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Tony was spiraling.
Pepper had just left him, the Avengers were angry at him over Ultron, and he couldn’t even try to fix it because he couldn't bring himself to spend any amount of time around Wanda. At this point, Tony was just trying his best not fall back into the familiar haze of alcohol. Of course, that just meant that Tony was throwing himself into inventing and not sleeping. And of course, when Tony wasn't sleeping, he came up with his most improbable ideas, and this time, Tony had decided to try and recreate the portals Loki had summoned to let the aliens invade.
Tony was on five days with about six hours of sleep, and was pretty sure he had cracked the code, so he put on his safety goggles, got behind a blast shield just in case, and pressed the activation button. For a moment, there were just sparks spinning in the air, but slowly, an entrance started to appear, and Tony could feel a sense of pride and accomplishment for the first time in months.
On the other end of the portal, 36-year-old head auror, recently divorced Harry Potter, was watching as a mysterious portal appeared in the middle of the ministry atrium, setting up boundaries to control the curious crowd and watching as the Unspeakables investigated the slowly growing portal. Then, one of the Unspeakables, Unspeakable Zephyr, Harry thought, summoned Harry over.
“Is everything alright, Unspeakable Zephyr?” Harry asked, coming as close to the portal as he dared. “We aren't sure yet,” the Unspeakable responded. “We’ve been able to determine at least to the city the portal leads, but we don’t know if it will close or why it's here.” Harry nodded, taking notes for his report later, and looked quizzically at the portal.
It had an almost frosted look, like those windows you’d sometimes see in bathrooms, but Harry almost thought he could see another person on the other side. Harry took a step closer to the portal after making sure it was ok with the Unspeakables, trying to decipher what might be on the other side, but before he could take any more notes on what he saw, he felt a tugging at his navel, almost the sensation he got when using a port key, and he was hurtling towards the portal.
Tony, high on adrenaline and not at full thinking capacity, can only watch as a body crashes through the frosted film of the portal, and then the portal collapses behind him. Tony can only remove his safety goggles and sway on his feet as the body groans, then stands up.
When the man looks at him, Tony is captured by his enchanting green eyes. “Sir, are you ok?” The man asks, and Tony blinks slowly before slowly pitching forward. With a curse, the man leaps to catch him, pulling Tony into his chest. Tony freezes, but this man, this stranger, is so warm, and he smells like ozone and boot polish, and his arms are strong as they hold him up, and his voice is soft, and this is the first human contact Tony has had in weeks, so forgive him for being a little weak.
Tony barely manages to utter an apology before the darkness he has been fighting off for the last 36 hours finally claims him.
Harry stares down at the man in his arms with a troubled expression. He is thin and sickly pale, his hair is slicked back with oil and sweat, and he feels feverish under Harry’s hands. He looks around, finding himself in some sort of workshop, and tries to find an exit.
Harry sighs, and fully picks the man up and starts to carry him to the door he spots first when a female voice calls out from somewhere above him. “I apologize, sir, but that door leads into a lab which is under high security protections; the door that leads out into the living area is 24 feet to the left.” Harry nods in acknowledgment and heads towards the door she pointed out.
Once he makes his way to a living room with a large couch, he sets the man down, drapes a blanket over him, and looks around for the body that belongs to the voice. “Thank you for helping me, miss…?”
“Friday. I am an advanced artificial intelligence created by Doctor Anthony Edward Stark.” Harry sighs and sits down on a couch near whom he now assumes to be Dr. Stark. “Thank you, Miss Friday. Can you tell me where I am and how I got here?”
“Of course.” And Harry listens as Friday explains what Dr. Stark was doing, how he ended up in this state, and, after a little prodding, why he was alone in such a state. Of course, Harry can feel sympathy for Dr. Stark, being able to sympathize with what he’s been through, and deciding to at least stay until he wakes up, is showered, and eats something.
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Meanwhile, back in magical Britain, several people are scrambling to find what happened to Harry, including Hermione, who is interrogating Unspeakable Zephyr, Ron, who is trying to push some warrants through, and Kingsley Shacklebolt, who, as minister for magic, is doing his best to locate Harry through magical means.
Eventually, they receive a letter delivered by a house elf, and are able to relax a little, but really, how did Harry end up in New York?!
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When Tony wakes up, he feels warm, but also grimy and gross, so he sits up to get a hold of his surroundings and get ready to shower, but then he suddenly remember ozone and boot polish, warm arms and a soft voice. He’s about to ask Friday about it, but a plate of food is suddenly in front of him, and he looks up to see a smiling face and deep, emerald eyes.
“Good morning Dr. Stark. Youve been asleep for close to 16 hours now, and I was starting to get worried, but you must be hungry.” Tony stares at the mystery man, then at his hand still holding the plate, and doesnt move. Harry looks at him in concern, follows his gaze to the plate, and suddenly, understanding dawns on him. He sets the plate down on a coffee table in front of the couch Tony was sat on. “Friday can attest to it not being poisoned.”
“I can indeed boss.” Friday chirps, and Tony relaxed just a little bit. He took the plate and started wolfing down the food, his stomach uncramping in releif after no food but coffee in the past two days. After he finished it off, he looked at the stranger and sighed. “Alright mister tall, dark, and handsome, I’m sorry for pulling you through an experimental portal, but can I get you name.
“Of course, my name is Harry Potter.” The man, Harry Potter, smiled softly and introduced himself. “I do apologize if I’m imposing, but due to circumstances that I will explain when youre cleaned up and clear headed, but I might be staying with you for a while.”
Tony would never admit it, but he would not mind that at all. His pent house had been to quiet ever since Pepper left.
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Months passed, and Harry and Tony both learned a lot from each other. Of course, Harry learned about the portal and why Tony made it, listened as Tony explained, in an almost creepy clinical voice, about what Tony saw through the wormhole and his fears, and agreed that they should prepare for what may come even if it never comes, pulling from his own experiences, and Tony learned about magic, simultaneously curious and furious about magic and its breaking of the laws of physics, and why Harry had to stay, to make sure that Tony could fine tune the portal so he doesnt accidentally reveal a hidden society.
After about two weeks, though, there was a problem. Steve Rogers, Captain America, an enhanced individual who had hurt Tony in the past and didn't seem to care about him past his money and resources, started trying to get in contact with Tony to try and gain access to said money and resources, not even disclosing why he needed them so badly.
It pissed Harry off, knowing what it was like to only be wanted for your money, fame, and resources. So, when Steve decided to confront Tony in the SI main lobby, trying to use their past romantic relationship to manipulate him, Harry decided to intervene. He placed his arm around Tony’s shoulders, pushing just a little bit of magic into his eyes to make them glow menacingly.
“I think I’m going to have to ask you to leave, mr rogers, youve overstayed your welcome.” Harry dropped his voice low and kept his face in what he knew was an unnervingly neutral mask. Steve spluttered before regaining his composure and glaring at Harry. “And just who do you think you are?”
Harry was about to reply with some scathing comment, but Tony wrapped an arm around his waist and replied instead. “He’s my new boyfriend rogers, so I have no more need for you or your hypocrisy. I suggest you leave now.” Harry smiled a sharp smile that didn't reach his eyes, then placed a kiss on Tony’s temple, which caused Steve to clench his fists and finally leave.
Harry knew it was fast, but he knew if given the chance, he would fall in love with Tony Stark, so he turned to the man with soft eyes. “Your new boyfriend, huh?” Tony sighed and turned a hesitant smile to Harry. “Only if you want to.” Harry smiled and kissed the top of Tony’s hand.
“I’ll make sure we take it slow, yeah?” Tony smiled and nodded his head, then led Harry back up to their penthouse.
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Tony had gone to Siberia.
Tony was injured.
Tony might die.
Harry watched as Healer Evangeline, whom he had hired to take a look at Tony in hopes of easing the healing process with magic, worked tirelessly to keep Tony alive. It had been two years since Harry first fell into Tony’s life, and Harry had officially given the head auror job to a man a few years younger than him, whose name he honestly couldn't remember, the name of and was officially the liaison with the only tech mogul who knew about magic in hopes to bring the wizarding world into the new age.
But none of that mattered, because Tony might die, and it was all Steve Rogers ' fault. He had already hired a hit wizard to place a vindictive bad luck curse on rogers, one that would make it expetionally hard for rogers to be successful in any of his endeavors and would make him feel pangs of Tony’s pain at random intervals, which he heard at this point, was causing the super soldier to fall to his knees and knock the wind out of him.
“Mr. Potter, I believe there is something I can do to help Mr. Stark, but it's invasive and will affect him forever.” Healer Evangeline says with worried eyes that never stray from Tony’s rising and falling chest.
“What is it?” Harry asks as his heart sinks into his stomach. Rhodey had trusted him to make the decisions for Tony while he healed himself, and Tony had given full power of attorney to Harry if something like this ever happened, and made his wish to stay alive until he was sure Earth was going to be safe from invaders.
“Its a spell I learned from the goblins. They use it on warriors who have been severely injured on the battlefield but refuse to do anything less than survive. It will carve runes of protection, vitality, healing, and strength into his bones, allowing him to heal from almost anything. I think its apprpriate for this situation, but it is agonizing to apply, and he still won't be able to move much for at least three days.”
Harry took a deep breath and nodded his head. “Do it. Tony wants to survive to see this world safe.” Healer Evangeline nodded, and cut her finger, drawing the runes on Tony’s exposed flesh, up his arms, down his legs, across his collar bone, even across his forehead and down the bridge of his nose, all the while chanting in what Harry assumed was the goblin language, and Harry could do nothing but watch as Tony tensed up and started screaming in his unconcious state. After it was done, Healer Evangeline spelled some pain relief and blood replenishing potions into Tony, and Harry could only wait for Tony to wake up.
It took another week for Tony to wake up, but when he did, he was breathing well, his skin had a healthy pallor, and his eyes were bright and alert. He smiled up at Harry and tried to sit up. Harry helped Tony up, and Tony sighed. “So, what happened while I was out?”
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Three months later, Tony and Harry got married in a private ceremony with just Rhodey, Pepper, Happy, hermione and Ron in attendance. They would have a bigger ceremony later, but they needed to make sure that the world wasnt going to be destroyed first. And they were right to wait, because it was just a few months later when Thanos arrived.
Steve was trying to get close to Tony under the guise of planning for the battle, but everyone could see the angry glint in his eyes, so they did their best to keep the two men apart. Harry was tempted to curse the man again, but he knew they needed all the help they could get to defeat the mad titan.
When it was finally time for the battle, Steve rushed forward, and Thanos caught him by the neck, snapping it instantly, and Steve fell to the ground limp. After that, everyone else stuck to the plan.
The battle lasted for 3 days, and everyone was exhausted, but they were slowly pushing Thanos and his forces back. Harry was getting pissed, but he was almost in position to deal the killing blow; he just had to wait for the signal. Finally, Hermione shot gold sparks out of her wand, and Harry took a deep breath and raised his wand.
“Avada Kedavra!”
With a shout and a blinding green light, Thanos fell dead to the ground, and the very air seemed to freeze in place. Then, with a shout of renewed energy, they chased the rest of the out riders off.
Harry looked across the battlefield and made eye contact with Tony, and they both smiled brightly. They both knew they would be ok.