, he hated it here.

“Okay fine.” Tony said, now addressing the rest of the team. “Yes, Harry is my son, DNA test and everything. His mother and adoptive father, both of whom I was in a long term relationship with, passed away before they could tell me about him. And yes, I just found out yesterday after he saved my life. Does that cover everything? Any questions?”

Everyone just stared at him. He could almost hear the crickets.

“Great, now if you all could close your mouths and help me figure out how to protect my son, I would really appreciate it.”

When everyone still just stared at him blankly, he sat on the couch heavily and dropped his head into his hands.

“Maybe I should just sic Pepper on them, she’s always been better at this kind of thing.”

“Sic me on who?”

He looked up to find his two best friends in the world standing in the living room entrance. Pepper had a hand on one hip, another on her suitcase and looked exhausted, while Rhodey just looked done with his bullshit.

Tony burst out laughing. He didn’t know if he was laughing in relief or if he had finally gone crazy, but it didn’t matter. Back up had arrived.

…

Hermione and Ron ushered Harry back up to his room. Their grips were so tight they were almost painful, but Harry was grateful. They were the only things keeping him upright at the moment. Eventually, they made it back up to the dark room full of machines, now turned off, and Harry sat heavily down on the bed with Hermione and Ron beside him.

For a while, they just sat, letting him take a breath. It was a testament to how much they had grown since the war that they had mastered this silent companionship. Harry imagined them if this situation occurred a few years earlier. Hermione would have immediately launched into a tirade, both planning and ranting in equal measure, and Ron would have just been confused, chiming in whenever Hermione took a breath. But now looking at them, they had this aura of strength born of suffering that they never had before. He relied on that now, sitting there trying to take a deep breath in the dim, unfamiliar room he had a feeling he would get to know quite well.

When he started to shiver a little, Hermione finally moved, bringing a blanket around the three of them like she used to do, during last night study sessions in the Gryffindor common room.

“Harry,” She started quietly. “Are you really okay with this?”

There was no judgement in her eyes, no urgency to rush in and fix it. She was genuinely asking.

“Because, Harry, we can get you out of this if not… we have done more impossible things than that.” She said, smiling a little although it did not reach her worried eyes.

He brought the blanket a little closer to himself. “It's not the team that I'm worried about. Honestly, I think I’ve realized during all these months in Grimmauld that I don’t really know who I am if I’m not fighting for something.”

She sighed, tears welling in her eyes. “I was really hoping you would get a chance to find out.”

“Maybe I still will, it's only ‘temporary’ after all.” he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

Ron snorted. “What a bastard.” He said, shaking his head. “We will make sure it's bloody ‘temporary’ ourselves.”

Harry chuckled. He had no doubt the two of them would go on a warpath.

“What are you worried about then, Harry?” Hermione asked, concern written across her face.

“I was just hoping to…. I just wanted to try,” Harry was mortified as he actually felt a tear fall. He hadn’t cried in years, not at the funerals, not at the hell that has been the last 2 years, but the crash down from the hope he gave himself last night was just too much. He put his head in his hands and sobbed.

For a few minutes he just kept sobbing into the blanket, Hermione’s hand came up to rub gentle circles on his back. Eventually, he felt like he could speak again.

“I just hoped… I wanted to try to be normal…with Tony. Not a family or anything… but just something… It was stupid, really.” His eyes were still closed, voice wet and shaky. He remembered feeling the same way when he watched Sirius fly away on Buckbeak, but it was even sharper now with everything he had lost. He should have learned his lesson.

“That’s not stupid, Harry.” He could tell Hermione was crying now, too. He couldn’t handle seeing them look at him. He wished more than ever that he was back on his couch, back to just floating.

“Harry, look at me.” He pried his eyes open to meet hers. He was relieved to see it wasn’t pity on her face, just devastation.

“It’s not stupid, and it's not ruined. Spending more time here may help you guys, let you grow closer.”

He shook his head. “Did you see how upset he was? Now he will be forced to deal with me, it’s not his choice anymore…it won’t work.”

Whispers of Uncle Vernon rang in his ears. ‘We never wanted you, boy. We were forced to take you.’ He shook his head again, this time trying to clear it.

“Oh, Harry… I don’t think that was why he was upset. He was worried about you being in danger, not you staying with him… didn’t you say he offered you a place here last night?”

He didn’t respond. She didn’t understand.

“What if I put him in danger, Voldemort’s gone, but his followers aren’t.”

“Mate, I don’t think you could put Iron Man in any more danger than he is already in.” Ron said, reaching a hand out to Harry as well, from where he had been holding his distraught girlfriend.

“I can’t lose anybody else…” He whispered, like it was a secret pried out of his locked heart, and it was in some ways. Harry couldn’t handle it anymore.

Hermione and Ron didn’t respond. He felt Hermione shift to hug him and Ron join. He didn’t know how long they stayed like that.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: The Donuts

“So let me get this straight. You are telling me that you had a son with Lily and James eighteen years ago, who you only found out about after almost SACRIFICING yourself! He saved your life with his abnormally strong magic powers, according to your new friend, the god, and now he has been FORCED onto the Avenger’s by SHIELD and two separate presidents of different magical communities.”

Pepper was taking this exactly how Tony thought she would. Explosively. She was currently pacing Tony’s bedroom while Rhodey sat in a nearby armchair, nursing a scotch.

In his words, Rhodey didn’t give a damn that it was noon, he deserved a drink after the hell Tony had put him through in the last two days. Yep, apparently the whole Tony diverting a warhead and almost dying on national television was not good for his best friend’s blood pressure.

Tony, on the other hand, finally got his damn cup of coffee.

Eventually, Pepper paused her pacing to stand in front of Tony. She took his hands.

“I’m not going to tell you not to worry Tony, but you are not going to do this alone!” She said, eyes blazing.

God, he was glad she was here. Pepper and him may never be a couple (she had made it very clear he was not her type) but she was his family. She and Rhodey were more his family than his father and Obediah had ever been, similar, he suspected, to the Harry’s trio. Pepper and Rhodey were some of the only people who knew about James and Lily, hell, Rhodey even met them a few times.

Rhodey walked over as well. “You always have us, Tony. If we could stick with you through your smart-ass party boy phase, we can help you through this.”

“Thank you gu….OW!” Tony rubbed his shoulder where Pepper had just punched him. “I thought this was be nice to Tony time!”

“That was for scaring me!” Pepper frowned at him. “Sorry, I didn’t have a chance to do that while you were freaking out about your long-lost kid.”

“Speaking of which, where is my nephew?” Rhodey said, looking around like a Tony mini-me was about to pop out from the closet.

Tony sighed. “He is upstairs.”

Pepper’s eyes narrowed, reading through his hesitation immediately.

“And how is Harry taking all of this?”

Tony looked away.

“Tony, is Harry okay?”

It was Tony’s turn to start pacing. “I don’t know.”

“Tony…”

“He somehow seems too okay and not okay at all.” Tony ran a hand across his eyes, trying to get rid of his building headache.

His throat was tight, stopping him from saying anything more. He didn’t really know how to describe the way Harry seemed to flinch at every noise, how he looked haunted and numb, but how he seemed absolutely fine with throwing himself into danger, confused at the slightest show of care.

He took a deep breath and stopped.

“No, I don’t think he is okay, but I think he hasn’t been okay for a long time.”

Pepper’s eyes softened. Rhodey put down his scotch and clapped Tony on the shoulder with a small smile.

“You know what I think…”

“What?”

“I think we should get donuts.”

Tony paused…

“Now that is the best idea I have heard all day.”
…

Harry was back laying down on his bed. In all the excitement, he forgot that he passed out from exhaustion two days ago now, and he was still bloody tired. Ron and Hermione left to let him get a little sleep, but he wasn’t going to hold his breath. No matter how tired his body was, he just couldn’t get his mind to rest

Not that it mattered much as about 20 minutes later he heard a knock on the door.

“Seriously, Hermione?” Harry called out, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and walking to the door.

“I really am fine, I don’t need a babysitter despite what yo….” Harry froze.

He swung the door open, but to his surprise, it did not reveal familiar bushy brown hair, but instead the smug blonde asshole.

Thor smirked. “No, you do not strike me as an individual who needs to be babysat.”

Harry tried to fight the blush rising in his cheeks. Thor was somehow still in armour, but at this point Harry wondered whether it was welded to his skin. Harry didn’t usually give a damn what he looked like, but he suddenly became aware of the fact that he was still in the same Dudley cast off t-shirt he slept in and he hadn’t showered since waking up. Harry ran a hand over his hair, trying in vain to smooth it down.

“Hi…Did you need something or are you just lurking out here?”

”Hmm…I’ve been accused of many things in my life, but lurking is not one of them.” He said with feigned concern. Ass.

His face turned slightly more serious as he gestured towards the room.

”May I come in?”

”Yeah….sure.” Harry mumbled, stepping aside.

Once they entered the room and Harry sat back down on his bed, Thor crossed to the center of the room, looking much graver than Harry had seen him previously, even in the middle of battle.

“Sorcerer, I….”

“Harry.” He cut in.

“Excuse me..” Thor said, confusion flitting across his face.

Harry met his eyes. “You can call me Harry. You don’t need to keep calling me Sorcerer, I’m not even sure if I am one.”

Thor nodded slowly, “Harry… that is actually what I wished to discuss.”

He took a step closer, “It was wrong of me to discuss the extent of your magic in front of others, especially considering you were not aware of it previously. I offer you an apology.”

Harry looked down. He didn’t think anyone had ever apologized for a breach of his privacy before, and it wasn’t like the god had insulted him or anything.

“You don’t need to apologize, it's fine.” Harry took a deep breath, searching around for the right words. “It’s just that my magic changed pretty ... recently, so I was a little surprised.”

Thor considered him, and Harry fought the urge to look away.

“It must have been an event of much significance…to cause that kind of change.”

Harry’s voice caught in his throat and when he did speak, it came out in a whisper.

“Yes…it was.”

Thor didn’t ask any further questions, able to sense that the conversation had strayed into charged territory. Instead he just stood there, letting Harry pull himself back to the present. Eventually, Harry shook the cloud off of himself and looked back at Goldilocks. After years dealing with the Malfoy’s, Harry didn’t know how he felt about blonde, but the god definitely pulled it off, but Harry had a feeling Thor was already aware of that fact.

“So…how long are you going to stay here on earth? I was surprised you didn’t leave with your brother…”

Thor smiled a little, “I feel the need for a break from family matters at the moment. Also, Midgard appears to be in a period of change, and I thought I would fight alongside these warriors for a while longer…witness what comes to be.”

He cocked his head at Harry, “It seems I will be fighting alongside you as well. It will be an honor.”

At that, Harry lost the fight against his rising blush.

Luckily he was saved by another knock on the door.

“Come in.”

“Hey Harry, I was wondering if you…” Tony walked in, before the sight of Thor stopped him in his tracks. He looked between the two of them in surprise.

“Well hi, Pointbreak, fancy seeing you here.”

Thor walked over and clapped Tony on the shoulder. Harry had to hold back a laugh as he watched Tony stagger slightly.

“You as well, Stark.” Thor said with a smile. “I was just leaving. It was nice talking to you… Harry.”

Harry just nodded as Thor walked out of the room. Tony looked back and forth between Harry and the door.

“Well, I’m glad you’re making friends on your first day at school, although Sparky wouldn’t have been my first choice.”

Harry snorted, unable to hold back a laugh. Tony’s face lifted at Harry’s smile.

“Sooo… were you able to get anything to eat this morning?”

Harry just looked at him.

“Sorry, stupid question, of course not. Political assholes ruin my appetite, too.” Tony gave a little shiver. “Well, the doctor is coming back tonight and he would kill me if I let you go hungry…”

“Wait…doctor?” Harry couldn’t remember seeing a doctor, although he guessed that someone had to be the one to hook him up to all of the room’s contraptions.

“Well… yeah.” Tony’s eyes narrowed. “You were unconscious after flying unprotected out of the atmosphere. Sue me…I was worried.”

Harry’s face became heated in embarrassment. “Oh…well, I truly am fine, I don’t need to see a hea…I mean doctor or anything.”

Tony narrowed his eyes. “Humor me.”

Harry made a mental note to cast a glamour before any appointment. He didn’t want to upset Tony, but he was not about to trust a random person. He had too many injuries that he did not feel like explaining. Harry nodded slowly, and Tony beamed.

“Great! But that still leaves the matter of breakfast…How do you feel about donuts?”

“Donuts?” Harry's eyes widened.

“Well, Pepper and Rhodey arrived and were craving donuts… So are you a sweet or savory breakfast kind of guy?”

Harry stared at Tony. He had never really had much choice in the matter before. Harry didn’t even think he had ever tried donuts, only remembered seeing Dudley bring them home from school every now and then.

“I don’t really know…I’ve never had a donut but I’m not picky.”

“Never had a donut! That is a crime in the first degree. We have to fix this.” Harry almost laughed again at the dismay on Tony’s face.

“Are you up for a road trip or are you still feeling tired?” Tony said, humor morphing into concern.

Harry looked around at the dim room. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to sleep whether he stayed or not. Anyway, he was beginning to get a little restless.

“I’m fine.”

Tony’s concerned look didn’t dissipate. He opened his mouth to say something before obviously changing his mind. “Okay… if you're sure. But don’t be afraid to let me know if you need to come back.”

Harry nodded.

“Let’s let your friends know and grab Rhodey and Pepper. You are going to love them…”

…

Harry placed a steadying hand on the car door, his other hand gripping his seatbelt tightly. He was definitely not used to riding in a car, probably only being in a car a handful of times over the past 7 years, and one of those he spent more time flying uncontrollably and crashing into a tree than on the road. Honestly, he would rather that at the moment than Happy’s driving. Maybe it was because he couldn't see outside that was so disconcerting to him, with Tony's car being a slightly more armored limousine, black out windows and everything.

“Damn!” Happy yelled from the front as Harry felt the car jolt going over another pothole.

“You good up there?” Rhodey called up.

“Trying to be.” Happy said, shaking his head, “Apparently an alien invasion isn’t the best for a smooth drive.”

The car jerked roughly again and Harry felt his stomach turn. Tony smirked a little bit as his hand came up to clutch at the grab handle.

“You can say that again.” Rhodey mumbled, looking a little green. “Maybe we should have just ordered in.”

“Rhodey, come on, just think of the donuts.” Tony said with a shit eating grin.

“Honestly, right now, I’d rather not.” He said, a hand over his stomach, looking like he was going to hurl.

“It was your idea! I said we should fly to Jersey, but no, that's a ‘waste of resources Tony’!”

Pepper rolled her eyes at the two of them while Harry sat quietly, trying to shake the residual feeling of awkwardness and apprehension that hadn't quite left him yet.

Hermione and Ron had stayed at the tower, with Hermione giving him a not so subtle push out the door. Ron even mumbled something about bonding and refused to come, sharing a look with Hermione at the desperation on Harry’s face. So Harry found himself here, between his newly-minted father and Tony’s two long time friends (who scarily reminded him of his own) with no backup and his sweat gluing him to the leather seats.

Harry pulled his eyes away from the grown men bickering in front of him when he heard Pepper clear her throat. She fixed him with a searching look that made him shift slightly.

“So, Harry… Are there lawyers in the wizarding world?”

Harry’s eyes widened and he could see Tony and Rhodey whip their heads towards Pepper.

“I, Um, don’t actually know…” Harry stumbled over his words, surprised both at that being the first question someone asked him about wizards and the fact that he genuinely didn’t know the answer. He should probably know the answer to that, having actually been to a wizarding hearing before, but he didn’t have a lawyer, just Dumbledore.

Pepper’s eyes narrowed at Harry’s surprise.

“Hmm…Don’t worry…I will find out.” Well that sounded ominous. Before Harry could stutter out another word, Rhodey jumped in.

“Come on Pep, let’s not scare the kid off just yet. Plans for world domination can come later.”

“World domination sounds like a lot of work.” Pepper scoffed. “I have enough on my hands with this one already.” She said, pointing a thumb towards Tony. The car jolted again.

“Hey! I almost died, remember! Be nice to me.”

“I rest my case.”

“Don’t worry.” Harry said with a small smile. “I don’t think there is very much that can scare me off at this point. You should never be in the same room with Hermione though…”

He met Tony’s eye in time to see him pale before nodding emphatically.

“Those two together would be a BAAAAD idea.” Tony said, deadly serious. “Throw Nat in there with them, and the world may never recover.”

Pepper glared at him, a smirk spreading across her face. “Well, Hermione sounds like a remarkable young woman. I would love to meet her. Is she staying here as well?”

Harry huffed out a laugh at Tony’s face of dramatic horror.

“Not for much longer, she is going back to school in a couple of weeks.” Harry responded.

Merlin, he really tried not to think about the fact that soon, his friends would leave and he would still be here. He couldn’t ask them to stay, he would never forgive himself if he was the reason Hermione didn’t complete her education. And Ron…well, his family needed him. Especially George. Ron was the only thing keeping that shop afloat right now. It was weird…starting a new chapter without them in it.

Rhodey frowned at him, leaning back in his seat.

“So you lot are still in school, then?”

Harry shrugged. That question opened a can of worms that he didn’t really want to get into during a thirty minute donut run.

“Not really…”

“So your vitally important education won’t be interrupted by all of…this.” Rhodey said, gesturing around vaguely.

At that, Harry started to laugh quietly, almost to the point of tears. The three of them just looked at him, slightly shocked.

“Sorry..I just.” Harry tried to take a deep breath to stop his laughter. “I wouldn't worry about it. My education has been a lost cause for a while now.”

Tony, Pepper and Rhodey performed an impressive three way glance, which Harry tried to ignore, still trying to breathe again.

“Okaaaay…but…”

“We’re here. Your goddamn Boston cream better be worth it!” Happy called out as they felt the car come to a stop.

“Always is, Happy!” Tony yelled up before he swung open the car door.

It seemed like they had successfully driven outside of the impact zone, with Harry noting the lack of rubble when he stepped out of the car. They seemed to be by a gas station on the outskirts of the city, Harry could still see the skyline in the distance over a web of empty highways and the blurred, hot summer air rising from the concrete. The gas station seemed pretty empty, with the exception of a few employees and a guy sitting on the curb, nursing a coffee. Harry looked up, almost taking a step back at a huge, bright pink donut statue on the top of the rundown building. It stuck out like a sore thumb among the grey concrete which seemed to populate his trip to America.

“Well…I guess that's a donut.” Harry said blankly, gesturing towards the giant donut statue.

Tony laughed. “Sure is, they aren't all neon though, I promise.”

The door chimed as the three of them stepped into the small building where a rack of donuts lived behind the checkerboard counter and an old coffee machine bubbled next to it. When the group approached the employee, her eyes widened.

“You’re Tony Stark.” She said, looking like a deer in the headlights. It was nice not to be the one in the group being stared at, but Harry still flattened a hand over his scar out of habit.

“Last time I checked.” Tony said with a smile, while Pepper rolled her eyes at him.

The employee still gaped at him.

“Can..Can I get a picture?”

“Of course, just don't post it on CheaterBuster or something!” Tony leaned over the counter, hand in a peace sign, while the employee brought out her phone and snapped a picture.

When her eyes landed on the rest of them, she paused on Harry's, eyes even wider.

“And you are the flying dude aren’t you, your videos are all over the news.” Harry winced, but nodded. Well, publicity was the plan… right. Hiding in plain sight and all that.

“Are you like Thor? He flies too, right?” She asked, looking at his scrawny frame up and down with a confused look.

Harry just smiled tightly, while Tony’s look grew concerned. “Similar.”

She just nodded, still a bit awestruck.

“Sorry for hounding you guys, what can I get you?”

Tony shook his head a little before bringing his smile back up.

“So, what looks good Harry?”

“Um.” Harry looked around quickly, still feeling a bit rattled. “That plain one seems fine.”

Tony did not seem satisfied with that response.

“I’m going to ignore that.” He said with a huff, turning back to the girl. “We’ll have two dozen glazed for the tower vultures. A dozen boston creme and two of each other types for this otherworldly being to try out.” He ordered, pointing at Harry for the last part.

As the girl shuffled around in the back, getting everything ready, Harry reached into his pocket to bring out the American money he exchanged at Gringotts for the trip.

“Woah woah woah.” Tony said, stopping Harry’s wad of cash from making it to the counter. “You’re not paying.”

“But…”

“Uh uh, come on. I only order an absurd amount of food on my dime, not yours.”

Harry reluctantly put his money away, distinctly uncomfortable. He never felt great when someone bought him something that he could pay for himself. Eventually, they got their donuts and piled into a cracked, red vinyl booth.

“So, speaking of things I am not going to let you pay for.” Tony began after taking a big bite of his donut. “What do you think you are going to need now that you are staying for a while longer? Is there anything you need to pick up or have sent from England?”

Harry paused for a second. He hadn’t really thought about it, not having very much more than he brought for the trip. But he had left some things at Grimmauld, his photo album primarily. He would have to go back for it soon, suddenly missing it more than he ever had before.

He shook himself a little before shrugging.

”I will probably portkey over to England for a couple of things, but I don’t really need much.” He picked at the rainbow sprinkles on his donut, glancing up at Tony. ”You know…I could find an apartment in the area instead of staying at the Tower. I’m stable enough to be comfortable, especially if I find a bank branch here. My pare..James and Lily left me money. You don’t need to worry about me.” Damn, he sounds ungrateful. Harry winced a little as Tony rapidly paled.

“Do you…do you not want to stay at the tower?” Tony said quietly.

Harry shook his head, trying to ignore Rhodey and Pepper watching the two of them with pitying expressions. “No..I just…this happened so fast and…”

Tony looked like he was on the verge of tears.

“Wait, I do want to stay at the tower, I do! I just don’t want to rush you or anything. It’s not like you signed up for this or anything and I feel like you’re being forced to take me on with Fury and all…that. I sort of ambushed you…a bit” Harry wished Hermione was here to stop his awkward rambling that was clearly making things worse.

Rhodey snorted, breaking the somber mood that had fallen. “Oh nephew of mine, I don’t think anyone can force Tony to do anything. Trust me, it would have made my life much easier over the years. If Tony is offering, he means it.”

Harry looked at him wide-eyed. Nephew…huh, that was new. Tony made an aborted gesture to reach across the table.

“Harry, I want you at the tower. I’m not going to force you if you are uncomfortable there but…I would like to get to know you, if you still want that. I don’t want you to feel trapped, but I’m not being forced to do anything. I want you there, you’re not burdening me or anything.”

Harry was stunned. Tony chuckled, a little wetly.

”Besides, I finally convinced the rest of the dream team to stay with me. The slumber parties are going to be…amazing.”

”Okay…I just wanted to make sure you know that, if you want me to move out, I can.”

”Noted. Never going to happen..but noted.”

Pepper clapped her hands. “Great, now that that is settled, two things. First, your donut is not going to eat itself.” She said, fixing Harry with a stern look. Harry felt like he was getting whiplash. “Secondly, I don’t believe for one second there is nothing you need. No offense, but your clothes look like they have seen better days. No nephew of mine will walk around with holes in their shirt, adult or not. So unless you have a upgrade to pick up in England, we have to do something about this”

Again with the nephew. Harry bookmarked that to think about later.

Harry shrugged, looking down at the table. All of his clothes had been through a war with him, and were not in the best condition to start with. He was going to fix that once he felt comfortable leaving Grimmauld for a bit, but it sort of became a lost cause.

Pepper continued, completely unfazed by his lack of reaction and frantically typing on her phone.

“I’m having some basics delivered to the house. You are definitely thinner than Tony,” Harry blushed, “but you guys seem to be the same build, so I’m just going to order you his normal sizes.”

Harry stammered, looking a little trapped. “Ma’am…uh.”

“Pepper.”

“Okay..Pepper…Uh, this really isn’t necessary. I can always get something later, I have enough money and I just …”

“And you will use it on yourself at a later date.” She cut in, not looking up from her phone. “What brand of shampoo do you use?”

Rhodey and Tony took in Harry’s gobsmacked look and burst out laughing.

“Give it up, kid. There’s no escaping Pepper when she is on a warpath,” Rhodey chuckled, “As SHIELD and the wizarding world will soon find out.”

Harry turned towards him, confused. “What?”

“Don’t worry about that, just know we’ve got your back. You’re part of the family now.” Rhodey’s face softened. “I just met you, but I know Lily and James would be proud.”

Harry fought back the urge to break his gaze. “You knew them?”

Rhodey snorted. “Hard not to meet them when my pseudo-brother over here was lovesick for the two of them for years.” Rhodey’s face was still smiling, but there was sadness in his eyes when they met Tony’s.

Tony turned to Harry, eyes wet. “Rhodes is right, you know. They would have been so proud.”

Harry turned back to his donut. “You don’t really know me…yet.”

Tony hesitated, almost as if afraid to overstep, before finally reaching for his hand.

“I know you are a kid who loves his friends, I know you are a young man who is braver than anyone your age has a right to be, and I know you saved the life of a man you had never met and owed nothing to.”

Tony smiled. “But if that's not enough, don’t worry. I can’t wait to learn more.”
Harry coughed a little, not knowing how to respond to that. Tony withdrew his hand and Harry could see Pepper and Rhodey smiling widely in the background. They ate in companiable silence for a few minutes.

“So…How’s the donut?” Tony asked.

“Tastes neon.”

“Damn.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 11: MACUSA

Tony sat back in his chair, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

“So…you’re telling me that magic itself does not prohibit a user from being near or using technology, but that most technology doesn’t work in magic dense areas?”

Hermione nodded, taking a bite out of her bagel. The three teenagers were sitting in the living room with Bruce and Tony, tables filled with leftover breakfast foods from the massacre that occurred an hour earlier when the rest of the team woke up ‘starving’. Tony was rich, but he didn’t know how his business would survive another few months of the avenger’s food costs. Damn, even Natasha and Clint could pack it in, lack of powers aside.

It had been a few days since Fury and the magical miracle duo had rained on their parade and Tony was happy to say they had been relatively uneventful, a welcome change from the insanity of the past two weeks. Honestly, it had been quiet, with most of the tower dwellers staying to themselves, sleeping and recovering from the battle and Pepper was busy running the world from his office. The only time Tony saw everyone together was for meals, which were definitely more rowdy affairs, with Thor, Cap and Clint sharing battle stories. Even Rhodey jumped in sometimes, never one to miss out on a dick-measuring contest.

Tony, on the other hand, had been trying to get to know Harry, which was harder than he initially thought it would be. Jarvis was still trying to find data on him, which was concerning as Jarvis had never taken this long to compile a background before, so for now, Tony was left to his observations.

But Harry was quiet for the most part, seemingly content to allow his friends to speak and bicker while he watched from the sidelines, occasionally chiming in. At first Tony chalked it up to the fact that he was still recovering, but now, even as the color in his face returned, Harry seemed to always want to fade into the background. He was obviously uncomfortable during the large group meals and opted to stay with his friends when he wasn’t asleep or alone.

Tony’s gentle prodding for information was almost always met with a brick wall. Tony was really starting to feel like a creep, always watching his son out of the corner of his eye, desperate for an opening or information. Like right now, as he watched Harry push some yogurt around in his bowl, pretending to eat while Hermione and Bruce talked in the background.

“So why do individual residences not use technology?” Bruce said, eyebrows furrowed.

Hermione looked to Ron, who was chowing down on a frighteningly large breakfast burrito. He shrugged.

“I dunno, my dad was a bit mad for the stuff, but I don’t remember anyone else wanting to have muggle things in their house.”

Tony snorted at Ron’s answer. Hermione rolled her eyes before turning back to Bruce, who was still watching her thoughtfully.

“Superiority complexes.” She said blankly.

“Oi!”

Harry sighed, putting down the yogurt he was picking at before answering over his friends bickering.

“It’s more of a cultural difference. The magic community isn’t as interested in steady advancement as the non-magical world. Necessity is the mother of invention and wizards just have had less necessity than muggles.”

Hermione and Ron looked at him in surprise.

“What?” Harry said, looking a little uncomfortable. Hermione just shook her head, and Tony caught a little smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Harry’s right for the most part, but the anti-muggle sentiment does get nasty in the wizarding world.” Her eyes darkened for a second, hand shifting to cover her right forearm and Tony saw Harry wince. “I don’t know how open wizards would be to adopting anything muggle…even after the..” She trailed off.

Ron reached up to rub her shoulder and Harry looked back to his yogurt, face blank.

Tony frowned, “I remember Lily told me she used to get some crap for her family not having magic, but they never really mentioned it much.”

The words of their letter flashed through his mind, James telling Harry not to be ashamed.

“Just how nasty does it get?”

Hermione opened her mouth but decided against it, looking towards Harry.

He took a shaky breath. “It is better now than it was before, but still…not great. Hermione’s a muggle born, so she has always gotten it the worse”

Ron scoffed, before mumbling, “Understatement of the century..” His hand was still on Hermione’s shoulder.

“But a lot of the people who really believed in that crap are locked up now.” She said to a worried looking Bruce with a tight smile. “Or dead…”

Harry fell silent again, and Hermione looked at him worriedly.

“Well good riddance” Tony said gruffly, fists clenched out of sight. He had always wondered why James and Lily had tried so hard to shield him from the wizarding world, with the exception of a select few. For a short while, after they left and he was at his darkest point, he thought they were ashamed of him, that he was just a dirty little secret… but it seems like they had a reason.

“It sounds like humans are cruel to each other in every society …” Bruce said quietly. “I’ve always wondered what the point was.”

“Power..” Harry whispered. “Division always gives power… to someone at least. Someone who doesn’t care how cruel they have to be…”

Tony’s heart started beating fast.

“That sounds like it came from personal experience..” Tony said, trying to keep his voice light, the question clear.

Once again he was witness to a truly impressive three-way glance. God, is this what being around him, Pepper and Rhodey was like? Hermione nudged Harry, but it seemed like he was done talking.

She sighed, “It’s been a rough few years.”

Ron snorted, “Try seven.” he said laughing a little, before Hermione punched his shoulder, gesturing to Harry who was pale and had a quiet look of despair.

“Mate…I.”

“Don’t worry about it, you’re right.” Harry said quietly, cutting him off before shaking himself a little. “So…do we have a plan for tomorrow?”

Tony nodded slowly. He saw the subject change for the plea it was.

“Yep, we’ll head to the ministry, I will try not to kill anyone and we will take a magic transport the hell out of there.”

Tony felt himself lighten a bit when Harry laughed.

“Yes, priority number one, put a hold on the homicide.” Hermione said, smirking a little. “But let's leave here around 8 am, that will give us time to register then catch a portkey to Grimmauld. Ron and I will pack our stuff tonight and leave from there.”

“And I will have Clint meet us there in the Quinjet, so we don’t have to go through a second round of bureaucracy in one day to get back.”

Harry looked at Tony.

“You don’t have to come, we can handle this without you being dragged through political hoops.”

Tony snorted, “Nice try. No, me and pointbreak are coming with you, end of story.”

Hermione nodded at him with, dare he say, some approval in her eyes. Tony had a feeling that was a rare occurrence.

Harry, on the other hand, looked at him in surprise.

“Thor?” He asked. “Why is he coming?”

“Harry..” Tony said, exasperated. “Do you really think I am going to walk you into a magical, potentially hostile, government headquarters without some back up? My suit is untested against magic, so I’m not risking it. Not when we have a literal god on our team.”

“You do realize the three of us have magic, right?”

“Yeah, but something tells me that you are a bit less free to use it than Thunder Road over there.” Tony said. “Just be glad the rest of the crew aren’t coming. I had to talk Cap down from organizing a full squad.”

Bruce chuckled. “He’s not wrong. After that little show they put on a few days ago, consider us all, officially, overprotective.”

Harry looked incredulously at the normally reserved doctor.

“Give it up, Harry.” Tony laughed. “Now, before y’all leave, let's do something about the fact that my suit is so woefully untested against magic. To the lab!”

…

It was way too early to be in slacks, but it's not like he slept much anyway. Harry brushed the wrinkles out of his button up shirt and looked in the mirror. It was weird having a shirt that sort of fit, but Pepper was right about him and Tony being the same height, so for once he looked…presentable. He was happier about that than he thought he would be, but after a few days of actually wearing new clothes, he realized that Dudley’s clothes always being so big made him feel a bit small, almost like it gave him a place to hide. Harry was tired of hiding.

He took a deep breath and tried to flatten the back of his hair one last time. Taking it as a lost cause, he went down to the living room to make a cup of tea. It’s not like he had to be presentable today, he reminded himself while filling the kettle (another thing Pepper had delivered, anything for her British nephew), all he was doing was some registration paperwork…he hoped. Harry wondered when the last time he trusted the government was. Honestly, he had no idea.

He was finally pouring water into his mug, when he jumped at a thud behind him, almost dropping the kettle.

“Easy there.” Thor said, catching the kettle handle in one hand. Goldilocks looked way too fresh for it being the crack of dawn. “I apologize for startling you, I only meant to rest Mjolnir while I get a drink.”

Harry, taking the kettle back from Thor, slightly embarrassed, took a double glance at the big ass hammer now resting on the counter.

“Is that even sanitary?” Harry asked sarcastically, nodding at the hammer.

To his surprise, Thor actually considered the question, brow furrowing.

“I do not know, but I have never had to clean Mjolnir. As it is a weapon of the gods, I assume it is immune to something as common as earthly dirt.”

Harry snorted. “I'll believe you.”

He took a sip of his tea, watching Thor clunking around the kitchen to make himself a coffee (that life lesson session with Bruce was hilarious to watch). Even with the lesson, Thor looked at the coffee maker like it was a foe to be slain. After a few agonizing minutes, Harry took pity on him.

”Here” Harry said, putting down his tea. He waved a hand and the levers on the machine began to switch on and off on their own, and within seconds, Thor had a steaming cup of coffee in his grasp.

“Thank you.” Thor took a sip. “I have liked this drink since I first came to earth, but I am still not familiar with the machinery required.”

’Well, machinery isn’t my strong suit either.” Harry said.

For a few minutes, they just drank in silence, watching the early morning fog dissipate out of the panoramic windows.

“I notice you do not require the same…wand of wood…that your friends do.”

Harry startled a bit. He hadn’t even thought about it, mostly performing magic on instinct now, the few times he had. He brought out his old holly and phoenix feather wand, twisting it in his hand. “I guess not, but I still use it.”

Thor opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Hermione and Ron walked in. Well, in Ron’s case, he more stumbled in. He never was a morning person.

“Hey mate…you awake?” Harry asked, smirking. Ron just glared at him. Harry chuckled before sliding two cups of tea over to the duo, despite the fact that Hermione looked much more put together than her boyfriend.

”How hard was it to wake him up this time?” He asked her, smirking.

”Not too bad.” She shrugged. Ron’s glare turned to her.

”Not too bad?! She hit me with a aquamenti!”

Hermione hid a smile with her mug, “Well, not too bad for me.”

The three laughed as Tony stumbled in as well, yelling at the ceiling.

“Jarvis, when I said to set an alarm, I didn’t mean to wake me up with a fucking air horn!”

“You said you must not be late today, sir.” Jarvis’s calm, mechanic voice answered back. “And that was the most effective way to ensure you wake.”

“I’m going to unplug you if you do that again.”

“Understood sir, just inform me of which of my central servers you will target and I will plan accordingly.”

“You know that’s not what I meant!”

The trio just laughed even harder at the travesty in front of them, which finally made Tony turn to them. He clapped his hands.

”Okay team, everyone’s here. Should we get this over with?”

Harry took a bracing sigh and nodded, looking towards his friends.

”Do you guys have everything?”

Hermione just held up her old, beaded pouch.

“Coffee to-go cups are in the cabinet. Let's get out of here.”

…

Back in Happy’s bumpy ride, they jostled their way through the potholed New York streets, finally coming to an unassuming alley at Hermione’s direction. Piling out of the car, Tony adjusted his sunglasses as he looked at the dirt strewn alley, an old telephone booth in the back.

“The entrance to the American magical world is in a … phone booth.” He said blankly. “What Doctor Who shit is this?”

Harry looked at his confused, “Doctor who?”

”Don’t worry about it.” Tony sighed. He really needed to get his son up to date on movies and shows. No son of his would traverse the world not knowing who Yoda was.

Hermione took the lead, gesturing them all to pile into the phone booth. Tony looked at her despairingly, before sighing and patting Thor on the arm.

“You better have used deodorant buddy.”

They all somehow managed to squeeze in, Tony swore it had to be bigger on the inside, while Hermione inserted a quarter into the slot and picked up the phone, tapping it with her wand.

”MACUSA, visitors entrance.” She said clearly into the receiver.

“Request accepted.”

She looked around at the rest of them, huddled together. “Brace yourselves.”

”For wha…”

Suddenly, Tony was engulfed with the uncomfortable sensation of being compressed, squeezed through a twelve inch tube.

When they finally landed in a large fireplace, Tony doubled over and heaved. Thor pat him bruisingly on the back, not helping the situation at all. Once he had gotten his stomach back in check, he straightened and took in the building around him.

Hundreds of wizards bustled through the grand hall in tailored, multicolored robes, less austere than what Minister Shaklebolt was wearing. The hall itself seemed to be lined with golden trim in between rows of fireplaces with wizards popping through green flames. Looking up, Tony saw an expansive glass ceiling, with owls flying majestically overhead. A large banner flew, seemingly without supports, hosting a moving phoenix symbol.

Tony would have stared in awe for a few minutes, but he did not have the chance to as Hermione, Ron and Harry immediately began moving through the crowd, faces tense and moving in some sort of formation. He and Thor followed quickly, weaving through the crowd to a processing desk.

Sidling up the the front of the desk, they stood in front of a MACUSA employee, frantically writing something on the parchment in front of her. Was that a quill?! No wonder Jarvis was having trouble finding records!

Hermione cleared her throat, causing the witch to look up, annoyed.

”We were looking for the auror department.” Hermione said.

The witch huffed.

“You have to sign in first.” She said, looking inordinately peeved for someone doing her job. “Names?”

”Hermione Granger, with Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and..”

The witch’s head shot up, eyes wide.

”Harry Potter?!” She looked around frantically before her eyes settled on Harry, who was standing quietly to the side. Tony caught Harry instinctively flatten his hair over his forehead.

Now it was Hermione’s turn to get annoyed.

”Yes, and Tony St…” She was waved off.

”No need, we were told to expect you.” She said a little breathlessly. “Please proceed to the fourth floor, an auror will meet you there.”

”Thanks.” Harry mumbled, before turning quickly to the elevators on the other side of the hall.

Tony laughed tightly, trying to ease the tension in the three teenagers. “I guess your reputation precedes you kid.”

Harry sighed as they all entered an empty elevator, which rattled dangerously as if rose from the ground floor.

”That’s not new…which reputation, though, is what concerns me.”

So much for easing the tension…

A loud ding marked their arrival on the fourth floor. The doors slowly opened and they stepped out, right into an entire guard of people.

Harry stepped back, hand twitching towards his wand. Ron already had his wand out, gripped tightly in his hand. There must have been 6 auroras waiting, wand holsters strapped visibly to their forearms and faces gruff.

“Mr. Potter.” The lead auror approached, nodding stiffly “Please come this way.”

Harry looked at them suspiciously. Thor crossed his arms over his chest, looming over the group threateningly.

”Is this really necessary for citizen registration?”

“The President would like to be present at the proceedings. He is waiting for you. This way.”

Harry took a hesitant step forward, breaking the freeze that encompassed them all, and they were led through the winding halls to a conference room at the far back, where the President sat with another official looking woman, wearing horned glasses and holding a stack of papers. Additional aurors were stationed at either end of the room.

President Jackson looked up when they entered, his neutral expression turning to a frown.

His eyes rested on Hermione and Ron. “What are you two doing here? I thought I told you to leave back to Britain.”

Ron bristled, but Hermione held him back with a squeeze to the shoulder.

”We had planned to leave once Harry was registered. We are already packed.”

The President looked at them suspiciously before nodding.

”Fine. I will send people to ensure that plan stays in place.” Tony saw Ron’s face go red and he didn’t blame him. ‘I will not kill anyone, I will not kill anyone, I will..’ Tony repeated like a mantra.

”Mr. Stark and Mr. Odinson, it was against my better judgement that you be allowed here in the first place, so if you would please step outside while I have a..discussion… with Mr. Potter, I would be grateful.”

“That would be a no.” Tony said nonchalantly, removing his sunglasses to glare at him.

“Excuse me?”

”I don’t believe I will do that, I’m comfortable right here. Point Break, you comfortable as well?”

”Very comfortable indeed, Stark.”

President Jackson bristled, but he would not meet Thor’s eyes.

”Very well. But you will not interfere.” Ha, Tony knew bringing Thor was a good decision. He may not be in the weapon business anymore, but he knew the power of good old fashioned intimidation. Especially when dealing with spineless politicians, used to throwing their weight around.

Turning to Harry, the president’s glare returned. “Mr. Potter, before we start your registration, I wanted to come to an understanding.”

When Harry didn’t answer, just standing stiffly, he continued.

”I like to lead my community with order and stability. I accomplish this through knowing those in my community. I can only assemble a picture if I know all of the parts. You on the other hand are an unknown and unpredictable entity, and you bring…complications.”

Harry stayed silent. Tony was not as patient.

”So do alien invasions, which he stopped, but who am I to talk?”

“Mr. Stark?!” The President spit out, before taking a breath and ignoring him, turning back to Harry.

“Don’t think I am unaware of the problems you have presented to the British Ministry…”

”Problems HE presented?!” Ron said, incredulous. “Not the death eaters attacking him?!”

Tony and Thor shared a look. That was new.

”You have been the one common denominator and center of the violence and discord in Britain for half a decade, and I will NOT have it here.”

“Or you could say another common denominator was, I don’t know, Voldemort?!” Hermione spat out, officially fed up.

Harry looked at Tony, a flash of panic showing through his neutral facade.

Tony cut in. “That’s enough.” He said to the president, placing a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “Get to the point or I will blast us out of here, to hell with you and your bureaucratic bullshit.”

The aurors stepped forward, wands out at Tony, when a chill fell over the air. Everyone froze, looking at Harry, whose expression had turned to ice. Harry moved in front of the group, obviously ready to shield them if necessary.

“We are here to comply with your plan.” He said softly, contrasting the cold power emanating from him. “Now tell me what I need to do, and we will leave.”

“Sir..” One of the aurors started, looking at Harry with wide eyes before the President silenced him with a raised hand.

A look of fear flashed across the President's face and the aurors gripped their wands a bit tighter, before Jackson shook himself out of it.

“If half of what I’ve heard is true, you are a dangerous person Mr. Potter and you attract dangerous people, do not become a threat to us.”

“I never intended to.” Harry said coldly. The room’s temperature dropped further.

“See to it that you stay that way, or there will be consequences.”

Tony took another step forward, fire in his eyes. He would not let that go. “Let’s be clear here. He is not the threat you need to be worried about. You come after my son, and I will end you.” Thor punctuated that statement with a crackle of thunder in the background, allowing his eyes to glow with repressed lightening

”Your son?” The President said, obviously taken off guard, all bravado thrown to the side.

”Yes, and as such, any further…discussions…can be directed to me.” Tony’s voice was hard. “Or through any lawyers I can assure you I will find.”

Tony turned to the witch besides the President, who had leaned back in her chair, trembling.

”Now.” He said, leaning forward, bracing himself on the conference table. “What do you need us to do?”

The witch just stared at him until Tony cleared his throat.

”Y..yes.” She said, rifling through the parchment in front of her.

“Please sign here, just attesting that your projected residence in the country exceeds six months, but will not exceed ten years.”

Harry took the offered quill, eyes scanning the page before Tony could even warn him about reading the contract first. He signed.

“And as his American sponsor, Mr. Stark, please sign here..” Tony scratched out a squiggle. How the hell did people write with these things?

”Now we just need to register your wand.”

Harry offered his wand stiffly, hand twitching when it was taken from his grasp, handed to one of the aurors who promptly began casting spells over it, before handing it back hesitantly.

“Then I will perform a quick medical history and core exam and you will be good to go.”

Harry’s head whipped towards her. “What? Why?”

“It’s standard procedure..” She squeaked out, startled at Harry addressing her directly. “MACUSA offers medical care to its citizens and needs to be aware of any conditions or..”

”No.” Harry cut in, shaking his head.

“Harry has already been checked out by a physician.” Tony said quickly.

”A no-maj healer cannot possibly be able to see what we are looking for.” One of the aurors said stiffly. “All new residents must do a medical and core exam.”

“Additionally, I would like a validation of your..alleged..paternal connection.” Jackson stated, eyebrows furrowed as he looked between them.

Harry just kept shaking his head, looking uncomfortable.

”Isn’t there a lawyer we could talk to, to make sure you are not…bending the rules.” Tony said stonily.

”Fine.” President Jackson spat out, looking annoyed. He turned to one of the aurors. “Bring a law wizard, quickly, I have more to do today than just deal with this.”

”So do we, Mate.” Ron glared at him. “You don’t have to be here.”

They sat in a tense silence for a few minutes, when another wizard was escorted to the room. Contrasting with the mood the group had fallen into, this man was actually smiling.

He walked right towards Harry without hesitation, hand outstretched while the President looked on, exasperated.

”Law wizard McAllister, pleasure to meet you Mr. Potter. I handle immigration matters here. How can I be of assistance?” Tony smirked a little, if there was one thing you could count on, it seemed to be that lawyers would be lawyers, no matter where you were.

Harry seemed to be stumped at the man’s complete disregard for the hostility around him. Tony fought the urge to laugh.

”Yes, hi.” Tony cut in, the law wizard turning to him with the same white-toothed smile. “We were wondering about any protections concerning a medical exam requirement for temporary resident registration.”

”Of course.” McAllister gave Harry a practiced sympathetic look. “Unfortunately, there is no getting around the requirement, it’s been written in law since appearance altering potions became commonplace and a rash of increased disease transmission.”

“However, we can ensure confidentiality of any results. Results are just accessible to your assigned healer and our Auror department. I assure you they weren’t going to conduct the exam in here? Correct?” He looked towards the President and assistant.

”Of course not.” The President replied, teeth clenched tightly while smiling back to the lawyer.

Tony glanced at the grinning President, wanting nothing more than to wipe the smugness off of his face.

“Is the President one of the parties privy to the results?”

“No, unless there is concrete evidence of a crime being committed by the examinee following registration.” Tony smiled dangerously.

“Do you have any private law wizards who can help us ensure there is no..” Tony smirked at the President. “Misuse…”

McAllister smiled. “Of course, I can assist you with owling a few firms.”

Pepper would be happy with that. Tony turned to Harry in a whisper.

”Listen, I don’t give a shit if it‘s required. If you don’t want to do it, lawyer or not, we can leave right now.”

Harry to a shuddering breath, before squaring his shoulders.

”No, it's fine…I may take that lawyer though.” Harry muttered. Hermione nodded, meeting Tony’s eye.

“Great.” McAllister smiled widely, not even pretending he hadn’t been listening. “I can walk you to the healers.”

Harry nodded and turned to walk away when the President called out.

”Until next time, Mr. Potter.”

Tony opened his mouth to bite back but Harry just kept walking, already out the door.

Their group went back through the corridor, pretending not to notice that the aurors were continuing to follow them at a distance, with one next to McAllister. Ron was still vibrating with anger and he swore he felt sparks coming off of Thor. For Tony, his anger ran cold, calculating. He stated that Harry was his son deliberately. They may not know now what that entails, but they would soon understand the protection and power that came from being a Stark, magic be damned. And now they would have lawyers…Pepper was going to have a field day.

However, he couldn't sense any anger from Harry, just discomfort and a chill surrounding him that hadn't truly dissipated once leaving the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Harry shivering slightly. As much as he hated it, maybe it was a good thing Harry was being given a medical exam. Something was wrong that Dr. Smith was just not trained to deal with.

They eventually reached the door to a medical wing, and McAllister turned to Harry.

“So, considering you have concerns with the exam, would you like me there while it is being conducted? I could also provide my memory to any future counsel through legal exchange if you so choose. You could also have your sponsor be a stand-in and have his memory exchanged in the same way.”

Harry looked hesitant, sending a desperate glance to Hermione who was looking at the lawyer thoughtfully.

“You know, for once, witnesses may be a good thing.” Hermione conceded in a low voice. “How much trouble would that have saved us in the past if we had someone else's memory to lean on?”

She looked Harry in the eye, before whispering so quietly that Tony knew he was not meant to hear. “I know what you are worried about, but this may be a chance to not do this alone.”

Tony coughed, trying to hide the wetness gathering in his eyes.

“Harry,” He tried to meet his son's eyes. “I know you are an adult and that there are a lot of things that I don’t know, but I would like to come in with you. If you are uncomfortable then that's fine, but…”
He lowered his voice a bit. “But I don’t trust these people as far as I could throw them. So I think you should take someone who can give the legal memory…transfer..thing. God, I hate not knowing how things work.” He sighed in frustration. “But that’s besides the point. There is nothing wrong with needing an advocate.”

Harry looked at him and nodded, obviously unable to speak. Tony let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding.

“Okay McAllister, let’s get this over with.”

Tony and Harry entered the exam room.

…

Unlike muggle hospital rooms, healing rooms smelled anything but sterile. Instead the smell of brewing potions and sparks of magic filled Harry’s nostrils as he entered the room. He suddenly relaxed slightly, reminded of the long hours he spent in Hogwarts hospital wing. Despite usually being in some kind of pain, he always felt safe there, under Madam Pomphrey’s strict care and scratchy bed sheets.

Not that he felt particularly cozy now. He was still shivering, absolutely freezing as the cold magic within him was riled under his tenuous control. He was so desperate to get out of that office, away from the President who had the worst combination of Fudge’s morals and Scrimgour’s demeanor, that he had just agreed to this. Merlin, why did he agree to this? This wasn’t just uncomfortable, this was dangerous. What if the horcrux left evidence? Honestly, Harry had been avoiding medical treatment since the end of the war. Since the forest, he was afraid of what they would find…

His eyes slid to Tony walking beside him, face set in stony, determination. Too much had been mentioned today for him to not have to tell Tony about the war… to explain why they thought of him like that. The last thing he wanted was for his father to think he was some kind of criminal, that he was as dangerous as they made him out to be…’But you are.” that traitorous voice in the back of his head rang out. He did his best to ignore that for now.

A larger part of him was actually glad Tony was here. He and Hermione were right…too many times things had happened to him behind closed doors or while he was alone and no one had believed him… whether that was the Dursleys, dementors or the tournament, he knew better than to trust the government. And one, smaller part of him, was just tired of keeping secrets and was tired of being alone.

“You okay kid?” He was shaken out of his thoughts by Tony’s voice. Tony looked at him with warm, sympathetic eyes, the stony face he had on previously melted away.

“Yeah.” Harry croaked out, hoping his voice hadn’t shaken.
A healer in pale green robes came up to them, wearing a soft smile.

“Hello Mr. Potter. I am Healer Douglas and will be assisting you today. You need the medical history and core exam, correct?” She asked, holding a notebook. Harry nodded.

She led them to a bed behind a curtain.

“Okay so,” She began jotting down his information. “I am going to cast a charm that will give me a comprehensive medical history of injuries, vaccinations, illnesses and such. Additionally, I will layer two charms which will just validate your identity and check the health of your magical core. This is just to ensure that unstable cores are treated prior to leaving the ministry. The charms together shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.”

Harry paled slightly, it was becoming more and more obvious this was a bad idea, but it was a little late now. He laid down in the bed in the way that the healer indicated, trying to control his shivering.

The healer looked at him concerned. “Mr. Potter, would you like a warming charm.” He would, if they ever worked. Harry shook his head. “Okay then, let's get started.”

Harry pushed his head back into the pillow and squeezed his eyes shut as waves of magic washed over him.

A parchment floating besides the healer began to fill with writing from a quick notes quill. Minutes passed and Harry kept his eyes shut, too scared to open them, so he tried to zone out to the scratching of quill. It had to have reached the time by now, he began to count seconds in his head, heart beating as he realized that this was going on much longer than promised. Finally, after what felt like an hour, the healer’s voice called him.

“You can sit up Mr. Potter.” Her voice sounded oddly shaky. When he finally opened his eyes, he found the healer pale and watching him in a frozen shock. Tony was looking between them, obviously concerned and confused, while Harry tried to control his panic, waiting for the healer to speak.

“Um..” The healer started, obviously trying to breathe, a far cry from the composed persona she had on not thirty minutes ago. “I would recommend…further evaluation at a larger hospital. I could refer you…”

“No.” Harry said, letting a calm facade wash over him, slowly standing from the bed. “You have all of the registration requirements. I am leaving now.”

“Wait!” She said frantically. “Please! You have to be admitted…to see a specialist healer…something!”

Now was Tony’s turn to panic. “Why? What’s wrong with him?!”

She ignored him, still looking at Harry with wide eyes, before whispering, “How are you still alive?”

Harry blanched.

“Answer my question! What’s wrong?” Tony said, nearly yelling at this point.

“It doesn’t matter.” Harry muttered. “I’m not going to a hospital…I’m fine.”

Tony now glared at him, for the first time since they met and Harry looked away. He could hear Tony take a deep steadying breath.

“At least give us a copy of the results…” Tony said, obviously trying to control himself. The healer nodded, duplicating the parchment, seemingly on autopilot, and handing it to Harry who immediately shoved it in his pocket. Tony huffed.

“Am I free to go?” Harry asked, now looking firmly at the floor.

“But..but..your core…”

Harry’s breath quickened. “Is it unstable?”

“No… it's gone!”

Chapter Text

Chapter 12: Grimmauld Place

Tony watched with bated breath as Harry’s face paled further.

”But that’s…” Harry stammered, all pretense of calm gone. "That's impossible, I can still use my wand, I can still use magic!”

The healer just shook her head, looking at him with a mix of fear and awe. “I don’t know where your magic is coming from, but it’s not coming from your core.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper, as if she couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth, “Your core…your magic … is dead…”

Harry’s shivering kept getting incrementally worse and it looked like he was beginning to disassociate, eyes locked on some fixed point above the healer's shoulder, breaths coming out in short gasps. Tony could feel panic building. What the hell was he supposed to do?! Tony had never, in his entire life, acknowledged that he was out of his depth, not as a twelve year old at MIT, not when he took over the company, not when he became Ironman and fought literal gods, but at the moment he felt like he was at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

The one thing he did know is that no matter what was wrong, MACUSA was not a safe place to handle it, not when they seem to already have Harry on their shit-list. Step one, get them out.

”Okay, we’re leaving.” Tony placed a hand on Harry’s arm, receiving a flinch from his son. He began to guide them out of the healing rooms, Healer Douglas chasing after them.

”Wait! We have to do more tests! You can’t leave!”

Tony kept walking, pushing an unresponsive Harry along. He called over his shoulder. “No, we have done what we came here to do.”

”But he’s injured!”

Tony stumbled slightly, hesitating before continuing forward. Not here, not here.

”And I will take him to a doctor myself, but we are done here!”

Tony exited the wing, letting the door slam shut behind them. He leaned against it for a heartbeat, letting his eyes close and taking a breath. One eye squinting open, he took in the astonished and confused faces of the crowd waiting for them. But he ignored them for now, his priority was Harry.

Harry was silent, standing stiffly beside him, eyes wide and glassy, apparently unaware of the aurors watching him warily and the concern on his friends' faces. Tony doubted that he would respond to any questions or comfort directed his way. The only way to help him now was to get him to a safe place, away from this damn building. He kept a grasp on Harry’s arm, before addressing McAllister.

”He’s completed the exams and we are leaving. Do not follow us, do not stop us or I will burn this place to the ground.” He let his voice darken. Thor looked confused for a second, before lifting his hammer, obviously willing and ready to follow through. “and if I hear that his confidentiality has been breached in any way, I will do much worse than that.”

Tony held a hand out. “The law wizard’s information…if you would.”

McAllister, who had been stunned silent, let his smile slowly spread back over his face.

”Of course, here is a pamphlet to get you started.” There was a slight glint in his eye. “Feel free to owl me with any further questions or concerns. Have a nice day.”

Tony immediately started forward, the rest of the group following his lead. He could see the aurors move to follow out of the corner of his eye before McAllister stopped them with a subtle shake of his head.

”What are we looking for Hermione?” Tony asked, not breaking his stride.

“Portkey office, we are already scheduled.”

He grabbed a random wizard passing, who had his nose in a stack of parchment.

”Excuse me, sorry, do you know where the portkey office is?”

Disgruntled, the man pointed up the hall. Tony led on, not quite at a run. Once they entered the office, he had to stop though, having no idea of what he was looking for. The office had 50 or so stations with reserved plaques on each, in front of what appeared to be random junk. A rusty tire here, an old shoe there. Luckily, Hermione jumped in, muttering to herself while looking through the reservations.

Finally, she came to a stop in front of a hairbrush. “Okay, this is us. Everyone get a hand on it and I will start the countdown. ”

If it were a different situation, Tony would laugh at Thor’s hulking frame squished, trying to get a single fingertip on an old, princess hairbrush. In fact, he probably would laugh about that later, but for now he braced himself. Double checking that Harry had a finger on as well, he was ready to get out of here.

“5-4-3-2..”

Tony felt that same sensation, a hook in his navel and the feeling of being squeezed through a tube. This time it lasted longer than a few seconds though. It must have been a full minute later when the sensation left him with a loud pop and they all landed in a heap on the floor.
….

Harry barely remembered leaving the ministry. He remembered Tony’s hand on his arm as they left the healing rooms, but his mind completely blanked, the world seeming to blur around him, until that pull of the portkey engulfed him. Before he knew it, he was on the floor. The scent of stale dust and ancient parchment filled his nose as he inhaled. He rolled onto his back, eyes still closed and could feel movement around him as everyone else got to their feet.

Before he could sit up himself, he heard a shrieking cry.

“Intruders!!” Kreacher’s raspy screech rang out. Harry’s eyes shot open to see Kreacher running in, a frying pan held high over his head.

“Woah, woah woah!” Harry held his hands up, scrambling to his feet, trying to ignore the way his head spun. “It’s okay Kreacher, they're with me!”

He suddenly paused, frying pan dropping to the floor. “Master Harry? You’ve returned earlier than Kreacher thought you would!”

“Master Harry?” Harry turned to Tony who was smirking. Harry felt his face burn.

“Um…I’m not staying for very long Kreacher, I have to get back to America today…”

“Oh” Kreacher’s face dropped back into a scowl.

“I’m sorry.. I will…,” Guilt rose in Harry’s chest. He was not looking forward to the conversation he would have to have with the elf. “I will explain everything before I leave, I promise.”

Kreacher nodded, still looking put out. “As Master says.” He squinted at the party around him, all still brushing themselves off from the portkey. “Should Kreacher get drinks for Master’s nast…Master’s guests.”

“Um..sure Kreacher..thanks.” Kreacher grumbled to himself as he skulked away, frying pan dragging behind him. Harry sighed, running a hand over his eyes, still dizzy.

He heard Tony clear his throat.

“So…where are we and who was that?” Tony asked, looking around him at the crumbling, dark wallpaper and dusty velvet furniture. Thor was already walking from room to room, stepping over the remains of junk that littered the floors from when the death eaters trashed the place almost a full year ago now. Harry really should have cleaned.
“We are in Grimmauld place. It was an ancestral home for an old wizarding family. It was my godf..it's my house. I’ve been staying here for a few months.” Harry said, eyes adjusting to the gloom.

He braced himself against the nearest wall. He couldn’t do this. He needed to be alone…just for a few minutes. ‘Your magic is….dead.’ The healer’s voice rang in his ears and the bone deep chill that settled on him in MACUSA refused to dissipate.

“I’m just going to head upstairs for a second…to, um, pack my stuff.” He refused to look at any of them as he pushed himself off of the wall.

Harry could hear Hermione call after him but he kept moving. He stumbled away, ignoring the concerned gazes he could feel settle at his back. Heading up the stairs, he allowed himself to collapse his couch, the same couch that he rotted away on for months. The pillow leaning against the armrest still had a crease in the shape of his head, and he sunk into it, hiding from the world.

He felt hollow, like whatever fire had sustained him for the first 17 years of his life had been snuffed out. He had felt this absence, this longing since he woke up in the forest. Since he left the warmth and light and woke in the cold. He felt more ghostlike than alive, like he was floating through a world that had already tried to rid itself of him. Harry knew something was wrong, that something was missing but getting the confirmation that a part of him was still…dead…was just…he didn’t even know.

Groaning, he pushed himself off of the couch and walked over to the bookshelf on the other side of the room. Shifting through some old textbooks, he brought out his old leather-bound photo album. He flipped through the yellowing pages until he came to his favorite photo. The one where his parents were laughing, dancing among falling leaves. Merlin, they looked so young, so happy, so full of life.

He wondered how he would look next to them, if they were here. His gaunt frame, thin and scarred, broken, next to their lives so full of love and promise. He knew that they had their own trials and fears, especially after finding that letter, but he couldn’t help but feel..empty..looking at them. An ache built behind his eyes as he watched them dance.

“You know, I took that picture.”

Harry jumped and slammed the book shut. Head whipping to the room entrance, he saw Tony leaning on the doorframe, soft, sad eyes still on the photo album.

Harry didn’t know what to say, so he just stared at him.

Tony didn’t seem to need a response, caught in a memory. “One day, they visited me, out of the blue, dragging me out of my lab for the first time in days.” He chuckled.
“They said that I needed to get some fresh air, so we got a cabin in the Appalachian mountains in the middle of fall. One morning, we went on a hike and came to this old courtyard covered in cobblestone in the middle of the woods. James and I complained the whole way up, of course”

He smiled softly. “Lily said that it looked like the ruins of a castle and James asked if the queen of the castle would like to dance. The leaves were falling and they looked beautiful. I took the picture just before they asked me to join them. We must have stayed there for hours…”

Harry looked away, feeling his eyes fill with unshed tears.

“I sent them the picture a week after they went into hiding. Just to an old P.O box we used when I couldn’t return their owl. I had always hoped they got it. They must have, if you have it now.”

Harry shook his head slightly, throat feeling tight.

“I don't know…a friend gave me this when I was eleven, but I never asked where he got the pictures…”

Tony just kept smiling. “It doesn’t matter now. It went to a good place either way. I’m glad you have it.”

Harry turned back towards the bookshelf. “It was the first picture of them I ever had.”

Tony didn’t respond. He walked over to sit on the couch, folding his hands in his lap. Harry swiped his sleeve over his eyes, before turning back to the couch, album in hand. For a while, Tony just let Harry stare into the distance, keeping him company while giving him space to think.

Now that they were sitting together and Harry’s mind was more clear, embarrassment grew. His father just spent the last thirty minutes hearing government officials call him dangerous, criminal and then Tony was forced to drag him through MACUSA because he couldn’t even get through a routine medical exam. He must seem like a freak…

Now Harry began to get restless, fidgeting as he glanced at the man next to him.

“Harry…”

Tony turned towards him, trying to meet his eye. Harry held his breath.

“I don’t want to push you… I wanted to wait until you were ready to tell me what happened to you, but a lot of things were said today that I don't understand…”

Tony sighed.

“I know that they were pretty much full of shit, politicians always are, but… with the healer and everything. I want to help…but I can't help if I don't know what's going on.”

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but his voice caught in his throat. When he finally spoke, it was in a whisper.

“I want to tell you but I don’t know if I can…it's a long story.”

Tony looked at him. “I was once held hostage in Afghanistan.”

Harry looked at him in surprise.

“And after I got back, I couldn’t talk about it for months. Pepper tried over and over again to get me to tell her what happened but I just…couldn’t. It's okay if you can’t now, but I just wanted to let you know that, when you’re ready, I’m ready to listen.”

Harry just stared at him, trying to force himself to speak.

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be, you have nothing to be sorry for.”

Harry looked away. “...Ron and Hermione. They can tell you some stuff…explain why Jackson thought I was dangerous. I’m really not…”

At that Tony laughed. “Kid, look at the people you ended up with, you’re talking to the merchant of death. We are all dangerous. Being dangerous doesn’t mean we are bad people, it just means we have more power to do what we think is right.”

Tony stood up and brushed off his pants. “I’m going to go make sure that Hammer Hands down there doesn’t break anything…take as much time as you need.” He started walking to the door.

“Tony,” Harry called out. “Thank you..”

Tony smiled at him and walked out.

…

Tony felt like he was leaving his heart behind when he left the room, but he knew from experience that sometimes a person needs a second to themselves. He did what he could and let Harry know he was there.

He made his way back down the creaky stairs. Damn, you think a magical house wouldn’t be so…dilapidated. Coming down to the landing he saw Hermione and Ron sitting quietly, both holding some impressively filthy mugs of an unknown substance, while Kreacher stood in the kitchen doorway, glaring at them suspiciously. He could hear Thor’s heavy footsteps exploring the house.

Hermione looked up as he came in. “How is he?”

“I don’t know…better than he was.”

Hermione nodded solemnly.

“So, are you going to tell us what happened in the healer’s?”

Tony sighed. “Honestly, I didn’t really understand it. Whatever it was had both him and the healer pretty rattled.” That was an understatement. “The healer said that he’s injured and something about an issue with his core.”

Ron blanched. “His core? That’s not good.”

Hermione let her head drop into her hands, glancing up at Ron. “I knew that I should have forced him to go to a healer after the battle, but we were in Australia and he was so insistent that he was fine…”

Ron shook his head. “Don’t blame yourself, Harry would rather bite his own hand off than admit something was wrong.”

Tony’s eyebrows furrowed, concerned. “I will find a wizard healer to see him the minute we get back. Someone not attached to MACUSA.” He had actually already sent the law wizards information to Pepper the minute Harry went upstairs with instructions to ask for their recommendations for a private healer. If Tony trusted anyone to be fast and discreet, it was Pepper and if he trusted anyone to cover their own asses, it was lawyers.

Tony tapped his fingers on the table, trying to keep up the appearance of calm. “Are you guys going to tell me now…what happened before New York?”

She and Ron exchanged a glance. “It’s sort of a long story.”

“So Harry said. I don’t need to know everything, just the basics. Enough to get my bearings among all these people who know way more than I do.”

Hermione hesitated before speaking. “What did Harry tell you…about how the Potters died?”

Tony’s eyes widened, and he tried to ignore the shock of pain in his chest. “Just that there was a dark wizard that pushed them into hiding and the protection spell failed.”

Hermione nodded. “The dark wizard's name was Voldemort.” Tony saw Ron flinch. “He had scores of followers under the banner of blood purity, but there were resistance movements against him. The Potter’s were a part of one of them and they were targeted for…various reasons.”

She took a deep breath. “The night James and Lily died, he tried to kill Harry too, but his spell rebounded and he went missing. Everyone thought that Harry had killed him and he became famous as the ‘boy who lived’, but Voldemort was alive, just weak.”

“Four years ago he was resurrected using Harry and as he slowly regained power, Harry became his main target. Eventually, Voldemort infiltrated the ministry and branded Harry a criminal.” She chuckled humorlessly, “Undesirable number one…”

“We were on the run for almost a full year after that, trying to find a way to kill him. Muggleborns were being rounded up and killed and the three of us were being hunted.” She stared into the distance and Ron grabbed her hand. “It all ended with a final battle and Harry was able to kill him but…a lot of people died. We actually thought Harry had died too…for a while.” She ended with a whisper.

She shook herself a little and looked into Tony’s face, which had fallen into a mix of horror and despair. “Anyway, that's the basics, at least what the public knows…any more and it’s not my place to tell you, Harry can do that.”

Tony opened and closed his mouth a few times, watching the teens who held on to each other’s hands, eyes haunted with the ghosts of a war Tony had never even heard of. He sat for a few minutes, trying to process what he heard and letting them process what they had said.

Eventually, his head cleared and instead of sadness, overwhelming anger flooded him. How fucking dare they!? How dare Jackson look his son in the eye, his son who was essentially a child soldier, and blame him for the violence of a genocidal maniac!? How dare Fury try to use his son as a weapon knowing what he had just been through!?

He pushed off of the table and started pacing, trying to control himself. No wonder Harry didn’t think anything was wrong with being forced to join the team. It sounds like he has been fighting for a long time.

Eventually, anger turned into self loathing. How could he have not known? Tony had access to some of the best surveillance systems on the planet, but he let his fear stop him from looking. He had not just abandoned his child, but his son had been forced to fight in a war and he never even knew. How many times did he drink himself to sleep while Harry dealt with danger, scared and alone.

He couldn’t change the past, but he wouldn’t leave his son to the vultures again. This time, they would have to go through him.

…

When Harry made his way down stairs, it was to complete silence. He actually worried for a second that everyone had left, but when he reached the landing, he saw everyone sitting in silence at the table.

He stopped, feeling the tense atmosphere he had entered into wash over him.

Coughing a bit, he kept walking towards the table.

“Hey guys, sorry about that. I got my stuff.” Harry said awkwardly, holding up his album, and a few other items, like his map and snitch. Was he going to act like it took him 30 minutes to get three items? Yes, yes he was.

Hermione and Ron looked up and smiled softly. “You’re good, mate.” Ron said, getting up out of his seat.

Harry looked at his two best friends, his two first friends. They had been together through hell and Harry didn't know if he was ready for them to go. But he had to do this on his own.

“So are you guys off, then?” He asked, trying to appear nonchalantly.

Hermione didn't respond, just got up and gave Harry a long hug, before slipping something into his hand. Harry looked down to see he was holding a familiar small mirror.

Hermione smiled, eyes wet. “I reverse engineered the spell on the Marauders mirrors. We each have one now..”

Harry looked at her incredulously. “Hermione, have I ever told you how brilliant you are?”

She laughed before poking him in the chest. “Listen to me, Harry Potter. You will keep us updated and use the mirror at least once a week, okay?”

Harry just nodded when Ron clapped him on the back. “We may be in the UK but we can get back if you need us, okay? You’re not alone.”

Hermione leaned in, “Anyway, it seems like we are leaving you in good hands..” She whispered, glancing at Tony and Thor, who were watching them with soft expressions, standing back as not to intrude.

And with that they left. Harry walked them to the floo, gave them a few final hugs and watched as they disappeared in a burst of green flames. He just stared at the empty fireplace for a few seconds. He felt like this marked an end of some kind…he couldn’t put his finger on it yet but it felt sad… Harry took a deep breath and turned around to the two people waiting for him. It was time to look forward.

….

The cave was surrounded by obsidian rock and no light seemed to pierce the shadows that spilled out onto the barren ground in front of it. Nothing grew on the grey ground surrounding the entrance, even birds were absent from the dull sky.

Two men kneeled in front of the cave entrance, eyes averted from the darkness.

A voice rang out from the shadows.

“What do you have to tell concerning the months you have betrayed your duty to me?”

One man hesitated before stepping forward.

“Tom Riddle has fallen.”

The voice sharpened. “What!? How has he failed given every chance at immortality? How has he died before repaying his debt?”

“Harry Potter, your majesty.”

“Ohh…my little…aberration.” The voice crooned and the two men visibly shivered. “And just where is Harry Potter now?”

The man continued, “My men tell me he has been spotted in America, under the control of SHIELD.”

The other man stood up as well and started speaking quietly, voice wavering.

“There is other news concerning SHIELD, your majesty.”

The man walked forward to whisper into the cave’s depths.

“My, my.” There was a cold laugh. “How perfect…”

Chapter Text

Chapter 13: The Healer

“Is this your first flight?”

Harry, Tony and Thor were all strapped into their seats on the Quinjet while Clint got ready for takeoff. Well, Tony and Harry were, Thor just grabbed a handrail and called it a day.

“In a plane, yes.” He was pushed back against the headrest as he felt the plane begin to ascend.

After Ron and Hermione left, Clint called in to tell them that he had touched down in an adjoining park. Once Harry spent some time calming Kreacher down, who was devastated that he was leaving Grimmauld, they left the dust and gloom and made their way to the jet, which was parked conspicuously in the middle of the only patch of grass in the neighborhood. Harry couldn't imagine the poor people bringing their kids for playtime only to see a multi-billion dollar jet parked right in front of their playground.

Tony cocked his head at Harry's answer.

“How many other ways are….oh, magic, forgot.”

Harry laughed lightly.

“Even for wizards, I think I've flown a relatively large amount.”

“Hmmm, I bet I've got you beat.” Tony smirked at him.

Thor let out a hearty laugh. “You cannot beat the distances I have traveled, Stark.”

“Yes, yes. You're an alien or god or whatever.” Tony rolled his eyes and Harry sighed. It seemed like he had inadvertently started a pissing contest.

“Well, Stark… I have flown with the power of Mjolnir, with the power of the bifrost -”

“The bifrost doesn't count, that's teleporting not flying!” Tony scoffed. “I engineered the most powerful single man flight device ever made. I have flown high-tech jets, helicopters, helipad -”

“Mortal technology cannot compete with the power of Asgard.” Thor looked at Tony, smug.

Harry laughed before cutting in, a little shyly.

“And how would a dragon compete, oh mighty Asgardian?”

They both turned to him, mouths hanging open.

“You've flown on WHAT?”

Harry snorted.

“A dragon, a hippogriff, which is sort of a half eagle, half horse, a thestral,” Harry ticked off on his fingers. He was a little embarrassed with himself for participating, but Thor and Tony's enthusiasm were infectious.

Tony started laughing, “Well, Point Break, I guess we’ve been beaten by Steve Irwin over here! Do you have beast-whispering powers I don’t know about?”

Thor smiled at him. “Your feats rival those of the Valkyries, riding into battle on a winged beast.”

“That makes me sound cooler than I am.” Harry blushed a little before smiling good naturedly. “Ron probably has us all beat, he flew us to school in a flying car once.”

Tony smirked. “That sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel. You know, it used to be a tech dream, to have flying cars. I think my father even tried to build one once.”

“I wouldn’t really classify it as ‘high-tech’,” Harry laughed. “Ron’s dad liked to experiment with muggle things and this one got a bit out of hand. After we sorta…uh…stole it and crashed it into a tree…it grew a personality. It ran away and lives in a forest now.”

“You stole a car which…ran away…”

Harry shrugged, “Well, we meant to borrow it but then…yeah. It ran away.”

Tony groaned and let his head fall forward, “Everytime I think I can’t be surprised anymore, I am sorely disappointed.”

“I have to agree, Stark. I have a feeling that you will be surprising me for a while longer.” Thor looked at Harry with an unreadable expression. “I look forward to it.” Harry felt his face heat up under Thor’s gaze. He ducked his head.

“Yes…well.” Tony looked between them with narrowed eyes, before turning back to Harry. “Try not to surprise me too much, your old man has a bad heart!”

Harry laughed and gave him a small salute, making Tony roll his eyes. The plane shook a little with turbulence and Harry gripped his shoulder straps tightly.

They passed the rest of the time in the air quietly, which Harry was grateful for. This morning had been… a lot… and he needed the time to just float for a while, trying to center himself again after he had been thrown so severely off balance. Thor was looking out of the window, hammer still held loosely in his grip and Tony had spent the last six hours typing furiously on his phone, barely looking up except for the occasional glance at Harry.

Eventually, Clint called out from the cockpit. “We are 30 minutes out.”

Harry snapped out of the comfortable fugue state he had drifted into. Tony sighed, finally putting his phone down.

“Those things rot your brain, you know.” Harry remembered hearing that on the radio once over the summer, during one of the few times he had been allowed to sit in the kitchen between backbreaking chores.

Tony laughed a little, obviously still a little distracted. “Well if they do, it is definitely too late for me at this point.

“Everything okay?”

Tony sighed. “Yes…just trying to get a few things ready for us when we get home.”

“Speaking of which.” Tony started, a little hesitant this time. “I should probably warn you…a magical healer is waiting for us at the tower. My new lawyers have already vetted him and drawn up an NDA.”

Harry gaped at him. “Tony, it’s been like,” he checked his old, cracked watch, “Six hours! How in Merlin’s name do you already have a team of lawyers?”

Tony grinned. “Pepper.”

Ah.

“I forwarded her the law wizard information and she took off from there. I’ve been coordinating with her, although I doubt she needed the help.”

Harry was suddenly a bit uncomfortable. “Tony…I don’t need a healer.”

“Harry, please…” Desperation flashed across Tony’s face and Harry looked away. “You can’t seriously tell me that you don’t need medical attention after…after what happened in the ministry.”

Harry grimaced, not wanting to think about it. “You have already given me medical attention…”

“Well, obviously Dr. Smith didn’t catch everything.”

Harry looked away. He probably would have caught more if Harry hadn’t put up a few glamours at the last two appointments. Dr. Smith could obviously tell that something was off. Harry could tell by the suspicion sent his way while Dr. Smith completed the exams, but he hadn’t said anything. Maybe just chalking it up to some type of unexplained power, considering the man was obviously used to treating the plethora of enhanced individuals that made their way onto the Avengers.

At first he justified the glamours by telling himself that the doctor was a stranger. Harry had learned the hard way not to trust easily, but even without that, there were some things he just didn’t want to be confronted with. Some of his secrets were carved into his very skin.

“Although he even said you should be admitted to the hospital.” Tony continued.

Harry wished he could say he was surprised at that. He knew he was a wreck, but his health had never seemed more important than his privacy, or at least the shreds of it he had been able to maintain. One of those shreds being the Dursleys…

Almost as if Tony could read his mind, he continued. “This won’t be like the ministry, or even Dr. Smith. This will be completely private, you don’t even have to tell me anything. I just want you to be okay and…I’m not ashamed to admit that the appointment earlier scared me.”

Harry tried to look away from the concern in Tony’s eyes.

“Harry… You are my son.” Harry’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t think he would ever get used to hearing those words. “I can’t let you walk around as if everything is okay when I know something is wrong. I just…can’t.”

Harry nodded slowly. “It will be private, right?”

“Completely private. Pepper even mentioned something about an NDA from the law wizards with some kind of magic oath.”

Harry looked at him surprised, he had never realized that those were an option. Although, thinking about it, he was suddenly reminded of the word ‘SNEAK’ plastered across Marietta's forehead. Maybe, just this once, he should trust in the process.

“Fine.” He whispered. Tony nodded. He still looked concerned but apparently chose to let the matter lie.

…

Harry was back in his room in the tower, burrowing under a blanket, searching for warmth. He had never moved out of the room with all of the medical equipment and with how much his health had been the subject of scrutiny lately, he was unlikely to anytime soon. He sighed as he let himself fall back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling.

The minute they landed, Pepper had ushered Tony away to go deal with lawyers and paperwork, although not before giving Harry a long hug.

“We are here for you.” She whispered before letting him out of the embrace.

Harry was a little embarrassed, wondering how much she knew. Although considering Pepper and Rhodey seemed to be to Tony what Ron and Hermione were to him, Harry wouldn’t be surprised if Tony had been giving them hourly updates throughout the whole affair. Harry was surprised, however, to find that he didn’t mind. Harry was shocked at how quickly he had grown attached not only to Tony, but to Pepper and Rhodey as well. It was a little terrifying…

Although not as terrifying as what was about to happen. Tony wanted to vet the healer himself before sending him up, but that just gave Harry time to stew.

Harry sighed. At least it seemed the big revelations were out of the way. This was going to be just like a visit to Madam Pomphrey. No big deal, he told himself over and over, trying to believe it.

Harry jolted into a sitting position at a gentle knock on the door. Here goes nothing…

“Um…you can come in.” Harry called out awkwardly, throwing the blanket off of him. He brought a hand up to flatten his hair over his scar out of habit and took a shuddering breath.

The door opened to reveal a wizard, short in stature with a dusting of grey hair on his head. His face was round, with the beginning of frown lines appearing between his eyes, and while his expression was stoic, it was not unkind. He was wearing similar green robes to the ones he saw at the ministry, but they were much darker and missing the MACUSA symbol embroidered over the pocket. He had a beaten leather healer’s bag clutched in his grip.

The healer closed the door gently behind him before addressing Harry.

“Hello Mr. Potter.” He had an accent Harry couldn’t place. Southern american, maybe? His drawling voice was soft and melodic, contrasting his serious expression. “My name is Strauss. May I take a seat?”

“Of course.” He stammered, gesturing to the chair beside him. Harry could feel his shoulders tense as the healer took a seat and placed his healer bag beside him, moving fluidly and without any sudden gestures. Harry could have sworn that the healer was moving slowly on purpose, but maybe that was in his imagination.

They sat silently for a heartbeat, Harry fighting the urge to squirm under the healer’s measuring gaze.

“So,” Healer Strauss began after it was clear Harry wasn’t going to say anything. “I am told you have some understandable concerns about privacy, so I would like to discuss some of the measures in place before we begin the exam.”

Harry nodded.

“I have signed a magically binding non-disclosure agreement, which was performed in addition to my already present healer’s oath regarding patient welfare and consent.” He waited for Harry to nod to signal his understanding before continuing.

“What this means is that I cannot share any of your medical information or other personal information discussed during the course of treatment without potentially losing my magic.” Harry’s eyes widened in shock, and opened his mouth to speak but Strauss waved him off. “This is actually standard practice among independent healers, especially with those working with high profile patients.”

“The only exception to this confidentiality arrangement is if you give explicit consent for me to share information with a certain individual.”

Harry hesitated slightly, before nodding again. Honestly, this was more assurance than Harry was expecting and it began to settle his nerves slightly.

“Can I have your verbal agreement that you understand?”

Harry took a deep breath. “I understand.”

“Okay, let’s begin.” Harry flinched as the Healer drew his wand. Harry flushed a little as Strauss deliberately slowed his movements, obviously noticing Harry’s reaction. Well, it definitely wasn’t his imagination this time.

“I am just going to cast a few of my own diagnostic spells.” He said, moving his wand in sweeping motions through the air. Harry could feel the magic settling on him once more.

“Although while those are going, I was told that you had a medical history taken by a MACUSA examiner. Would you mind if I took a look?”

Harry grimaced as he reached to grab the forgotten roll of parchment from his pocket, the one he had hastily shoved away before even glancing at it.

Strauss took it from his hand, eyebrows furrowing as he flattened out the creases and scanned its contents.

Harry saw the Healer’s eyes widen for a split second, before settling back into his previously stoic expression. Harry let go of the breath he was holding. It seemed like this healer wasn’t going to freak out. Something about the relaxed way Strauss held himself calmed Harry slightly as well, and he felt some of the tension leave his shoulders.

‘Well, I’m guessing this was not what the MACUSA healer was expecting from a standard background exam…”

Harry laughed despite himself. “No, I guess not. She wasn’t keen on letting us leave.”

Strauss snorted. “No, I can’t imagine she was.”

Finally Strauss put the results down. “Okay, so we are going to tackle this in a few stages…”

“Stages?” Harry’s face dropped. That sounds…extensive.

Strauss smirked. “Yes, stages Mr. Potter. You are going to be stuck with me for quite a while, I’m afraid.”

Harry resigned himself to being poked and potioned for the time being. He knew deep down that this was for the best. He wanted to look forward and it was hard to do that when he was still carrying the aches and pains of the past.

“So our first step is going to be to address your most urgent concerns, the conditions that are currently causing you discomfort. Where are you in pain at the moment?”

Harry opened his mouth, before hesitating. Strauss narrowed his eyes. “And do not tell me you are not.” He shook the papers. “I have proof to the contrary.”

Harry blushed. “I guess my chest and my arm. And I’ve been feeling a bit…cold recently.” He grumbled.

“That is what I expected.” He hummed to himself. “You have a substantial curse injury on your sternum. I would be surprised if it wasn’t bothering you.”

Harry rubbed the center of his chest, trying to ignore the rough, scarred skin under his fingertips.

“Now, have you received treatment for it previously and do you remember what curse hit you? The diagnostics couldn’t pinpoint it.”

“No and the…um…killing curse.” Harry tried to control the sudden onset of nausea he felt at saying it out loud. He looked away.

That gave Strauss pause, probably for the first time during the appointment so far, but he recovered quickly.

“I’m going to place an extraction paste on it. Excess energy from curses can cause discomfort even after the curse itself has lost effect and that particular curse, I’m guessing, holds a fair amount of energy. This should speed up the dissipation if you use it daily.”

“Thank you.” Harry murmured, taking the offered jar.

“Now, your arm is covered in untreated burns, but it’s odd for a burn to last this long without fully healing unless cursed. Was it a normal or enchanted fire?”

“Fiendfyre.” Harry muttered. Strauss just looked at him for a heartbeat before rummaging through his healers bag.

“Use this twice a day until the skin returns to its natural color.” Handing him another potion jar. “Additionally, it looks like you have an old, badly healed break in that arm. We are going to have to re-break it to knit the bone back together.” Strauss said, a hint of sympathy creeping into his otherwise professional tone.

Harry shrugged. He hadn’t even noticed any pain beyond the burns, but looking back, his left arm had ached since well-before hogwarts. “Might as well get it over with…”

“We will do that last before I leave.” He rummaged through his notes.

“Okay, now. I cannot find a source of the cold, except for the educated guess that it has something to do with your…missing..core.”

Harry’s heart skipped a beat. “Can you do something about that?”

Strauss shook his head, a grain of sadness in his eyes. “Unfortunately I cannot. I can stabilize a core but not replace one. However, you are still able to use magic, yes?”

Harry nodded slowly.

Strauss looked at him with calculating eyes. “I don’t know what your source is but it is unique to you…I think we should give whatever changes are occurring the chance to settle, but we will watch it carefully.”

They sat in silence for a while, but when it became clear that Harry wasn’t going to speak further, Strauss continued.

“A few more questions, and then the rest can wait until next time, I know it's getting late.” He wasn’t wrong, the sun had set while they were talking and the room had slowly dimmed.

“Do you have any persistent body aches?”

“..I think so..maybe.”

Strauss sighed. “Your report shows multiple rounds of the cruciatus curse, remnants of acromantula venom, and a worryingly large amount of Basilisk venom, all of which can cause persistent, diffuse pain.”

“Basilisk venom?” Harry’s eyes widened in surprise.

Strauss’s eyebrows furrowed. “Are you surprised?”

“I mean…sort of. I was bitten by a basilisk but then it seemed fine after a bit…well, after the phoenix tears.”

The healer opened his mouth before obviously thinking better of it. “Your life was returned to you, but the tears did not extract the venom.”

“Uh…okay.”

Strauss handed him another stack of jars, which Harry struggled to hold for a bit before plopping what must be 20 potions at this point onto the bed next to him.

They fell into an awkward silence as the healer’s quill scratched away, writing out his instructions.

“You must've been in a lot of pain for a long time.” Harry looked up surprised, but Strauss just continued writing, almost as if he hadn’t spoken.

“Uh… I don't know, I sort of stopped noticing after a while.”

Strauss looked at him with an unreadable expression. Not with pity, but something else, before finishing up with his parchment.

“Okay let's fix your arm and we can save the rest for next time. I will have to brew a few additional nutrient potions before addressing anything else anyway.”

Strauss took a hold of his arm before placing a sheet under it and laying it down gently.

“Are you ready?” Harry nodded, gritting his teeth.

“Episky.”

Harry heard a crack and felt a shock of pain before the healer began to move his wand, mending the bone back together. The sensation was odd, not painful but unsettling. It definitely beat chugging a bottle of Skele Gro, though. Eventually, he finished, placing Harry's arm in a sling.

“Do I really have to wear this?” Harry asked grumpily, shaking his arm slightly.

Strauss fixed him with a stern glare. “Constantly, Mr. Potter, for at least a week. I do not trust your bone strength at the moment with how malnourished you are.”

Harry flushed.

“That exhausts what I can do in this session but I will see you in one week. Is there anyone I should inform of your results and treatment? I would advise letting your lawyers know through Mr. Stark, so that they at least have the same information as MACUSA.”

“You can tell Tony the results…I think I scared him a bit earlier.” Harry sighed, brain still a little fuzzy from the pain in his arm. “He should probably know I'm okay…”

Strauss stopped abruptly and looked Harry in the eye.

“...You are not okay, Mr. Potter.”

Harry looked at him, eyes wide.

“But we will get you there, eventually.” He finished with a smile, before leaving Harry to his thoughts.

…

Tony sat at a table in one of his spare conference rooms with Pepper besides him, shuffling through documents. He was surrounded by pearly white smiles, briefcases and hands perfectly folded in front of them. Lawyers.

Tony used to hate lawyers, back when he was young and had to go to court frequently as fallout from less-than cautious inventing, or when he got kicked out of school, or company lawyers after his father died, or… the point was he had to deal with them more than he would have liked to. But now, he has definitely adopted the mantra of ‘if you can’t beat them, join them.’ He realized that they were at the mercy of power, wealth and law…but lawyers..now lawyers were the key to all of it. Unfair or not, it was true. They were power and they were protection, and he was going to make sure that Harry had access to the best of it, whether muggle or magical.

”So, Mr. Stark…” One law witch spoke up after the healer had left to examine Harry. “Ms. Potts has told us that you would like a team of lawyers to help you navigate interactions with MACUSA, but not much more than that. How, specifically, can we help you?”

“First of all, thank you for coming so quickly and submitting to Pepper’s questions. I’m sure they were extensive.” Tony smirked at her before receiving a swift elbow to the ribs.

“Not at all. We can definitely appreciate caution and thoroughness.” Another said, smiling at Pepper.

”Well, she has to deal with the legal side of our entire enterprise and the fallout from my dumbass decisions, so I would expect nothing less. I know she has dealt with all the contracts and privacy discussions, so I’m just going to jump to the heart of the matter.”

Tony sighed, taking a drink first he water in front of him. “I don’t really need legal representation for myself, but for my son. We seem to have gotten on the wrong side of President Jackson and my shady shit radar is going off.”

”And your son is..?”

He looked at Pepper who nodded tightly.

“Harry Potter.”

Tony saw eyes widen in shock and confusion around the room, he even heard one of the lawyers gasp. However, the law witch sitting directly across from him recovered quickly.

”Is Mr. Potter going to be subject to MACUSA for a prolonged period of time? I wasn’t aware he lived in America.”

”That’s just it. MACUSA, the British Ministry, and one of our government agencies, have strong-armed him into fighting with the Avenger’s in response to the very necessary, fighting for his life, breach in secrecy that occurred a week ago.”

Everyone nodded, obviously knowing the incident he was referring to, but the lawyer across from him frowned.

“Was he officially charged with anything?” She asked.

Tony shook his head and the frown deepened.

“It isn’t legal to detain a person from another country’s jurisdiction, even with international collaboration, without the wizard or witch being under arrest, either charged or temporarily detained with probable cause.”

Tony liked this witch. “What’s your name again?”

“Juris, Mr. Stark.”

“Would you mind coming on as my son’s primary legal counsel, Ms. Juris? I would pay any fee necessary and more, as Pepper probably already set up. Although, my funds are mostly held in non-magical currency.”

Juris smiled, although now looking closer, it was an uncannily shark-like grin. A shark lawyer…exactly what he was looking for.

“I wouldn’t worry about that. I am well versed in the exchange rates.”

Of course she was.

“Now let's talk business…”

An hour later, Tony, Mrs. Juris, and the other lawyers put together a few basic game plans, how to get in touch with them, documents they would need, etc.

Juris was absolutely horrified when she found out that they had tried to fudge Harry’s medical history, and have him take the exam in front of a room full of auror’s.

“That breaks every privacy protocol MACUSA has in place for incoming wizards! Imagine what a trial court would say to the president trying to play god like that?! ”

Tony had a feeling that she would be willing to spell out their transgressions for them, in detail, with receipts. Damn, he liked her.

There was a knock on the conference room door, and Healer Strauss popped his head in.

“Welcome to the party..” Tony welcomed the healer. “How did it go?”

Strauss looked around. “May I speak with you privately, Mr. Stark?”

“Of course.” Tony responded calmly, trying to ignore the spike in his heart rate. He addressed the room. “Thank you all for coming last minute. Pepper will be in touch frequently, I am sure.”

He followed the healer out of the conference room and into the hallway. Muffled discussion continued through the closed door, but he was going to leave that in Pepper’s hands. His focus was entirely on the wizard in front of him.

Strauss gave a slight cough before bringing out a roll of parchment. Yes...parchment. Tony still couldn’t get over that but now was not the time.

“How was it? I mean…if I am allowed to ask that.” Tony stammered, all previous lawyer induced bravado gone.

“Mr. Potter has given consent for you to know his results, although…” Strauss drew a hand across his face, looking weary behind the stoically professional guise. “I do not think he has an accurate view on his medical condition, nor do I think he looked at his medical history. I imagine your reaction may not be what he expects…”

Tony’s heart clenched.

“I will not lie to you, his medical history, both magical and no-maj, is…distressing. Well, it may be better for you to just see...”

Strauss handed over the roll of parchment that he saw Harry shove away earlier that morning. Tony took it with shaking hands. A part of him wanted to stay ignorant, to not know the suffering of the son he left to the mercy of the world, but he had to. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath.

He unrolled the parchment.

For a second, the script on the page all blurred together, indiscernible. As it cleared, slowly revealing Harry’s life line by line, Tony’s horror grew. He scanned it the first time, and then again and again, eyes flitting back and forth across the page.

Tony knew that Harry’s life had not been easy, that much was clear from the moment he met him but…Jesus. Unnamed dark magic exposure at one, malnutrition documented from the age of two, with individual incidences of bruising or small fractures increasing with frequency over time. And if Tony thought that the clear, damning story of abuse was bad, then what was listed after the age of 11 was unimaginable. Countless magical injuries, bones vanished, venoms of all kinds, pages of accented latin Tony had no hope of deconstructing. There were no breaks between injuries, no periods of relief. It all came to one horrifying conclusion. Harry had been attacked over and over again for his entire life, since he was an infant. He had never known peace. He had never been safe, not at home, not at school…nowhere.

Tony could hear a ringing in his ears and his eyes blurred with tears. He could vaguely sense that Strauss was talking, but he wasn’t able to pull himself out of his own panic and guilt for long enough to hear.

Eventually, the world came back into focus. He looked up to meet Strauss’s eyes, which were looking at him with clear sympathy.

“Mr. Stark..” The healer started softly, obviously able to tell how shaken Tony was. “He is being treated. While none of this can be erased, he can be brought back to a state of good health. We will get him there.”

Tony nodded distractedly, hands holding the parchment still shaking. He suddenly remembered Strauss’s comment from earlier.

“What reaction do you think Harry expected me to have to all..this?” He said, waiving the report.

The corner of Strauss’s mouth twitched. “I think he was trying to reassure you after the events following his previous exam. I believe his words were, ‘he should know that I am okay’…”

“Okay?” Tony said weakly.

“I don’t want to break Mr. Potter’s trust, but I will say that I do not think he has the same definition of okay as you or I…at least from what I could glean during our limited conversation.”

Tony sighed. “Yeah…I gathered that as well.”

Strauss dusted imaginary dirt off of his robes. “I will be going for now, but I will reach out to schedule another appointment in a week. I have given Mr. Potter the instructions for his potions, so if you can, please try to encourage his compliance with the regimen.”

At Tony’s nod, he dipped his head. “Good night, Mr. Stark.”

And with that the healer left Tony alone in the dim hallway, parchment still in his trembling hands. He could hear the lawyers still discussing in the conference room, the voices wafting over him in a low murmur, but Tony made no move to go back inside. Instead, he leaned against the wall, breathing fast. Night had fallen while they were discussing, but the serenity that the quiet, calm darkness usually gave him was nowhere to be found.

Guilt and fury battled within him. He ran a finger down the list of injuries before 11 and his vision went red. A question came to mind that previously hadn’t been more than a passing thought. Who were his guardians?

“Jarvis.” His voice was hard.

“Yes, Sir.” The speakers above his head crackled with static.

“How much of Harry’s background were you able to obtain?”

“I am still attempting to compile a timeline. I checked through all standard agencies and was unable to obtain consistent information on Harry Potter’s whereabouts after September, 2005.”

“He would have been 11, yes?

“Yes sir. Prior to that time, he had records at a primary school in Surrey, United Kingdom.”

“No hospital records?”

“No sir.”

“And who were his legal guardians.”

“Petunia and Vernon Dursley.”

A sharp, dangerous grin spread across his face.

Perfect.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14: The Dream

Harry was warm, basked in the soft, yellow light emanating from the tunnel in front of him. He was on the platform again. This small world of his without pain or darkness. He didn’t know how long he just stood there, allowing himself to be wrapped in the peace of this place.

All of a sudden, a cry pierced the comfortable silence. A quiet, heartbreaking sob came from the tracks. Harry was drawn forward towards the cry, each step sounding like a clap of thunder to his ears as he forced himself to investigate this intruder. A sense of unease grew in his chest as he got closer and closer, until he finally looked over the edge of the platform. His heart stopped. 

There was a baby on the tracks. It wasn’t deformed, not like the remnant of Voldemort’s soul was, but it was grey and gaunt. The thin infant was curled in on itself, weeping. A lightning shaped wound covered its face, blood spilling over it’s forehead, pooling around the small body. 

Harry felt his unease grow into despair. He jumped down onto the tracks, desperate to hold it, desperate to stop the bleeding. Kneeling next to the crimson pool, his breath quickened and he felt himself start to panic. His hands hovered over the small body, unsure of what to do, before finally, he placed his hand over the wound, trying to stem the flow of blood. Pressing against his forehead, the warmth of the station turned to cold and Harry could feel the child shake under his touch. Watching on in horror, he could see the skin under his hand start to turn black. He snatched his hand away, but it was too late. The darkness began to grow, spread across the child’s skin until it was engulfed. 

The child crumbled in front of his eyes, black dust mixing with blood. He brought his hands up to his face and saw his skin blacken as well. Darkening veins ran up his arms as he fought the urge to scream. Just as his field of vision began to narrow, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. 

A hand shot out of the blood, grabbing his neck. The world around him began to spin. 

“My, my.” A voice whispered in his ear. “Such power…such pain.” He felt a presence press against his back as the voice continued, long nails digging into his throat.

“I have never met one so young who knew death so well…” 

Harry tried to speak, but he could only take in a raspy breath.

“Such a shame…it’s rare that I meet an individual as interesting as you. But you encroached on my power, on my kingdom…” The entity sighed, cold breath blowing across the side of his face. “So I have no choice…”

Harry clawed at his neck, but his hands grew numb and cold. Eventually, his struggling ceased. He felt his body go limp and his vision finally gave out.

“Once I am freed…I will destroy you…”

He screamed.

…

Harry jolted awake with a shout, hand flying to his neck. Gasping for air, he frantically tried to free himself from the tangled bedsheets that were choking him, panic refusing to subside until he fell off the side of the bed. 

Spread-eagle on the cold floor, he was finally able to take in a shuddering breath. He looked up at the ceiling trying to remember where he was. 

Right. New York. Stark Tower. Craning his neck to look around the room without having to sit up, he saw that his bedroom was empty. Nothing had changed except the clock, which now read 3 am. 

It was just a nightmare…

Harry let his head fall back to the floor with a thud. Harry was no stranger to nightmares. The war had seen to that. But that … that was one hell of a dream. He hadn’t had a nightmare like that since…well, since… Harry shivered, a wave of cold dread washing over him. He thought that with the end of the war he had seen the last of this kind of nightmare. The ones that feel so real that phantom pain lingers on the skin, the ones that write themselves into his memory, refusing to fade. It definitely didn’t feel like the horcrux fueled horrors that haunted his school-years, but this wasn’t normal.

He flinched as static sounded from overhead, nerves still on edge.

“Mr. Potter, do you require assistance?” Jarvis spoke from above, almost sounding concerned. “I can call Mr. Stark or Dr. Banner.”

Harry let out a sigh, trying to calm his racing heart. “No, I’m okay…I’m okay.”

“Are you sure, Mr. Potter? Your heart rate is elevated and you have hit your injured arm.”

Damn. Now that the adrenaline was starting to wear off, he could feel a burning pain in his elbow where he slammed it on the floor. Moving his arm, still tied in the sling, it didn’t seem to be broken or anything. Thank Merlin, Strauss would have killed him. 

Harry clambered to his feet before sitting on the edge of his bed. ‘ I have never met one so young who knew death so well…’ Green light flashed through his mind, the whispers of the veil, the blank eyes following him, haunting him. 

Harry shook his head slightly, trying to clear it. 

“I’m fine, Jarvis. Please don't call anyone.” 

There was a pause.

“Your similarities to Mr. Stark are astonishing.” 

Harry snorted. He could almost hear the AI roll its nonexistent eyes. Feeling a little more calm, he ran a hand over his face, trying to scrub the crust out of his eyes. He looked down at his pillow for a second longingly before abandoning the idea of sleep. It's not like he was sleeping well to begin with, and he sure as hell wouldn’t fall back asleep now. Instead he made his way to the kitchen. 

Full of restless energy, he felt the sudden urge to cook, to get lost in the rhythm of pots, pans and boiling water. He got like this at the Dursleys sometimes. After being shut away or a morning cleaning, cooking was the one chore he didn’t mind. It was rhythmic, quiet and cathartic. It calmed him. He grabbed some eggs from the fridge (stocked with Happy and Pepper’s help, because this lot was more than happy to live on takeout) and began to make some breakfast. It was a little difficult with one arm tied up, but he managed. He let his thoughts drift.

It had almost been a week since Harry had parted ways with Hermione and Ron after the Ministry and he was a little ashamed to admit that he had been sort of…hiding…a bit. The morning after the MACUSA visit, he couldn’t shake the feeling of embarrassment that overwhelmed him when he was around Tony. Everything sort of hit him at once, what Tony saw at the ministry, what the healer might have told him, nightmares, just everything… and without his friends as a buffer he fell back on old habits. 

Although the tower residents did not make it easy to fade into the background. He and Tony hadn’t spoken about what happened at MACUSA, but Harry could feel a subtle shift in the way Tony approached him. Tony seemed to be determined to make up for something, but Harry didn’t know what… maybe lost time. 

At the moment, that took the form of sitting Harry in front of a TV screen for hours everyday and regaling him with extensive commentary on every pop culture staple he had access to. (Despite a two hour debate, Harry still didn’t understand the whole Jar Jar Binks is actually a Sith thing…but whatever) Apparently, the fact that he hadn’t seen Star Wars was borderline blasphemy, as Tony made very clear to him. His determination, almost desperation, to spend time with Harry, to check on him, to make sure he was okay was a bit overwhelming (and a bit confusing) after spending the last three months holed up on a couch alone. But Natasha and Clint had joined in. Clint was horrified that neither Harry nor Steve had never heard of Legolas, and every movie night slowly became a full team event. They were rowdy, loud, and usually ended with someone making fun of Steve for being old, but they were…nice. 

Outside of that, Harry tried to keep mostly to himself, attempting to ease back into being around people again. Bruce would often seek him out when he snuck off somewhere, but he respected Harry’s unwillingness to talk. They usually sat together in comfortable silence, with Dr. Banner working quietly next to him.

Surprisingly, the other person Harry had found comfortable companionship with was Thor. Harry thought that Thor would be right up there with Clint and Rhodey in terms of testosterone-fueled chaos, but…he wasn’t. At least not when he was alone with Harry. Don’t get him wrong, Goldilocks was still infuriating. He would start off every conversation with either comparing earth to the might of Asgard or tales of his past battles, whether with frost giants or the microwave, but he seemed to be able to tell when Harry had had enough. When he needed space to breathe…

…

Harry looked out of the window, eyes unfocused. He had been hiding in a small room next to Tony’s workshop since he woke up. He just wasn’t able to face anyone today, not until he had come back to himself. It had just been one of those nights, dreams of green light, sorrow, guilt and emptiness. One of those nights that always left him with a heavy chest and shiver that he couldn’t shake. But it was his first one here at the Tower and he didn’t know what to do… He felt the overwhelming urge to apparate back to Grimmauld, to a dark, quiet sanctuary.

He jumped a little when the door opened behind him. Turning his head, he saw Thor walk in, grin firmly in place, probably to tell him about another victory over the coffee maker, but Harry just sighed and turned around, head buried in his hands. He just couldn’t … not right now.

He kept his head down for a while, waiting to hear the door open and close again, waiting for him to leave, but it never came. A minute passed, then five, then ten, until eventually Harry looked up. Thor had taken a seat across from him, shit-eating grin gone and replaced with…not pity…but something. Eyes meeting, some unspoken understanding passed between them.

Thor reached a hand out towards him slowly, waiting to see if he would pull away. When he didn’t, the hand rested on his arm. A grounding warmth. Harry didn’t know why he was letting him stay, why he didn’t get up and leave to deal with his mortification at being caught so….

But there was no judgment, no words. Thor was just…there. 

Harry didn’t know how long they stayed like that. 

Thor didn’t bring it up again, but sometimes Harry would catch Thor watching him. His gaze was soft and questioning, like Harry was a puzzle to unravel, something worth understanding.

…

Blinking, Harry looked around at the sound of birds chirping and morning sun hitting his eyes. He hated when this happened, when he looked up and it was suddenly tomorrow. He sighed and looked around at what he had made while on autopilot for the last few hours. A full-english spread was scattered around on various plates across the counter. Well, without the black pudding because apparently that didn’t exist in this weird ass country.

Not knowing what to do now and still a bit too anxious to actually eat what he had made, he went to sit on the couch, nursing a cup of tea. 

“Harry?” He startled a little as Tony stumbled in. Tony was rubbing a hand over his face, dark bags signalling a sleepless night. “What are you doing out here so early? Its…fucking hell…It’s five thirty in the morning!” 

Harry cocked an eyebrow. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“It’s not really waking up early if you never went to sleep.” Tony grumbled, obviously heading to the kitchen for coffee. 

“Were you in the workshop?”

“Yeah, I was working on the magic-repeling su-” Tony stopped in his tracks as he entered the kitchen. “Jesus! What is all this?”

Harry scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “I just wanted to make some breakfast…”

“For who?! An entire team of sumo wrestlers?”

“Let's be honest, between Captain and Natasha, they might as well be.”

“Well…” Tony grinned. “Jarvis get out the airhorn, the food’s getting cold.”

“Right away sir.”

Harry snorted. “They are going to be thrilled. You know I can just cast a warming spell, right?”

Tony waved him away as he grabbed a plate. “Eh, they could use a little discipline. We don’t want earth’s mightiest heroes getting lazy.”

“As if you can talk about being lazy, Stark.” Natasha smirked from the doorway, somehow already poised and alert at the crack of dawn. The same could not be said for Clint, who stumbled in before collapsing on the couch, grumbling. Harry had to hold back a laugh as everyone else shuffled into the living room in various levels of early morning disarray.

“You better have at least put on some coffee Tony.” Rhodey glared at his friend, still in boxers and a t-shirt. 

Tony smirked at all of them. “Is this any way to greet the ones who bring you food?”

Rhodey’s head whipped around. “Food?”

Tony laughed as they all ran to the kitchen.

”Where did you get all of this at 6 in the morning?!”

”Apparently my son does a great Gordon Ramsey impression.” Huh? Harry cocked his head at Tony, who smiled at him fondly.

“This looks amazing, Harry.” Steve said as he loaded up a plate. 

“This is quite the feast.” Thor walked in, looking around at the food before winking at Harry. 

Harry looked away quickly, and coughed. “It’s nothing.”

”Nothing?!” Clint exclaimed as everyone settled on the couch with their plates. “After living off of leftover takeout for the past week, you call this nothing?” He mumbled through a mouthful of food that had Natasha side eyeing him with disapproval. 

”Where did you learn to cook Harry?” Natasha asked, taking a bite of roasted tomato.

”Um..” Harry looked away, a little flustered from the attention, and shrugged. He never really learned how to cook, he was just shoved in front of the stove and told not to burn anything.

Harry felt Natasha’s gaze remain on him as he fidgeted with his hands.

”Well I guess…I used to cook a lot as a kid, but I was never any good.” Natasha nodded, grin fading as she obviously sensed his hesitancy. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see something dark flash across Tony’s face, but it faded just as fast, quickly returning to his normal level of smug.

”What? If you didn’t already have a job as Merlin supreme, I would hire you full time.” Tony said, taking another bite of eggs. His face softened as he watched Harry. “But as I don’t, you know there is no pressure to cook, right?“

Harry nodded, face a little red with embarrassment. They finished breakfast in a comfortable silence, quiet conversations breaking out as the sun rose. Harry could feel the residual anxiety from his nightmare fade as the relaxing morning continued. 

And then the phone went off.

Natasha picked up her cell, face going blank as she listened to the quiet murmuring on the line. Harry strained his ears, but couldn’t hear what was being said. Everyone was tense, eyes on Natasha as she nodded along with whatever was being said. 

“Yes, Director. We will be there in 20.” She finished, voice rough, before hanging up. 

She looked around the room, expression grave, before nodding at Steve.

Captain stood from the couch, “Let’s suit up. Brief us on the way”

In an instant, the room became a flurry of activity. Last dregs of coffee laid forgotten as weapons and armour seemed to appear out of nowhere and the previously groggy Avengers readied themselves for action. 

Harry felt his anxiety return in full force. The sense of foreboding he had felt since he woke up washed through him, but he shook it off, frustrated with himself. He had to get a grip. Standing up, he turned to grab his wand. 

“Woah, woah.” Tony’s eyes widened, halfway to putting on his helmet. “What do you think you are doing?”

Harry froze. “Well, it's not like I need anything else. Let me just grab my broomstick and I…”

“No!” Tony interrupted. “You don’t need to get ready, you are staying here!”

“What are you talking about?” Harry looked at him, confused. Everyone else had also turned towards him. Harry’s eyes flicked between each of their grim faces. “I have to come….I mean, that’s sort of why I’m here, right?”

“Our team is already working on a way to get you out of that.” Tony shook his head and his eyes shifted to Harry's arm still in a sling “Just…stay. You’re still healing and … we can’t let you get hurt. We want you safe.”

His confusion turned into hot anger. Memories of secrets, of being locked away ‘for his own safety’ and of Mrs. Weasley looking him in the eye, saying ‘He’s just a boy’ shuffled through his mind. Silence followed by deaths, so many deaths. Well, he wouldn’t let that happen anymore. Harry didn’t give a damn if Tony thought he would be a burden out there. He could bloody well take care of himself and he would do what he was here to do. He wouldn’t let them see him as weak…

Harry looked Tony right in the eye and ripped off his sling. He ignored the protests around him as he stood his ground, forcing his face blank. 

“I will not be kept locked away while others risk their lives.” Harry saw Tony’s face fall at the coldness of his voice. “And I can take care of myself.”

“No, I’m no…”

Harry turned away from him, unable to look at the disappointment in Tony’s eyes. He spoke to Natasha and Steve. “We don’t have time for this, right? Let’s go.”

…

Rain pelted Tony’s suit as he flew through the storm. Looking to his left, Harry was there, chest flat to his broomstick as they flew through the rain and sea spray. 

Apparently some Chitauri had escaped from Manhattan over the ocean. They were called after the slimy bastards were spotted by a passing cruise liner trying to get back to port to avoid a storm. Unluckily for them, they were unsuccessful. All in all, it made for a very wet and very annoying mission. Most of his annoyance, though, was more due to the black-haired teen next to him than the weather. 

Tony shook some raindrops off his helmet in frustration. Why was he failing so hard at this whole fatherhood thing? His injured, malnourished son was currently flying through a tropical storm towards homicidal aliens and he had no idea what to do. Especially considering his first attempt, seemed to just make Harry more determined to put himself at risk. Tony clenched his fist slightly before trying to focus back on finding the damn ship, but he couldn’t help flicking his eyes towards Harry every few seconds. Was he gripping his broom with his injured arm? Fuck. 

Eventually, lights came through the fog. He shifted course, making sure Harry was still following him. As he got closer, the cruise liner came into focus, as well as the damage done to it. Large chunks of metal had been taken out of the helm and he could make out Chitauri swarming the deck. Lifeboats full of passengers were scattered around, getting bombarded by the choppy sea. 

“Stark! Are you seeing this?” Steve’s voice rang out in his ear. 

“Yep. Definitely not their normal clientele. Do you think aliens like Mai Tais?”

“Shut it, Tony. You and Thor clear the deck, the rest of us are going to clear out the remaining civilians. Clint, can you call for backup? These lifeboats won’t survive the storm.”

“Already on it Cap.”

“Leave the lifeboats to me.” Harry’s voice came over the intercom and a spike of fear shot through him. 

“Okay, let's get it done.”

He looked towards Harry who nodded at him before accelerating into the mist. Tony took a deep breath to calm his spike of fear before turning his thrusters to full power, shooting towards the ship. He landed on the splintered deck.

Immediately, the Chitauri who had been trying to shoot through the locked hull turned their weapons on him. 

He took out two within seconds, stepping out of the way as he saw the light of their blasters flash past his head. He turned his thrusters backwards, flying into the mass of aliens, missiles taking out more by the ship’s door. His breath quickened as his rear camera caught motion behind him. Just as he turned to see a blaster pointed at his head, he heard a crack of thunder. 

Thor brought Mjolnir down in a swift motion, lightning shooting out from all sides. The remaining Chitauri fell to the ground twitching. 

“They are ugly bastards aren’t they?” Tony turned to Thor. “You couldn’t have done that first, Lightning McQueen?”

Thor smirked at him. “And take away your chance for fun? I would never.”

Ass.

Tony rolled his eyes before heading to the hull. He broke away debris before flying through the halls, scanning for heat signatures. 

His eyes slid past the bodies littering the ground, heart sinking, before hearing a scream from the floor below. 

He turned off his power sharply, letting the suit crash through the floor right into the middle of a group of Chitauri breaking into a family’s room.

“Surprise.”

He dropped to one knee, shooting the one closest to the sobbing mother before shooting through the legs of the others, blasting them from behind. He finally stood, ignoring the smoldering bodies behind him, he reached out to the family, a mother and father shielding their three children.

“It’s okay, I’m gonna get you out of here.” He looked at the youngest daughter, clutching a stuffed bear in her arms. “This was probably not the vacation you were expecting, huh.”

He put a hand to his ear. “The deck is clear. I’ve got a family needing evac on level five, but no more rouges.”

“We are clear levels 1 to 4. We should be good here, can you fly the family to Harry? Evac is 10 minutes out.”

“Sounds good. Always love a clear and cut pest control situation.” Tony felt his mind whirring watching the parents hug their children to their chests. 

This was too easy.

“Has anyone seen the transporters they escaped on?”

“No.”

“Nothing here.”

“Then how did they get out here? Did th -” 

Tony froze as a deep roar shook the entire ship. He felt his heart drop. 

No!

…

Harry brought his firebolt to a stop over the mass of lifeboats. He looked at the dozens of families getting tossed around by the crashing waves with growing apprehension. 

He brought his wand down in a swift motion, feeling tendrils of magic reach each boat, levitating them above the waves. He could feel the air crackle with lightning around him and smiled a little. Thor was having fun. 

He brought his broom down into a nosedive, trying to find any people thrown into the water, trying to listen over the roaring storm. 

In the mist he saw an overturned boat and shot towards it, just as a child struggling to swim dipped below the water’s surface. 

Without thinking, he jumped off his broom and plunged into the water. The cold shock washed over him as he instinctively tried to breathe in. Quickly casting a bubble head charm, Harry swam past the seafoam, trying to see in the dark.

Finally, he saw a glint of golden hair and dove. The child was sinking fast, eyes wide and arms scrambling. 

Harry reached an arm out and pulled the child towards him, casting a charm over him as well. Taking a deep breath, he looked up and dragged them up. 

When they breached the surface, the crying, gasping child screamed, 

“My mom! She can’t swim!”

“I’ll find her.” Harry promised, eyes determined as he levitated the child into a boat above, before diving back into the depths. 

He swam deeper and deeper, lungs burning, trying to see in the dark before desperation overwhelmed him. He stopped, letting himself float. He took a deep breath and focused on the cold power flowing through him. He pulled. A woman shot through the darkness towards him, unconscious. Getting a bubble head charm on her, Harry sighed in relief as she started to cough up water. 

Just as he turned back to the surface, he heard a deep, guttural roar sound through the water. 

He whipped his head around as a shadow obscured his field of vision, unable to see anything beside a cavernous mouth full of teeth.

A Chitauri legion.

Breath quickening, he swam towards the surface, willing the mother to safety. 

Clambering back onto his firebolt as the surface of the waves broke, screams ringing in his ears as three monstrous beasts larger than the ship itself rose out of the water and began barrelling towards him. 

He focused on the child, still crying behind him, the families he needed to protect. 

Harry threw his arms out to the side, letting his power overwhelm him as a glowing shield erupted.

Staring down the rows of gnashing teeth, he braced for impact. But as soon as they hit the wall of magic, they disintegrated, crumbling before his eyes.

Black dust blew past Harry’s face as he watched the creatures evaporate in front of him. His eyes lost focus in the cloud of swirling darkness.

‘The child crumbled in front of his eyes, black dust mixing with blood’

Harry began to hyperventilate, trying to focus on a drop of warmth in his chest, the only he could find. The screaming in his ears grew louder as he felt darkness narrow his field of vision.

He was so cold.

Chapter Text

THIS STORY IS NOT ABANDONED I PROMISE! My laptop completely crapped out last month so I couldn't write anything. Luckily, (thanks to my beautiful partner) I was able to save for a new one and am BACK IN BUSINESS! I did not mean to leave the story on a cliffhanger, I'm not that cruel. I am so sorry!!

But now that I have a functioning computer again, you guys can expect a lot more chapters soon! I am going to try to finish or mostly finish this story over the next two months since I start law school in the fall and don't want to take another break like this again!

Again, I AM SO SORRY!

Chapter Text

Chapter 15: The Director

Tony could feel his stomach sink as the roars from outside shook the entire ship, cutting over the rushing wind and crashing waves creating one perfectly horrifying moment of cacophony The realization that Harry was the only one left out there washed over him.

Harry was alone.

He didn’t even hesitate, distantly hearing himself yell at Thor to get the family to safety before he ramped his thrusters up to full power. He shot back up through the floor, slamming through the side of the ship, scraps of metal and wood raining down on him before he made his way back out into the storm.

He whipped his head around, trying to see through the rain and mist.

“Harry, come in!” The empty static in his ears was damning. He could feel himself start to panic. “Harry, can you hear me?!”

Nothing.

“Jarvis, scan.”

“I sense movement about 400 yards out, 90 degrees to your right, sir.”

“I don’t see anythin…” His words caught in his throat as a shadow eclipsed him.

He looked up to see black scales fill the sky. A horde of Chitauri legions rose above him, breaking through the waves, but they didn’t seem to notice him. He flew around them, eyes peeled for their target.

Finally Harry, his brave, stubborn son, emerged from the spray, looking so small in front of these monstrous leviathans, but staring them down nonetheless.

Before Tony could do anything, he watched the wind quicken around his son, sea spray and debris swirling, converging on the wizard who seemed to be reaching for some inner strength in the face of the death offered by monsters converging on him.

He looked like a soldier, Tony realized, heart stopping at the image of his son, face stoic and cold. Harry was unflinching, in the way that only a person accustomed to danger could be.

Tony started towards him just as Harry flung his arms out. He was pushed backwards, his suit’s power flickering with the shockwave of magic that exploded towards him. He flailed for a few seconds, trying to right himself against the deluge of unimaginable power.

He looked up just in time to see the legions disintegrate before his eyes.

The world seemed to stop and the storm stilled as the shadows fell away in tendrils of darkness. The vision was almost gentle in contrast to the previous violence of the storm, the softness of black snow falling silently in a frozen moment in time.

And in the middle of it all was Harry.

A gentle breeze saturated with flecks of darkness ruffled through his hair and Tony could see his eyes gleam bright green even through the gloom.

Tony watched him in that moment of stillness, before, almost in slow motion, he watched Harry slump to one side and slide off his broom into the ocean.

As Harry’s unconscious form broke the surface of water, Tony snapped out of his stupor.

He shot towards the waves, diving through the water towards the slight form slowly sinking into the depths. Tony frantically reached out, before grabbing Harry by the arm and gathering him into his arms. Flying back out into open air, he held Harry safely in his grasp. Hovering above the waves, he looked down at the face of the unconscious teen.

“Harry?!” He shook the boy slightly, but got no response. He looked around for someone, anyone, finally noticing the dozens of rafts falling from the air into the water. Harry’s spell must’ve broken. He froze, looking between the young man in his arms and the panicked civilians now floating on the slowly calming waters.

“Sir,” Jarvis’s voice broke through his panic. “His heartbeat is stable, but his breathing is impeded, most likely by water.”

“Stark, come in!” Rodger’s voice crackled in his ear. “What’s going on out there?”

Ignoring him, Tony shot back towards the ship. The lifeboats were out of danger with the storm dispersing, his son, however, was not.

“Stark!”

He arrived back on deck, landing in the middle of his team gathered on board with the survivors waiting for transport, all watching the pair with worried eyes. Tony let his visor open as he laid Harry down on the wooden platform.

“He fell into the water! He’s not breathing!”

Natasha jumped into action, rushing forward to take Harry from Tony’s arms. Tony had to resist the urge to shield his son from the spy, still in shock.

“Move away, Tony!”

Natasha fixed him with a stern gaze until he took a step back. She began compressions. They all watched on in silence before, finally, Harry began to cough, throwing up the remaining water in his lungs. They all breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw his eyes blink open.

Tony felt his knees go weak with relief as Harry looked around, slowly struggling to prop himself up on his elbows. He was okay.

“You okay, kid?” Natasha said with a small smile, hand on Harry’s shoulder, helping him sit up.

Tony let out the breath he was holding as Harry smiled back, his face coloring.

“Never better.” He rasped. Tony watched as Harry’s face reddened. He looked around at the ship but refused to meet anyone's eyes, obviously embarrassed.

“Are the lifeboats safe?” He asked after another round of coughing up a lung.

He watched his son incredulously. Tony wanted to slam his own head into a wall. This reckless, self-sacrificing, powerful idiot would be the death of him. Harry obviously took the silence as a negative, eye’s widening as he struggled to his feet.

“Wait, just hold on a second and let me restart my heart.” Tony bit out as he placed a restraining hand on Harry’s shoulder. Harry froze and his eyes widened as he looked at Tony’s face. Tony had to restrain the manic laugh that he could feel bubbling to the surface at Harry’s look of confusion. “The storm calmed down by the time the boats hit the water, they should be fine.”

“So, are either of you going to tell us what happened?” Clint interrupted, leaning against the deck railing picking at his nails. Tony could see a tension behind the feigned nonchalance that Barton always reverted back to, and worry swam in the eyes of all of his team members.

Harry shrugged, still not meeting anyones eyes. “Nothing much. Some aliens came after the lifeboats, but the survivors should be safe now.”

Tony felt anger while the rest gaped at Harry, not knowing what to say. Now that the shock had worn off, hearing his son dismiss the danger he was in, dismiss his life so casually burned hot in his chest.

Steve broke the shocked silence. “Harry, I wouldn’t call almost drowning ‘nothing.”

Harry flushed. “It's fine, I must have just overpowered the spell a bit.” He said, sentences clipped and hesitant. “But, it’s no big deal. Are the backup ships almost here?

Tony snapped. “Like HELL it's no big deal! You almo-”

Tony’s words cut off at a hand gripping his arm. Looking around, eyes blazing, he saw that Natasha had grabbed him, shaking her head slightly, before looking pointedly at Harry. Taking a deep breath he saw that Harry’s face had hardened, gone blank at the first hint of anger. He was pale, and although he held himself strong, defiant, he couldn’t quite hide a small shake in his hands.

Natasha cut in. “Let's debrief back at base. We have cleanup to do.”

“Nat is right.” Steve crossed his arms over his check and dragged his worried gaze away from Harry. “Let's get the civilians on to the evac transports, then let's go home.”

There was a pause, where nobody seemed to move for a moment.

“Soooo … has anyone seen my broomstick?”

…

Harry leaned against the railing of the ship, trying to catch his breath as his face burned with embarrassment. Merlin, that was mortifying. He survived a war saturated with obscure and deadly magic, most of which was pointed directly at him, without passing out like that. The closest he had ever come was his third year dementor episodes, but he was a kid then. But, since he had met Tony, he had passed out twice.

What was wrong with him? His magic felt so different now…like it was alive, trying to burst out of him, tendrils of cold power trapped within his skin, but his body just couldn’t take it. He had never felt so powerful and so weak at the same time.

He groaned silently. How would he look Tony in the eye after this? After their argument this morning, Harry had no idea where they stood. Tony obviously thought Harry shouldn’t be fighting, probably that he was a liability, then right after that, he had to be fished out of the ocean. Hard to prove that he wasn’t going to be a burden when he seemed to keel over after using magic now.

Harry avoided everyone's eyes as he turned to the evac transports, now approaching the cruise liner. Summoning his broomstick, he ignored the rest of the team’s protests and kicked off, flying back out over the water. Harry began shepherding the stray lifeboats towards the transports. Levitating boats into the evacs, catching up with the people who had floated too far away, he lost himself in the work. The only interruptions were the crackling voices in his ear, coordinating the efforts.

Eventually, the sea was clear of civilians and the cruise liner was abandoned as a lost cause, beginning to sink into the depths.

“Evacuation complete and all civilians accounted for,” He heard Steve through the static. “Quinjet parked on transport #3, let’s go home.”

Harry felt his shoulders tense. For a second he thought about just leaving, flying back to New York and flooing back to Grimmauld. He sighed before turning his broom towards the jet.

The rest of the team were already gathered, eyes on him as he touched down on deck.

“Ready to go, Harry?” Steve asked, giving him a tight smile. Harry nodded, looking warily at Tony, who was standing behind him, expression stormy.

Before anyone could move, there was a slow clap coming from across the deck. Their eyes shot towards the noise, only to find Nick Fury standing casually, observing them all.

“That was a hell of a show.” He said, eyes fixed on Harry. Harry glared back, but said nothing.

“What the hell are you doing here, Fury?” Tony snapped, anger palpable even through his helmet. “You are supposed to be in D.C.”

The Director held up his hands. “Tracking the remaining Chitauri is SHIELD’s current top priority. I am just here to ensure things are running smoothly.”

Tony laughed humorlessly. “Of course…silly me. Why else would the director of a global spy network drag his ass out here?” He let his mask retract, meeting Fury’s eyes. The rest of the team stayed silent, watching this battle of wills. “I thought I told you that we didn’t want your supervision.”

“Just making sure our new team member is settling in…” Harry felt his skin crawl as Fury looked back at him with a smirk.

Tony snarled. “Back off, Fury.”

The Director ignored him, keeping his eyes on Harry’s. “Mr. Potter, let’s talk.”

Harry considered him for a moment, before taking a step forward.

“Wait.” Natasha grabbed his shoulder before approaching, eyes calculating. Nobody looked happy with this arrangement, even Cap was frowning. “Nick, if you want to talk, you can talk to all of us. Besides, Harry needs medical attention, can’t this wait?”

“I just want to make sure that Mr. Potter is okay…that was an impressive show of power.” Harry locked his eyes on Fury’s. “Minister Shacklebolt asked to be kept aware of his condition after all.”

“Well, you can tell the Minister I’m just peachy.” Harry snarked back, trying to feign nonchalance. Merlin, he wanted to hex that bloody grin off of his face.

“Really? Because I only caught the tail end of the encounter but … it looked like you were having some control issues out there.”

Harry tensed, eyes hardening.

“Now, I’m not an expert on the magical community, but are explosions of magic like that normal? Without a wand as well…” Harry felt anger build in his chest.

“Why don’t you ask your mate Kingsley?” He snapped.

Fury sighed. “Mr. Potter, I can only be effective at my job if I know all of the variables. Now, I know your reputation, I’ve heard about what you’ve done, but I have learned in my career to only trust what I can see. Help me make sense of what I am seeing.”

Harry gripped his wand so tightly he felt the wood might crack.

“Director, I am only here because you told me to be. I am fulfilling my end of the deal. If you aren’t satisfied, you only have yourself to blame. So, feel free to piss off!”

Fury began to chuckle. “Okay, okay. I know a lost cause when I see one. Let me know when you are ready to talk. I’ll be in touch.”

And with that he left, disappearing into the transport. They all just stood there for a minute, watching Harry as he closed his eyes, trying to release his death grip on his wand. Nobody spoke.

“Welp.” Clint clapped his hands. “That happened.”

Clint walked forward and opened the doors to Quinjet. Turning towards them with a smirk, he gestured to the jet.

“Shall we?”

…

Harry closed his eyes as he leaned his head back against the headrest, trying to ignore the rest of the Quinjet occupants. Specifically, not looking at the dark-haired billionaire currently glaring at him from across the aisle.

Harry was jolted out of his pity party when he felt someone poke his shoulder, hard.

“Ow.” He cracked an eye open to glare at Clint, who had left the cockpit, apparently just to bother him. “Do you need something?”

Clint smirked at him. “You’re in a mood. I was just making sure you’re still alive. God knows none of us would be after taking on three legions, a lungful of water, AND Fury.”

“Speak for yourself, Barton.” Natasha chimed in from the corner, eyes still on her phone. Thor just grinned, one eyebrow raised.

“Hey, I’m just trying to congratulate the kid on a job well done.”

Harry sighed and sat up from where he had been slumped against the seat. Clint’s grin faded a little as calculating eyes took in Harry’s posture. “Seriously though, you doing okay?”

Well, there was that embarrassment again. Harry looked away.

“I’m fine, I promise I’ve had worse.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tony’s face darken, but Harry ignored him. “The only thing that would make me even better would be you all leaving me alone to sleep.”

“Well someone woke up on the wrong side of the chitauri this morning, and it's not even noon yet.”

Harry just rolled his eyes. “So how long until we get to the tower?”

“About 5 minutes,”

They sat in silence for a minute. At some point, Tony walked to the back of the jet to take a call.

Watching him go, Clint reached a hand into one of his many pockets.

“Here.” He reached out a hand holding Harry’s sling. Harry looked at him, eyes wide. “Thought you might need this. Although, maybe not considering how you threw it in your our faces this morning.”

Harry flushed and grabbed it. He fumbled with the straps as he tried to put it on.

“Here, let me help you.”

As Clint leaned in to grab the buckles, he spoke quietly. “He’s worried about you…”

Harry didn’t need to ask who he was talking about.

“He doesn’t have to be…I don’t want to make his life any harder.”

Clint considered him for a moment, his expression almost sad. “He’s your father, kid. It's part of the job.”

“A job he didn’t ask for…”

“I don’t know about that,” Clint hummed, “He seems to have embraced the role.”

Harry said nothing. Clint rolled his eyes at Harry’s stubborn expression. “God, dealing with one stubborn asshole is bad enough and now there are two of them.”

He clapped Harry on the shoulder. “Just talk to him and stop pouting. Watching you two is physically painful.”

Harry sat in silence until they landed. Hanging back as the rest of the team filed out, he waited before standing up and walking down the steps. He kept his head down on the way into the tower, and after muttering a quick goodbye to nobody in particular, he ran up the stairs to his room.

He sighed as he finally made it back to sanctuary and without bothering to change, he let himself fall backwards onto the bed. For a few blissful seconds, he let himself relax into the mattress. He should have known better.

“Nice to see you, Mr. Potter.”

Harry’s eyes snapped open to see Healer Strauss looking down at him. Holding back a groan, he sat back up.

“Hello.” He gave the healer a small smile, trying to look innocent. “What are you doing here?”

Strauss’s eyes narrowed. “Mr. Stark called me. He said something about… drowning.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 16: The Friend

“Mr. Potter, answer a question for me..”

Harry was sitting on his bed, eyes firmly on his lap as he fiddled with the fabric of his sling. Strauss, on the other hand, would not avert his gaze. The healer was standing in front of him, arms crossed, looking at Harry with an expression of his trademark professional stoicism.

Harry shrugged, feeling cornered.

“When, among your many accomplishments, did you find the time to complete a healer’s degree?”

Harry lifted his head, confused. “Sorry?”

“Well, since you ignored my instructions concerning your sling, your nutrient potions, and your physical condition, I assumed you must have some expertise of your own to rely on. Please… enlighten me.”

Harry flushed and looked back down at his hands, saying nothing. Merlin, this was awful. Couldn’t he just go back to drowning now?

Strauss just sighed, eyes softening a little at the contrite young man in front of him.

“Please endeavor to follow my instructions more closely in the future, Mr. Potter. I promise I am not giving them just to hear myself talk.”

Harry nodded, not knowing how else to respond. Strauss, obviously satisfied that Harry was sufficiently reprimanded, drew his wand and began casting over Harry’s injured arm.

“The bones have shifted out of alignment a little more than I would like. You are going to have to wear that sling for another week, minimum.” Harry held back a groan but wisely decided not to complain

“And here are two more potions for your regimen. This one will be for the throat irritation you no doubt feel after coughing up water and another that functions as a lung protectant. Hopefully, this will be enough to stave off infection from any retained sea water.”

Strauss repacked his healer bag, replacing his notes and extraneous potions, before turning back to the bed with a serious expression.

“Now..” Strauss conjured a chair and sat, now eye level with Harry. “Let’s talk about your magic.”

Harry met his gaze. “I don’t know what to say…”

“How about you start with what you were casting when you passed out.”

Harry tensed. That was the last thing we wanted to discuss right now. It seemed too…private, too dangerous. Strauss huffed at Harry’s obvious hesitation, seemingly reading his mind.

“Would you like me to review the oath of patient confidentiality? It goes without saying that this will not leave this room. Tell me as much as you are comfortable with.”

Harry hesitated again, before speaking. “I wasn’t casting anything besides a few levitation charms. But then I saw the Chitauri and just…reacted.”

Strauss hummed. “And how did it feel?”

“Cold…a bit out of control…I don’t really know.”

That was a massive understatement, but Harry wasn’t ready to admit that out loud yet. He didn’t want to talk about how he had felt a storm of power, ancient and dark, pushing at the bounds of his control for months now. How dying seemed to change his very core into something alien to him, something he couldn’t recognize. In many ways, he had gone from being at the mercy of one power, the horcrux, to another.

A voice whispered in his ear. “Such power…such pain.”

He shivered.

The healer considered him for a heartbeat with searching eyes, as if trying to draw out any information Harry was leaving out. He hesitated before speaking again.

“I believe… it may be a good idea to temporarily stop using your magic. Until we are sure that, whatever this new source is, it is not causing you harm.”

Harry whipped his head up and he looked at the healer, eyes wide.

“What do you mean? I can’t just stop using magic!”

“Just temporarily, then we can ease you bac -”

“No.” Harry shot to his feet. “I can’t just stop using magic! The whole reason I’m here is-”

“Mr. Potter,” Strauss cut in, raising up a hand. “You have passed out twice now, so I hope you will agree with me that there is reason for concern. You CAN take a break… and I believe your father would agree with me.”

Harry snapped his mouth shut, suddenly feeling incredibly vulnerable. His expression hardened.
“Don’t bring Tony into this…”

“Of course not, never without your consent…but-”

Harry looked away. He was distantly aware that he was shaking, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

“No. I will figure this out.” He said, voice cold and monotone. Harry stood from the bed, taking a couple of seconds before he was steady on his feet. “I can’t just…”

Harry trailed off, at a loss for words. He shook his head a little before walking out of the room, leaving Strauss behind, staring at his retreating back with both concern and exasperation.

…

“And then he just RIPS his sling off! I just wanted him to sit it out, like his doctor TOLD HIM TO DO! I didn’t know what to do?! He just….”

Tony was pacing in his living room, venting, while Pepper and Rhodey sat at the kitchen island watching him. He had just made sure that his wayward son was actually being seen by the healer after nearly dying AGAIN, and now had no idea what to do with himself. Usually, after a fight he just poured himself a scotch and relaxed (passed out) in the lab, but after fishing Harry out of the ocean after he took on an entire Chitauri fleet ALONE, he just couldn’t calm down.

He kept pacing, frustration tangible in the air around him. And then he heard a choked cough.

Tony whipped his head around to glare at Rhodey and Pepper. They both were smiling at him with barely contained amusement.

“What….what are you doing? Are you laughing at me?! This is serious!!”

At that, the pair of traitors broke down laughing.

“I’m sorry, Tony. It's just…” Pepper trailed off, eyes sympathetic.

“It’s just hilarious to see how the tables turn.” Rhodey cut in, smirking. “If there was any question of whether he was your kid or not, this definitely answers it.”

Tony stared at him, confusion stopping him in his tracks. “What are you TALKING about?!”

“Tony,” Pepper was obviously exasperated. “When you nearly died in Afghanistan, did you let anyone take you to a hospital?”

“No…but-”

“What about when your reactor was poisoning you, did you listen to doctors, me or ANYONE about your health? No…your response was to completely ignore it and then proceed to go on a month long bender.”

“And those were the least of it.” Rhodey took a long-suffering side.

“Trust me, we are worried about our favorite nephew. But, forgive us if we take a little enjoyment in the karma of this situation after running around after your reckless ass for a decade.”

Tony stood there, just gaping at them. Rhodey’s smile faded as he took in his friend whose world had been turned upside down. He stood up and put a hand on Tony’s shoulder.

“Listen.” He forced Tony to meet his eyes. “Harry seems to be as stubborn, impulsive and self-sacrificing as you are. You are not going to be able to cover him with bubble wrap and stop him from taking risks.”

Tony opened his mouth again to argue, before Rhodey cut in again.

“But…you can make sure he knows that he is not alone and that his life is important and worth protecting. It's going to take time. He’s your son but it will take time to earn his trust, especially if everything you’ve guessed about his life is true.”

As if the strings holding him up were cut, Tony slumped down into a chair and buried his head in his hands.

“I just don’t want to fail him…again.” He muttered, voice muffled by his hands. “I don’t know how Lily and James could forgive me as it is…”

“You love him and you are doing your best, you can’t do anything more than that. James and Lily would understand…” Pepper said softly. “Give yourself a second to cool down then go talk to him.”

Tony raised his head and took a deep breath.

“Okay.”

…

Harry stormed out of the room, anger and anxiety burning hot in chest, and tried to stop himself from breaking into a full out run. Eventually he reached an empty hallway and stopped, leaning against a wall, breathing heavily. Harry tried to control his rapid heartbeat as his mind raced. He didn’t know why everything in him revolted at the thought of not using his magic, of his magic being out of control forever.

Harry had never known safety in his life, but he learned that at the very least, he had to be able to rely on himself. He could protect himself and those around him with this amazing magic that he had been gripping tightly onto since he was eleven…but now he felt as if the very ground had been yanked from beneath his feet.

Harry felt the tremors racking his body fade as determination replaced anxiety. He couldn’t avoid this anymore…

…

Harry knocked on the door. He squared his shoulders and tried to keep up his mask of calm as he heard rustling in the room.

After what felt like forever, the door finally opened, revealing the great, blonde prat.

“Sorceror?” Thor said, obviously confused. Harry smiled lightly.

“Hey…” Smooth.

Harry internally berated himself as he did a double take at the asgardian in front of him. For the first time, it seemed as if Thor had actually decided to take off his armour plating. Instead, he was in a linen tunic and pants, looking…softer…than Harry had ever seen him before. He could feel his face heating up a little as looked him up and down.

“Did you require assistance, sorcerer?”

Harry broke out of his stupor, immediately meeting Thor’s eyes, which were swimming with amusement. Damn. Now was not the time to explore his newfound propensity to objectify his teammates.

“Um, it's Harry, but...yes actually. Can I come in?”

Thor took a step back, letting Harry into the room. They both just stood there for a few seconds while Harry gathered his courage.

“So…a couple of weeks ago, you mentioned something about being able to…sense my magic.”

Thor nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I did. It is hard not to with the scale of power you possess…but I got the impression that you did not want to discuss it.”

“I didn’t.” Harry admitted. “But, I know that I’ve been a bit…out of control. I can’t afford that anymore.”

Thor frowned at the expression of shame that crossed Harry’s face.

“Are you discussing the events of earlier, because out of control or not, you should be proud of what you did. You acted honorably, saving hundreds of lives when none of the rest of us would have been able to make it in time. Lesser men would have fled when faced with those leviathans.”

Harry lost the battle against his rising blush. He shook his head.

“I didn’t do anything the rest of you wouldn’t do.”

“But you did something none of the rest of us had the ability to do.”

“Even you, oh mighty god of thunder?” Harry smirked, trying to fall back into their easy banter.

But Thor was not having it. He took a step closer, looking into Harry’s eyes with nothing but sincerity in his gaze.

“Even me.” He muttered, continuing almost too quiet for Harry to hear. “I continue to wonder who taught you to dismiss yourself so easily. How can you not see yourself the way others see you….”

“Well, I’ve learned that other’s perceptions of me are…fickle…” Harry huffed a humorless laugh. Fame is a fickle friend, Harry. Huh, never thought that he would be agreeing with Lockhart. Harry dropped his head, breaking from Thor’s gaze and taking a step back. “But, that’s not important right now. I need to….I need to get a handle on my magic, and I can’t do that if I don’t even know where it is coming from…

He looked back at Thor, face stoic. “You are the only one who has been able to sense my magic at all. Please…just tell me what you can and I’ll take it from there.”

Thor considered him for a moment and Harry’s embarrassment flared.

“If you don’t want to, that's fine. I shouldn’t have bothered you…” He turned back to the door, before feeling a hand on his wrist.

“Harry…” He turned to Thor, just to see the god watching him with concern. “Of course I will help you…I was just considering what to say.”

Thor rubbed his face. “What I can tell you is minimal. I can sense that you are a being of significant power, and the feeling of your magic reminds me of something I have felt before in Asgard, similar to the sorcerers I grew up with but…more. I cannot place it exactly…”

Well, there goes that plan. They sat in silence for a minute while Thor stared at the carpet, thinking.

“I wish the bifrost was repaired.” Thor sighed after a while. “If it was, I would just bring you to my mother for answers, but the All-father has already expended too much energy to bring Loki back, I doubt he has enough for both of us this soon.”

Harry shrugged. “It’s fine…it was a long shot anyway.”

Thor frowned, before something clicked and his eyes widened. “Selvig.”

“Who?”

Thor’s face broke out into a broad grin. “There may be another who can assist us.”

Harry felt his heart quicken. “Really? Can we go now?”

Thor looked at him, grin still firmly in place. “Of course! Selvig is an old friend, he will welcome us gladly.” He laughed fondly.. “Although…should you not be resting, after the events of today?”

Harry waved him off. “Nah, I wouldn’t be able to sleep now anyway. I’m fine. I’ll even keep on the sling.” He said humorlessly, flapping his bound arm.

Thor’s grin widened. “That is settled then. Shall we undertake an adventure, warrior?”

Harry laughed softly. He was so…enthusiastic. “Why not?”

“Should we let the others know?” Thor looked at him, slightly concerned. “Maybe Stark?”

Harry’s eyes hardened a little. “No… We’ll be back before they notice anyway.”

…

They arrived in New Mexico with a sharp CRACK.

Harry had to hold back a smirk as the normally poised, dignified Asgardian stumbled, nearly faceplanting onto the dry, dirt road. His red cape fell over his face as he flailed, trying to free himself from the cloth trap while Harry stood to the side, enjoying himself greatly. Eventually, Thor was able to stand and began to brush himself off.

“Need some help there?” Thor glared at him.

“Why did you not warn me that that would be one of the worst experiences of my life?”

Harry laughed. “Now where would be the fun in that?”

He turned away before Thor could respond, taking in the landscape. The sun was low in the sky, painting the land red, as shadows grew long across cracked, dry ground, interrupted by sparse patches of grass and a wide concrete road. Harry had never actually seen a tumbleweed before, but as he saw a ball of thorns and dead vines blow over the highway they were standing on, he could understand the name. There was a small, wooden house in the distance, with the porchlight flickering.

“So…this is New Mexico.”

Thor smiled, surveying the landscape. “Little has changed since I was here last.”

Harry looked at him in surprise. “When were you here before?”

“Some years ago, I…landed here. After I was cast from Asgard by the All-Father.”

Harry gaped at him. “What? How did that happen?”

Thor chuckled. “It was deserved, in some ways. I was a bit…arrogant back then.”

“You mean more so than now? Oh the horror.”

“Yes, yes, very humorous." He shook his head. “In short, my immaturity led to me putting my people at risk. But I ended up in the path of Eric and Jane. They made me a more … worthy being. They remain good friends.” Harry nodded thoughtfully as they began to walk to the house in the distance.

“And they can help us?”

“Maybe. Have you ever heard of the Waters of Sight or the Well of Wyrd?” Harry shook his head. “There are legends about pools of water connecting each of the nine realms to the roots of Yggdrasil. If you enter them, they will give a person visions of truth. Potentially, if the legends are correct, they could show you the truth of your magic.”

Harry narrowed his eyes. While it sounded a bit farfetched, he knew better than to dismiss fairytales. “Okay… so how does Selvig tie in?”

“He is a man of earthly science with an interest in Asgardian artifacts. I discussed the legend with him the last time I was here and he stated that he may have found the location of the Waters of Sight residing in Midgard.”

Harry took a deep breath, trying not to get his hopes up as they came up to a wooden porch. “Well then. Let’s hope for the best.”

Before they could even knock, the front door flew open and an irate man appeared.

“The answer is no! I will not rejoin SHIELD no matter how many agents you send to my ho-” The doctor's eyes widened as he finally noticed who it was.

“Thor!” He called, a smile spreading over his face. “What are you doing here?”

“Hello, Selvig.” Thor opened his arms to greet him with a hug. Harry stood to the side a little awkwardly. He recognized the doctor now, he was the scientist from the battle who tried to help them close the portal. As Harry took a closer look at him, it was clear that the ordeal did not agree with the man. He had deep bags under his eyes, as if he had not been sleeping and the way he looked around warily was heartbreakingly familiar. From the way Thor frowned at his friend, Harry could tell that he noticed as well.

“I apologize for my less than stellar greeting.” Eric stepped back. “Fury has been sending agent after agent here since New York trying to get me to come back and work for him. But, I think I have had enough of aliens for now.”

Eric’s eyes glazed over a bit before he looked back at Thor. “Except for you, my friend. You are one alien who is always welcome here.”

Thor let out a booming laugh. “That is good to hear.”

“And who is your friend?” He said, looking warily at Harry.

Thor looked over at Harry. “This is Harry Potter. You have met before. He is the man who helped us close the portal a few weeks ago.”

“Ah yes.” Eric nodded. “You must forgive me, my memories of that time are a little…spotty.”

Thor’s smile faded. “Understandably…Loki’s crimes were extensive. It will be an eternal regret that I allowed them to reach you.”

“Not your fault.” Eric gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Now, what brings you both all the way out here? I doubt it's just for coffee and a chat.”

Thor and Harry exchanged a glance.
“We need your help.”

…

Tony took a deep breath and squared his shoulders as he approached Harry’s door. He could do this. It was just a conversation. Tony was great at conversation. It would be fine.

He hesitated a moment longer before raising his fist to knock.

“Harry? Do you mind if we…can we talk for a second?”

Tony’s heart clenched when he received no response.

“Um, listen. If you’re mad at me, that's fine. I tend to evoke that response in people. But can we just, um…talk it out?”

Still no response. Tony could feel his stomach turn as sadness shifted into concern. He knocked again.

“Harry?”

“Sir.” Jarvis’s crackling voice sounded from overhead.

“Can this wait, J?” He said absentmindedly, still staring at the door as if willing it to disappear.

“Sir, Mr. Potter is not in there.”

“Oh, okay. Is he in the kitchen?”

“He is not in the tower at this time…”

Tony felt his heart drop. “What?! Where did he go? Did he take his stuff?”

“He and Mr. Odinson left together about an hour ago. He did not take his belongings, so it is safe to assume he is coming back.”

“Why did you not stop them?!”

“You did not instruct me to restrict Mr. Potter’s movements.”

“Jarvis.” He breathed heavily through his nose, trying to control his anger and anxiety. “Where did they go?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 17: The Water of Sight

Tony was panicking, pacing the hallway in front of Harry’s room.

“All they said was Selvig? They didn’t give any more information on where they were going?!”

“I’m afraid not. The entire decision making process was rather…short. I believe he has inherited your impulsivity, sir.”

“Not the time, Jarvis!”

Tony’s head was spinning. What the hell could Harry be doing that involved Eric Selvig? And…for whatever he needed, something to do with his magic Jarvis said, why the hell did he not come to Tony? 

Tony didn’t want to admit it, but the fact that his kid went to someone else (Pointbreak OF ALL PEOPLE) stung… He knew that there was trust still to be built between the two of them, but Tony thought… he thought that at the very least, Harry knew that he wanted to be there for him. That Tony would go to the ends of the earth to help this young man who had been taking on the world alone for long enough. But apparently not…

Tony shook his head. Not the time, right now he had to focus on finding them. 

“Okay Jarvis, new plan. Send the coordinates of Selvig’s last known location to the suit. I’m going to -”

A crack rang out from behind him. Tony whipped his head around to see two MACUSA Aurors standing, wands withdrawn. Damn, he really needed to make his security system magic proof. He was getting a bit tired of these surprise visits. 

“Mr. Stark, come with us.”

Tony cocked his head at them. “Uh, not no, but hell no. Jarvis, call-”

One of the aurors lunged at him. He dodged, slamming his back into the wall, but before he was able to call for his suit, the other one got a hold of his wrist. In a swirl of cloaks and four letter words, they apparated away with a pop. 

…

With a huff, he landed in a chair, stomach turning. Although, he didn’t know if that was because of the apparition this time or the sight of President Jackson’s incredibly punchable face glaring down at him. Was that a toupee? He didn’t notice it the first time he saw him but god damn, that was a fucking toupe-

“Mr. Stark.”

Tony ignored him, making a show of examining the room around them. From the large mahogany desk covered in silver and gold accolades, as well as the large MACUSA signet adorning the wall behind them, it seemed as though they were actually in the president’s office this time. 

“I would say it was nice to see you again, but I don’t have the energy to cater to an asshole who just kidnapped me.” Tony said, not even bothering to hide the anger in his voice. “What do you want?”

“Tony…” He looked to the side only to see Fury leaning against the office wall flanked by the two Aurors who had grabbed him. Of fucking course… Tony sighed. He didn’t have time for this shit, he had more important things to be doing than getting caught between the two biggest egos he had ever had the misfortune of meeting. And from him…that meant a lot.

“Didn’t you already check on me today, Nick? If this is your way of getting me alone, I mean, you could have just asked me out to dinner…”

“Cut the shit, Stark. Where is Harry?”

Tony narrowed his eyes at the Director. “And how do you know he’s not just back at the tower?”

Fury rolled his eye (singular). “If you are asking if SHIELD's been able to get past Jarvis’s firewall, we haven’t. We know that he visited Eric Selvig 30 minutes ago before disappearing.”

“Oh, so Selvig is the one you have under surveillance… Why would you need to do that, I thought he worked for you?”

Fury stayed silent, face blank, but Tony could see his eyebrow twitch. Tony smirked.

“He won’t come back after New York, will he?” Tony started to laugh as Fury became visibly frustrated. “You were rejected weren’t you. I’m sorry, I heard it gets better. Not that I have much experience with rejection mysel-”

Jackson slammed his fist down on the table. 

“Enough! You will tell us where Harry Potter is or -”

“Or what, President Jackson?” 

A voice came from the entrance to the office. Tony watched the door swing open to reveal Attorney Juris. She was clasping the door knob with one perfectly manicured hand, a briefcase in the other and a glint in her eyes as she observed the scene in front of her. Internally, Tony cheered as he looked back at Jackson’s flabbergasted expression with a smirk. 

 “Who in Merlin’s name are you?” 

Juris plastered a smile across her face as she conjured herself a chair besides Tony with a lazy wave of her wand.

“I am the Stark family’s legal representation.” She placed her briefcase on the floor next to her and crossed her legs. “It seems to be a good thing I’m here, considering you were about to start an interrogation, please continue.”

“Well…” The President began, a look of constipation on his face. 

“Actually,” She held up one finger as she withdrew a stack of parchment. “May you please inform me of the charges and present your Wizengamont signed order to detain and interrogate Mr. Stark first. You know…just so we can get the formalities out of the way.”

Her smile widened, showing just a bit too much teeth, as she looked back up at President Jackson's slowly reddening face. Tony coughed to hide a laugh.

“He’s not…detained. He just needs to answer some questions.”

“Oh so, he’s here willingly, then?” 

“He is here to aid in the containment of a threat to this community.” Jackson responded, voice raising in volume. Tony fought back the urge to lash out at the jab against his son. He would let Juris handle it…this time.

Ms. Juris tutted and shook her head lightly. “That, Mr. President, did not answer my question. According to those at Mr. Stark’s residence, two aurors arrived with no warning to apprehend him for this little…questioning. Now without the proper documentation, that sounds an awful lot like kidnapping. Please, let me know if I am misunderstanding something here.”

One of the aurors behind Fury chimed in. “Harry Potter is missing. Stark is his sponsor and has hidden him before. We had probable cause.”

“Only if Mr. Potter has actually been charged with something, which to my understanding, he has not been.” Juris dropped her smile and her eyes hardened “There is no crime here except yours. Now if you don’t want criminal kidnapping charges added to the lawsuits I already intend to file on behalf of Mr. Potter, you will let my client go.”

Jackson sputtered at Fury who shrugged, obviously his ‘help’ only went so far. 

“What are you talking about?!”

“Coercion with threat of detainment, violation of reasonable search and seizure articles 302, unwarranted surveillance…” She ticked off the charges on one hand. “They will cross your desk within the week. All civil of course…unless you give me more of a reason to come after you specifically, Mr. Jackson. 

Jackson’s eye twitched at that subtle jab.

“Although as it is…” She sighed with mock sympathy, “Imagine how the magical community would react if they knew MACUSA was blackmailing Harry Potter, of all people, under your direction. I can’t imagine that would be good for your re-election campaign.” 

“Are you threatening me?”

She smiled sweetly. “Of course not, I am informing you of the consequences of your actions, as it seems no one else has.”

She reached into a pocket in her robes and pulled out a slip of parchment which she placed in front of the wizard, who was staring at her, frozen. 

“Here is the floo address of my firm. For any further communication with my client, please go through us.”

She got up and nodded at Tony, who followed with a shit-eating grin. “We will be going. Have a nice day, sir.”

And with that she stood and made her way to the door, gesturing for Tony to follow. Well, he wasn’t going to argue. They made their way out into the hall, ignoring the aurors glaring at the back of their heads as they left. 

Tony felt some of the tension leave him as he kept pace with the attorney. Damn, she was fast. 

“Corrupt bastard.” He heard her mutter under her breath, dropping her air of professionalism for a split second. Tony huffed out a laugh as they weaved through the hallways of MACUSA to an apparition point. 

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you right now.” Tony said with a rare note of sincerity in his voice. “How did you know I was there?”

“I believe someone named Jarvis witnessed the event and informed Miss Potts, who in turn contacted the firm.” She said, giving him a small smile as she pushed through the crowded hall. 

“Ahh.” Tony nodded. “I should have known. Thank you again.”

“I am glad I was of assistance. I was looking for a time to inform them of our intent to file for injunctive relief for Mr. Potter’s forced activities with the Avengers anyway, so this worked out perfectly.”

Finally, the apparition point was in sight. She grabbed his arm in preparation. “Now, you have a son to find…”

“Yes…yes I do.”

She was silent for a second as they waited in line for their turn to go. Just as Tony shut his eyes and braced himself for the nauseating discomfort of magical travel, she turned to him one more time.

“My bill will be sent to you within two to five business days.”

Fucking lawyers. 

…

The air was thick with humidity, condensation dripping off of the rock above them as they felt their way through a tunnel. Harry was walking in the back of the group, trying to not to slip on the moss underneath his feet. Every step they took echoed above the quiet gurgle of running water. He could hardly see in the gloom, barely able to make out the two men in front of him illuminated by the flashlight Eric was pointing down their path.  

Selvig glanced down at an instrument in his hands, which Harry couldn’t even hope to identify, but it was radiating a green glow and slowly beeping. 

“It should be about 300 yards out.” He called out. 

Thor slowed his pace, looking back at Harry before asking quietly. “How are you doing?”

“Brilliant.” He shot back with a grin, just as he tripped again on a rock jutting out of the path.

In reality, he wasn’t so sure about that. Something about this felt ominous, a knot was growing in his stomach the further down into the earth they went.  Maybe he was still jittery from earlier today but … he was reminded of how he felt when he first landed in that graveyard a lifetime ago. This overwhelming sense of wrong, like he shouldn’t be here. But Harry had never let a self-preservation instinct stop him before. 

Thor snorted as Harry tried to steady himself on the slick cave walls. He glared half-heartedly at the asgardian before continuing their slow descent.

“I need to discuss some things with you before you enter the water.” Thor said, voice low. 

“Sure…” Harry responded.

Thor sighed, looking ahead at the darkness before them. “It is said that the Water of Sight is protected by spirits within, that they act as the gateway to the visions the well offers. The spirits will either accept you or…reject you.”

Visions of hands coming out of dark water, of inferi, of storms of fire flashed through his mind. He suppressed a shiver and took a deep breath. Everything about this felt wrong… Harry’s eyes narrowed as he steeled his nerves. 

“Okay.” He said with forced nonchalance as he continued forward. 

“No, wait.” Thor placed a hand on his shoulder, turning Harry to face him. “I need you to understand before you do this. For the men that they reject…many do not make it out of the water again.”

Harry shrugged. “I sort of gathered that. Spirits within an ancient pool of magic only have so many ways of ‘rejecting you’.” 

Harry had to stop himself from laughing at Thor’s bewildered look, almost as if he just realized that Harry was reckless even by his standards. 

“What, did you expect me to turn back now?” He gave Thor a small smile. “Why did you bring me here in the first place if you are so worried?”

Thor's look of bewilderment faded into one unrecognizable. “I don’t know… You came to me for help and you looked… desperate. I know that feeling all too well… desperation which seeps into the very core of your being. I recognized it and you seemed so disappointed that I…I couldn’t let you leave with nothing.”

Harry fought back the embarrassment that threatened to rise from Thor’s observations. Instead he smiled at him, poking him in the side with his elbow. 

“Well, thanks.” Harry blushed, hoping that the gloom hid it from Thor’s intense gaze. “It means a lot that you’re helping me like this. Even if it doesn’t go to plan…just…thank you.”

He turned back down the path, feeling Thor watch him for a moment before following. 

“We’re here!” Eric called out as they made it to the end of the tunnel. Harry came to a stop at the edge of a pool which looked like it was carved into the jagged, black rock. He looked over the edge into the murky water. The bottom was nowhere in sight, almost as if the pool led straight into a void. However, the water was not quite still. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry could see flickers of light swirling through the depths. When he took a breath in the air tasted heavy, almost electric, like the wind after a thunderstorm. 

They were definitely in the right place.

Selvig bustled around the pool’s edge, setting up instruments from his pack, pointing each of them towards the water, muttering to himself. 

Harry snorted. “You seem excited…”

Selvig looked up at him. “This is a once in a lifetime chance to test the radiation from an active Well of Wyrd but…” He trailed off under Thor’s stern gaze. “No pressure of course.”

Thor looked at him one last time. “You don’t have to do this, Harry. We can turn back now and no one will think any less of you. We may be able to find another way.”

Harry shook his head, determination coursing through him. “No. I need to know… I’ve waited long enough.”

He tried to ignore Thor’s searching gaze as he took off his shirt and walked to the edge. 

He could feel wind pick up around him, almost as if it was trying to push him back as he leaned forward. The lights within the pool swirled faster and faster the closer his skin got to the surface. With one final deep breath in, he slipped into the water. 

For a second nothing happened. Harry stood there waist deep, feeling his heartbeat pulse in his ears. 

And then, black tendrils began to seep from his skin into the water, as if he was standing in a pool of ink. 

Harry felt his breath quicken with panic as he froze in place. Looking down, he saw ice creeping up his skin. He could feel it crawl up his chest onto his neck, up through his hair onto his temple.

“HARRY!”

Thor’s shout was the last thing he heard before the ice enclosed him entirely.

…

Harry opened his eyes slowly, only to see the glow of the great hall. Candles lit on every table created a warm haze, illuminating a feast set upon gleaming, golden platters. The one thing out of place was the sky. Instead of the usual stretch of stars and clouds across the ceiling, there was nothing, just…void. 

Harry was jostled out of his stupor by an incoming crowd of students, obscuring his vision of the golden hall. He moved through the sea of black robes as he was pushed from side to side by wixen who didn’t even seem to know he was there. Looking up at them, he couldn’t recognize them. Each of their faces had a slight blur, unseeing as they all moved past him. 

The pushing was worsening as the robes of incoming students seemed to tangle with his legs and neck, suffocating him. His pace quickened as he tried to pull himself forward to escape.

He finally broke free from the crowd, falling to his knees, vision spinning. He heard footsteps echo on stone. Harry looked up to see Dumbledore standing in front of him, half-moon glasses twinkling in the candlelight.

“My boy…” Dumbledore gave him a small smile as he knelt down to Harry’s level. Harry met his blue-eyed gaze. 

“Sir I -” His words caught in his throat as Dumbledore’s smile fell. Darkness seeped into the man’s glittering blue eyes as Harry watched on in horror, turning them pitch black. 

Before Harry could react, a  blackened, burnt hand shot out of Dumbledore’s robes grabbing his neck. 

“You… ” The apparition of Dumbledore spoke, voice deep and echoing, reverberating in his ears. “Child of souls, deathless of Death. You should not be here. You will poison our waters.”

The apparition’s grip around his neck tightened. 

“LEAVE”

The world around him spun as the vision changed. He felt leaves cushion his body as he fell to the forest floor. He tried to push himself to his feet, frantically looking around at the dark trees that made up the forbidden forest. There was no sound, no wind rustling branches, no birds…nothing. 

“Why did you come? ” 

Harry whipped his head around, eyes landing on the ghosts in front of him. His heart clenched as he took in the spirits of the resurrection stone. His parents…Sirius… But their eyes were black. 

For a moment he couldn’t speak, transfixed by the spirits of the dead. Unlike the last time he saw them, none of them were smiling…he felt no comfort. He froze under their stare.

“I need to know…” He stammered. What should he say? He gulped. “What am I?”

The ghost started to float towards him slowly. Harry had to fight the urge to reach out to them, unable to tear his eyes away.

“You are… ” The ghost of Sirius started to speak, voice washing over him. “The son of the lost, the son of the fallen, as you always have been.”

“But…” The ghosts were nearly in reach of him now, their white mist brushing past his skin. “What have I become?”

They converged on him in a burst of white light and the vision changed again. 

He was in the chamber of secrets, pools of water surrounding him as he fell onto wet stone. An eleven-year old Ginny stood before him, pale and grey. She placed a hand on his shoulder, looking down at him with black eyes as he laid on the floor, unable to move.

“Death cannot be this close to the roots of Yggradsil. You cannot stay. The veil will cover the expanse of space and the lives within.”

Harry felt despair claw at his chest as he looked up into her inky gaze, seeing the void beneath. 

“I will leave…I will. Just tell me…please. I need to know! I can’t keep putting the people I love in danger!”

He watched frozen as another entered his line of sight. The basilisk, yellow gaze falling away as it opened its mouth. Rows of teeth emerged as it reared its head, blood already dripping from the white points. Harry couldn’t move, he could back away. It lunged. 

He was engulfed by darkness.

This time, he awoke softly, unable to see anything as he felt, hands clumsy around the small space he found himself in. Finally, his fingers closed around a thin string, a piece of twine. He pulled. 

A small lightbulb flickered on. His cupboard. 

In front of him was a small boy, curled in on himself, head in his arms. The only part of him visible was a mop of black hair. 

Harry stopped breathing, feeling trapped. The walls seemed to be shrinking in on them as he reached a hand out to his younger self. 

The boy’s head snapped up and Harry flinched backwards, breathing heavily. 

“You have been chosen. One can only cheat death so many times before it claims you, and you accept it in return.”  

The temperature of the air around them began to drop as the walls kept inching forward. Harry banged his fist on the door of the cupboard, as he had so many times before, but it wouldn’t give. 

He looked back at the child as it spoke again, breath caught in his throat as he began to shiver, a sense of dread washing over him. 

“You have awoken. The god of death, forever entwined with your master but never succumbing to her.”

The lightbulb began to flicker off, plunging them back into darkness. Harry caught one last glimpse of himself, as he opened his mouth one more time. 

“Beware those false to the title, those who try to steal it… they are coming.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 18: The New God

Thor didn’t know exactly why he stayed in Midgard after Loki’s defeat. Since the battle, he had been telling himself that it was because of the era of change dawning upon this world he had come to care for. Another, quieter, part of himself knew he wasn’t ready to face his brother. Gaze upon the chains adorning his family, one he had once entrusted with his life. As shameful as it was, one part of him was running away from the betrayal. 

But neither of those truly explained what he was doing here. Why he had stayed in Stark’s tower as a witness to SHIELD's machinations and earthly politics he had no interest in.  However, whenever he thought about leaving, returning to his duties, one thing flashed through his mind. 

…

Thor swung his hammer at another Chitauri, entirely in the rhythm of battle, when something stopped him in his tracks. He felt a tug on his chest, an invisible hand over his heart guiding him away from the center of the battle. He fought through the streets, following it as the cold power grasping him grew stronger and stronger. And then Thor saw him…

A lone raven-haired figure among the rubble of the city, glowing with a power that weighed heavy in the sky. Thor froze as the tendrils of magic reached him, caressing him, drawing him in. He watched as this mortal brought an entire legion to its knees and just…stood there. 

Thor approached him, wary of the way he was drawn to the stranger. The magic he radiated was ancient and electric, out of place in a city such as this… Thor had never sensed anything like it before. 

“I didn’t know there were any sorcerers left on Midgard.” 

When the figure whipped around towards him, Thor felt his breath catch. Piercing green eyes met his and Thor found he could not look away. Who was this mortal with eyes too old, presence too powerful for his slight frame?

“If you didn’t know already, then you weren’t meant to.” The sorcerer said, voice low and cautious. 

“Are you friend to Loki, little sorcerer? Are you a part of this madness?” It would be just like his brother to create an illusion, a distraction.

“No,” The sorcerer said shortly. The corner of Harry’s mouth twitched upward. “I’m just a tourist.”

Thor felt a wide grin spread across his face at the sorcerer's smirk and he laughed. This would prove to be interesting indeed. 

…

Thor watched from afar for the first week after the battle, trying to figure out why he was so drawn to Harry, trying to piece together who and what he was. But the more he saw, the more perplexed he was. He watched this powerful, mysterious being attempt to fade into the background, hide behind friends and small smiles. Thor saw Harry struggle daily against memories and ghosts that haunted him, just as Thor had after a thousand years of battle. Harry never spoke about it, but Thor could see it on his face when he stared into the distance, mind trapped years before and a thousand miles away.

Thor had even come to covet their quiet moments together, just sitting and being. Harry was sarcastic and solemn, but something about him made Thor calm, as if the tug on his chest finally fell to rest in his company. What started as curiosity became genuine care as the easy friendship between them grew. But the curiosity never went away. Every time their eyes met, Thor felt entranced by the glow. Every time he entered the sorcerer’s presence, he could feel Harry’s magic settle on him and he had no idea why. 

Harry didn’t know that when he came to him for answers, Thor was almost as desperate as him for the truth. When he had recommended using the Well of Wyrd, he did so rashly. He wasn’t thinking of the consequences, only of resolution. 

Thor was now regretting that decision as he looked between Harry and the black water. Even in the gloom, he could find the green light of Harry’s gaze on him. 

“...thanks.” Harry said. Thor heard a small waver in his voice and wanted nothing more than to reach out to him, to turn him away from the danger ahead. “It means a lot that you’re helping me like this. Even if it doesn’t go to plan…just…thank you.”

And with that he turned towards the pool. Thor fought against the urge to follow, to bring Harry back when he finally slipped into the water. Harry stood still for a moment, waist deep in the pool, water droplets running down his face and chest. The anticipation was suffocating as the cave went silent. 

And then, the silence broke with a snap as Harry’s eyes widened, a flash of fear crossing his face. Thor felt his heartbeat speed up. He watched in horror as he saw black ice break the surface of the water and rapidly climb Harry’s skin. 

“Harry!” Thor roared, moving towards the pool. 

“Thor, no!” Selvig stepped between him and the pool. “You can’t help him!”

Thor couldn’t peel his eyes away as the black ice enclosed Harry’s face, those wide green eyes Thor had come to seek out day by day, finally closing. 

Thor has very rarely panicked in his long life, not during battle, not during his exile, but now panic gripped his chest as Harry sank under the surface.

He pushed past Selvig as he tore off his breast plate. Taking a deep breath, Thor dove in after Harry. 

The lights swirling in the depths illuminated Harry’s frozen body as it sank to the rocky bottom. Thor grasped at him, reaching out. But when his hand entered his field of vision, he saw sparks radiate off his skin. He watched as lightning began to encase him, and just as he reached Harry, bringing the unconscious form to his chest, Thor’s eyes closed as well. 

…

Thor awoke slowly. Blinking his eyes open, he found himself standing in the golden palace of Asgard, his people dancing amongst the sound of laughter and clinking goblets. A faint golden glow covered the scene before him as he stood for a moment, transfixed. 

Finally, he shook his head. Eyes narrowing in determination, he took one step forward, his footstep echoing against the marble floor, and everything…stopped. 

Every Asgardian in his sight, dripping in silk and jewels, froze before him. The golden light dimmed as a sickly green shadow fell over them all.  His eyes widened as he felt himself freeze in place. 

He could only watch as the scene before him crumbled into black ashes, coming down around him as he was engulfed in a cloud of dust. The wind quickened, whispering in his ears as he looked around, searching for any sign of movement. 

When it cleared, it revealed a barren landscape. Black soil fostering no growth, no life, covered what was once the palace. Asgard was…gone.

A hand grasped his shoulder. He whipped around. Heimdal was behind him, the whites of his eyes stark against the darkness around them.

“Heimdall, what is the meaning of th-”

The gatekeeper’s hand tightened, cutting him off. He spoke, but his voice sounded different, as if thousands of whispers echoed around them.

“Young god of storms, you bring with you death and you see the future you alone are powerless to thwart… Leave with your destiny and never enter the heart of Yggdrasil again…”

Heimdall’s hand was ripped from his shoulder as Thor felt the ground give way beneath him. He fell through space, galaxies passing him by as he fell faster and faster. 

Finally, he landed on a swath of concrete. Pushing himself to his feet, he looked at the rubble around him, rubble which was once New York City. Empty skyscrapers jutted out against a black sky, dust blowing through the streets.

Narrowing his eyes, he caught sight of a figure in the distance. He broke out into a run, moving towards the figure. As he approached, he saw a familiar head of raven hair. However, the piercing green eyes were absent, only void remained. This was not Harry.

He spoke cautiously, praying to the all-father that the spirits would answer him. 

“What is the destiny you speak of?”

He watched as the apparition of Harry cocked his head. 

“Your souls are tied, along with your fates. The new god awakens in the age of change and destruction. The death of souls will fight the death of bloodshed. He will need you and in turn, without him, the future of Asgard, of the nine realms, will fall into darkness.”

Thor took a deep breath, mind reeling. The pieces clicked into place. Power, so foreign yet familiar. The words of his mother echoed in his mind, spoken to him long ago. ‘Destiny is a tapestry, my child.’ Frigga stroked his blond head as she smiled down at him. ‘The threads of which tie us all together. If you feel your thread tighten, don't fight it, it will not lead you astray.’ 

Harry….

Thor opened his mouth once more, sensing his time growing short.

“And what is the threat Asgard must endure?”

The ghost of Harry turned around, his back to Thor, and began to walk away. The wind whispered in his ear as he watched the figure fade.

“ A brother lost to regret, a sister lost to malice. When the children of Odin are at odds, death will reign. Which death…is up to you…”

NOW LEAVE

…

Thor gasped as he broke the surface of the water. The lightning fading from his skin as he looked down at the unconscious young man cradled to his chest. The ice had receded from his face, but his eyes remained closed. The only movement he could sense was the water dripping from Harry’s hair, creating ripples in the still surface of the pool. 

“Harry?” He ignored Selvig’s worried voice shouting for them as his eyes flitted over the man in his arms. Thor shook him lightly before putting his ear to his chest. He sighed in relief when he felt a steady heartbeat.

It appears the spirits were merciful after all.

He swam back to the rocky shore, making sure to keep Harry’s head above water. What had he done? He should never have brought him here… 

But amongst his regret, the words of the spirits of the well ran through his mind. As he lifted the new god out of the pool, he looked at him with clarity for the first time since he was drawn to that cocky smirk and gentle laugh all those weeks ago. A new god has awoken…one he will be tied to for some time yet.

Now he has to get them home. 

…

Clouds of dust rose from the road as Tony landed with a thud in front of Eric Selvig’s house. He looked around at the empty landscape. What would Harry need out here? He thought, walking to the front door of the small, wooden cabin. 

He banged on the locked door. “Hello? Dr. Selvig?” 

Receiving no response, he blasted through the front door, only to find the house empty, nothing but books and dusty piles of paper. Tony saw the remains of a few mugs of tea on the living room table. He could hear a faint alarm go off in the background, but at this point, he couldn’t care less.

“Anyone home, Jarvis?”

“No sir, no heat signatures within the residence.” 

Tony wasn’t really expecting there to be. He walked through the small cottage, eyes peeled until finally he found what he was looking for. A small computer lay in the corner of the room, surrounded by wires and instruments covered in a thin layer of dust. The computer was opened, and looked recently used.

“Jarvis, run a complete search.” He instructed as he plugged a hard drive into the system. He tried to take deep breaths as Jarvis ran a scan, keeping himself patient and the panic threatening to overwhelm him at bay. He was able to wait for a good 30 seconds (give or take 15 but who was counting…) before snapping at Jarvis. 

“Anything?” 

Jarvis’s voice crackled in his ears. “The last opened file was one titled ‘the water’s of sight.’ I have not found any mention of that in our system, but it appears to be a place of Norse myth.”

Tony’s frustration grew. Of course Thor would bring his son into some weird god shit! As if they hadn’t had enough of mythology recently. 

“Any details, J? I’m not getting any younger here.”

“Apparently, the waters of sight are supposed to be a reflection of the heart of the universe. It is supposed to grant its seekers visions of truth and the council of the water spirits. However, no citing has ever been verified.”

He sighed…Tony used to be such a card carrying skeptic before all of this magic and asgardian crap. James used to laugh at him as he sputtered at the thought of dragons and unicorns. Now, nothing seemed outside of the realm of possibility. “Is there a location in the file?”

“Yes, there are GPS coordinates for a location about 50 miles south of here, pointing to a cave system in the desert.”

Tony didn’t wait to hear another word before running outside and turning his thrusters on full power, shooting off into the sky. 

Tony scanned the ground below him, heartbeat thrumming in his chest as he searched for any sign of Harry in the expanse of the desert of New Mexico. After what seemed like hours, Jarvis pinged his intercom. 

“Sir, I am sensing an energy surge about 500 yards from you.”

“Where? I don’t see anything!” 

“It appears to be coming from underground.”

Tony cursed as his heartbeat continued to quicken. “Point me to an entrance.”

Tony landed right in front of, what looked like a crack in the desert floor, entering the cavern, he made his way into the darkness.

“The energy surge is abating.”

Tony sped up, the metal of his suit clanking against stone as he brought himself deeper and deeper into the earth.

Finally, he heard voices in the distance. Retracting his helmet, he called out. 

“Harry?” His voice echoed against the cave walls.

“Stark?” He sighed as he heard Thor’s voice call out of the gloom, panic subsiding slightly. 

“Thor, if that is you, I am going to kick your alien as-” His voice died in his throat as he entered the pool cavern and his eyes fell on his son unconscious (again) in the god’s arms, Selvig hovering just behind them. 

“Harry!!” He ran to the group, ripping his son from Thor’s grasp, scanning him for injury. After identifying an absence of blood or obvious deformity, he snapped his head up to glare at the Asgardian, anger building in his chest. 

“What the FUCK happened!?”

Thor’s eyes never left his son’s face and Tony fought the urge to punch that chiseled jaw. 

“Stark…it is a long story.”

Tony’s anger became pure fury. “My SON is lying here unconscious for the second time today! I do not have the time for you cryptic Asgardian BULLSHIT!”

Selvig cut in, voice low. “Harry needs attention and we need to leave this place. He can discuss this further at my place.”

Tony was still seething. “Fine, but you two can crawl back yourselves. I am getting my son out of here.”

…

Harry came back to consciousness slowly. He could feel his finger twitch against something soft. Oh…someone had put a blanket over him. The bed he was in was soft, but foreign. He struggled for a second to remember where he was, how he had gotten here. Merlin, he was so tired. He felt himself reach that aching, overwhelming tiredness that happened when he pushed himself just a bit too far.

Piece by piece, the events of the day came back to him. The Chitauri, the water, the visions… He shoved those thoughts back down. He had gone searching for answers, but what he received…he didn’t know if he could handle it right now. He just didn’t know…

“Harry…”

A gentle voice called to him as he opened his eyes, blinking against the light in the room around him. He looked around, letting his eyes adjust to the light. He was back in Dr. Selvig’s cabin. Piles of books and stacks of dusty papers surrounded the bed, rustled slightly by the ceiling fan spinning rhythmically overhead. 

“Harry?” The voice tried again. Finally, Harry turned to the side, only to meet the eyes of his father.

“Tony?” Harry’s eyes widened, as he struggled to prop himself up on his elbows. Tony leaned forward to steady him, moving his pillow as he helped Harry settle against the headboard. Once he was stable, Tony sat back on his stool, his usual confident, strong posture gone as he slumped forward. Harry was struck suddenly by how tired Tony seemed. He found that he couldn’t look anymore, averting his gaze back to the bed. 

“What are you doing here?”

Tony just stared at him for a moment, face unreadable, before he took an audible breath and stood up. Harry watched in confusion as Tony walked to the other side of the room, one hand rubbing his temple as he breathed in and out through his nose. Harry swore he could hear Tony counting backwards from ten under his breath. 

“Umm..” Harry scrambled for something to say while he watched Tony. Was Tony having a mental breakdown? Merlin, was this what a breakdown looked like? Harry always thought they had more … yelling (well, his always did) but Tony was acting so weird. Tony was never quiet. “Are you okay?” 

Tony lifted his head and turned back to him, eyes blazing. 

“Are you kidding me?” Tony bit out, shoulders visibly shaking as he abandoned all calming efforts. Harry couldn’t quite control his flinch as Tony took a step forward. “Are you really asking me that? Are you really asking why I’m here?!”

“Um…yes.” Harry looked at him, eyes wide. “Is this…is this about this morning? Or because I…I don’t know.”

Tony just gaped at him. “Harry…god if you don’t know what’s wrong … we have much bigger issues here.” 

Harry stayed silent, feeling more off kilter than he had all day. He watched with wide eyes as Tony slumped back into his seat, as if someone cut the strings holding him up. Silence fell over the room, until Harry could no longer bear it. 

“Listen, I know you were disappointed that I went with the team this morning and … got in the way, but that doesn’t mean I need to be babysa-”

“Is that really what you think?” Tony cut in, looking at him with an expression of pure shock. “That I’m disappointed that you…got in the way. What are you talking about?!”

Harry winced hearing it repeated in Tony’s voice. “I know I was a little…out of control. That’s why I needed to come here…”

“Harry…no.” All the anger had drained from Tony’s face, leaving an expression of undeniable sadness. “No. I’m not disappointed in you for saving five hundred civilians by yourself from leagues of aliens. You were not…in the way.” 

Oh.

Tony took a shuddering breath. “Harry, I was upset this morning because you were injured and instead of resting, you went out and got yourself more injured. I was…I am… worried about you,”

Harry had no idea what to say. He just gaped at his father, stunned. Glancing quickly down at his arm, he noticed his sling was missing, probably at the bottom of the magical, murder pond. Whoops.

“And then…” Harry looked back up. Apparently, Tony wasn’t done. “After you nearly died, you decided to go on an adventure with Pointbreak over there without letting me know and get yourself MORE INJURED.”

Harry shrugged. “I’m really not…I just fell asleep for a bit.”

Tony looked at him, unimpressed. “Harry, it’s been 8 hours. It's tomorrow. And if Clint would get his ass over here, we would be in the tower already. Although I am 2 minutes away from just getting Pepper to call us a private plane.”

“Oh.” Harry’s voice was quiet as he looked down at his lap. He could hear Tony sigh beside him. 

“Harry, please look at me.” 

He raised his head hesitantly, meeting Tony’s gaze. 

“Someone please put the right words into my mouth… I care about you because you are my son and because you are…you. When I went to check on you and you were gone…I panicked. I didn’t know if you were safe or hurt or coming back.”

Harry stayed silent, his mind drifting back to Mrs. Weasley what felt like a lifetime ago. No note, care gone. You could have died! He felt his eyes grow wet. He had never imagined having those words turned on him.

“You deserve care and medicine and time to heal without throwing yourself in front of the next danger we face. I don’t know who taught you that your life and your health were worth so little, but that needs to stop…now.” Tony even pointed at him slightly, jabbing him in the arm, eyebrows furrowed. 

“I didn’t mean to make you…worry. I just didn’t…didn’t think.” Harry responded hesitantly, furiously wiping his eyes on his sleeve. “I wish you wouldn’t. You have enough to worry about without adding me to the mix.”

Tony considered him for a moment, face blank as he thought through what to say. 

“Harry, I want you to listen carefully to what I’m about to say.” He took a deep breath. “Before I found you or…you found me. Whatever, before you showed up…I was…lost. I had Rhodey and Pepper, but…my family, everyone I had ever loved…was gone and those remaining, I was pushing away.”

Harry felt his heart thump in his chest as Tony’s words echoed in his ears. He couldn’t look away, latching onto every horribly familiar word.

“You gave me a family again, you gave me a chance to build something…permanent. I can never get back your childhood or the years I missed, but getting to know you now…has been everything. You. Are. Not. A. Burden. To. Me. I just…don’t want to lose you. Not when I just got the privilege of knowing you.”

Harry felt a single tear run down his face as he looked his father in the eye. He nodded and Tony understood. That was all that mattered. 

…

A couple hours later, Harry was up and pacing. He could see the sun begin to peak over the horizon as he listened to Tony on the phone with the pilot. Clint called and stated that Fury had them on a last minute mission that required the Quinjet. They would be leaving back for the Tower within the hour, but Harry felt restless, unsettled. 

He heard the door to Selvig’s room crack open. Turning around revealed Blondie popping his head in. Harry stopped in his tracks and smiled at him slightly. 

“Hello stranger.” Harry smirked a little at Thor’s hulking form, so out of place in this little wooden cabin. 

“I apologize, Harry, that I did not come in sooner. Stark threatened parts of my anatomy I’d rather not lose should I disturb your rest again.” Thor stated, expression completely serious. Harry had to hold back a laugh. “He was not the happiest with me.”

“Well…” Harry shrugged. “He wasn’t the happiest with me either.”

Thor came in and shut the door behind him, moving towards Harry, arms crossed across his chest. “To be honest, I am not the happiest with my actions this day as well.”

He sighed. “I never should have recommended visiting the waters, especially so soon after a battle. It was rash.”

Harry shook his head and swallowed. “No, I asked for the help and in the end…I think it was worth it.”

Thor opened his mouth before hesitating. “Harry, I entered the waters as well…”

His eyes went wide. “What? Why? Are you okay?” 

“Yes, I am well. It was not planned but I was worried when you fell under the surface so I…”

Harry flushed with embarrassment. “Oh…I see you didn’t take a prolonged nap.”

“No.” Thor smirked. “But it was a near thing. I had some questions answered about you…about us.”

He looked away. “What did you hear?” He asked softly. 

Thor took a step closer. “Likely the same as you, that you have awoken a god. You are no longer mortal.”

Harry shook his head. “I know it said that but that can’t be right. I thought all of…this,” He gestured to himself. “was because of the Hallows, but that wouldn’t make sense.”

“Harry, do you know how Asgardians ascend to godhood?”

He shook his head.

“There are two ways. We are either chosen by the All-father or by Yggdrasil herself. No mortal sorcery or artifacts can make us so. You are who you are because you proved yourself to be worthy.”

Harry bit his tongue and shook his head again. Thor sighed. “We do not need to discuss this now, should you wish otherwise.”

Harry stayed silent, before catching on to something else Thor said. “Wait, what do you mean you heard about…us?”

“The spirits of the well gave me a sort of…prophecy.”

Of fucking course.

Chapter Text

Chapter 19: The Scepter

“Child of souls, god of death….”

Those words ran through Harry’s head over and over as he sat on his bed in the tower, staring at the wall, numb, just trying to piece together what had happened. He had been trying to sleep for hours now, but he just couldn’t. He was so tired…

“One can only cheat death so many times before it claims you, and you accept it in return.”

Looking back now, the forest was not the only time he should have died, it was the closest, but definitely not the first. Whether it was the Hallows or sacrifice that saved him last time, but he had been cheating death for a long time before then.

Giving up any hope of actually getting some rest, he got up with a sigh. Harry walked over to the mirror in his bathroom and, taking a deep breath, took off his shirt. For the first time in years, he really looked at himself. He traced the scar on his forehead, the other lightning scar on his sternum. The remnants of the basilisk bite was raised against his skin, peering over the edge of his sling. His hand found the scar below his ribs, from when he was five…

What did being a god even mean? He looked…the same. Still scrawny and scarred. He still bled, he still felt pain, but then again, so did Thor. Maybe, it was just the connection, the fact that when Harry was carried out of the forest that day, he didn’t think he ever really returned to the land of the living. 

Thor would probably know, the blond bastard. He could tell that Thor had wanted to talk more about what the spirits told him before Tony interrupted them back in New Mexico, letting them know the plane had arrived and ushering Harry away from Selvig’s cabin with a not-so-subtle glare shot at the god trailing behind them. 

But maybe it was a good thing they were interrupted. When he was a kid, he spent his entire life searching for information, the truth kept from him. But now, he didn’t know how much more he could handle. He didn’t know what he was expecting when he slipped into the waters, but it wasn’t this. Even the word prophecy had sent his mind spinning. Just when he thought he was free… Anger began to gnaw at the blanket of numbness he had draped over himself. It seems as though fate still has it out for him. 

“Mr. Potter?” The crackling voice of Jarvis interrupted his train of thought. 

“Yes, Jarvis?”

“Mr. Stark is asking for you in the living room, if you have gotten sufficient rest.”

Harry tore his eyes away from the mirror with a small shudder and pulled his shirt back on.

“I’m coming.”

He had to choke back a laugh as he walked into the living room. Tony was glaring daggers at a perfectly oblivious Thor. Blondie himself was thumbing through a tabloid, eyebrows furrowed in concentration, sitting across from the obviously angry father contemplating his demise. 

“Hey.” He greeted them quietly as he walked into the room. Tony’s murderous intent fell from his face when he saw Harry, giving him a small smile. 

“Good morning, or evening. Doesn’t matter at this point. Did you get some sleep?”

No.

“Enough…” Harry sat down on the couch next to his father. “Any word from the team?”

Concern flashed across Tony’s face as he glanced back at his phone. “Nothing yet. I’ve gotten a couple of updates saying they don’t need backup right now but not a damn clue about what they're actually doing.”

Harry nodded, face blank, trying to push down a wave of anxiety. “If they’re still in contact then it can’t be too bad…”

Tony shook his head and put his phone down with a sigh. “That’s between them and Fury. It’s not important right now.”

He looked between Harry and Thor. “Will you put down the damn magazine, Pointbreak? I guarantee the ‘best hits of the bachelorette’ will still be there after we talk.”

Thor gave him a big grin as he put the paper down. Tony rolled his eyes. 

“Okay, now that we have all had the time for our respective breakdowns, unless that was just me, we have to talk…you don’t need to tell me more than you are comfortable with, but I would like to know what's going on.”

Harry and Thor shared a glance, neither saying a word.

“Let’s start with why you decided to jump into a puddle of homicidal water spirits…yes I read Selvig’s files on the way over.”

“It would be good for your father to know, Harry.” Thor gestured for Harry to speak, like the traitor he was. Harry huffed at him before turning back to Tony hesitantly.

“I was trying to figure out why my magic has been different lately…”

Tony narrowed his eyes. “Missing core…I remember. Not a good enough reason to risk your life but let's drop that for now. And you didn’t ask me, why?”

“Um…” Harry looked at Thor quickly. “He had just mentioned a few things about it before, so I thought he could help. And well…he did.”

Tony huffed, “Debatable.”

Thor straightened. “I agree that it was a rash decision on my part. I take full responsibility.”

“Yeah, yeah, you said that before. Did you at least find anything?”

Harry dropped his eyes back to his lap. God of death…it sounds bloody ridiculous. How could he say that? Hey pops, your freakshow kid ascended.

Thor caught his eye, worry painted across his face. Harry opened his mouth, before closing it again. He nodded at Thor, who thankfully caught the hint.

“According to the spirits, Harry has been chosen by Yggdrasil or…death.”

Tony took a sharp breath in. “Okay…and that means?”

“His power is similar now to those of chosen Asgardians, such as myself. He draws power from the nine realms now.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Tony held up a hand, closing his eyes. “So he’s like you, like a god?”

Thor held his gaze. “Yes.” 

Harry winced at the bluntness of that statement. “That doesn’t really matter, at least we don’t have to worry about my core or anything.”

Tony sighed, burying his face in his hands.

“You know kid, you have this way of understating…well, everything.”

Harry smirked slightly. “It’s a talent…”

Tony snorted, before worry overtook his gaze again. 

“Well, what does that mean for you? Are you okay?”

Harry shrugged and looked down. “I don’t really know…”

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. Thor met his eyes and warmth washed over him. “I will help you find out, son of Stark.”

“Okay…we can talk more about that later. Anything else? Any other revelations that will give me a heartattack?”

Thor’s expression darkened. “We were given a warning, but that may be best discussed when we are all present.”

Harry’s heart began to quicken.

“How about no-”

Tony’s phone started to ring besides him. As he grabbed it, he pointed at the two of them. “This is not over.”

He lifted the phone to his ear. 

“Hello? Oh Nick, nice of you to call first this time.” There was a pause. “You have got to be fucking joking. You had one fucking job!”

Harry watched the back and forth with a growing feeling of dread. 

“Fine. I got it. I will see you soon. Tell Banner that he is a fucking saint and until you have people with half a brain in the room, and Barton doesn’t count, DON’T LOSE ANYTHING ELSE!”

Harry smiled shakily, trying not to betray his sinking stomach. “So, I see you have just started reading Fury the riot act on principle.” 

“Well, he lost the right to my manners when he aided and abetted my kidnapping.”

“HE DID WHAT?”

…

Tony strode through the halls of SHIELD’s headquarters, Harry and Thor keeping pace behind him, looking around with interest. He knew why, considering both of them had grown up more among dragons and magic than the modern world, no matter what Thor might say about the ‘superiority’ of Asgardian technology. 

For him, however, the bleached white walls and chrome logos were already giving him a headache. Sometimes people took this ‘futuristic aesthetic’ thing a bit too far. 

“Mr. Stark, aren’t you supposed to be wearing a visitor’s pass?”

Tony looked up at the agent in front of him with a smirk. “Shouldn’t I be on some permanent list by now, Agent Hill, considering your frequent requests for my help.”

“I shudder to imagine all of the lists your name has made its way onto, Stark.” Agent Hill crossed her arms with a slight grin. “The director is with the rest of the team. Mr. Potter, Mr. Odinson, follow me.”

They made their way through the labyrinth of halls (I mean would it kill someone to put up signs) down elevator after elevator, until they finally entered a lab in the basement. As they approached the inner door, Tony heard muffled shouting from within. Agent Hill sighed and swiped her card. 

“You should have brought them in HOURS ago!!” Natasha had dropped her normally cool demeanor and was full on shouting at Fury, who was holding his hands up, trying to placate his most dangerous assassin. “But instead you have been playing war games with wizards, kidnapping allies and stalking scientists!” 

“Hear, hear.” Tony said, slowly clapping his hands. Natasha whipped her head around to see them enter. She scoffed. “It feels good to be appreciated, Nat.”

She rolled her eyes. “And what makes you think I was talking about you, Tony?”

“Who else?” He said with a smirk before turning back to Fury. “Now, what happened?”

Nick shot a wary glance at Thor before he began to speak. “At 0200 last night, Loki’s scepter went missing.”

Thor tensed, anger palpable. “You lost the scepter? And why did you not inform me immediately?! The artifacts of Loki are under the care of Asgard.”

“Maybe because you decided to play truant with Mr. Potter over there. Nice to see you again, by the way.” Tony watched as Harry’s face went blank. Anger rushed through him.

Barton snorted. “Sure that's why, and not because you were afraid of getting smote.”

“Really, Agent Barton?” Fury turned to Clint, exasperated. Clint shrugged. Thor watched the exchange with growing impatience.

“I was under the impression that SHIELD was better prepared to protect the scepter.” Thor said, volume rising. Static seemed to fill the air as sparks began to fly off of Mjolnir. “I should never have let you keep the Scepter! I should have had it sent back to Asgard with Loki, alliance be damned!”

Bruce, who had been leaning against a table in the back watching, cut in. “I am not going to disagree with you Thor, but for now, we have to work together to find it. Tony, Harry, Thor, are you guys willing to help?”

Tony watched as Thor took a deep breath and the static began to calm. “We have to get it back. That scepter is too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands.”

Tony turned to Banner. “What do you have so far?”

Agent Hill walked to a computer and turned it on. “Here is the security footage from last night.”

Tony watched the grainy video of the scepter, held on a stand in the lab with two guards facing the door. For a while nothing happened, and then, in the blink of an eye, the scepter was just…gone. The guards didn’t even turn around.

“Is that it?”

“Yes, it was there and then just…disappeared. The Director had us conduct a surface level satellite scan and check all of the regular culprits, weapons dealers etcetera, before he would consider calling you in.” Natasha explained, frowning at the screen. “But no one I know could do that.” She said, pointing at the footage.

“I attempted to scan for gamma radiation, as with the cube, but I don’t believe the scepter radiates the same wavelength.” Bruce sighed. “We just didn’t have enough time to study it before it was taken. I’m at a loss.”

Tony turned to Fury. “This is why you wanted Selvig back…to study the scepter.”

Fury nodded.

Harry, who had been looking over his shoulder, hummed. “It could have been wizards… Did your mate Jackson set you up with wards?”

“Yes. He assured me that no one from the magical community would be able to enter SHIELD facilities. Not that I really trusted the man, but I assumed at least this would be an area of common interest.”

Harry snorted. “Well wards aren’t infallible. A powerful wizard can sometimes break through them, or they can be manipulated.”

Fury just stared at him. “And why would a wizard want the scepter? They already have magic.”

“For the same reason Loki did.” Harry’s face darkened and Tony did a double take. Sometimes, Harry looked so much older than he was, so…haunted. “There are always people willing to risk anything for more power. Wizards are no different. Don’t forget that.”

Fury cleared his throat and averted his eyes. “Of course…well, what do you suggest we do now?”

“I don’t know. Any magical signatures left behind would have dissipated by now.”

“I’m going to have Jarvis search for any anomalies in the unit’s sensors, both from now and from when Loki used the scepter to steal the tesseract in the first place. Hopefully, we can try to pin down its signature.” Tony tapped his watch.” Trust me, Jarvis can do a more thorough search than any of your people can, except for Banner of course. Love you, Bruce.”

Dr. Banner smiled and shook his head. 

Fury huffed. “On that note, I’m going to meet with the council. Keep me updated.”

Before Tony could retort (and he had a good one) Fury walked to the door, coat tails flapping behind him. Just before he left, Harry called out.

“Director.” Fury turned around. “Speaking of wards, you can let the President know that I’m having them put up around the tower.”

The air around them dropped a few degrees and Tony shivered. Tony looked at Harry, only to see barely repressed anger swimming in his eyes. Fury said nothing.

“I’ve let you pull me around, but if you ever attempt to kidnap my family again,” Tony felt his heart stop as he looked at his son, his family. “You won’t like the consequences.”

“Is that a threat, Mr. Potter?” Harry held his gaze as tension filled the room. Agent Hill looked back and forth, obviously wondering whether or not to step in.

“Yes.”

There was silence. Eventually Fury just nodded, turning around and leaving the room.

“Well, he’s losing his touch.” Tony joked, trying to break the tension. He felt a sense of relief as he watched Harry smile at him, a flash of embarrassment crossing his face.

“Tell me about it.” Natasha snorted. “I apologize for not bringing you in sooner, Thor. I was hoping to have something for you before you got here.”

“It is okay Natasha, the fault does not lie with you.”

Tony went over to a few of the sensors, fiddling with the controls. Once he was done, he crossed his arms, observing the setup.

“Well, Jarvis has got it from here.” He looked at the team. “So this is giving me deja vu. Are we bunking at SHIELD for now because I would kill for some pizza?”

Steve chuckled. “It seems so. I’ll order.”

…

Harry looked around at the team as they devoured five boxes of pepperoni, sitting on the laboratory floor waiting for updates from Jarvis. He fiddled with the slice in his hands, not really feeling like eating. Looking across at Thor, he noticed that he looked preoccupied as well. The god who usually ate the equivalent of a small cow at every meal was just staring into the distance, glancing at him when he thought Harry wasn’t looking. 

Finally, as the final bites of food disappeared, Thor broke the silence.

“Friends, I am concerned.”

Everyone looked up in confusion. Barton grinned. “With a magical, mind controlling weapon missing, I would be worried if you weren’t.”

“It is not just that.” Thor looked at Harry, who felt his stomach drop. It was time.. 

“Harry, are you okay having this discussion in front of others?” Thor whispered to him. “I do not wish to break your confidence again.”

The team watched the interaction with curiosity, but did not interrupt them. Harry hesitated, before nodding slowly. He had had enough of secrets. “If it affects them too, they deserve to know…” He said quietly. Thor watched him for a moment as if making sure he was certain. Finally he turned back to the group.

Tony held up a hand as Thor opened his mouth. “Jarvis, dismantle any audio devices SHIELD has in here.”

Thor took a deep breath. 

“Yesterday, Harry and I were given a warning, a prophecy, from the spirits of Yggdrasil.”

“Bless you.” Nat elbowed Clint in the side, glaring at him. “Sorry, continue.”

“I was told that there was imminent danger, to both earth and Asgard, approaching. The timing of the scepter being stolen…it…concerns me.”

Captain's expression hardened, eyes serious. “What else was said?”

Thor took a deep breath. “Just that as long as the children of Odin are at odds, death will reign across the realms.” Harry looked away.

“Well that's cheerful.”

Harry could feel Thor’s eyes trained on him. Thor hesitated before speaking again, obviously thinking through his words. “And without us…without Harry… the world will fall into darkness. The rest I was unable to decipher.”

The room broke out into a cacophony of noise.

“But Harry is not a child of Odin…”

“Can we even trust these spirits? What if…”

“What if we organize you guys a family therapy session? Maybe that would…”

Harry felt his breathing quicken. He felt his skin crawl from the eyes on him. There was too much noise. He felt the world begin to spin as a deep sense of panic and dread overwhelmed him. 

“Harr-” 

He could hear Tony and the team speaking in his periphery, but he couldn’t focus. He couldn’t do this anymore. He thought he could but…

He stumbled out of the room into the hallway beyond. The minute the door shut behind him, he grasped his chest, hands feeling the rough scar over his heart. The price of the last prophecy, the last war he was thrust into.

He tried to calm himself, but he could feel his magic begin to react. An alarm sounded faintly in the background as black ice began to spread from where he touched the wall behind him, wind whipping past his face. 

“Harry, you have to calm down.” A deep, gentle voice broke through the wall of panic surrounding him. He didn’t even notice him approach.

“I can’t…” He gasped, and the small storm raging in the hall worsened. 

“Harry, feel your feet touch the ground.”

He tried to focus on the instructions, shivering with the cold. 

“Now reach further, feel the earth, feel the seat of your power, and settle. Disperse it to where it once came from.”

Harry could feel his power channel downwards. He could sense a dark lake of magic swirling under his feet, and he let his power trickle down, dripping, dissipating into the larger body of water. He could feel his heartbeat begin to settle and the ice recede. 

After a few minutes, he took a shuddering breath in.

Finally he raised his head, to see Thor smiling gently at him. At first he bristled at the look, but there was no pity in his gaze, just understanding. 

“Thank you.” He rasped. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened.”

Thor shook his head. “Don’t apologize. You were upset. Understandably.”

Harry flushed slightly, still catching his breath. “How did you know how to…you know.” He gestured around him.

Thor smiled again, eyes glazing over as if visualizing some distant memory. “My mother used to have to help me in the same way, when I was chosen.”

Harry’s eyes widened. Oh.

“She used to say that the hardest part of becoming of the realm was how our power can react to our distress, to the world around us. It’s meant to protect us, but it can be dangerous if it builds.” 

The overwhelming surges of power he had been experiencing crossed Harry’s mind as he soaked in Thor’s words. 

“I would get so angry all the time, and I would just lose control. I would get knocked out by my own lightning.” Thor chuckled slightly. “She taught me to find the source of my power, to channel it back and forth. For me, my source is the sky, she would have me find the clouds above, find the storm within and return it to the heavens. But for you, it would make sense that your source is the earth.”

“Oh…thank you…”

“Should we call Stark out? I think Captain Rodgers was holding him back from breaking down the door last I saw.”

Harry snorted, panic subsided. “Might as wel-”

The door slammed open, making Harry jump.

“Harry!” Tony ran to him. “Are you okay?!”

Harry fought the urge to smile. He was torn between embarrassment and the desire to just…soak it in. “I’m fine. Crisis averted.”

Tony sank down to the floor next to him, scanning him for any injury. “Are you sure?”

Thor stayed, looking between them. “Warrior, it is okay if you are not…”

Harry’s shackles went up before he tamped them down. He took a deep breath again.

“I’m fine, I just…You told me there was a prophecy made and I thought I was prepared but…” Harry looked at the floor. “I don’t know what I was expecting…”

Despair flashed across Tony’s gaze before he sighed and slumped down against the wall. “Harry, please…talk to me.”

Harry met his gaze and was stunned by the raw sincerity he saw in them. Maybe this time, maybe this time was different. 

He started speaking again, this time in a whisper. “The last prophecy made about me…it took everything from me. My family, my friends, my life… And now…”

As Tony looked at him, Harry saw a single tear trail down his father’s face.

Thor placed one hand over his own, ignoring Harry’s look of confusion. “Warrior, you are not alone in this.”

“The spirits told me that our fates are tied…you and me. And even without that, I have grown to…care for you. Know that there is nowhere you will go, no danger you will face where I will not be by your side.”

Harry felt his heart stop as he looked at the god before him, warmth so out of place among bleached walls and cold metal. For his entire life, he felt as if the world was on his shoulders, his alone. Ron and Hermione were with him, but in the graveyard, in the forest…it was just…him.

Tony cut in, grabbing his other hand. “And you have me, Harry. Don’t think that I scare easily, kid. I know that you have faced so much without a family by your side, but it's you and me against the world now. I’m going nowhere. Hell, we could even say fuck this and go into hiding. Don’t put this on yourself.”

“And don’t forget about us.” Clint's voice rang out. Harry looked to the entranceway and laughed. The rest of the team were piled up by a crack in the door, obviously eavesdropping. 

Natasha punched him. “You interrupted their moment!” 

Steve shook his head fondly, before turning to Harry. 

“We are a team, and whatever comes our way, we will face it together.”

…

Footsteps sounded in the silence of the grey landscape. No birds, no life was present, except for the masked figures approaching the obsidian cave. Their cloaks whispered over the ground as they came to the entrance. The shadows seemed to reach out to them, engulfing them as they kneeled.

“My lady.” One figure rasped. “We have acquired it.”

“You have done well.” A voice sounded from the darkness. “Now…break it.”

One figure stood and approached the cave. He placed his hand against the obsidian, feeling the power of the barrier resist him. 

He withdrew the scepter from his robes and turned it over in his hands.

“Do it…now.” She commanded.

The figure hesitated, before pointing the blade into the rock and pushing in. 

Nothing happened for a moment, the world freezing around them.

And then…CRACK.

The barrier exploded, blasting outwards in a cloud of obsidian shards and dust.

The figures scrambled backwards, trying to escape the blast. 

They watched with trepidation as a woman emerged from the cloud.

A green glow emanated from her as she stepped onto the earth for the first time in a millennia and breathed in the frigid, open air. She was covered in dark, sharp fabric, hair matted, falling across her face. The only color to be seen was her glowing green eyes. 

The men scrambled back to their knees, trembling as they presented the scepter to her in their open hands. She looked down at them, dark amusement coming over her face.

“It appears even the power of Odin must fall to an infinity stone. It is nice to breathe the free air again.”

“My Lady Hela, what can we do to serve you?”

“For now…” She tilted her head. “Nothing. First, I must visit my little brother…”

Chapter Text

Chapter 20: The Past

Loki hung his head between his knees, sitting with his back against the white walls of his cell. Black hair fell over his eyes, giving him a slight reprieve from the painfully bright lights they had seen fit to put in this…cage. 

How had things come to this? 

Well, he knew how, it was just…humiliating. Just as he had found his way back into the light, just as he attempted to carve out a place for himself in this damned universe, one worthy of him,  it was snatched away again. And by his brother and those…pests…of all people.

Sighing, Loki ran a hand through his hair.

“My poor sibling…what have they done to you?” 

Loki snapped his eyes open, holding himself very still. He learned long ago to never betray surprise. Looking around slowly, he let a smirk spread across his face.

“Has someone deigned to visit me in this hell hole?” 

“Brother…you know nothing of Hel…”

The air seemed to shimmer in front of him, distorting and wavering until a figure appeared. A woman, cloaked in black materialized in front of him, long dark hair falling down her back, piercing green eyes immediately finding him.

“That’s a nice trick.” He said blithely, making a show of examining his nails. “The All-father’s vision must be failing if you were able to get in here.”

She waved her hand at him. “No, unfortunately I was not able to make it in person…do you think you are the only one capable of illusion?” 

“As far as I knew, I was.” He cocked his head. “Who are you, one who calls me brother? The only one who has done so in the past, forgive me, is much…prettier…than you, or at least he would think so.”

The woman laughed, her deep and dark voice seeming to come from miles away, echoing in his mind. He fought the urge to shiver. 

“I am someone who can help you reclaim Midgard…” She moved towards him, stride graceful, contrasting the sharp edges that seemed to encompass her. “I can help you claim a throne worthy of one of Odin’s children-”

“I am NOT a child of Odin!” He spat, losing composure. “And I refuse to be beholden to another again.”

“Just because you are not of his blood, does not mean you are not of his heart…as I once was.”

Loki just stared at her, eyebrows furrowed.

“You are not his first child to be cast out, to be…discarded.” Venom laced her words. “But, if you join me, we can rise above the old man, together.”

Loki’s eyes narrowed at her. “And if I did…what would that entail?”

Hela grinned. “I need an agent in Asgard. I would be able to get you out of your prison, but I won’t be able to do much else to truly grant you freedom, until I return to full power.”

“Forego the subtleties, those fall under my domain. Tell me what you need?”

“I need you to open the Bifrost.”

…

“Damn!” Tony threw his screwdriver across the table, dropping his head onto the chrome surface. He groaned as he softly banged his head against the table.

“No luck then?” 

Tony looked up to see Harry standing in the doorway holding two to-go cups of coffee. Tony tried to smile at him, but it came out as more of a grimace. He lifted his head long enough to take a large gulp of the coffee, the bitter liquid burning all the way down. 

“Thanks.” 

Harry sat on a stool next to him, lightly sipping his own cup. 

Tony turned back to the sensor he was tuning with a sigh. “It's been nearly a week and nothing. Not a blip anywhere on Jarvis’s radar, it just doesn’t make sense.You would think that if someone went to all of the trouble to steal the damn thing, they would use it.”

Almost a week held up at SHIELD was driving Tony stir crazy. He was working with Banner during almost every waking hour he had, trying to find something, anything! He had never been the most patient person and he was not made for sitting in a bunker and waiting for the shoe to drop. 

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Harry asked, looking over his shoulder at the computers at the workstation. Tony felt a bubble of laughter reach the surface. Harry had asked that every day so far, but a computer person, his son, was not. 

He was reminded of a young James sitting with him in his workshop, trying to help by handing him his tools while he worked on a car. That ‘help’ usually consisted of a lot of questions, a lot of James smacking him in the head trying to levitate his tools and eventually James distracting him with something…else. Tony never complained. 

Tony shook the memory from his mind, giving Harry a fond smile. “Not right now, but I’ll let you know.”

Harry nodded, looking slightly relieved. 

Tony turned away from the workstation, rubbing his eyes. 

“Any luck on your end?”

A flash of anger passed across Harry’s face. 

“No. MACUSA is being evasive. You’d think for all of their supposed superiority, they wouldn’t be so bloody useless. Wouldn’t even tell me and Thor if the wards around the property were damaged.”

“Bet Pointbreak was thrilled with that.”

Harry snorted. “The scorch marks will come out of their walls eventually. Apparently lightning damage is resistance to magic repairs…who knew?”

Tony laughed lightly. They lapsed into a comfortable silence, Tony sipping his now cooled coffee.

“Tony?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I ask you a question?” Harry wasn’t looking at him, but Tony could see the tension in his frame. 

“Of course, kid. God knows I need the distraction from this trainwreck.” Tony tried to keep his tone light.

“How did you meet…?” Harry trailed off.

“Lily and James?” He asked, already knowing the answer. Tony felt a pain shoot through his chest. God, Harry looked so…unsure. His son was usually so stoic, so…world worn. But there was something open about him right now, almost vulnerable. 

“Yeah…I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about them lately and…I realized that I don’t know much about their life…with you.”

“You can ask me about Lily and James, Harry. Always. I can’t promise that the answers will be PG, though.” He smirked.

Harry rolled his eyes at Tony’s shit-eating grin, but he saw the tension in his son’s shoulders lessen. 

Tony sat still for a minute, trying to piece together fragments of rose-tinted memories without getting lost in them.

“I met them when I was your age. God, it feels like a lifetime ago.” His eyes misted over. “It was right after my father died and I…I wasn’t in a good place. I spent my life dodging reporters, drinking, working, trying to hide from the world.”

Tony could see true understanding in his son’s eyes, breaking through the forced mask of nonchalance that seemed to be genetic at this point. He felt his heart clench as he realized that, for all of the differences in their worlds, in many ways, he and his son…were the same.

Tony cleared his throat and looked away. 

“One day reporters were tailing me and I literally ran into them on the street. I turned a corner and…there they were. James saw people chasing me and just slung an arm around my shoulders without a word. He and Lily led me right past them. At the time, I couldn’t figure out how these two strangers got the vultures to leave me alone, you know, I wasn’t exactly let in on the secret right away.” 

Tony smiled lightly, “But something about them…I didn’t even question it. Not then, not when we snuck into a bar later that night, not when one night turned into a month, not until the day they told me.”

Harry listened with rapt attention, a wistful look in his eye as he stared. They ignored the faint beeping of the sensors on the workbenches around them as he continued the story.

“But, it wasn’t really a surprise when they did. There was something magical about the years we spent together, I just thought it was…them.” Tony smiled. “They used to visit me on the weekends, we had a standing portkey. They never let me see them in Britain… I always got the feeling that they were hiding from the world as much as I was. I never could have imagined that…” He cut himself off. 

“They were the best thing that could have happened to me during a time when I thought that the world had run out of good. They used to say that I was the balance between them, the balance between Lily’s fire and James’ laughter. They didn’t see Howard Starks’s orphaned, genius kid…it sounds cheesy as hell, but they just saw me…”

They sat in silence for a moment, Tony trying to control the tears threatening to spill from him. Harry was looking down at his hands, shoulders slumped over as he seemed to wrestle with something.

Finally, Harry spoke, so softly Tony almost didn’t catch it.

“I’m sorry I took them from you…” Harry whispered, eyes on the floor. 

Tony felt his mind reboot.

“What?” 

Harry took a shuddering breath. “It’s okay if you want me to leave after I tell you this…I won’t be…I would understand.”

‘Harry, what are yo-”

“No, let me say this…I should have told you a while ago, I just…” Harry raised his head, face blank, numb, wiped free of emotion. “I told you that there was a prophecy made about me before.”

Tony nodded, remembering his son’s breakdown a week ago. He hadn’t brought it up since, not wanting to break the tentative peace they had. 

“The prophecy said that a child born at the end of July to parents who had defied Voldemort would be the one to kill him. He thought that it referred to me so he…he tried to kill me.” 

Harry raised a shaking hand to move the hair away from his forehead, showing a lightening scar. 

“That’s why they went into hiding, that’s why they died…they died to save me. I’m sorry.”

Tony felt a buzzing in his ears as his mind filled with static. His son thought that this was his fault. God, he wished they were here, Lily would know what to do, the right things to say. And James, James would be able to wipe the look of numb resignation from their child’s face in a way that Tony couldn’t. His son, the child soldier, had been thrust into a war since before he was born by some…prophecy. And he thought it was his fault….

“The last prophecy made about me…it took everything from me.”

The breakdown was beginning to make more sense as Harry watched him, almost as if he was bracing himself for anger. 

A tear rolled down Tony’s face as he gaped at his son before reaching out to pull him into an embrace. Harry tensed at the contact before Tony felt him slowly relax, hands hanging limply at his sides. 

“Don’t apologize, don’t you dare.” Tony pulled away so he could meet Harry’s eyes. “God, you don’t know how angry it makes me that people have let you believe that this was your fault.”

“But it-” Tony cut him off.

“Listen, I loved James and Lily, but you…you are our child. I would die a thousand times over to keep you safe, and I know that they would say the same. It. wasn’t. your. fault. It sounds like the rest of the fucking world has endangered you again and again, when you should have been protected.”

Harry’s eyes grew haunted. “So many people died trying to protect me…trying to make sure I would live to kill Voldemort…”

“Woah, okay, full stop.” Tony released him from his embrace. “You shouldn’t have been protected in order to continue to fight as a child soldier, you should have been protected because you deserve to live.”

Harry looked at him, a flash of confusion crossing his face. Tony pulled him back into a hug. He couldn’t watch as his son grappled with the apparently foreign concept that his life had worth.

“I should have looked harder for you…” Tony said quietly through the lump in his throat. Harry just shook his head in his arms. 

Harry pulled back, trying to hide his red eyes. “Even if you had, you couldn’t have saved me from where I was, nobody could have.” 

Tony froze. Saved me. “What do you mean?”

Harry wouldn’t look at him, face closed off again. “It doesn’t matter now.” 

“I doubt that.” Tony whispered. He considered his son for a few more moments, but it was clear that Harry was done talking about this.

“So,” Tony gave him a grin, wiping the tear tracks from his face. “Do you want to hear how they finally told me about magic?”

Harry huffed, before smiling, looking as if a weight was lifted from him. He sat back down on his stool and leaned an elbow on the workbench.

“It was completely by accident. Apparently, James was terrified of cockroaches…”

…

Tony knocked on the door of one of SHIELD’s barracks, tapping his hand against his thigh. 

“Tony? What the hell?” Barton opened the door, hair ruffled from sleep as he groaned. “It's past 1 am.”

“I know that birdbrain,” Tony snapped before reeling himself in. It wasn’t Barton’s fault that Tony felt like he was vibrating out of his skin, restless beyond belief. 

After a week of sitting around accomplishing nothing, just waiting for a hammer to drop, his conversation with Harry earlier that day had been the final straw. He couldn’t handle watching his son go through the world, haunted by a past he couldn’t change. Not while he was sitting on his ass, watching them all be thrust into the next great disaster. 

There was something he needed to do, and he wouldn’t wait any longer. He looked back at Clint. “I need your help.”

“Oof, that must have been painful to say.”

Tony glared, expression hard and unyielding. Clint’s smirk faded, replaced with concern.

“What is it? Did Jarvis get a hit on the scepter?”

“No, I just…can you call Nat? I need to talk.”

Clint nodded, face grim. Within minutes, Natasha strode into the hallway, eyes scanning for a threat. “What’s the situation?” She asked, eyes narrowed at Tony’s rigid form. 

“I’ll tell you on the Quinjet, that is, if you are willing to take a short field trip.”

Clint grinned, “Sweet, I’ve been on the verge of cabin fever for days. Let’s go.”

Natasha held out an arm, stopping Barton in his tracks. Tony's face flushed as Natasha fixed him with a measuring stare. She slowly nodded, taking in his palpable anger and restlessness. “Okay Tony, whatever it is, we have your back. Will Jarvis still be running protocol for the Scepter while we’re gone?”

“Of course, now,” Tony gestured to Clint. “Lead the way.”

They sped through the interlocking hallways of SHIELD in silence. Tony could feel the two spies glancing at him as he walked stiffly into the Quinjet hanger. Without a word, Jarvis put the coordinates into the flight system and Clint had them up in the air in a matter of minutes. When he finally got them to cruising altitude, Clint cracked his knuckles and walked out of the cockpit.

“Soooo, are you going to tell us what this is all about?” He said, flopping down into a seat besides Nat.

Tony took a deep breath through his nose while he collected his thoughts. Unable to make sense of his storm of thoughts, he went for the most crucial first. “I need you to not let me kill Harry’s relatives.”

There was a pause. 

Clint stared at him, wide-eyed. “Okaayy…gonna need a little more than that.”

“Don’t repeat anything I’m about to tell you, okay. I’m trusting you not to tell Fury or Harry this, and I wouldn’t be saying anything if I could trust myself to do this alone.” Tony clasped his hands in front of him. “You know how Harry had a medical exam. Well, the doctor found…injuries from when he was younger. A lot of injuries.”

Natasha’s eyes went cold. “Abuse?”

Tony nodded. “I don’t know what else they could be from. He was malnourished for the first ten years of his life, had fractured bones, dislocations…” He clenched his hands harder, trying to stop them from shaking with anger. “Jarvis found the family from his primary school records…he didn’t have a single doctor’s visit, no vaccines, nothing. His cousin had it all, the works, but not him.”

Tony’s voice dropped to a whisper. “He never speaks about them, or his past at all, really, but the way he talks about himself…that didn’t happen in one year, or even the last few.” He felt a hand fall on his shoulder and looked up to see Barton next to him, face more serious than he had ever seen him before.

Nobody spoke. He watched flashes of anger cross Natasha's normally stoic expression. Finally, she asked, “Should we be doing this without Harry knowing?”

Tony dug the heels of his hands into his eyes. Of course she would try to be rational about this when Tony wanted to be anything but rational. “I know he’s an adult and I want to respect that but…I can’t just do nothing. They hurt him and I can’t sit around knowing that without…”

Nat looked at Clint who nodded. “Okay, what’s the plan?”

Tony’s eyes widened. “Honestly, I never really got past ‘don’t kill them.’” 

…

It was still night by the time that they got to the small, suburban hamlet. They stood together, all in black, on the doorstep of Number 4 Privet Drive and knocked.

“Who in the blazes is calling at this time of night?!” A voice called from inside. The door swung open to reveal a hulking, purple-faced man in a dress robe. The man’s beady, little eyes landed on them almost immediately.

“Who are you people!?! I won’t have any solicitor’s here! Scram before I phone the police!” He bellowed, spit flying from the ends of his mustache. Tony had to fight the urge to step back in revulsion. But instead he caught the door just as Dursley tried to slam it in his face.

“I’ll think you’ll find that hard, considering I just scrambled your line. Either way though, we are coming in to…talk.”

Dursley gaped at him as the trio pushed their way in. Tony saw Natasha fiddling with the knife strapped to her thigh. They all walked into the living room, Tony’s face a mask of calm.

“You…you..” Dursley sputtered before he switched a light on. His eyebrows furrowed as he took in the strangers. “You’re Tony Stark.”

Tony gave him a predatory grin. “You know who I am? Good. That way you know any threat made tonight isn’t empty.”

“Threat? Now see here…”

“Vernon, who is it?” A high, reedy voice called from the stairs as the light fell on a spindly woman with curlers in her hair. Tony narrowed his eyes. He recognized this woman, at least he thought he did. She was Lily’s sister, he saw her in some old pictures. Time had not treated her well, as bitterness lined her face.

“Hello Petunia. No, you don’t know me…but I know you. Now why don’t we all sit down.”

The Dursley’s followed slowly, eyes wide. Vernon had a vein popping from his reddening face while Petunia looked at Tony, shellshocked. Tony sat across from them as the spies flanked him from behind.

“Now, I want to learn more about you. Tell me about your children.”

Petunia glanced at Vernon. “What, you mean Dudders? He’s at university right now, why?”

“You have only one?”

“Yes, but I don’t know what business that is of yours!” Vernon spat out.

Natasha made a show of picking her fingernails with a knife as Tony hummed, watching them with cold eyes. “So, you don’t consider Harry Potter one of your children?”

There was a second of silence. Petunia looked away. “I don’t know who you are talking about.”

“Hmmm, so you don’t know the boy you raised for sixteen years.”

Petunia flushed, her voice rose shrilly. “He wasn’t our child, just a no-good orphan dropped on our doorstep.”

“No, he was your sister’s child.”

“Yes.” She spat out, the pitch of her voice ringing in Tony’s ears. “And he was just like my freak sister, no matter what we did.”

Tony’s simmering anger turned into ice-cold rage. He stood up, towering over the couple. “And just what did you do?”

Vernon stood up, puffing up his chest. “IT IS NOT YOUR BUSINESS what we did to that FREAK!”

Tony snapped. He slammed his fist into Vernon’s nose with a loud CRACK.

“IT IS MY BUSINESS WHAT YOU DID TO MY SON!!” Tony yelled back, more loudly than he ever had before. He could feel the shreds of glass in his throat but he didn’t care. 

Tony could faintly hear Clint cheering in the background.

Everyone turned to him in shock. “Your son…?” Petunia stammered as Vernon tried to stem the flow of blood from his nose, looking at him like no one had ever actually dared hit him before. “But…Potter?”

“I don’t owe you answers,” Tony seethed, still clenching his fist. “But you were Lily’s SISTER, even if you’re a spiteful bitch! How could you HURT HIM?!”

The couple just stared at him. From his left, he saw Natasha give them a predatory grin.

“I would recommend answering his questions.” She said lightly, contrasting the sharp glint in her eyes. “Or I could always make you…and trust me, I have no mercy for abusers.”

Petunia cowered behind Vernon, whose anger drained from his face, making way for fear. Tony felt a surge of satisfaction as he watched their faces pale. 

Petunia’s voice was muffled from Vernon’s shirt. “We didn’t get a say in keeping him in the first place, and the letter given to us by some of…Lily’s people…said that we should keep him humble. We did what we needed to do to make sure he didn’t become an arrogant freak like his parents. WE NEVER WANTED HIM.”

Tony felt a shudder roll through him as he fought the urge to call his suit and blast them into oblivion. He needed a second…just a second before he put the fear of God into them.

He turned away, “Is there anything he left here?” he said quietly, voice hard and cold. He gritted his teeth when he got no answers “Where was his room?” Petunia pointed upstairs.

Tony nodded to Clint and Natasha, able to see that all three of them were on a razor’s edge. He walked up the stairs and scanned the hallway. Walking door by door, finally he froze. He came to a wooded door covered in locks, all from the outside. His heart plummeted to his feet as he took in the cat door and the chains. He pushed inside and his breath caught in his sore throat.

There was nothing. A rickety bed, one leg propped up by a tattered book. There was a stained pillow and a single sheet covering it, contrasting the rest of the immaculate house. As he walked in, he felt one of the floorboards creak and shift. Kneeling down, he lifted it up and almost cried at the food wrappers hidden. Holding back tears, he placed back the board and looked around the desolate room. There was nothing here.

Harry must have been so alone…

The surge of anger overwhelmed him again as he stormed back downstairs, wanting nothing more than to leave this place.

Tony walked up to the couple, still watching Nat and Clint with wary eyes. 

“I will destroy you.” He whispered. Despite his quiet voice, it seemed to ring throughout the room and the Dursley’s got even paler. 

“I will destroy your reputation, your job. I will spread your faces throughout the internet, place you on your neighborhood’s watchlist. I will make it impossible for you to live in peace. I will make you hated by the world.”

He took a step closer. “I don’t know how you became the monsters you are, but if you so much as go near Harry or me, I will show you why they call me the merchant of death. Trust me, my team and I would have no crisis of conscience about killing you, we have all done much worse. I would gladly do that and so much more for my kid.”