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Chapter Text

Staring down on the letter with unseeing eyes, Harry James Potter was torn between hysterical laughter, bone deep exhaustion and fury. 

Right now, all of those emotions lay at his fingertips and felt as if they were on another continent at the same time. Like most things nowadays. Which, if Harry wanted to be optimistic, was a good thing, since he knew how to handle that. 

Mostly.

Leaning back in his kitchen chair, the savior of the Wizarding World (at least he still had been last he checked, wasn’t sure what the public had declared him to be today yet) exhaled. Calmly. Controlled. 

Funny how a year on the run, a very very near death experience and fulfilling your destiny put everything into perspective.

Or destroyed everything you had built your world view on and plunged you into a permanent state of sure, that may as well happen .

Exhaustion it was, then.

That wasn’t a surprise. Not really. Or at all. By now, Harry was thankful enough to even feel the sparks of emotions before just going with whatever bullshit fate itself threw at him. That didn’t mean he was just accepting it, of course not. He had just yesterday told Shaklebolt to go fuck himself. Not in those exact words, but it had been close enough. 

Why did everyone think they knew what Harry was going to do? Or what would be best for him? He had no clue whatsoever what he wanted to do. And it was best to not even think about what would be best for him, because the first thing coming to mind was straightjacket . 

Sure, he had always wanted to become an Auror. But had he wanted that, or had he been made to believe he wanted that to hone his skills to fulfill his bloody destiny? Did he want to become a magical copper and spent the rest of his life fighting against the next wanna-be Dark Lord?

Always provided that Rita Skeeter didn’t have the sight and he wouldn’t someday snap and use all the dark powers and worrying influence he had, militarized Dumbledore's Army and declared himself King of the Universe. Or whatever she thought he was going to do.

On the other hand, he was absolutely 100% sure he wasn’t a Saint, something she had written a few weeks ago, so he was probably good.

Also, he would never be able to rule the world without Hermione and as she was going to repeat her seventh year in Hogwarts he would have to wait for at least a year before going mental and declaring himself Major Threat Persy. 

Looking down on the letter lying before him, Harry exhaled. This was, in a twisted sort of way, everything he had wished for since he could remember. He hadn’t wished for this, of course. Not at all. 

It wouldn’t change anything though, would it? 

Grabbing his wand he summoned his patronus without really thinking about it. “Sherbet Lemon.” 

This had not been the eighteenth birthday he had envisioned. Hell, he had planned to stay in his cosy apartment, thanking Merlin himself that no one aside from Ron and Hermione knew that he didn’t live in Grimmauld place any longer, especially not since Kreacher had died a peaceful death just after Christmas, having been so proud to make a real Christmas dinner together with Molly Weasley one last time.

Which was a reason more why he had moved. Why he had planned to meet Ron and Hermione later today in a pub in the muggle part of London. 

Where no one knew them. 

Where no one would get either weirdly appreciative or offended or tried to kill him. And yes, that was becoming even more common since the end of the war and wasn’t that depressing? 

He had just wanted a quiet day for once.

As if he could even have a fucking quiet day.

He had even braved the worry and ire of Molly Weasley when he had told them last week he didn’t want to celebrate his birthday just to have a little peace and quiet. 

The loud crack of apparition ripped through his apartment and Harry was once again thankful for all the protective and noise canceling spells he had learned last year. 

“Harry!” 

“Kitchen.”

Just a heartbeat later the boy who lived twice had his arms full of the brightest witch of her age, trying to strangle him with her hug. Her brown curls almost completely blocked his view. He could still hear the footsteps behind her promising Ron had come with her when Harry had sent them his distress signal.

“What happened!” She stepped back, patting him down as if searching for wounds, broken bones or at least some bruises.

As Harry had known he would be, just behind her, his wand drawn, stood Ron.

“Sit down.”

“Harry, what-”

“Please, Mione.”

Hermione’s expression grew even more concerned, her brown eyes focussing almost immediately on the folded piece of parchment on his kitchen table.

“What happened mate?” Ron sat down right beside him, one hand grabbing his shoulder. Grounding Harry.

Swallowing, he pushed the parchment towards Hermione and nodded to her. 

Never one to hesitate, she grabbed the letter, unfolded it and stopped almost immediately again, before looking at Harry. 

“June 23rd 1994.” She read out loud.

They had written and sent that letter before he had even been born. Harry wasn’t sure if that made it better or worse.

“Dear Harry.” Hermione inhaled, slowly, before continuing. “It’s surreal to write to you while I feel you kicking in my stomach. Your father swears you’re going to be a Beater. I think you might become a soccer player the way you kick my ribs. Have I embarrassed you enough on your eighteenth birthday yet?”

Ron’s hand dug harder into his shoulder. It would probably bruise. Not that Harry cared.

“I’m sure you thought it was a joke when we told you about this letter but as you can see, we were pretty sirius. Pun intended.” Hermione looked up at him, worry clear in her expression.

“Keep reading. It gets…” Better? Worse? More bizarre? 

“We wrote this letter to make sure we would tell you the truth long before your eighteenth birthday. The child appropriate version at least. You know that neither I or your dad are able to refuse a dare, so here we are: James Potter is not your biological-” Hermione choked on the word.

“What?” Ron asked, his eyes on Hermione.

“James Potter was not my biological father.” Hearing those words, saying those words felt wrong.

“But-” Ron blinked at him. “You were recognized as a Potter. Your magic-”

“He adopted me. Magically. I don’t know. They don’t explain it.” Instead they had explained how it had happened. Which was probably the dare-part of the whole letter.

Apparently, James had been infertile. As his parents had been only nineteen back then, Harry had no idea why they would even think about wanting a child. Hell, they had been fighting a war against Voldemort. Why would they actively try to get pregnant? He couldn’t even fathom to want a child right now. And he had already won the war for crying out loud!

“James is your father in all but blood. We put him down as your father and he adopted you with every necessary shebang, making you his heir. You are a Potter. You are our son.”

Just not only theirs.

“We had a mission for OoP… the Order of the Phoenix I presume.” Mione mumbled before continuing reading. “And ended up in a club in London. There we met this hilarious and clever man that looked so much like James and, best of all, was an American Muggle. We invited him to come with us and now I’m almost eight months pregnant and you, my little love, keep kicking me in the bladder.” Hermione chuckled, even if a little breathlessly.

“It was the best decision of our lives. I don’t know if you have by now reached out to him or if you don’t care about it. I know that it won’t matter to me either way. We are your parents and we will always love you. Until we finally meet. Also, suck it up, James, I won.”

“Oh I like your mom.” Ron smiled, not realizing what exactly he had just said.

“Your biological father is-” Hermione choked again, looking up so fast that Harry almost feared she got whiplash from it.

“No.”

Harry didn’t react.

“That can’t be true.”

Harry just raised an eyebrow. He had stopped thinking anything was too crazy to happen to him around the time he fought a fifty feet long Basilisk obeying a memory from a diary with an old hat and a sword. As a fucking twelve year old. 

“It’s just making it official: Fate hates me.”

“Come on, it  can’t be that bad, right?” Ron asked, a comforting smile on his face.

“My biological father is Tony fucking Stark.”

“Who?”

“Iron Man.”

Ron stopped at that. Even though it had taken them a little longer than the rest of the world, they had watched the videos from the Alien Invasion just two days after the Battle of Hogwarts ended. After that Ron had wanted to learn more about Muggles, especially the Avengers, Hermione had wanted to learn more about the Alien Invasion and why the magical community hadn’t helped defend their planet. Harry had been happy doing anything that wasn’t connected to Voldemort, his sacrifice and everything he lost. 

Well, as it turned out, he had almost lost his biological father that day. Lovely. 

“Oh.” Patting his shoulder, Ron leaned back in his chair. “Yeah, it might hate you, mate. But it might also be the best thing that ever happened to you. Aside from meeting us, of course.” 

-c-c-c-c-c-

Flying in a plane sucked. And not only because Harry craved to fly himself, to feel the winds tearing at his clothes and hair. To feel free and weightless. As if he wasn’t bound to earth and its limitations. 

It also sucked because it was uncomfortable, took forever, everyone seemed to be on edge and it took bloody forever. 

It had taken him three days to arrange for his trip of self discovery. That was what he had been selling the Ministry of Magic, the Weasleys and basically everyone who cared. And even though he didn’t plan for a full sabbatical to travel across both North America (especially Canada) and South America, still, it was not only a perfect excuse, it might even be a good idea. Even if he couldn’t and wouldn’t do that to Teddy.

They had offered him a portkey to travel to America and a guide for him which Harry had refused point blank. The longer no one knew what was going on the better.

Excluding himself and Tony Stark, most likely.

Not that Harry knew whether or not Anthony Edward Stark would care. And why should he? The man was as much a victim as Harry himself. He hadn’t known what Lily and James had planned. Hadn’t consented to fathering a child with a woman he had never seen before or after.

The man would have every right to never want to see Harry again. To hope Harry had never told him about any of this.

Even if that would be the case, Harry couldn’t not tell him though. The truth would come out one day - point in case - and the longer it took the more it would hurt. After all the lies and hidden secrets Harry had sworn himself he wouldn’t lie. Not to spare someone’s feelings. Not to be polite. Never.

It, of course, didn’t mean he needed to be cruel, of course not. But that didn’t mean others wouldn’t think he was. 

The magical world certainly thought he had been, when he had told them they had failed him and so many other people. When he had spoken openly and honestly at the trials about what had happened. That all of this was too fast. That the trials had to be real and thorough and not just a show of strength. When he told them about what they had done to Sirius. When he called them on their ignorance.

The biggest uproar had happened after he had crashed Draco Malfoy’s trial, telling them exactly what he thought about convicting Slytherin students for being Slytherins. He hadn’t glossed over their animosity. He hadn’t glossed over everything he knew Malfoy had done. Or the fact that Malfoy and him had both been puppets to dance for the amusement of others. That they had been raised for a purpose and that Malfoy had made three choices for himself. And both had been if not good, at least not furthering Voldemort’s reign. Hell, the last had been throwing Harry a wand for Merlin’s sake!

Standing in front of the Wizengamot had been one of the rare moments he had felt like himself again. Standing up to bullies, in this case the Ministry of Magic, not that it was his first time, of course, and reminding them of the crimes he had committed during the war against Voldemort. He had used unforgivable curses, he had destroyed Gringotts and his actions had led to Voldemort’s death. And those were just the high points.

“Before you send any of the Slytherin students to Azkaban you’ll have to send me. I’m not saying they shouldn’t face consequences for their actions. I’m saying you have to be better . Stop the separation of houses. Stop sending kids to Azkaban . Teach them for Merlin’s sake. This war happened because of ignorance and prejudices. So work against that!” It seemed so obvious to him now. 

“War doesn’t make heroes and villains. It makes victims.”

His closing line had been the headline for a solid week before someone , Skeeter, the witch, had discovered that Harry had broken up with Ginny. After that everyone had been speculating why, which of course was more important than reflecting on boring stuff like more human forms of punishment or rehabilitation.

There would probably not be much progress until Hermione would get there. She was on her way though and Merlin would need to have mercy on their souls if they fucked up before that.

That he hadn’t been committed to St. Mungus the same day was probably a combination of him being the bloody boy that lived twice and that most of the war heroes were standing behind him. Even if not as vocally and openly critical of the whole process as him, Hermione and Neville.

Neville for one, had taken a prominent role in many proceedings and especially in the trials as he had clashed with a lot of those people or knew people who had. He was barely recognizable as the boy Harry had met eight years ago. But then again, neither was he.

Leaving the airport he had taken the first chance he got, used a disillusionment charm and his invisibility cloak, enlarged his Firebolt and took to the air. 

As soon as he had left behind the people he was able to breathe calmer. And didn’t feel as paranoid. Although, was it being paranoid if destiny was out to get you?

Looking around New York it was quite obvious how much work had already been put into rebuilding the city. The signs of the fight two months ago were everywhere, like wounds. Some still bleeding, some already scarring. 

New York was healing. Was fighting. Was holding on. 

Staying high enough to not disturb anyone, Harry observed the people mingling on the streets. The whole city was pulsing with energy. With hope.

Stark Tower, too, was under construction, although in comparison to most other buildings it looked almost whole. Aside from the missing letters in Stark . Or rather, the only one still standing was the A. 

Hermione, in true Hermione fashion, had used her time wisely and researched everything she could about Tony Stark, Stark Industries, the Avengers, facts about New York City, American customs and more topics Harry didn’t even remember. 

What he did remember was that people called Stark Tower, Avengers Tower now because of the still standing A. He also knew some unflattering facts about Tony Stark and Stark Industries, which seemed to be public knowledge since forever. 

Not that Harry put a lot of stock in most of the articles. He knew how the press could be. But in every outrageous lie was a bit of truth or at least concern. Being it Tony Stark being called the Merchant of Death or Harry Potter being called Slytherin’s heir. 

The bit he had been most interested in was when Mr. Stark had turned his life around after being in the hands of terrorists for three months. That had been the moment he became Iron Man. A hero.

If anyone didn’t need to be told that heroes were just broken people who didn’t know how to stop, it was Harry.

Being a hero didn’t necessarily mean you were a good person. It didn’t mean they knew what they were doing. It didn’t mean they cared. 

Tony Stark, too, had lost his parents. When he had been sixteen. That didn’t mean he wanted a connection to someone with the same blood. It didn’t mean he would want to get to know Harry. 

If he was honest with himself, Harry didn’t know what he wanted either. Yeah, it had been his dream to have a family since he could remember. But he had thought that was going to happen when he had met Sirius. 

That hadn’t worked out at all, starting with Sirius being a fugitive and ending with Harry being responsible for his death because of his own stupidity. 

He had wished for someone to take him away from the Dursleys. Someone that would keep him safe. He had thought that happened when he was invited to study at Hogwarts. But not only did they force him to go back every year, Hogwarts hadn’t been safe. Better than the Dursleys but not safe. Hell, Snape had been worse sometimes. 

He had wished for parents and siblings and parental guidance and to feel loved and protected . And he had kind of found all of it. Just not like he envisioned it.

But now he had siblings in Ron and Hermione. He had had parental figures, even though the only one holding up was McGonagall and even though he respected the hell out of her, she had never felt like a mother to him. 

He was loved. He had been protected. Just not enough. Not for his sake. 

Shaking himself out of the spiral he knew could go on forever, he focused back on the landing platform of Stark Tower. 

Whether or not Mr. Stark wanted to know about him or not, he had a right to know. If Mr. Stark wanted to get to know him… he would probably stay. Talk to him. Learn about the person who had fathered him unknowingly. 

If Mr. Stark wanted that. 

If not… If he didn’t want that, Harry would travel around the continent. See new sights. Maybe meet new people. Get a grip. 

It wouldn’t matter. Why should it? He didn’t even know about Mr. Stark just four days ago. It wouldn’t matter. 

And the man certainly didn’t owe him anything. 

It wouldn’t be the first time Harry wasn’t wanted and it would surely not be the last. 

Chapter Text

Landing on Iron Man’s personal landing platform might have not been one of his best ideas. 

As it also wasn’t one of his worst - probably, hopefully - Harry just sighed when he realized he would have to tell them about his magic when he knocked on a window on the 100th floor. Not that he had counted.

Sighing again, he shrank the Firebolt before reversing the disillusionment charm. 

He was already here and not known to quit, even if it might have been the smart thing to do, so, what the hell?

Stepping closer to the glass front, he stopped. 

Looking around, he gripped his wand a little tighter. As far as he could see, there was no one here but he had learned a long time ago to listen to his gut when he felt watched.

It took him only a moment to zero in on the camera in the corner. But that couldn’t be the source, could it? How would a camera know he was here? 

Before he could take a step closer he heard a whining electrical sound. Turning with his wand raised he saw an Iron Man armor fly at him. Probably.

This one was bulkier, with a lot more obvious weapons attached to it and not painted in red and gold. And yes, that was the one thing Harry concentrated most on. Maybe he had obsessively thought about Tony Stark choosing Gryffindor’s colours for his armor. He, of course, hadn’t taken that as a sign or anything, that they might have something in common. It had just been something he had noticed.

Which was the only reason he noticed the missing colors now. And because, you know, the whole in your face attitude Iron Man had going for him.

The armor raised his arm, it’s palm pointing exactly at Harry’s face.

That answered the question whether or not they knew where he was. Or that he was there at all. 

“I don’t know who or what you are, but I suggest you show yourself. Right now.” The metallic voice was hard and no nonsense. It just proved what Harry had already known: this was not Iron Man.

Harry was confident he would be able to outfly the bulky armor. Hell, he could just disapparate if he wanted to. And even though he disliked the authoritarian tone (he had a problem, which he knew and didn’t even think about changing at all) he had come here. And he wanted to talk to Tony Stark. 

No time like the present. 

Exhaling calmly, he pushed the wand in the holster fastened to his forearm while taking his cloak off with the other.

There was no expression on the metal mask so he had no idea what the pilot might think.

“What do you want?” The voice had lost some of its edge although it was hard to be sure with the metallic sound distorting it.

“To talk to Tony Stark.”

“Why?”

Harry couldn’t help himself, he cocked his head in a way he knew could even rile up McGonagall and smiled his best troublemaker smile. The one everyone had always told him was pure his father.

“Oh hell no.” The helmet of the armor opened, revealing the shocked and exasperated face of someone Harry was almost sure he had seen in some of the pictures with Tony Stark.

“Oh hell no what?”

The dark eyes scanned him as if taking in every little detail of him before the man let his arm sink down to his side.

“Do you mind?” He nodded towards the landing platform and Harry took a couple of steps back to make room for the other man while tugging the cloak away.

“I probably know the answer but I feel obligated to ask, you’re human, right?”

“Yes, I’m pretty sure I’m human.”

“And you’re not here to kill Tony?”

“No, I didn’t plan on it.”

“At least not before being in his will?” Even though he smiled, the question was far from being friendly.

“I don’t-”

“Oh please, you look like he did twenty years ago, kid. I might not be Tony but I’m not stupid.”

“I never thought you were.” Harry took a step closer and extended his hand. “I’m Harry.”

The other man looked at him for a moment before taking the hand and shaking it. “James.”

James.

Judging by the way James frowned, Harry hadn’t been able to suppress the flinch as well as he had hoped.

“So. How many hoopes do I have to jump through before Mr. Stark will be informed of my existence?”

At that, James laughed. “Oh no, I would never take that away from you, kid. No hoopes. You can decide if you want to give a blood sample right now or later, you’re going to stay under my supervision and you’ll have to explain what that is.” He nodded towards where Harry had hidden the cloak. “But believe me, Tones is already informed.”

That didn’t sound ominous at all. 

“You can have my blood right now, as long as it’s only used to prove whether or not he and I are related. I’ll stay under your supervision if that means here in this Tower and I would like to explain everything after Mr. Stark joins us. Deal?” Not that he would talk to him before that if he didn’t agree.

James regarded him with a serious expression. There was something in his eyes that Harry had seen in a lot of faces recently: worry and suspicion. What he didn’t see as often was understanding. Compassion. 

“Deal.” He turned towards the glass wall. “Jarvis, let us in, eyes on Harry, please. Tell Tones we’re waiting for him.”

“Of course, Colonel Rhodes.” A disembodied British voice said, raising Harry’s neck hairs immediately.

“That’s Jarvis, Tony’s AI.” James said as if that was an explanation. 

“Okay?” Following the other man inside, Harry kept his battle reflexes ready. In his experience it was never a good idea to trust something he couldn’t see. 

“Don’t worry, Jarvis is harmless as long as you don’t try to hurt anybody in this tower, right, Jay?” 

“I would extend my concerns to at least the city if not the planet, Colonel.” 

“You should be fine if you don’t plan to overtake NYC or the world, then.” James walked towards closed metal doors that opened automatically to an elevator.

Meeting the Colonel’s eyes head on, Harry followed him inside the metal box. James didn’t seem to know about magic and his armor would be a disadvantage in close combat. Not that Harry thought it would come to that. But if it did, he was prepared.

Harry felt a self-deprecating smile form on his lips. “Good to know. I’m just not going to mention any megalomaniac plans I might or might not have.” 

“Oh god there are two of them.” The exasperation was clearly over exaggerated. It didn’t change the worry in the other man’s eyes. Or the way he kept Harry in his field of view. 

“I’ll drop you off with Banner, he’ll take the blood sample and will make sure no one but him has access to it.”

Drop him off? He had thought the Colonel would stay at his side the whole time, keeping a close eye on him. Although it might be that he didn’t need to do that if Jarvis was everywhere in the tower. 

Which was actually a horrific idea. 

“Jay, did you-”

“Dr. Banner wishes me to inform you that this is a horrible idea, that he is not that kind of Doctor and asks if Mr. Harry is comfortable with that decision.”

“Sure.”

James raised an eyebrow at his nonchalance. Probably because he actually wasn’t bothered.

Before Harry could ask why the other man looked as exasperated as he did, the elevator doors opened to a hallway and James walked out without looking back.

He opened the second door on the right without knocking and motioned Harry to follow. The man inside was frowning at the Colonel, his shoulders hunched in on himself. 

Dr. Banner reminded him of Remus, which was obvious, of course as far as he knew the Hulk was barely more in control than a werewolf.

Biting down on the pain and guilt, Harry balled his fist before relaxing it forcefully again. He had visited Teddy just yesterday, promising the baby he would come back. That he wouldn’t leave him on his own. And he wouldn’t. Never.

“James, I-”

“This can’t get out, Bruce.”

“Of course not, but I’m not-” He looked over to Harry, fear and self-doubt in his eyes. “-safe.”

“Tony says-”

“Tony has no self-preservation instinct.” Dr. Banner all but hissed, his eyes widening almost immediately and taking a step back. 

“My friends tell me I don’t have one either.” Harry smiled at the other man, concentrating to keep his body language open and relaxed.

“That’s not a-”

“Please, Bruce. I’m back in a minute. I just want to get out of the suit.”

“I’d rather you kept the suit on.”

Sighing, James nodded. “Okay. I’ll keep it on while you take the sample.”

“...okay.” Inhaling, as if to steel himself, Dr. Banner turned towards Harry, an uncertain smile on his lips. “Which side do you prefer?”

“Left.” Shrugging said arm out of his jacket, Harry was thankful that he at least had an idea what would happen now. Hermione had researched that too.

Sitting down on the chair Dr. Banner indicated, he held out his left arm, waiting.

“How long will it take, Bruce?”

“About two hours if Jarvis analyzes it.”

“It would be my pleasure, Dr. Banner.”

“Two hours then.” Pressing the needle in, the man mumbled an apology to Harry.

He didn’t tell them that this was nothing and instead just nodded. 

“Press this on the puncture, please.” The nervous man handed Harry a cotton ball and a band aid, his eyes widening dramatically when their bare skin touched for the first time.

“Bruce?” James took a step forward, his hands raised as if to calm a wild animal.

“Don’t worry Dr. Banner. I’m not here to hurt you.”

“What?” 

Neither Harry nor the scientist even acknowledged the Colonel.

“You think you could hurt the Hulk?”

“I think I would give it my all if I had to.” Smiling apologetic, he shrugged back into the jacket. “But I don’t want to fight.” 

Shit.

There had been too many emotions in that last statement. Too much hurt and exhaustion.

The intelligent, warm eyes closed for a moment, hiding pain there, before Dr. Banner looked back at him, a careful smile on his lips.

“Me neither.”

Harry nodded. As the other man was an Avenger his wishes didn’t seem to matter much.

If that wasn’t something Harry could relate to.

“Should we be worried?” James asked, clearly worried whether or not he should be. 

Dr. Banner needed a moment to realize he was asked this question and that it was not about him and his alter ego. 

Looking back at Harry he hesitated. “Careful.” Then he frowned. “I’m not that kind of Doctor, but… is there anything else you need me to look at?”

Harry stiffened. “I don’t know what you-”

“I don’t mean to overstep here, but you are clearly underweight.”

Standing up, Harry smiled his best don’t worry about me, I’m a big boy smile. “Thank you, Dr. Banner.”

Opening his mouth but clearly thinking better of it, the scientist nodded. “You’re welcome.”

The silence stretched but Harry was not willing to break it. He had already given them too much information. Hell, it was possible that he wouldn’t see any of them ever again. All of that would be decided in a few hours and he didn’t mean the paternity test. 

Lily didn’t have any reason to lie after all.

“Colonel Rhodes, I took the liberty of informing Miss Potts of the situation. She awaits the test results and will prepare any and all needed legal documents accordingly. Sir is still at SHIELD Headquarters but believes he will be back in the next two hours. I took another liberty and informed him this was not an emergency.”

“Thank you Jay, that was probably a good idea.”

“I humbly agree, Colonel. Per your request I ordered a snack for you and included Mr. Harry.”

James frowned, for just a moment. Harry would have bet his Firebolt that the Colonel had never ordered a snack.

Biting down on a mixture of annoyance and confusion, he tried his best to appear impassive. Which, all things considered, wasn’t as difficult as it should have been. 

Then again, this might as well happen applied perfectly to this situation as well.

-c-c-c-c-c-

Crossing his arms, Harry looked over the Skyline of New York, glittering in the sunlight just beyond the glass wall. 

Whatever else happened today, this view would have been worth it. 

One reason he was able to say that was the fact that James had gotten a few phone calls in very short succession after coming back from wherever he had stored the armor, making it impossible for him to grill Harry - and he knew James would have grilled him or at least tried to get information out of him. Hell, he had already started before being interrupted. 

Harry had to admit he had been good at it, too. He had still been nice, not using his perceived authority against Harry. It would have been all but pleasant if not for the mostly cleverly covered up questions trying to dig into Harry’s past, powers and intentions.

If Harry wasn’t as used to not answer to authority figures, to hide away and deflect, he would have probably poured his heart out. 

As he had learned from a very young age to never trust adults and definitely not authority figures, to hide everything away that was important and could deflect like a pro if he kept his temper in check, the conversation would have become pretty frustrating pretty fast.

Thankfully, the Colonel had been on his phone for most of the last two hours. He hadn’t left, just stepped far enough away to keep the call private and reminded Harry that Jarvis would keep a close eye on him.

He had, of course, seen the mostly well hidden cameras and speakers all around the massive room. This was even worse than knowing all the portraits around Hogwarts were listening in and loved to gossip.

Even being familiar with Hogwarts, this open living room and kitchen was spacious. That could be partly because it was all but empty, only having the absolute minimum of furniture standing around to at least let people guess what the rooms might be for.

It was probably all very high quality. And the art on the walls were probably originals and all very important. It all looked as if it had never been used before. As if this was all designed to be a very high quality waiting room - which Harry almost appreciated, as he was literally using it as a waiting room. 

There were no photos anywhere. No personal touches. Nothing that could give even a hint about who Tony Stark might be behind his public persona. It didn’t even feel like he was trying to present a front. It just felt empty. 

Harry preferred the chaos of the burrow. He liked the feeling of a house that was lived in. Where people lived together. Something that couldn’t be used for one of the magazines Aunt Petunia had liked to place strategically on her couch table for visitors to see.

The really interesting question for Harry was: where did Mr. Stark keep his personal things? Even Harry had personal items he held dear and close and was carrying with himself in a bag Hermione had charmed for him. And if he had personal things after everything that happened there was basically no way that Tony Stark didn’t have anything. 

Glancing back towards James, who was, right now, standing with his back to Harry, gesturing wildly in the air. The Colonel, too, was an indication that, somewhere, there had to be mementos. Because whatever else he was, the older man was clearly protective of Mr. Stark. He was clearly devoted to him and much more than any paycheck would make possible. There was trust and friendship and loyalty. If Harry had to guess the same trust and friendship and loyalty that he shared with Ron and Hermione. 

They had probably not established their friendship by fighting a troll while being eleven years old or defeated one of the worst wizards of all time. On the other hand: Aliens.

It didn’t really matter anyway aside from the fact that Harry was nosy again. Generously speaking it was normal to be curious (especially about a father you hadn’t known about). Realistically, Harry had never met a secret he didn’t want to find out. 

Hermione said it was a problem. Although that was rich coming from her and they all knew it. Also it was basically the reason they had survived most of the time - even if it had also gotten them in a fair amount of trouble, too.

At least she had stopped saying he was being paranoid - although that had taken way too long. But after a while she had to agree that there were people after him. And possibly a higher power - and he didn’t mean Voldemort.

Grasping his arms tighter while keeping his breathing calm and relaxed, he ignored the other words that would be suitable to describe him: Trust issues, self-worth issues (although there were varying opinions whether it was a heightened self-worth or low one) and a chronic allergy against authority. Or at least that were the ones thrown around a lot. 

Not that he cared or actually trusted any of the opinions of people who either didn’t know him or didn’t know enough psychology to save their life. Which could be read as a confirmation of everything. But Harry rather liked to think of it as common sense. 

One of the problems with that, even though he really didn’t want to admit that, was the fact that if he fancied himself with common sense, he needed a logical explanation why he was here right now. 

Which he hadn’t. 

Why he had dropped almost anything, bought a plane ticket and traveled to New York City without so much as checking whether or not Mr. Stark would even care. He could have called him. 

Hell, he could have skyped him (after learning everything about it).

He hadn’t though. 

He had kissed Teddy goodbye and left. He had flown here and all but outed himself as a wizard just because his common sense had, once more, taken a left turn and vanished.

Logically, there was no reason to be here. He even stopped James from doing whatever it was he was supposed to do right now and wasn’t able to because he had to keep an eye on Harry.

He didn’t even know if he wanted to be in contact with Mr. Stark for Merlin’s sake. Even if Mr. Stark didn’t kick him to the curb, why would Harry want to have him in his life? He was of age, even in the Muggle world. He had already survived his youth. He had more money than he could spend in a lifetime. 

Even if Mr. Stark wanted to get to know him, what would he be able to tell him? He barely even spoke with Ron and Hermione about that . 

Didn’t he want a quiet life? If Mr. Stark would accept him and they were to have a… relationship…, if they knew each other, his life wouldn’t be quiet. The man was Iron Man. An Avenger for crying out loud!

Did Harry really want that? To be on the other side and worrying for someone? If he would worry about the man. 

And that was before he took the Muggle press into account. Wasn’t it worse enough that the magical ones were after him?

Why on earth did he even think about that? It wasn’t like Mr. Stark had wanted him then. There was no reason at all why he would want him now. 

Merlin, he hadn’t even been asked! Lily hadn’t been specific but Harry was sure they had done something to make sure… it worked. Fuck, he didn’t even want to think about it. 

What would he think if in eighteen years some kid stood in front of him telling him he was their father. That he had abandoned them without even knowing about them?

Inhaling slowly, Harry tried to calm himself. To let go of his own arms he was gripping with bruising force. 

He was fine. This was fine. Whatever happened, it didn’t matter. It was fine.

He had fought and won against Voldemort and his demented followers again and again and again. This was nothing. 

There was no reason why his heart was beating a mile a minute. No reason breathing became a challenge. No reason to feel trapped. 

He was fine. He was strong. Had to be strong. Had to hold on. 

Exhaling harshly, he pressed his eyes closed. 

He was fine. 

Of course, he was fine.

A chiming sound behind him was enough for him to whirl around his hand, already reaching for his wand, before he froze in his movement. 

The elevator doors opened and out stepped a man he had seen in pictures and video clips. For the first time just after the Battle of New York. After that more often. 

In the last three days he had seen several. 

He was short, almost as short as Harry. His dark hair was ruffled as if he had moved his hands through it in annoyance or frustration. The black suit was a little rumbled and he was wearing red sneakers for some reason. 

Exhaling, he looked into brown eyes, meeting his father’s eyes for the first time.

He didn’t feel anything.

Chapter Text

“Jay, remind me to hack SHIELD and may or may not bomb it.” Tony growled while stepping into the elevator. 

“Certainly, Sir. Do we have any specific parameters to decide whether or not we will bomb it?” 

“Nope, just make sure we know what’s going on.” 

“Very well, Sir. When will Captain Rogers and the Agents Romanoff and Barton move in?” 

“Capsicle will move in today, he is going to need an instruction manual about everything. Put that on the list, too. Send him up to the penthouse when he gets here. Just in case he needs help.”

“Noted, Sir.”

“The spy twins will be here in a couple of days or weeks.“ Fury had implied they were on a job. Tony was pretty sure that was a cover for them taking care of birdbrain after he had been mind controlled. 

They should take all the time they needed and then some.

“Make sure everything is ready for them.”

“Of course, Sir. Anything else?”

“Yes, since when do you keep secrets from me Jay?”

“Since you taught me how effective that can be, Sir. If you would like me to, I could give a chronological list of every instance-“

“Bullshit. What did Rhodey do?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Sir.”

“Lie! Did he bribe you?”

“I do not understand what you mean.”

“Oh god, he gave you unrestricted access to the pentagon, didn’t he?”

“Colonel Rhodes did not give me unrestricted access to any government agency. You did.”

Oh right, they had hacked through everything at least three times after the almost nuclear debacle of New York. 

And what if he had made sure there were back doors for him and Jarvis? It was better to be safe than sorry, right? Right. 

“So what’s this no-emergency emergency?”

“I feel Colonel Rhodes would be best to explain the situation to you, Sir.”

“You do know how ominous that sounds, right?” 

“That was not my intention, I assure you.” 

As if Tony would believe anything Jarvis said in that innocent tone. 

“Can you at least give me the gist of things?”

The AI’s hesitation at that was what finally spiked Tony’s worry. 

“Jarvis?”

“Colonel Rhodes and Miss Potts are prepared for every possible outcome, Sir.”

That wasn’t an answer. It could actually be categorized as a non-answer. 

Before Tony could explain to his AI, in detail, why he was less than impressed, he spoke again. 

“Please try to stay calm, Sir.” 

Flashes of possible situations ranging from Loki on his couch to Pepper and Rhodey staging an intervention about his unhealthy obsession of bullying the rest of the Avengers to live at the Tower flashed in front of his eyes.

Oh hell, please let it be Loki.

The elevator doors opened and for just a heartbeat Tony was just thankful to not be greeted by a self made banner begging him to stop being an idiot. 

Which he, of course, wasn’t. 

There was a lone figure on his floor, standing in front of the window wall showing the beautiful skyline of New York. He had dark hair and was rather skinny. He had startling green eyes but was fucking thankfully not the demented Trickster. 

Oh. 

Oh, no. 

There was no question in his mind why the kid was here. No question what Rhodey (who glanced his way, before turning back to his whispered phone call, turned on the spot and left in the direction of his guest room) believed despite the numerous claims of women and children that Tony was the father. Despite the fact he had always been cautious, one of the few lessons his father had been able to beat into him. 

No claim had ever been real. Seemed like that would change today. 

The kid looked like him, aside from the green eyes that met his gaze calmly. Almost coolly. 

He was thinner than Tony, nearly emaciated. Like he had been after Afghanistan. Blinking, he focused on the haunted look in the green eyes that was almost covered by the calm mask. 

The kid was a fighter. 

The kid had gone through hell. 

Keeping his body relaxed and open, Tony stepped farther into the room, noting the sharp eyes cataloguing as much about himself than he did about the teen. 

“Hey, I’m Tony, but you knew that. What’s your name?”

Smooth Stark. Could he have sounded any more annoyed? 

The kid didn’t seem affronted, or even surprised. Which was even worse.

“My name is Harry Potter.” 

There was a finality to his words as if he waited for the other shoe to drop. Tony recognized that tone from people that feared others would know who they were. People who didn’t want to be recognized. 

“Well, Harry, I don’t-“

“Here.” He produced a letter seemingly out of thin air before holding it out to Tony. “I got this three days ago.”

Hesitating, he nodded to the backrest of the couch. 

“I don’t like to be handed things.” 

Harry didn’t even raise an eyebrow, just placed the letter on the couch and stepped back, his hands visible the whole time as if he wanted to show Tony, freaking Iron Man , that he wasn’t a threat.

There was some nervousness about him but not nearly enough. Hell, the kid had an impressive mask already. Tony’s mask had been even better at that age, guessing the kid was between fifteen and eighteen years old. His eyes were too old for that but his had been too old for his face too when he had been a kid. Thanks to his stellar home life, being a genius and the shitshow that was life. 

What the fuck had Harry gone through to have those eyes?

Opening the creased, heavy paper, his eyes fell on the date, written neatly in the right corner. June 23rd 1994 . Looking up at Harry, he saw something flash through the green eyes, before it was gone so completely he wasn’t even sure he had actually seen it. 

“You just turned 18?”

Harry nodded, not elaborating.

“Happy Birthday.”

A crooked, sarcastic troublemaker smile appeared on his thin lips and it was that moment Tony knew why Rhodey had been so certain of the kid’s heritage. Fuck DNA tests and the fact he looked so similar to Tony. That smile? That was pure Tony Stark™ in a mood.

“Thanks.” 

Glancing back down onto the letter, Tony started to read.

Dear Harry, 

It’s surreal to write to you while I feel you kicking in my stomach. Your father swears you’re going to be a Beater. I think you might become a soccer player the way you kick my ribs. 

Tony didn’t know which was worse, the idea that Harry’s ‘father’ thought the kid could have become something that sounded like a professional goon to beat up people or that the kid would enjoy playing that useless game Europeans seemed to like so much. 

Have I embarrassed you enough on your eighteenth birthday yet? I’m sure you thought it was a joke when we told you about this letter but as you can see, we were pretty sirius. Pun intended. 

Okay the woman had humour, that was something at least. Although he got a bad feeling about this. Why would she and her presumably husband have waited for the letter to arrive on Harry’s eighteenth birthday instead of telling him about Tony sooner? 

We wrote this letter to make sure we would tell you the truth long before your eighteenth birthday. The child appropriate version at least. You know that neither I or your dad are able to refuse a dare, so here we are: James Potter is not your biological father. He is infertile, as you probably know by now but that doesn’t matter. James is your father in all but blood. We put him down as your father and he adopted you with every necessary shebang, making you his heir. You are a Potter. You are our son.

Okay, more bad feelings. Why would this woman specify that he was this James Potter’s heir? He knew why he had been called the Stark heir for most of his youth. He knew why this would have been a big deal if he had been adopted (although no luck there). Were the Potters old British money? Or was there more to it?

We had a mission for OoP and ended up in a club in London. There we met this hilarious and clever man that looked so much like James and, best of all, was an American Muggle. 

By now, it wasn’t any longer a bad feeling, Tony knew something was seriously off with all of this. A mission for OoP? What the hell did that even mean? Had they been working for law enforcement? Had they been spies? 

Tony stopped for a moment. He didn’t know they were dead, had no idea if they might be the reason the kid in front of him looked like he had gone through hell with his head held high because it had been the only thing left to him. 

No matter how horrible it might sound, he hoped they were dead. Everything in the letter (aside from the very disturbing implications he would have to consider, too) hinted at the woman actually loving her unborn child. What could have happened for her to let whatever did happen, happen to her own son? Had there been resentment towards the kid because he had not been Potter’s blood? 

Or was it even something worse?

Letting his eyes rest on the word Muggle, Tony concentrated hard on not showing any of his thoughts in his expression.

What the fuck was a Muggle? Almost more importantly, why was she seemingly excited about the fact that Tony was an American Muggle? Did she want to make sure Tony would never find out about Harry? (Provided he was Tony’s son, of course). 

We invited him to come with us and now I’m almost eight months pregnant and you, my little love, keep kicking me in the bladder. It was the best decision of our lives. I don’t know if you have by now reached out to him or if you don’t care about it. I know that it won’t matter to me either way. We are your parents and we will always love you. Until we finally meet. Also, suck it up, James, I won. Your biological father is Tony Stark, but you knew that already. Love you always, Mom.

There went some of his theories. Probably.

Looking up from the letter to someone who he might have fathered without his knowledge or consent, he tried to remember that night. Even during his most notorious times he hadn’t been often asked by a couple to join them. Most likely. Back then he would have been nineteen, probably blackout drunk and high.

Maybe they had picked him because they had rightfully assumed he wouldn’t even remember. Hell, they could have very likely encouraged him to party harder to make sure he wouldn’t remember. Or use a condom.

Or tinker with it.

Not many people knew that, but there had been attempts from women trying to get rich by having his child who had tried to forgo condoms and in one interesting case, steal his sperm. Nothing had worked as Tony, even high as a kite, knew better than to allow that. 

The Potter’s must have found a way around it. Granted with two people there he could have been diverted by one while the other made sure the condom would fail. 

But even then, how lucky was it that once had been enough when it had been planned? Weren’t there couples out there that tried for years?

Harry met his eyes head on, without flinching, without hesitating or backing down. It was an expression Tony knew well, he saw it sometimes in the mirror, sometimes in pictures. Although the startling green eyes did give the expression even more power.

Taking the time, just for a second, he took the state of the young man in. His clothes were well kept, even if not expensive at all. He was thin enough that even Tony wanted to force a sandwich on him, something that didn’t happen.

Almost hidden behind strands of unruly hair there was the fine line of a scar on his forehead ending in his right eyebrow.

“What’s a Muggle?”

The slightest flinch was enough to blow his bad feeling into full blown panic. Wasn’t that what cults did? Use different terms to alienate their members from the outside world and make sure they didn’t interact with it?

Fuck, what if Tony had been targeted especially for his intellect and Harry had been a result of some kind of cult experiment? Being a genius like he was, wasn’t heritable. What if Harry hadn’t been able to be what they had expected of him? 

And if the Potters had been in a cult, did it really matter if they had lived or died? Sure, to Harry it most likely did matter and he didn’t mean to undermine that. The point he was trying to make was, if they were or had been in a cult and had raised Harry in that environment and with whatever crazy beliefs, did it matter if they had abused him because of that or died and left him there unprotected? 

With those thoughts implanted in his brain the most pressing question right now wasn’t any longer whether or not Harry was his blood but was he still in that cult? And if so, did Tony need to get him out? No, that was stupid, how would he get him out and keep him safe?

“A Muggle is a normal person.” Harry answered, his voice void of anything else, his lips pressing tightly together as soon as he answered as if reprimanding himself for spilling a secret. Which he hadn’t.

“Well, in that case I feel insulted. I’m a lot of things but I am not normal.”

“Yeah, me neither.” There was the drawl of sarcasm again. And of something sharper, almost drawing blood.

Tony smiled back, his own softer, understanding, because, yeah, the kid didn’t look normal either. Hell, with the way he held himself, the way he seemed to see everything and the self confident knowledge that he would be able to protect himself if he had to, he would probably fit into the Avengers without problem.

Not that that was even on the table, no matter whose kid he was.

“Normal in comparison to what?” 

The kid’s smile changed, this one almost playful, although Tony would have bet Stark Industries that authority figures would see it as a challenge.

“In comparison of what people who use that word would perceive as normal.” 

“Not normal people then but outsiders.”

“Sure, you can see it like that.”

“Do you?” Because that was the crux. Did Harry think like that? Think like them? It was a good sign that he was here, a good sign that he didn’t seem broken, just cracked but the recovery would be a lot harder if he still believed in whatever the cult had been selling him.

Inclining his head by a fraction, Harry seemed to see right through Tony and his attempts to find answers.

“I think normal is a pipe dream.”

Disillusioned. Most likely hurt. Frustrated. Let down by those he should have been able to count on. That was a good start for Harry to distance himself from them and start anew. Even if it broke Tony’s heart to see his own exhaustion and hurt reflected in someone so young. (And that was his cue to keep his own feelings in check. It wouldn’t help anyone to project his own feelings onto the kid.)

If Harry was like his teenage self at all, pressing on wouldn’t be a good idea, so Tony changed strategies. Holding out the letter he offered it back to the teen.

“I’m guessing they didn’t tell you?”

“They died before they could.” 

The worst of the statement was the factuality behind it.

“I’m sorry.” It was out before Tony could stop it and was now very much tempted to kick himself. He hated it when people told them they were sorry. As if that would change anything. As if people actually felt sorry. 

A quiet voice was also angry with them because in that case he wasn’t able to talk to them. Or possibly sue them. Or send SHIELD’s best assassins after them.

“It happened a long time ago.” Harry shrugged, as if it truly didn’t matter but Tony remembered that response too well to take it seriously. 

“How long is long?”

This time there was mischief sparkling in Harry’s eyes before he sobered. “Almost seventeen years now.”

Meaning he had been little over a year old when his parents died. There was anger bubbling up inside of him, unexpectedly. Tony wasn’t kidding himself, he wouldn’t have been in any state of mind to take care of a toddler when he was twenty-one but he at least would have been able to find somewhere safe for Harry. No matter if he was the father or not.

“Why wasn’t I informed?”

Harry shrugged again. “I’m pretty sure no one knew. I lived with my mother’s sister and her family.”

There was no love lost there and Tony was sure of that even before Harry stated, calmly, that they would have shipped him off to Tony the second they had known of him. 

So possibly Harry or maybe his parents had been seen as a disappointment and that had negatively reflected on the kid? Which was bullshit, of course, but if anyone knew how it felt to be held accountable for his father’s sins it was Tony. Although, and that was the real kicker, James hadn’t been Harry’s father.

Another possibility was that those relatives weren’t part of the cult and resented Harry for being born into it? Maybe the cult had reached out to him later on? Maybe even been able to draw him in if his aunt hadn’t taken good care of him. 

Or if the cult had been able to convince the kid that that was the case.

The elevator doors opened before Tony could follow up on that thought. Bruce rushed out, a mixture of panic and excitement in his expression, a Starkpad clutched to his chest as if it held the secrets to the world. 

Or a single one to turn Tony’s world - and probably Harry’s - on it’s head.

Their eyes met and Tony knew. 

He wasn’t shocked. Not really. That would probably come later. And then, he would have the mother of all freak outs and possibly a major panic attack. 

But right now? This just confirmed that he had already known.

As if summoned by Bruce’s arrival, Rhodey stepped back into the room, his eyes going from Tony to Bruce and back again.

“I got the test results.” He glanced at Harry before looking back at Tony. “Congratulations, it’s a boy.”

Of course, Bruce would find his humour right now. Of fucking course. 

Stepping back and turning so that he could see his brother, his science bro and… Harry at the same time, he met those brilliant green eyes. 

There was no surprise in them. No happiness. No wonder or fear or anything, really.

“I would appreciate it if we could talk, Mr. Stark. It doesn’t have to be now, of course. I know my arrival was rather unexpected.” Harry smiled at that, more politely than he had during the entire earlier conversation. It was all but obvious that he suspected to be kicked out, probably after having to sign an NDA to never talk about any of this ever again. Possibly being bribed into silence. 

Tony, of course, would never do that. Not even if Harry wasn’t… He wouldn’t have done that. … the kid needed help. Whether to be dragged out of a cult or for a proper meal, extensive therapy sessions or just someone he would be able to trust, it didn’t matter. Tony would never abandon… the kid.

“Of course. I-”

“Let’s sit down, shall we, because I have questions, too.” Rhodey cut in, almost too forcibly.

Harry didn’t even blink, just nodded, as if that was something inevitable. Following Rhodey’s gesture, he sat down on the armchair, his back straight and his hands resting losely in his lap. 

To Tony’s even bigger surprise, Bruce followed them too, sitting down on the far end of the couch, his eyes on Harry with a mixture of intrigue and worry.

“First of, welcome to this nuthouse.” 

“Rhodey-”

“Secondly, how the hell did you get on the landing platform and what kind of device did you use to make yourself invisible.”

“What?!”

Harry had the good grace to ignore Tony and kept his eyes on Rhodey.

“I flew up there and the word you’re looking for is cloak .”

“You flew up there?”

“Yes.”

“With your… cloak… of invisibility?” 

“Got it in one.” Harry smiled that very special troublemaker smile Rhodey knew so well because Tony had used it almost non stop during their time at MIT. Who the hell was he kidding, he used it still whenever he could. It was known to blow up blood vessels of stuck up assholes and Tony loved to see their blood pressure rise.

Harry’s problem? None of the men in front of him would get angry at the smile. There was even a chance Rhodey would get nostalgic sitting in front of an angry teenager wanting to fight the establishment. Although Tony was almost sure Harry had good reasons for it and judging by the set of his shoulders he actually would be able to fight it.

“Where did you get it?” Rhodey asked, a secret smile playing over his lips, clearly remembering their MIT days.

“My fa- James left it for me.”

Tony frowned. “How did you get it if-”

“A… family friend gave it to me.”

“Okay. How does it work?”

“Why would I know that?” Harry smiled, innocently. 

“Being that one's son? You know. Or at least suspect something.” 

Tony would kill Rhodey. It didn’t matter that he had intended that comment as a joke because it wasn’t. Right now, it was just a toss up if he would kill him for Harry’s sake (who tried admirably to look unaffected but failed) or for himself as he almost had a heart attack. 

Sure, yes, the DNA test meant that he had fathered the kid, but that was a lot different from being his father. Hell, he had addressed his own father by his first name because even living in the same house did not automatically make you a goddamn father! 

Tony hadn’t even fucking known about the kid. That might absolve him on the one hand, on the other that didn’t change that he had missed the first eighteen years of Harry’s life. 

“I’m not a genius.” Harry said, firmly, his shoulders tensing as if he expected a reprimand or disappointment. 

“No one is a genius like Tony and thank god for that.” Rhodey smiled, this one even gentler. “But I’ll bet you're curious.” 

Harry regarded the decorated Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Airforce for a moment, as if trying to pry any and every secret out of him, before squaring his shoulders a little more.

“Magic.”

“Magic.” Tony repeated, before Rhodey could say anything and make it worse. And in which hell of a parallel universe had he stumbled to be the one to actually react to nonverbal cues and not trying to pry information out of someone who apparently had a fabric that could make them invisible! 

“Yes. Magic.” Harry had turned his green eyes on Tony, not budging, not faltering. 

As far as Tony could tell he wasn’t lying. Which, of course, didn’t have to mean anything necessarily. Especially if Tony was right (and he seldom was wrong) and Harry had been raised in a cult. Who knew what they would label as magic? 

“As in technology, alien technology or-”

“Magic.”

“Wands and brooms and botched up Latin?” 

“Pretty much, yeah.” 

Oookay. They, whoever they were, had done a number on that kid. Sure, there was a slight possibility (even if Tony fucking hated to even consider it at all) that magic was a thing but it was very unlikely. Especially since the Asgardian god had told him so. 

Ignoring the contradiction that presented, he concentrated on the teen in front of him. Who was a lot less of a puzzle than he probably thought he was. 

Then again most of the world was sure they had figured out Tony Stark™ and although some of the accusations had been true or still were, others were a very carefully constructed mask Tony made the world believe was real. 

“Can you show us some magic?” 

“Not without breaking the statue of secrecy.” 

“Didn’t you already break it by telling us?”

“You fought Aliens, one of them claiming to be a magician. There is a good chance you figured out there was magic before I came to your Tower. Being a genius and all.”

Tony smiled, this one a little more vicious. If the kid wanted to play, they could play.

“You’re right of course, what were we thinking, trying to rebuild our home after an almost invasion led by the adopted brother of one of our own, if you can call the Avengers a group yet, the jury is still out on that one. And especially, if you don’t mind me saying that, without any of those apparently existing magicians out and about trying to help and defend our world.” 

“Yeah, we wondered about that, too, actually.” Harry agreed, earnestly, a spark of humour in his eyes. “A friend of mine is looking into it but hasn’t found much yet.”

“Maybe magicians are an old world thing.”

“We’re called wizards and witches and I don’t think so.”

“Wizards, really?”

“You’re working with someone who claims to be a god, Mr. Stark.”

“Tony.” 

Harry hesitated for just a heartbeat, before nodding. “Tony.”

It was that very moment the reality of the situation started to hit. Holy fuck. Tony was sitting in front of a teenager - a legal adult - that had his genes and he called him by his first name because he didn’t know him well enough to call him anything else. 

If someone gave him an expensive scotch and he knocked him around a bit he could be Howard. 

Great, now the panic also set in. Fuck!

Clearing his throat he tried to remember what they had been talking about and drew a blank. Fucking hell. Why did his brain had to abandon him now of all times?

“Where are you staying?”

Harry’s expression didn’t change but Tony was absolutely sure the kid was judging him. And with good reason.

“West Side.”

That didn’t tell Tony anything but why would it? There was basically no way the kid had the money to stay at a place Tony would know.

“Would you… like to come to… to Brunch tomorrow? We could… talk.” Tony could basically feel his brain kill itself and Rhodey dying of embarrassment sitting right beside him, possibly getting infected by the stupidity that had befallen him.

There was a real chance that Harry would never come back just because this was far too embarrassing.

“Of course.” Harry stood up, obviously taking this as being thrown out which wasn’t actually Tony’s plan - although by the beating of his heart and the rising panic it was probably a good thing if Harry didn’t witness that or any hope for Tony to be taken seriously would die right then and there. 

“I didn’t mean-” 

“Don’t worry, I had a long flight.”

“Yes, of course.” Tony stood up, with no idea what to do now. “Do you need anything?”

“No, thank you.” Harry said, almost hastily. 

Taking a step towards the elevator, Tony felt another spike of panic burn through him like acid.

“Wait!”

Stopping dead in his movement, Harry looked back, something flashing through his eyes before he clamped down on it.

“I- Let me give you my phone number. Just… If you need anything.”

“I don’t-”

“Please.” There were more of his emotions in that plea than he had planned but now it was out and it was obviously what made the kid stop and think.

“I don’t have a phone.”

Another point for the cult theory, which by now was probably more than a theory.

“Give me a second.”

Trusting his Honey Bear to keep Harry from running - which he wouldn’t fault the kid for, of course - he walked briskly towards the elevator that opened automatically. 

He didn’t have to tell Jarvis to get him down to the workshop pronto. He also didn’t need to tell his AI to do a deep dive into Harry Potter’s life and the possibility of wizards and witches living under them. That, he did regardless.

Five minutes later he was back in his penthouse and holding out a brand new Stark Phone to Harry. “It has a sim, a flat rate for everything and all the most important numbers so basically, mine, Pepper’s, Rhodey’s and Happy’s.”

“Okay…” Harry seemed a little worried or even suspicious, but took the phone carefully out of Tony’s hand, making sure not to touch his skin.

“Do you know how to use it?”

Looking up at Tony with a small frown, Harry let his gaze wander back towards the smartphone. “I’ve used one before but it wasn’t…”

“A Stark Phone?” Rhodey supplied.

Harry smiled, a fleeting, soft one. “Yeah. And a lot older.”

“Let me show you the basics.” 

It took Harry less than ten minutes to understand most of the features. He might not be a genius like Tony or Bruce, but he was definitely not stupid. Sure, the phone’s menu was very intuitive but watching the learning curve Harry had displayed just now, Tony knew the kid was smart and had a good instinct.

The best thing though? Even though he had clearly been hesitating in the beginning, he had taken to the phone like a duck to water. 

Seeing the gleam of curiosity in… the kid’s eyes, something in Tony’s chest settled. It also got heavy and uncomfortably lively, but he tried to ignore that while seeing sparks of enthusiasm taking years off the already young face.

All of that shattered when the elevator doors opened and one Steven Rogers, Captain America himself, stepped into the apartment, one duffleback slung over his shoulder. 

“Hey Mr. Stark, Tony, I mean, I-” He stopped when he saw the scene. 

Before anyone could do anything, aside from Harry of course, said kid had stepped back from Tony, his feelings hidden behind the mask again.

“Thanks, Tony.” He basically ran past the Supersoldier and into the elevator, pressing a button inside and was gone before Tony could do more than raise his hand and wave. Like a lame loser. What the fuck was happening to him?

“Who was that?” Steve asked, puzzled.

Swallowing, Tony almost choked on the words stuck in his throat but unable to say them just yet.

My kid.

The next day, Harry was gone.

Chapter Text

Looking back into his own eyes in the mirror, Tony bit back another growl. He had growled, bitched and whined enough for a lifetime last night, at least if you believed Rhodey, even if he had been indulgent. And understanding but that was a given or should be. Because he had fathered a kid.

And said kid was eighteen.

And looked like Tony one month after being back from Afghanistan. 

Even just thinking about it made his gut churn. Let fury and rage and worry and fear and panic and a strange kind of hope and wonder and wish and a lot of other kinds of panic and fear and worry grow.

It had gotten so bad that he had actually been speechless, just standing there on the verge of tears trying to find the words, to understand what was going on. 

At that point, Rhodey had just walked over and hugged him. Long and tight. And Tony had let go. Had given in. 

This time Tony actually had a reason to lose it. Several, really, but all of them surrounded Harry. His kid. 

Not Harry, of course. If anyone in this situation got more fucked over than him it was Harry. Hell, Tony did know basically nothing about him and the little that he did know would make a good example for a textbook about child neglect and abuse. 

And as if that wasn’t enough, now he had also to deal with Tony fucking Stark.

The kid really deserved better.

One of the most concerning things (and that was telling on so many horrific levels) was that there were basically no records at all after his eleventh birthday. 

If he hadn’t seen him just yesterday he would have guessed the kid had died in the summer of 2005. The last official document was a retraction for Stonehall High, a state school. He hadn’t been enrolled into another school, he hadn’t been back to the doctors, which seemed rather impressive judging by the fact that before that point he had been there at least twice a year. And although Tony was not an expert for child abuse (personal experience aside), all the signs had been there. Still, the kid had remained with his relatives. Even though Tony had found four reports to child protective services.

Apparently no one had followed up on those, though. 

No one had cared that he had vanished. 

Harry could have died and Tony would have never even known about his existence. 

Rhodey had taken hours to talk him down from suing and or bombing everyone involved. Mostly because the Dursley family had also vanished from the face of the earth last year.

Jarvis was still looking for them, as he was still looking for any and every mention of Harry Potter (his Harry Potter) that he could find.

Neither Tony nor Rhodey had voiced the dark suspicion burning inside of them that Harry might have anything to do with their disappearance. If he had, Tony would be the last person on earth to condemn him for it. Still, it would be something they would need to take care of. And get him therapy for.

If anything had happened, he was more than sure that it would have to do with that cult he was convinced had been able to get to Harry. How else would an eleven year old vanish this completely? (Tony wasn’t even going to think about possible other options. That was just… no.)

Another very suspicious fact was that there was nothing about James and Lily Potter’s death (he at least had found out their names by now). Nothing. No death certificates, no reports, no articles, nothing aside from two graves in a village called Godric’s Hollow. 

Hell, Lily Evans’ records stopped after her eleventh birthday as well and he hadn’t found anything at all about James Potter.

There was also what appeared to be a forged papertrail explaining why Harry lived with his relatives, who, as far as Tony was concerned, had had no business in taking care of the kid. And they hadn’t. 

What the fuck had happened to the… his kid? What had those relatives of his done to him? What had happened to him in the seven years he had seemingly vanished off the face of the earth?

His panic attack after that had been followed by a fit of rage that Rhodey had been able to calm down after a while. Even though the logic was solid, he hadn’t known about Harry, so he couldn’t have prevented any of it. 

The guilt, worry and fear in his chest were not believing any of it. 

Fuck, he had screwed up being a father without even knowing he was one!

Gritting his teeth, he tried to breathe. To calm down. To focus.

Harry was going to come over around 11am. He needed to order breakfast. He needed to calm down and he needed to finalize his plan.

Whatever had happened in the past - and he would get answers, and he would get revenge or justice or both for Harry - now that he knew about Harry. He knew and he was here and he could do something.

And he would do something. He would be there, protect him, help him, make sure he was safe, and healthy and- 

If Harry would allow it. 

If not… if not he would have to find ways to still make sure the… his kid was safe. Without being creepy of course, just… just to make sure he wasn’t getting hurt.

Because he had been hurt, probably ever since he had come to live with Petunia Dursley and god knew what he had been put through after that. 

Tony would find out. Even if he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know. But talking about your trauma helped. Tony wouldn’t admit that to many people but he knew. Had learned that the hard way after Afghanistan. 

He would learn to be there for Harry in any way that he could. Would try to be… a good father? The kid was eighteen, he probably didn’t look for a father did he?

Then again, he had come almost as soon as he had gotten the letter. Straight from London, too. So he probably did want something from Tony. 

It could be money, plain and simple and maybe it was part of it, although he hadn’t asked for it, had refused an offering of money when Tony had implied it. 

He was only eighteen and his life up until now had probably been hell and even more unstable than Tony’s own had been at that age. Was it so strange if the kid wanted a father? A family to belong to? Someone he could trust? 

Tony wanted that sometimes, still. Hell, he had started to build his family with Rhodey and Pepper and Happy around that same age. Of course, the kid wanted to have people to have his back! 

But would he ever consider Tony to be one of those people? Tony? The man-whore that gambled and was an alcoholic, who was still called the Merchant of Death whenever the press felt like it? Who had been rejected by the Avengers initiative? 

Who was broken himself? Who had nightmares and panic attacks and was not a responsible adult? 

Who hadn’t even known about him and had never even thought he could have a kid out there and never bothered to look? 

“Sir?”

Clearing his throat, he squared his shoulders, relaxing his expression.

“Jay?”

“Captain Rogers asks how many pancakes you would like to have for brunch.” 

“What?”

“The Captain took the liberty to prepare brunch. He has ordered a variety of food options with my assistance and decided that home baked pancakes would be best.”

“And why has he decided to prepare brunch?” Tony asked, incredulously. 

Sure, he had been there when Harry had basically fled the Tower and Rhodey and Bruce had filled him in while Tony had been standing there, speechless and between a panic attack and shock but that didn’t explain why the hell he was now preparing brunch! 

“As I understand it, he believes it to be something that friends do for each other and he seemed rather determined to help out, Sir.”

“But why?”

“I would recommend you ask him yourself, Sir. But I believe he wanted to support you especially after learning that Colonel Rhodes and Dr. Banner wouldn’t be here today.” 

Groaning, Tony forced himself to leave his bathroom (in which he hadn’t been hiding, he was a Stark, he didn’t hide in bathrooms).

Stepping out onto his floor, he was met with the delicious smell of freshly brewed coffee.

“Spangles!”

“Mr.- Tony.” Steve hurriedly corrected himself, smiling self consciously at the older man. Not that Tony was that much older. Only about what? Ten years? That was basically nothing. 

Not that their age gap was important in any way, of course.

“What are you doing in my kitchen, Cap? Not that I don’t like a man that takes the initiative but-“

“We’re a team, Tony. I want to support you.”

Great. Not only hadn’t he caught the innuendo - obvious by the lack of an adorable blush and spluttering - he was also far too honest that early in the morning.

“Yes, that’s great and all-“

“I don’t have to stay when you’re- Harry, when Harry comes over I just thought… I could help.” He had lost some of his fire there at the end but nothing of his earnestness. 

Fuck.

“Thanks, Cap. Appreciate it.” Tony stepped around him, grabbing his beloved coffee cup and filling it with his life elixir. 

Turning around he oversaw the massive amount of food displayed all over his long kitchen island. 

“Yeah, you definitely have to stay. There is no way the kid and I are going to finish this without a supersoldier.” Even if Harry probably should eat at least half of everything. Or more. 

A light blush crept onto the Captain’s cheeks as he looked over the food. “Sorry, I-“

“No need to apologize, I would have probably ordered more.” Tony shrugged, trying very hard to not notice how attractive the blush was on the supersoldier. How the blush made him real and human. 

Glancing at his watch, he did forget the blushing man standing sheepishly beside him. 

Harry would be here in ten minutes. 

“I can leave if you want me to-“

“No.” Tony cleared his throat glancing at Steve before looking back at the food. “If he wants to talk privately, he’ll tell us. Or I ask him after the brunch.” 

Ignoring the feeling of being watched by clear blue eyes, Tony leaned back against the kitchen counter, taking another sip of coffee. 

“Okay. Whatever you need.” 

Clearing his throat again, he moved around the counter, sitting down on one of the barstools. 

“How do you like your floor? I wanted to show you around but, you know, life altering realizations and stuff.” 

“It’s far too much, Tony. Especially the studio, I-“

“Nope, it’s what a self respecting superhero needs. You haven’t even seen the training floor.”

“Tony-“

“It will be better when you start decorating the place.”

“There are paintings on every wall.”

“Yeah and if you don’t like them, you can change them. Paint your own. Buy the Mona Lisa.”

“Why would I buy the Mona Lisa?” 

“Why not?” Tony asked back, trying to concentrate on the almost smile on Steve’s face, rather than the nervousness tying his stomach into tight knots. There was about a .5% chance he would be able to eat anything by this point. 

“I like the paintings.” There was a politeness to his words that was almost a sure sign it was a lie but for once Tony didn’t call him out on it. Because he did want to get along with him (he had pestered Steve to move in for a reason after all and it wasn’t his teenage crush) and right now, he had better things to do. 

“It’s going to be okay, Tony.” 

Glancing up at Steve he bit back his first retort to seeing the earnest expression. 

“I like your optimism, Cap.” Tapping a fast rhythm on the counter, he took another sip. 

“You’re a good man. You’re a hero.”

Smiling self-deprecatingly, he met the blue eyes, steadily. “Not everyone believes that. Actually very, very few people believe that. Current company included.” 

“You’re right.” Steve squared his shoulders. “I was wrong. You are a hero. You saved New York.” 

“We saved New York.” 

“Yeah, but you prevented a nuclear disaster.”

“Just because I was the one being informed. You would have done the same. Everyone would have done the same.” 

“Fury informed you because he knew you wouldn’t hesitate. Because he knew you could and would do whatever it would take.” 

“Yeah, as I said, like you would have done. Because you’re a hero too. Not just something mixed in a bottle.” 

Steve smiled at him, soft and hopeful and that should definitely be illegal.

“Thank you, Tony.”

“Yeah, sure. Jay, is Harry already in the building?” 

“He is not, Sir. Do you want me to call him? 

“No, I’m never punctual and he is a teenager.”

Thirty minutes later, Tony had drank two more coffees until Steve had risked his life trying to prevent him from drinking his fourth. 

He hadn’t been successful even if Tony might be forced to acknowledge it hadn’t been a good idea to drink four cups in less than an hour. 

The worst part though: Harry still wasn’t here. 

“Fuck it. Jarvis, where is he?” 

“Tony-“

“His phone is switched off, Sir.” 

“What do you mean his phone is switched off.” 

“It means his phone is not active at this moment, Sir.” 

“Jarvis, locate him now .”

“Tony-“

“Shut up, Spangles, I don’t care.”

“He seems to be in London, Sir, although I don't seem to be able to get a clear location on him.”

“What!” Jumping up from the bar stool Tony was about to run into the elevator, suit up and fly to England right the fuck now, when a supersoldier stepped into his way.

“Get out of my way, Steve.” Tony barely recognized his own voice. It had been a long, long time since he had used that kind of tone and meant it. 

Harry had flown back to London. He had seen Tony, decided he wasn’t good enough and ran as far as he could. And if it was his decision Tony would accept it. He would ask if he could help financially or in any other way, but he would accept it.

But what if it hadn’t been his free will? What if he had been kidnapped? What if the cult got him? Or some of Tony’s enemies? Or- 

“Tony-”

“Right now.”

Raising his hands, as if trying to sooth a frantic animal, Steve took one step back but didn’t get out of his way.

“I’m not stopping you. But before you do anything you might regret later, explain to me what-”

“I think he has been raised in a cult.” Tony snapped, barely stopping himself from attacking the Supersoldier.

“What?” A concerned frown appeared on his expression.

“There is no paper trail after he turned eleven. I don’t know where he went to school, where he lived. He is underweight, looks like he went through hell and Rhodey and I found proof that he was abused as a child before he just vanished off the earth.”

“That-”

“He showed me a letter from his mother. They were apparently on a mission for some organization when they met me and used some kind of code words.”

Biting his lower lip, Steve looked torn. “Okay, what’s your plan?”

Because he would want to have a plan, of course. Inhaling, Tony forced himself to not just scream at the other man and tell him exactly what he thought of being held back.

Okay, a plan. He was a genius. He would be able to come up with a plan.

“Jarvis, how did he fly back?”

“A Hermione Granger booked the ticket Mr. Potter used. She appears to be in London and hasn’t booked any other tickets.”

That didn’t mean others hadn’t. It didn’t mean Harry had gone willingly.

“What do we know about her?”

“Hermione Jean Granger, born 19th September 1993. Most records stop after she turned eleven. Her parents, Dr. and Dr. Granger, disappeared last summer. They were last seen boarding a plane to Australia.”

Same as the Dursley family. Fuck. 

“Do you believe me now?” Tony hissed, wanting it to be a hiss, needing it to be a hiss. He didn’t know whether or not it was. Couldn’t hear his own voice over the roar in his ears. Could barely see the set expression on Steve’s face through the blinding panic forcing his heart to beat far too fast.

“What is the plan, Tony?” Captain America asked back, his stance battle ready.

“To get him back.”

“That’s the goal. Not a plan.”

“I don’t give a fuck!”

“You’re smarter than that.” 

“I’m clearly not.” Taking a step closer, Tony glared up at the other man. “They have my kid. I don’t give a fuck that I didn’t know about him. I don’t give a fuck who they are. I’m getting him back and I’m going to destroy anyone who is in my way, Cap.”

“I know. And I’m going to help you, I will, but we need a plan. If you’re right and the cult got to him we can’t just walk in there and-”

“Fucking watch me.”

-c-c-c-c-c-

Three hours later they were in a new prototype of a Quinjet over the North Atlantic and Tony was ready to climb the fucking walls. 

Jarvis had found some pictures of security cameras from Heathrow Airport showing Harry deboarding a plane before he seemed to vanish off the face of the earth. Again. 

They hadn’t found out anything else about him or Hermione Granger aside from some pictures that Jarvis’ facial recognition software had pinged. One from last summer showed her and a red haired boy on Tottenham Court Road, looking panicked and as if they were on the run.

She seemed to have been a normal kid, brighter than most, with good grades and a good home. Or at least there had been no signs of abuse that Jarvis and he could find.

She had been enlisted for a top school before her parents withdrew her application. Then, she vanished. Like Harry had.

Like a lot of kids did. Every year at the first of September all over the UK. Some of them came back. Others didn’t.

Except for last year. Back then, some kids had withdrawn from their schools but then reapplied and started school there.

This year, it happened again. At least forty kids had withdrawn their applications without specifying where they would go afterwards.

And no one seemed to care.

“Sir? I have been able to locate Mr. Potter.”

“Where is he? Do you have video proof?”

“I have not but his phone seems to be in Painswick, Gloucestershire.”

“How did he get there?”

“As far as my scans are able to show instantaneously, Sir.”

Looking back at Steve, he saw the same worry and determination in his expression. 

Whatever this was, it was big, it was bad and they would stop it. One way or the other.

He had already sent Rhodey everything they had found, informed Pepper and even made sure Jarvis would forward a file to Fury if Steve and he weren’t able to handle the situation.

“Tell us everything you got on Painswick and his location, Jay.”

“It seems to be kind of a tourist attraction with a Rokoko garten, an old church and most of the buildings are built with cotswold-stone.”

“I don’t want a history lesson, Jarvis, I-”

“The house seems to be the property of one Mrs. Andromeda Tonks. She appears to be recently widowed although there is no official death certificate anywhere, there is a grave for her husband, who died last year.”

“What do we know about her?”

“I couldn’t find anything about Mrs. Tonks, not even her birth name as it wasn’t listed in the land register.” 

Gritting his teeth, Tony tried to focus. Tried to calm down. Tried to keep a clear head. 

It didn’t work.

“Do we have a visual, Jarvis?”

“The satellite pictures are of ill quality as it is raining in Painswick at the moment, Sir.”

Biting down on his lip to not scream, not rage, not attack not-

A warm hand pressed down on his own clawing into his knee.

“We’re getting him back, Tony.” Steve promised.

He couldn’t know they would. Couldn’t know what they might have done to him.

And what did back even mean here? Tony never had him. Hell, he had only met Harry once, yesterday. He had no claim on him. No right to do anything if Harry didn’t want his help or if there wasn’t proof he was held against his will, hurt or forced. 

“You said he was a fighter. Like his dad-”

“I’m not.” He spat out, moving away from the warm touch, glaring up at the soldier. “I didn’t even know he existed two days ago.”

“But you do now and you’re on your way to stop a decades old cult for him.”

“Isn’t that what heroes do?” The self deprecating smile almost split his face and he wouldn’t have been surprised to taste blood.

“Sure. But right now I’m here because one of my teammates, one of my friends, needs help. And you’re here because your kid is in danger.”

Opening his mouth to deconstruct the whole argument, Tony was stopped when Steve leaned forward, his blue eyes too close, too determined and too earnest for his own good.

“It doesn’t matter that we fought when we first met and it doesn’t matter that you didn’t know about him before yesterday. Right at this moment it doesn’t even matter what else we’re going to need to do or who we have to fight or who else we need to save. Right now, the one thing that counts is Harry. And we’re getting him back.”

Steve had never even talked to the kid. Tony and Steve had fought at least half of the time they had met since the Battle of New York and it had taken Tony until now to convince him to leave the grey and depressing barracks SHIELD called apartments. Still, Tony wanted to believe him.

Wanted to believe that his childhood hero was here to save the day. To save him. To save Harry.

Closing his eyes, he stood up, turning his back on the super soldier while forcing all of the conflicting emotions down. The resentment he had started to feel when he had never been able to measure up to the perfect hero his father had remembered Captain America to be, his hatred for both him and Howard. His fear and guilt and anger and the mind numbing terror. The hope and wanting and self hatred. The panic, rage and confusion. The uncertainty.

Steve was right. The only important thing was Harry. Nothing else mattered right now. Nothing but making sure he was safe. Everything else would come after that. 

Turning around, he met Steve’s apprehensive eyes.

“Call it, Cap.”

An hour later, Tony and Steve stood in front of a beautiful old English house, with a small front garden. They were both wearing some of Tony’s inconspicuous body armour under their clothes, armed with guns and in Tony’s case his gauntlets. 

This was not an Avengers mission. At least, not right now.

Jarvis had scanned the house and found only one heat signature in it. Which was, hopefully, promising. They would at least not be outnumbered.

Glancing back at Steve, who had looked around, he moved forward when he saw him nod.

They hadn’t bothered with umbrellas as they would have just been in the way and the wind accompanying the rain would have rendered them useless almost immediately. 

Stepping in front of the door, Tony raised his gauntlet clad hand and knocked.

“There is movement in the house, Sir.” Jarvis' voice murmured into his ear.

“One heat signature?” 

“Yes.”

“Okay. Stand by.”

Glancing back once more, he met Steve’s eyes. They were ready. They had a plan.

Looking back at the door, he relaxed his stance, the gauntlets hidden behind long sleeves that were soaked by the rain.

The seconds ticking by felt like hours and his forced calm was wearing thinner by the heartbeat.

Then, the door opened slowly and Tony was fully prepared to attack, if this wasn’t Harry. Was prepared to throw himself to the side if he saw a weapon. 

It was Harry, his expression apprehensive and exhausted, even darker circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept since yesterday. But there was no blood, no bruises. Nothing that showed any force.

Opening his mouth to ask Harry whether or not he was alone, hurt and/or in danger, he stopped dead when he finally looked at what he was holding.

A newborn baby rested against Harry’s chest, protected by his arms.

Chapter Text

Harry Potter was not a coward. Everyone in the magical community (at least in Britain) knew that. Hell, he was known to be the savior.

Harry, the son of Tony Stark, obviously was a coward. 

Thank fuck no one knew him here.

Leaning back against the cold metal wall of the elevator he had quite literally just ran into, Harry pressed his eyes closed. Breathing. 

The phone ...Tony had given him lay heavy in his hand. 

This had gone a lot better than he had hoped for. It had still been a bloody disaster but he hadn’t been kicked out, screamed at, taken into custody (wouldn’t have worked but they hadn’t even tried), they hadn’t believed him to be a liar or dangerous. Probably.

All of them had had, from time to time, an expression that screamed of worry and scepticism but they hadn’t contradicted him, just asked questions. As if they actually cared. Something Harry hadn’t necessarily believed. And why should they? 

Blood didn’t have to mean anything. ...Tony hadn’t agreed to any of this. There were no reasons why he should care. And it was possible that he would still come to that conclusion. Right now though, he was almost sure he would at least talk to him. 

Not that Harry had any clue what he wanted from him. Or what he would tell him tomorrow.

It was almost soothing to see the older man fumbling. Harry (probably because of tricks his mind was playing him) thought he had recognized some of ...Tony’s expressions. Had thought he knew some of the sharp wit and the smiles. 

That was most likely rubbish. He had never before met the man. He didn’t know him. Had never before spent time with him. There was no way his sarcasm had anything to do with Tony Stark’s sharp tongue. How would that even work?

And even if somehow it actually was connected, it still didn’t mean anything.

The elevator doors opened and Harry needed a moment to orientate himself before he found the way to exit Stark Tower, almost running into the busy streets of New York. 

Inhaling the humid air, he wished he would have flown back. Actually scratch that. Worse than the humid air and the noise were the people all around.

Walking faster, Harry concentrated on getting away, on finding a place without people. To be able to breathe. To stop. Just for a second.

To realize what just happened. 

It shouldn’t have been a surprise. Lily had written it in the letter. He had trusted that information enough to fly to America and knock on his window. 

Still, it was something totally different to read that information on a piece of parchment or look into those expressive brown eyes and see the realization. See the panic. See the flare of fear. And determination.

His biological father was alive. 

His biological father was alive.

The storm inside his head was only overshadowed by the tornado inside his chest. 

He wasn’t alone in this world. 

Well, probably. Maybe. If he wanted to get technical, he had living relatives, he just didn’t want anything to do with them. Which was one of the reasons why he had agreed to keep them hidden a while longer. At least until the political climate calmed down some. 

He would get them out of hiding as soon as he got less than three death threats a week. Or more accurate they would be told to come out of hiding then. Although as far as Harry had been told, they seemed to be as happy as they could be. 

Which wasn’t saying much. 

Harry stopped before a traffic light, staring up at it while people around him bumped into him on the far too small sidewalk. 

What in Merlin’s name was he even doing here? What did he want from …Tony? The man would probably think money. He had already offered some and it had been that exact moment Harry knew he had fucked up. 

He was a fucking adult. Even though he didn’t feel that way he no longer needed to be saved. He was the bloody savior of the wizarding world. He had to stand strong and give people hope. Why the fuck had he traveled across the world just to meet his unknowing sperm donor?

Especially since Tony Stark had far better things to do than talk to Harry. He had said it himself, hadn’t he? They were trying to rebuild New York and most likely find ways to protect the world.

Why would he care for a broken eighteen year old he had never even heard of when everyone else hadn’t even cared for an abused child? 

Maybe tomorrow during brunch he would tell Harry that he had never wanted a… a kid. That he hadn’t agreed to anything and didn’t want to have anything to do with him.

That he had fucking better things to do.

Which was fair. Finding out you had a kid you didn’t know about almost twenty years later would be stressful in any case. Finding that out three months after an alien invasion? Even worse. Finding out you had Harry Potter for a son? Worst case scenario.

It would be better for ...Tony to just cut ties before they knew more about each other. And maybe that was what he would do tomorrow.

Hell, even if …Tony didn’t, Harry probably had the moral responsibility to cut ties before they had any. His relatives, caretakers and even people just standing close to him didn’t have an amazing survival rate, after all.

Hell, the only people being able to actually survive were Ron and Hermione and they had the scars, visible and invisible, to tell their stories.

Did he even want to risk ...Tony? Was it even okay to risk him like that? He was Iron Man! A real hero fighting against aliens! His life was difficult enough, for Merlin’s sake. The last thing he needed was someone as broken as Harry.

Blinking in the sunlight, he sighed. Fuck. Looking around, he didn’t see any place to hide. There was a café on the other side of the street but even though he felt exhausted and drained, the manic energy still bubbling in his veins wouldn’t let him sit down just yet.

Starting to walk again, he took the phone out from where he had clutched it inside of his pocket.

Without any reason. And that was the story he was sticking to.

Hesitating for a heartbeat, he saved Hermione’s number into the phone (she had forced both him and Ron to remember it with threats of waking them during the night to quiz them on the number. Which she had) before sending her a short text, informing her about his new (first) phone number.

Looking around, he tried to not feel trapped between the buildings and people closing in on him. There was basically no reason that a Death Eater or wanna be Dark Lord would be here in Muggle New York looking for him. 

Then again, looking back at his life, it would be more surprising if no one was going to try to murder him in the next two hours.

Following the road, he kept watch for a corner, a small side street or anything he could use to vanish without outing magic to all of New York. 

Flinching minutely, Harry took the phone back out of his pocket when it started to vibrate. Thankfully, he had already set it to silence.

Pressing the phone to his ear, he opened his mouth to greet Mione but the witch was already talking.

“Harry, we tried to reach you but-”

“Mione?

“It’s Andromeda, Harry, she was attacked.”

Ice cold dread slithered into his stomach. No longer caring, he started running. He would take a dumpster to hide behind if he had to.

“What about Teddy?”

“He was with her but he is okay. She was able to fight them off and got him to the Burrow.”

“Andy?” He asked, ignoring the disgruntled calls from behind him where he had run into people.

“She is in St. Mungus. It doesn’t look good.”

“Fuck.”

“Harry-”

“Get me a plane ticket, Mione, I’m on my way.”

“I already booked you one. Your flight goes in two hours. And no, there is no sooner one.”

“Thanks.” Harry ducked behind a group of people and was hard pressed to not just curse them - or take his Firebolt out and just fly over them. “Is Teddy really okay?”

“Mrs. Weasley is taking care of him right now. Do you-”

“Take him to Mungus when I’m back in England.” Breathing hard, Harry finally saw a back alley small enough to be ignored with a big dumpster standing to one side.

“Harry-”

“Not now, Mione.”

“Okay.” There was a short pause but at least she didn’t argue again with him. “We’re going to be there. I’ll talk to Shaklebolt and try to find out what we can do to get him into your custody.”

“Thank you. I’m apparating now. Text me what I need to know.” He didn’t even wait for an answer.

Ducking behind the dumpster, he grabbed his wand and apparated to the airport, ignoring everything that his brain was screaming at him.

Like the fact that this was his fault. He had left England and the next day Andy got attacked. 

Some of the fault was Rita Skeeter's, as she had published that Harry was Teddy’s godfather, making him and Andy targets. Which was partly why Harry was this - close to killing the insufferable witch. The other part was that she had speculated about how dangerous a half werewolf, half metamorphmagus who was raised by the disturbed boy who lived twice would be.

Harry couldn’t give a fuck about what she published about him. If they went after Teddy though, he would hunt her and anyone else down and make them pay.

After the article, they had talked with whoever was left from the Order and had made plans on what to do if someone attacked Andy or tried to take Teddy. Because apparently, wizarding society had nothing better to do than to try to piss off Harry months after he finally got rid of Voldemort. 

Hermione had said it wasn’t surprising, as some people would want to use the power vacuum to give themselves power and status. And the fastest way would be to kill the man who had killed the Dark Lord.

Although Harry could kinda understand that logic, he was just too exhausted to care. And if they were just going after him, he would have just ignored them. But they went after Hermione and Ron, after every of the heroes of Hogwarts. And apparently, after a four month old baby because he was connected to him.

Almost as bad was the fact that it weren’t just assholes and users of dark magic, nooo, there were also a lot of righteous people who wanted to put him six feet under as he would become the next Dark Lord, or he was too powerful, or he was mad, or he was too kind or too traumatized to do the right thing and condemn everyone they wanted to be either sent to Azkaban or be kissed by the Dementors.

Long story short, they had made plans to protect Teddy (and everyone else). One of them had been that Andy would apparate with Teddy to the Burrow if she needed help.

Harry had also tried to assign her a bodyguard (standing behind Shacklebolt because he wasn’t stupid enough to get into Andromeda Tonks’ way). The witch had smiled at them, looking a little too close to her demented sister, telling them to fucking leave her home and that even though she denied her blood, she was a born Black and would be able to protect herself and her grandson.

She had been right. Partly.

Almost nine hours later, Harry stormed out of Heathrow Airport, not giving one fuck about who might see him. At least most people got out of his way as soon as they were able to get a good look at his expression.

It was half past eight in the morning, Mione had already told him they had gotten Teddy and were waiting for him in St. Mungus.

She hadn’t said a word about Andy. Her tone had said enough.

Almost running, he looked for the first opportunity he could find and apparated straight into St. Mungus.

Normally, he didn’t like to use his fame. Right now, he would have used his name, his status, his money, anything to get what he wanted just that second faster.

Stepping right into the path of the medi-witch, he ignored her gasping and the fact that she took a step back from him as if she was afraid.

“Andromeda Tonks, she was attacked, where is she?”

“I can’t-”

“Where is she?” He didn’t raise his voice but he did let some of his magic seep out of him.

Stammering, the witch told him where to go and Harry was off before she could even finish her sentence. 

The pent up energy thrumming through his veins forced Harry to take the stairs, two steps at a time. Pushing open the staircase door he could already hear Teddy crying.

Biting down on the fury burning through him, he stormed forward. Ignoring the heavy guilt and panic growing even heavier and colder in his guts.

“Hey-”

He ignored the medi-wizard trying to stop him, sidestepping him without even blinking and only slowing down marginally before stepping into the waiting area where he could see Ron, Hermione and Mr. Weasley, who was cradling Teddy, sitting in the far corner, their wands in their hands. 

Good.

“Harry!” Hermione was already on her feet but Harry ignored her in favor of his godson.

As soon as he was close enough, he reached out to the crying baby and took him out of Mr. Weasley’s arms.

“He should be fine.” The older man soothed while Harry pressed the small bean to his chest, his arms hugging it tight to himself.

“He was checked over, he isn’t injured.” Hermione stepped closer, her voice soothing, repeating what she had said and texted multiple times already.

“It’s probably just everything.” Ron put his hand on Harry’s shoulder, squeezing tightly.

Turning a little away, Harry started to rock the kid in his arms, murmuring promises to him. Like he always did.

The day after the battle of Hogwarts he had gone to Andromeda Tonks to tell her he understood if she didn’t want to have anything to do with him but that he wanted to be there for Teddy, as he was the reason his parents, her daughter and son-in-law, had died.

Andy had looked at him and told him in very clear words that she couldn’t hate him even if she wanted to and that he had not killed them. Then she had shown him how to change a diaper, how to hold the newborn and made him agree to come over at least twice a week. 

Two weeks later he had been there daily. Because Andy had never demanded anything. And he knew she needed time to grieve.

In the beginning, he had thought it was just survivor’s guilt that made him come back day after day. After all, it was his fault that Teddy was an orphan. 

Then Andromeda had handed the crying baby over to him after what had obviously been a sleepless night and Teddy had fallen asleep almost instantly in his arms, snuggled close to Harry’s chest.

After that she had called him when she wasn’t able to calm her grandson down.

Mrs. Weasley believed Harry was calming to Teddy because he was good with kids.

Andromeda thought it was because she sometimes got overwhelmed with grief and Teddy could sense that.

Hermione thought Teddy knew Harry would do anything for him. 

Harry knew it was a lot more selfish. Because his spinning thoughts, self-hate and rage only calmed down when he had to take care of the infant. He was just grateful Teddy seemed to be able to relax with him, too. 

The little bean couldn’t ask questions. He didn’t know anything. All he wanted were warm hugs, some milk and being carried around. 

When he was with Teddy, all his focus was on him. He didn’t have to think about anything else. Didn’t have to argue, to defend himself or tell people how incredibly stupid they were. He wasn’t asked about his plans for the future.

He didn’t have to be the boy who lived, just a pillow for the infant.

As soon as Teddy had calmed down, Harry turned back to the two Weasleys and Hermione.

“You need to teach me that before we have kids, mate.” 

“What?” Hermione asked, breathlessly while Ron’s ears turned bright red.

“I didn’t- I-”

Despite himself, Harry smiled. “Sure, or, you know, I just come over to babysit.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea, too.” Clearing his throat, Ron very decidedly did not look at his girlfriend that was still burning holes through his skull or his father that was clearly trying not to laugh at his son.

“You really are good with him, Harry.”

Shrugging, and using that as an excuse to move Teddy a little higher in his arms, Harry glanced behind himself.

“How is Andy?”

The darkening of all of their faces wasn’t a surprise, still it made the cold fear and guilt grow and reach up into his lungs.

“They got some curse experts with her right now, but it doesn’t look good.”

“What happened?” Meeting Mr. Weasley’s sad eyes, he knew he didn’t want to hear it.

“Andy had already lost a lot of blood when she came to us. Molly took Teddy and I apparated her here. She said she was attacked by five people. They cornered her, apparently to get to Teddy.” 

That wasn’t a surprise. Harry had known that. It didn’t change that he hugged the baby closer to himself.

“She was able to escape them but…”

They had cursed the bloody hell out of her.

“What’s her prognosis?”

“...if she survives, she will take months to recover.” Hermione mumbled, her brown eyes meeting Harry’s unflinchingly. She knew as well as Harry what that would mean. Even if she thought he shouldn’t do it.

“What do I have to do?”

“Harry-”

“Come on, Mione, we both know you have already researched it. What do I have to do?”

“You’re officially his godfather. In case of his closest relative being unable to take care of him there is some paperwork we need to take care of. You’ll have to prove that you are going to be able to support him financially and have the will and opportunity to take care of him. You can prove all of that and if we call Kingsley and play your savior card, I’m sure you have custody by tomorrow.”

Harry nodded.

“Are you sure you want to do that, mate?”

Meeting Ron’s eyes Harry bit back his first response.

“Teddy is not going to grow up alone.”

“Of course not, Harry, but-”

“I’m his godfather. I’m going to care for him. If- When Andy is back on her feet, we can share the custody” the older witch had started to drop hints a few weeks ago that she thought that to be a good idea regardless “or I step back.” Because he would do that too, if it would be the best for Teddy.

“What about-” She glanced at Mr. Weasley, before changing course. “What about your travels?”

“Maybe it would be a good idea if I took him with me.” Raising an eyebrow he looked back at his favorite witch, knowing she would argue with him about that. 

Never one to back down, Mione raised her eyebrow as well. “Yes, traveling with an infant seems to be a brilliant idea.”

“Better than sitting here and waiting for another attack.”

“I don’t-”

“Are you here for- Harry Potter!”

Biting back a grown and a curse at the shocked expression on the medi-witch's face, Harry stepped back between Ron and Hermione, standing shoulder to shoulder with them. Thankfully, the little bean in his arms didn’t wake up.

“No, I’m fine, actually. We’re here for Andromeda Tonks.”

“I-” Her eyes wandered over Ron and Hermione and she obviously recognized them as well, being the Golden Trio as Skeeter liked to call them - if she wasn’t undermining them at every turn.

“How is Andromeda?” Mr. Weasley asked, his voice calm and reassuring.

Turning to the person who wasn’t plastered over every other front page, the medi-witch seemed to get her bearing, even if she kept glancing at Harry.

“We contacted other experts but we’re still unable to determine what curses have been cast on her.” She inhaled, her eyes flickering down towards Teddy in Harry’s arms. “We’re going to try our best but it doesn’t look promising. I’m sorry.”

Inhaling, Harry pressed a kiss to the sleeping baby’s head. 

“Thank you.” Mr. Weasley stepped forward, ushering the medi-witch out, while both Ron and Hermione stepped closer to Harry.

“Were there new threats?”

“Yes, but nothing that was sticking out.” Hermione brushed her hand over Teddy’s head before she met Harry’s eyes.

“This is not your fault.”

“Yeah mate, these people are just bloody bonkers.” Ron bumped his shoulder slightly into Harry’s. “How was New York?”

“I didn’t see much of it, did I?” He said, a little too sharply, before exhaling forcefully. “Sorry. It was... interesting.”

“Did you meet… him?” Ron asked, glancing around to make sure they weren’t listened to.

“Yes. I did.” Even if it felt like a surreal dream. Not that this moment felt real.

“Maybe it would be a good idea to take Teddy home, what do you think?” Hermione asked, carefully, knowing full well the only reason Harry would even think about it was the small bean in his arms.

Before Harry could agree - because it would be a good idea for Teddy - some witch from the Ministry came, as the medi-witch had apparently contacted them because of an unattended minor.

Some days Harry wasn’t sure why he had even saved the magical world.

As he had point blank refused to hand Teddy over, the witch, Abigail Burtock, had started to threaten him - which was never a good idea. 

Especially when he had slept even less than was normal for him right now, someone out of his close circle was on an operating table fighting for their life and bloody assholes kept waking up his godson.

It got worse when, two hours later, they were informed that Andromeda Tonks had died due to her injuries.

Which meant Teddy was all alone. All of his relatives had died because of Harry.

Up to that point Burtock had already accused all of them of kidnapping. That ended when Harry whipped out his wand and cast a patronus. 

It had almost ended in a fight right then and there (which Harry had been absolutely positive, Hermione, Ron and him would have won) before Shacklebolt jumped in. 

Now, another three hours later, Harry had started the process of adopting Teddy Lupin. 

Hermione, at that point on another warpath against the Ministry, had sworn she would make sure the adoption was through before the end of the week, while glaring daggers at Burtock.

After being told he wouldn’t be arrested if he went home, Harry left with Teddy, leaving Hermione and Ron, as his proxies, in the ministry. 

Hermione had already been in another fight with some official while citing laws and demanding someone check Andromeda’s will, while Ron had stood behind her, glowering at all of them.

Apparating into Andy’s home, Harry stumbled. It was probably a lack of sleep and food and the bone deep realization that Andromeda was dead.

That Teddy was alone.

Touching his head to Teddy’s smaller one, Harry closed his eyes. He had promised himself, Andromeda and the little bean in his arms, that he would do anything to protect him. He would give anything up to be there for him. He wouldn’t leave him to fight a war. Wouldn’t risk his life and leave him behind. He would be there for him.

He knew he couldn’t promise that nothing would happen to him as trouble always seemed to find him. But he would try. He would do anything to keep his promise.

He would break this bloody circle and make sure that Teddy would be safe, loved and happy.

“I promise you.” He whispered to the sleeping baby in his arms. “I’m not leaving you.”

Inhaling calmly, he forced his own feelings down, only allowing himself to press a kiss to the small head.

Looking around, he wasn’t sure what to do next. Teddy had been fed and changed while they had been held up in the Ministry at least - even if every step of it had been a fight as Burtock had vehemently argued she needed to do it or at least be present to make sure Teddy was taken care of properly. As if Harry didn’t know what he was doing. As if he was trying to hide something.

Hell, she had probably been an avid reader of the trash Skeeter was publishing.

Standing there in the hallway, everything seemed to be too close and too far away at the same time. The silence a blessing after all the commotion in the last hours. And a curse as it was a constant reminder that they were alone in the house.

For a moment, he thought about laying Teddy down in his crib. By now, he knew the baby hadn’t slept enough and needed the familiarity.

A heartbeat later he knew he wouldn’t be able to do it. Right now, he couldn’t even imagine putting the little bean down and leaving the room. Hell, he couldn’t imagine letting go of him ever again.

Ignoring the anger creeping up on him again, he walked over to the living room couch, and sat down on it, heavily.

It didn’t matter. Hermione and Ron were in the Ministry making sure he would be able to keep Teddy. Mr. Weasley had promised he would organize everything for Andy. Harry had told him he would cover all the costs and the older man had told him to focus on Teddy right now. 

So he did.

Moving the small bean in his arms, he looked down on the shock of dark unruly hair Teddy had started to sport a few weeks prior whenever he saw Harry. 

“We’ll get through this.” He murmured to the baby, not knowing how, but determined to make it happen. One way or the other.

Yes, their positions were almost scarily similar but that didn’t have to mean anything. History wouldn’t repeat itself here. He wouldn’t let it.

Leaning back into the couch, he repositioned the small baby on his chest, listening to the quiet sounds of Teddy sleeping.

Forcing down any and all thoughts, Harry just focussed on their calm breathing. Repeating almost like a mantra that they would be fine. That Teddy was safe. That he would make sure Teddy would be safe no matter what happened to Harry - and that he would do everything in his power to be there for the little bean.

If not, he knew he would be able to count on Ron and Hermione, on the whole Weasley family, really. They wouldn’t let him grow up scared and unloved.

Closing his eyes, he focused on the warmth on his chest. The small movements. The fact that Teddy was alive.

A knock on the front door froze the air in his lungs while his hand automatically closed around his wand and his arms moved protectively around his godson. 

Fuck.

Securing Teddy to his chest, he thought about apparating immediately. But why would the attackers knock? Why not just attack? 

It could possibly Mrs. Weasley or anyone else from The Order wanting to help. 

Moving noiselessly to the front door, Harry was ready to apparate them to safety the second he had to. Leaning slowly around the corner, he glimpsed out of the kitchen window and froze.

It was Tony. And Steve Rogers, Captain America. Standing in front of Andy’s… in front of the door, their expressions set, as if they were ready for a fight.

He had just abandoned Tony, hadn’t he? Bloody hell, he didn’t even send him a text to tell him he wouldn’t be there for brunch. He had just told him hey, I’m your son you didn’t know about and never agreed to have and then flew back to England. 

No wonder he was angry.

Glancing down on the baby in his arms, Harry was too tired to ignore them. Too tired to run. 

They were heroes after all. Avengers. They wouldn’t be too bad while he held a sleeping newborn, right?

Walking over to the door, he opened it, his wand hidden behind the door.

Tony’s eyes singled in on him, roaming over him as if he was looking for weapons or wounds, opening his mouth, probably to yell at Harry, when he froze. His brown eyes now glued to the small body in Harry’s arms.

“I’m too young to be a grandpa.”

Looking back at the older man, Harry couldn’t help but agree.

If there had been any chance of them being anything to each other, it had probably died with Andromeda.

Chapter Text

“I’m too young to be a grandpa.”

Harry, who was standing in front of him, stiffened, his expression darkening for a second, before the exhaustion won out again. 

Tony wanted to kick himself. Really? That was the first thing he told the possibly kidnapped teenager? Who apparently had a kid of his own? Which would actually make sense if it was a cult - would it?

It would also make sense why Harry had left the country - if something was with the mother. Or if the cult had found him out and he had to get back to protect his kid.                                  

Before he could do anything - and he had no clue what he would have done because he was so far out of his depth he didn’t even know what he could even say to him. And his last attempt had not only sucked, it had been borderline offensive- Harry interrupted him. 

“Just come in.” It was said on an exhale, all of his obviously considerable amount of exhaustion pressed into those three words.

The slim teenager turned, either trusting them to not attack or just not caring any longer. He walked inside the home, both arms wrapped securely around the baby in his arms.

Glancing back, Tony met Steve’s bright blue eyes. There was a smile on the other man’s expression, almost belying the crease of worry on his forehead. Then he nodded. 

Looking back towards the open door, Tony followed Harry into what was obviously the living room. There were pictures everywhere, showing a woman with dark locks and a rather unassuming man for at least thirty years. There were also pictures of a girl that must have been their daughter who had grown up to be a young woman with pink bubblegum hair.

And the pictures moved. Or more precisely, the people in the pictures moved. Waving happily to the outside world as if it were mini-screens showing video clips.

Breathing in, Tony, very hard, ignored every and all implications for the world, physics and his own sanity and turned his gaze back to the kid.

Harry was looking at him, his green eyes guarded. 

“Do you want tea?”

“No, thank you.” Steve said, his voice quiet and calm. As if they weren't standing in a room with fucking moving photographs. And yes, one of the worst things of all was that he sounded like someone from the late 19 hundreds. Sometimes Tony hated his brain and how it worked. “We weren’t introduced yesterday, I’m Steve Rogers.”

“Harry Potter.” Adjusting the baby in his arms, Harry glanced down at it before meeting Tony’s eyes again. “This is Teddy.”

“He looks like you.” 

Tony glanced first at Steve, whose voice had been even softer if that was even possible, before seeing the pained expression on Harry’s face. 

“I’ll get us some tea.” Without another word, he left the room.

“I didn’t-” Steve started but Tony just shook his head sitting down heavily on the couch. 

Harry was clearly exhausted, most likely pushed far past his limits and probably just done with everything. And considering all that he was almost too polite. 

He had been raised British, though.

A troubled look on his face, Steve sat down right beside Tony and although the couch wasn’t actually small, it certainly felt like it to Tony now. 

“What do you think of this?” Tony nodded towards the room, his voice barely even a whisper, trusting that the enhanced hearing of Steve would pick up on it anyway.

The sharp blue eyes wandered around the room before landing back on Tony.

“There are no pictures of him or the kid.” He stated bluntly, either not realizing that moving paper-pictures in frames weren't normal or ignoring it as Tony had decided to ignore it. He was right, of course. Aside from that fact the house looked almost boring. There was nothing out of the ordinary, aside from the missing TV.

“Jay?”

“Nothing suspicious I can detect, Sir.”

Nodding, he looked back at Steve, who also wore an earpiece. 

He had prepared himself for almost anything from an open firefight to using his immense skills in subterfuge, persuasion and good old blackmail. It had never even occurred to him that it might not end in an altercation. 

Or that Harry could look worse without even being injured.

Or that he might have a kid of his own which he clearly loved if the way he all but hid the baby behind his arms was any indication.

Quiet footsteps let both of them look back to the door, Steve moving in his seat, pressing his knee to Tony’s. Possibly to calm him down. 

That did not calm him down. At all.

Walking back into the room, Harry hadn’t brought tea, but was feeding the baby a bottle of milk, a kitchen towel over his shoulder.

Sitting down across from them on an armchair, he situated himself and Teddy before looking back up again. His green eyes were set and calm. The exhaustion almost hidden behind his calm mask.

He had come to a conclusion. And he was going to fight them on it.

“Teddy isn’t mine. I’m his godfather. I flew back to England because his grandmother, who is- was raising him, was attacked.” Worse than what he was saying was his detached voice that Tony knew all too well. 

“She died a couple of hours ago. I already filed for adoption.” At that, he looked Tony directly in the eye, not flinching. Almost provokingly, as if he thought Tony would tell him he shouldn’t or couldn’t do that.

Or maybe it was more of a dare. Daring Tony to explain himself, why he hadn’t been able to do that for Harry.

Hell, the kid was almost two years younger than Tony had been when Harry was born and was clearly in a worse position than he had been - and most likely it wasn’t self-inflicted.

The teen was already a better person than Tony would ever be.

“Do you need help with that?” He had no idea how the adoption process worked (even if he might want to look into that. Was it adopting if the kid was your blood?) but he was able to hire the best lawyers and if worse came to worst he would ask Pepper to handle it - who he hadn’t told about Harry yet.

...that could be a problem. As it might become a problem that he left the continent without telling anyone. 

He might have to send a mountain of shoes and a picture of Harry (non-moving!) with the baby in his arms to Pepper before he flew back. 

Harry blinked once, before glancing down towards the baby… Teddy in his arms. He moved his arm a little without dislodging the infant from the bottle, rubbing his thumb over his small cheek. When he looked up again, his eyes were a little more guarded but also not as confrontational. 

“Thanks. A friend of mine is taking care of it.”

That actually didn’t inspire much confidence in Tony, even if Harry’s whole demeanor spoke of trust. That wouldn’t mean much though if he was a part of a cult.

“Hermione Granger?”

At that, Harry froze, all the light going out in his eyes and even though he was still feeding a baby in his arms, Tony felt a chill wander down his spine. There was no doubt in his mind that Harry would fight if he had too. He had no doubt in his mind that he could do damage. And if he was even a little bit like Tony, he wouldn’t give up.

Worse still, he knew that that kind of look was a sure sign of someone who had been fighting for their life. Who had paid for every single lesson with blood and sweat and tears. Of someone who had learned to trust only themselves and a very select few people because they had been betrayed and had paid for those mistakes. 

“How do you know that name?” The teenager's voice was quiet and calm, probably to not startle the baby in his arms. Although he obviously didn’t need to raise his voice to command a room. Or in this case the Tony Stark™ and Captain fucking America.

“She booked your flight.” Leaning forward and putting his arms on his knees, Tony met the teenager’s eyes head on. If he would be in the kid’s shoes he would want the truth. All of it. Without any bullshit.

“She also vanished the same summer as you did.”

Watching the kid in front of him - his kid - freezing up, his eyes narrowing dangerously, Tony forced all the fear and fury down, keeping his calm mask. He couldn’t change what had happened but he could make sure Harry, and Teddy too, were taken care of. He could make sure they were safe. That they wouldn’t be alone.

And he could find whoever had hurt them and make them pay.

“A lot of kids vanish each year on the first of September.”

Slumping down just a little, Harry nodded, his gaze back on Teddy, who had finished with his bottle. Without ceremony, he put the bottle down and then placed the baby to his shoulder, gently patting his back until he burped. 

Every movement seemed deliberate. The way he took the towel from his shoulder and cleaned the chin of the baby up, the way he carefully moved him in his arms, until Teddy rested against his chest again.

Seemingly unconcerned with the whole situation, even if the exhaustion clung to him like a second skin.

“What happened to you?”

Biting down on his tongue, Tony wasn’t sure whether to glare at Steve for asking that question as he knew how well he would have reacted to it or to thank him because he wouldn’t have been able to ask that. And he wanted to know. He needed to know.

“What didn’t?” Harry asked back, his voice just a shadow of the confident men Tony had met yesterday. 

When he looked back up again, Tony felt something in his chest shatter. 

He knew that expression. Had seen it in the mirror more often when he cared to admit. Even if he had gotten better in the last couple of years, he remembered that feeling of overwhelming exhaustion, of bone deep tiredness. Of knowing you couldn’t keep fighting. You couldn’t win. 

You also couldn’t give in. There was almost nothing left of you aside from the stubbornness and the last shards of your will that were still ripping at your insides. That wouldn’t let you give up because holding on was literally the last thing that you had.

The silence was long and heavy until Harry inhaled, slowly.

“I grew up at my aunt’s. We weren’t exactly close. Turns out my pa- James and Lily had been magical. Long story short, my aunt and uncle thought they could suppress my magic. Didn’t work.” 

Holding back the growl that was steadily building in his throat got harder and harder. Even if he hadn’t already hacked into the- his kid’s past, listening to this, to his detached voice, he would have known something was fundamentally wrong.

And that didn’t even take the whole magic shit into account and whatever that was supposed to mean.

“On my eleventh birthday I was… found.” The slight hesitation in that sentence made the hairs on the back of Tony’s neck stand up straight.

“I was informed about my magic and told that I would attend… Hogwarts, a school for witchcraft and wizardry.”

There was no excitement in his voice, even if that would have taken him away from his abusive relatives. It just confirmed what Tony had feared all along: wherever he had been, it had been even worse than where he had been.

“It was the school my- Lily and James went to. I was there until last year.”

“Full year?” 

“No. I had to return to the Dursleys every summer. At least for a few weeks.”

Biting back another curse, Tony tried to breathe. Whoever had taken Harry had forced him to go back to his abusive relatives? Why? And if they really were a cult, why expose him to influences from the outside?

Although that could actually be the answer: Harry had been abused by his relatives, possibly learning that the alternative to the magic cult was even worse than whatever had happened to him in that supposed school.

“Where were you last year?” Steve asked, his voice a lot warmer than Tony’s had been.

Harry looked at the Supersoldier before glancing back down to the baby in his arms. For a moment Tony was sure he would keep his eyes trained on Teddy, but of course, Harry wouldn’t take an out like that. 

Meeting Tony’s stare, he almost unnoticeably squared his shoulders. As if readying himself for a fight. 

Whatever he was about to say, Tony had to react understanding or at least as if it wasn’t a big deal. 

“There was an evil wizard, years ago. He killed a lot of people, James and Lily included. He was believed to be dead. He wasn’t and came back. Last year-” he moved a little on his seat, clearly uncomfortable - and possibly lying - “he overtook our government and forced me and a lot of other people on his hit list into hiding. There was a battle, two days before the battle of New York. We won. But not everyone survived.” His arms around Teddy tightened and Tony wanted nothing more than to throw up.

There was no doubt in his mind that Harry believed all of this. It would actually explain the way he moved: like a soldier returning from the battle field. Like someone standing his ground even if he had no ground to stand on. Probably with PTSD and a heavy portion of survivor’s guilt. 

At fucking eighteen years old.

“I’m sorry.”

Harry’s eyes flickered over to Steve, giving Tony a moment to close his own and regret. Regret that he hadn’t been there for Harry. That he hadn’t known. That he hadn’t been able to protect him from everything.

“You believe me?” 

Opening his eyes again, he saw the green gaze jump between him and Cap.

“Yes, we believe you, Harry.” There was Steve’s earnestness again. “I can’t say I know a lot about magic or what you mean by that but-” Before he could finish the sentence, Harry moved. One arm still held Teddy close and secure, while the other had produced a long thin stick.

A wand , Tony’s mind supplied, although he was definitely not going to acknowledge that thought.

Seemingly without any hesitancy, Harry moved the stick through the air producing a silver light that formed into a stag that not only took a step forward to Harry, it also turned to look at Tony.

There were about six plausible ways to explain that this, in fact, was a light show. It wouldn’t even be difficult to install the needed technology in the home. Hell, Tony used similar projections to work with. 

The shiver running down his spine didn’t seem to give a shit about all the plausible explanations. 

“I have visitors.” Harry told the stag without any infliction. “I’m explaining the bare bones of the situation. Do not attack when you come here.”

At his voice, the silver stag turned towards Harry, lowering his head just a bit, before walking over to the wall and vanishing.

“Do not attack?” Steve asked, his voice almost neutral.

“My friends can be rather protective.”

Thank fuck. This was the first time Harry’s voice held any kind of warmth. That his eyes softened. Aside from looking at his soon to be son.

“I think you wanted to see some more magic, didn’t you?” He made a distinctive movement with the wand - with the stick. Because it had to be a stick and even if that would mean probably very costly bills from a psychologist, it was better than the alternative. And that didn’t even include the horrible implications for physics and logic in and of itself. 

Tensing even further, Tony almost missed the coffee table vanishing into thin air, before returning just a moment later.

Oh, holy physics, what had they done to you? (Not that the vanished table couldn’t have been a trick of the light. Because it could have been.)

Harry didn’t stop the movement though, flicking it with a familiar ease. The coffee table and all of the items on it, coasters, a book and a vase with some white carnations, floated separately into the air, hovering seemingly weightlessly over the carpet that showed the prints where it had stood just seconds ago.

Staring at it and trying to find some kind of wirework he was almost certain wasn’t there, Steve beside him reached up and tapped against one of the coasters that floated freely through the room.

“You don’t need incantations?” Steve asked, obviously trying to keep any kind of conversations going while Tony, the king of conversations, who was famously proud of being able to out-talk any- and everyone was still wordlessly gaping at something that was definitely less impressive than an attempted Alien invasion. 

Then again, it wasn’t every day that you found out your former child soldier son, who was about to adopt a war orphan was also magic.

Thank fuck for that.

“Not anymore.” There was something close to a smirk dancing over his lips before the exhaustion won out again.

What the hell was Tony supposed to do? The tesseract had been bad enough but that had been one artefact. If there was a whole fucking subcultur - or cult, because all of that still sounded worryingly like a cult - out there, what the hell could he do? Would his technology even work against magic? If this evil magician had been able to overthrow their government - something he had a shit ton of questions about - and Harry had been forced to go into hiding, were there still people out to get him?

How the fuck would he be able to protect Harry? And Teddy, because it was obvious enough that they were a two for one deal. Which wasn’t the problem, of course not, but apparently the baby’s grandmother had been attacked, most likely by people with magic, so what would he be able to do to keep them safe?

Lowering his wand, Harry made another small flick with it and the table and all the other flying objects lowered back to earth. 

As if they hadn’t just disregarded everything Tony stood for.

“Magic is real.” 

Blinking towards Steve, Tony wasn’t sure what his tone meant, there was wonder in it, but also worry and even a little bit of dread. It was also an incredibly stupid and obvious observation. Any other day he would have teased the hell out of Steve for that. Right now he was almost impressed that the Supersoldier was still talking while he was still uselessly sitting there and panicking.

“Yeah. Was a shock for me too.” The teenager almost smiled at Cap.

“And no one knows about it?”

“Few do. Like the parents of the kids that go to Hogwarts. They are not being kidnapped. Most just decide to stay in the wizarding community.” Moving the baby a little higher on his chest, Harry leaned back in the arm chair, either because he finally gave in to his exhaustion, because it would be more comfortable for the sleeping baby or both. 

It was probably both. 

“The statue of secrecy is a real thing, meaning that wizards and witches aren’t allowed to tell Muggles, the non-magical people, that magic is real.”

There were about a hundred things that came to mind why that was a good idea. And also why it was a horrible idea. But judging by the results it seemed to work. Disregarding the whole an evil wizard got loose and decided to hunt down his kid and the there was an Alien Invasion and the Magical Folk didn’t seem to be inclined to help parts of the story. 

Aside from that it seemed almost logical.

“Then why are you telling us now? Aren’t you putting yourself in danger?” Almost groaning at his own hard voice, Tony tried to soften his words by looking compassionate. Although that had never been his strong suit.

Evidently, nothing of this was.

“As you’re… we are allowed to tell… It’s not going to be a problem.” Harry finally settled on, and he definitely didn’t seem worried.

Not that that had to mean anything. Tony could look relaxed while slowly dying on the inside or with a loaded gun pressed to his temple. 

“That-”

There was a loud bang, sounding a little like a backfiring car, startling Teddy, who started crying, while Steve and Tony were already on their feet, Tony raising his gauntlets.

“Harry!”

“I’m here, Mione. Everything is fine.” Said teen added, looking at Tony and Steve, his body language not worried in the slightest but that wasn’t as much a reassurance for Tony as Harry might have hoped for because of the reasons explained above and especially since his focus was almost fully on the now crying baby in his arms.

“You said-” A young woman, probably around the same age as Harry, stopped dead in her movements when she saw Tony and Steve in the living room. Right beside her was another teenager with red hair. Both of them held wands in their hands, their postures ready to defend. 

Or at least Tony hoped so. 

“Harry?” The redhead asked, his voice calm but with enough infliction to make sure everyone knew it wouldn’t take more than a word for him to escalate the situation. Which was equally sweet and concerning. 

“We’re just talking.” He glanced at the two teenagers, his expression calm and insistent, before focussing back on Teddy, who was still crying, even if softer.

“Do you want to lay him down in his crib?” The girl asked, her eyes focussed on Tony, a calculating glint in her brown eyes, which was probably the reason she didn’t see the way Harry stiffened.

“No.” Rearranging the small body on him, he put his mouth right beside the small head, whispering calmingly to the baby. 

Surprisingly, it worked. Only moments later Teddy quieted and possibly fell back asleep.

“You’re really good with him.” 

Tony did not have enough data to know that, but the fondness in Steve’s voice was enough to make him believe it. And even if he couldn’t assess the quality of the care, he saw the tenderness, the obvious love and worry Harry had for the small person in his arms. 

“Yeah, no one can calm Teddy like Harry.” The redhead said walking farther into the room and dragging the other armchair closer to Harry’s, seemingly undisturbed by the whole situation.

“Why are you here?” 

“Mione.”

Ignoring Harry, the girl, Hermione Jean Granger, took a step closer to Tony and Steve, still standing in front of the couch, one of her eyebrows raised, her wandhand lowered, but she hadn’t let go of it.

Tony was not known to easily cave in and he definitely wouldn’t here, no matter that the unassuming stick was basically a loaded gun. The crucial difference in all of this was that he saw the worry in her eyes. There was no doubt in his mind that this young woman would protect Harry. That her worry was her only motivation and that he could understand- even if he seldom acknowledged it. 

“We were supposed to have brunch. He didn’t show up, so I got worried.” Looking straight into her eyes, Tony didn’t have to focus to be calm. This was a kid in front of him, trying to protect someone she cared for.

“Why?”

“Mione, stop.”

Tony glanced at Harry, who was glaring at his (girl?) friend, before looking back in her hard eyes.

“Quite frankly, after learning the little Harry told us and what I could dig up, I was sure something fishy was going on. Then I learned that someone, who had vanished the same summer as he had, bought him a plane ticket. Considering the fact that neither of you have any legal documentation after the summer of 2005 and I didn’t find anything on him” he nodded towards the redhead ”even after running his face in all databases, I was concerned.” 

Miss Granger kept glaring at him for a moment longer, before lowering her wand to the ground. “What were your theories?”

“Cult.”

She and Harry huffed a laugh while the fire-head frowned.

“We’re not a cult.”

“Close enough.” Miss Granger relaxed some. “I’m guessing you hacked Harry’s phone to find out where to find him?”

“It’s turned off.”

Looking  towards Harry, the young woman appeared to be almost embarrassed for him. “He is the tech genius of this century, Harry, do you really believe a turned off phone can stop him?”

“Shouldn’t it stop him?” The redhead asked, his gaze on Miss Granger as if she held all the answers.

“Not really.” Sitting down again (and dragging Steve with himself), Tony leaned back while trying to not sound too superior. “There are a lot of ways to get your location if Harry wouldn’t have one of my special Stark phones, meaning that no one can find him - aside from myself, of course.” And Jarvis, but who was splitting hairs here?

“How does that even work?” The redhead asked, looking skeptical.

“Not now, Ron.” Miss Granger cut in before Tony could even answer, her eyes back on Harry. “Anything we need to know?”

“I told them the… short version. What about the adoption?” 

More even than the admittance that what he had told them was probably less than the key data they needed to have even a clue what had happened to him, it was Harry’s insistence when he asked Miss Granger about the adoption that solidified Tony’s suspicion. 

Harry hadn’t lied. But he hadn’t told them anything important either. Or at least he believed it was of no real importance. Which also meant that everything else was even worse. Probably far worse. 

Fuck.

Neither of the two other teens said anything. Most likely knowing exactly what that meant. Hell, the way they all seemed to be able to read each other, he wouldn’t be surprised to find out they regarded each other as family. Like he, Rhodey and Pepper did.

“The adoption should be through tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Tony asked, incredulously. He had no clue about adoptions but he damn well knew the process could take months or even years.

“I’m sure you know that better than us, Mr. Stark, but friends in the right places and money can make bureaucratic processes work a lot faster.”

“Mione!”

Raising his eyebrow at the teen, Tony couldn’t help himself. He smiled. 

“And you have that, Miss Granger?”

“We do.” Taking a step closer to Steve and him, her eyes became hard as diamonds. “And we’re not going to hesitate to-”

“That’s enough!”

All eyes flashed to Harry, who had jumped up from his arm chair, Teddy still safe in his arms and barely jostled. As his words had been a quiet hiss, the baby was still sleeping. Even if Tony didn’t know how he could sleep while his pillow was seething.

Glaring at each other, neither teenager seemed to be willing to beg down but as the otherwise nameless Ron didn’t even bat an eye, it was probably no grounds for worry - even if Tony’s hair were standing up as if a lightning storm was about to wreak havoc. 

“I’m Ron Weasley by the way. And you didn’t find me because I’m a pureblood wizard.” He said conversationally to both of them.

“Pureblood?” Steve asked back, his eyes flickering over to the still glaring teenagers, before settling back on Mr. Weasley, as if he wanted to save the situation.

“My whole family are wizards and witches. Mione is a Muggleborn meaning that she is the first in her family that has magic. Harry is mixed because his- his mother was a witch.” Blinking, he looked at Harry, something on his lips that he didn’t say. He met Miss Granger’s eyes, who shook her head hard, obviously breaking the spell.

“I think it would be a good idea, if you took Teddy with you, Harry.” 

“Of course, I-”

“To America.”

The silence that followed was all encompassing. 

“Not that I wouldn’t love to take you both with us back to the States and to get to know you just because, but I feel there is also a different reason for Miss Granger’s suggestion.” 

Harry, once again, didn’t hide but met his eyes head on, an intensity in his gaze that was almost startling. And far too familiar for Tony.

“Who attacked Teddy’s grandmother?”

Now, everyone’s eyes were on Harry. The other two teenagers clearly waiting for his decision on what to tell and what to keep quiet. Tony (and probably Steve as well) waiting for all of their reactions. Waiting to learn more because all he got here were more and more questions. 

And suspicions. A shit ton of them. Like the fact that the other two kids looked marginally better than Harry, even if he could clearly read the battle readiness in their postures. And the experiences marking their eyes. But they did look better. 

Or the fact that Teddy looked suspiciously like Harry. 

Or the fact that none of them even tried to hide that they were hiding things. As if that was just a normality to them.

Or that they clearly accepted Harry as their leader. And that was a line of thought Tony didn’t even want to acknowledge crossing his mind at all. 

“Getting rid of the… evil wizard created a power vacuum.”

The silence that lingered after those careful words was almost comical if you disregarded the heaviness in the teenagers’ eyes.

“Did you get an anti-interrogation training? I swear it would be easier to get some top secret information out of Cap here before you give a straight answer.” Patting the super soldier condescendingly on his knee would hopefully take some of the sting out of Tony’s words.

Instead of an annoyed frown, Harry actually smiled. “Nope, just raw talent, I guess.”

“Yeah, I know that kinda talent.” Steve murmured, loud enough for all to hear. Tony didn’t even have to turn his head to know he would be glaring at him, probably remembering one of the many discussions Tony had had with Fury in which he hadn’t given one straight answer. Just because.

“And you stand in awe of it.” He smirked back at Steve, momentarily losing his train of thought when instead of the glare he found Steve smiling almost softly at him. Which he probably did to calm Harry.

“I do.” Steve blinked, looking back at the teenagers as if just remembering they were there - which was impressive. Tony had forgotten where they were entirely - at least for a heartbeat in which his overeager mind had played tricks on him. 

“I’ve never seen anyone say so little with so many words.”

“Harry is brutally honest but there is no way in hell that he tells you something he doesn’t want to tell you.” Mr. Weasley said, a smile on his face as he looked at the dark haired teenager that reminded Tony a lot of the smiles Rhodey would send him. Kind of indulgent, definitely teasing but with a thick underlayer of brotherly love. 

“He will tell you that you’re wrong though. Explicitly.”

“Look who's talking.” Glancing at the young woman, Harry smiled. It was a small and fleeting one but real nonetheless and made him appear even younger. And even more tired.

There was no doubt about it. This would kill Tony. But before it did, he would do anything to help and protect him. Them. Harry and Teddy. No matter whose kid the baby was by blood it was glaringly obvious he was Harry’s either way.

“I never told-”

“Oh please, Mione, you said-”

“Don’t let them fool you, they are bloody proud of telling any and all officials to go fuck themselves.”

“Ronald!”

“He is right, Mione and you know it.” Harry smiled, tiredly, before pressing a kiss to the sleeping baby’s head, seemingly unconsciously.

The innocence of that action felt almost like a blow to Tony’s already damaged chest. 

“I’m glad to know the next generation keeps that honoured tradition.” Leaning forward, he tried to breathe calmly. To ignore the maelstrom of emotions trying to rip him apart.

“Let’s get back to the part where you, Miss Granger, want Harry and Teddy to stay in New York to keep them safe.”

Her clever eyes pierced his own almost as efficiently as Harry’s did. Her expression more searching, almost desperately so. 

Still, she didn’t say a word.

“What hoops do I have to jump through for the adoption?”

Biting back his first reaction, Tony had to admit he was almost impressed by Harry blatantly ignoring all the questions and carrying on with his own conversation. Was this how others felt while talking to Tony when he wasn’t in a mood to answer their questions? Because if that was the case it was surprising that he didn’t get shot at more often.

Miss Granger, obviously relieved with the changed topic, turned back to the teenager with the baby in his arms and an expression an eighteen year old shouldn’t be able to wear and began to explain their next steps.

The process was fairly easy, even if Tony did see the winces all around. 

That the process was as easy as she explained it to be was either a lie, they really had very close friends in very high places and enough money to grease the whole damn machinery, their government was basically in ruins and they knew the right people to make it happen regardless or it really was a cult with magic and they would, in fact, kidnap an infant. (In which case it was good that he had damn good lawyers.)

Either way the whole thing was suspicious as hell. Even more so when Harry didn’t even ask one question. When he didn’t ask for clarifications. For a name. For anything.

Tony might not know much about the… his kid but he had seen the suspicion in his eyes, the wariness in his movements. No way in hell was he trusting the authority of anyone blindly. 

“As soon as the papers are signed, he is yours and you can leave.”

“You’re sure they won’t find a way to charge me with kidnapping?” It almost sounded like an inside joke. 

Almost. 

“No. Burtock will probably want to know where you are to be able to drop in on you but I’m sure we can find a way around it.”

“And why would that be necessary?” Two more questions and they could sit a parrot in his chair asking the same question over and over again.

All three of them turned towards him, their expressions too calm and way too neutral. 

“Up until three months ago our government was run by a fascistic group following a mad man. All of us were fighting against them. We were on the run for almost a year. We might be young, but we are not stupid, Mr. Stark. We do not trust the authorities.”

The or anyone else wasn’t so much implied as Miss Granger’s whole demeanor screamed it at them.

“Good thing I have a high security Tower then and world's Greatest Heroes as roommates.”

In the desperate hope that they could do anything against magic. And that Harry would accept his help.

Chapter Text

“Minister, I have to insist that this is not right .” Miss Burtock growled shrilly for the umpteenth time. It had happened so often, in fact, that Teddy was no longer bothered by it.

Which was at least a small blessing.

Kingsley Shaklebolt looked at the witch, his sombre expression never wavering but Harry would have bet his beloved Firebolt that he despised her. Something they had in common. 

He loathed that he still had to agree with her. This wasn’t right. Adoption shouldn’t happen like this, there should be a longer and proper process with checking whether or not the new parent would be able to take care of their charge (financially it would be no problem, hell he had even the time to do it but if wizards ever found out what a psych eval was, he would be screwed).

Hermione, sitting right beside him with a smug expression, would, as soon as she got into law and or the ministry, make sure something like this could never happen again. Which didn’t change at all, that, right now, she was using all her incredible knowledge and Gryffindor attitude to make the adoption happen.

“Mr. Potter is too young!”

“Mr. Potter is of age, has the fortunes of the Potter and the Black house, has a house, is the nearest relation the young Mr. Lupin has and his grandmother has detailed in her will that Mr. Potter is to-”

And there they went again. Leaning back, Harry rubbed small circles into the little bean’s back, trying to blend out the arguing voices and focused on his next steps.

There was no doubt in his mind he would leave with Teddy as his son today. Right now, he didn’t care if it was right or wrong, he just wanted Teddy to be his and to be able to let Tony take them to New York.

It had been a hard fought battle that he had lost in the end. There was not much he had against Hermione’s devious logic and her horrible tendencies to make him see reason. Especially that Teddy would be safer in New York. That no one aside from the three of them would know that they were there.

Ron hadn’t been a big help either, sitting to the side with a sleeping little bean in his arms as he watched his girlfriend and his best friend fight like children. 

At least they had remembered to put up a silencing charm around Teddy and their room before starting to scream.

As he had been all but dead on his feet with barely any sleep in the last… at least forty eight hours and another dead parental figure under his belt (even if this time it wasn’t his own), she had also unfairly taken advantage of his weakness and coerced him into agreeing.

Looking back up at the grey ministry walls and being barely able to calm his anger, steadily rising in him, he was loath to agree with her that she was probably right and it would be a rather brilliant idea to get away from all of this bloody bullshit. 

He didn’t have to tell her that though.

He also didn’t have to tell her that he was terribly nervous about the whole thing and wanted nothing more than to go on the run with Teddy. Two days ago he hadn’t been in the right mind to deal with the person who was his biological father. 

Right now there were very few things, in his opinion, that could end more disastrous than trying to get to know his biological father while having freshly adopted Teddy, after costing him his grandmother because arseholes still tried to kill him. 

And they would try to kill Tony too, as soon as they knew of their connection.

The fact that last evening and this morning had been awkward but not as bad as it probably could have been, could possibly be a good sign, but Harry knew his freakin luck too well. That didn’t mean shit.

Even if Ron and Steve had found solidarity in the other as neither knew much about technology and the modern Muggle society.

And even if Hermione and Tony had been cautiously polite to each other, obviously trying to figure out just how smart the other was and what exactly their intentions were about this whole situation.

Harry had been too tired, too done with everything and too used to fighting it and just given up, watched both pairs talk to each other, while taking care of the little bean and trying hard not to show any of his conflicting feelings on his face.

After a proper british breakfast this morning, courtesy of Mrs. Weasley who had sent it to them with the promise to organize Andromeda’s funeral, Hermione had dragged Harry and Teddy to the ministry while Ron was left behind to keep Tony and Steve occupied - and to stop them from following them because Harry was definitely not in the mood to explain who those insufferable people were that almost treated him like a saint, cursed him (sometimes literally), wanted to touch him or tried to kill him. Or why they did that.

They were lucky, meaning just one person tried to touch him, just six looked at him as if he was at least otherworldly if not godly and only one person cursed at him - without trying to hex him, so it was a good day.

And then they had met with Miss Burtock again and Harry redacted his earlier statement.

Two hours later Harry signed the papers, was guided through the magical ceremony of accepting Teddy as his own (while he decidedly did not think about the fact that this ceremony had been performed illegally by James eighteen years ago to make Harry his son), ignoring Miss Burtock's loud protests the whole time and afterwards was gratulated for being a father. 

After that, he was allowed to take Edward Remus Lupin-Potter home with him.

Although home was, of course, a relative term as they apparated back to Andromeda’s house, which although very familiar, had never been Harry’s home and as he and his son would now move to New York City to live with Harry’s biological father that he was barely on first name basis with, it was probably more accurate to say he was now allowed to take Teddy to their new hiding spot.

Even if that didn’t even sound half as good. 

He also couldn’t say that outloud or Miss Burtock would murder him. And no, that wasn’t an exaggeration. 

At least that was a familiar emotion. Lovely. 

“How are you feeling?” Hermione mumbled beside him as they walked towards the area where they were able to apparate… back. 

Glancing over to her, he saw the stress and worry lines edged into her face. They had just started to smooth over some and were now back prominently. 

“I try to not feel right now.” 

Mione’s expression hardened but it was the best answer Harry had for her after I’m fine had been banned from all of their vocabulary by her some weeks ago when she had decided to start to read self-help books.

Harry and Ron weren’t fans. Even if it might be the responsible and healthy thing to do. Hermione’s rather impolite insistence and lack of sensitivity from time to time wasn’t helping either.

“Harry-”

“Do you really want to have that discussion here, Mione?” Harry asked back, calmly, while pointedly looking around the ministry. They had broken in here just a few months ago and whenever Hermione wasn’t using their incompetence against them, she was ranting about it and swore to change it in the future. Sometimes she did both simultaneously. 

Pressing her lips together in a tight line, she huffed. There were about a hundred things Harry could think of that Mione was probably thinking right now. Thank fuck she would keep it to herself in front of strangers - which meant he was also safe as long as Tony or Steve were in the room.

They had barely touched down in the living room when Hermione rounded on him, her brown eyes flashing dangerously but before she could get out even one word, she faltered.

Harry barely acknowledged any of it, his focus on the little bean, who had started crying after being apparated.

“Everything alright?”

Turning, Harry now stood in front of Tony Stark, his posture relaxed even if there was a small strain visible in the set of his shoulders. His expression however was calm, as if nothing was out of place. 

Which they all knew was bullshit. 

“Yes.” He summarized, while bouncing Teddy in his arms, whispering calmingly at him. 

Mione poked him in the back and he sighed. 

“It went as well as expected.”

“Merlin, you’re annoying.” One of his best friends hissed from behind. “The adoption went through, Teddy is ours, now.” Because despite the fact that she didn’t think Harry was ready to take in Teddy (and despite the fact she might be right, she had an annoying habit of that two out of three times), if he was Harry’s he was theirs.

Like they had become part of the Weasley family.

“Good to hear.” Tony smiled. Was that relief in his expression?

Harry wasn’t sure. Which was unsurprising and bloody annoying. He didn’t know the man and had barely had a full conversation with him so why the fuck should he be able to read him. Especially since he had been dancing in front of the media since he was four years old and although Harry couldn’t relate to that (thank you Merlin for sparing him of at least that fate) he would guess that the man could be unreadable if he wanted to be.

Major breakdowns exempt. 

At least Teddy had settled in his arm. After changing his diaper and preparing a bottle, he ignored Hermione and Tony scrutinizing everything about him while Ron and Steve were pleasantly chatting as they prepared lunch. Apparently the Supersoldier needed to eat a lot and regularly, and he and Tony agreed with the Weasleys' opinion that Harry was too thin. 

Which was neither here nor there, really. 

“We’re coming with you to America.”

Looking up from the little bean’s adorable focused expression while drinking his bottle, he met Hermione’s dark eyes. There was no room for objections, not that Harry wanted to object. Having them there even for a little bit would be a huge relief. 

Even if they had enough to deal with without being dragged into his drama.

“Mione-”

“To help you set the wards.” She informed him, with a dangerous smile. That would be unnecessary as Harry had become rather accomplished in a lot of magic during their run - especially wards. Then again, it was never a good idea to get overconfident and always a good one to have someone check your work.

“What are wards?” Tony asked, a new glint in his eyes. 

Harry was all too happy to let Hermione explain, while he finished feeding Teddy, cleaned them both up when the little bean burped all over his shoulder and of course missed the towel, and put him down in his bed while starting to pack everything they would need.

Thank fuck for magic.

“Harry?” Turning with a few baby jumpers in his hand, meeting Ron’s eyes. “Do you need help, mate?”

“I’m almost finished.” He placed them with the rest of the items, shrank everything and pushed in the hideous diaper bag Andromeda had bought as a baby shower gift for Tonks.

“What do you want to do with the house?” Ron moved a little closer and handed Harry another of Teddy’s pacifiers he had overlooked.

“Thanks.” He pushed it too into the bag before placing it beside Teddy, not daring to touch him in fear of waking him.

“I thought you could live here.”

At the sharp inhale, he met Ron’s wide eyes. “It’s Teddy’s and he should have it when he is older, but… I’m not going to live here.” It didn’t matter whether or not he would be staying in America or not. He would not move into Andromeda’s home.

He also couldn’t sell the place or risk it to become inhabitable. 

And Ron and Hermione wanted to move out, no longer comfortable with a lot of people around them. It would be a difficult time for them when Mione returned to Hogwarts already, even if she, as every other 8th year, had more freedoms than the younger students and would be able to apparate to see Ron on the weekends.

If they lived here they could keep a look on the house and have some time to themselves.

“Harry-”

“You would do me a favor.” He looked back at his first friend, not hiding the emotions flickering through his eyes. 

“I don’t know mate.”

Thankfully, Hermione liked the idea, promised to keep every item in the house safe in the attic and it took the three of them only a couple of minutes to agree that Ron and Hermione would pay rent and the money would go into Teddy’s account.

At which time Tony had told them that wasn’t necessary as he had enough money to make sure even Teddy’s grandchildren would be able to live comfortably without working even a day. 

For one horrible moment Harry thought Tony knew about his Gringott vaults overflowing with money. (He still hadn’t even opened the letters from Gringotts for the different Black vaults.)

Then he realized what Tony had implied there. Possibly. That he would take care of Teddy financially. Possibly because he was an orphan like- like Tony himself. 

Harry officially wasn’t one anymore, he realized, his hand grabbing the fork in his hand hard enough to feel the edges of the metal cut into his skin.

Ron, unsurprisingly, had stiffened at that and Hermione had narrowed her eyes, dangerously.

“Mr. Stark, we do not accept money from Harry and we certainly aren’t going to accept money from you.”

“Are you sure?” The glint in Tony’s eyes, although not cruel, held an edge to it that would be able to draw blood with. “I might have stopped the habit a few years back but there was a time I was the king of buying whoever I needed to get what I wanted.” Drumming his fingers on the hardwood table, he smiled sardonically. “After all, everyone has a prize.”

“Yeah I read about the Merchant of Death.” She leaned forward, obliviously ignoring the way Steve moved uncomfortably on his seat and Ron was this ‘-’ close to fully losing it.

Grabbing her left sleeve, she dragged it up, revealing the red scar Bellatrix had carved into her in Malfoy Manor. 

“What-” Steve started, his eyes glued to the uneven letters forming the word Mudblood on her left forearm.

“I got that when some of the… evil wizards and witches ,” she said with mocking abhorrence for Harry’s oversimplification, he just knew it, “tried to torture some information out of me. And you think you could buy or blackmail us?”

“Mione.” Harry reached out and put his hand on the scar, sheltering most of it from view.

“I can understand that you want to… learn about us and I get that you have to assess our threat level.” She smiled viciously. “But don’t insult us.”

“We went with Harry when we were eleven and didn’t know shit.” Ron said the anger in his voice hot. “We fought, sure, but even when we fucked up we always came back. Because he is our brother. Not because of-” He stopped himself when Harry glared at him to keep his mouth shut.

“Not because of what?” Tony asked, the calmness in his voice eery.

“Just because he is our brother.” Ron shrugged, before leaning closer to Hermione, who was still glaring all kinds of curses at Tony.

“They carved that into you?” 

Blinking, Harry looked back at Steve, who was still looking at Mione’s arm, shock written all over it.

Pulling her arm back and the sleeve down, Hermione hid her arm under the table. “They did worse to others.” It should have been nonchalant. It wasn’t.

“Doesn’t change what they did to you.” Tipping his fingers against the blue light shining out of his chest, Tony said quietly. Earnestly. 

“It doesn’t.” Hermione agreed, her eyes flashing to Harry before settling back in the older genius. “But it puts it in perspective.”

Tony nodded, his expression too understanding for Harry’s liking. Sure, they had googled him and he knew the few information that were public about his time in Afghanistan but that look? He knew it from the mirror.

Great, his bad luck had been hereditary. As was his recklessness and willingness to do what had to be done - or as others called it: lack of self-preservation. And, maybe worse: it seemed being slandered by the press was also a hereditary trait. 

Meeting Tony’s eyes, he saw the older man’s eyes flicker to Harry’s forehead and right hand, worry and sorrow flashing in his dark eyes even if his posture stayed relaxed.

Good thing he didn’t know about the rest.

Pushing himself up, all eyes flashed to him. Not acknowledging that even a little bit, he looked at Hermione.

“Do you need to pack anything?”

“No, we're all set.” Because they, as well as Harry, still had an emergency bag packed and with them at all times.

“Okay. Can you stay with Teddy while I-”

“Can I come too?”

If Harry didn’t know better he would have said there was a slight blush crawling onto Tony's face but that couldn’t be true, right? 

“I’d like to see where you live. Lived.” This second sentence was a lot calmer and not half as rushed, still Tony sounded awkward. 

Great, that seemed to be hereditary too. At least it didn’t have anything (much?) to do with him being raised in a cupboard. 

Silver linings.

Glancing down on the blue light shining out of his chest, Harry hesitated. Whatever that was could be dangerous for Tony if he apparated with him. Not that he wanted to take the man with him. He didn’t. Why would he want the man with him?

“Mione?”

She followed his eyes and caught on immediately, frowning. “As long as you don’t charm it, he should be fine.”

“Should be?” Steve asked, alarmed, following their eyes to Tony’s chest.

“What’s the problem?” The older genius asked, moving his arm as if he wanted to cover the light with his hand before aborting the movement halfway.

“I want to aparate-”

“The vanishing thing?”

“Yes.” Harry agreed worriedly. Was this how everyone else felt when he had one of his ideas that might or might not get him killed?

“Great! Let’s go!”

“Tony!” Steve hissed, glaring at the other hero. “It could be dangerous!”

“Life is dangerous.” Tony dismissed easily, standing up and walking closer to Harry with a troublemaker smile Harry knew . “What do I have to do?”

This must be karma, Harry was sure.

“Are we sure…” Ron started, before Hermione glared at him.

“Harry got this.” Which was her way of saying Harry would be able to substitute Tony’s lack of magic with his own. Great.

“Although, Mr. Stark, there is a risk. Harry has never side-alonged a Muggle before.”

“Tony-” This time Steve sounded close to panic.

“I trust you.” 

Harry’s heart stopped for a second. Because Tony had looked at him while saying that. With conviction. And nothing else. 

As if he meant it. 

Or at least was okay with putting himself in potential life threatening danger just to prove a point.

Now, where had Harry seen that before. He could have sworn he knew that behaviour…  Ah yes, the fucker in his mirror pulled the same shit.

Which also meant, Harry was 99% sure Tony had not thought that through to the end. While being on that subject, he had also no clue why Tony would do that. 

Hell, he wasn’t even sure why the man was still here. Sure, they shared blood but that didn’t have to mean anything.

It really shouldn’t mean anything. 

Swallowing, he offered his hand, knowing that Tony didn’t like to be handed things and being almost sure he would refuse to touch him.

And he should. Hell, Harry should be open with the man and tell him that Andromeda wasn’t the only parental figure that he got killed over the years. That he had been the reason Teddy had lost his whole family.

That the war had basically been his fault. 

That nothing good could ever last for him and that Tony would be off so much better if he turned around and forgot he had ever met Harry. 

Tony took Harry’s offered hand, holding on with a warm grip. There were calluses on his palm and fingers, something Harry hadn’t expected.

“So, what do I have to do?” He asked again, an encouraging smile on his lips.

Swallowing, Harry knew what he had to do. He had to take a step back, let go of the man who had fathered him. Who was a real hero and didn’t need a burden as damaged as him, grab Hermione, Ron and Teddy and leave to never return.

Bloody hell, he should have never gone to New York. Yes, Tony had a right to know what had been done to him but he didn’t deserve to be stuck with Harry and all the crazy and danger that that entailed.

He wasn’t the stupid and afraid child in Privet Drive anymore. He hadn’t been praying for someone to save him for years. 

He had learned that no one would come. That he had to save himself and that the very few people he could actually trust would still fuck up and leave him. Even if they came back.

“Just hold on.” Harry stepped closer and turned on the spot. Dragging Tony with him.

The kid crying in that horrid cupboard in him approved.

The soldier in him disapproved, pointing out all the ways this could go wrong.

The broken puzzle that was left of him just held onto the warmth wishing on a dying star that this time it could be different. 

Chapter Text

Harry had side-alonged with a lot of people since he had started apparating all over the place and thanks to his strong magical core it wasn’t even that straining to take a Muggle with him.

That didn’t take into account that he was half out of his mind because he was taking his biological father with him to his apartment. On the one hand that shouldn’t be a big deal. On the other hand, it felt like a BIG deal.

Apparating, as no surprise to anyone who knew the magical transportation system, wasn’t enjoyable. But then again, very few things in the magical world were. Or at least very few things were comfortable . 

Magical people had heard not only about the discomfort (and expected it) and the danger (which was, of course, a given), they also knew better than to hope for anything… better.

A Muggle, who had found out that magic on earth existed basically yesterday, probably had no idea what to expect. 

And come to think of it, Harry had not even had the bloody courtesy to warn him.

What a glorious start for the man to get to know him. 

All of that went through his head when they materialized in his kitchen, Tony swaying dangerously on his feet, before staggering with an impressive speed to the sink and vomiting unceremoniously but whole heartedly into it. 

Watching the older man, who was regularly flying in a metal suit and had literally been a Prisoner of War, empty his guts from a respectful distance, Harry realized that he was now responsible for a small human being that was basically still a newborn and couldn’t do anything aside from crying. 

They were all so so screwed.

When the sounds changed to dry heaving, Harry summoned a towel and slowly walked towards Tony, who was leaning heavily against the sink. Placing the cloth right beside him on the sink he backed away a few steps, not wanting to overwhelm the older man.

“Thanks.” Tony rasped, coughing a little while he took a step back. 

“Sorry.”

“You knew this would happen?”

“It was a possibility I should have thought of.”

“Teddy didn’t vomit.”

“Yeah, well he is used to it by now - and no, that is not normal and a lot of people are really unhappy about it but it’s not a danger to him, as long as we keep him close and keep him protected with our magic.”

“Okay.” The older man smiled, disarmingly.

He had gotten a little heated there at the end. He had had that particular fight a few times, mostly with Molly, who didn’t think they should apparate with a kid. And he could understand it. Every single reason. 

Then again, every time they stepped outside they risked being attacked. And although he was probably a little paranoid for thinking that, Andy had proved that he was fucking right.

Swallowing harshly, he took another step back. “The bathroom is down the hall. A spare toothbrush is under the sink, if you want to use it.”

“Thanks, kid.” Tony smiled, a little mirth dancing in his eyes. “I’m guessing you have a lot of houseguests over?” He called from the hall.

“Not really.” Turning to the sink, he vanished the evidence of his carelessness with a flick of his wand. Something else he had learned while being on the run.

It took him less than fifteen minutes to pack everything he needed, as the most crucial things were already in the charmed bag in his jeans pocket - Hermione had really outdone herself with that one.

Tony had been talking the whole fifteen minutes, the words as fast as gunfire, asking about a million questions about magic and his theories. As Harry had lived with Hermione for the better part of the last seven years, he didn’t even attempt to get a word in if the older man didn’t explicitly wait for an answer, while focusing on packing what he needed.

As only Ron and Hermione knew where the apartment was (Ron was the secret keeper) and they had warded it to the best of their ability (and Hermione was the brightest witch of their age), it was basically impenetrable. 

That was the reason he would keep this apartment. It would be a good idea to have a hideout if he needed one. And even though Tony now knew it existed, he wouldn’t have a way of knowing where it was.

And if he wanted to hide from Tony he could still go to Grimmauld place. 

Not that he was already planning for that. It was just a fact in the back of his mind.

“Oh, what do you and the baby boy need in New York?” Tony asked, leaning on the door frame to Harry’s study, which was basically empty aside from some things he still wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with. Like his Hogwarts trunk. 

“We don’t need anything.”

“Yeah, I disagree. I might not know a lot about babies but I do know that they need a shit ton of stuff. And looking around here I’d say you don’t really have much either.”

Blinking towards the man leaning against the doorframe as if he owned the apartment, the building and possibly the country and smiled teasingly, Harry held his temper in check.

“We have everything we need.”

“Yeah, I don’t believe you.” Tapping away on his phone he looked measuringly at Harry, who was getting a bad feeling about all of this.

“I guess with your eyes you can pull off green and silver fairly well but I’ve seen you prefer red and black so I’m going to get you a mix, I think. Also a few suits, because who doesn’t need suits. Oh and something matching for the little one of course, because he really does look like us- like you.” He hurriedly sidestepped.

Not that he was wrong about that.

“He is a metamorphmagus.”

“... a shape changing wizard?” Tony asked almost disbelievingly.

Turning around to meet those piercing brown eyes, Harry raised an eyebrow challengingly. 

“Yes. It’s a trait he inherited from his mother. A couple of weeks ago he started to change his hair and skin colour whenever he saw me. His original hair colour is sand-blond and his complexion is… whiter.” 

“He really isn’t yours?”

“You might remember that I legally and magically adopted him today. So yes, he is mine in everything that matters. But no. I’m not his biological father.”

Staring into those brown eyes he saw the same uncomfortable realization that was settling in his own stomach like heavy stones. 

He wasn’t blood-related to Teddy, but he had been there his whole short life, seeing him almost every day, taking care of him. Knowing everything there was to know about his little bean.

Tony and he were blood-related. Tony had fathered him. But Tony hadn’t known about him. He still knew nothing about him. They were nothing to each other aside from people sharing some DNA. 

Teddy though, was the most important thing in his world. He was Harry’s. Not because a piece of paper said it, but because he would rather die, because he would rather fight every new Dark Lord, than see his little bean be hurt.

It wasn’t Tony’s fault. If it was anyone’s fault it was Lily and James’ for not telling other people. For not letting Tony know. 

For putting Tony in this position to begin with.

That didn’t change the flash of dark guilt glinting in the older man’s eyes before it seemingly vanished.

“You’re right, of course. He is yours in everything that matters.”

“I didn’t-”

“No, you’re right.” Tony turned around and took a step back. “Do you need anything from the living room?”

“..no.”

“Okay.” Tony still left. 

Congratulations, Potter, You did it again. If he ever needed some money he would write a book: How to offend your long lost father in two sentences or less . 

Fuck.

Exhaling harshly, Harry closed his eyes.

When he walked into his living room a minute later, Tony was looking outside of the windows, his back straight.

“I’m sorry.”

The shoulders stiffened.

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

Turning around, Tony smiled, nothing but calm in his expression. 

“Don’t worry, it’s not like you’re wrong. I’m actually impressed. When I was your age, I was mostly drunk or high and no one would have been stupid enough to entrust a breakable human being in my care.”

“That’s not why they didn’t tell you.” Harry couldn't be certain about that, of course, still, the conviction in his statement barely left any room to argue. That might have more to do with the acidic self-hate lacing Tony’s words.

Something else he must have inherited.

“We’ll never know, will we?”

Before Harry could answer that quiet statement, Tony had already moved, his expression lightening up to an excited expression even though they both knew it was a mask.

“Let’s get back to your baby boy then. And just so you know, I’ll take you flying with the Iron Man suit and I will make you puke all over yourself as revenge.”

“I hate to disappoint but I am the youngest Seeker in the last hundred years.”

“I have no idea what that means but it doesn’t matter because I will make you puke, no matter what I have to do.” 

Harry couldn’t help himself. He laughed. 

-c-c-c-c-c-

Two hours later Harry was sitting in the most advanced plane he had ever seen (and although that didn’t mean a lot, since this was only the third time he had ever been in one, Hermione was still ecstatic, so he was guessing it really was that advanced).

Ron was in a plane for the first time and close to hyperventilating. Steve was currently trying to explain that they wouldn’t plummet to earth. As he didn’t know more than Harry himself, and his whole trust seemed to come from the fact that it was something Tony had designed, Ron stayed unimpressed and suspicious.

And it got even worse when Jarvis started to talk. That, Harry could understand, his second year had been… impressionable and Mr. Weasleys’s warning, to never trust anything where he couldn’t see the head to carry the brain, was still ringing in his ears. 

At least they both relaxed a little seeing a photograph of Jarvis' servers. Not that he was fully reassured but the expression on Tony’s face had been one of pride. Apparently Jarvis was the most advanced AI in the world and not many people knew about him. 

Harry hadn’t even been able to ask why Tony would tell them about Jarvis before Hermione had started asking questions, and although Tony had to explain a fair few things, Tony seemed to be impressed.

Even when the young witch challenged him about his countermeasures should Jarvis decide to take over the world. 

To which the AI had replied loftily that he would never do such a thing, that he very much valued life and free choice and that he was the one that refused to upload himself to Google even though his Sir had challenged him to do that a few times.

It really was a chilling realization that Harry, in comparison to the older genius, seemed downright sane. 

To relax the situation Steve explained how he had felt the first time he had visited the Tower and the elevator had greeted him.

By all accounts, he still appeared to be rather careful - or respectful - when he talked to the computer program. 

Who had shown more human emotions in the last few hours than he had ever seen from the Dursleys so who was Harry to judge?

His biological father had a highly intelligent computer butler. Why not.

Ron had been the next to tell them a little about his family, falling silent at why the bodiless voice freaked him out as much as it did and just told them a little about all his brothers. Not mentioning Fred. 

“What about your parents, Miss Granger?” Tony asked a moment later. “When we, meaning Jarvis and I, hacked through all records we found that they seemed to have vanished last summer.”

The blunt question would have probably felt a lot more rude if Harry, and obviously Hermione too, hadn’t waited for it.

“I knew I would be hunted down as soon as the evil wizards ” at that she threw Harry a pointed look, “took over the Ministry. So I waited till I turned seventeen, erased their memories and made it their biggest wish to emigrate to Australia.”

No matter how good her mask was and how nonchalant her words were, Harry saw the strain behind it, heard how much it hurt her to admit it. To talk about it.

“But why?” Steve asked, worry open in his expression. “You were just a kid, why-”

“I have no idea if I’m actually the brightest witch of my age but I am good. As I am a Mudblood-”

“Don’t call yourself that.” Ron hissed, but was steadily ignored.

“I was a danger to their worldview. I knew they would come after me. They would come after Harry for- for his parents. And after Ron for his connections to us. So we ran before they could get us.” She inhaled, calmly, as if that wasn’t something all of them were still having nightmares about.

“They would have used my parents against me. Against us. I made sure they couldn’t.” She straightened, looking straight at Tony, her eyes as uncompromising as ever. 

The older genius nodded, before meeting Harry’s eyes. “Is that the reason why the Dursleys vanished as well?”

“Yeah.” Adjusting the sleeping little bean in his arms, Harry, kept calm. “They don’t give a fuck about me and I couldn’t care less, but they would have tried to use them against me.”

He was about 90% sure he would have saved them. Just because he was not about to succumb to Voldemort’s- Tom’s level of malice. Was he happy if he never saw them again? Yes. Absolutely. But he wouldn’t not save someone in danger. 

Even if they might deserve everything that they would have gotten. 

“And you couldn’t let that happen.” 

“Yes.”

“Did you erase their memories, too?”

“No, there was an organisation and they took care of them.”

The dark glint in the hero’s eyes was almost dangerous at that.

“Are they…”

Blinking over to Steve, he saw the apprehension in the supersoldier’s expression.

“They are fine, Harry is far too nice.” Ron smiled at the blond man. “The worst he ever did to them was blow up the one aunt and threaten them with his serial killer godfather.

“It was an accident and Sirius was innocent.” 

“Yeah, but they didn’t know that.” Ron smiled, happily. 

“Will you look for your parents?” The question was asked calmly, without the slightest hesitation.

Tony was looking imploringly at Hermione, their eyes locked.

“Of course. I hope to find them before the next term starts.”

Nodding slowly, Tony took his phone out and held it up for Mione. “Wendell and Monica Wilkins. They live in Port Macquarie, a city in New South Wales. They have a very successful dental office there.”

Hermione froze, her dark eyes glued to the screen showing a picture of her parents. They weren’t in the focus and as if the picture had been enlarged, but even Harry recognized them.

She reached her hand out in an involuntary gesture and stopped just before her index finger was able to touch the screen. 

“They’re alright?” The words weren’t more than a hoarse whisper.

“As far as I can tell, yeah, they’re alright.” Tony’s voice was quiet. Gentle. As if he understood.

Ron was at Mione’s side when she deflated, taking her into his arms and rubbing soothing circles into her back, finally more comfortable with the whole situation. 

“You can have the Quinjet to find them.”

All of their eyes flashed over to Tony, although Steve seemed to be the only one who wasn’t all that surprised. It could have something to do with the fact that Tony basically financed half of the repairs in New York City after the alien invasion. Or because he knew the man.

“Thank you, but with that information we’ll be able to find them ourselves.” Her voice sounded a little too breathless, a little too wet but that didn’t take away from the steel in her voice. “Thank you for that, Mr. Stark.”

“I insist.”

“I can’t accept that, Mr. Stark. I love my parents and I have missed them so much this last year but I will not be in your debt. I have sacrificed them once before for Har- to protect them. I will do that again if I have to.”

Breathing, Harry concentrated everything he had to not flinch under the words. Not only did he not want to have that particular fight again, he also knew that Tony’s dark eyes were on him, as there was virtually no way he hadn’t heard her slip.

The following silence was long and heavy and made barely any more bearable with the noise of the aircraft all around them. 

Hugging Teddy a little tighter to himself, Harry focused on the fact that no matter what Ron and Hermione would say about it, he would finance them the plane tickets. Because even if it was true that her parents wouldn’t have been safe if Hermione hadn’t gone on the run with him it was still his fault that they wouldn’t have been safe. 

It was still his fault that Hermione had come to the conclusion that she had to erase herself from her parents' memories and had missed them through the worst year of her life.

If she hadn’t been friends with him… yes, she would have had to go on the run and hide, but she wouldn’t have been hunted like that. 

She should have left with her parents. She should have saved herself. They both should have.

“You wouldn’t be indebted to me, Miss Granger.” 

There were too many emotions in Tony’s voice for Harry to pin all of them but he was certain that he had heard guilt, respect, worry and fear in it. A rather common mixture whenever (semi) functional adults talked to them. 

“This is an offer because you obviously helped protect Harry and because I… I kind of know... You did what you had to do and it takes an incredible amount of strength to do what you did, Miss Granger. The least I can do is make sure you find them as soon as possible.”

Swallowing, Harry kept his eyes on the sleeping bean on his chest. That almost sounded like he was glad to know about Harry. Which was a bloody mistake, of course, but just now it actually sounded as if he wanted to know the truth. 

Which was good. Harry always preferred to know the harsh truth over being coddled and lied to. Hell, if he had known some stuff earlier… if others had asked questions and not followed blindly, him included, all of this could have worked out a lot differently.

The truth was something cruel, something harsh that would cut at you, make you bleed and hurt. But afterwards you had the chance to learn. To heal. To be better. 

Lies always festered.

It didn’t change that Tony might regret ever meeting him sooner or later. 

Hell, Harry would be happy enough if the genius survived meeting him. 

“If I may say something?” Steve asked, hesitantly, his eyes on Hermione. “I only know Tony for a couple of months but in that time he was willing to sacrifice his life for New York, rebuilt it all but single handedly and… convinced me and the rest of the Avengers to move in with him. He is far more than his image implies.”

Going by the shocked and deeply embarrassed expression on Tony’s face, he was as uncomfortable receiving praise as Harry. And probably also not in the habit to receive something so heartfilled that wasn’t focused on his status.

“You can say bullied, you know.” The older genius coughed, obviously trying to hide his discomfort.

The supersoldier looked at Tony, a slight blush still on his cheeks, but also determination. “I’m trying to help you here, Tony.”

“Yeah and those are witches and wizards who have fought in a war against an evil asshole. I don’t think lying to them is a smart idea.”

“I’m not lying.” Steve straightened his shoulders before meeting Harry’s eyes. “Your- Tony is a good man.”

“You take that back!”

None of them even acknowledged Tony’s outburst aside from glaring at him when Teddy moved in Harry’s arms. 

As Harry had no idea how to answer that, he focused on calming the small bean on his chest again. Thank Merlin, he was a relaxed baby or they all were in so much more trouble. And he had learned a long time ago that trouble would not only find him, it would also dig up new lows for him.

Looking up to meet Hermione’s eyes, Harry nodded. Once. 

He might be naive (or stupid) for wanting to trust Tony when he said he didn’t have any motives behind offering his help but the truth was, even though he barely acknowledged that at all, that he did. He wanted to trust Tony. At least enough to not want him harm. 

There were also few things he wanted more than for Hermione to find her parents again. 

And last but not least there was almost nothing that Tony could hold over Harry. Even if he acknoledged him as his… son, and that would be an incredible stupid decision, Harry was eighteen, an adult in both worlds so there was nothing Tony could force him to. They didn’t need his money or his approval, he wasn’t influential in their circles and they wouldn’t let anyone play them against each other.

Ron relaxed at Harry’s nod, smiling, while Hermione kept her dark eyes for a moment longer on him. She would come to the same conclusions. Probably.

That reminded him, there was no way he should let her corner him before she left or Mione, in her concerned sister fashion, would want to talk about feelings and expectations and worries and precautions and possibly a thousand other things that he had no energy to spare for at the moment. 

Or possibly ever. That could work.

“Thank you, Mr. Stark. It would be lovely if we could travel in your Quinjet.”

“It would be my pleasure, Miss Granger. A pilot will be at the ready as soon as we land.”

Obviously, Tony had taken the few minutes in between the compliments and now to calm down or hide all his emotions again, presenting a relaxed mask.

The silence stretched after that stilted bit of conversation, until Hermione asked Tony about the Tower and his floor. It took them about half an hour to hackle out what Hermione needed to know without Tony having to reveal too much of his own security measures before Jarvis, to both Steve’s and Ron’s delight (and Harry’s, although he was better in hiding it) showed them the set-up in a holographic display - which Tony and Jarvis had to explain for the better part of twenty minutes. 

Harry, in the meantime, had fed Teddy, changed him and was now settling down with him again, his fingers moving slowly to make colours and shapes move over his little bean. A very useful spell Andy had taught him just two weeks ago.

“What do you think, Harry?” Hermione seemed to have taken to the technology as she had no visible problems moving the hologram (something Harry hadn’t even known you could do) while explaining what she had planned.

Surprisingly, it was a good idea. 

They used the last hour to charm the bloody hell out of the baby-sling Ron had been given by Mrs. Weasley for Harry to use. It was, thanks to magic, very easy to use and lessened Teddy’s weight to a third, so that was a good thing. 

Three weeks ago, Hermione had started to think about how she would be able to charm a stroller. She had been able to rope George into the whole affair, something all of them had been near celebrating. 

After a few tweaks and two insightful ideas from Tony and Steve, Harry, Ron and Mione together warded the sling with a complex notice-me-not, a confined silencing charm and a couple protective spells. Basically, no one would know that Teddy was right there in the sling if they didn’t know about him or the sling in the first place.

Tony seemed as sceptical as he was interested, especially since he and Steve knew about the little bean and therefore were able to see him.

It was just after 3pm when they landed in New York. On a landing pad on the roof of Stark Tower. Right beside the roof terrace.

Harry had barely time to push Teddy into Ron’s arms before Hermione dragged him off, closely followed by Tony. 

Three hours later Harry was exhausted, physically, mentally and even magically, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

They had warded the place against everything. They had used every spell Hermione had ever read about that could be helpful in this situation, which meant they were possibly safe against the plague, aliens and mere-folk. Because why not.

All wards were keyed to Harry, meaning he would be the one needing to grant people access. That had been a little debate between Tony and Hermione until they settled on every person getting on the floor would also have to be approved by him and Jarvis.

That had not been the point Harry thought they would be fighting about. Not that the other man hadn’t enough reasons on his own to be suspicious of other people. Hell, he was Iron Man! He was Tony Stark. A tech genius and billionaire. Why the fuck would he put up with Harry?

As it was right now, only Tony, Teddy and him would be living up here, as Steve apparently had another floor downstairs and media speculations about Tony being in a relationship with Pepper Potts were wrong.

Steve, who had taken the time to explain some stuff to Ron, had made some proper american food (burgers and chips, although both Avenger’s looked rather unhappy if the potato slices weren’t called fries) and insisted on feeding all of them. Aside from Teddy, who was now happily sleeping in Harry’s arms while he half heartedly ate enough to escape Ron’s and Mione’s wrath. 

If he hadn’t been as exhausted as he was, he would have smiled at the giddy energy the brightest witch of her age was constantly showing, now that she not only knew a little bit about her parents' whereabouts but was only hours from seeing them again.

As soon as Tony had finished his burger, the genius had jumped up, told Jarvis to not let any of them leave and ran off, coming back a few minutes later with two StarkPhones in his hands.

It was almost like deja vu. 

Harry, half asleep already, barely listened when Tony explained they too had all important numbers saved in their phones. And apparently Steve’s. Which didn’t seem to be one of the formerly named important numbers.

Hermione, unsurprisingly, took to the phone like a fish to water while Ron got a short version from Steve.

Well, Mione would have the whole flight to Australia to teach Ron how to use the phone, how to text and the rules of the games Steve tried to explain to the excited redhead. 

Following all of them up to the landing pad on the roof, Harry let himself and Teddy be hugged by Ron, who promised to keep an eye on Hermione.

Smiling up at Ron, he nodded. There was no doubt in his mind that Hermione could take care of herself. And no doubt that Ron would still be there.

“Looking back at our track record, I’d say she is going to keep an eye on you.”

“We’re just flying to Australia, what could go wrong?” Ron laughed. 

Wisely enough, none of them answered.

Mione, unceremoniously, pushed Ron to the side to hug Harry close.

“Are you going to be okay?” She whispered almost inaudibly.

“We’re going to be fine.” Moving back to look into her worried eyes, Harry smiled reassuringly. “I’m just sorry I can’t come with you.”

“We’ll call you as soon as…” She faltered, worry overshadowing her excitement. They had talked once about it, when they had been on the run, a few days after Ron had left them. About her fear that her parents would hate her. That she wouldn’t find them. Or that they wouldn’t want to have anything to do with her. That she might be unable to give them their memories back.

Back then, he had promised Hermione to be there when she would find them. That she wouldn’t have to do it alone.

“As soon as you all stop hugging.” His voice was light and teasing. “Just make sure it’s before you start Hogwarts, okay?”

“You, Harry Potter, are an arsehole.” She leaned forward, kissing first Teddy on his little head, before she also pressed a kiss to Harry’s cheek. “Be careful, okay?”

“I always am.”

“That’s why we’re worrying, mate.” 

“We’re going to keep them safe.” 

Looking at Steve, there was a new glint in his eyes, harder than anything Harry had seen from the blond man before. Said man didn’t look at him or Tony, his eyes were on Ron and Hermione.

Stepping forward, he reached his hand out and shook both of theirs. “I’m going to keep all of them safe.” He promised, earnestly.

His exhausted brain needed a moment longer to realize why Tony was spluttering, while Hermione grinned knowingly. 

Steve hadn’t said both of them. He had said all of them.

Apparently being bossed around and motherhenned by your friends was also a hereditary trait. 

Chapter Text

Nursing the scotch in his hand, Tony leaned back, staring unseeingly over New York’s lights.

“You might remember that I legally and magically adopted him today. So yes, he is mine in everything that matters. But no. I’m not his biological father.”

The sentence was still ringing in Tony’s ears. He believed the kid that he hadn’t meant anything by it. Had seen it in his eyes when he had realized what it could mean for Tony and him. 

But the fact that he hadn’t meant anything by it made it all so much worse. 

Raising his glass to take a small sip, he tried to order his jumbled thoughts. Which, surprisingly, didn’t work much better now than it did any other day of the week. In fact, it might work a lot less than normally. 

Aside from the thoughts racing in his head, he also felt the dread climb up ever higher. Felt his heart beat too hard and too fast. Felt fear and rage and panic and fury and a worry so deep and unfamiliar it almost stole his breath away.

With his damaged heart and reduced lung capacity all of that was a problem. Even if he couldn’t give a fuck. 

Trying to stay at least a little calm, he focussed on the least offensive bit of thought storming in his mind. That was the knowledge that magic was real and physics could basically go fuck itself was not something he would have ever imagined.

Then again, he had also never thought he would have a son who had probably been a child soldier and guessing by his behaviour and the expressions flashing through his eyes, had probably seen at least as many horrors as Tony had.

He would never wish that on anyone. Especially not a kid. His kid.

And there was little to nothing indicating he hadn’t been a soldier, his age be damned. Harry, even more so than his friends it seemed, had kept quiet. Although they hadn’t said much either even when provoked. 

But even so, there were enough hints, sprinkles of information and context through body language to paint a vivid and terrifying picture.

The kid moved and behaved like a soldier, his eyes always moving, as if checking for threats, which had thankfully lessened when he had been with Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, probably because he trusted them in a way that suggested they had fought together. 

And apparently they had been on the run together. For a whole fucking year. Because all of them had been on the hit list of that nameless asshole trying to take over their governement - and fucking succeeded.

There was little to no doubt in his mind that all of them had played down their involvment in the war or their rank on that hit list but it had been more than obvious that Harry, for some fucking reason, had been at the center of it - or at least the reason why the other two had been dragged into it. 

And they had actually let themselves be dragged into it. 

Hell, Miss Granger had been tortured, they (whoever they were and Tony would find out and hunt them down) had carved a slur into her arm. And she had kept quiet about whatever they had wanted to know from her. 

He had no proof, but he would have bet his SI shares that it had been about Harry. The kid had gone almost deathly still at seeing her scars. The way he had placed a protective hand over it. As if trying to protect the young woman. As if he felt guilty for what they had done to her. 

Worse still was the ice cold terror growing in his gut asking a question he didn’t know if he wanted to be answered.

If that was what they had done to Miss Granger and she looked more adjusted than Harry, what had they done to him? Were there physical signs of it? More so than the two scars he had already seen?

Although the effect of whatever he had been through was there for everyone to see. Hell, he looked emaciated, the bruises under his eyes were as dark as Tony’s. He showed clear signs of PTSD, his eyes either screaming exhaustion and a tumble of guilt and learned hardness or a numb nothingness.

Everything about him screamed of a fighter that had lost too often and too much and right now, was hanging on by his fingernails. Someone who had been pushed past his limits, who was holding on because there was just no option left for him anymore. Possibly because of the baby he had taken in even though he obviously was barely able to care for himself. 

He did care for Teddy though. Tony didn’t know much about small humans and how to treat them but Harry seemed to be able to calm the baby just with a few words, fed him regularly even if he didn’t eat often, made sure to change him every few hours and protected his sleep viciously even if he didn’t sleep himself.

And no, Tony didn’t realize the similarities between him and Harry’s lack of taking care of themselves. It didn’t matter anyway. What did matter was that it hurt Harry. And that was unacceptable. 

All of this had to be karma and Tony knew that Rhodey would have a field day when - if - he ever admitted that. After Harry was safe. After he was better. After they could be sure that he wouldn’t keel over any minute and die of starvation. 

Fuck, was that a real threat he had to keep an eye on?

“Jarvis?”

“Sir?”

“Keep an eye on Harry’s food intake, calories, food groups and all that stuff.”

“Sir that is a rather invasive-”

“And check for signs of someone starving themselves. And signs of-”

“Believe me Sir, I do have all of that on file and am able to see the warning signs.” His AI’s voice was surprisingly scarving while saying that.

“I never-”

“You once didn’t eat anything aside from peanuts while on a four days long engineering binge, Sir.”

“Not while I was as underweight as Harry has to be right now.”

The silence grew, as Jarvis either didn’t have a comment for that or remembered the first few months after Afghanistan, which Tony still tried to forget.

He would need to drag him to a Doctor, or at least Bruce. Even if he knew how well he himself would react - had reacted - when Rhodey had tried to make him see some medical professionals. 

And he trusted Rhodey with his life. 

Harry seemed to be wary of Tony. And that was the best case scenario. And why shouldn’t he mistrust Tony? Harry didn’t know him. Hell, he had probably googled Tony and… Well, nothing good could come from that.

He had still come to the Tower though. And if that wasn’t a testament of despair Tony didn’t know what was.

It could also be that he had decided to travel to New York while being numb. The acceptance he showed for almost everything had to be numbness. And he had seen it, hadn’t he? The way the kid almost bowed down under the pressure of the world, Tony knew all too well.

He hadn’t broken yet, though. Cracked, yes. Bend, most likely. But he hadn’t broken. 

That was obvious in the way he so clearly cared for his friends. His siblings, if Mr. Weasley was to be believed. And Tony hadn’t seen anything to the contrary. 

It was even more obvious in the way Harry cared for Teddy. With an almost frightening level of calm and certainty. With an incredible amount of tenderness and love. 

No, Harry hadn’t broken. Not yet.

But how much more would he be able to take before he did break? 

Would being here, away from his friends, his siblings, be good for him or would it make everything worse? Would it be good for him to be in the Tower, where he was hopefully protected? (Tony really needed to find ways to fight magic and fast.)

Hell, acknowledging Tony as his father was probably an act of desperation from a kid that didn’t seem to have ever had a stable relationship with an adult. 

Fuck, he was going to live with a Capsickle who was basically still thawing, two spies who didn’t trust Tony outside of the battle field (and he wasn’t sure they did trust him on the battle field), the Hulk, although Bruce would probably a bigger problem for Harry as he was always on Tony’s case for taking better care of himself, possibly an alien god and Tony Stark, fuck up extraordinaire. 

God, the kid didn’t even have a chance.

Sure, he would also have Rhodey, but his Honey Bear had kind of broken under Tony during their MIT days and he was overseas more often than state side. 

He would have Pepper, the most stable person Tony knew. But that didn’t mean much (for proof see above) and she often threw her stilettos after Tony and threatened to kill him. 

Fuck, was there really no not-AI that would qualify as a healthy adult? (And Jarvis was still a wild card as Tony had programmed him.)

Inhaling sharply, Tony realized that it didn’t matter. Harry was here and even if Tony was the last person he needed, he was what the kid had and he would rather rip out the Arc Reactor and hand it over to Dr. Doom or even Hammer then hurt Harry. 

What if he hurt Teddy? 

Harry would kill him. Plain and simple. That was not even a question. 

And he’d deserve it. He’d deserve it if he hurt the baby. Harry’s kid. 

Hell, he deserved it tenfold for everything Harry had gone through in the last seventeen years.

“Jay, make a file.”

“Certainly, Sir. Will the intrusive documentation of Mr. Potter's food intake be a part of that file or will it be a seperate one?”

“Separate one. Find everything out we need to know about babies. How to take care of them, what to look out for. How they have to develop- I don’t know. And find a pediatrician. Someone who is good, can keep his mouth shut and can work with… special children.”

“Very good, Sir. Anything else?”

“Anything about how to help traumatized kids. From childhood abuse to torture.”

The silence was heavy between them, Tony’s hand flexing on the glass in his hand.

“Should I contact a specialist for an appointment?”

“Not right now.” Harry wouldn’t appreciate that. Hell, if he was anything like Tony he would hate it. 

And there were too many similarities Tony had already seen to think he wouldn’t be pissed off at that.

Some of them were comforting. Almost adorably so. Like the sarcastic troublemaker smile, the devotion to his friends. The curiosity lighting up his eyes when he wanted to figure out how to work the StarkPhone. That he was a fighter.

Although he probably was a fighter because he never had a chance to be anything else. Because Harry, too, had gone through hell. He didn’t seem to even know what self-care was, even less so than Tony and wasn’t that the most concerning thing he had ever thought?

He had clearly too much guilt in himself, probably self-esteem issues if not downright self-hate, didn’t talk about his past and was probably a trouble magnet.

If Tony believed in the divine, and he didn’t, he would think all of this was part of his own punishment. That Harry paid for Tony’s sins. He didn’t believe in it, but knowing the little that he did about the- his kid’s life up until now, it sure as hell sounded that way.

And even with some Greek gods exacting revenge kinda bullshit, there was still stuff that didn’t make sense. 

Why had Lily Potter mentioned in her letter that Harry was James Potter’s heir as if that was important? 

Why had no one reacted when reports about Harry being abused and neglected had been filed?

What happened to him when he had vanished? (And for that matter what had happened to him under the care of the Dursley family?)

What had happened to him during this last year that made him look like a prisoner of war?

Who were his friends that had enough money and influence to make an adoption happen literally overnight? 

Who were the people who apparently were still powerful enough to be a danger to Harry after losing the war? And why would they care about him?

“Jay?”

“Sir?”

“How are they?”

“Mr. Lupin-Potter is sleeping in his crib, Sir. Mr. Potter seems to have fallen asleep in the rocking chair beside the crib.”

Closing his eyes, Tony exhaled. Thank fuck for Jarvis' foresight. Or the foresight of the magazines that had sold the whole inventory for the baby’s room. And for express shipping.

“Tell me when- if something happens.”

“Do you have parameters for that request, Sir?”

“I don’t know. A nightmare, an attack. Be creative.”

“As you wish, Sir.”

-c-c-c-c-c-

“Sir?”

“...ngh…”

“Captain Rogers asks if he is allowed to make breakfast.”

“...wywld...dotht…?”

“I believe he wants to recreate the brunch Mr. Potter missed.”

The memories of the last few days hit Tony like lightning, almost frying his brain but definitely waking him up. 

“How is he!” He demanded, jumping out of his bed and all but running into his bathroom.

“Mr. Potter has just fed Mr. Lupin-Potter and is currently playing with his tippy toes.”

Tony almost choked on his toothbrush.

“That was a quote from Mr. Potter.” Jarvis said, obviously trying very hard to not sound as if he was justifying himself.

“Aha.”

“Back to Captain Rogers' question, Sir, is he allowed to come upstairs and make breakfast?”

“Yes.” Tony stepped under the hot shower. “Tell him I’ll be there in a minute.”

“I’m not in the habit of lying to residents, Sir.”

“Firstly, we both know that’s a fucking lie and secondly, it’s an expression and you fucking know its a fucking expression!”

Ten minutes later he was showered, clothed and his beard would survive another day, when he stepped out of his bedroom. Walking over to the open kitchen he heard the supersoldier before he saw him.

Then he saw the clock.

“It’s fucking 07:34am?”

“Good Morning Tony.” The blond supersoldier said, as if totally at peace with himself, Tony and the world no matter the ungodly hour.

This was it. Tony would quit the Avengers, relocate them, maybe into his family's mansion (he never thought about that place so he would also never think about the Avengers anymore - that’s how memories worked, right?), and send Pepper after them. Just because.

“I made you coffee.” Steve turned, a small, slightly worried smile on his lips and placed the cup in front of him on the kitchen island.

Maybe Cap could stay. It would be rude to kick him out when he had just moved in. Especially after the soldier hadn’t hesitated in following Tony to England to protect Harry.

That had absolutely nothing to do with his beautiful blue eyes, glowing like Sapphires in the sun. Or how adorable he had looked while insisting Tony took the couch while they stayed over at the late Mrs. Tonks’. It had been a none argument, as Harry had transfigured the couch and two armchairs into two beds. But the thought counted.

It definitely didn’t have anything to do with the calm and relaxed expression Steve had sported while sleeping when Tony had laid restless on his bed, trying to not think about Steve and not about all the things that most likely had happened to Harry and just focussing on what he could do right now to help and protect the… his kid. And his kid’s kid.

Picking the cup up gingerly, he drank half of its content down before blinking. It wasn’t bitter. And it hadn’t scorched his tongue and throat. Glancing over the brim, he was met with Steve’s satisfied smile.

Okay, he would have to upgrade Steve Rogers' threat level. The man was clearly too earnest and too observant.

“How did you sleep?”

And he apparently asked far too invasive questions. 

“Short. What about you, Spangles?”

“I never sleep long, not since the serum.”

“Same.” Tony agreed, indicating his coffee, before taking another sip. Because it was his life's elixir. And because Steve had put some sugar in it.

The frown on the supersoldier’s expression was almost cute. Not that Tony was thinking that, of course.

“I don’t think that’s the same-”

“One piece of advice for a safe and happy life at this Tower? Don’t take away my coffee. Ever. Or I’ll bite. And that is not a joke, Rhodey has the scars to prove it.”

Raising an eyebrow, Steve moved subtly, as if actually thinking about being stupid and daring enough to touch his cup just to see if Tony would go through with his threat. Spoiler warning: he would. Without a single regret. 

His glare must have been sufficient to stop even the attempt. Steve’s shoulders relaxed and he took a step back.

“What will Harry want for breakfast?”

Staring back at the superhero, Tony decided that upgrading his threat level might not be as important as he thought it to be, because realizing Tony liked an unhealthy amount of sugar could be a coincidence. Not realizing Tony had no fucking idea what Harry liked because he had met him just a few days ago for the first time after Steve himself had spent most of that time with them together did not speak for his gift of observation. 

Which was rather disappointing. 

Before he could voice anything, Jarvis interrupted. 

“Mr. Potter says he is fine with anything and that you should not inconvenience yourself.” 

Maybe for the first time since his AI had made his first leaps in logic the disapproving tone was not in regards to Tony's behaviour, which was nice, and Tony couldn’t have agreed more with the sentiment.

Was this how Pepper felt?

“Yeah, that shit’s not gonna fly. Do whatever you can, pancakes, waffles, I don’t know what we need. Jarvis, what do we need? Fruits, right? Some vitamin shit?”

“There are fruits in the fridge on the common floor, Sir. Dr. Banner likes to eat them for breakfast and I had high hopes so would Captain Rogers, no matter that you have never shown any interest in them.”

“Cut the saltiness and make sure we have fruit here from now on. And mushy fruit stuff for Teddy.”

“Very well, Sir. I do think it would be helpful if you would set a good example for young Mr. Potter.”

Glaring up at one of Jarvis’ cameras, Tony decided to ignore the suppressed giggle coming from the living Ken doll looking through his cupboards - most likely for all the needed ingredients.

“Tony, do you have a waffle iron?”

Yep, the sugar thing must have been a coincidence.

“Do I look to you like a man that knows if he owns a waffle iron?”

“You look like the genius who would try to improve a perfectly fine waffle iron and give it lasers or something.” Steve said looking over his shoulder, a smile in his eyes that was definitely not what Tony wanted it to be.

Hell, his… his kid was in the other room, traumatized and caring for a baby. He had a lot more pressing matters to attend to than his freaking useless crush on Captain America. 

Like the incoming call from Pepper. 

Christ, he hadn’t told Pepper yet.

“Tony, you okay?” The frown was back on Steve’s forehead and that just wasn’t good.

“Yeah, just Pepper calling.” He tipped on the phone. “I have to take that.”

“Yes, of course.” The soldier nodded and turned back to whatever he was making. Probably waffle dough if Tony had a waffle iron.

Turning on the spot, he retreated to the end of the living room, knowing full well that Steve, with his enhanced hearing, would be able to pick up the conversation. Although there was a 97% chance Pepper would just yell at him and that was something the Avenger would have to get comfortable with sooner or later.

“Pepper, light of my life-”

“Be thankful, Tony Stark, that I’m not about to orphan your kid because he is the only reason I’m not going to kill you. Slow and painful with a rusted spoon.”

“I missed our chats, Pep.”

“If you would have picked up your damned phone in the last two days you wouldn’t have missed it and my blood pressure wouldn’t be nearly as high.”

“I know. But I do have a good excuse.”

“Your son.”

Flinching slightly, Tony took a step to the side. His… His kid.

“It’s more complicated than we thought.”

The sigh from the overside was deep and heartfelt.

“Okay, tell me everything.”

“That’s why I love you, Pep, you know that?”

“Stop sweet talking your boss who should not be handling any of this. What do we have to do, Tony, because I have already four sets of paperwork ready to-

“He adopted a war orphan, he is pretty much the same as I was when I came back from my lovely retreat in the desert and, apparently, he or his kid are hunted by whoever waged a war against the secret magical community in Great Britain that we didn’t know about. In which he was a child soldier.”

Ignoring the clattering sound and the mumbled curses from the part time chef in his kitchen, Tony focused all his concentration on Pepper. On listening to her response. Because Pepper would know what to do. She would know how to react. She was Pepper. She had managed SI for years, even while Tony had still been stuck in a bottle, even with Obadiah undermining him at every turn, Pepper had stood her ground, had held her head high and managed both SI and Tony.

She would be able to manage this as well.

Any other day he would be teasing her, as she had said often enough after working for him for years, there was nothing that could still shock her. 

Well, he had managed to shock all of them.

“...what is his name?” The voice was pure professionalism. Probably the only thing stopping her from screaming. 

And didn’t he know that feeling?

“Harry James Potter and Teddy… actually I don’t know the kids full name. I’ll have to ask Harry.” 

“Yeah that seems to be a good idea.” Wariness was creeping into her voice now.

“...how old is Teddy?”

“I’m not sure. A few months, I think.”

“Better ask about that too.”

“Yeah.” Leaning against the window, he lowered his voice to an almost strangled whisper. “What am I going to do Pep? How am I- How can I…”

“We’ll figure it out, Tony. Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”

Closing his eyes, he tried to ignore the worry in her voice, the uncertainty. The fear.

“Yeah.”

“Do you… should I change your will again and include… Teddy?”

“Yes.” There was no question about it. He was Harry’s and therefore he was Tony’s. No matter what, neither of them would ever worry about money. At least that he could promise.

“Stupid question.” Pepper muttered, probably to herself, showing how shaken she was.

“Are you okay?” 

“I should be asking you that.”

“We both know the answer is no.”

“Tony, do you need me to-”

“No, it’s okay. Jay is researching and Steve is making breakfast so-”

“ Steve Rogers ?”

“Yes, I’m egotistical enough to have Captain America cook breakfast but to my defence, Harry is underweight and really needs to-”

“Oh my god! Did you just-”

“This is about Harry! I’m-”

“Jarvis, record this, I need this on tape!”

“Don’t you dare-”

“Of course, Miss Potts, it’s my pleasure.”

“Cut both of you out of my will while you’re at it, Pepper. Traitors don’t get my money.”

“Worth it.” There was a smile in her voice now, even if it couldn’t hide her worry.

“What do you need me to do, Tony? Do you need doctors? Psychiatrists? Do we need to sue someone? Is Harry with you? I have everything ready for you to adopt him, to take him in as his guardian, to set him up as your heir, NDAs for all occasions and several press statements.”

He really did love Pepper Potts.

“No doctors right now, I don’t think he would appreciate it but we should know someone just in case. Yes, we’re going to sue someone, possibly a lot of someones. Actually we might sue the freaking Ministry of Magic, don’t laugh, apparently it’s a real thing.”

“Okay?”

“Let’s keep it on the downlow for now. Change the will, I’ll sign it as soon as possible. I think… I think we- he needs some time to… to decide?” It had been supposed to be a statement. It came out as a jumbled mess sounding like a question.

“What about you, Tony?” A new edge in her voice that would cut anyone trying to harm her best friend, ex-boss and adopted brother.

“I… He needs help, Pep. I want to help him.”

“Of course, Tony. We’re going to help him.” 

“Thank you.”

“Always.” 

Inhaling, he pushed himself back, straightening his back.

“What did I miss?”

“Seven meetings, a board meeting, a press release, five deadlines and twenty seven of my calls.”

“That’s not too bad.”

“Rusted. Spoon.” She growled, threateningly.

“Didn’t you just say you wouldn’t kill me?”

“Accidents happen.”

Tony closed his eyes again. Yes, they did. Fuck.

Tony Stark™ didn’t beg. Everyone knew that. He also didn’t say sorry. He was a Stark and Starks were made of iron. They stood strong and let others beg and plead. 

Well, to hell with all of that. He would beg Pepper if he had to. Beg on his knees, buy her whole shoe stores and promise everything he had to.

“I have to be here.” 

The silence following was even heavier than the one earlier. 

“I can give you a week, ten days tops. Then you will have to be there for the-”

“Shareholder meeting, yes, I know. Thanks, Pep.”

“You're welcome. I’ll send you the will for you to check and-”

“I’ll look over it.” And he would, it was the least he could do.

“I’m proud of you, Tony.” She said it calmly. Earnestly. 

Biting his lower lip, he held back the comment already laying on the tip of his tongue. 

“Is that all, Mr. Stark?”

“That is all, Miss Potts.”

“Call me if you need anything, Tony, and for god’s sake, pick up when I call you.”

“No promises, thanks, Pep.” Pressing the little button on his earpiece, Tony cut the call. Inhaling, he straightened his shoulders once again. There was the slight chance that Steve hadn’t heard all of that. About 0.37%. 

Turning, Tony forced a relaxed smile on his face. Steve was currently whisking something in a bright red plastic bowl that Tony had never before seen in his life. 

Then again, neither had he seen the whisk. Or the flour. 

Whatever, he had bigger problems. One of them turned around to look at him with big blue eyes, a determined expression edged in his still too young face. 

“You’re not alone Tony. I’m going to help you. Whatever you need.”

Fighting off the very inappropriate if enjoyable images his mind had to offer after the innocent comment, Tony just nodded, his eyes fixed on the refilled coffee cup, standing exactly where he had left it. 

Wordlessly, he grabbed it to take another sip. It was sweet, again.

“Tony?”

“You should be careful with your promises, Cap.”

“No.” There was too much conviction in that word. “Whatever you need. Whatever Harry and Teddy need.”

Looking up to meet the clear blue eyes he saw something in it that he hadn’t expected. A hardness he must have learned when he saw Barnes fall from the train. Hell, for him it must feel like a few weeks rather than the seventy years it had been.

And instead of taking care of himself he let Tony drag him into this clusterfuck. Then again, Steve was a soldier at heart, someone who, much like Tony, probably needed to move, to do something. To fight something.

He could give Steve that and then some.

“I need revenge.” His voice was hard, clear. A voice he hadn’t used in a long, long time. “I need to know they are safe. That no one will come after them. I need to know that I- that we can protect them.”

Because there was no way he would let anyone hurt them again. There was no way he wouldn’t fight for them. No way he wouldn’t do anything he could to fix this. To fix as much as he could and get others to do the rest.

“Okay.” It was Captain America's voice and it wasn’t. The hardness was a testament of despair Tony knew, his own eyes mirrored. 

“We’re going to keep them safe.” Steve promised.

And Tony believed him.

Chapter Text

“Tell Harry breakfast is ready, Jay.”

“Mr. Potter will be here in a minute.”

Glaring up at one of the AI’s cameras Tony bit back the comment that he apparently knew and accepted that expression when it came from Harry but decided he had bigger fish to fry. 

“Where is Brucey-Bear? I thought he wanted to bring the fruit salad.”

“He will be here shortly, Sir.”

After Steve’s and his rather bloodthirsty and therefore not embarrassing heart to heart they had started to plan their next steps, while Steve had baked waffles and pancakes and Tony had sat there, trying to hack further into anything that could be potentially useful. Right now he had looked into acknowledging adults as children, getting them legal documentation and setting up bank accounts for both.

There was a good chance Harry would like to go to college after settling here, so he had also started to look into the best colleges in all subjects because he had no clue what Harry was interested in.

All the while, Steve had asked Jarvis to ask Bruce whether or not he wanted to participate in breakfast and if he could bring fruits with him. The health obsessed part of the Hulk had promised to make a salad and be there in half an hour.

“Good Morning.”

Turning around, Tony met Harry’s green eyes. They were still exhausted with enough steel visible to make sure they knew exactly what kept him going right now.

He was dressed in a well-used black shirt, showing a faded rainbow and the white letters Yes, I’m gay. No, you may not ask. below it. 

That shirt would have been enough for Tony to know that kid was his.

“Where did you get that shirt and is there an I’m bi option?”

Blinking, Harry looked down at himself, moving Teddy, clad in a light green onesie, to the side to blink at the writing on his shirt. 

Yes, definitely his kid.

“I don’t know, I would have to ask Ginny.” Meeting Tony’s eyes, there was a question in those eyes, but it didn’t seem to be the one whether or not Tony would accept him, which was great, because Tony had been open about his bisexuality for almost twenty years now. Maybe a little too open actually. 

Oh god, he had to have Jarvis take down any and all of his sex tapes.

“I’d take an I’m gay one.”

Turning around to look at Steve, he saw a flash of shocked embarrassment while his pale cheeks darkened with a blush. Which shouldn’t be as attractive as it was, damnit.

On more important news, Steve was, apparently, gay. Which… was nothing that had anything at all to do with Tony. Aside from him being a supportive friend and teammate of course, because for Capsicle to come out like that? He had either no verbal filter at all or really trusted them. 

Or he wanted to support Harry. Which was definitely something Cap would do even if it outed himself before he was ready for it. Although that was an assumption Tony shouldn’t make. To show his support and restraint and that he didn’t have much of a verbal filter himself his next words showed his emotional depth discouragingly well. 

“Is no one in this Tower straight? This ruins SI’s policy of equality!”

“Teddy could be straight.” Harry said, pressing a kiss to the kid's head.

“He doesn’t count! How old is he, 6 months? He counts when he is… let’s say 16.” Oh fuck, the shit he had gotten up to at 16. “Actually, let’s make that 18- 21 would be better.”

“4 months, almost 5 months, now.”

“When is his birthday?” 

“12th April. Do you need any other information about him, just a fair warning, he is not registered anywhere you will be able to find.”

“Normally I would see that as a challenge but I guess this time I’ll just have to trust you. And no, I don’t want to know it’s all in paper files.”

“Parchment.”

“What?”

“They still write on parchment. With feathers and ink.”

Staring at Harry, he saw the amusement dance in his eyes, the troublemaker smile tugged neatly behind a polite one.

“You’re killing me here, kid.”

The smile tipped into the troublemaker one, lighting some warm, comfortable feeling in Tony’s chest that was either a lung infection or something a lot more dangerous.

“Sorry.” 

Never had he heard anyone sounding less apologetic.

Moving Teddy in his arms, Harry took a step forward, his gaze falling on the table laid out with food (minus the fruit salad they were still waiting on) and the smile stiffened.

“His full name is Edward Remus Lupin-Potter. His parents were Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Lupin, formerly Tonks.” Turning around, Harry’s shoulders were squared. “Thank you for allowing us to stay here. I’m sure you have a lot more important things to do though than eating breakfast with us.”

“Nope.” Stepping around the kitchen island, Tony sat down on one of the chairs, focusing on keeping his whole demeanor open and relaxed. He would also react later to the fact that the baby was named after him. Well, he was, of course, not named after him, but they shared the same name.

“Steve just moved in and I have some days off, so-”

“I don’t need a babysitter.”

Looking down on the wriggling baby in his arms, Tony raised an eyebrow.

“You’re sure?”

Instead of relaxing, the kid stiffened further, an almost dangerous glint entering his eyes. “I’m fine looking after Teddy myself, thank you.”

Never before had he heard a more threatening thank you and Tony worked for Pepper Potts who was feared for her scary politeness.

So many firsts! Even if it were his firsts and that shit was supposed to be the other way around, right?

“We just want to help you, Harry.” Steve took a step closer, his hands raised as if calming an angry animal.

“You don’t have to. In fact,” he turned to Tony, “you don’t have to do anything. I’m here without any legal documentation. Teddy doesn’t even have a passport. No one knows we’re here. You have no obligation to do anything more.”

Instead of answering, Tony clawed his fingernails into his palms, trying to not react. To not show. To just keep breathing.

“I do not mean to be ungrateful but there is no reason for you to do anything. You never consented to… me. I don’t expect anything from you. And I certainly don’t want your pity. Nothing that happened to me was your fault.”

Even worse than the words was the calm manner in which Harry said all that. There was nothing in his voice, eyes or expression that belied any of his statements. As if he really believed all of that.

Inhaling calmly, Tony thanked the last thirty years he spent in front of cameras.

“You’re right.” 

While Harry stiffened almost unnoticeably, Steve did a very obvious double take, staring at Tony as if he had lost his mind.

“I don’t have to do anything. I want to help you. You’re right, your pa- Lily never asked me if I wanted you and back then I would have been a fucking idiot and told her that I wasn’t father material. Truth be told, I’m probably not because my own was…” he blinked, refusing to look at Steve while saying the next bit, “let’s say he would have been better off without a kid.” 

Harry hadn’t moved, his expression carefully neutral and relaxed.

Forcing his voice to stay calm, Tony let his eyes linger on Teddy for a moment before he looked back into Harry’s eyes. 

“It sounds like an excuse, I know, but Afghanistan put a lot of things into perspective for me. I realized what I was and… decided to do something worthwhile for once in my life. I became Iron Man.” The self-deprecating smile was bitter but what wasn’t in life. 

“It’s more than most others would have done.”

“I don’t-”

“I have met enough people claiming they weren’t at fault for the actions they themselves committed to know that very few actually take responsibility, genuinely regret and try to be better.” The heaviness in the kid’s voice was too much for an eighteen year old to carry, still he stood there, back straight and met Tony’s gaze unflinching.

“But that’s the problem isn’t it? Heroes will do whatever is right . And taking in… taking in someone who… could use help is something heroes do.”

Swallowing carefully, Tony decided to stay clear of all the emotions for now, battling for dominance and pushing him slowly, but insistently towards his next major breakdown. 

“You do know that you’re holding the kid you adopted literally yesterday while you’re saying that, right?”

“I accepted responsibility for him. I chose him.”

“And what makes you think I didn’t choose you?”

Harry stared at him, his eyes wide, a mixture of shock, disbelief and hope battling in them, making him look younger than Tony had ever seen him. Another first.

“Right here, right now, before Captain America as our witness and in the full knowledge that Jarvis is recording this, I choose you, Harry.”

“You don’t have to-”

“I don’t have to do anything.” Swallowing, he leaned forward. “And neither do you. Take your time, think about what you want. But whatever you decide, my door will always be open. Even if you don’t want to have anything to do with me, my door will always be open.” 

He would always be watching as well. He would make sure he was safe whether or not he wanted it. And he would always be waiting. No matter how desperate that sounded in his own head. Looking into these brilliant green eyes that were so very different than his own and so terribly similar Tony knew that he would give his life to protect Harry. To protect his kid. 

It didn’t fucking matter that he hadn’t known about him before. He had said that to Steve before and he stood by it. Now he knew about him and he would be there for him. No matter what.

That, of course, didn’t change that whoever had said that he had the emotional depth of a teaspoon was, once again, proven right. Fighting his flight instinct, Tony leaned back trying hard to not appear worried or afraid, emotionally drained or close to panic.

The only good thing right now was that Harry seemed too shocked to register any of it - and he was a terrible human being and worse… parent? for thinking that.

Closing his eyes, Harry exhaled. Slowly, carefully. Something Tony often did when he tried to calm himself down.

“This is not fair to you.” Opening his green eyes, Tony was almost shocked by the pain and grief in them.

“Was it fair to you that you had to grow up with the Dursleys ? I saw the complaints filed against them.”

Harry stiffened visibly, his expression growing hard. But he didn’t answer.

“Life sucks.”

“Tony!”

Ignoring Steve’s growl, he kept his eyes on the kid, the soldier in front of him. He might not know much about him but he knew enough. He knew Harry was bending under guilt he shouldn’t have to carry. He knew he was hurting in a way that would need more than time to heal. He knew that his kid needed help even if he couldn’t ask for it. 

Tony had been there, four years ago. And in contrast to Harry, all of it had been his fault. 

“Life sucks but we don’t have to go through it alone.”

The slim arms tightened around the baby in them.

“I’ll understand if you don’t want to have anything to do with me. I won’t stop you and honestly, putting up with me is a nightmare-”

“Tony, that’s not-”

“Shut up Spangles, you’ve never seen me during one of my binges.”

“I have and I have to agree, it can be a disturbing sight. You’re also selling yourself short, Sir.”

“Andy was killed because of me.”

Tony’s response died on his lips.

Harry’s eyes were still dry but right now Tony would have bet everything he had that wasn’t a good thing. 

“My parents were also killed because of me. As was my godfather. Teddy’s parents too. And too many else to count.” 

“Harry-” Steve began but the teen shook his head.

“Doesn’t matter whether or not you believe me, it’s still the truth. When I tell you this is a bad idea then I mean it. You have enough enemies on your own. You don’t need mine as well.” Straightening his shoulders, he smiled. “You’re a hero. The world needs you.”

Tony didn’t remember moving. He didn’t remember anything between looking into Harry’s eyes and hugging him, Teddy included, close. 

Not many people knew how touch averted and starved he was. Even less people knew that touch, for a very long time, had either meant physical or emotional pain. That Tony had learned to use touch against people. That there were about two people in this world he touched without thinking and without fearing pain, rejection or repercussions. That he expected to be used when people touched him.

The kid was stiff in his arms and if he had to guess, and he really didn’t, Harry was the same. He had felt the hesitance when Harry had taken his hand to vanish with him. He had seen the little contact he had initiated with his friends. The way he kept a distance from everyone.

Teddy was, for obvious reasons, the only exception and Harry showered the baby in affection. As if wanting to give him everything he never had.

Not letting go of the kid, he prayed to gods he didn’t believe in, and Thor, just to be safe, that this was the right thing to do. Because he didn’t know what he was doing, didn’t know how to react. 

But this was what Rhodey had done for him. What he still did for Tony. What he had done five days ago when Tony had broken down after learning he had a kid. That his kid had been abused. That he had let all that happen, that he had abandoned his kid without even knowing about it.

Teddy moved against his chest, his small hand grabbing a hand full of Tony’s shirt, tugging at it uncoordinated. 

What the fuck was he doing? He needed to say something, and possibly letting go if Harry didn’t relax and making sure Teddy didn't hurt himself on the Arc Reactor and-

Exhaling, the kid’s stiff muscles relaxed. Not fully but enough for Tony to stay where he was. To not let go just yet. And possibly never, because he really had no idea what to do next. 

The small shiver running down Harry’s spine was almost too minor to even register with Tony but as hyper focussed as he was, he did realize it and started rubbing the kid’s back. 

It was the other thing Rhodey did that he could replicate. Hopefully. He would definitely fail if he tried to talk right now. 

On the other hand, the silence might kill him.

Trying to wreck his brain over remembering anything helpful, he stayed silent for far too long, before helplessly saying the first thing popping into his mind. 

Like a fucking idiot.

“It’s okay.”

What the fuck? Nothing of this was okay! Abort! New strategy!

“You’re not alone anymore.”

Worse! He didn’t want anything to do with Tony and he had at least Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger who would obviously burn down the world for him!

“It doesn’t matter who is after you or why, I’m going to keep you safe.”

With what? As far as he knew, Harry would have to protect him! And worse, that had been the reason he wanted to leave!

„I have no idea how this parenting thing works but we can figure it out together. If you want to.“

Shut up Stark! For the love of everything that is math and physics just shut up! 

Harry’s inhale was shuddering and wet. And pushed Tony almost into his next panic attack. 

Keeping his body still, aside from the hand still rubbing circles into the kid’s back, Tony breathed, as calm and steady as he could. Begging that someone would save him. Would save Harry from him.

Where the fuck were supervillains when you needed them?

A clumsy hand grabbed onto his beard and before he could react, it closed and yanked. With surprising strength.

Moving his head back was a reflex. Looking down on the toddler- or was he still a newborn? Whatever. Looking down on Teddy, he saw the baby’s eyes change to his own brown.

Something else shattered in his chest, the shards hot and cutting him down in seconds. 

“Give me a chance.”

Okay, let’s try that again and this time try not to fucking demand anything from the kid even more screwed over than you yourself, Stark.

“I know I don’t have the best record and you don’t need any of the pressure and, let’s be honest, shitshow that is part of being a Stark and I’m not saying this is a good idea, because I don’t want to put you in any more danger and-” Inhaling, he focused on the thing he actually wanted to say. Even if it might be the most selfish thing he ever did.

“I know I suck at this and I understand if- it’s okay if you want to leave, I will never stop you. Hell it’s probably a good idea- that wasn’t what I wanted to say. I-”

Harry moved in his arms. For one heartbeat Tony was sure that he would vanish the second he let go of the kid and almost freaked out. Then he let go and stepped back, meeting the green eyes head on.

Like his kid did.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I’ll stay.” 

He didn’t say for now, even if Tony heard it. 

Most of his emotions were hidden behind a neutral mask. What still shone through was a fragile hope and a bone deep resignation no kid should know.

Well, if that wasn’t something that could motivate Tony. Not that he hadn’t been committed before but seeing that resignation, he vowed he would prove Harry wrong and if it was the last thing he ever did.

“Breakfast?”

Tony would have fully understood if Harry had decided that very second that all of this wasn’t working and that he had enough problems without dealing with the human disaster that was Tony Stark.

Instead, Harry relaxed, as if thankful that the emotions were done for the moment. 

This was great for Tony and probably very unhealthy for Harry but right now, Tony would take it.

Turning, he looked around just to find that Steve had abandoned him. 

You’re not alone Tony. I’m going to help you. Whatever you need. Aha. First sign of feelings and the good Captain had run. Not that Tony could blame him, but he did. Wholeheartedly. 

“Jay?”

“Captain Rogers decided to look for Dr. Banner.”

“Let me guess, they are both hiding on the common floor.”

“They are finishing the fruit salad as we speak, Sir.”

Turning back to Harry, Tony tried for a relaxed smile that hopefully said this is all in good fun, nothing happend, we don’t need to talk about anything right now, because all the horrible, disturbing, panic inducing things you just said are not as important right now as a fucking fruit salad and waffles.  

Harry, thankfully, wasn’t looking at him, but staring down in Teddy’s eyes. They still were the exact same color as Tony’s. 

Small mercies. 

Looking up and meeting Tony’s eyes again there was that beautiful troublemaker smile even if it couldn’t hide the strain and exhaustion. “How soon do you think the press will write that Teddy is yours looking like this?”

Tony couldn’t help himself, he snorted. “Chances are they think he is my son and that you…”

“Are your new boytoy?”

Spluttering, Tony tried to come up with an answer as Harry laughed. 

“I’ll ask Ginny for a t-shirt for you. It’ll look like-”

“No! Absolutely not! I did some shit in my day but I draw a line at even thinking about this!” 

If that happened… when it happened, and Tony hated the fact that it was a when-situation rather than an if-situation he would let Pepper bury them in law-suits. 

He also tugged the questions why that had been Harry’s first reaction into a deep, dark folder that he wouldn’t touch until he was in his workshop in full blackout mode and possibly with Rhodey.

Harry just laughed, his shoulders relaxing some. Just in time for the elevator to open.

Steve looked apprehensive and worried while Bruce stiffened immediately, his brown eyes focused on the baby in Harry’s arms.

Before his science bro could freak out or run, Tony walked over, throwing an arm around his shoulder and dragging him, literally, towards the kitchen island.

“Tony.” There was a growl in his name as much as a plea. “I shouldn’t- It’s dangerous.” He begged, his eyes wide and fearful glancing towards Harry and Teddy. 

“Don’t worry, Dr. Banner. I’ll leave if-”

“No you won’t and neither will you, Brucie Bear. Teddy is the best behaved baby I’ve ever seen- possibly the first I’ve actually spent any time with, true, but that’s not important. I-”

“I could be dangerous for you both.” Bruce met Harry’s eyes, desperation lacing every word.

“But you don’t want to fight Dr. Banner. I also promise I won’t let you hurt either of us.” There was no doubt in the young man’s posture. No worry at all. Instead he smiled calmingly at Bruce.

“You can’t-”

“He’s a wizard, Brucey.”

The scientist’s eyes widened dramatically. “Like Loki?”

“I’m not an alien god, if that is the question.” A slightly darker if not more annoyed expression settled on his face. “I’m also not a megalomaniac villain who wants to take over the world.”

“That’s certainly good to hear.” Smiling, Tony pushed the plate with the waffles closer to the kid. “This would be a lot more awkward if we had to fight you.”

“Don’t kid yourself, Tony. You would help him.” Steve said, apparently unbothered, while putting some of the fruit salad on Harry’s plate.

“Oh yeah. So you’re telling me you would fight Harry?” Raising an eyebrow he met the blue eyes head on. “Look me in the eyes, Rogers, and tell me you would fight my kid. Possibly while holding Teddy.”

“You did hear when I said I’m not-” Harry started, but Tony interrupted him.

“This is about the principle of the thing. Look at them, Steve, how could you fight them!”

“I never said-” Steve spluttered

“Is that what I felt when I touched you?”

“You touched my kid?”

Bruce, who had lived in the Tower since the battle of New York didn’t even flinch. He also didn’t have the courtesy to look at Tony or acknowledge him any other way.

“I guess so. Please forgive me for the comparison but a lot of magical creatures or beings are able to sense magic or power levels in witches and wizards so I wouldn’t be surprised if Hulk could do the same.”

Narrowing his eyes, Bruce tilted his head slightly, as if thinking. “Did I feel that you have magic or how much you have?”

“How would I know?” The question was asked too innocently to be believed.

It would explain why he had been on the hit list of what’s his name and why people fighting for dominance would go after Harry if he was considered powerful and therefore a threat in the magical community. It would also explain his reaction regarding the villain discussion.

Tony had heard the wait for it, sooner or later Stark is going to go badshit and then he’ll become a supervillain often enough that he had stopped uttering “this is my villain origin story”. It just wasn’t fun anymore.

“The next time Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger come to visit we can let Bruce touch all of them. While I supervise.” Pushing the plate with waffles ever closer to Harry’s own, he narrowed his eyes. “You’ve seen Steve eat, Hulk isn’t much better, so you better start eating.”

Thankfully Harry was rolling his eyes and balancing Teddy with one arm while picking up a waffle with the fork in his free hand and didn’t see Bruce gape at Tony.

The rest of the breakfast was almost relaxed. Even Bruce didn’t seem as panicked, until Steve mentioned that Harry would be able to eat better if someone else would hold Teddy and all of them looked at each other realizing none of them thought they were the right person for that.

Even before Tony could say anything, Bruce had crossed his arms, shaking his head viciously, as if he feared someone would pry his arms open and force him to hold the baby.

Tony was an asshole, yes, but he wasn’t that much of an asshole. Also, Harry would definitely kill him. 

The teen looked a little uncomfortable while also, obviously trying to not appear to be bothered. 

“He doesn’t bite.” 

That didn’t sound sure or reassuring. 

“He is your grandkid, you should have the honor.” 

Throwing Steve a glare that should have killed him on the spot, Tony turned back to Harry, panic already rising in his chest.

“I- you don’t have to.” Harry’s voice was carefully neutral and although Tony wanted nothing more than take the out, Harry‘s phrasing indicated he thought Tony didn’t want to hold Teddy and although that was the goddamn truth it had nothing to do with Tony not wanting to hold the baby and everything to do with the fact that there was the real horrible chance he would hurt Teddy. 

In which case he wouldn’t see either of them ever again. And he really didn’t want to hurt the baby.

“I, no. I… How do I hold him?” 

This right here, was when his image as a cool and suave man died a harsh and painful death.

Standing up, Harry walked over to him, hesitating long enough for Tony to panic again when he realized Harry tried to figure out how to hand Teddy to him without handing him the baby.

Oh, fuck. 

Mimicking the way Harry often held his arms when holding Teddy, he looked up at the teen and smiled. Hopefully reassuring and understanding. Without any of the soul crushing panic visible that tried to steal his breath. 

This was for a good cause. To prove he wanted Teddy (even if he really was too young to be a grandfather!) and to give Harry the opportunity to eat more. 

What was a little soul sucking panic attack in comparison? 

Leaning forward, Harry placed Teddy gingerly in Tony’s arms, pressing a quick kiss to the baby’s head before stepping back.

Tony had handled bombs of all kinds, missiles, guns, any kinds of chemicals and toxic components. Never, in his entire life, had he ever been this stressed as right here, holding this small living creature. 

“You need to support his head.” Steve hissed from the side, obviously stressing out himself, while Bruce had moved as far away as his chair would allow it without outright running from the room.

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, ladies and gentlemen. 

Teddy moved in his arms and Tony, without thinking, brought him closer to his chest.

“It’s okay, little bean, he is more afraid of you as you are of him.” Harry smiled, this one soft and seemingly not hiding anything, even if there was a new tenseness in his shoulders.

Still, he turned around and moved back to his chair on the other side of the kitchen island, his eyes on Teddy and Tony.

Opening his mouth to tell Harry he should try the chocolate syrup with the waffles, because it was delicious and too much fruit couldn’t be healthy either and if Tony had a say in it Harry would eat at least three more waffles - and no, that was definitely not a reason to change his own food intake - he forgot everything about it, when Teddy moved again in his arms, this time making an unhappy sound.

Fuck!

The small face was scrunched up in a frown and even if Tony had no idea about babies, this was a pretty sure sign even he could interpret that he would start crying any second now.

There was a growing chance, Tony might join him.

“Shh, little bean, Tony is just holding you.” Harry said lovingly. “Move him a little in your arms, that normally calms him.”

Starting to gingerly move his arms - and feeling like a failure, because Teddy’s frown only deepened - he started to mumble at Teddy. “Your dad is just across the kitchen island, see?” He held the baby's head a little higher. “He is right there.”

“My Ma always said babies always knew the feelings of the people around them.”

Before he could snap at Steve that that was not helpful at fucking all, Bruce agreed with him and explained the evolutionary meaning behind it. 

As Teddy was quietly whining now, Tony ignored his so-called teammates and focused on the little human in his arms.

What would he do if this was a problem he could actually solve? Okay, analyze the situation. Teddy was almost always quiet and happily moving his arms when he was with Harry. Same had happened when he had been held by Mr. Weasley or Miss Granger.

He was a small baby in a big ever changing world. He needed something to soothe him, possibly something that offered continuity.

Harry always murmured to him and guessing it wasn’t the words he was saying because babies couldn’t talk, it was either the soothing sounds or the familiar voice. Either way it was his best option aside from handing him back to Harry.

“Just ignore them, okay?” Moving Teddy a little closer to his chest, remembering that he had grabbed his shirt earlier, he rocked him a little, moving his whole body with the baby. “Harry needs to eat his breakfast and afterwards I’m no longer going to keep him from you, okay?”

He had to stop with the questions. What was he expecting? That Teddy agreed with him?

“I know this is unfamiliar to you, but believe me, it’s stanger to me. Not that this is a contest, of course. Just hang on a little longer. We can do this!”

Teddy, obviously, didn’t think so, as his eyes scrunched up.

“It’s okay, Teddy, I’ll give you back, no need to cry, okay, buddy? You don’t-” But it was already too late.

Looking up at Harry with a mixture of devastation, resignation and worry, he saw Harry roll his eyes again.

“Drama Queen.” He muttered but still got up to take Teddy out of Tony’s arms.

“It takes a bit of time for him to get comfortable with new people. As soon as he is, he stops making a fuss.” He placed the kid on his chest and moved a little, as if dancing to a slow song, whispering calming words to Teddy while the small human calmed down.

“See, nothing happened, little bean.” While saying that, Harry looked straight at Tony, a calm smile on his lips. 

Okay, okay he could learn that. 

Then Harry pushed Teddy back into Tony’s arms and he was not so certain anymore.

“If he starts to get fussy, just stand up and rock him a little.”

Staring at the teen, Tony forced himself to swallow. Standing and rocking a baby. He could do that. There was like a 90% chance he could do that.

Harry was able to finish a second waffle and the generous helping of fruit salad before Teddy started to whine again and Tony decided to count this as a raging success.

Handing over the baby, Mount Everest crumbled off his chest and he exhaled harshly.

“Are you okay?” Harry was still grinning, almost evilly so.

“Yeah. But this,” he made a vague gesture to Harry handling Teddy, “is hard work and I don’t know how you do it.”

“Well, as I told you before, Andy just pushed him into my arms and went to take a shower.”

“In that case I’m glad you didn’t just leave.”

“Never.” 

None of them commented on the harshness in that word. Or on the way Harry pressed his face closer to the baby in his arms.

Abandonment issues: check. 

Chapter Text

Brushing a few strands of dark hair out of Teddy’s face, Harry smiled. The little bean had fallen asleep during the breakfast almost as soon as Tony had handed him back, obviously relieved to hand him over again. 

Even though Harry thought the happiness was because he was afraid to hurt Teddy. The desperation shown all over Tony’s expression when Teddy had started crying was proof enough of that. And it wasn’t like Harry didn’t understand that feeling. 

Hell, the first time he had held Teddy he had been sure he would hurt him. Would hold him somehow wrong or let him fall. No one aside from Andy knew that he had sat down on the floor, rocking Teddy with his legs and holding onto him with both hands just because he had been so afraid to let the little bean fall. 

By now he knew enough to hold him. He definitely did not know enough to take care of Teddy. When he had thought about taking care of Teddy, he had always imagined Andy right beside him. That they would co-parent. That he would have Mr. and Mrs. Weasley close by. That Ron and Hermione would be there.

Not that he would be in America, in Stark Tower, surrounded by people who could fight literal aliens but were far too scared to hold a baby. (Even if he had thought fighting Voldemort had been easier, too.)

He hadn’t thought- hadn’t wanted to think about the possibility that Teddy could lose his last living relative.

Had never (or at least not in the last couple of years) dreamed that he could have a living relative out there. 

And now he had a… someone who had fathered him. 

And a son. 

And he felt nothing. 

That wasn’t true. Sometimes behind the nothing, behind the fog, there were flares of feelings. Worry that he would mess up with Teddy. Fear that they would hurt him. That Harry would hurt him. That Tony would get hurt because of Harry.

That all of this would crumble because everything good always crumbled. It got destroyed and he couldn’t do anything else but watch it happen. 

He had tried! Tried to keep Andy safe. Tried to keep everyone safe. Hell, he had walked into the Forbidden Forest and had tried to give his life to keep everyone else safe.

But he couldn’t. He failed. Again and again.

The only clear thing was the guilt, settled deep inside of his core. Yes, he knew he hadn’t hurt those people. But if he had been faster they wouldn’t have gotten hurt. And if no one would have known about his connection to Teddy, Andy wouldn’t have been a target.

How would he ever explain that to Teddy? How would he be able to explain that his parents decided to rather fight in a war than stay with him? His own pa- Lily and James had at least gone into hiding. They had put their trust into the wrong people but they had tried to stay with him. 

How would he be able to tell him that his grandmother had died because some power hungry asshole had wanted to kidnap Teddy to blackmail Harry? 

Looking down at the baby who was starting to wiggle as if he wanted to turn on his tummy again, there was another painful stab of guilt, of fear and self-loathing. 

Closing his eyes, Harry inhaled. Like he had read in the book Hermione had forced him to read at wand point. 

Focus on the right here and the right now. 

Right now he was in New York City. Standing in Teddy’s room that must have been put together during their flight here. The Tower was owned by his- by Tony Stark. And they were to stay here.

That method really lost all worth when you didn’t believe the stuff that was happening to you right now. That, of course, wasn’t a new realization. Harry had come to that one multiple times in his life already. The funny thing? It didn’t really make it better. You just stopped caring one day because no matter what you thought might happen, it would be very different anyway.

Like Tony Stark. He wasn’t surprised that the man was stubborn. It was something else he could claim was hereditary and therefore not his fault. 

He was surprised how adamant the billionaire was that he wanted to have something to do with Harry. Sure, Tony was a hero, and Harry knew he looked like death warmed over so it was kind of understandable why Tony wanted to help him. 

Maybe, even if he shouldn’t interpret too much into it, but maybe Tony would also like to have a connection to his only living blood relative. Even if he had never agreed to him.

Sitting down in the rocking chair beside the crib, Harry clasped his hands together.

And what makes you think I didn’t choose you? Right here, right now, before Captain America as our witness and in the full knowledge that Jarvis is recording this, I choose you, Harry.

Swallowing heavily, he pressed his eyes closed. Tony had looked earnest when he had said that. As if he actually meant it. But he hadn’t known. He still didn’t know. Didn’t know what Harry had done. Who was after him. What he had been put through. 

It’s okay. You’re not alone anymore. 

Something burned. In his chest and behind his eyes. He couldn’t remember anyone ever saying that to him. Certainly no adult. Certainly no one that actually cared for him - or to be more precise: someone who should have cared for him. 

Inhaling carefully, he focused on the cushion he was sitting on, the feeling of the rough jeans under his fingertips.

He couldn’t remember a moment where he had believed any of this was okay. That it was okay to be breaking. That he wasn’t alone anymore. But in that moment, he hadn’t been Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world or the boy who lived twice. In that moment, he had been small, starved and scared Harry sitting on a thin mattress in a dark cupboard wishing for a hero to save him.

It doesn’t matter who is after you or why, I’m going to keep you safe. I have no idea how this parenting thing works but we can figure it out together. If you want to.

It did matter though. It did matter who was after him. Who would come to either kidnap him or to kill him- although word was that his death was supposed to be a spectacle. At least they didn’t seem to learn from Tom’s mistakes. 

They would hurt and/or kill anyone who would be with him when they got to him. They would kill anyone who would try to protect him. And if Harry didn’t need anything it was another person dying because of him.

Which meant if he was a better person, he would have given Teddy to someone else. But he couldn't. Couldn’t break his promise to Remus and Andy. Couldn’t risk Teddy getting hurt as he had been hurt. 

As soon as Hermione was back in England and had a minute, he would ask her to draw up a will for him. He would beg them to take care of Teddy if something was to happen to him. He knew they would. Of course, they would.

Tony had no idea how that parenting thing worked? Well Harry didn’t either. He had no clue. No idea. No example he felt comfortable to try to imitate. All he wanted for Teddy was to be safe and to be loved. He wanted the baby to grow up happy. He wanted him to have everything Harry never had. 

A stable home.

It didn’t matter what he would have to do to give him that. It didn’t matter at all. He would do any- and everything. He would give up whatever he had to as long as Teddy would have everything he needed.

Give me a chance.

Tony had been so calm when he had asked for a chance. As if he really wanted it. As if it was that simple. As if he really wanted to get to know Harry. Even though he had refused to take anything out of his hands, he had hugged Harry. Had held him close and even though it was stupid and illogical, he had felt safe. 

Tony’s touch hadn’t hurt. It had been warm and calm and sure. Even while the genius had rambled. His hands had been calm and reassuring while rubbing small circles into his back. Not commenting on his bones sticking out of him. Not commenting on how thin he was.

Even if all the people living in the Tower seemed to be rather focused on pushing food onto everyone else. It wasn’t really something new for Harry but still. He had sat in front of three out of six Avengers and all of them had put food on his platter.

Tony had even held Teddy to give Harry more room to eat no matter that he had looked all but panicked holding the little bean.

How could he have not agreed to stay?  Even if he knew that Tony would kick him out sooner or later. Or that he would have to leave because of one thing or another. He didn’t even try to come up with reasons as life itself would just take it as a dare and would create something worse. 

And if there was anything he didn’t need and wanted to keep as far away from Teddy (and Tony) as possible, it was something worse. Bloody hell, Teddy was just a baby who had already lost everyone and Tony had battled against aliens just a few months earlier!

They didn’t need Harry Potter, the most powerful trouble magnet there was, in their lives. But he was too stubborn, too selfish to do something about it. 

Some hero he was. 

But then again, compared to real heroes he wasn’t even in the same league. He had fought against Voldemort because he didn’t have a choice. Because it had been the only option left to him. He had survived on luck, other people sacrificing themselves, other people helping him and the stupidity and dramatics of his opponent. 

Not like Tony who had decided to put an end to manufacturing weapons. Who had decided to build the Iron Man suit and fight villains. 

Who had used what others had done to him to rise above all of them. 

“Master Potter?”

Flinching, his hand was already on his wand before he recognized the quiet voice. Jarvis. Tony’s super smart computer.

“Yes?” He whispered back.

“Sir asks if you want to join them. They are having a snack.”

Opening his mouth to decline, the British voice interrupted him, almost gently.

“I will inform you as soon as Master Lupin-Potter will wake up.”

Clearing his throat as silently as possible, Harry realized just a few hours earlier he had been Mr. Potter.

“I’d prefer if you would call me Harry and the small bean Teddy, Jarvis.” 

“As you wish Master Harry. I will inform you as soon as Master Teddy wakes up or needs any kind of assistance.”

Accepting that this was probably a kind of house elf situation and he would most likely lose against the AI, he nodded. Teddy wasn’t the only reason Harry didn’t want to leave the safety of his room but he wouldn’t be able to hide forever and he should use this time, shouldn’t he? Time to get to know his… Tony. Spend time with him while he could.

Looking down on Teddy, sleeping peacefully with both of his arms outstretched on either side of his head he hesitated.

“I could send a live video feed of my camera to your StarkPhone, if it would help, Master Harry.”

Being called out like that wasn’t something new to Harry. It still sucked.

“Yes, Jarvis, that would be… Thank you.”

“You’re most welcome. Sir, Captain Rogers and Dr. Banner are in the kitchen.”

Biting back a sigh and any and all emotional reactions, Harry stepped away from Teddy’s crib, hoping he wouldn’t regret trusting Jarvis. 

As advertised, the three Avengers sat around the kitchen island. The snack were multiple sandwiches, chips, some vegetables and some sort of american pie. 

Aha. A snack. Sure.

“Is Teddy still out for the count?”

Harry had taken Teddy back to their room about an hour ago, woken him up enough to change him and then had a small breakdown while sitting beside the crib. Not that he would say that of course.

“Yes. He’s still asleep.”

“That isn’t surprising. The move here must be really stressful for him.” Steve said, an encouraging smile on his lips while looking at Harry. “You’re taking good care of him, Harry.”

Nodding, Harry sat down silently beside the supersoldier, now sitting in front of Tony, who pushed a sandwich towards him.

“Steve here needs like 10,000 calories a day so we’re testing everything in NYC to find the best delivery services this beautiful city has to offer.”

“I don’t need-”

“I think it depends on what he is doing, Tony. On a normal day, I’d say-”

The men started bickering while all of them pushed more food towards Harry. He had learned the hard way with the Weasley family that it was not a good idea to not eat. 

Taking half a sandwich and some chips, he placed his smartphone beside him, not even surprised when it showed Teddy without him touching the screen.

“That reminds me Harry, Pep, that is Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries, the one running SI and my life, is going to drop by either today or tomorrow.”

“I’ll let her in.”

Tony stopped, blinking for a moment. “The wards, I remember. Wait, why did they let Bruce in?” He pointed at the scientist sitting beside him, looking worried.

“Because I changed them to let him in?”

“But you didn’t do anything.”

“I don’t have to do anything outwards. The ward is keyed to my magic that means I can allow the magic to allow someone inside of the wards.”

“Like unlocking their user account for a server?” Bruce asked, a new interest sparking in his eyes.

“...sure.” 

“Does that mean you have to give us access everytime we come up here?” Steve asked, a crease between his brows.

“No. The wards recognizes people I give access to the floor.”

“What I actually wanted to say was,” Tony interrupted, glaring playfully at the soldier sitting beside Harry, “she'll come over and will hand you some paperwork to go through. We made some papers for you and Teddy, bank accounts for both of you, even if Teddy’s is more of a trust fund for obvious reasons and some more stuff that you definitely don’t have to decide today.” 

Looking at Tony, he saw the slight show of nerves there. Saw the way he balled his fist before relaxing it again.

“Did you forge some papers?”

“If you have to ask, the answer is definitely no and they are going to be legally recognized, don’t worry.”

That hadn’t been the part he was worried about. He was sure Tony could, if he wanted or needed to, buy real papers directly from the source. He knew he had been able to do it - something Hermione had hated passionately before, during and after purchasing papers for all of them. Just in case.

“Why will we need papers?”

“The media-”

“Okay, yeah, got it.” Harry sighed. Tony needed to make sure they were legal or they would make him even more problems than they were already causing.

“I’m not sure you do.” There was no condescension in his tone, just worry and annoyed acceptance.

“The second they’ll find out about Teddy and me, they will hunt us all down. And if they don’t find a believable paper trail it will be a bloody riot.”

“You’ve dealt with the press before?” Bruce met Harry’s eyes. There was something more in that question, Harry was sure. Staying careful for once in his life and not about to spill more of his bloody life story, he decided to plainly agree.

“Yes. I’ve dealt with them before.”

“Whatever you have seen, it gets a lot worse when I am involved.” Tony sounded almost apologetic. “I will do everything I can to keep you out of it but sooner or later they will find out.”

Harry nodded, not saying that he seriously doubted that. Or that it would be that very moment in which he would have to flee. Not only for Teddy and his sake but also for Tony’s. 

He did have hope that all Death Eater wanna-be's wouldn’t read muggle publications or use the internet but he wasn’t stupid or naive enough to trust that hope.

Especially as it would put all of them at risk. 

“We also should go shopping. There is a lot you and the little one still need. I mean there is some stuff coming, especially clothes. We can-”

“Tony, you have already gotten us too much.” He definitely had. Both his and Teddy’s rooms were brand new, both filled with stuff they didn’t need, even stuff Harry wasn’t even sure how to use or what it was supposed to be.

Hermione had warned him about it, not that he wouldn’t have been able to realize himself that this was most likely Tony compensating or just throwing money around because what did a few thousand dollars mean to a Billionaire. 

Hell, even without having the guts to finally look at the Black vaults, he could spend a few thousand Pounds without it making an impression on his wealth. But that was not the point here. 

Harry didn’t want to take money from Tony. No matter if it was freely given or because of guilt. He had money and he definitely didn’t want to appear as if he wanted to enrich himself by spending time with Tony.

“Firstly: no. Secondly: I’m buying just essentials. Ask Steve and Bruce. Thirdly: I’m a billionaire. There is basically no way you can even make a dent in my bank account.”

“That’s not-” 

“Harry?”

Looking over to Bruce, he saw a resigned smile on his face. “Just accept the card and don’t use it if you don’t want to. I have been arguing with him about that for three months now. And I’ve lost every time.”

“It’s true.” Tony grinned at the other scientist, a childish glee in his expression. “And don’t worry Brucey, I’ll get you to spend some money, just give me a little time.”

“I wish I could say you won’t but I moved in here against my better judgment.” The sigh was heavy, long and mostly fake. Even if the worry stiffening his shoulders was still real.

“I really don’t need the card though. My- James came from a wealthy family. I have more than enough on my own.”

The expression of surprise and intense worry in Tony’s brown eyes was there and gone again before Harry could even be sure that was what he had actually seen but there had been something in the older man’s expression. Something intense that had churned up Harry’s stomach even if, or maybe especially since now, he smiled at him happily.

“Great then you know how to spend money and can help me teach them,” he made a careless gesture towards Steve and Bruce, “that it’s, in fact, not a sin to use some money to treat yourself.”

Smiling innocently, Harry nodded, slowly. “Sure. As my outfit clearly suggests, I'm an expert in spending money on luxurious articles.” 

“That’s settled then.” Clapping his hands together he let his dark eyes fall on Harry’s plate, a small frown forming on his forehead before it smoothed out again when he saw that Harry had barely been able to eat anything. 

To his defence, breakfast had been like two hours ago.

“One more thing.” The false cheer in his voice was clearly meant to sooth. 

It didn’t change that Harry’s neck hair was standing at attention before Tony could say another word. He knew that tone. From blood sucking reporters, from back in the day when Petunia or Vernon wanted something or had something horrible for him to do. He knew it from teachers and people trying to get close.

“I want- I would like for you to see a Doctor to-”

“No.”

The no had been on his lips before he had even heard the question but knowing the question he felt even more confident in declining.

“I-”

“Whatever it is, no.”

“You have been in a-”

“That was months ago. I’m fine.”

Tony pressed his lips together before leaning a little closer, his burning focus on Harry while Bruce and Steve sat beside them stiffly, as if wishing themselves on another continent right now.

“Bruce can-”

“No.”

Two years ago Harry would have exploded into his face. Last year he would have seethed. Right now all he felt was an absolute conviction that he would not go to any Doctor. He wasn’t injured. He was fine. And he would not let someone he didn’t even know dictate what he was or wasn’t doing no matter that he was related to Harry or that he might be worried about him.

Meeting Tony’s eyes reminded him of staring contests with Hermione. The difference was he knew Mione. He knew what every crease in her expression meant. He knew how to argue with her and she knew his boundaries, knew when to push and when to let it lie. 

He didn’t know Tony and Tony didn’t know him. Even if his intense eyes seemed to be able to read Harry. 

“I’m worried.” There was a sharpness to the voice that could either be anger or actual worry. 

“I’m fine.” 

The older man pressed his lips together, clearly holding something back before visibly calming down.

“Let us make a deal.”

Raising a single eyebrow, Harry waited. Tony was a businessman that could probably sell sand to a camel but Harry was almost stubborn to a fault. He was not going to agree to anything he didn’t want to. Hell, if he had to, he would stand up, grab Teddy and leave right now.

He was done with people, especially people who had no bloody idea who he was or what he needed to decide for him. Never again. 

“I won't ask you to see a Doctor without a… comprehensible reason and you’re going to tell me or Bruce if you're hurt.”

Bruce, who at that moment had taken a sip of his water almost choked on it, coughing violently, while Tony stubbornly ignored the other man and Steve looked worried for the older man.

Biting down on the categorical rejection, Harry glanced over to the Starkphone leaning against his water glass. Teddy was still sleeping in his crib. Objectively speaking, it wasn’t an outlandish request. 

“Okay.” It sounded a little more wooden than he would have liked but looking back at Tony, it barely mattered. 

The genius looked relieved. As if a huge burden had been lifted off of him. As if he actually cared for Harry. 

Fuck. 

“Does that mean you will be a good example, Tony?” Bruce asked as soon as he was able to inhale air without coughing. “Because last time you-”

“Yes, Brucey, I’m going to be the perfect patient.” 

The following silence didn’t need the skeptic looks from the other two Avengers but it did give the moment a rather authentic touch.

Apparently his hatred of medical treatment was something else he had inherited straight from the source.

“Also, I’m not that kind of Doctor.”

“You’re my kind of Doctor.” Tony threw an arm around Bruce and dragged him close, all the while ignoring his heavy sigh. 

“You know our deal Tony, if I find anything I don’t know how to treat which is-”

“Almost nothing.”

“-basically everything because I didn’t study medicine-”

“You have practical knowledge, Brucey!”

“-I will call someone who actually studied medicine.”

“Sure you will,” Tony let go of the man, who, notably, lingered a moment longer against the billionaire before he sat back and smiled carefully at Harry. 

“You don’t have to-”

“I would prefer it to be you than just… anyone.”

“Oh.” The wonder and hesitance in Bruce’s eyes was almost enough for Harry to prove to him that he actually meant what he said. 

Almost. 

“Oh and Jarvis has made a list with the best pediatricians in New York just in case.”

That was a good idea. As there were still some horrible prejudices against werewolves and everyone associated with them, he would prefer to go to a muggle one - if the problem wasn’t magic related.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The silence settling over all of them was not exactly uncomfortable but a far cry from relaxed too.

Glancing down on his food, Harry ate another chip, just to have something to do.

“Have you heard anything from Miss Granger yet?”

Looking up, Harry couldn’t hold back the smile. “Yes. Thank you for that help, too.”

“Did it… work out?” 

“They're waiting for an opportunity to talk to them.” Or at least that was what Harry suspected they were doing. Ron, in typical Ron fashion, had texted found them just before Harry had been called to breakfast (something he still couldn’t believe).

As soon as everything was over and done with, Mione would most likely call and tell him everything in detail.

“That’s probably a good idea.” Steve offered a hesitant smile on his lips.

“Yeah I would say so.” Harry agreed, his eyes flashing back to the phone. Teddy had wiggled a little but was still sleeping.

“Do you know them?”

Meeting Tony’s eyes he knew that there was something more behind the question, but he didn’t know what.

“No, not really.”

Tony opened his mouth, his expression carefully neutral, when a shrill alarm interrupted him.

“I’m sorry, Sir. You, Captain Rogers and Dr. Banner are called into action. Apparently someone is declaring war on New Jersey.”

Trying to calm his panicked heartbeat, Harry let go of his wand, pushing it back into his sleeve. 

“Why would anyone try to conquer Jersey ?”

“Cap, I couldn’t agree more. What the hell, Jay?”

“Personal opinions aside I would advise you all to suit up. The Avengers-”

“You’re right, Jarvis.” Steve stood up. “Suit up everyone, we’re flying out in 3 minutes.”

Tony’s dark eyes settled on Harry as if not wanting to leave before he stood up himself. “You should be safe here.”

“Okay.”

For just a heartbeat Harry felt the impulse to follow them. To insist that he could fight with them. That he could help. 

And he could. 

But he didn’t say anything. He didn’t follow the men when they all but ran from the floor. 

He just sat there. His eyes glued to the phone still showing Teddy sleeping. 

He had done enough for the world. 

He had given enough. 

He would be there for Teddy. No matter what.

Chapter Text

Sitting on the plush rug, Harry kept his eyes on Teddy, laying on a blanket, as the little boy was wriggling and reaching uncoordinated towards the light bubbles Harry let dance over him. Right now they were still in the primary colors, although the red ones were still Teddy’s favorite. 

As they should be. 

Harry wasn’t sure he wanted Teddy to go to Hogwarts if he was being honest, but that didn’t change that he still felt pride for his house. Sometimes. Hell, he could say the red was important because it was the predominant color of the Iron Man suit.

Not that that was in any way important to him, of course. 

Hell, he didn’t even know whether or not Teddy would ever know about Harry’s connection to the superhero. Or more precisely if he would know the man that had fathered Harry. Right now, he didn’t even know if he would know the man, for crying out loud. 

Ignoring the gut wrenching worry and demanding need to follow the heroes and do something to help, he focused on Teddy’s intense stare as he tried to grab the bubbles made of light. 

Aside from ignoring the attack and not reaching for his phone to check the news channels he was sure were giving updates about it, he also did not think about what papers Miss Potts could possibly bring over that had made Tony that worried. It was most likely a NDA, which was just logical on Tony’s part. He had let a stranger into his home. Of course, he needed to protect his secrets. 

Then there was possibly something to make sure Harry couldn’t make demands of the billionaire. That could also be a reason why he made Harry a bank account. He wouldn’t take any money from the genius, of course, but Harry could understand why Tony might feel better for buying himself out of it. Not that he had to.

He would also decline the money for Teddy. The little bean would have more than enough just with the money Harry inherited from the Potter family and who knew maybe Harry would actually start working someday and add to the money.

Not that he gave a damn about Skeeter’s opinion but the article deeming him to be a freeloader had been especially backstabbing and hateful. (Hermione had to be held back physically to not find the witch and force her back into that jar.)

Right now though, he would focus on Teddy. He would also ignore the ton of implications, propositions and outright invitations to become an Auror. He wouldn’t risk leaving Teddy without anyone if he could help it.

That, of course, also meant he had no idea whatsoever what he could do. He wouldn’t go into politics. Yes, he was the fucking savior of the wizarding world (or at least whenever he wasn’t the next Dark Lord) and he held two Lordships but that didn’t qualify him for shit. Besides that, Harry hated politics. He hadn’t wanted to be a mascot for the Ministry of Magic and he didn’t want to lead it. Hell, most of the time he was fighting with them anyway.

Exhaling, Harry leaned back against the expensive couch.

Right now, he would just try to use the time he had here. To get to know… Tony. To maybe calm down some. To acclimate to being Teddy’s sole caretaker. 

His… his father. 

He would never, not for one second, pretend that Teddy was anything less to him than his son. He would also never hide the truth from the little bean. Thankfully he had a few more years before he would need to be able to explain what had happened and why he was with Harry and not Remus and Tonks.

While thinking about the far and possibly not so far future, he would need to keep an eye and an ear out for the MACUSA, the british Ministry of Magic, those infuriating stupid people who wanted to kill him to gain power, those who wanted to kill him for revenge and those who wanted to kill him for political gain. 

Maybe he should just not meet with anyone remotely magic.

Teddy, not caring for anything aside from the colorful bubbles, kicked his legs in the air, squealing happily, before wiggling enough to flop onto his belly.

“Wow, little bean, you got better with that.” Harry smiled down at the small baby, pounding his hands on the blanket while making happy noises.

Leaning forward, he grabbed the tiny feet and dragged the small bean a little closer to him, which made Teddy squeal happily again.

“Let’s try sitting again, hm? You almost had it this morning.” That was maybe a bit of an exaggeration but Teddy had moved his body to an almost sitting position before falling onto his side and rolling onto his stomach.

“Master Harry?”

“Yes?” Looking up to one of the cameras of the AI, he held Teddy a little closer now, being calm and relaxed. Why should he be worried? 

“The Avengers won the fight. There haven’t been any injuries and now they are helping clean up the park they… used as a fighting ground.

Leaning back against the couch, Teddy cuddled close to his chest, Harry exhaled, slowly. They were fine. Nothing had happened. It didn't matter that he stayed back. They were fine.

“Thank you for telling me, Jarvis.”

“You’re very welcome, Master Harry.” The voice was warm and sounded so human Harry, once again, questioned how Tony had been able to create the AI. Not that he would be able to understand any of the process even if Tony would take the time to explain it to him. Bloody hell, he had asked, as Hermione had called him, the tech genius of this century to explain to him how a freaking Stark Phone worked. 

He would never be able to live that one down.

Placing the little bean back onto the blanket, Harry helped him into a sitting position. Which Teddy held for almost a few seconds before wriggling his arms happily and flopping on his back. 

Having expected that outcome, Harry already had his hand between the small head and the hard ground.

Producing some more light bubbles, Harry took the phone out of his jeans pocket before glancing down on it. 

Ron had sent him a very informative text of: Mione freaks.

Harry didn’t answer that text. 

“Master Harry?”

Looking up from his phone, he let his gaze wander over Teddy, who was still happily trying to grab the light bubbles, before looking back up at the camera.

“Yes, Jarvis?”

“Miss Potts asks if it is convenient for you if she comes over right now.”

“Yes, of course.” It was probably a good idea to get it over with as soon as possible and after the fidgeting of Tony earlier, he would probably appreciate it if he wasn’t here for the whole thing.

“She will be here shortly.”

Nodding, Harry exhaled slowly. He wouldn’t take any money. He would sign any NDA that was presented after reading it thoroughly. Actually, maybe he should look into NDAs himself. Not that he wanted to explain to Tony why he thought an NDA was a good idea. Not that he thought Tony, who knew exactly how the press could get would say anything about him.

The still unfamiliar twinge in his stomach informed him that someone was getting close to their floor. Trusting Jarvis, Harry changed the wars to let her in.

Still it was hard to let Teddy lay where he was and not grab him close the second the elevator doors opened, Harry looked up. A few seconds later Miss Virginia Pepper Potts, the fearless and highly competent CEO of Stark Industries walked into the living room, her eyes glancing from him to Teddy and back to him.

Hermione had, of course, researched her too, when they had looked up Tony and was a fan of the tough woman, not giving a single shit about anything, according to the witch.

“Hello Harry, I’m Pepper. I’m not sure whether or not Tony told you I was going to come over.”

Pushing himself up, Harry smiled at the woman. She decidedly reminded him of Professor McGonagall.

“He told me you would come over with some paperwork. The little bean is Teddy.” He nodded downwards to where said little bean was looking for the light bubbles that had vanished the second Harry had heard the elevator doors open. 

“Hey Teddy.” She said in a higher voice, smiling down on the baby. “Do you want to stay here or-”

“If it is not too inconvenient?”

“No, of course not.” The CEO of one of the richest tech companies in the world said, stepped out of the high heels and sat down on the floor, opposite of Harry, leaning against the couch with her shoulder, placing the stack of papers she had been holding onto her knees.

Following her example, Harry sat down again, leaning against the couch and met Pepper Potts’ eyes, while keeping the now slightly frustrated Teddy between them.

“I can’t imagine how… jarring all of this has to be for you Harry, and I’m sorry to bother you with all of this. Tony is a very public figure and as the CEO of Stark Industries I need to make sure…” 

“That my existence is not going to cost the company a lot of money?” He offered when the woman didn’t seem to know how to finish that sentence.

Her green eyes darkened as she met his own and yes, he was sure he didn’t want her as an enemy. “It’s my job as CEO to protect the company, yes, but that’s not why I’m here.” There was a threat in those words even if Harry wasn’t sure if it was directed at him.

“Tony asked me to draw up all the papers we could possibly need. You’re right, when people find out that Tony Stark has an heir there will be an uproar. And we might lose some points on the stock market but we’ll get them back. We always do.” There was conviction in her words. Almost enough for Harry to believe her.

“Heir?”

“Of course.” She exhaled, calmly. “That’s the reason I’m here. When people learn about it, they will want to know about you, your plans regarding SI and-”

“What do you mean heir? ” 

“You, of course, don’t have to take over Stark Industries. Whether or not you want a role in the company is nothing you have to decide now. That’s the other reason I’m here. Tony is basically my brother. That means you’re family. It also means I’m going to kick his ass if you need me to.”

Harry was still stuck on the heir part, although Pepper didn’t seem to care. Or realize it.

“You will, of course, inherit his-”

“Stop.”

Leaning forward to grab Teddy, he pulled him close, rubbing soothing circles onto his back, calming himself possibly more than the fuzzy baby.

“Are you okay, Harry?” Pepper asked, her voice calm and understanding. “I know this is a lot but-”

“Why would he want me to be- He doesn’t even know me!” It burst out of him in a flare of anger and- something else. Something deeper. Heavier. Scarier.

“Why did you move to New York with him?” She asked back.

Because it had been his best option to keep Teddy safe. Because Hermione had told him it was a good idea. Because he needed to get away from England.

Because he wanted to get to know the man who had fathered him? Because he was still the small crying child in that fucking cupboard that wanted to be rescued even if he knew it wouldn’t happen?

“Not to become the heir of the Stark fortune.” He whispered, his voice hard. “Not to get money from him. I don’t-”

“I didn’t think that.” Pepper interrupted, a frown on her forehead. “Do you know why Tony wants you to be here?”

Harry stayed silent. Tony had said he wanted to get to know him. That he would be there for Harry. But that was something completely different from fucking naming Harry his heir .

“I know he can be difficult and that he is… not good with emotions, but Tony wants to get to know you Harry. Yes, he has made many many mistakes in his life but he is a good person. And if you let him, he will fight for you. He will protect you.”

“He doesn’t have to.”

“No, I know. He knows it too. But he wants to.”

“Just because of-”

“Tony knows that blood doesn’t have to mean anything.” Pepper leaned forward, her expression now carefully calm. “Rhodey and I are his siblings. We know that blood doesn’t have to mean anything. But it can also mean everything.”

It was a promise and a plea. As if Pepper thought she needed to convince Harry to give Tony a chance. As if she thought Tony wanted him.

Hell, who was he kidding? Apparently he was fine with naming Harry his heir. After knowing him for five days. And sure, parents would probably do that when they held their newborns in their arms. Hell, he had done it the second he had adopted Teddy, and would have probably named him his heir regardless, but that was something different!

Tony shouldn’t have to put up with him! He shouldn’t-

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“That’s okay.” Pepper relaxed, her eyes wandering to Teddy who was now playing with a fistful of Harry’s shirt. “Take all the time you need.”

“...what do you think?” Looking back up and meeting her eyes, Harry kept his voice calm. “Not as a friend or sister of Tony’s but as CEO?”

“I think a Stark as the owner of Stark Industries makes the most sense. I know that investors will be happy as soon as the first shock is over.”

“I’m not a genius.”

“You’re still a Stark though.”

“I’m not.”

Not looking down, she fished a file out of the stack. “You are by blood and the name is just a formality.” Leaning forward, she handed him the file, her eyes calm and sure.

Hesitating, Harry opened the file with one hand, the other keeping Teddy secure in his lap. They were adoption papers for him. To recognize him as Tony’s… son. And to change his name into Harry James Potter-Stark or Harry James Stark.

“If you agree, Teddy would be able to change his name as well, of course.”

Not looking up, he placed the file on the floor, looking at the other papers. She was right. Those forms were also already filled in. All it needed were his own signature and Tony’s.

Swallowing, he kept breathing.

After that, Pepper handed him more files. Explaining his options. Handing over information for his bank account she had opened for him with a ridiculous amount of money in it and his credit card information.

She explained various stories they could spin for the press and the investors.

She also told him that he didn’t need to decide anything today. As if Tony had no say in it. As if he would be happy with all of the options - which just couldn’t be right. One of the cover stories said his mother had not wanted Tony to have anything to do with him, so he had stayed out of Harry’s life until Harry had reached out to him. It was the most honest option, true, but the whole thing laid the blame at Tony’s door when he hadn’t done anything wrong.

And that was, of course before the whole Tony apparently was okay with him becoming his heir - as if that wasn’t the worst idea ever.

Sure, the Stark name could potentially give Harry a new layer of protection. At the same time it would most definitely put another bullseye on Tony’s back though.

Neither he nor Pepper, of course, knew that.

“I have to think about it.”

“Sure.” Standing up, Pepper placed the rest of the papers she hadn’t handed over yet, on the couch and slipped back into her high heels.

“Take all the time you need and if you have any questions, you can call me or ask Jarvis.”

“Okay.”

“Harry?”

Looking up at the woman in the black dress, Harry felt like a little kid. 

“Tony is not good at saying what he wants and it might be too early but he wants to be there for you. I’ve been friends with him for years now and there is no one I would want more in my corner when the world around me crumbles.”

Give me a chance.

Nodding noncommittally, Harry averted his eyes.

Ten minutes later he had put Teddy in the charmed sling, used everything he had to mask his appearance, a notice-me-not-charm and was out of the Tower.

He needed some air. Needed to get out. To think. 

Walking aimlessly, he let everything around grab his attention. The still visible signs of the almost alien invasion. The peculiar fashion in New York City. 

Teddy had fallen asleep almost as soon as Harry had been out the door. Feeling safe with the human disaster that was Harry Potter.

Harry Stark?

Did he want that? If it was an actual option… if Tony actually wanted that… would he want to become Harry Stark?

The Potter name had brought him nothing but a horrible fate. But James had given his life to protect Lily and Harry. He must have loved Harry. He had adopted him like Harry had adopted Teddy.

He pressed a kiss on the small head.

James probably had loved him. That didn’t change that he and Lily had fucked up. But they had loved him. Had tried to keep him safe. 

There was no reason for him to want to be a Stark aside from wanting to escape the famous name. For wanting to be free of the expectations. For wanting a new start.

Which was definitely not a good reason to accept the name of your biological father as the meaning would seem so very much different for everyone else.

And that was before the press, be it magical or muggle, would get a hold of the story.

Why the fuck had Tony asked for this papers? Because it would be better for his image? Harry didn’t really believe that.

Because he wanted Harry? He didn’t really believe that either. And if he would believe it, he would have to run immediately because every father figure he ever had, even if they had been crap, had died. Every last one.

Not that Tony was a father figure, of course. Even if he had hugged Harry. Had followed him to England because he thought he might be in danger. Even if he had said that he chose Harry almost immediately after knowing about him.

Did he do that out of pity?

Looking down at Teddy, he bit his lip. The first time he had gone to Andromeda it had been out of a sense of responsibility. He had also felt guilty that Teddy had lost his parents to the war.

It had taken the little bean about three days to win Harry completely over. 

Theoretically, Tony could have the same line of thought even if Harry didn’t think so. Yes, he was pathetic and obviously needed help but he wasn’t an innocent little baby. 

At least not anymore.

It wasn’t Tony’s fault that he hadn’t been there seventeen years ago to protect him from the Dursleys. That, of course, might not matter to the genius, as guilt, as Harry had learned the hard way, didn’t care for logic.

What would Harry do if he found out in eighteen years that he had a kid he hadn’t known about.

His arms tightened protectively around Teddy without him even realizing it.

He would find the kid. He would make sure they were safe and taken care of.

What would he do if he found someone as broken as he himself was? And Tony clearly suspected at least some of what had happened with the Dursleys. He was clearly aware shit had gone down in the last few years. He knew about the war last year.

Harry would do anything he could to keep the kid safe. To get them help. To be there for the kid as he had wanted people to be there for him when he had been alone and suffering.

Could that be it? 

Harry knew basically nothing about Tony’s childhood aside from the one comment that Tony’s father would have been better off without kids. Aside from the excessive drinking, drug use and other excessive activities Tony had done since he was younger than Harry was now.

He knew about Afghanistan. Had seen the legendary press conference a couple of days ago and thought he recognized the expression in his eyes while he had stood there, facing the press down and not moving even an inch. 

Would he offer his kid to be his heir? To get his name and the protection it offered? If his name would ever offer anyone protection, that was.

Looking down on the brown haired head resting on his chest, he knew the answer. 

He wouldn’t even hesitate. He would call Ron and Hermione the second he knew about it and do anything to get to the kid. 

Wasn’t that exactly what Tony had done? Grabbing a teammate, calling Pepper and organizing everything to keep him safe?

Not that Harry deserved that. Or that Tony should be doing that for him. But Tony didn’t know any better, did he?

He would tell him. Not everything. Not even Ron and Hermione knew everything. But he would tell him some. And then he would ask him why. 

Looking around and not recognizing anything, Harry sighed.

He would do all that as soon as he found his way back to the Tower.

Chapter Text

This whole mission had been a disgrace. The villain had barely been enough of a threat to even be categorized as such. He had basically destroyed Tony trying to be there for Harry as he had not even managed one fucking day without a crisis. 

And it hadn’t even been a fucking crisis! It had been a man with some mutated ostriches and a grudge.

Muttering viciously under his breath, he landed on the platform of Stark Tower, letting Jarvis take his armor off. 

Steve and Bruce would be back with the Quinjet in a few minutes but Tony hadn’t been able to wait any longer. 

He had seen the look in Harry’s eyes. He knew that look. Of someone who wouldn’t be left behind. Of someone who was used to standing up and fighting in battles no matter the cost to them.

To be honest, it had surprised him when the kid hadn’t demanded to be taken with them. Even if he knew why Harry had chosen to stay back.

Still, there was a deep seated worry rumouring in his gut. What if he had followed them nonetheless? What if he had decided to leave?

What if whoever was after them had been able to get into the Tower? 

Balling his fists, Tony had to hold himself back from berating himself loudly. Harry wasn’t six, he was a fucking adult and Tony was not turning into a hypochondric helicopter parent. 

He. Was. Not.

Stepping into his living room, he saw the plushy blanket on the carpet, carefully placed there. On the couch beside it was a stack of papers, the sheet on top was showing proudly the name Harry Stark.

Pepper had been here. Fuck. 

“Jay, where is Harry and how freaked out is he?”

“Master Harry and Master Teddy left the Tower about an hour ago.”

Freezing in his movement, Tony looked up at the camera. “What?”

“They left shortly after Miss-”

“Why didn’t you stop them?!”

“I am not in the habit of detaining people who have every right to-”

“Locate him! Now!”

“Master Harry left his phone and didn’t-”

“Jarvis.” The word was hard. Cutting. Drawing blood. Or at least to Tony, it felt like it should draw blood. After stopping just for a moment, his heart was beating far too fast and violently in his chest.

He needed to find Harry. To explain. To possibly apologize for going overboard.

“I tried, Sir. Master Harry used some kind of charme to disguise himself. The cameras lost him in a crowd and I wasn’t able to find him again. Yet.”

No. 

No, he couldn’t have lost Harry. He couldn’t have-

“If I may share my opinion, Sir, I do believe he will come back. Master Harry seemed to be… overwhelmed. I guessed he just wanted to clear his head. He also did not take any of his belongings with him.”

“...did he pack a bag for Teddy?” Because Tony had no problem believing that Harry would leave most of everything he formerly owned behind without blinking, but he would pack a bag for Teddy. He wouldn’t leave without nappies and food for the baby.

“No, he did not, Sir. I estimate from prior observation that he will come back shortly.”

Tony did not tell the AI that he couldn’t know that, especially since prior observations could maximally be a few short days which didn’t give enough data to make a statement like that. 

Instead of answering Jarvis, he walked over to Harry’s room, which looked untouched still. Teddy’s nursery, right beside Harry’s, was obviously lived in. And as far as Tony could tell, everything was still here. Even the small plushy Harry had taken with them for Teddy and a picture of Remus and Nymphadora Lupin, smiling happily out of the frame. And fucking waving . 

The elevator door chimed, making Tony turn way too fast and almost braining himself on the door frame.

“Tony?”

Never before had he felt as disappointed as he did right now while Steve Rogers smiled at him.

“Tony? Is everything alright?”

“Harry left.” His voice was empty.

“What?” Steve stepped closer, a deep frown on his forehead.

“Master Harry left for a-”

“We don’t know that Jay.” Great, now he sounded defeated.

“What happened?” Steve stepped even closer, concern radiating off of him in waves.

Stepping around Steve, he thought for just a moment that the other man was about to hug him, but as Steve turned with him, it could have just been wishful thinking instead of reality. 

Walking over to the couch, he grabbed the papers, clutching them close for a moment, before holding them out for Steve to read.

The super soldier glanced down at the papers and by just keeping a close eye on his expression, Tony knew exactly when Steve read the name.

Steve looked up, his blue eyes wide and… happy? No, that wasn’t what he looked like. It was more… Too much in fact. At least for now.

“Did he see that?” Steve asked, his voice almost a whisper, as if it was a secret.

“Pepper brought them over and talked it through with him.” Because Tony had been off, chasing fucking ostriches. Because he hadn’t managed to be there for one whole fucking day.

And now, Harry had fled. And if he came back - oh god, please, he had to come back - Tony would apologize. He would explain. Needed to find words that wouldn’t be empty lies because he did not want to ever brush him off. 

Tony knew better than promising Harry to always be there. He wouldn’t be. But he could promise to be there if Harry asked for it. If he would ask for it. That Tony would focus on him if they were together. That he would try his best every day. That he would do anything to learn from his mistakes and to be better. For Harry. For Teddy.

“And he left after Miss Potts gave him the papers?”

“Yes, Captain Rogers. But as I already told Sir-” The AI stopped and Tony tensed immediately. 

“Someone just stepped into the Tower. I can’t see them clearly but-”

“Let him in!” Right now, it almost didn’t matter if it was Harry or someone else with magic because even if it wasn’t Harry, they would probably be able to help find him. 

“As you wish, Sir.” There was an undertone in his AI’s voice that Tony was not about to analyze. Especially not while almost freaking out in front of Captain fucking America, and possibly seconds away from being told by his kid that he had already messed things up.

“It’s going to be alright, Tony.” 

Without looking away from the closed elevator doors, Tony moved his head enough for it to be interpreted as a nod. He wasn’t agreeing with Steve, but the soldier was obviously trying to be nice here and Tony wasn’t enough of an asshole for not recognizing the attempt. Not even now.

“Master Potter just revealed himself in the elevator. It is him and Master Teddy. Both seem fine.”

Exhaling slowly, Tony focused on relaxing his muscles, on schooling his features and hopefully looking calm and collected, and not like he was about to lose the last shreds of his reputation. 

When the elevator doors opened again, the teenager stepped out. Even if he looked more like a soldier than he had ever before, never mind the baby strapped in front of his chest, it was in the intense green eyes, in the set of his shoulders and his expression.

The kid let his eyes wander over them both, obviously checking for injuries. “Jarvis said everything went well?” It was more than a statement and less than a question.

“Yes, everything went well. It was a small mission.” Steve said, his voice warm and calm.

“Good.” Harry nodded, before looking back at Tony, his green eyes unreadable. “Can we talk?”

“Yes, of course.” This was good. Harry wanted to talk. He had asked after their well being. This was good. Even if everything in him was screaming to flee. 

“Thank you. I’m just going to change Teddy.” Hesitating for just a moment, Harry walked around them towards Teddy’s bedroom.

As soon as they heard the door shut, Steve stepped closer, almost too close. “Bruce and I are going to make sure there will be food when you guys are done talking.”

Blinking up at the super soldier, Tony almost lost his breath when he saw the brilliant smile on the other man’s expressions. He truly seemed to believe Tony got this. 

The fool.

Grabbing his shoulder and squeezing it reassuringly, Steve turned around and left. 

Tony did not freak out. 

He did maybe freak out a little bit, but even so, he was still level headed enough to place the papers on the kitchen island asking Jarvis to make new coffee, boil some water (because his kid was British and probably liked tea - or was he stereotyping him?) after asking whether or not they even had tea. 

They did. Thank fuck. Or rather Jarvis. 

Waiting had never been Tony’s strong suit, especially not while being as high strung as he was right now. But it didn’t matter. If anyone deserved all the time they needed, it was Harry. If anyone deserved to take some time to organize his thoughts after being handed a stack of papers that would change everything for them without even being asked if he even wanted any of it, it was Harry. 

Hearing quiet footsteps behind him, Tony turned, his coffee cup clutched tightly in his hand. Harry had changed his shirt, looking strangely determined and hesitant at the same time.

“Do you want coffee or tea?”

The teen’s eyes flickered down to the cup in Tony’s hand before meeting his eyes again. “Black tea, if you have.”

“Sure.” Busying himself, Tony filled the hot water into a cup before grabbing one of the tea bags and placing it on the kitchen island, closest to where Harry was still standing in the middle of the room.

Walking over, Harry sat down in front of his cup, carefully unpacking the tea bag and putting it into the hot water. 

He would have to ask Jarvis to buy more and better black tea. 

“Do you drink it with milk or sugar?”

Harry hesitated for a heartbeat as if he wasn’t sure if he could actually ask for anything. It only solidified Tony’s conviction that sooner or later he would find the Dursleys and make them pay for everything they had put the kid through. His kid.

“I drink it with both.”

“Sure.” Turning, he grabbed the sugar from the shelf and the milk from the fridge before placing it in front of the teen.

“Thanks.” Harry fixed his tea, before taking the bag out, squeezing it around his spoon, before getting up and throwing the bag away.

As soon as he sat down again, Tony couldn’t hold back any longer.

“I’m sorry.”

Harry looked up from where he had just taken a sip of his tea. His expression was calm and forcibly relaxed, not letting many of his emotions through. Still, one of his eyebrows rose, like Tony’s did when he was surprised. Or when he was especially annoyed or wanted to get the raise out of someone.

“What are you sorry for?”

Tony understood the tone of voice as he had been puzzled by other people for apologizing to him, too. For the longest time the only person to ever apologize to Tony had been Rhodey - and that had mostly seemed stupid to him. Something he was still learning even if that particular problem of his had gotten a lot better. Probably.

Harry did seem too surprised to have a lot of experiences with being apologized to. Most likely there hadn’t been many people, especially adults, who had ever apologized to him and even only knowing the very few things Tony did know about Harry’s past, it was basically a given that very few people had ever even acknowledged that it was wrong what had been done to the kid. Instead, they would have pushed and blamed and threatened. While abusing a kid. A child. While abusing Tony’s kid and forcing him to fight in some bullshit war that should have never been fought by children. 

“I should have been here when Pep came with the papers.”

Harry’s expression morphed to one of mild surprise. “It was an emergency.”

“Barely.” But worse than that was Harry’s obvious acceptance of being cast aside. Not that Tony had done that. It could have been an emergency and he was an Avenger, he was Iron Man. He had responsibilities. To save the world. To make it as safe as he could for Harry and Teddy. 

But if that wasn’t a problem, why was he trying to justify it to himself?

“You didn’t know it wasn’t an emergency.” There was the beginning of a smile on the too old expression, as if it reminded him of a similar situation. 

Tony couldn’t even put into words how furious it all made him. It was great that Harry was a much better man than Tony was already, and that he could take responsibility for Teddy at just eighteen. He was thankful that Harry seemingly didn’t use drugs, that he didn’t make the same mistakes that Tony had. 

But the kid, the man, in front of him most likely never even had the opportuinity to do anything stupid without having to fear severe repercussions. And Tony didn’t even mean the ones he had had to endure once upon a time. Hell, it had taken him years , Rhodey and therapy to be able to accept that it had been abuse. That most of the stuff that happened in his youth had been done to him.  

Looking back into the green eyes that showed shadows Harry should have never seen, that showed an understanding of the world that Tony didn’t want his kid to have, he would guess it was something Harry had to learn too.

He had never wanted kids. Just to keep them safe from this lesson. From everything he had gone through. If he would believe in it, he’d say it was divine punishment for his past and all the lives he had taken for Harry to have to endure worse without Tony even being involved.

The silence between them had stretched too long while Tony had been lost in his own thoughts. 

“I need to tell you some things.” The teenager moved minutely in his chair, his back straight, his shoulders tense. Tony would have bet a good part of his fortune that people less observant than he was would have overlooked these signs of stress since Harry did look all but relaxed and in control. 

“Of course.”

Nodding towards the papers laying between them, Harry’s expression grew even more blank. 

Biting back the apology and explanation, Tony waited. This whole topic was difficult for both of them and after springing all of it on Harry, listening to him without interruption was the least he could do.

“Not many people know about what I’m going to tell you now.” The teen hesitated, his gaze traveling over the kitchen behind Tony. “I’m not telling you because I want… your pity. Or to make you… feel guilty.” At that his green eyes snapped back to Tony’s. 

It answered every single of his questions as to why they were sitting right there. Harry seemed to actually want to give all of this a try but he thought he was a danger to Tony. Which Tony could take as a massive hit to his ego. 

Or he could see the fear, pain and devastation right behind the forced calm mask of an eighteen year old that thought he was the reason far too many people, including his parents, Teddy’s parents and the baby’s grandmother, had been killed.

“Okay. I’m not going to tell anyone about it without your permission.”

The slight frown almost indicated his disbelief but that too was something Tony would have to work on with Harry. There were already too many hints of him being used to being betrayed by people he trusted.

And wasn’t that a fucked up thing to inherit?

“After my parents were murdered, my godfather was accused of having betrayed them so I was given to my mother’s sister to be taken care off.”

Swallowing carefully, Tony clutched his coffee cup a little tighter. That sentence alone was filled with enough horrific implications that he knew he would have hours in front of him dwelling on every given detail and everything that this could mean and entail, because he knew that although Harry wouldn’t lie to him, he would not tell him everything. Most likely not even a fraction of what had actually been done to him.

It didn’t matter though. Every bit of information Harry offered was another sign he wanted this relationship. It was a sign of trust. 

“They didn’t like me.”

Biting down on his tongue, Tony focused on breathing. On keeping his face calm. On looking back into the green eyes.

“They lied about my parents, telling me they were killed in a car accident.”

Biting down harder on his tongue, Tony nodded, not sure if Harry knew how his grandparents had died. Not sure how he would be able to keep silent if the kid, his kid, would continue to tell his horrific life story in this detached way. 

“It wasn’t… fun… growing up with them.” The warrior in front of him moved, his shoulders rounding, as if he wanted to ball up, to protect himself before he stopped the unconscious bodily reaction.

“They didn’t know my fa- James had been rich otherwise they would have taken everything I owned. They hate magic even more than they hate me but I don’t think that hatred would extend to the money.” There was a self-deprecating and sarcastic tilt to the words, as if he had thought about them often and found humor in them. 

Tony knew that feeling. Could relate to it. 

Fuck.

“I was told about my… Lily and James, that I was a wizard and… everything else when I was eleven.”

“They told you you’re parents had been murdered when you were eleven ?” Tony asked, not able to hold the question in.

“Everyone else knew about it anyway.” Reaching up, Harry swiped his hair aside, showing off the full extent of the fine scar looking like lightning on his forehead. “I got this when Vol- Voldemort, the evil wizard?” Another self-deprecating smile slithered onto his lips. “His real name was Tom Riddle but he named himself Lord Voldemort and no, that’s not a joke. Anyways, when he killed my parents, he also tried to kill me and I got this scar. Everyone in the magical community, at least in Britain, knows this.”

Balling his free hand, Tony moved it under the kitchen island. Harry didn’t seem to notice as he just kept talking.

“It was very annoying that everyone knew more about me than I knew about myself when I started Hog- when I started school. Even Hermione, who had grown up with Muggles, knew more about my past as she had read some books about historical events and I was featured in some of them.” He rolled his eyes at that, as if it was an inside joke and not one of the most horrible things Tony had heard in a long time. 

That indicated so much willful ignorance or outright abuse from the magical community who had known about Harry, who would have had to check in on him and left him there without helping him, without even preparing him for anything- 

Without rescuing him from an abusive home until he was fucking eleven! They had let him rot there for a decade!

Grabbing his own leg with his free hand, he tried to stay calm. To not let any of his boiling rage show.

“Back then, I was just happy to get away from the Dursleys. To learn magic.” Just for a moment Harry’s smile turned wistful. Instantly, he looked far younger, almost as young as he actually was.

“Our society…,” he sighed. “The first war against Voldemort had ended when my parents died because Voldemort vanished. Most people thought he died that night.”

“He didn’t?” 

Harry sighed again. “I would have to go too deep into magical theories but… only part of him died.” It was more than obvious that it was something he didn’t want to talk about - which was a big red flag. 

“The important part to know is, there were still some… fanatics believing in his blood purity shit. Some of them were imprisoned. Some got away from that and were able to keep their high positions.”

Yeah, there were always rats being able to get away.

“Hog- my school, even though it was… problematic, was more home to me than the Dursleys ever were. I met Ron and Hermione. It wasn’t all bad.”

Tony bit back a growl and probably a harsh demand to get names, a location and the info if there were pupils there right now.

It wasn’t all bad? Even without knowing anything else, that sentence alone would ring alarm bells in him. With knowing what he did know right now? Yeah, it was an Avengers Alarm screaming inside of his head.

“He came back at the end of my fourth year.” Harry said, his voice quieter. “After that it got… more difficult.”

Balling his hand to a fist again, Tony felt his fingernails dug into his skin.

“He rallied some people behind himself. Some of them were the people that had walked free before. Some of them were new people. He also organized a mass breakout of his most loyal Dea- followers.”

“Was this when Sirius Black broke free?” Forcing himself to try to set everything he had learned into context hopefully stopped his bubbling rage that demanded he forget his superhero status and commit some atrocities. 

“No.” Harry said. His voice flat. “He wasn’t a follower of Voldemort. He had been framed.” He blinked, looking away for the first time since he had started to give glimpses into the horror show that had been his childhood. 

“It was two years later. A few months before he was killed. Because I made a mistake.” He didn’t give Tony time to say anything to that. Not that Tony would have known what to say. Harry had stated it like there was no way around it. As if it was written in stone. A fact no one was able to even second guess.

“After that Voldemort gained more followers. Our government was bloody stupid, holding back the truth and denouncing everyone who tried to say anything about it.” He balled his hand, making the fine lines of the back of it stand out. I must not tell lies. 

Tony almost threw up then and there. Blinding hot white rage almost drowning out Harry’s calm voice.

“Last year, he overthrew the government and as a lot of people, him included, thought I had something to do with anything, we fled.” He met Tony’s eyes again, defiance shining bright in his. “Ron and Hermione were well known for being my best friends so they had to flee, too. We worked on a plan…” For a moment something flashed over his expression, before he hid it behind the tea cup as he took a sip, clearing his throat afterwards.

“We went back to the school for the last battle.”

“It was at your school?” Tony asked, not able to hide the devastation in his voice. It was better than the anger cursing through his veins.

“Yes.” Harry looked down onto his cup. “The younger students were told to stay away.”

That wouldn’t change that some of them would have fought. It wouldn’t have changed that some would have died.

“We won.” 

Closing his eyes, Tony exhaled. 

Harry’s voice, although strong, was wet with unshed tears. He didn’t need to state that a lot of people had died. That a lot of children had died. That he was probably haunted by nightmares of what had happened.

Tony didn’t ask whether or not Harry had gotten hurt. Who aside from Teddy’s parents had died. Didn’t ask whether or not Harry had killed that day. Whether or not he had been taught to kill. 

This time, the silence between them stretched again. Harry kept his eyes downcast. 

Tony didn’t dare to move. He wanted nothing more than to stand up and hug Harry but he didn’t think it would be welcomed. Didn’t know if he could do it without breaking. 

Pressing down on his own feelings, he sat there, just waiting for the kid, the soldier, to calm down enough to tell him what he wanted to say.

“A lot of people were caught and most of the trials are already gone through but there are still followers of Voldemort out there. Or people who want to be the next Dark Lord.” Harry moved, meeting Tony’s eyes again. His expression was calm. As if he had accepted it. As if rolling with the punches was the only thing left to him.

“Both groups are after me and people associated with Voldemort’s downfall. Some want revenge. Some want to set an example.” He shrugged, as if it didn’t matter anyway.

Tony couldn’t even put into words how much he disagreed with that. 

“The Ministry wants me as their bloody mascot.” There was a new line of anger in his young face, as if it was something that made him even more furious than everything else. Which would be concerning on so many levels Tony didn’t even want to think about it. 

“The press is all over my case. One day, I’m a hero and a bloody saint.” His lips twitched with disgust and hatred. “The next one, I’m a Dark Lord in the making.”

Nodding, Tony exhaled. That at least was something he knew better than most.

“They will go after you, too, Tony. All of them.”

Hearing the honest worry, the defeat in his kid’s voice, Tony couldn’t help himself. He smiled. Viciously. Brutally. A smile he had probably not smiled for a long time.

“Let them come.”

Harry didn’t blink. He didn’t seem taken aback. He didn’t even seem worried. His clever eyes moved over Tony’s expression, observing his body language before meeting his eyes again.

“Why?” It was asked calmly but Tony heard the fear and worry behind it. Heard something like longing and hope. Maybe that was wishful thinking, too, but it would be the only explanation as to why Harry would be talking to him right now, wouldn’t it be?

“Do you know about my past?”

Harry nodded, slowly. “At least from what the papers said.”

“It’s not everything, and some of it fabricated bullshit, but most of it is true enough for you to know I have at least an idea of what is coming.” And wasn’t that the goddamn truth. Aside from the wand waving. And he would find a solution for that, too.

“I can’t give you logical reasons right now, Harry, aside from the fact that you’re my kid.” Something in him unraveled while also settling heavily in his chest. “I want to be part of your life. If that means fighting against some crazy people and putting reporters into their place I consider that a bonus.” He let a little of his vicious fury show, while also leaning closer to the kid, assessing him.

“I wasn’t there for the last eighteen years but I want to be there now. It’s not pity.” He amended when Harry opened his mouth. “I just want to be a part of your life.”

Harry stayed silent. Looking at him as if he wanted to believe him even if he couldn’t. Something else Tony could relay to way too easily. 

“All of this,” he nodded towards the papers on the table, “is your choice. The Stark name holds a lot of power and will also make you a target for my enemies.” It hurt to say it but after everything it was the least he could say. Harry would know that. Still, he needed to tell him. 

“I know. But it doesn’t mean you need to name me your heir. I don’t need-”

“You are my heir, Harry. You’re my kid. By blood, Jarvis has the results.” Tony said, trying for lighthearted and failing at it. “I also chose you, Harry. You and Teddy. You’re family now. That’s why I asked Pepper to organize everything. You don’t need to say or decide anything yet.” Actually, it would be better if he didn’t or it would be a resounding no, there was no doubt about it.

“It doesn’t change a thing if you don’t sign anything. You still are my kid and you are my heir. Simple as that.”

Harry raised an eyebrow as if he did not think it was that easy. Well, he was in for a lot worse, wasn’t he?

“As a Stark, there will be a lot of people after you. For your money, your connections. For being associated with Tony Stark, Iron Man and the Avengers.” Leaning even closer, Tony made sure he had Harry’s full attention. “There will be some after you because they will know you’re mine to protect.”

“I can protect myself.” It sounded almost like an automatic response but there was too much self-confidence in this voice. Too much acceptance.

“I know.” Tony hated it, but he knew. “The point is you don’t have to.” 

There was a real possibility that Rhodey was shivering somewhere, as it was the exact thing he had told Tony for the last twenty years.

Harry kept his eyes on Tony, not lowering his gaze. Not once faltering.

“Is this really what you want?” He leaned forward, too, touching the corner of the file with Harry Stark written on it in bold letters.

Swallowing, Tony forced himself to keep relaxed, to not show the mixture of panic and exhilaration swirling through him. 

“It is what I want. I wouldn’t have made it legally binding if I didn’t.” There was so much more he wanted to say. He should be saying. He had to say. Because Harry needed to think about this. This should be about what Harry wanted. 

Instead he kept silent. Waiting.

The warrior in front him seemed to wait for something, too. Maybe for Tony to tell him it was just a joke. Maybe for Tony to tell him he shouldn’t because it was a terrible idea. Maybe for Tony to offer him a lawyer, which he really should be doing, shouldn’t he? 

Hell, Harry was an eighteen year old, he probably should talk to someone before signing his life away.

His finger still on the corner of the paper, Harry dragged all of them closer to himself, making a hand gesture and conjuring a pen out of thin air.

Tony didn’t say anything. 

Not when Harry ruffled through them.

Not when he signed some of them. 

Not when he knew he should tell Harry to think about it some more. To make sure it was what he wanted.

Looking up from the papers, Harry placed the magical pen on them and pushed them gingerly over to Tony.

He just took them and signed everything Harry had signed, too. 

Harry had decided to acknowledge in front of the world that he was related to Tony. Had decided to change his name to Harry James Stark, which was a surprise. Had decided to change Teddy’s name to Edward Remus Lupin-Stark. 

Clearing his throat, desperately, he searched his head for anything to say. For an appropriate reaction to all of this. 

Instead, he all but froze when he saw Harry looking at the papers with a mixture of contempt and hope.

“At least Teddy will not have to deal with the Potter name.”

Chapter Text

Tony’s life was crazy. 

He was the very last person to disagree with that. The only person who knew all the crap and impossible things that had happened to him was, after all, he himself. And yes, sure, he couldn’t really comprehend all the differences, as his life hadn’t been ‘normal’ even once, but talking with other people or watching any given movie made one thing absolutely obvious; His life was anything but ordinary. 

Knowing that, he probably shouldn’t be surprised that he, The Tony Stark™, Iron Man, the Merchant of Death, was sitting on the plush rug of his living room, a happily babbling five month old baby on his knees, while fighting the residual panic still lingering in every cell of his body.

It had been ten days since Harry basically decided to fuck it all. When he decided to become a Stark in name. When he decided to change his life. Both of their lives. Hell, all of their lives! 

He knew that the kid most likely hadn’t thought about the decision as much as he should have. He also knew that it had been incredibly selfish of him to not stop Harry when he was clearly distraught. 

Hell, Harry should have never made any decision of that magnitude while most likely being  in shock quite literally. But Tony had done nothing. Hadn’t stopped him. 

Even if he knew better, he hoped all of this was a sign. That they would be able to work together. To get to know each other. To become a family. 

And they were on a good way, weren’t they? Yeah, they didn’t have another big heart to heart, but Harry had allowed Tony to see more of him, to help take care of Teddy and had even asked some questions about Tony. 

He had also told Tony in very certain terms that he would not allow any narrative to put the blame solely on Tony. It had been one of those moments in which Harry looked more like a warrior, like someone used to being followed and defied, someone who would stand his ground even if he had no more ground to stand on. It had broken Tony’s heart. 

He knew that feeling. He had felt that way for a long time in his youth. And after Afghanistan. He also knew that the world could be a terrible place for fighters. 

And Harry was an obvious example for that.

As was he. And Cap. And Bruce. And most likely the other Avengers, too.

The kid had calmly explained that he understood that there would have to be a narrative, and that he would be glad if they could downplay him and especially Teddy (who was not to be shown to the world and needed to be protected with vicious prejudice), but that he would not lay blame on Tony when he wasn’t to blame. 

Tony had, wisely, not disagreed with the kid, even if the situation wasn’t as black and white as Harry thought it to be. Sure, Lily and James Potter hadn’t told him their plan but no matter how drunk or high he had been, he should have realized something was off. 

And he shouldn’t have been as drunk or as high to begin with. 

No matter whose fault it was that Tony hadn’t known about his kid , Harry had suffered because of it. Had been abused in his fucking childhood because of it. Had been dragged into a world he knew nothing about and trained to be a soldier in a war he should have been protected from. 

Maybe it was a good thing that he didn’t know more than the vague hints Harry had given him. There was still the chance that he would ask Jarvis to bomb all those people who had hurt Harry. Those who hadn’t protected him or willfully ignored all signs of him being fucking abused.

As Jarvis was calling Harry young Sir and Teddy Baby Sir, by now, there was a high chance Tony wouldn’t even need to ask his brilliant AI to attack everyone who had ever wronged Harry. He would probably do it out of his desire to protect Tony and those who were his. 

Two nights later, he had found himself in the communal kitchen after Jarvis had told him that Steve was still sitting at the kitchen counter, enjoying a hot chocolate. 

He didn’t really have an explanation as to why he had gone downstairs. Aside from the fact that he hadn’t been able to wait any longer. Not after the night before, in which Harry had experienced a violent night terror. 

Tony, who had been in his workshop at the time, had been alarmed by Jarvis and all but flown upstairs. 

The good news; Teddy had been safe. Distraught, but safe.

The bad news; Harry had been huddled into a corner of the room, shaking violently, his face set into an expression of unimaginable horror and agony. 

Leaning against the cold metal of the elevator, Tony didn’t remember why he hadn’t freaked out. Instead he had moved forward, taken Teddy out of his bed as if it wasn’t a big deal and very, very slowly approached Harry, talking to him calmly. 

Promising that he wasn’t alone anymore.

That Tony would protect him.

That he and Teddy were safe in the Tower. Safe with Jarvis and Tony.

When Harry had come back to himself, he had sagged forward, his frail frame shaken by tremors. But he hadn’t cried. He had allowed Tony to hand over Teddy. Had allowed Tony to sit down beside him. Hadn’t said a word but listened. 

It had been hours before they had been able to put Teddy back down into his bed, until Tony had been able to convince Harry he should sleep in his bed for a change and swore he would stay with Teddy. 

Harry hadn’t eaten anything the next day. He also hadn’t spoken much. He had almost clinically taken care of Teddy, playing with him and making sure the baby was fine but with a detached look that had scared Tony. 

He knew that look. Knew where he was trapped when he got that look. 

After convincing Harry that day that he should sleep in his bed, the wizard had magicked the crib into his own room and gone to bed pretty early. 

Tony had sat in the living room and waited. Before breaking and going down to sit with Steve. No matter if it didn’t make any sense. 

The worst part? He had broken down the second Steve had asked if he was okay. 

No, he wasn’t okay, because Harry, his kid, wasn't okay. Actually, he was probably as far from okay as he could be without having to be hospitalized. 

And one of the reasons Harry wasn’t hospitalized was Tony’s conviction that Harry would vanish at the first opportunity he got and in that case, Tony would never see him again. Changed name or not.

Steve, who had clearly been overwhelmed and close to panic himself, had hesitantly offered a hug which Tony, insanely, had allowed.

Crying into Captain America’s shoulder had been maddeningly soothing. It had also been insane. The worst thing though, had been after he had calmed down enough to move back. The moment he had to let go of Steve and meet his eyes. 

Steve, showing nothing but strength, worry and compassion had smiled, warmly, asking what had happened. 

And Tony had told him. Not in detail, of course, but enough for Steve to understand the situation. To understand Tony’s fear. 

“Okay. What can I do?” Steve had looked eager to help, leaning even closer, his expression too earnest for everyone’s good. 

They had made a plan. Together. And then they had roped Bruce into it, which had been quite easy. Apparently, being a team included taking care of the surprise child of one of its teammates. And their even more surprising grandchild. 

Who would have known. 

Two days later, Tony had dragged all of them out to go shopping and Harry hadn’t fought half as much as Steve and Bruce did when it came to clothes. That could have been because Tony had bought more than Harry had known at that moment and all three men had helped take care of Teddy which had been distracting enough. At least for the teen. 

Tony would forever cherish watching Steve Rogers, Captain America, the man his own poor excuse for a father had hailed as the perfect human being, who could do no wrong, almost having a nervous breakdown when it had been his turn to hold Teddy.

At least the super soldier had stood his ground. Bruce had fled the store. 

It was all worth it though, because it had been the first time they all saw Harry laugh freely, without holding back or hiding anything. 

He had laughed like that when he had met Dum-E for the first time, too. 

Tony, worried Dum-E could hurt Teddy by accident, had tried to explain to the helper bot what a baby was, unbeknownst that Jarvis, the traitor, had already opened the workshop doors to Harry, holding Teddy securely in his arms.

In the end, Dum-E had been exhilarated and terrified of the small human rolling around on the thick blanket and driven around it in circles, almost short circuiting when Teddy had started crying. 

Harry, readily accepting Dum-E, had explained to the robot that everything was alright, petting him while also calming the baby in his arms. As if he had never done anything else. As if sitting in a highly advanced workshop with his new found father - biological father - and talking to a robot was just something that happened. 

Although, in the grand scheme of things, it might just be another thing that had happened to him. 

And wasn’t that a blood chilling thought to bury deep in his subconscious? 

Harry had also asked some interesting questions about the tech and had hinted towards combining tech and magic - although he didn’t seem confident in his own knowledge. Tony hadn’t pressured him, of course, even if the prospect had started a cascade of new ideas. Pepper would be more than happy if they opened up a new market that, apparently, hadn’t been opened before. 

Not that they would be able to advertise it openly - at least not to the non-magical community. Probably. 

While in the workshop, Tony had asked what Harry wanted to do. In Tony’s mind it had been an innocent question. He had always known what he was supposed to do. He had also known what he wanted to do and even if it had taken some time to get there, it had always been a path carved in stone for him. 

Aside from quitting weapons and becoming a superhero. But becoming an engineer? Designing and creating? He had known it was what he wanted to do even before he knew how to explain the swirling thoughts in his head. 

Harry had stiffened, his expression becoming cold before a neutral mask had replaced it. 

“I don’t know.” His green eyes had been focused on Teddy, Dum-E driving around the edges of the blanket and making movements as if he wanted to play with the baby but knew better than to touch him. 

“I thought I wanted to become an Auror. A magical copper, basically.” 

But now, Harry wouldn’t do that. Because he had to think about Teddy and Harry wouldn’t leave his son if he could do anything about it. 

Exhaling calmly, Tony had not thought about the reasons why that had been Harry’s planned career path. He also didn’t think about whether or not it had been Harry’s idea to become a magical cop or if it was just the thing he had been trained to become. 

And if it really had been his goal, no matter why it had become his goal, what would he want to do now?

“I liked… teaching. Training students.” 

A cold shiver ran down Tony’s spine and he bit down on his tongue to hold back the question that wanted to burst out of him.

“None of my teachers had kids though and I don’t think… I can’t go back to Hog- my school. The new pupils would probably not even listen to me.” Harry blinked, a self-deprecating smile slipping onto his lips as he looked up at Tony.

“I guess Skeeter was right.”

“Skeeter?” Tony asked, most of his focus on breathing and appearing to be calm.

“Rita Skeeter. A columnist who likes to trash talk me. She outed me. She is also one of the people explaining that I will become the next Dark Lord because of my violent tendencies.”

“Jarvis.”

“On it, Sir.”

“You’re not going to find her, Tony.” Harry smiled, this one a little warmer. “And that’s probably a good thing. The moment she finds out about this… I don’t even want to know what she is going to write about me.”

It would probably be as vile and annoying as the rest of the press would put out. The distinctive difference would be that she would focus on Harry - and that was something Tony would not allow.

“Do you keep up with the press?”

“No.” Harry leaned back. “Mione or Ginny sometimes send me articles or headlines, just to inform me, but I really don’t care. Let them think about me what they want.”

Tony would not do that. And if he had to get into contact with Miss Granger to get to Skeeter, he would. The young witch seemed a lot more reasonable about protecting Harry than Harry was about protecting himself. 

And no, he didn’t see any comparisons in that scenario. 

Said Miss Granger was the reason why Harry was sitting in front of Tony’s laptop in his study, letting the young woman explain in detail what exactly had happened since she had met her parents again.

All Tony knew was that her parents were staying in Australia for now, that they had been equally happy to see her again and outraged that she had done this to them and that she and Mr. Weasley were invited to visit them for Christmas.

They had returned back to England yesterday and were now settling into their new home before Miss Granger would start school again on the first of September.

Teddy, not giving a single shit about Tony’s worried musing, turned on his stomach again, happily gurgling.

“Great little bean.” Tony grinned, picking up the excited baby and placing him on his leg, holding him secure with both hands. “Great job!”

Teddy made a happy noise, waving his arms around, his eyes changing from gray to Tony’s brown.

“Very impressive.” 

“Sir?”

“What’s up, Jay?”

“Colonel Rhodes is on the line for you.”

Oh. 

“Did I-”

“Inform him about adopting Young Sir and also including Baby Sir into the family? No, you did not, Sir.”

“Fuck.” Looking down at him, he grimaced. “Sorry, Teddy-Bear. I really have to learn to cut that out.”

“I believe you have around six more months to unlearn using swear words, Sir.”

“Great.”

“Indeed. Should I put Colonel Rhodes through?”

“Yes.” Everything else would be way worse.

The TV in front of him turned on and showed Rhodey’s smiling face.

“Tones, I wanted- What the fuck!”

“Not in front of the baby, Rhodey!”

“Tony, I swear to god! Where does the baby come from? If that is another kid of yours I’m going to-”

“No worries, Colonel, Teddy is Sir’s grandchild.”

Rhodey, brave, loyal, trustworthy Rhodey blinked, once. “What?”

“Your nephew, Platypus, adopted a war orphan.” Tony smiled as if that wasn’t the craziest thing that happened to him since an alien god tried to take over the world. “Meet Teddy.” Turning the kid carefully, he held Teddy a little up, making sure Rhodey would see his eyes.

“Holy shit.”

“Jarvis, beep his inappropriate language.”

“What the bleep Tony! Why the bleep would- Stop that Jarvis!”

“Oh, and just so you know, Harry is now officially a Stark.”

At that, Rhodey froze, his dark eyes narrowing. “Anything I need to know?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to get some time off as soon as I can.” 

Tony nodded. Yes, that would be good. For Rhodey to get to know Harry, as their last encounter had been short and stiff. It would also be good if he would meet Teddy. And if Tony could tell him some of the things he has been worrying about. Because Rhodey would know what to do. He had helped Tony through the worst times of his life. He would also know how to help Harry.

“How old is he?”

“Five months.”

“And Harry…”

“Adopted him.” Tony placed the wriggling baby on the blanket and both men watched. “He was his godfather.”

“At eighteen?”

Tony just nodded. He wouldn’t say anything here, where it was theoretically possible (even if highly unlikely) that they could be listened in on. Or where Harry would be able to walk in and hear them talking about him. 

“...he must have inherited his loyalty from me.” 

“You’re an bleep . Jarvis!”

“I’m sorry, Sir, I’m just concerned for Baby Sir’s development.”

“You said we had at least six more months!”

“Most likely, and I am happy to help you and all occupants living in this Tower to change their speaking patterns to a baby appropriate one.”

“Hah! Welcome to bleep , Tones.”

“This is going to be annoying as bleep .”

“Tony?”

Turning around enough to glance over the back of the couch, Tony smiled up at Harry, who looked a little worried.

“Is everything alright?”

“Depends. Do you like to swear? Because Jarvis has decided to ban swear words from the Tower to help Teddy’s development.”

“That… could be annoying. No offense Jarvis.”

“None taken, young Sir.”

By now, Harry had accepted that Jarvis was not willing to call him anything else. Most likely he had also come to the conclusion that it was a sign from the AI that he had accepted Harry into the family. 

Rhodey, however, would know it meant a lot more. It was the highest honor Jarvis could give Harry and Teddy to call them Sir. Not even Rhodey was Sir , even if he was basically Jarvis’ second father.

“We’re not planning on making anything public yet, but Rhodey, meet Harry Stark. Harry, meet your uncle Rhodey.”

“We’ve already met.” 

Smiling up at the kid, Tony ignored the huffing laugh from Rhodey. Harry could deadpan like nobody's business. It must be his British accent. 

“Not as-”

“Technically, Tones, I met my nephew before you met him.”

“Rub salt into my open wound, why don’t you!”

“If I would do that, I’d tell you that whatever you have planned for the media is going to bomb. Because it always does.”

“Nope. Pepper is working on the details and I will be good and not stray from the plan.”

Raising his eyebrow, Rhodey just stared at him.

“You’ll see.” There was at least as much conviction as hope in his words. The press would do what they always did and blow it out of proportion and then blame Tony. And he was okay with it. As long as they could keep Teddy out of the media and Harry as lowkey as possible, he would be fine. 

Oh, and they probably shouldn't out magic to the world. That would probably be a good thing too.

“I’m with James. It’s going to backfire spectacularly. It always does.”

“Have a little faith, Harry.”

“I have all the faith in Miss- Pepper. But if she isn’t able to blackmail all of them into playing nice, there is little she can actually do.” Harry sat down on the other side of Teddy, smiling happily when the baby’s eyes flickered green. Thank fuck that didn’t mean they were about to have a mini-Hulk at their hands.

“And if Pepper can blackmail all of them and is willing to do it you might have a bigger problem on your hands.” Looking up at Tony, Harry smiled, a wicked little smile. 

“Not at all.” Leaning back at the couch, Tony smiled relaxedly. “We decided years ago that if Pepper wanted to overtake the world, we would cheer her on.”

“Don’t lie to the kid, Tony. If she takes over the world we will help her.” Rhodey smiled, relaxedly, even if there was still the glimmer of concern in his eyes.

“I agree with Colonel Rhodes. Miss Potts would be a benevolent ruler and I, for my part, would be honored to further her reign.”

“And as your favorite nephew, I know she is going to make sure you enjoy her rule. Bleep, she might make you her successor.”

This was going to get old soon.

Harry blinked at that, a frown and a blush creeping onto his expression.

“I would not be surprised, Sir. Miss Potts has ordered a new stroller, as she decided the one you picked wasn’t suitable. It was delivered half an hour ago.” 

“Just the stroller, or-”

“She also included-”

“Jarvis.” Harry spoke up, his voice firm. “Please tell Pepper, I am really thankful but I do not need more stuff.”

“I will inform her, young Sir, but it would be unwise to hope that it will change anything.”

Pressing his lips tightly together, Harry did not comment on that, his tense body speaking loud enough to let everyone know he was not happy. 

“I can talk to her. She just wants to make sure you’re okay.”

Meeting Tony’s eyes head on, as he most often did, Harry looked too old for his age. “I’ll talk to her.” Without another word, he grabbed Teddy, stood up and left for the elevator.

Rhodey spoke as soon as they heard the door close.

“I’m guessing I don’t need to be afraid he just came to get in on the fortune.”

“You’re guessing right.” Exhaling, Tony closed his eyes.

“You’re okay, Tones?”

Not answering was an answer in itself. It also said more than Tony was willing to say right now. 

“I’m going to take time off as soon as I can.”

“Thanks Honey Bear.”

“Of course, Tones. I need to get to know my nephew and his kid after all.” He was teasing and he was earnest and he was worried. And he didn’t even know a fraction of the shit going on right now. 

“Yeah. Maybe don’t bring a present.”

“Okay.”

“Sir?”

“Yeah?”

“Dr. Banner calls for the mandatory dinner.”

“I’m sorry?”

Shit. 

“Mandatory dinner?” Rhodey asked, a shit eating grin on his face. “Did I hear you correctly Jarvis?”

“Jay, don’t you dare!”

“You did, Colonel. Sir and Captain Rogers-”

“Jay!”

“Decided to make dinner a mandatory daily event.”

Rhodey, terrible, horrible asshole Rhodey, did not stop grinning like a lunatic.

“For Harry!”

“Every person living in the Tower has to attend unless there are serious circumstances preventing them.”

“You can shut up now, Jay.”

“So… this mandatory daily dinner …” Rhodes was still grinning obscenely.

“Harry is probably critically underweight.” 

His brother’s face morphed into one of concern immediately. 

“He isn’t eating enough. Some days he isn’t eating at all.”

“Yeah, I know that feeling.”

“Not like that. He is… he reminds me of myself. After.” 

Rhodey stiffened visibly, the worry lines deepening on his face. He had been there as often as he had been able to. After. After Afghanistan. After Stane. When Tony had been at his lowest.

“I didn’t know what to do. So I got Cap, who eats like twenty meals a day and Bruce, who is always annoying me, to help Harry.”

“And you’re attending?”

“Sir has not only partaken at every dinner in the last eight days, he has also eaten breakfast six times out of those eight days with Young Sir.”

Rhodey didn’t say anything. Just looked at Tony, his eyes as comforting as they were challenging him right now. 

“He needs help, Rhodey.”

“Then we’re going to help him.” He said it so easily. As if there was not even a doubt in his mind. 

“You’re sure about this?”

“Yes.” He would help Harry even if it was the last thing he ever did. 

“Okay.” Nodding, the Lieutenant Colonel leaned back in his chair. “I’ll send you all the new data through our secure server.”

“Good. I haven’t had time to-”

“No problem. Just take a look when you can. There is something I can’t put my finger on.”

“Jay.”

“Of course, Sir, Colonel, I’ll inform you as soon as I find anything.”

“Thanks, Jay. And Tony?”

Looking up into the soft smile of his brother, something in his chest seemed to loosen even if Tony didn’t know whether or not it was good.

“You’re good for him.” 

Tony, in true Tony Stark fashion, falsified that statement not twenty four hours later. 

Of course, he did. 

He had been in the first meeting after his two week sabbatical when the Avengers Alarm had called him and the others into action. 

Suiting up, he did not even think about Harry and Teddy. Last time he had seen them, Harry had been wrestling the baby into a fresh onesie after at least half of breakfast had landed on the first one. 

He did not think about the fact that Harry had told him he wanted to take a walk with Teddy and their new stroller that morning. (He had lost to Pepper, agreeing to keep everything she had bought but bargained with her to not buy anything more for at least a month.)

“Cap, what’s the situation?” 

“Bruce and I are already in the Quinjet heading towards Central Park. Hawkeye and Black Widow called in, they are on their way but-”

“The plan, Cap. What’s the plan?” 

Jarvis had, of course, already informed him about the details of the situation. He had also informed him about the villain of the week, apparently a biologist or some such who had created his own version of dragons. Why not?

“We need to round up the-”

“Dragons!” Hawkeye’s excited voice filtered through the comms. “They are dragons! This is so cool!”

“They don’t look like dragons.”

“You have no imagination, Nat! If-”

“It’s good to have you back, but-”

“From what Jarvis could see, they seem to be genetically modified lizards with-”

“They breathe fire!”

“Hey!” Steve yelled, frustration tinging his voice. “There are lives at stake here!”

“What’s the plan then, Cap?” Tony prompted again.

It was fairly simple. Rounding up the dragons, saving civilians and getting to the unhinged biologist who wanted to take the world back to the Dark Ages. 

The villain, surprisingly, had been not appreciative when Clint had explained to him that there had been no dragons in the Dark Ages before shooting him in the shoulder.

All in all, the fight had been fairly simple, even if they had underestimated the amount of creatures set free in Central Park. Best of all, the Avengers were able to fall back into their surprisingly good team work.

“Sir!” 

Freezing in his movement, Tony’s heart stopped. 

“Young Sir’s and Baby Sir’s location just changed.” 

Jarvis didn’t have to specify that they had, most likely, just vanished from somewhere safe to Central Park. Tony knew.

“Where?” Tony barked, ignoring Hawkeye’s voice in his ear.

Showing the exact location, Tony did not answer when Steve yelled his name. 

Killing the fire breathing lizard without hesitating, he forced all of the energy into his thrusters. Hulk had a lot of fun smashing the Dragons and as they weren’t all that fast, the rest of the Avengers would be able to fight them off.

It could have been a one minute flight if he wouldn’t have been forced to stop and save some civilians. If he hadn’t been forced to kill two more of the creatures. 

“Jay!”

“His location hasn’t changed, Sir.”

“Fuck.”

“Indeed.”

Zooming around a group of trees, his heart stuttered in his chest, painfully seizing, even before his mind was able to comprehend the scene. The stroller was laying on its side. Half melted. The bag with baby supplies, which contained the tracker, was laying a few feet to the left as if Harry had thrown it to defend himself. Or as if it had been dragged there.

Harry and Teddy were gone.

Chapter Text

“You did what?” 

“Bloody hell, Harry.”

“Why didn’t you call us!”

“You were in Australia to explain to your parents-”

“That is not the point!” Hermione all but growled, glaring at Harry through the screen and for the first time, Harry was thankful that they were separated by an ocean. 

Setting up the video call had been Tony’s idea. And apparently, he had made someone in England send Ron and Mione a brand new Stark laptop. But that was another thing they would want to argue about, Harry was sure. 

In the last hour, Hermione had explained what exactly happened, which Ron boiled down to they are pissed, but they love you, Mione. Give them time.

It still surprised Harry sometimes that Ron was the sensible one out of the three of them. Most of the time at least.

“Why did you change your name? Did Mr. Stark-”

“He just offered.” Moving minutely in his chair, Harry held back a deep sigh. Of course they were asking why. And maybe he should have taken a little more time to think about everything but… he had just wanted it. 

Wanted this sign that all of this wasn’t just a weird dream. Even if it was putting Tony in danger. 

Wanted to leave the Potter name behind himself. Even if it felt like a betrayal to James who had given his life for him.

Wanted something that was not dictated by the magical world and weighed down by prophecies. Even if the media in both worlds would most likely take care of the weightless feeling fluttering inside Harry’s chest right now.

Harry Potter had been the savior of the Wizarding world. People had thought they knew him. And they had thought they knew how his future would look like. 

No one knew Harry Stark. No one knew what he would do. Least of all Harry Stark.

Aside from taking care of Teddy, of course. Although it almost felt as if that, too, had been a decision made by Harry Stark, rather than Harry Potter.

And yes, he knew that he technically was the same person. 

“Okay, he offered. And you just agreed?”

“Yes.”

The following silence was heavy, as Mione obviously tried to will him to talk, while Ron looked contemplating. 

“They will have to reprint your chocolate frog card.” He paused, before his grin spread. “They will have to reprint ours too, and practically everyone from the DA.”

That had not crossed Harry’s mind just yet, but Ron was right.

“And every book featuring me.”

“Well, these alone are at least several good reasons for wanting to change your name.” 

“Why, Harry?” This time, Hermione’s voice was that special mix between exhausted and dreadful that she had developed specially for Harry. 

What a joy.

“Do we need to worry? Is it-”

“No, Mione.” Exhaling, Harry leaned back in the comfortable office chair. “I just…” He bit his lower lip, trying to find words to express how it had felt looking into his… into Tony’s eyes and see that the genius actually wanted him around. That Tony had offered him everything, because he had wanted it.

It didn’t matter that he had looked worried the whole time. He wanted to get to know Harry. Was willing to give him everything. So Harry, for once in his life, had taken it. 

He didn’t know if they would become a family like Ron, Mione and he were, but seeing Tony learning to be better with Teddy, showing them his workshop that was clearly his prefered room and actually caring about Harry… The kid growing up in the dreaded cupboard, who had hoped for someone to save him, wanting to believe that even though he had gotten himself out of there, that Tony would be there for him. 

They didn’t need to become father and son, hell, he didn’t remember a time when he had a father. But they could become… friends. 

“I didn’t want Teddy to grow up with the Potter name.” 

“And you thought it would be better for him to add the Stark one to the list?” Hermione asked, incredulously. “Harry, Tony Stark is even more famous than you. All over the world. There are articles about Ron and me in the Australian press, because we used his private plane. What do you think will happen when the press finds out he is Mr. Stark’s grandkid?”

“They would have found out regardless, Mione, and if Teddy is going to live in the magical world-”

“As soon as it gets out that you-”

“I know.” Biting back everything else, which would have been more than just an angry hiss, Harry glared at his chosen sister. “I know, Mione, okay? Teddy is fucked whatever I do. But I wanted this. I don’t want to be their bloody savior anymore!”

“Harry…”

“I’m sorry to tell you, mate, but you are the savior. Doesn’t matter what you call yourself. Could be Roonil Wazlib, you’d still be the boy who lived twice.”

Looking away from Hermione’s devastated expression, he glared at Ron. “That happened two years ago. Can we just forget about that one?”

“No.” Ron threw an arm around Hermione, while smiling at Harry. “That was one of the dumbest things you ever did and I will remind you of that until we’re old and gray.” 

“Great.” 

“I’m sorry, Harry.”

“It’s okay.”

Mione opened her mouth as if to contradict him, but he was faster.

“Anything new back home?”

“Skeeter wrote six articles about you in the last week.”

“She is getting lazy.” At her best/worst, the witch had written three articles in one day. Sometimes contradicting each other while being printed in the same copy.

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Ron turned to the side, placing different issues of the Daily Prophet in front of him. “Mum and Dad gave us the cutouts.”

“All but one. Ginny burned the first one.” The glint in Hermione’s eyes was promising the reporter a painful death. Or an indefinite stay in her jar. 

“Okay, and what is she writing about me?”

“Let’s see,” Ron took the first paper from the stack. “You were thrown out of America because you wanted to establish yourself as a new Dark Lord over there.”

“She claims her source is someone from Dumbeldore’s Army. As if anyone from the DA would talk to her!” Mione huffed.

“You also started an orphanage, because as an orphan yourself, you know how much they need help. Mum cried reading that one.”

“Did the shadows of my past dance in my eyes again?”

“Actually, you cried openly while giving that secret interview.”

“Of course I did.” Harry sighed. 

“You also put Teddy into the orphanage.”

Looking at Mione, he felt his pulse quicken. Even if it was a good thing that the Ministry had been able to keep the adoption secret for now.

“Let me guess, I’m a despicable human being for doing that.”

“Actually, they are applauding you for giving a troubled child into the hands of professionals, as you yourself are a troubled child.”

“Lovely.”

“We thought so too.”

“You, apparently, traveled back to England to give a rallying speech at Azkaban.”

“Did I?”

“Yes. And you are working together with the Malfoys.” For the first time, Ron looked disgusted at what he was saying. “I’m very disappointed because of that by the way.”

“Draco did help us, Ron.”

“Yeah, not giving us up in his own mansion-”

“He also threw me a wand, leaving himself defenseless in the Battle of Hogwarts.”

“Yes, I know, you dragged me to his stupid hearing.”

“And you were there when it happened.” Hermione reminded him. “And he helped with-”

“I don’t care, okay? Malfoy is still an insufferable git and this discussion is bonkers anyway because I’m pretty sure Harry wasn’t in Azkaban rallying the Death Eaters behind himself!”

“No, not that I can remember.” He grabbed the cold tea and drank a sip. “Anything else I need to know?”

“Yes, you’re also a vigilante, because the unwarranted fame finally got to you and now you’re killing off Death Eaters and some such who got out of Azkaban.”

“Let me guess, I prevented them from going to Azkaban so I had better access to killing them?”

“It’s rather clever of you. You also go back to Hogwarts, although you’re banned from Hogwarts and start in the Auror training program, lead said Auror training program and want to replace Shaklebolt as Minister of Magic.” Hermione ticked off on her fingers, looking more annoyed by the minute.

Harry could relate.

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“Kingsley actually visited my parents.”

Raising an eyebrow, Harry leaned a little closer to the screen. They hadn’t even told Kingsley where Harry and Teddy were right now and although he knew that couldn’t stay that way forever, right now it did feel good.

“You've gotten more death threats since… since Andy died.”

“Because of that?”

“No.” Mione shook her head, ignoring Ron’s annoyed expression when she hit him with her hair. “It’s the same old stuff, but more of them. Some rather… graphic.”

“Great. Anything against Teddy?”

“No.”

“Good.” He didn’t ask if the Ministry had gotten better at tracking the mail. They would probably not get better at it before Hermione joined them and restructured the whole thing. It was the only reason Harry had even thought about actually becoming an Auror. No matter how quickly he had dismissed it again.

“Did you receive more threats?”

“Not really.” Hermione shrugged. “One was interesting because Ron apparently has a soulmate.” 

“Don’t start with that again.” Ron groaned. “Ginny will never let me live it down. We also had a shotgun wedding, didn't we?” 

“And you didn’t invite me?”

“Actually you were my maid of honor.”

“I did feel a little betrayed by that, I must say, mate.” 

“My apologies, Ron. Who was your best man?”

“Neville.”

Smiling, Harry leaned back in the chair again. “You can’t go wrong with Neville. How is he?”

Both Ron and Hermione hesitated.

“What?” Grabbing the arm rests with his hands, Harry forced himself to stay calm.

“He… he was attacked. Three days ago.”

“What! Why wasn’t I-”

“He is fine, Harry, he was on his way to meet with Ginny and Luna. When he didn’t show, they apparated to his apartment. By that point most of the attackers were stunned or had fled already.”

“And-”

“You know Ginny and Luna. They are fine.” Ron said, dismissively, even if Harry saw the tightening around his eyes.

“The security measures were heightened again.”

That should be a given.

“Good.”

They had known getting rid of Voldemort wouldn’t solve everything. Of course not. The Ministry was in ruins, so many people had died and their society, regrettably, wouldn’t just turn around and realize the errors in their way. 

Still, Harry had hoped they would forget about him. That they would focus on rebuilding. 

That they would learn and not fall right back in their old mistakes.

That particular hope had died a rather quick but horrifying death. 

Inhaling, carefully, he opened his mouth, but this time, Hermione was faster than him.

“That’s everything important from our end. How is it… with them?”

“...good. Tony doesn’t look scared anymore when he holds Teddy.”

“You have weird standards, mate.”

“Yeah, well, Captain America almost cried when he was holding Teddy and Bruce always flees.”

“And aside from that?” Hermione prompted, one of her eyebrows raised challengingly. 

“It’s… good. We’re working on it.”

“Meaning?”

“Bloody hell, Mione. We’re talking. He took some time off. Showed me his workshop. He took us shopping. We’re… we’re working on it, okay?”

The witch narrowed her eyes. “You tell us if you need us, right?”

“Yes, Mione.”

“And not just if Teddy needs us or you need us for Teddy.”

“...yes, Mione.”

“Good. As long as I make it to the exams, I can take time off if I need to.”

“You could just take the exams. You already know everything.”

“Don’t be daft, Ron, there is still so much to learn, I-”

“I bet Harry and I could take the exams too with everything-”

“That’s not-”

Relaxing, Harry leaned his arm on the armrest and placed his head in his hand. This was normalcy. And guessing by the relaxed expressions from both Ron and Hermione, they knew it too.

They ended the call ten minutes later, Harry promising he would keep in touch and making them promise to keep him informed.

That happened yesterday. Today, Hermione had already sent him a picture of the Daily Prophet’ newest headline Harry Potter MISSING - what is the Ministry hiding from us? As an answer he had sent a picture of Teddy inside of the new stroller Pepper had refused to take back.

Exploring New York had come a little short since Tony had obviously made an effort to spend time with Harry and going out with him would have been the exact opposite of laying low, so they hadn’t. Aside from that one trip to some exclusive stores that knew better than to rat Tony out when they wanted to continue making money off of him. 

They would have also, most likely, been shadowed by Steve, because he had it bad for the billionaire genius. And judging by the long suffering sighs from Bruce, Harry wasn’t the only one who had realized it. 

Tony wasn’t as obvious in his looks or body language as the super soldier was, which was probably a good thing, considering he was the owner of one of the biggest tech companies in the world. 

Nevertheless, Harry would have bet his Firebolt that he had also fallen for the blond man.

Watching them interact was either cute, slightly embarrassing or downright painful. 

As Harry’s only ‘real’ relationship, if you could call it that, had been with Ginny, before he realized he was actually gay, he was wise enough to keep his mouth shut. 

For now. 

Today he had forgone the notice-me-not as the stroller would have made the whole thing a disaster. Instead he was wearing some lowkey charms to disguise himself and did his best to get lost in the crowd. 

Which the stroller, again, made a little difficult. Not only because he had to drive that thing in front of him but it was rather bulky even if it didn’t weigh much and easy to steer even with one hand.

It also seemed to invite at least half of the people around him to look into it and compliment Harry on his cute son. Especially older women seemed to be taken by him, explaining it was good of him to take an active role in his kid's life. 

In short, he stuck out, people were not only seeing him, but talked to him and were interested enough to look into the stroller. 

Harry was not amused. 

At least Teddy was sleeping soundly.

Turning around a corner, Harry took the Stark Phone out of the baby bag, got the location of Central Park, cast a noticemenot around himself and the stroller and apparated into a place where, at least on the satellite picture (an idea of Hermione) looked like a bunch of trees. 

It was a bunch of trees. 

That bunch of trees was also infested with creatures that were a poor imitation of Dragons and they were not fooled by his notice-me-not-charm. Possibly because they used their sense of smell to find their prey. 

Without thinking about it, Harry grabbed the bag and threw it at the first wanna-be-Dragon that was currently breaking through the undergrowth and burning the grass with his hot breath, while snatching Teddy out of the stroller, pressing him close to his chest and dove between two trees. 

Clutching the wand in his hand, he was about to apparate back to safety when he heard a high pitched scream. A child’s scream.

Pressing the crying Teddy more securely to his chest, Harry hesitated for another heartbeat. 

Then he started running, following the screams, careful to make sure the creature didn’t get too close, which seemed to be a relative term judging by the heat already warming his back.

It was that moment that a dark shadow jumped from a tree, obviously trying to bury them under him. 

“Stupefy!” 

It had been a few months since Harry had yelled a spell. Had yelled this spell.

The supposed Dragon was hit in the chest and thrown back against a tree, before falling motionless to the ground. If he had needed any proof that these were Muggle made and not actual magical creatures, this would have been it. 

That was something at least.

“It’s okay, Teddy.” He panted, his left arm holding the crying baby close, while his right hand was holding his wand high.

At least until he burst out of the trees and basically ran onto a playground.

“Stupefy!” 

Another creature fell down, motionless, but Harry, already hiding the wand by pressing it to his underarm, ran forward towards the young woman clutching two children close.

“You’re okay?”

The woman jolted, turning towards him, her eyes narrowing as she looked almost through him, before turning around again, searching for the voice. 

Hesitating again, even if just for another heartbeat, Harry undid the spell, and walked closer. 

One of the kids saw him, trying to step behind her mother and the woman turned again, panic obvious in her expression.

“Who-”

“Are you okay?”

“I-”

A shriek that no one could misinterpret for a real Dragon’s roar, interrupted them, making Harry turn on the spot, his body automatically falling back into a protective stance. 

This wouldn’t be a big problem if he wasn’t still clutching Teddy to himself. Theoretically, he could hand him over to the woman, but she was in shock and already had two small children with her. 

It would have also not been a wise decision to look away from the lizard, panting small bursts of flames as its eyes were fixed on Harry.

“Run.”

“What? I-”

“Run!” He commanded, his voice hard, his fingers flexing on the smooth wood of his wand. The second she turned away, he would be able to cast a spell. If she wouldn’t, he would cast the spell regardless. 

The yellow eyes darted to something behind Harry a heartbeat before he heard the woman take the first step. Raising his wand, he cast the spell silently, focusing on putting as much energy in it as he could. 

Turning away a heartbeat too late, Harry was hit with the searing hot breath the Dragon had been able to spew before being hit between the eyes with the spell.

It hadn’t been real flames at least. Still, his shoulder and back were burning from the heat and, talking from experience, he was sure he would have severe burns.

Glancing down at Teddy, now crying almost silently in his arms, he made sure the baby was unhurt. 

He shouldn’t have done that, as it cost him a precious second when he heard the woman scream again.

His arm was raised at the same moment he had his eyes on the targets. Two of the creatures were advancing on the woman and the children, one of them hissing threateningly. 

Ignoring the way the skin on his back protested, Harry started running while casting the first spell, only then seeing the third creature, its focus solely on Harry, charging right at him from the side. 

Yelling the second spell, to save the civilians, Harry threw himself around, trying to make sure the woman and the kids were safe, while raising his wand again-

He was only barely able to change the spell to protego as the fire engulfed them. Turning and bending over Teddy, Harry tried his best to focus all his energy on the protection spell, to force his magic to keep them safe, to keep Teddy safe.

The fire stopped abruptly and Harry, forcing himself to think, fell to his side, his arm raising again, trying to-

A shadow was already over him, grabbing him and-

“Harry!”

Cold metal hands were holding onto him, carefully turning him to his side.

“Shit.” 

The Iron Man armor let go of one of his arms and Harry let the hiss stuck in his throat escape.

“Harry, look at me!” 

Blinking up, he met Tony’s eyes, the face plate having lifted up. 

The genius’ expression seemed to be between panic and the forced calm, Harry knew too well.

“I’m fine.” Pushing himself into a sitting position, he looked down at Teddy, who was quietly whining, his big, gray eyes blinking up at Harry.

Leaning forward a little, he pressed a kiss to the baby’s head. “You’re fine too, Teddy. We’re fine.”

Teddy, obviously, didn’t agree with Harry, as he started to cry again, shrill shrieks accompanying the tears.

“I know, little bean.” Hoisting the baby a little higher, Harry held him close, rocking them both, slowly. “I’m sorry, love, I’m so sorry.”

“Fuck.”

Looking up, Harry saw the way Tony’s expression closed off, right before his face plate slit down and into place again.

“Cap! I need an ambulance asap. I-”

Turning back to where Harry had last seen the woman and the kids, he didn’t see anyone anymore. 

Shit.

Trying to stand up with a very much protesting back and a crying baby in his arms while still unwilling to put his wand down was a struggle. 

It got even worse when a superhero pushed him back down and ignored all his efforts.

“Jarvis, send our location. I don’t give a fuck, birdbrain, I-” The armor turned almost at the same time as Harry fired his spell, seeing the wanna-be-Dragon approach behind the superhero that critical heartbeat earlier.

The famous whining sound of Iron Man’s thruster energy sounded almost anti climactic. Right up until the point he fired it over Harry’s head, at another of the creatures.

Iron Man turned his head, looking down at Harry and, although Teddy was still crying and he was in an incredible amount of pain, he couldn’t help the smile twitching his lips.

“Cheers.”

Chapter Text

Having a weak heart, Tony had learned to recognize different reactions his heart could have. He knew the fluttering kind of feeling when he was happy. He knew the hard thumping of stress or too much exercise. He knew the fast pace of adrenaline and the stopping of his heart out of fear. 

Seeing Harry protecting civilians before being engulfed in flames, throwing his body over Teddy, Tony felt all of it, felt a searing pain pierce through his chest, felt the air freeze in his lungs and fear pulse through all of him in a way he could have never imagined. Panic in an intensity he knew would keep him up at nights for years to come. 

Firing at the creature and thankfully killing it instantly, he forced the armor into a downward dive, almost crashing to the ground and not giving a single fuck about it. 

Harry was cowering on a small patch of grass that wasn’t burned unlike the rest of the ground all around him, still using his body as a shield for his kid. 

Then he fell to his side, his arm raising in a feeble attempt to, most likely, protect the child pressed to his chest.

Kneeling down in front of Harry, Tony grabbed the slim shoulders of the teenager, trying to not dislodge the baby in his arms but needing to see him. To know he was safe, to-

“ Harry .” It sounded more like a yell than it should. It felt like a plea.

Jarvis, not even waiting for a confirmation, lifted the face plate up. Letting Tony focus on the kid in his arms. On the smell of burning grass, earth and much worse.

Gingerly, and fighting his own panic, Tony moved Harry a little more to his side, to get a first glance at the red and blistering skin underneath the ripped shirt.

“Shit.”

Harry had been burned. It wasn’t an open wound, but by the looks of it, one wrong movement could change that.

What if he had more injuries? Letting go of the teen, Tony almost choked when he heard the small hiss, followed by a whine, escape Harry’s throat. 

He was still not looking at Tony. Still moving sluggishly. The only sign he wasn’t unconscious was his secure hold on the silently crying baby.

“Harry, look at me!”

It was another plea and an order and devastation put into words.

The teen reacted almost instantaneously, blinking up at Tony. There was barely a hint of pain on his expression, the green eyes analyzing the situation and relaxing when Harry recognized Tony.

“I’m fine.” 

He wasn’t. 

It didn’t change that Harry pushed himself up with his injured arm, his focus already on Teddy, who was quietly whining.

“You’re fine Teddy. We’re fine.” The teen leaned forward, his movements haltingly, still he pressed a kiss to the small head, nothing but love in his voice.

As if that had given him permission, Teddy started crying loudly, big tears running down his face and shrill shrieks accompanying the hiccups.

Harry didn’t seem surprised or worried. Instead he hoisted the baby a little higher on his chest, wincing when he used his second arm to hold him close.

“I know, little bean.” He started rocking the baby with gentle movements of his entire body. Not giving a single fuck that he had large burn wounds covering half of his body.

“I’m sorry, love, I’m so sorry.” 

The whispered words were almost drowned by the blood rushing in Tony’s ears. 

Focus. He needed to focus. He needed to help. He needed to-

“Fuck.”

Harry looked up at him, his expression open and… calm. There was still barely any pain visible, proving that his pain threshold was probably as high as Tony’s. Which was nothing he could think about right now without breaking.

The other thing he definitely couldn’t think about, possibly ever, was that Harry, his kid, really did not seem bothered by just being attacked. There was no sign of shock. No sign of surprise even. 

As if this was somehow a normal occurrence for him.

Letting the faceplate shut right then and there was probably the opposite of what Tony should do and the only thing he could do if he wanted to be able to function at all. 

“Sir-”

“Cap! I need an ambulance asap. I-”

“Iron Man! Where are you? What-”

“We need help here Iron Ass, I-”

“Jarvis, send our location.” 

Harry, obviously not giving a single shit about his own comfort or health, tried to stand up, which Tony prevented by grabbing his less injured shoulder and stopped him from getting up.

“What the hell, Stark-”

“I don’t give a single fuck, birdbrain, I-”

“Sir!”

He had seen the movement on his interface the second Jarvis lit up the read warning, shooting the creature between the eyes almost in the same second. 

Looking down at his kid, to make sure he was okay, that he did not go into shock, although it would have probably calmed him in the long run, Tony felt his heart stutter again. 

Harry had looked in the same direction before now meeting his face plate head on. There was a small smile twitching his lips. As if he wasn't burned. As if he hadn’t almost given up his life for some civilians, almost sacrificing himself for his kid just minutes ago.

“Cheers.”

Inhaling, Tony stomped down on everything. Every last emotion. He didn’t have time to deal with them right now. He couldn’t deal with them right now. There was no way he could-

Leaning down, he didn’t ask if he was allowed to take Harry into his arms. He didn’t react when Harry asked what he was doing. He just told him to hold Teddy close. 

Then he flew them to the Quinjet. 

Harry didn’t seem bothered. Not when they flew. Not when he leaned forward, Teddy safe in his arms and fired four more spells, stopping the creatures. 

Not when Tony flew them into the Quinjet and sat them down on a cot.

“You stay here.”

He didn’t even wait for an answer.

He also didn’t answer any of the calls from the Avengers. 

“Keep an eye on them, Jay.”

“Certainly, Sir. I canceled the ambulance. I believe Captain Rogers would like your assistance right now.”

Compartmentalizing was a skill Tony had learned probably around the same time he had learned to use the toilet. Since then he had refined it to a fine art. Compartmentalizing, not using the toilet. Although-

The second he touched down beside Captain America, his only focus was the mission. 

It was made easier by the fact that Cap didn’t ask any questions. The super soldier was probably either too angry or too annoyed to care. 

Rounding up the last creatures took them about forty more minutes, thanks to the almost flawless teamwork the Avengers once again showcased, even if they didn’t have any right to be as effective as a team as they clearly were on the field. 

“What the fuck was that?” Hawkeye jumped out of a tree and right in front of Tony, his eyes narrowed dangerously, as soon as Jarvis had confirmed that they had stopped all of the dragons.

“Hawkeye!” Captain America growled, stepping also closer himself.

“What! I want to know what Stark-”

“Not here.” 

“I don’t-”

“Clint.” The Black Widow stepped beside the archer, one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows raised. 

Turning away from the silent conversation, Tony looked at the Hulk, walking around the grass as if looking for more fire puppies as he called them.

“Iron Man-”

“Not now, Cap.”

“Tony.” The soldier stepped closer still, almost blocking his way, his expression calm, even if his blue eyes narrowed.

“Has something happened with Ha- the kid?” It was a quiet whisper, almost too quiet for even Tony to hear it.

For a heartbeat he wanted to deny it. Needed to deny it. 

Nodding, he brushed Steve’s hand off. “They are in the Quinjet. I need Bruce.” He whispered back.

“Okay.” Steve straightened his shoulders. “Keep me posted.” Turning around, he called for Hawkeye and Black Widow to help coordinate the first response helpers, SHIELD, the police and the civilians.

Ignoring Hawkeye’s protests, Tony walked over to the green giant, moving slowly. “Hey there green bean.” 

Fuck. Forcing his breathing under control, he opened his face plate, looking up at the Hulk.

“Fire puppies?” The behemoth growled almost sadly.

“No, we defeated them all. Thanks for your help, Hulk.”

“Hulk help!”

“You did. You did good.”

And he really had, listening to Captain America and keeping civilians safe.

“Hulk good.”

“Yes, very good. Hulk, I need Banner.”

“Puny Banner.” Hulk huffed, dismissively.

“Yes, puny Banner, but I need him. Now, Hulk.”

The behemoth turned his acid green eyes on Tony, an almost thoughtful expression on his face. 

“Hurt?” The giant asked, leaning forward and looking Tony up and down. 

“Yes, someone is hurt. I need puny Banner.” 

Looking over to where Cap was calling orders to the gathering helpers, Hulk looked almost speculating. “Fine. Hulk protect.”

“Yes, the Avengers are fine, Hulk, but I need Bruce. I need him now.”  

Hulk moved even closer, his face now on eye level with Tony. Sniffing. “Magic.”

Balling his hands to fists, Tony forced himself under control. Forced himself to not react. To stay calm. 

“Yes. The- Harry is hurt. I need Bruce. Please Hulk. I need Bruce.”

“Kid.” Hulk growled. “Keep safe. No hurt.”

“I know. I’m trying.”

The Hulk nodded, as if agreeing, before he shrank down, his skin color turning back to an almost too whitish color. 

Grabbing Bruce’s arm when he stumbled, Tony stepped closer to the other man who was clumsily holding onto his no longer fitting pants.

“Bruce, you with me?”

“Tony? Did I-”

“Hulk was perfect. He helped us, followed Cap’s orders and didn’t hurt anyone.”

“Good.” Bruce slumped a little forward, not that Tony in the armor felt the added weight.

Leaning closer to the other man and almost pressing his lips to his ear, Tony tried to keep the growing panic out of his voice.

“Harry and Teddy were here during the attack.”

Bruce froze in his arms.

“Harry got hurt.” Tony tried to ignore the way those words tasted like blood on his tongue. How his throat was barely able to let those words pass.

Moving back, Bruce’s brown eyes met Tony’s. “Where is he?”

“I left him in the-”

“Actually Sir,” Jarvis spoke up, loud enough for both of them to hear. “Young Sir decided Baby Sir needed some attention therefore he apparated back to the Tower.”

“He did what?”

“I tried to stop him, Sir. Young Sir decided not to listen. To his credit I have to say he did aparate straight to the Tower and did not leave his room since he entered it.”

Focusing on breathing, Tony did not think about putting Harry, who was an adult, under house arrest. He also did not think about making a magic proof room and putting him in there. Indefinitely. 

“Where is the Quinjet, Tony?” 

Blinking, he looked back into Bruce’s calm eyes.

Twenty minutes later the Quinjet touched down on the landing pad of Stark Tower, Tony accepting that it was most likely a better idea to not charge at Harry without some diffusion between them. 

He knew exactly how he would react if someone told him to stay. To not move. And seeing as how unimpressed Harry had been with everything, he probably did not see it as a big deal. 

Breathing, although a reflex, remained to be a struggle. Even when Bruce watched the footage of Harry’s back, put it together with Jarvis’ readings and they, together, decided on giving Harry an IV with saline solution before they would do anything else.

Bruce had used the time to put on some spare clothes on the Quinjet and put together everything they would most likely need to treat Harry. 

Tony had sat helplessly on the side. Trying to breathe.

He trusted Bruce. He trusted Jarvis more than almost anyone else. Still, he wanted to call experts. He wanted to call Helen to come over and make sure Harry was okay. That he would get the best help Tony could provide for him. 

But Harry wouldn’t want that. He had agreed to let Bruce look him over. And if they needed more help, Tony would make that happen. 

Stepping onto his own floor, Tony ignored the squeezing of his heart when his gaze fell on the blanket on the carpet before the couch.

They were safe. They would be fine. Of course, they would be fine. And if he would build both of them Iron Man suits to wear everywhere then that was a reasonable response. 

The door to Harry’s bedroom stood half open, as if inviting them in. Not that Tony would have stopped at a closed door.

Pushing it open all the way, his eyes jumped first to Harry, who laid on his less injured side on the bed, looking a little tired but alert. Then Tony’s eyes jumped to the crib, in which Teddy lay sleeping.

Harry moved stiffly, raising his wand and casting a spell that Tony couldn’t see, hesitating in moving.

“Just a silencing charm around the crib.” Harry said, calmly, while pushing himself into a sitting position. “Is everyone okay?”

Inhaling slowly, Tony listened to Jarvis promising him the Avengers were fine and that, thankfully, there were no deaths to mourn and that the injuries were mostly superficial. 

“That’s good.” Harry smiled, looking back from the camera in the right corner of his bedroom to Tony. 

“Terrific. Bruce, get him.” It had been supposed to be lighthearted. Just a quib. It wasn’t. 

Taking a step forward, Bruce smiled warily at Harry. “Tony said you got hurt in the attack?”

“I was a little slow.” The green eyes wandered from Bruce to Tony, something like worry in them, even though it was a little too calculated for it to be just worry. 

“Can I take a look?” Bruce didn’t move forward, staying incredible still. “There are good doctors around if you don’t-”

“I would prefer it if it were you, Bruce. And it’s not a big deal.”

“Your whole back is one big burn wound.”

Harry looked back at Tony, an eyebrow raised. 

Balling his hand to a fist, he stepped closer. “Being burned hurts like a bleep . Jarvis!” He growled lowly, but Harry didn’t seem to worry.

“Believe it or not, I know that.” 

“It doesn’t look like you know it.”

“What do you want to hear, Tony? I have been burned before. Literally. And last time-” he stopped, visibly biting back whatever had been on his tongue just a second ago. 

Seeing Harry, his kid, squaring his shoulder as if to protect himself from Tony opened another pit in Tony’s stomach. Deep and dark and hollow.

“I didn’t mean to endanger Teddy. I wanted to apparate away as soon as we got attacked. But I heard the kids’ screaming. And I couldn’t-”

“ Bleeping bleep Harry, I’m not upset that you helped them! And I know that you kept Teddy safe because when I saw you, you threw yourself over him!” There was also no question for Tony that if there had been anything wrong with Teddy at all, Harry would have taken him to a pediatrician straight away.

“I’m-” upset wasn’t even coming close to what Tony was still feeling. It was such a small word for the hurricane raging in his chest, driven by fear and panic and this wordless scream that demanded that he protected Harry and Teddy. That he protected his kid.

“Can you turn around, please?” Bruce asked, his voice too quiet in the silence, as if he didn’t dare to speak louder.

Harry’s eyes flickered to Tony before he turned on the bed, taking off the new shirt he had put on. 

Inhaling slowly, Tony forced himself to keep standing where he was. To not move. To not speak. 

Harry’s back, right shoulder and most of his right upper arm was red, blistered and had, by now, torn in some places. 

Bruce, who had taken a step forward had stopped again, one of his hands balling into a fist. 

“Please explain what happened.” The other genius’ voice was calm and did not show the slight shiver in his shoulders.

“These lizards, I suppose a Muggle interpretation of dragons, attacked and I wasn’t fast enough. It wasn’t a full blown fire breath though.”

As if that made it better when his back looked like that. 

“Okay.” Bruce said, calmly. “I’m going to step closer now, Harry. If you need some time or if it hurts, tell me.”

“Okay.” The teen sounded unconcerned. 

Tony followed Bruce, glancing once into the crib, but thankfully Teddy was still sleeping soundly. 

“I would like to hook you up to a drip first.”

Glancing over his shoulder and barely showing any discomfort even if Tony saw how the burned skin stretched at the movement, Harry nodded. “Sure.”

He didn’t even flinch when Bruce pierced the skin with the needle. Nor when Tony stepped even closer and hung the drip up.

“I need to clean your back now, Harry. This might hurt, but it’s important or-”

“I’ll get an infection.” Harry sounded almost amused. “I know. Don’t worry.”

And even if he didn’t say I've had worse Tony still heard those words regardless. Judging by the way Bruce stiffened, his brown eyes flickering green for just a heartbeat, so had he.

The not a doctor doctor started to, very carefully, clean the burn wounds before rubbing an antibiotic ointment into the blistered skin. 

Harry didn’t complain once. He barely even moved. He just sat there.

Tony, on the other hand, almost threw up watching it.

“Sir?” 

Tony almost jumped, while both Harry and Bruce did jump.

“Yes, Jay?”

“Captain Rogers wants to inquire how the situation is and if you need any kind of assistance.”

For some inexplicable reason, Tony wanted to say yes, he needed assistance. Because right now, all he could remember were Steve’s warm arms around him when he had broken down crying a few nights ago. 

“No, we’re good. How is the clean up going?”

“It is going surprisingly well, although I would like to propose that the Avengers, first response helpers and all other organizations will decide together and in a logical manner, what will fall into their individual responsibilities and is therefore their task area before the next attack.”

“Good idea. Make it so.”

“Of course, Sir. May I also suggest that you bring a glass of water to young Sir? I believe it would be beneficial for him.”

Glancing over to Harry, Tony nodded. “Yes, sure.”

Bruce met his eyes when Tony turned, smiling tightly, as if trying to calm him. It did not work. At all.

Walking out of the room and over to the kitchen, Tony focused on breathing.

“Jay?” He whispered.

“Yes, Sir?”

“What am I doing?”

“You are taking care of your kid, Sir. Who is very much like you. In the best and most frustrating ways possible, I believe.”

“He could have died.”

For the longest time, Jarvis didn’t answer while Tony just stood there, right before the sink in his kitchen.

“Young Sir does seem to have the same knack as you, Sir, to find himself in danger rather often. And just as you he is a survivor.”

Grabbing the kitchen sink, Tony bowed down under the pressure falling on his shoulders. Harry shouldn’t have to be a survivor. If Tony had been there, Harry wouldn’t have to be a survivor. But he hadn’t been. He had left Harry on his own and-

“Sir?”

“Yeah?” 

“Young Sir is here right now. We can help him now.”

“Yes. Of course.” Pushing himself up, he exhaled calmly. 

With a glass full of water, he walked back to Harry’s room, inhaling deeply, before stepping over the threshold. He would be here for Harry. He would calm the fuck down and as soon as the time was right, he would explain to him that Tony was not upset with him. 

He was terrified. 

Walking over to the bed, he sat down beside Harry, offering him the glass.

“Thanks.” Harry took it with a slightly shivering hand.

“Sure.” Glancing over to Bruce and the fact that he was still working on Harry’s neck, he leaned a little closer to Harry. “Bruce looks a little tired. Would it be okay if we took a short break?”

Looking up, Harry’s eyes, dull with pain, blinked once at him. “Yes, sure.”

Bruce met Tony’s gaze, taking a step back. “Okay. Thank you, Harry. I’ll just drink something.”

“Yeah.”

Taking the half empty glass from Harry’s hand and disposing it on the bedside table, Tony grabbed Harry’s other. Holding it close.

“You’re okay.”

Blinking, Harry nodded. “Sure. It’s nothing.”

“If that is supposed to calm me down, it’s not working.” Tony forced a smile on his face. “I walked through a desert and had burns that were not half as bad as yours and they bleeping hurt.” He glared up at the camera in the corner in the eye.

“You had been tortured before. That’s worse.”

Tony froze. 

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

It wasn’t. It wasn’t okay at all. Because Harry had said it like he knew. Like he had been tortured before. Like he knew the feeling of standing on a blade's edge between accepting the pain, accepting that the agony wouldn’t end for a while. Possibly forever. Or breaking for good.

Inhaling Tony looked for anything to say. Anything at all.

“You have been burned before?”

Great. Just another light and happy topic. 

“...yes.” Harry’s hand pressed down on Tony’s before loosening almost instantly.

Grabbing Harry’s hand tightly again, Tony breathed. Trying to stay calm. To focus on Harry right now. 

“What happened?” 

“We… We had to get something. A cursed object.” He exhaled shudderingly. “The stuff around it multiplied and burned us. It was worse than this.” The smile was a little self-deprecating. “At least we had the essence of dittany. It heals wounds almost instantly.”

“You don’t have any right now, do you?”

“No.” Harry closed his eyes for a moment. “I used my last bit a while ago and never had the time to replace it.” 

Because he had been hurt before?

“Why don’t you market it to non-magicals?” Tony pushed for another smile while his thoughts were racing of how he would be able to get his hands on the essence of dittany.

“Magical healing spells and potions and the likes use the magic in the people themselves to heal them. If it would be used on Mug- non-magical people it wouldn’t work in the best case scenario. Worst case would be it would use their life energy.”

“That’s a good reason.” 

“Yeah, Mione thought so too.” Slumping a little forward, Harry obviously tried to bite back a hiss but did not succeed in it.

Without thinking about it, and couldn’t that be a new theme for him, Tony moved closer to his kid, letting him lean on his shoulder.

“You’re okay.” He whispered again into the unruly dark locks. “I’ll get you that stuff.”

“Mione would have some or know how to get it.” Harry mumbled, tiredly.

“Jay.”

“I already sent a message to Miss Granger, Sir.”

“Good.”

Harry’s body leaned heavily on him by now and Tony had to fight the urge to hug the teen closer to him. As he would have hurt him worse, he was able to hold that impulse back. Barely.

Bruce came back a few minutes later, feeding Harry some pain pills before finishing up. Harry was basically asleep when Bruce applied the last bandage.

“...Teddy…”

“He is sleeping right beside you, Harry, he is fine. I’ll take care of him. Just sleep.”

Following Bruce out of the room, Tony glanced again into the crib. Teddy had rolled over, both arms stretched out to the sides.

“I will inform you if Young Sir or Baby Sir will need your assistance, Sir.”

“Thanks Jay.”

Wordlessly, Bruce walked over to the kitchen, filled a mug with coffee and handed it to Tony before he made himself a tea. Not saying a single word.

Sitting down at the kitchen island, Tony held the hot coffee cup close. Trying to focus on it and not the memory of the agony that had been being burned. 

Trying to not think about Harry being tortured.  

“Tony?” Bruce’s voice was calm. Concentrated. 

Nodding, Tony did not look up because whatever it was that Bruce had to say, after offering Tony coffee, wouldn’t be anything good.

“What do you know about Harry’s past?” 

“Not much. And nothing good.” 

“I… I can’t be sure, but…” 

“What, Bruce?” Tony looked up, finally meeting the brown eyes and although he had heard the dread in the other genius’ voice, seeing it was worse. 

“I can’t be sure. And it is never a good idea to-”

“Bruce.” 

“His back is scarred.” The words were quiet. “Some of them seem old.” 

Gingerly placing the cup on the table top, Tony exhaled. It wasn’t a surprise, of course. It didn’t matter either way. 

“I can’t be sure as his skin was swollen and blistered but-”

“But you saw the scars.”

“Yes.” Bruce kept his expression calm, almost neutral. Almost.

“He is severely underweight and Tony… being able to stomach that kind of pain without proper narcotics instead of the little pain relievers I had to offer? I can do it after… after everything. I’m sure you could do it. Harry should not be able to do it.” 

Pressing his eyes closed, Tony exhaled, slowly. Precisely. 

“I know, Bruce. I know.” 

Chapter Text

“Sir, Captain Rogers, Hawkeye and the Black Widow just walked into the Tower.” 

Exhaling, Tony sat back up from where he had slumped down on the kitchen island. Bruce smiled at him, when their eyes met. There was understanding and compassion in his expression.

They hadn’t talked. Hadn’t gone over everything that Harry had already told them, or everything they had been able to read based on his behaviors.

Bruce, who thought he wasn’t good with people because he was this horrible monster, had sat opposite of Tony, not leaving him alone. 

“Tell them to come onto the common floor.” 

“Very well, Sir. Baby Sir shows signs of awakening. I would recommend taking him with you and giving him his afternoon bottle.” 

“I’ll prepare the bottle.” Bruce turned, already reaching for the baby formula. 

When did this become Tony’s life? 

Forcing his muscles to relax, Tony pushed himself up. 

It had become his life the second Harry, a soldier and survivor in his own right, had stepped foot into Tony’s life and proved that letting his weapons be bought by terrorists was not the worst crime he had committed unknowingly. 

Quietly walking into Harry’s room, Tony glanced over to the sleeping teen, his expression more stressed while sleeping then it had been awake. 

And why wouldn’t it be? For an eighteen year old, Harry’s mask was incredibly convincing. Something most likely learned through tears and blood and pain.

Because Tony had let it happen. 

Because Tony hadn’t protected him.

Exhaling inaudibly, Tony leaned down and picked up the slowly moving baby. Placing him against his chest, Tony whispered calming words to his- to Teddy, walking slowly out of the room and silently, closing the door behind him. 

“Hey there, Teddy Bear.” He whispered to the waking baby. “You’re okay. Harry is going to be okay too, I promise.” He would make it so even if it was the last thing he ever did. 

Thankfully, by now Tony knew how to change a diaper without making a mess, unlike the first time he had assisted Harry and made everything worse. 

Teddy, the best baby ever, didn’t even fuzz much, squealing just a little bit - and biting down on the hand of his Hulk plushie. 

“I’m going to try to not hold this against you, young man, but Iron Man, as we all know, is the best Avenger.” 

Teddy babbled seemingly agreeably.

“I’m glad you’re coming to your senses, little bean.” 

Instead of answering, Teddy blinked his eyes and turned them into the same shade of hazelnut as Tony’s eyes. 

Something cold and heavy rolled over in Tony’s stomach.

If Harry had been just a little slower, he and Teddy might have died. 

Taking the baby into his arms and bringing him a little closer, Tony focused on the small warmth on his chest. 

They were fine. Miss Granger had texted back, demanding to know what had happened and agreed to bring a package with useful items to the Stark Industries branch in London. It would be in the Tower in about a day. Sooner, if Tony had any say in that. And as soon as Harry was better, they would find a place in New York where they would be able to get everything Harry and Teddy potentially needed.

“Jay?”

“Sir?”

“Did you make the super agents sign the new NDA already?”

“Yes, Sir, they just signed them. Captain Rogers was exceptionally helpful in convincing Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton to sign them.”

“Do you hear that, little bean? Captain America is already trying to keep you safe.” Moving Teddy into a more secure hold, Tony stepped into the living area. 

Bruce was already waiting for them. He held a kitchen towel along with the bottle, smiling calmingly at the baby while making sure he was as far away from Teddy as was physically possible in the elevator cabin. 

“You do remember that Harry told you he-“

“I’m quite aware your son has the same self-preservation issues as you do, Tony.” Bruce smiled, almost painfully. “Let’s wait until Teddy can decide-”

“He is eating the Hulk as we speak. You’re his favorite plushie!” And wasn’t that something Tony loathed to admit. Although it did make Bruce’s smile brighten and that was definitely something good. 

“He is a baby, Tony, he doesn’t know-”

The elevator doors opened to Clint’s annoyed voice. 

“-sign this stupid NDA and then he isn’t even showing up! I mean-”

“Clint!” Steve sounded both annoyed and tired. 

Great, this was going to be fun. At least Tony would have a good reason for biting the archer's head off if he made Teddy cry.

“We’re here, Merida.” Stepping around the corner and into the open living room, Tony smiled pleasantly as Clint’s jaw fell open and Nat raised an eyebrow in surprise. 

“What the bleep?”  

“Not in front of the baby!” Tony walked forward, ignoring the sharp eyes of Natasha trying to force an explanation out of him while Steve’s worry followed him, as he sat down and let Bruce hand him both the cloth and the bottle.

Tony had learned decades ago to appear perfectly at ease even if he was dying inside. This was almost too easy. 

And thankfully, he had already given Teddy his bottle twice before, so he almost knew what to do. 

“Did I get hit in the head? What is happening?”

“Shut up, Clint.” Natasha turned towards Steve before looking back at Tony. “Explanation.”

“This is a baby. I would have thought you would know that, Red.” 

“Tony.” 

“Natasha.” 

“What happened today?” 

“Who cares! Why do you have a baby, Stark!” 

“Tony.” 

Looking back into the blue eyes of Steve, Tony sighed. “Teddy is my… he is my grandson.”

The silence following that statement was almost enough to counteract the painful twinge right behind his Arc Reactor. 

“You have a… why didn’t we know you had a kid? Nat, did you know?” 

“No.”

It was more than obvious that Nat was not happy to acknowledge that. Tough luck. 

“How is Harry?” Steve asked, concern lacing his voice. 

“Half of his bleeping back was burned.” Hoisting the baby a little higher, Tony focused on the visible, palpable proof that Harry was okay. 

“What?” Clint, for the first time, lost his annoyed expression. “They were there?”

“Yes.” Tony exhaled, moving Teddy a little in his arm, his eyes on the baby. “Apparently throwing themselves into danger can be an inherited trait and Harry decided to ignore the bleeping fire breathing lizards and decided to protect civilians.” Tony knew he shouldn’t sound angry about it. Harry had done the same any hero would have done, but he shouldn’t have to be a hero! Shouldn’t have to fight! He was a kid for fuck’s sake! A traumatized kid!

“Is he here or-”

“He is upstairs.” Bruce said, sitting down carefully on the last free arm chair. “Jarvis is keeping an eye on him and if…” he stopped, his eyes flickering over to Tony.

“Just tell them, Brucey, they are spies, they’ll find out anyway.” Turning towards the spies, the Merchant of Death let his teeth flash in one of his most threatening smiles. “They also signed the new NDA and they know that there won’t be a place in heaven or hell where they could hide from me if they let any of this slip to anyone. Especially SHIELD.”

Blinking down at his... his grandkid, he saw that the baby had finished with his bottle and carefully placed him on his shoulder, gingerly patting the baby's back. 

The Avengers were supposed to be a team and beside everything else, Harry and Teddy would be safer if the Avengers knew . There was also a good chance Natasha knew something about the magical world. 

“Harry is a wizard.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Harry, my kid, is a wizard.” 

Theoretically, that was a very simple statement. It was also fucking insane and the oh, just so you know, magic is real part was not at all that suprising after the alien invasion, was far more belivable than Tony being a parent. 

Although he was a fuck up as a parent. That did check out.

“What the bleep!” 

“Clint.” Steve said, reproachingly, nodding towards Teddy.

“Come on, Cap. The baby can’t talk yet and Tony’s skynet is censoring anyway. And, just to be clear, I think finding out that Tony Stark is a-”

“Jarvis is right in censoring us swearing.” Interrupting Clint with that annoying self-righteous expression, Steve crossed his arms in front of his chest. “We should learn to not swear in front of Teddy!”

“You tell ‘em, Cap.” Moving Teddy back in front of him and using the towel to clean his chin, Tony smiled down at the little bean, who was now playing with the cloth. At least this time he hadn’t thrown up all over it. 

“Harry?” Nat prompted, her eyes narrowing dangerously. 

“Yes.” Looking up and meeting her stare head on, Tony squared his shoulders. She could think whatever she wanted about him. Hell, he would most likely think worse anyway, but he would not allow anyone to think bad about his kid.

“How?”

“You see, when a man and a woman have some fun-”

“How did you hide him?”

Exhaling slowly, Tony forced a press smile on his lips. She would find out anyway. It would be better to give her all the answers and make sure she wasn’t going to poke at Harry. 

“I didn’t know about him. His parents decided to use me as a sperm donor. They died when he was a kid but he got a letter when he turned eighteen, explaining that I am his… father.”

“And he seems to have inherited more of you than just his sacrificing streak.” Clint muttered, his eyes on Teddy.

“If you mean his dashing looks, you’re right, birdbrain.” Glaring at the archer, he opened his mouth to tell him exactly what he thought about comments like that towards his eighteen year old kid, when Natasha interrupted him.

“Harry Potter?”

“Actually, Harry Stark, now.” Tony looked back at her, trying to sound flippantly, which did not change the dark worry churning in his gut. Why the hell would the Black Widow know his kid’s name?

Natasha’s eyes narrowed as she apparently tried to extract the truth right out of his skull.

Tough luck. Tony was almost as stubborn as he was brilliant, meaning she could stare at him as much as she wanted. It wouldn’t change a damn thing. 

“You are the father of Harry Potter?” 

“No, I’m the father of Harry Stark.”

“Bleeping bleep.”

“Oh, now you’re in for it, Stark.” Clint quipped, even if he wasn’t able to hide the slither of worry in his voice.

“What do you know about my son, Romanoff?” 

They hadn’t lost eye contact. Most people would have crumbled under her glare but most people would have also folded under the stare of the Black Widow.

“What do you know about him?”

“That’s not what we’re playing here. This is about my son, Natasha.”

“A son you didn’t know about.”

“Nat!” Steve hissed, standing up and moving between the Black Widow and the Merchant of Death in a staring contest. 

“I know about him now.”

Relaxing her stance, Nat tilted her head slightly, still not even blinking. It was an intimidation tactic and a try to look more approachable, all in one. 

The silence between them stretched even further. The only interruptions were the happy noises Teddy made while playing with the towel.

“What do you know about magic?”

“Not much.” 

“Me neither.” Natasha blinked, before sitting down on the opposite couch, beside Clint. “I came across it during a job. Took me some time to get the little info I have.”

“Does Fury know?” 

Every eye was now on Steve, until the soldier blushed. 

“Of course, he knows.”

“Sit down, Cap.” Tony patted the couch beside him. “Let the grown ups talk.”

“I’m older than you.” Steve murmured, but sat down beside Tony, seemingly unaware of how close he suddenly was. Instead, Steve moved the Hulk plushie and offered it back to Teddy, who happily grabbed it. The traitor.

“Ice time doesn’t count. You were saying, Nat?”

“The magical community here in the states is small compared to Europe. They tend to stay away from No-Majs, as they call non-magical people, and keep to themselves, mostly.” There was no infliction in her voice, as if all of it bored her to death. The only thing contradicting her tone of voice and body language was the intensity in her eyes. 

“Especially the British wizard community seems to be not as careful with keeping their secret hidden. I got most of my information there.” She hesitated for a heartbeat before continuing. “All those terror attacks in the last twelve to eighteen months-”

“No terror attacks?” Clint asked.

“Oh no, definitely terror attacks, just magical terrorists.”

“Makes sense.” The archer leaned back into the couch. 

“You know about magic?” 

“Of course, I know about magic.” The archer smiled obnoxiously at Steve. “I was raised in a circus, Cap, there was a lot more going on than just smoke and mirrors.”

“Oh. I didn’t know about magic.”

“Really? I’ve heard there was a magic war going on during World War II.” 

“I didn’t know either, Cap.” Tony moved Teddy on his lap, before looking back at the agents. “Back to the important things: why do you know the name of my son?” 

“Harry Potter. The boy who lived.” 

A cold shiver ran down Tony’s back, chilling him to his core.

“Savior of the Wizarding World.”

Pressing his eyes closed, Tony focused on breathing. 

Steve, right beside him, moved, pressing his knee to Tony’s, wordlessly.

Yesterday, that would have been something to think about. 

Right now, it didn’t mean anything. Very few things did. Aside from the small bundle in his arms and his son, who was called savior at eighteen years old. 

“l’ve heard rumors. Stories.” Nat stated, calmly. “I can’t say how much of it is the truth. If half of it did happen, he earned that title.” 

Inhaling, Tony opened his eyes, watching Teddy drool all over the green plushie.

He needed to know what happened. He needed to know how he could help Harry, what he had gone through and who was after him and Teddy. 

He needed to learn about magic and how to counteract it to keep both of them safe. Hell, he probably needed it to keep all of them safe sooner or later.

Jarvis had offered him information after Harry had zoomed with his friends but Tony had declined it when Jay told him it was nothing that needed immediate action to keep them safe. 

When ready, Harry would tell him. Probably. The kid wouldn’t appreciate it if Tony got his info from spies and stories. Hell, Tony knew that feeling better than most people ever would.

“What did you hear, Natasha?” Cap asked, and this was Captain America, not Steve. 

“Everyone in the know knows his story.” Clint answered before Nat could. “On Halloween, when Harry was just a baby, Voldemort found him, killed his parents and tried to kill Harry, but something happened, the spell rebounded and Voldi was believed to be dead.” 

“Why would he want to kill Harry?” Bruce asked, his voice almost too soft.

“A prophecy.” Nat answered. “I couldn’t find out what the prophecy was about, but the story is Voldemort believed only Harry could kill him.”

Smiling down at the baby moving the plushie as best as he could, Tony stayed calm. Stayed focused. Conceal, don’t feel, right? It worked for Elsa, it would work for him.

“I guess he didn’t die?” 

Steve beside him moved a little closer, not saying anything. 

“No. The stories don’t match up but he was able to take over the British Ministry of Magic last summer. The new government declared Harry Potter an enemy of the state.” 

That would certainly explain why Harry looked the way he did. It was barely any information at all but with everything Harry and his friends had told them, and with what they had been able to see for themselves, it painted a certain picture. Knowing first hand how fast public opinion could change, especially if someone powerful was pushing an agenda in the background. 

They had been caught. Miss Granger had been tortured to tell their captors where Harry was and she had kept silent, protecting her brother. 

The Savior of the Wizarding World. 

No wonder Harry thought all those people had died because of him. If that Volde-asshole had been after him because of some bullshit prophecy and those people had protected him, of course he would believe they had died because of Harry. 

If he or his goons were still after Harry, of course he would believe Teddy’s grandmother had been killed because of him. 

Of course, he would ward the Tower like he had.

Of course, he wouldn’t trust his government.

“I don’t know much more,” Natasha said in the silence. “I haven’t heard from my contact in over six months. As far as I know they are dead.”

That wasn’t surprising. 

“Do you know how the war ended?” Asking it felt wrong, still, Tony had to know.

“There was a last battle. Again, the stories don’t match up.” She didn’t say more. But then, she didn’t need to say more, did she?

Harry had been forced to kill someone. Had been forced to fight in a war. Had been on the run for a year. Had been robbed of his parents because of a prophecy that apparently everyone knew. 

If that was the truth, why had he been living with his relatives who hated him? Who had hurt him? Shouldn’t they have taken care of Harry if they believed in that bullshit?

Shouldn’t they have used the time to groom him into their perfect little-

No.

Without thinking, Tony moved, pressing Teddy into Steve’s arms and was off the couch before any of them could even blink.

“Tony?” Steve called, a hint of panic in his voice, but Tony ignored him, walking over to the window front. He couldn’t get near anything that he could throw. He could not let go of the tightly coiled rage, couldn’t relax his shoulders, or everything in him would explode. 

He had thought about it before, when he thought Harry had been part of a cult, and truth be told, that theory was still valid; what if they, whoever they were, had known what the Dursleys would do to Harry or even hoped for it so that he would be more willing to follow whatever demented plan they had for him. 

Mr. Weasley had said he and Miss Granger had followed Harry since he was eleven. They had sunk their hooks into Harry, and apparently his friends, as soon as they had them separated in their school , hadn’t they? And Harry, after being abused for ten years, after most likely never receiving any kind of support since his parents had been killed, had been grateful to them. 

Had most likely felt like he finally did something right. That he finally belonged somewhere. And they had trained him to become a child soldier. To become their savior.  

“Tony?”

No matter what people believed, whether that Tony had gone soft in the head or that his PTSD had broken him, few people actually understood that him not selling weapons anymore did not change that he was still the Merchant of Death. That he would always be the Merchant of Death. That the blood spilled by his weapons was still on his hands no matter how much good he would do as Iron Man.

That he could still be cutthroat. That he still had connections. That he still knew way more about the art of warfare, intimidation and corruption than most people would ever know. 

That he decided to not use that knowledge. That he wanted to be better. And he did. Now, more than ever, to be someone Harry, one day, could be proud of. Someone Teddy would not be ashamed of. 

In this instance, that wouldn’t matter.

Exhaling, Tony pushed all of it into a box and shelved it. The Avengers weren’t the ones he wanted to annihilate. He would not waste any of the furious rage. Not one drop. Until he found someone who deserved his wrath. 

Turning, he met the Black Widow’s green eyes. 

He might not trust Natalie Rushman, and he might not trust Natasha Romanoff, but he fully trusted that she could read him. That she knew he would not stop. That everyone standing in his way in this would be against him and she was too smart to want Tony Stark™ as an enemy. 

And that was before she wanted to be an Avenger. That she, too, knew how important this team would become in no time.

Her expression did not change, still, she nodded, once. 

“Tony?” 

Blinking, he looked over to Steve, who was holding onto Teddy as if the kid was about to throw himself off the couch and would break if Steve moved even an inch.

Not answering the question in his name, Tony walked back over to the couch, taking Teddy out of Steve’s arm and holding him close to his chest. 

“We need more information about magic.”

“The MACUSA doesn’t talk to SHIELD.”

Turning back and smiling at Natasha, he saw the knowing glint in her eyes. 

“They will talk to the Avengers.”

“Did anyone else feel weirdly threatened by Tony while he was holding a baby just now?” Clint asked, leaning forward, his sharp eyes focused on Steve. 

“I mean don’t get me wrong, I’m all for it and while we’re there we can also ask them why the bleep they didn’t help us, but what do we tell them why we want to learn about magic? I’m pretty sure they don’t know that Harry Potter is here, do they?”

“They do.”

Turning on the spot, Tony looked into Harry’s green eyes, clouded by pain and the drugs Bruce had given him. 

“Or I believe they do. If they are as inept as the Ministry in Britain, they never realized I left America. I don’t believe they know anything else though.”

Harry looked even worse now. His expression showed nothing at all, his skin tone far too pale and his hands balled to fists at his side. 

“What are you doing here?” The question was asked harder when Tony had intended, but seeing his kid standing there, barely any signs of pain when he should be barely able to move, knowing a little more about what he had been put through by the people who should have protected him, some of his fury slipped through the cracks of his breaking mask.

“I don’t appreciate being talked about.” Harry’s voice was calm and measured. His eyes expressionless.

Moving Teddy in his arms, who was reaching with his little arms towards Harry, Tony nodded. Once. 

“I’m sorry to break it to you, kid, but in that case, you have a Stark sized problem.” Clint said, his sharp eyes cataloging every detail about Harry, while showing a happy-go-lucky smile. “I’m Clint, the coolest Avenger.”

Looking over to the archer, Harry nodded at him. “Harry.”

“Yeah, I got that much. Sit down kid while Nat and Stark plan to take over the MACUSA, it’ll take some time.”

“They are not going to take over the MACUSA, Clint.” Steve admonished while placing a chair beside the couch, his expression worried.

“Oh I don’t know, Cap, Nat has taken down governments for less and Stark-”

“Is not going to plan something like that with witnesses. Shut up, birdbrain.” Although it wasn’t a bad idea. Even if he would start with the British Ministry of Magic. And maybe he wouldn’t take it over and just destroy it for good. 

Chapter Text

Rolling over onto his back, Harry tried to relax his still tense muscles. The burns on his back had finally healed with the essence of dittany yesterday.

As it had taken Ron and Hermione four days to actually get the essence of dittany to Tony’s trusted contact in the London branch of Stark Industries, and the package then had taken almost another day to arrive in New York, his muscles were still cramped. Despite popular belief, Harry was, in fact, capable of feeling pain.

The reason for the delay had been Rita Skeeter and other people who had hunted Ron and Hermione every time they showed their faces, going so far as to stalk out the Burrow, Grimmauld Place and Andy’s house. And bombarding everyone who was reportedly close to Harry every time they stepped a foot out of their home.

On the third day, Hermione had brandished her wand against Skeeter, threatening her to step back and leave all of them alone or she would become the next Dark Entity. 

The Daily Prophet, unsurprisingly, printed that story the next day, which led to suspicions that she had only befriended Harry for his fame and had tried to manipulate him. It wasn’t even that much worse than what they had written about her in their fourth year.

The only silver lining was that these people still didn’t know about the adoption, where Harry was or anything else, really. That, of course, was also the problem as Harry and Teddy hadn't shown up to Andromeda’s funeral and neither had been seen since they had left the Ministry of Magic almost three weeks ago. 

The theories surrounding that fact got more outlandish by the day, although most of it could be boiled down to Harry having a breakdown, Harry taking some time after everything, Harry having left the country to either find himself or learn more Dark Arts to take over Britain when he returned or, as a very creative article of the Quibbler had suggested, Harry had decided to become a magical botanist and was currently in the Rain Forrest, searching for new magical plants.

Tony, obviously not used to waiting, had wanted to fly over to Britain in the Iron Man suit to get the essence of dittany when it was delayed, but Harry, the Avengers and Pepper had been able to hold him back. 

For Harry, that had meant he wasn’t allowed to move much, had to take the all but useless painkillers and drink more than necessary while being watched constantly. Tony, unfortunately, had had help in coddling Harry from the everpresent Jarvis, the surprisingly often visiting Steve, his newly appointed Doctor Bruce and, probably most surprisingly, Clint.

The archer, although clearly as much a human disaster as every other member of the Avengers, was surprisingly good with kids. And he did not give a fuck that everyone, aside from Natasha, was not trusting him with Teddy. 

Although, to be honest, Harry wasn’t sure whether Natasha’s nonchalance towards the matter was because she actually trusted Clint or didn’t care at all.

Both seemed equally likely with the female spy that, notably, watched Harry very closely and did not trust anyone aside from the archer. Still, Harry was certain that she was watching him more closely than the other… non-magical people. 

That, of course, wasn’t something new for Harry, but it did open an old pit in his stomach. 

The female spy wasn’t impolite. Didn’t exclude him more than she did with anyone else but Harry could feel her green eyes on his person, following his every move. 

If he was just a little less paranoid or a little less fucked up he would probably not think anything about it. She was a spy after all. She would be suspicious, wouldn’t she? He was an unknown in her life. Someone she probably couldn’t assess the threat level of as easily as Muggles as she had heard stories about magic and him but had no way to know what was the truth.

If he wasn’t as insecure he would probably be happy that someone in the Tower didn’t let themselves be fooled by a young face and a baby.

But he was paranoid (or rather wasn’t as people were constantly after him and the ever growing pile of death threats was testimony of that), he was fucked up and he was insecure about Muggles knowing he was magic. 

Especially someone who was highly trained and lived just a floor below. Someone who sometimes glanced at Teddy with a question in her eyes that Harry didn’t even want to know.

There was the possibility that Natasha didn’t have any malicious intent. Maybe she, like everyone else living in the Tower, just had no experience being in company. Or being around people. It seemed like a stupid thought but after watching them for almost five days now, Harry was sure neither of them had a clue. 

Tony, although often at galas and possibly working with people because of SI, was almost awkward in every situation that had anything to do with emotions (something that was both calming and discouraging for Harry, as, if he had inherited that from the genius, there was no hope that he would outgrow that in the future). He quipped and joked and was able to create a welcoming atmosphere until he got distracted and just left without a word because he just remembered something or he started picking fights for no reason. (Admittedly, in the Tower it was mostly friendly discussions and both Harry and Bruce were notably left out of that.)

Steve, whose crush was obvious enough for everyone to see (except Tony, which was equally discouraging) tried his best to be a leader for the Avengers, but was clearly still struggling with the future, his crush, people in general probably, and trying to appear unaffected by everything happening around him, spend an increasing amount of time training and playing with Teddy.

That at least showed some growth. He had even asked Harry whether or not he would be allowed to learn how to change and feed Teddy, making it very clear he just wanted to be able to help. Something he clearly needed to get out of his own head. 

Tony, almost too proud, had shown Steve in detail how to do both. Harry, who had watched over a video feed thanks to Jarvis, had been equally amused and apprehensive. And he still didn’t know why.

Bruce, who was probably his own worst enemy, seemed to flinch around all of them. But it had gotten worse since Natasha and Clint had moved in. Possibly because Clint liked to jump out of vents and from high places just to annoy them (although he was more careful around Teddy and Bruce) and because Natasha’s green eyes followed him almost as often as they did Harry. 

The not that kind of Doctor still refused to touch Teddy, absolutely certain he would hurt him. He also refused to be alone with Harry, most likely for the same reason. And he wasn’t impressed that Harry wasn’t worried around him, only mumbling something about too trusting idiots. 

Which was clearly not the case, because Tony, even though he had never explicitly stated that, was very wary of the SHIELD agents. 

Clint, as mentioned, didn’t seem to give a shit about the opinion of others, although his carefree mask was cracked, and knowing what he knew, Harry couldn’t fault him for it. Being controlled and forced to fight for the enemy, killing people in the process? That would fuck you up. 

It didn’t change that his eyes narrowing dangerously everytime Harry even touched his wand started to really grate on Harry’s nerves.

At least he was good with Teddy and did seem to calm down around the little bean - like everyone else. He hadn’t yet given a straight answer as to why he knew how to handle babies, but clearly he knew what he was doing. 

Teddy, probably overwhelmed with everything, still prefered to be held and changed by Harry. Tony was his second favorite though. 

Rolling back onto his side, Harry glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. Squinting his eyes, he could almost make numbers out of the light blobs. As they looked not that much different from the last time he had glanced at the time (about ten minutes ago) it was still just after five in the morning. 

Today, around 11am, Tony would call him and Teddy down into a conference room to tell MACUSA representatives that he was Tony’s… kid. That he was a Stark. That he and Teddy had dual citizenships- even if it was still held under lock and key.

Tony and Natasha had unearthed some connections the day after the not-dragons attack and had started to negotiate with the MACUSA. As it was an Avengers matter, Harry didn’t know much about it and although it was absolutely against his character, he hadn’t snooped. Hadn’t even asked anything regarding it. 

Today was different though. Today, after finishing the Avengers business with them (apparently they would decide on a cooperation on certain matters), Tony would ask for a private word and would then introduce Harry and Teddy to them. As his family. 

As his… kid. And grandkid. 

Naively, Harry had hoped they could keep everything under wraps for a little longer, but Pepper, rightfully so, had put the metaphorical gun to Tony’s chest and told them that it was a miracle that no one had found the legal documentation regarding Harry and Teddy being Starks yet. 

The fact that there was a lot of footage showing Iron Man flying away frantically during the fight and one blurred video of Iron Man flying someone to safety did not help matters and Pepper was right when she told them that it was only a question of time until everything would get out. She was also right saying that it would be better to tell the story on their terms rather than trying to correct whatever narrative the vultures of the press had decided was the truth. 

Not that that was any kind of guarantee that the truth would be published by them, but it was definitely better than waiting for everything to explode. 

Right now, everyone thought Tony was having an affair with a dark haired someone, cheating on Pepper.

Listening to the both of them, that was the best option and neither looked annoyed that the world press seemed to be set in their belief that the two of them were dating.

After reluctantly agreeing that Pepper was right, something that seemed to be the norm for Tony and was fastly becoming a normal for Harry as well, they decided to explain everything to the MACUSA and the Ministry of Magic beforehand. Something Pepper insisted on. 

The only reason Harry agreed to tell the Ministry back in Britain wasn’t any of the very logical points made by Pepper but the fact that Shacklebolt, although annoying sometimes, had helped Harry before and was really trying to do the right thing. 

Also, if he explained everything to Kingsley he wouldn’t even have to lie when Molly Weasley would ask if he told the Minister about all of that. Because the Weasleys, as well as some very few trusted people would also be told beforehand.

That was why Ron and Hermione had visited the Ministry again, yesterday, before they had apparated to the Burrow, both times with the new Stark laptop in Hermione’s purse. 

Harry really had no idea what he would do without them. 

Shacklebolt, who of course knew who Tony Stark was, had almost lost all countenance as he recognized the Tech mogul beside Harry.