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Chapter Text

Tony Stark woke suddenly from a deep sleep, lying absolutely still as he used his senses to determine what had awoken him and where he was. The last conscious memory he could recall was gyrating on a dance floor in some unnamed club, with a pair of super-model want-to-bes draped on him. While to the rest of the world, Tony gave the impression of being a mad genius, half the time drunk or stoned half out of his mind, and sometimes rightfully so, but most of the time it was a front. A public persona he used to keep the world at bay; to keep anyone from getting too close.

He hadn’t thought he’d had enough to drink to pass out and Tony remained motionless as he let his senses stretch out, as the special training from the British SAS and other protection experts had drilled into him. During his childhood, Tony had been kidnapped on several occasions, each time had ended up with him being battered and bruised when Howard had refused to pay the ransom. He could feel his restless energy surge through him, like electric current under his skin, but he could sense nothing out of the ordinary. Opening his eyes slowly, Tony could make out the glow of the digital clock sitting on his bedside table, the green numbers spelling out 4:17am, and concluded he was in his New York apartment. The shadows stayed still and Tony could make out the shape of his open bedroom door.

Taking a chance, Tony threw back the covers and swung his legs out of bed, somewhat surprised to find himself wearing only his underwear. Memories from the charity gala held last night at Rockefeller Center were hazy and he shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind. As he reached the door, Tony stood motionless while he listened intently, but there was only the slight hum of the refrigerator and the whirl of the fan motor blowing cool air from the HVAC system. Easing himself out into the short hallway, Tony moved silently towards the living room.

A flickering glow caught his attention as he walked by his office, the door slightly ajar. Entering cautiously, Tony could see an odd shaped package on his desk, a blue aura flickered across the top where what looked like a thick piece of paper lay. As Tony stepped closer, he could see it was a note and the handwriting was very familiar. He reached to turn on the desk lamp, his hand trembling as he began to suspect where the packaged originated.

My Darling Tony,

I need you to say the following phrase aloud before reading the rest of this note and remember your Latin, son:

Obstructionum memento magicae removere

Tony frowned, reading the first sentence again, recognizing the flowing writing as his mother’s style. He repeated the phrase in his mind several times before taking a breath and saying it aloud.

“Obstructionum memento magicae removere!”

A pulse of something jolted through him and Tony grabbed his head as his mind was inundated with a flood of memories, overwhelming him. Snippets of memories with people he’d forgotten existed, his mother’s secretly tutoring him in magic, and his cousin James from England. Summers spent learning about his mother’s hidden heritage, the relatives who lived without technology, and Tony having to reconcile magical theory and technology. So many scenes ran through his head, it felt like it was splitting open.

After several excruciating moments, Tony found himself on his knees, his head in his hands. Magic! The secret Tony had shared with his mother, a secret his father would have never accepted for his son and heir – a secret Howard never knew about. He winced as he thought of his mother’s behavior when he was a child, acting aloof, playing socialite, and how it had been false front, one to stop Howard’s suspicions when they were off together. His mother had taught him about the wizarding world, a place she’d take him to visit every summer without his father’s knowledge. Where he learned about the hidden society of magical beings, creatures, and gotten to know his cousins, James and Sirius.

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to quell the churning in his stomach, he stood and lifted the parchment off the package, running his fingers lightly over his mother’s writing. The wrapping around the package fell away as he did, revealing a wand of ebony and a small basin with iridescent liquid within it. A Pensieve! He gingerly picked up the wand and his magic seemed to leap out from his chest, a surge of warmth flowing through him as Tony held it for the first time in years. The feeling brought back many wonderful memories he had ruthlessly buried in the back of his mind and Tony drew several deep, ragged breathes as he struggled to get his emotions under control.

My son,

Please bambino, review the memories in the Pensieve as soon as you can, as this package has been charmed to be delivered to you a month before Harry's fifth birthday. This is something Lily and I felt needed to be done as a safeguard to protect both you and the baby. As Lily says, Dumbledore is too interested in Harry, suspiciously like an obsession, and she is concerned they are being set up for something horrid.

James and Sirius seem to feel Dumbledore can do no wrong – again, something questionable for a pair of Aurors. Neither will listen to suggestions of leaving the country and even changed the Secret Keeper for the Fidelius Dumbledore cast to that loathsome Pettigrew man.

Anthony, if you receive this and we are all gone, please find Harry – you will be his last hope.

All my love, Mom

Tony blinked and frowned. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he did know what he needed to do. With iron resolve, Tony leaned forward until his nose touched the iridescent fluid in the small basin.

Tony found himself standing in front of a merrily burning fireplace, which gave off no heat.

Really, Tony, I don't like this plan you and Sirius have come up with!"

Turning around, Tony jumped to the side when it appeared he was going to step on a baby seated on the floor, amid a pile of wooden blocks. A young woman with fiery red hair and flashing green eyes was addressing a younger version of himself, laying on the floor next to the baby.

I'd much rather you leave the country with Harry, Lily! Come to the apartment in New York – or better yet, the new house in Malibu will be ready in two weeks! No one knows about it and we can put up a Fidelius there!"

Lily crossed her arms, more in self-comfort than being obstinate. James won't hear of it. He believes Dumbledore will keep us safe.

Tony watched himself add a few blocks to whatever it was baby Harry was building. I know James is close to the man, Lils, but between that stupid prophecy and Sirius' brilliant idea of making Pettigrew the Secret Keeper. That man is just weak, Lily, and I don't trust him!

"Pa'to! More!"

Tony watched as Harry handed his younger self another block to put on what appeared to be a tower, which he immediately did. Lily watched them; her expression sad but determined.

"While I agree with you, Tony, about Peter and Dumbledore – he's been overly inquisitive about Harry and whether he's shown any accidental magic yet—"

As if on cue, Harry help his hand out and a blue arch-shape block floated into it. He gave Tony a drooly grin, all four teeth gleaming in the light. Pa'to!

"Well done, Harry!

Tony heard himself say, watching as his younger self reached to tickle the baby.

"But I don't know how you giving up your memories of us and Harry, especially being one of Harry's fathers, is going to help keep us safe!"

Younger Tony rubbed a hand over his face with one hand, as he held out another block for Harry. "I have thought it through from every angle, Lily! I may be a genius, but I'm not as strong magically as you or James or Sirius!"

"You aced your OWLs and your NEWTs, Tony!"

Tony heard himself sigh.

"I self-studied, Lily, excelling at the subjects which didn't require much wand-work: Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Potions, History, and Astronomy! I suck at Charms, Transfigurations, and Defense. I haven't done any study into the mind arts, Lily! Someone like Dumbledore or that asshole who is targeting you wouldn't have a problem getting into information about you from my mind!"

Tears welled up in Lily's eyes, spilling silently down her cheeks as she watched his younger self scoop Harry into his arms and move to wrap his arms around both of them.

"Please, Tony, just promise me, if anything happens to James and I—" Lily shook her head to keep him silent. You WILL take Harry and raise him. Promise me!

Younger Tony nodded. Make sure you put it in your will so no one can keep him from me, and I'll make sure he is raised the way you want. I'll even make Sirius live with us—"

"Oh no you won't! Lily screeched, grabbing Harry from him. "I will not have Sirius teaching him pranks to use at school!

The memory faded out and another began as Tony watched. He saw himself help Lily and James use a potion, containing James' blood and Tony's sperm, to get pregnant with Harry, making him a third parent to the baby. The hilarious pout Sirius Black pulled when Tony, James' first cousin on his grandmother's side, was chosen for the potion over Sirius, who was merely a second cousin. Another memory of Lily being pregnant and finding out they were having a boy, then Harry's birth, and his naming ceremony. Finally, a memory of Lily talking into a mirror, as she held a fourteen-month-old Harry , telling Tony they were still in hiding and pleading with him again to make sure he took care of Harry if anything happened to them. And she was conspiring with his mother, Maria, to make this time delayed package for him through Gringott's.

Chapter Text

It was going on 7am when Tony was ejected from the Pensieve, his head spinning with all the memories which had been returned to him. At some point, Tony must have cried as his head pounded as if he had a hangover and the dehydration it brought, even though he knew he hadn't had but 2 drinks at the gala. Tony's public persona may have led people to believe he was still the hard drinking, mad scientist of his college and post-doctorate period, but his tolerance for alcohol was very high and he no longer took recreational drugs. Of the former, Tony had learned how to appear to be blinding drunk – interesting what people said when they thought he wasn't coherent enough to understand or remember.

It was his parents' deaths in a vehicle accident just before Christmas in 1991, which had a literal sobering effect on Tony and he'd spent several months cleaning up himself and his mind in order to take back Stark Industries from his godfather, Obadiah Stane. Obie didn't seem to think Tony ready or capable of the responsibility, but in the past almost three years since Tony took the reins, he'd more than tripled SI profits with his weapons designs and the new technology division he'd created. The first Starkphones released had been widely popular and Obie had backed off trying to pressure Tony into making him CEO. Quietly, and in the background. Tony had steadily been requiring the shares of SI stock his father had "gifted" to people over the years. He definitely needed an edge against of the almost thirty-five percent Obie held, as Howard's long-time business partner.

All of those thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind, as the memories Tony had regained swirled through the forefront. The analytical portion of his brain was calculating the probability that James and Lily were dead, based on the information and the charm placed on the Pensieve, while the side which turned his genius ideas into tangible items was making a list of tasks and prioritizing them. The emotional center was pushing him to find Harry, find his son, as soon as possible and that was the side Tony was listening to – what was the use of being a multibillionaire if he couldn't put that money and influence to work.

However, to begin any of the swirling ideas, Tony needed to be in England.

"JARVIS" Tony called, heading toward his bedroom, needing a wake-up shower.

"Good morning, sir," JARVIS responded. "Coffee is ready in the kitchen, Ms. Potts has safely returned to California, and Colonel Rhodes called earlier but left no message."

"Thanks, J. Is the plane here and serviced?"

"Yes, Sir, with a takeoff time of noon and an arrival time at Stark Island at—"

"Need to change the flight plan, J, to London and take off time as soon as possible. I'm going to clean up and head for the airstrip in about 30 minutes. Notify the crew and Happy, please. Have the London penthouse readied." Tony stopped at the door of his bathroom. "And JARVIS? Please research everywhere for any mention of Lily Evans Potter, James Fleamont Potter, Harry James Anthony Potter, and Sirius Orion Black. Oh, and for a Petunia Evans Dudsly or something similar."

"Immediately, sir. Should I also inform Ms. Potts?"

Tony shook his head as he stripped off his underwear. "Not necessary, J. she thinks I'm headed to the island for ten days off anyway, so she's not expecting me."

"Yes, sir," JARVIS acknowledge and Tony swore there was a question to the AI's tone.

Ignoring it, Tony stepped into the shower, washing and shaving on autopilot as his mind made up a list of things he needed to do and then prioritized the: First he needed to get to Gringotts and see if the Potter account manager had any further information for him; second was to arrange a refresher course in using his magic – just because he remembered how to Apparate, didn't mean he should; and third, find out what happened to Lily and James, and where his son was. Something had prompted the charm Lily left on that package to deliver it

It was closer to an hour before Tony had gathered what he needed and arrived at his private jet on an airstrip near LaGuardia Airport. Jarvis had assured him that his London penthouse at Center Pointe, in London's West End was prepared and stocked with food. Happy was going with him as driver and bodyguard, but the London office had sent its Security Chief to make sure everything was in place.

With a glance at Happy, who was sound asleep, Tony opened his laptop and pulled up the document JARVIS had sent him. One of the things Tony was the proudest of, was having seen the vision and invested in the development of the internet. While it had only been publicly available for less than four years, Tony immediately transitioned Stark Industries onto the world wide web and had created the servers necessary for his companies to run efficiently. It was an ever developing and evolving technology; one which Tony had embraced since his MIT days, when the idea of it was in its infancy.

Looking over the document, Tony found a copy of a news article from Wales about a couple being killed in an apparent gas explosion near Swansea. The article went on to state the couple's fifteen-month-old son had been spared and was sent to live with his mother's family in Surrey. Tony actually snorted at that, despite his level of anxiety as the entire article was a fabrication based on the picture of the cottage where only the area of Harry's nursery was blown out. While JARVIS hadn’t been able to find any death certificates or obituaries for the Potters, he had found the address for Petunia in Little Whinging.

Tony's first instinct was to storm the house with a contingent of lawyers and security guards, taking his son back immediately, but he took a deep breath and forced his mind to consider the ramifications. He needed legal documents, in both the Wizarding world and the mundane world. Which meant his best bet was Gringotts for what information they had on the Potters and have them recommend a barrister and a solicitor with cutthroat tendencies. Tony wanted nothing more than Harry in his arms before nightfall. If necessary, Tony wanted the funds at his disposal to persuade anyone reluctant to approve his child being placed in his custody.

Surprisingly, there were no references in the information JARVIS complied on the self-styled dark lord James and Lily had been hiding from. The closest were a few reports of supposed IRA bombings in smaller villages around the outskirts of London. Nowhere in any of the information was Albus Dumbledore mentioned, which didn't make sense when Tony knew his cousin and Sirius were both members of Dumbledore's vigilante group. Dumbledore was also the headmaster of the boarding school Lily, James, and Sirius had attended – Tony had received summer tutoring from several of the professors who also taught at Hogwarts.

He'd not been impressed by the old wizard, seemed to Tony that all his past accomplishments had given Dumbledore a superior and entitled attitude, which grated on Tony. No one knew more than Tony about feeling entitled – after all he'd almost killed himself with it when he'd turned thirteen and gone to MIT; a reckless, entitled genius in a college setting. Tony had almost self-destructed, booze, marijuana, cocaine, and LSD all plentiful. If it hadn't been for his roommate, James Rhodes, Tony knew he would have died.

Since he'd graduated, Tony had continued his drunken playboy ways – claiming it made him more creative, Rhodey and even James had done interventions. It was, however, since his parents' deaths, Tony had quietly worked hard to turn himself around. At the same time allowing the public to believe he was still a hard partying, drunken genius playboy, who somehow managed to invent new technology despite his supposed alcohol intake. No one looked too hard into what he was really doing.

Tony looked back at the screen, scrolling through the pages JARVIS had put together, trying to find any mention of James' friends: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter something. James had been insistent, even before Harry had been born, should anything happen to he and Lily, Sirius and Tony should raise Harry together. Tony remembered snarking about Sirius making a good mother and James losing it over Lily accusing them of being "kissing cousins" despite them being third cousins, twice removed. Sirius was devoted to Harry, even naming him his heir; why would Sirius not have contacted Tony if something had happened to Lily and James.

Chapter Text

It was just after eight that evening, London time, when Tony had the driver drop he and Happy off in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Leaving Happy to wait for him in the pub, Tony stepped into the alley behind the Leaky and tapped the bricks in the pattern he remembered from long ago. Most of the shops in Diagon Alley would have already closed for business at this hour, but Tony knew Gringotts would be open. None of the few people moving around the Alley paid him any attention as Tony strode through the growing twilight. Very little appeared to have changed in the almost five years since Tony had last been here.

The last rays of the sun gleamed off the white marbled monstrosity that was Gringotts Bank and Tony tried to shove away the shudder the engineer and scientist in him were doing as he took the steps two at a time. Nodding at the two goblin warriors who guarded the entry doors, Tony moved inside past the row of tellers who were helping the few customers in the bank. He moved with purpose to the supervising goblin sitting at the elevated desk in richly appointed rotunda. Coming to a stop a respectful distance in front of the desk, Tony removed his sunglasses, tucked them into the breast pocket of his suit and waited to be acknowledge.

He knew from experience this was a game the goblins played well and waited almost ten minutes until the goblin set his quill down and a finally looked up. Tony bowed his head in acknowledgement.

"One of the tellers might be of better service to you—" the goblin began, raising a eyebrow when Tony interrupted him.

"Master Teller, I seek to speak with Account Manager Rockjaw, concerning an urgent matter."

The goblin raised a eyebrow and looked Tony up and down as if trying to determine whether he had enough wealth to bother with. Keeping his face impassive as he remembered the general rudeness of most magical folk, the goblin gave a nod and snapped his fingers. Another goblin, less elegantly clothed, appeared beside Tony.

"This way!"

With another nod to the Master Teller, Tony followed his escort through the lobby and into a series of rock hewed hallways, to a dark metal door. The escort tapped on it twice, before opening it for Tony. Stepping inside, Tony found himself in a large, richly appointed officer with a larger goblin bent over a thick ledger laid out on the dark wood, mahogany if Tony were to guess, desk in front of him. As he stood waiting, the goblin continued to add up columns in the ledger. He sat in the straight back chair placed in front of the desk and waiting,

"The teller indicated you had the look of a Carbonell, yet with traits similar to a Black," the goblin announced in a gravelly voice, before finally looking up.

Tony shrugged. "My godmother did the ritual with me when I was a baby and she was born a Black. I am going to assume you are Rockjaw."

The goblin gave a short nod. "I am impressed you made it here so quickly, Anthony Stark."

"It helps to have a jet at your disposal," Tony answered, dragging a hand through his hair. "I am grateful that you sent the package to me, allowing me to recover my memories. I would have been here sooner, but my magic is a bit rusty and it took longer than it should to review them."

Rockjaw nodded. "It was difficult not send the package sooner, Mr. Stark, with everything that happened almost four years ago."

Leaning forward, Tony laid his arms on his thighs. "I have been out of the loop for all that time – can you fill me in on what happened?"

Tilting his head, Rockjaw gave Tony what only could be described as a puzzled look, but sighed and spoke, "I am the Senior Account Manager for the London branch of Gringotts; I handle only the wealthiest family accounts. Therefore, I am the account manager for the Potter, Peverell, Emrys, Gryffindor lines, and, apparently, Carbonell, or Carbonelli as it was originally."

Rockjaw snapped his fingers and a long, shallow bowl, a piece of glittering parchment, and a jeweled dagger sat on the top of his desk. "I will need confirmation of your family affiliations before I continue."

Tony nodded, remembering when he was a little boy, his mother brought him into the bank for the first time and confirmed his magical heritage with the goblins. Using the ritual dagger, Tony sliced into his palm and began counting the drops of blood as they fell.

"Seven are needed for this type of test," Rockjaw advised as he watched.

Counting out exactly seven drops, Tony withdrew his hand, marveling at the magic which healed his palm immediately. He watched as the blood swirled in the golden liquid of the bowl, mixing itself before Rockjaw slid the parchment into the bowl. As Tony watched, swirling red writing began to fill the parchment in the form of a family tree. It was similar to what he remembered from when he'd taken his first test with his mom, only larger.

Both he and Rockjaw leaned over the desk top as the bowl disappeared, watching the parchment as the limbs of the tree started to fan out from the "trunk". He followed the lines which connected his mother to his Great-aunt Dorea and across to Charlus Potter, tracing the line down to James and then Harry. A strand of gold appeared, running from Harry Potter to Tony's name on its own branch, containing his mother's name and a number of others. Along the side of the parchment were listed lordships, titles, and vaults which he and Harry had inherited. Reading down the list, Tony snorted over the Duchy of Genoa title.

"Remember, Mr. Stark, what you are seeing are the wizarding titles, which do not always match their mundane counterparts. The Casa Savoy may have renounced their rights to the Kingdom of Sardinia prior to their last World War, the magical equivalents still stand."

Tony nodded absently as his finger traced over Harry's name. "Now, will you tell me what happened to Lily, James, and Harry, please?"

With a deep sigh, Rockjaw quietly relayed the facts which were know about 31 October 1991, how the Potters were attacked, Sirius Black's supposed betrayal and imprisonment, and Albus Dumbledore's ensuing action in regards to baby Harry.

Tony rubbed his face with his hands. "You are telling me that Pettigrew gave Voldemort Lily and James' location, and Dumbledore allowed Sirius to be tossed into Azkaban without being convicted, and then kidnapped our son!"

Rockjaw furrowed his brows. "You don't see surprised by any of this."

"Lily explained what they were anxious about the night she memory charmed me – it's all in the Pensieve." Tony stood up and started to pace. "There were concerns about Dumbledore's level of interest in Harry as a child of prophecy and now you tell me he took it upon himself to remove Harry from their residence and disappear with him? How could he legally go against Lily and James' will?"

"He had them sealed when he appointed himself the Potter heir's magical guardian. They have never been magically probated."

"Oh hell no!!" Tony swung around to face Rockjaw. "I want my son and I want Dumbledore's ass!"

Rockjaw grinned widely, showing his jagged teeth. "I believe I can be of help, Mr. Stark. We can reproduce this heritage document into a certified record of paternity and we can also give you all the appropriate custody paperwork based on this test." He met Tony's eyes with a predatory gleam. "You need to accept the Carbonell lordship and the ring signifying you have accepted the Regency to the houses Heir Potter-Stark will inherit. It will also allow us to access the Potters' will in their sealed vault."

"And Sirius?" Tony asked, the knot in his chest easing slightly.

"Heir Black has never been convicted of a crime, and remains his grandfather's heir, therefore he is incarcerated illegally. Dumbledore's influence again I believe." Rockjaw made a note on the parchment in front of him. "I will notify his grandfather, Arcturus, as well as the Black family law firm."

Tony nodded. "I'd like to retain both Gringotts and what every cut-throat legal service you might recommend to extract Dumbledore from Harry's life and get Sirius out of Azkaban." Looking up, Tony gave Rockjaw a considering look. "In gratitude, I will also transfer half of my personal fortune into Gringotts care if we can do this swiftly."

The grin on Rockjaw's face would scare any normal mortal. "Shall we start now?"

"By all means, tell me what I need to do."

"First, I need you to accept your lordship and Potter Regent rings, which will allow us into the Potter family vault which Dumbledore sealed…"

Chapter Text

Privet Drive, Little Whinging was typical of most middle-class neighborhoods in England or the United States, Tony thought as he stood in front of number 4, flanked by Happy and a carefully chosen security team. Almost identical homes lined each side of the streets throughout the subdivision, their house and fence colors the only differences it seemed. The streetlight showed this particular house was no different from its neighbors, except possible having neater flowerbeds. A large, expensive sedan sat in the driveway, despite a perfectly good garage to put it in.

Tony snorted, He hadn't even met these Dursleys and he could already tell they were pretentious social climbers. He waiting until he received a nod from the goblin wardsmith before starting up the walkway to the front door, with two uniformed Aurors and a plainclothes detective from the Surrey Constables. a liaison to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The Black family solicitor and Tony's new solicitor, a Muggleborn named Ian Smythe, stood on the sidewalk watching.

As he approached the front step, Tony stopped for a moment, a sound catching his ear. He held up a hand for everyone to stop, until it came again: a small child crying. Tony followed the sound around the side of the garage to find a tiny child, wrapped only in an oversized shirt, huddled in a ball and sitting in front of a locked shed. The messy black hair identified the child and Tony felt his temper flare as he took in his son. Forcing the anger back, Tony knelt in front of the child, unable to believe a four-year-old could cry so quietly.

"Hey kiddo," Tony kept his voice soft, "how come you're outside so late?"

""m bad." The child never looked up.

"Harry?" Tony slowly reached out. "Can I pick you up?"

Luminous green eyes, Lily's eyes, Tony realized with a spike of grief, looked up at him, one bruised and both red rimmed. "Why?"

The look of confusion broke Tony's heart. "Because you are cold and I'd like to hold you, Harry."

"O—okay," Harry stared at him as Tony scooped him up gently. "Who's Harry?"

Tony was startled at how little the boy weighed and pulled Harry against his chest. "You are Harry – that's your name, son."

"'m Boy or Unca calls me Freak," Harry muttered as he kept his body tense, as if he didn't remember ever been held.

Tony turned towards the Aurors and detective, making sure they had heard the conversation as he carried Harry back to the front of the house. Harry went ridged, as if he was afraid they'd turn him over to his relatives.

Tony halted, his back towards the house. "I know your name is Harry, as I helped to pick it just for you. Your mummy wanted you named for her grandfather."

Harry relaxed a little. "You knowed my mummy?"

Eyes prickling, Tony took a deep breath. "Yes, I knew your mummy and your daddy very well." He shifted Harry so he could see his face. "Harry, I'm your other father, your Papa Tony. I'd like to take you with me, is that okay?"

Scrunching up his face, Harry seemed to study Tony, "Pa'to? You're my Pa'to?"

Tony hugged him against his chest. "Yes, bambino, your Pa'to."

Harry's hand gripped the front of his shirt. "I stay with you, Pa'to?"

"Yes, Harry, forever!"

"Okay!" Harry relaxed against him. "'m tired."

Tony walked out to the sidewalk, watching the Aurors as they approached the door. Knowing the sight of his relatives would likely upset the little boy, Tony jerked his head at Happy and slid into the car. Putting Harry in the car seat Happy had thought to bring, Tony wrapped Harry in a soft green blanket he'd grabbed from the plane, leaving him unbuckled for the moment. Tony took the bag on the floorboard, removing a small bag of carrots, a drink pouch, and some crackers, which he placed in the seat around Harry. Happy slid into the car on the opposite side as Tony pressed a kiss to Harry's still cold forehead.

"I need to go talk to your aunt for a moment, Harry. Happy will stay with you and help you warm up until I get back, okay?"

Harry looked at him with worried eyes. "B'careful Pa'to, Aunt 'tunia can hit hard."

"I will, kiddo." Tony schooled the fury he felt out of his voice.

Detective Bertoni was knocking on the door when Tony walked up, the two Aurors, Bones and Proudfoot, stood to one side of the door, wands in hand. A thumping sound was heard just before the porch light flickered on.

"Sounds like a thundering elephant," Bones remarked quietly.

The door was flung open to reveal a huge man in a dressing gown that had seen better days, his hair and mustache rumpled.

"Walrus," Tony offered as the man narrowed his eyes at the gathered group. .

"Who are you and what are you doing disturbing decent people in the middle of the night?" The walrus blustered.

Bertoni extended his badge and identification for Harry's uncle to examine. Tony watched as a thin, severe looking woman in rollers came down the stairs behind him and he couldn't help but stare. This woman was Lily's sister?

"What do you want?" Dursley's face was turning an interesting shade of red.

"We are here about your nephew, Mr. Dursley. Where is he?"

"Why do you what to know about the brat?" Dursley's face got even redder. "What's he done now?"

Bertoni gave the man an incredulous look. "Your nephew is four-years-old, Dursley – what could he possibly done wrong?"

Tony noticed Petunia edging closer, her eyes darting to the hallway behind them.

"He's a freak –"

Tony had had enough. "I suggest you not use that word again for Harry and tell us where he is, as it is almost midnight."

"And just who are you?" Petunia screeched, making them all wince.

Tony stared at her. "How in the world could you have been related to someone as beautiful and kind as Lily?"

"Where is Harry Potter, Mrs. Dursley?" Bertoni demanded.

Tony looked around and saw lights coming on in the nearby houses as their voices got louder and smiled grimly. He planned to break these people, might as well start now. He stepped closer when neither Dursley would admit where their nephew was.

"You fucking bitch! You locked a four-year-old out of your house for whatever trumped up reason and intended to leave him outside all night!"

Dursley balled his fists. "Bloody freak deserved—"

Tony punched him in the face and the walrus dropped like a rock.

"Oops." Tony shook out his hand. "I must have slipped."

Bertoni was staring at the woman. "I didn't see anything."

Smirking, Tony focused his attention on Petunia. "Now, where are Harry's things?"

He watched as her eyes darted again at the hallway, but didn't move and he pressed. "Do you know who I am?"

"Why should I care?" Petunia sniffed, looking down her nose at him.

"I am Tony Stark, Harry's father, and the man who is going to ruin you."

"I knew it!" Petunia screeched. "Lily was a slut and cheated on that highbrow freak of a husband of hers—"

The windows in the front door shattered and Petunia grabbed her throat as if she'd been bespelled. Reigning in his magic, Tony took a deep breath, his voice a growl. "I donated sperm so Lily and James could have Harry. Lily would never have cheated on my cousin." He turned his back on her and made eye contact with the law enforcement officers. "I need to get my son to a healer, so I will leave this situation in your hands. Please check that cupboard under the stairs the bitch keeps looking at as I want anything that belongs to Harry and find out what company the walrus works for, so I can buy it and fire him."

Chapter Text

An hour later, Tony was still working on controlling his temper and magic as he paced Rockjaw's office. He was out of practice and his magic easily surging now that the bind his mother had placed on him had been released. Harry needing a ritual to remove blocks on his own core didn't help his state of mind. Happy sat in a much more comfortable chair than was usually found in a goblin office, his eyes still wide as he looked around.

Happy had gotten Harry to eat a handful of carrots while Tony had tried not to kill his relatives and Tony knew he would need to be let in on their secret as his bodyguard and head of Tony's personal security. He paused in his movement in front of Rockjaw's desk. Who else would Harry be around when they went back to California who would need to know? Rhodey and Pepper, certainly, but Tony hesitated when he thought of his godfather. Obadiah Stane was too much like Howard and had already tried to pressure Tony into postponing his takeover of Stark Industries when he turned twenty-one, which had been Howard's wish. While Obie had been there for Tony when he was a kid – more so than his own father had been – the man had distanced himself in the years since his parents were killed.

The irrational thought struck him to keep Harry's existence from Obie in order to keep him safe. And what if something happened to Tony?

"Rockjaw, I'd like to change my will. Can you help me with that and make sure Smythe and Burke get copies, with Gringotts retaining the original?"

"Of course," Rockjaw assured him as he pulled a piece of parchment out of a desk drawer and a quill appeared as he snapped his fingers. "This will take your dictation."

Tony nodded and resumed pacing. "I, Anthony Edward Stark, Lord Carbonell, Duke of Sardinia, being of sound mind and body, declare this to be my last will and testament. This document will supersede any other wills, in both the magical and nonmagical worlds.

To my best friends, James Rhodes, Virginia "Pepper" Potts, and Harold Hogan," Tony continued, ignoring the sound Happy made, "I leave 25% of both my personal wealth and Stark Industries to be shared equally. Any decisions made in regards to the company will be decided by these three, until my son reaches his twenty-first birthday and takes over the company. If Harry decides not to become involved, the company will go to the afore mentioned individuals.

I leave all my remaining worldly goods, properties, investments, and monies to my son, Harry Anthony James Stark-Potter-Black, to be known until his majority as Harry James Stark. All vaults, properties, and investments held by Gringotts for the Houses of Potter and Carbonell will become available to Harry on his eighteenth birthday. The existing trust vault established in Harry's name by James and Lily Potter will receive an one million Galleons each year on Harry's birthday, monies coming in equal shares from all the vaults he is heir to. Withdrawals from this vault can only be made by the heir or the Regent, verified by blood.

Should I die before my son's seventeenth birthday, custody of Harry and Regency of House Peverell, Potter and Carbonell will go to Sirius Orion Black, Heir Black. If Sirius is unwilling or unable to take custody, the following individuals will take custody:

Remus Lupin
James Rhodes
Virginia Potts
Harold Hogan
Minerva McGonagall.

The wizard known a Albus Dumbledore is to have no access or oversight of Harry James Stark, ever."

The door opened and a white robed goblin entered, carrying Harry. Tony hurried over to take his son, gathering him against his chest. First thing he noticed was that Harry seemed cleaner and the scar on his forehead had dried blood around it.

"I'll add the usual ending on to this, Lord Carbonell. Master Healer Zenta, what are your findings?"

The healer began her report, the anger apparent in her tone. "The child has been badly neglected at minimum and abused at worse. He is malnourished and severely underweight for his age. There are several scars on his back indicating physical discipline, his left shoulder has been dislocated at least once, and his right forearm broken. His fingers are worrisome as there were multiple fractures there in various states of healing." Healer Zenta paused and took a breath. "Lord Carbonell, you have been told about the night the Potters died?"

Rocking side to side, Tony nodded, but stayed quiet as he struggled to take in everything. Happy put his hand on the arm of Tony's chair in support.

"It is said Sirius Black was the first person there and actually found the baby in his bed, awake and crying for his mother, who lay on the floor. He removed Harry from the cottage and was taking him to St. Mungos due to the obvious wound on his forehead. Black was met outside the front door by the Hogwarts gamekeeper, who demanded Black surrender the child to him on Dumbledore's authority."

The healer paused, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before continuing. "The child was struck by the Killing Curse just prior to midnight on the 31 October and according to the interrogation of the aunt, he wasn't placed found her doorstep, covered only by a blanket, until the morning of 2 November. Sometime in the interim, several blocks were put on his magical abilities and the cut on his forehead sealed in order to contain a fragment of the soul of the wizard who sought to kill him." She held up her hand as Tony's magic spiked. "We have removed it."

Tony was on his feet instantly, enraged, and hissed. "I want the bastard crushed! He has orchestrated all of this, threw Sirius in prison without trail, torn apart a family, and left a baby to be brutalized! Why wouldn't he remove the fucking soul of a dark lord from an innocent baby!"

Rockjaw nodded, his face set in grim lines. "We have also sealed all the vaults and will be doing an audit to find out if anything is missing, as someone has the keys to the Potter heirloom vault and young Harry's trust vault."

"I also want the Dursleys prosecuted to the full extent of the law for the abuse!" Tony readjusted Harry so his head rested on his shoulder, rubbing circles in his back as the child stirred.

"There is more, Rockjaw!" Zenta growled. "When we removed the soul shard, an alarm resonated in the deep vaults."

"Another Horcrux?" Rockjaw seemed to stop breathing. "Dark Lord Riddle split his soul more than once?"

"Based on the silver we discovered in young Harry, probably five or six times."

Tony wasn't sure what they were talking about precisely, but he could make a good guess and he didn't like it at all. "At some point, I'd like an explanation, but I'm not sure up to it tonight." He looked down as his son. "I need to get this kid into a real bed, but know I will provide funding for your best people to find any other of these soul thingies that bastard made."

Rockjaw nodded. "I should have an update on these and Heir Black in a day or two, as well."

Chapter Text

Stepping into the penthouse apartment in Kensington, Tony knew he was running on fumes, but he still had to take care of the child held against his chest. The healer had wiped Harry down when she had treated him, but he needed to be bathed and put into something clean. Rockjaw had had the prudence to send out for supplies Tony would need that night. Laying Harry down on his bed, Tony went through to the bathroom and ran warm water halfway up the bathtub.

Harry had succeeded in waking himself up and wiggled across the bed to the edge in the few minutes Tony had been gone, almost giving Tony a heart attack. He knew he was in over his head as confused, scared green eyes stared up at him. He blew out breath and knelt down. Remember: genius, inventor, engineer, innovator – you can do this

"Hi sweetie, how are you feeling?" Tony spoke softly.

Harry shrugged as he watched Tony.

"How about we get you cleaned up and then we can get something to eat?"

Squinting at him, Harry reached slowly out towards Tony. "Pa'to?"

Tony felt hot prickles at the back of his eyes. "Yes, baby! You can call me Papa Tony or just Papa, or Daddy – whatever you want!"

Lunging toward him, Tony caught the child and held him tightly as he stood up. "You'll never go back there, baby, I promise!"

Tiny arms circled his neck and Tony could feel Harry cry silently. At a loss, Tony swept Harry off the bed and carried him into the bathroom. Standing Harry on the counter, Tony carefully unwrapped the small blanket, allowing Harry to grip his shoulders.

“Boss?” Happy’s voice sounded loud in the small space and Harry jumped.

Tony steadied his son and responded in a normal tone. “We’re here, Happy.”

“I found some soup and burgers. I’ll put them on the table.”

“Thanks!” Tony turned back to Harry. “Let’s get this done, kiddo, and then we can eat.”

Harry stood docile as Tony peeled off the examination gown the healers had put on him. “All right, Harry, let’s get this done.”

Lifting him into the water, Tony set him down on his feet, before kneeling beside the tub. He watched as Harry’s eyes widened and he looked at Tony.

“It’s warm!”

Anger surged inside him and a breeze swirled around them for a moment before Tony was able to control it.

“You make wind, too! Are you a freak too?” Harry asked excitedly.

Taking a deep breath, Tony helped Harry sit down. “Bath water is supposed to be warm, kiddo, and yes, sometimes when I get upset, my magic reacts. For us, it’s normal and neither one of us is a freak.” Tony reached for a washcloth and the soap. “We have no bubbles in here! Or bath toys for you!” He exclaimed, diverting Harry attention away from memories of his relatives. "We'll have to change that, kiddo!"

It took shampooing Harry’s hair twice before it was clean and his son was sleepy by the time Tony lifted him out, drying him with a fluffy towel. Carrying him through to the bedroom, Tony found Happy had brought in underwear and pajamas for Harry, as well as clothes for the morning. Still prattling on about things they needed to buy for him, Tony dressed him once he figured out how to maneuver arms and legs into the right holes.

“Do you want to walk, kiddo, or be carried?”

Harry held up his arms and Tony smiled as he lifted him, carrying him through to a small table set up in the kitchen. The whole back wall of the penthouse was floor to ceiling windows and Tony could hear Harry’s intake of breath at the lights of Kensington Palace across the street. He pressed a kiss to the damp curls as he sat down and turned Harry around on his lap. Happy slid a small bowl of what looked like chicken soup toward them.

“Okay, kiddo, the healer told me you had sore fingers – do you want to feed yourself or me feed you?”

Harry turned his head to look at him over his shoulder at Tony. “I can do it, please. 'm not a baby!”

Tony smothered a gin at the indignant tone and just pulled the bowl closer to Harry, making sure he had a good grip on the spoon. Harry made short work of the soup as Tony polished off the barely warm cheeseburger Happy had gotten for him.

Best tasting burger ever.

Chapter Text

Tony woke up to soft cotton pressed against his face and tried to remember where he was. He’d awoken many times in the past with people, male and female, wrapped around him, but few were ever clothed. Lifting his hand, Tony reached up and was further confused when the body pressed against him was smaller than he expected, tiny even.

"Pa'to?" A small sleepy voice asked.

Suddenly, everything that had happened the day before came back to him in a rush and Tony slowly tugged Harry down into a more comfortable position. "Hey, sport, are you imitating a monkey there? Or maybe a koala?"

Huge green eyes stared at him for a moment, before they crinkled as the little boy smiled. "Papa!" Harry threw his arms around Tony's throat and hugged him hard.

Tony gave Harry a loud, smacking kiss on the cheek and sat up holding on to Harry. Light flooded the room and Tony groaned as he realized he'd been too tired to close the drapes. "Got to find a way to make the windows dim automatically," he groused.

Harry giggled at him, his fingers tracing the R2D2 on the leg of his pajamas. "It's real? I don't have ta go back there?"

"Nope, never, baby!" Tony ran his fingers through Harry soft hair.

His finger still traced the characters on his pajamas, Harry lowered his eyes. "What if I'm bad, Papa?"

"Then you will have to do one of those time-out things." Tony scrambled to remember what he knew about small children, which wasn't much.

"Even if I do something freaky or abnor'al?"

"Especially not then!" Tony exclaimed, getting up and tossing Harry over his shoulder. "I love freaky and abnormal things!"

"Papa!"

Tony carried his son into the bathroom, where they cleaned up before getting dressed. Happy seemed surprised to see Tony up at nine in the morning but greeted them as Harry walked out holding Tony's hand. Pancakes, eggs, and bacon waited on the table, along with a booster seat for Harry. Settling Harry into the seat, Tony put a pancake on a plate, cutting it into pieces and added a bit of syrup. He pushed it in front of Harry, before putting an egg and two pieces of bacon on a separate plate. He realized Harry hadn't had regular meals for almost 4 years and needed to start with several small meals a day, instead of trying to eat too much.

"Thanks, Happy." Sitting down beside Harry, Tony closed his eyes as he inhaled the cup of coffee sitting in front of him. He sighed. "Perfect. More please?"

Harry giggled and Happy yelped as Tony felt a brush of magic, snapping his eyes open to see his coffee cup had been refilled.

"Wasn't me, Boss," Happy assured him, saluting him with his own full cup.

Tony froze, his eyes searching the room even as his instincts told him there was no threat. The magical residue was familiar and Tony delved deep into his memory to identify its source. The image of a small creature, with large eyes and wiggly ears came to mind and Tony grinned. He'd forgotten all about house-elves. The Potters and the Black families had owned numerus of the little workers and Tony was always appreciative of their help. Lily had preferred to do things on her own and only rarely asked the Potter elves for help.

Tony frowned. Why didn't the Potter house-elves protect James, Lily, and Harry that October night? They should have been able to help! And why hadn't any of them protected Harry from that bitch and her walrus?

Tony absently ate his eggs, trying to remember the little house-elf James had named when he'd been just a little older than Harry—"Taffy!"

A soft pop was the only warning he received and the small house-elf, clad in a worn red toga, threw itself at Tony's leg. "Master Tony! Youse remembered!"

Harry slid off his seat and peered around Tony's chair to get a look at Taffy, who had a strangle hold on Tony's knee. "Papa, whose that?"

Taffy gasp and began to bounce, jiggling Tony's leg. "Youse got Master Harry!! Oh, thank you, Master Tony!"

"Taffy!" Tony yelped, halting the bouncing as he turned around and drew Harry forward to stand between his legs. "Harry, this is Taffy, who was your dad James' personal house-elf." Tony motioned Taffy closer. "Taffy probably remembers you as a baby, Harry."

Taffy bobbed her head excitedly. "Taffy remembers, Master Tony!"

Pausing to chug some coffee, Tony kept his arm around Harry's waist as Taffy looked between them. "Can you tell us what happened to you and the other Potter house-elves when Lily and James were killed?"

Taffy's demeanor changed immediately, her shoulders and ears drooping. "The morning of Samhain, Hoggywarty Wizard Dumbles came to Potter manor and ordered all the Potter elves to go to Hoggywarty to work, as he were becoming Master Harry's keeper. I's Master James personal elf, so I's hid and saw Wizard Dumbles put up ward on manor to keep us out."

Tony nodded, trying to work out the implications. "And you couldn't go directly to James due to the Fidelious, but why didn't you protect Harry?"

"Wizard Dumbles put bad magic on Master Harry so I's couldn't help." Taffy tugged hard at her ear. "I's been hiding at Hoggywarty."

Tony rubbed a hand over his face, glanced at Happy who was shaking his head, and took a deep breath as his mind put all the information he'd gathered in a logical order. It all came back to Harry and what Lily described as Dumbledore's unhealth obsession with him. He factored in the illegal imprisonment of Sirius and how that impacted Harry—

"That son of a bitch! He knew James and Lily were going to be attacked. The motherfucker!" Tony was livid. "Taffy, you are staying with us from now on."

"Papa!"

Harry looked scandalized at his language and Tony smirked, ignoring Happy's laughter. "No saying those words until you're thirty, son!" He tapped his phone. "JARVIS?"

"Good morning, Sir."

"Morning, J, start me a list of the things we need to do today." Tony watched as Taffy led Harry toward bedroom to wash up. "For Gringotts: Have Harry take a linage test; we need to see what the audit on his inheritance shows; check on the progress of Sirius' case—"

"Serious?" Happy interrupted with a puzzled look.

"Sirius Black, Harry's godfather," Tony clarified. "Think stars and constellations – Black family names it's kids after them."

Happy just shook his head as Tony paused to suck down half of his third cup of coffee, "Jarvis, add making sure all the custody documents in both worlds for Harry and myself are complete and filed; the documentation of what that—woman and her family did to Harry in the right hands; add Taffy to the vaults she'll need to supply the houses; have Gringotts warders set anti-Apparation and whatever protective fields they can over the penthouse and the Malibu house; and get a magical tutor for me and Happy."

Harry and Taffy wandered out, Harry immediately climbing into Tony's lap. "Taffy, you are in charge of the penthouse, keeping it clean, our meals, and everything Harry needs. Harry and I will need appropriate clothing and robes as well"

Taffy bounced before giving him a curtsy. "Yes, Master Tony."

Tony took a minute to gather his thoughts. "Do you think any of the other Potter house-elves would want to leave Hogwarts, Taffy? And can we do it without alerting Dumbledore?"

Taffy nodded and snapping her fingers cleared the dishes off the table, before popping away.

Tony grinned and Harry watched with wide eyes, his fingers curled around Tony's arm. "Okay, Jarvis, add to the list – buy the floor below us to be converted into a two-floor penthouse. Offer up to 25% over market value."

"Of course, Sir."

Tony stood and switched Harry to his hip. "Okay, lots to do today!"

Chapter Text

Three days later, Tony woke to little fingers stroking over his eyelids. Taffy had done an amazing job of turning a corner of his bedroom into an area for Harry, complete with a miniature bed, kid-sized wardrobe, and toy chest. Harry, however, insisted on sleep with Tony, still afraid he would wake up and Tony would have disappeared. The guestroom nearest Tony's room had been redone with new drapes, mattress, and bedding in anticipation of Sirius being released soon.

Harry had started to come out of his shell and shown himself to be an intelligent, inquisitive boy. On his right ring finger, Harry wore the Peverell heir ring and around his left wrist was the Carbonell heir bracelet, a rune array etched in the side against his skin added to the magical protection of the ring and Tony had enchanted it with a tracking charm. Between Harry's inheritance and Tony's personal wealth, he knew the little boy would be the target of kidnappers and the remaining Death Eaters. Two of the Potter house-elves, Taz and Max, had become Harry's personal magical bodyguards, remaining invisible whenever they were out of the penthouse.

Happy wore a bracelet similar to Harry's, thin gold and charmed invisible, with protective charms, a rune array which allowed him to see through magical spells and had a tracking spell on it. He and Tony had undergone two days of intense training; Tony as a refresher on casting spells and Happy on what he could do to protect his boss and Harry. Happy was delighted to learn most witches and wizards had no idea how to fight with fists or guns, and were arrogant enough to dismiss the “Muggle” devices. Their lack of reaction would give Happy an edge in reaction time, should anything happen.

While Tony and Happy had been busy, a healer specializing in abuse had been brought in and done an in-depth examination of Harry. Along with Healer Zenta, Healer Fawley worked to counter the damage done by Harry's relatives. His right arm had healed well, but the bones in his hands had been badly broken and it was decided to Vanish them and use Skelegrow to regrow them. Harry had been spelled asleep as Tony didn't want him to go through any more pain, something Tony was thankful for – Harry had already had enough pain to last his entire life. The healers had also used the time to heal damage done to Harry's kidneys and eyes due to being locked in a dark cupboard for long periods of tim. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to be done for the scars Harry had acquired.

Tony let it be known he'd fund research into the development of scar removing potions.

Today was the day of Sirius' trial and Tony had decided both he and Harry needed to be there in order to make sure the man was released without incident. He simply didn't trust Dumbledore, especially after both Rockjaw and his solicitor told him about the soul-sucking Dementor which would be in the Ministry in case Sirius was found guilty.

Taffy had gotten them all the appropriate robes, although Tony wouldn't be caught dead in this particular shade of plum anywhere else! Although, he thought the real gold thread used to embroidery their house crests on his and Harry's robes was cool. The again, he reasoned, Tony Stark was always cool. Harry looked adorable in deep purple robes, edged with gold and the Peverell crest – he’d decided no one had to know what other lines Harry had inherited. Happy was skeptical of the open black robes with Tony's crest but understood he should wear them as was proper for his position.

Still not comfortable with the various ways magical folk travel, Happy drove them to the phone booth Smythe directed them to and stood in a short line for Tony's wand to be checked. The security wizard appeared bored and waved them through without even questioning the presence of Happy or Harry, even though Happy was armed. Once they were clear, Tony picked Harry up so he didn't get jostled in the crowd of people milling around the atrium. Harry held on tightly, his eyes huge as he looked around. Tony wasn't worried about the scar on his forehead making him stand out, as there was just a thin white line after the ritual to remove the sliver of soul. Smythe led the way and two plain clothed security wizards brought up the rear.

Tony's sunglasses were firmly in place, and he made a vow to get Harry a pair, as they walked into the Wizengamot chambers. A tall thin wizard with long white hair and a long white beard in gaudy robes was lifting a gavel to call them to order. Harry stiffened when he saw the man, while Tony recognized the bastard as Albus Dumbledore. Setting Harry on his feet, Tony took his hand, stepping over the threshold with the others behind them. A gong sounded and Smythe signaled them to stop. Looking around, Tony could see they were on level with where Dumbledore stood, instead of the requisite plum, he wore orange and gold eye-searing robes. Harry jumped when Dumbledore brought the gavel down and the doors around the chamber closed.

"I hereby call to order this emergency session of the Wizengamot, on 5 July 1994. Before we start, we appear to have a new Lord to seat."

All eyes turned toward Tony and he smirked back. Smythe signaled Tony forward, Harry by his side. "I am Lord Carbonell and am here to claim my birthright."

There was a smattering of whispers heard in the chamber tiers as Dumbledore starred at Tony.

"I don't believe I know you, Lord Carbonell."

Tony gave Dumbledore an obvious once over. "I didn't realize that was a prerequisite to claiming my seat."

Smythe moved forward, handing the clerk sitting just inside the door Tony's papers.

Tony watched for a moment. "I am also Regent for the House of Peverell and it's voting bloc."

Dumbledore was on his feet instantly and Tony almost laughed. Bastard knew about Harry's heritage. The clerk waved them on and Tony led Harry towards the seat Smythe indicated.

"Lord Carbonell, you need to take those muggle glasses off," Dumbledore called.

"Actually, I don't," Tony answered turning around as the level of whispering rose.

Dumbledore's wand appeared in his hand in the next instance and several things happened at once. The sound of Happy racking a round in the chamber of his handgun caused the chamber to go silent. Then, Dumbledore's wand flew from his hand toward Harry and Tony was surprised when the little boy caught it, a golden aura surrounding him and it.

"It's mine!" Harry exclaimed in a surprised tone.

"That is a muggle weapon!" An aristocratic man with long white-blond hair called out, his voice thick with disgust.

"That, Lord Blondie," Tony's voice rang through the chamber, "is a Glock19 9mm semi-automatic with a 17-round magazine. Try anything against us and he'll put a bullet through your head before you can blink." He addressed Dumbledore, whose face was pale as a ghost. "Is there some reason, Dumbledore, you would be in possession of a wand which doesn't belong to you? You wouldn't know anything about James Potter's Invisibility cloak, which is somehow missing from his vault, would you?"

"Who are you?" Dumbledore sputtered, looking ready to vomit or faint, either was fine with Tony.

"Genius, billionaire, philanthropist, wizard," Tony spat out, "and father. Now isn't there a trial we're supposed to be hearing?" Tony led Harry towards their seats.

"You need to remove those muggle sun—"

Tony spun around to face Dumbledore again. "So you can attempt to read my mind? Not a chance, Chief Mudwimp." He sneered. “How often do you use Legilimency on unsuspecting people?”

The assembled body exploded in sound and Tony used the diversion to get to the seats Smythe had indicated. Tony sat down, Harry squeezing in beside him. Happy moved to a position on his right, gun still held in his hand down by his side. Smythe stood to his left as the security force fanned out around them. A plump, middle-aged woman next to Dumbledore shot off a spell that sounded like a firecracker going off. Looking down, Tony could read the placard in front of her: Millicent Bagnold, Minister of Magic.

"Order! Order before I silence the lot of you!" She glared at everyone as she looked around the room. "Now that Lord Carbonell has been seated, finally, bring in the prisoner!"

Tony leaned toward Smythe. "No oath to swear my loyalty or, I don't iknow, do the right thing? No vow to not f—mess things up?"

Smythe gave him a significant look, which Tony was able to interpret: Everyone for themselves. No wonder Dumbledore and his lackeys were able to thrown Sirius in a hellhole without a trial and hide Harry away in his own version of hell. Harry took his hand, playing with his lordship ring. The handle of the strange wand that had flown to Harry was sticking out of his son's robe pocket and Tony smirked. He was sure this had happened due to Harry taking the Peverell heirship, if the story his mother had read him all those years ago was true. He doubted Dumbledore would be able to call the wand back to him, but Tony knew he wasn't above attempting force to get the wand back.

"Papa!" Harry whispered, his grip on Tony's finger tightening as two Aurors dragged in a shackled Sirius. "Is that my Padfoot?"

"Hard to tell, kiddo, but I think so." He glanced at Smythe. "Usually, even prisoners are allowed baths and clean clothes."

Tony watched over the top of his sunglasses as Sirius was chained to the prisoner's seat, no doubt in the same condition he was removed from Azkaban. A tall male clothed in rich black robes walked to stand next to Sirius. Returning to his examination of Sirius, Tony tried to find some sign of the man he'd known for years. He stared hard, trying to will Sirius to look up at them, but Tony knew Sirius probably had nether the strength nor the will. Instinctively, Tony knew no one had even attempted to contact Sirius during the time he had been imprisoned, probably believing Harry had been safe with him, all because of Dumbledore. Or no one had been allowed to contact Sirius, which made sense, especially as everyone thought him guilty of betraying the Potters.

A rustling two seats to his right caught Tony’s attention and he felt Happy lean closer, before an elderly man stood up. Dressed in Wizengamot robes, the House of Black crest embroidered on the left-hand side. The man stood silently, leaning on a cane made of polished ebony. Tony shifted Harry a bit closer to his left side, away from the old wizard.

Dumbledore read from a scroll. "This is the trial of Sirius Orion Black. Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones will be presenting the facts—"

"May it please this assembled body!" The man standing near Sirius spoke, drawing the attention of Dumbledore and Bagnold.

"Barrister Archibald Shacklebolt, representing the accused, Heir Black. We demand Chief Mugwump Dumbledore, Minister Bagnold, and Bartemius Crouch all recuse themselves from this proceeding."

"I don't believe that will be necessary, Archie," Dumbledore began, only to be cut off by Amelia Bones.
“And your reason, Barrister Shacklebolt?” Bones interjected.

The man ignored Dumbledore, addressing his comments to an older woman in maroon robes with, of all things, a monocle in one eye, who somehow reminded Tony of his Aunt Peggy. "This document is a copy of the only parchment found in Heir Black's arrest file, signed by the aforementioned individuals and it is the order to transfer Sirius Black to Azkaban without benefit of interrogation, due process, or trial."

The entire chamber was on its feet and Bagnold shot another firecracker out of her wand. Tony shifted Harry to his lap as he jumped.

"Chief Mugwump Dumbledore and I turn the proceedings over to Madame Bones!"

Shacklebolt nodded and picked up another scroll. "Before you begin, this is our demand for Veritaserum to be used during my client's questioning."

Madame Monocle accepted the scroll and unrolled it, while Tony smirked. Rockjaw had told him about the truth potion which had been developed in the magical world. He wondered how effective that would be on people without magic, his thoughts going to Obadiah's sometimes hard to decipher behavior. It would certainly make it easy to hire people who were going to be honest with him. The bantering back and forth went on for twenty minutes and Tony was bored, while he was pretty sure Harry had fallen asleep. Apparently, bureaucrats were bureaucrats whether in the board room or the magical equivalent of a high court.

"Senior Auror Dawlish, administer the Veritaserum." Madame Bones said loudly.

Tony snorted as he was sure he heard a few interrupted snores. He resettled Harry in his lap and he stretched as Bones began asking questions.

"State your name."

"Sirius Black III."

"November 3rd, 1969."

"Were you a healer?"

Tony heard Sirius snort and shake his head. "No, an Auror, with James."

Dawlish stepped back and nodded at Bones, who stood.

"All right, Mr. Black, did you, on or about 31 October 1991, report the location of Lily and James Potter to the Dark Lord known as Voldemort?"

"No."

"Have you ever passed information intentionally to anyone associated with Voldemort?"

"No."

"Did you ever betray Lily, James, or Harry Potter?"

"No!"

"Were you the Potters Secret Keeper?"

"No! Peter Pettigrew, the bloody rat, was!"

"Pettigrew is dead—"

"No! He cursed me, blew up a gas pipeline which caused an explosion, and then laughed as he sliced his own finger off so he could disappear into the sewar in his Animagus form!"

"What form is that?"

"A fucking rat!"

Harry gasped and whispered loudly. "Papa, Padfood said a bad word!"

Tony opened his mouth to agree, when Sirius' head snapped up and he watched as the man's eye zeroed in on them.

"Mr. Black, were you a Death Eater?"

"Never."

"What happened that night in Godric's Hollow?"

"I had just logged off duty and went to check on Pettigrew who I hadn't been able to contact in several days. His flat was empty, as if he'd left in a hurry. I rode my motorcycle to the Potter's house, when I found Jamie in the entryway," Sirius looked down, took a deep breath, and looked at Bones, "he didn't even have his wand. Lily was upstairs in the nursery and Harry, my little pup, was sobbing with blood running down his face." He again paused to take a breath. "I gathered Harry up with a blanket, as it was cold, and took him outside so I could get him to St. Mungos. Hagrid appeared, I'm not sure how he knew, and demanded Harry, said Dumbledore wanted him. I told him no, but for some reason, the need to find Pettigrew became overwhelming."

"How long did it take you to track Pettigrew?"

'Two days."

"Why did everyone believe you were the Potters' Secret Keeper?"

"I was a decoy, but I don't understand why you didn't just ask Dumbledore, he cast the Fidelius."

The Wizengamot exploded with noise and Harry jumped a foot before trying to burrow into Tony's robes. Holding his son tightly, Tony was aware of the elderly wizard making his way to the seat next to Tony and sitting down. A flick of the man's wand erected a privacy doom around them and Happy, who eyed the man suspiciously.

"I am Arcturus Black, Sirius' grandfather, and I believe I have you to thank for getting Sirius out of Azkaban."

Tony could see where Sirius got his looks, from the curly black hair to the gray eyes and he nodded as Harry turned around to see. "Anthony Stark, Lord Black, it's nice to meet you. And this young man is my son, Harry."

Black smiled at the shy look Harry gave him. "I am so glad to finally meet you, young Harry. Sirius told me all about you when he sought my blessing before the godfather ritual, as he was naming you his heir."

Swearing under his breath, Tony sighed. "And you would have been eligible, by law, to have taken Harry in when his parents died."

"He is my niece's grandson," Black told him, meeting Tony's eyes. "And I remember talking to your mother several times, but Dumbledore—"

Tony felt Harry stiffen. "Yes, it appears we should have a conversation after this is done."

Black nodded, watching the people shouting at each other on the floor of the chamber as Tony was. Harry was looked between Black and Sirius, before leaning back against Tony.

“Papa, does that mean Mr. Lord is my grandpa?”

Black laughed softly and reached a gnarled hand out to Harry. “I believe so, young Harry.”

A firecracker was heard again and Black caught Tony’s eye. “After I get Sirius cleaned up, I know he’ll want to see his godson.”

Tony nodded, but before he could answer, Harry spoke up. “Papa, you didn’t wait until I was clean when you rescued me. I was dirty and smelly and dressed in rags when you found me, but you still hugged me and even kissed me. Why would we make Padfoot wait?”

Holding in a snort, Tony smiled. “I don’t suppose we should then, son.”

That was how they found themselves in a small room adjacent to the lower level of the Wizengamot chambers. Lord Black stood in front of a heavy wooden door at the back of the room, a door which led to the Ministry holding cells. It had been almost an hour since the members of the government body had found Sirius clear of all charges and ordered him set free immediately. Tony and Harry had followed Black down from the Chambers, Happy and the security team on alert. Most gave them a wide berth – Happy still holding his gun in his hand might have helped a bit, Tony thought with satisfaction. Dumbledore, surprisingly, hadn’t bothered them, however, Tony knew he’d make an appearance – most puppet-masters did.

Harry had started to get restless when the door opened and Sirius stepped out. He’d been allowed to clean up and was dressed in a set of black robes which hung off his frame. Tony felt Harry’s hand slip into his as he stared at his childhood friend, knowing the man was only twenty-four but looked ten years older with creases etched into his forehead and around his eyes. He doubted he would be able to understand the horrors Sirius had been through in the past four years.

They stood back as Black greeted his grandson and sharply dismiss the Aurors who accompanied him. He declined their offer to escort the two out of the Ministry and waited until they left to draw Sirius further into the room. Tony could feel Harry step closer, pressing against his leg. As Lord Black moved to one side, Tony knew exactly when Sirius caught sight of them as he froze, a startled expression on his face.

“Tony?” Sirius whispered, taking half a step forward. “How are you here? Lily—you gave up your memories!”

Tony gave him a lopsided smile. “Lily and my mom left instructions with the goblins to send me my memories just before Harry’s fifth birthday. Lily was very concerned with Dumbledore’s interest in Harry, and she was afraid of what might happen should she and James died.”

Sirius stumbled toward him and Tony was surprised at the strength of his embrace. He could feel the silent sobs as Sirius shook against him, awkwardly patting his back. Harry tightened the grip he had on Tony’s other hand.

“Papa? Can I hug my Padfoot, too?”

Sirius stiffened at the sound of Harry’s voice and straightened up, looking down at Harry. “Hello, pup, I thought I was imagining you in the chambers.”

Harry threw his arms up and Sirius knelt, gently gathering the child in his arms. “I miss’ded you, Padfoot!”

Tony settled a hand on Harry’s shoulder as his son patted Sirius’ head. Black cleared his throat and Sirius reluctantly pulled away from Harry.

“There will be plenty of time to get reacquainted with all of us, Sirius, but now we have an appointment with a healer at Gringotts.”

Tony snorted. “Make sure they check for compulsions and memory charms, apparently Dumbledore likes those. Healer Zenka had to remove several from Harry.”

“Dumbledore hasn’t tried to contact you?” Sirius frowned.

Reaching down, Tony drew Harry against him. “I’ve only had Harry for a week and today was our first appearance in public.” He brushed his fingers through his son’s soft hair. “Although, since Harry somehow Summoned the man’s wand—”

“It’s mine, Papa!” Harry drew the wand out of his pocket and it literally sparkled at them. “It just came to me!”

It was Arcturus who gasped and stepped forward to get a better look. “It’s the Elder Wand!”

“The Peverell brothers?” Sirius asked, watching as Tony leaned down to remove Harry’s heavy robes, a tiny blue suit underneath.

“One of the things we’ll need to discuss,” Tony said quietly, lifting Harry’s hand with the Peverell Heir ring on it.

“I think we’d both like that,” Arcturus agreed.

“I have a penthouse at Centre Point, overlooking Kensington Park,” Tony told them as he removed his Wizengamot robes, to reveal a business suit identical to the one Harry was wearing. “Harry insisted we fix up a room for Sirius and I’m trying to buy the floor below in order to expand, but the owner is a crotchety old guy who is proving tough to negotiate with.”

“And I hear the brash young American who wants to buy up my grandson’s inheritance is offering well over what the floor is worth.” Arcturus actually smiled. “I will lease the floor to you for a Galleon a year, to be renegotiated when Sirius becomes head of House.”

“Deal!” Tony shook hands with the elderly man, a genuine smile on his face. “Taffy!”

The house-elf appeared instantly, curtseying. “Yes, Master Tony?”

Tony handed her the two sets of folded robes. “Will you please take these to the penthouse? Harry and I need to make a trip to Gringotts.”

“Yes, Master Tony!” Taffy gave Harry a little wave and then popped away.

Arcturus looked stunned. Tony just shook his head and picked Harry up, making sure Harry still had a good grip on the strange wand.

“Too many people over look the fact that house-elves have powerful magic. Taz?”

Another house-elf, this one wearing the Potter crest appeared. “Yes, Master Tony?”

Tony looked at the Blacks with a smirk. “Taz and Max have been here with us since we left the penthouse. Between them and Happy, Harry and I are very safe.” He leaned down a bit. “Taz, could you and Max please pop Happy and us to the steps of Gringotts.” Tony gave the Blacks a half-bow. “The Goblins have warded the penthouse – when you are ready to visit, call for Taffy and she’ll bring you through.”

And with that they were gone.

Chapter Text

Rockjaw didn’t seem surprised when Tony, Harry, and Happy were ushered into his officer and stood to give welcome them.

“Lord Carbonell, Heir Peverell, and Mr. Hogan – how was the Wizengamot session?”

Harry moved forward and bowed, copying Rockjaw. “Mr. Rockjaw, that creepy old man who left me with my mean aunt and uncle took my wand!” Pulling the wand out of his jacket pocket, Harry set it carefully on the goblin’s desk.

“Good job, Harry!” Tony had told him never to hand a wand or a weapon to anyone, always put it on the surface in front of them.

Rockjaw stared at the wand the child had put in front of him, recognizing it from the description of the heirlooms from the House of Peverell. “The Death Stick? How would Dumbledore acquire an ancient family heirloom?”

“Death Stick? Are you kidding me?” Tony dragged his fingers through his hair.

“A gift from Dead – hence to name of the Deathly Hollows.” Rockjaw snapped his fingers and a black box appeared on his desk. With another snap, the wand levitated into the box and the lid closed with a snick. “I will have this delivered to the Peverell Family vault.

“Thank you, Mr. Rockjaw.” Harry smiled brightly and walked back to Tony, who lifted him into his lap.

Tony rolled his eyes. Not only did his son have an incredible memory, but he knew how to endear himself to others, much more than Tony did – although, it probably had to do with his survival skills. His eyes narrowed at his train of thought and Tony pushed it back for the moment.

“Lord Carbonell, the audits have been completed and I have to tell you there are discrepancies in several of them.”

Running his hand over Harry’s messy hair, Tony nodded at the goblin, but remained quiet. He’d expected this.

“These are confined to young Harry’s trust vault, the Potter Family vault, and to a lesser degree over the millennia, Gryffindor and Emrys vaults. There are several heirlooms missing, such as the Sword of Gryffindor, the Peverell or Potter Invisibility cloak, several irreplaceable books, and Merlin’s staff. There are also monies missing from the trust vault which were paid to his relatives for his care.”

Tony saw red and only Harry patting his cheek halted the magic bursting from him. Taking a deep breath, Tony listened while Rockjaw detailed payments which amounted to almost 200 Galleons a month for the upkeep of a small child and it didn’t help the burning in his gut when he knew Harry hadn’t benefited from any of the money.

“So, you’re telling me those despicable people have received almost $43,000 in forty-four months?” Tony asked and, at Rockjaw’s nod, instructed him to add embezzlement charges against the Dursleys.

There were several other questionable disbursements, all of which were on Dumbledore’s instructions, including a monthly guardian stipend to himself. Rockjaw assured Tony they had all been stopped and measures were being put in place to recover the funds. The goblins were also using family magics to recall the missing heirlooms.

“Mr. Rockjaw? Could the house-elves help?” Harry asked, looking up from the picture book Happy had pulled out of somewhere. “Taffy was able to go get Taz and Max from Hoggy—”

“Hogwarts,” Tony supplied.

“—Hogwarts, without creepy old man knowing?”

Tony glanced at Rockjaw, who tilted his head in thought. “It is possible,” the goblin acknowledged.

Tony shrugged, it was worth a try. “Taffy?”

Taffy appeared instantly with a little pop. “Master Tony?”

“Can you have one of the Potter house-elves still had Hogwarts – one who is loyal to Harry – search Dumbledore’s office for anything that rightfully belongs to him or the Houses he is heir to?”

“Oh, yes, Master Tony! We’s can do that!”

Tony nodded. “Bring them back here to Rockjaw, please, but be careful and don’t get caught.”

Taffy popped away.

“All right, I want to set up those regular money transfers into the Carbonell Family vault, Rockjaw, with an eye on investing in new technologies, magic or mundane.” He shook his head as he ran his fingers lightly through Harry’s soft hair. “Although I haven’t seen much in the way of improvements in the Wizarding world, I remember a pair of mirrors James and Sirius invented to communicate with which would be a huge step forward, compared to using the Floo.” He looked at Rockjaw. “Mundane electronics are going to be the next large money maker for those willing to invest. Some of the ideas sound ludicrous, but if they take off, we are talking millions on the dollar, er, Galleon for the investors.

Now, I’d like to start out with transfers of $100 million US dollars every three months for the next two years and see what rate of return I get.”

Rockjaw was scribbling figures down on a piece of parchment as Tony spoke. “If we use an exchange rate of one pound sterling to one dollar, then each Galleon—“

“One Galleon is worth approximately $6 US dollars, which means if I transferred over $100 million dollars, at the current exchange rate, it would be 16,863,406 Galleons.” Tony gave him a hard look. “And I’ll pay a 2% fee for handling the transfer.”

“5% and $5.75 per Galleon.”

It was clear to Tony that goblins relished bartering and continued until they finally agreed on $5.95 per Galleon and 2.5% handling fee. The deal would be very profitable for Gringotts since he would ultimately move around $10 billion dollars into the bank. Should something happen in the mundane world, having half his personal wealth protected by Gringotts was reassuring.

As they left the bank, Happy went ahead of them as Tony reached to take Harry’s hand.

“Papa, can I jump down the stairs?” Harry asked brightly, jumping carefully down to the next step.

Tony had to laugh at the pleading look and he reached to ruffle the already messy hair. “Sure, bambino, I’ll wait for you down at the bottom. Just be careful, okay?”

“I will, Papa!”

Tony walked halfway down the white marble steps, turning around to watch as Harry jumped from step to step with both feet. It was strange to Tony, never having been around a young child before that Harry could be so smart and seemed to have perfect recall of his memories, yet be delighted by simple things like jumping from step to step. He loved the look of glee on his son’s face and moved down toward where Happy was waiting. There were more people in the Alley now and Tony didn’t want anyone to recognize Harry, despite his scar now being an almost invisible white line .

Shaking his head, Tony stopped at the bottom of the stairs and slid his sunglasses up to the top of his head, before pulling his phone out of his pocket to check for messages – he hadn’t had any signal inside the bank. Upgrading cellphones was one of his priorities and he need to keep his devices cutting edge. His StarkPhone was already third generation, but he’d handmade it, needing to miniaturize the power source and—

“Mum, why is there a Muggle here?”

“I’m not – owww!”

Tony jerked his head up as he heard Harry cry out sharply and saw his son had been pushed to the ground by a tall, red-haired boy about the same age. Taz was already there, magically pushing the child back as Tony pivoted and scooped Harry up and Happy stepped between the child and Harry.

“How dare you use magic on my son!”

The tone and volume of the screech reminded Tony of fingernails on a chalkboard, but he ignored it as Harry buried his face in Tony’s neck. “Are you hurt, baby?” He rubbed Harry’s back as he sniffled, shaking his head.

Tony set Harry down and knelt in front of him. “Show me your hands, bambino.”

Harry brought his hands forward and Tony bit down on the anger welling up as he saw in the scrapped palms. Taking out his wand, Tony gently cleaned the area and then cast a healing spell on the deeper scratches. The woman continued to yell loudly at Happy and Taz while Tony took care of Harry, reholstered his wand, straightened the little suit Harry was so proud of, and picked him back up.

Tony turned back towards the woman and discovered the one boy had been joined by six other redhaired children, ranging from Harry’s age to teenager. They had gathered around the plump redhaired female and boy in a semicircle, the older ones looking at Tony curiously and the youngest boy appeared angry.

Tony stepped up beside Happy and put on his public face. “Have we discerned why my son was pushed down?”

“Ronnie didn’t push your boy!” The woman denied vehemently.

“Hap?”

“The boy seemed to object to the kid’s clothes, boss.”

“Taz?”

“Master Happy be correct, Master Tony!” Taz’s glare was fierce.

“And no apology?” Tony asked, his tone cold as he stared at the woman.

“Ronnie isn’t going to apologize for an accident!”

“Mum,” the oldest boy spoke softly. “Ron pushed the little boy down because he didn’t answer right away.”

“Boys will be boys,” the woman took a step back. “No harm done.”

“Your name, madam?” Tony asked softly, with an iron tone. “You don’t seem to understand, my son was injured.”

“Molly Weasley,” the woman puffed out her chest. “My husband works for the Ministry.”

“Doesn’t give me any more confidence in the system of government, especially with examples like you and the Minister!”

“And just who are you?”

“Lord Carbonell,” Tony cupped the back of Harry’s head. “And as far as I am aware, there is no required dress code to shop in Diagon Alley.”

“Perhaps in America—”

Tony snorted and turned to Happy. “We are done here.”

They walked away, Taz giving the boy another glower before turning invisible once again.

Chapter Text

It shouldn’t have surprised Tony when Harry had a nightmare that night. Harry had been quiet since the encounter in Diagon Alley, almost like he felt he’d done something wrong instead of being the victim. It gave Tony even more insight into what Harry had gone through in Petunia’s house. It was also telling that Harry reached badly to being touched when he had a nightmare, to the point of throwing himself off the bed and scuttling into the corner.

Sitting beside Harry, feeling completely out of his depth, Tony spoke softly to his son until Harry recognized him and thrown himself in Tony’s arms.

“Pa’to! The bad man hurt Mummy with the green light!” his son sobbed as Tony rocked him back and forth as he held Harry tight.

It was gut-wrenching when Tony realized Harry remembered that night and all he could do was try and comfort him. Both of them cried over their shared grief and Tony sat the rest of the night, holding Harry as he finally slept. The regrets Tony felt over the decisions made four years before haunted him, as no doubt Sirius was haunted by his actions after Pettigrew’s betrayal. All they could do was move forward, putting Harry’s wellbeing and protection as their primary goal.

Tony went over the facts he knew, the assumption based on credible information, and a plan of action began to form. If Tom Riddle, which Rockjaw confirmed was the bastard’s true name, had created Horcruxes, then he had to still be tethered to earth in some form. He would up the money he’d set aside for the goblin team to locate and destroy the foul things, to fine what ever form was left of Riddle and destroy it as well. Dumbledore had taken a blow at the trial, especially with the loss of the Elder Wand, but Tony could help but feel the old wizard had other schemes in play. He certainly remember the vigilante group Dumbledore has during the first war against the Dark Asshole and there had to be a reason Harry was left at Petunia’s when her hate of magic was well known amoung Lily’s friends. The investigators might be able to help discover a reason behind Dumbledore’s manipulation.

He also knew Sirius would need to heal and gain back his strength, but Tony wanted Sirius to come back to Malibu with them at the end of the week. It just made sense to get both Harry and Sirius out of the UK and out of Dumbledore’s sphere of influence. It also put someone Tony absolutely trusted to care for Harry when he had to travel, as well as. It was convincing Lord Black to allow his heirs to leave that Tony was going to have to negotiate. Perhaps a permanent Portkey to Malibu, so Arcturus could visit at his leisure.

“Master Tony?” Taffy’s voice was a whisper. “Does yous want Taffy to start breakfasts?”

Tony jumped causing Harry to stir against his shoulder. “Yes, please, Taffy – with lots of coffee!”

Gently waking Harry up, Tony carried his son into the bathroom. He stripping them both down and took a quick shower with Harry’s face in his neck. It might not have been the most thorough shower he’d every taken, but it was nice to hear a quiet giggle when Tony asked Harry if he needed a shave while he was touching up his goatee. Dressing them both in sweatpants and sweaters, Tony carried Harry out of the bedroom, both still a bit sleepy-eyed.

Happy was already enjoying steak and eggs when Tony dropped into his chair with Harry in his lap. He immediately grabbed the cup of coffee which instantly appeared at his elbow and drank half of it in one gulp.

“Rough night, boss?” Happy observed as he watched the pair.

“A nightmare, Hap,” Tony paused to inhale the rest of his cup. “Kid just can’t get a break, you know.”

Happy nodded as Tony turned Harry around to sit in his lap, a disgruntled pout on his face. Tony saw Happy hide his grin behind his cup as Harry rubbed his eyes.

“Okay, bambino, would you like some fruit? Maybe some gruel? How about frogs eyes?”

Harry shot him a look. “Ew, Papa! Just some toast and fruit, please.”

“I think you need a scrambled egg as well, kiddo, to give you some muscles,” Tony said finishing off his second cup of coffee.

Two identical plates appeared in front of him and Tony sighed, much to Happy’s amusement. Both he and Harry had the same displeased look on their faces.

“Well, son. I guess we should eat after Taffy went to all this trouble.”

Harry nodded and took his fork from Tony as he leaned forward as he scooped up some eggs. Making sure Harry’s spoon actually made it to his mouth, Tony made quick work of his own eggs, ignored the toast, and grabbed a handful of blueberries. He popped them into his mouth and washed them down with more coffee, finally starting to feel human. Harry ate slower, dumping a spoonful of eggs on a toast soldier (something Happy showed him a few days before) and chomping on it.

“What’s on the agenda today, boss?” Happy pushed his plate and cup away, watching them immediately disappear.

Watching his plate pop away, Tony grabbed his cup. “We need to go by the American Embassy to pick-up Harry’s paperwork and we also have an appointment this afternoon with representative from MACUSA to discuss some of the irregularities going on with the British Ministry.”

Happy nodded and checked his watch. “I’ll go fuel the car and be back by noon. Do you or the kid need anything?”

“No, thanks, Hap.”

Harry gave him a little wave as Happy pushed back from the table and head out the door. Tony knew the Taz and Max were here and there was another house-elf who went everywhere with Happy. Tony would not have Happy put at risk.

“Papa! Look!” Harry exclaimed, sliding off his lap.

Looking up from his phone, Tony saw a regal black owl fly into the room from the spare room and land on the back of one of the chairs. It stuck it’s leg out towards tony, hopping to the side when Harry reached toward it. Tony’s wand slid into his hand and he remembered the general detention spell James had taught him when he was fourteen and apprehensive about being enrolled in MIT. He hadn’t felt safe in the dorms until he and Rhodey had become his roommate.

The message seemed to be innocuous and Tony leaned forward to remove it from the bird. “Taffy!” he called as he read the note.

“Yes, Master Tony?” Taffy popped in, wiggling her fingers at Harry.

“Sirius and Lord Black will be joining us for dinner tonight and I believe Sirius will be staying with us.”

“Master Sirius!” Taffy clapped her hands in delight. “Taffy be making all his favorites!”

“Can we have treacle tart for pudding, Taffy?” Harry asked hopefully.

Tony hid a smile as Taffy gave him a look and he nodded. Harry’s latest favorite thing in the world was treacle and Tony had no problem indulging the little boy.

They spent the rest of the morning doing paperwork – Tony going through several of the new designs he wanted to work on for the technology division of Stark Industries and Harry doing some easy reading and math worksheets Tony had ordered for him. He suspected Harry was very intelligent and wanted to get an idea where he might be placed if he were in an American school. While Tony had no intention of sending Harry to school at least for a while – Harry’s emotional abuse would take time to heal – he wanted to see if he were ahead or behind where he should be.

“Mr. Stark, it’s delightful to meet you.” The American Ambassador to Great Britain greeted Tony and Harry as they were ushered into his office at the Embassy in London.

“Ambassador Crowe, it is a pleasure to meet you,” Tony wanted to roll his eyes – he didn’t need the ambassador himself to pick-up a visa. “This adorable young man is my son, Harry.”

Crowe bent down slightly to greet Harry who gave him a hesitant smile. “And this is the young man who needs a visa?”

“My son, Harry, Ambassador,” Tony said proudly. “we’ve been approved for an entry visa while we are waiting for his American citizenship to come through.”

Ambassador Crowe straightened and reached behind him to pick up a large envelope form his desk. “I believe all the appropriate paperwork is here, Mr. Stark.”

Harry looked up at him and Tony gave him a nod. Stepping forward, Harry took the envelope with both hands, holding it carefully. “Thank you, sir!” he chirped.

“And now, I believe you have another appointment with the security guys upstairs.” The Ambassador guided them out of his office. “Good luck and safe travels.”

Tony wanted to roll his eyes at the typical politician brush off, even though he was relieved. The embassy immigration officer would have been sufficient to give them the paperwork, but, no, the ambassador had to step in when he found out it was Tony Stark. Taking Harry’s hand, Tony sighed as they followed an aide up the sweeping staircase to a door in a hallway. Tony double check his wand, Happy having stayed outside with the car. Tony hadn’t thought they would need protection within an embassy.

The aide left them after knocking on the door and Tony tugged Harry against his side as a large man, impeccably dressed in a dark gray suit, appeared in the doorway.

“Mr. Stark, I presume?” The man seemed to only have eyes for Harry, putting Tony on edge.

“Yes,” Tony snapped as he looked the man up and down. “I believe we have an appointment—”

“Of course, I’m—”

“Iggy!” Another voice, tight will embarrassment, sounded just behind the man. “At least let them in the door!”

With a muttered apology, “Iggy” stepped to one-side and allowed them into a large room with a conference table at one end and several desks at the other. A seating area in front of a fireplace which seemed overlarge for the room. There was a tea tray sitting on the low table in front of the couch and large windows at the far end of the room let in natural light. There was nothing else in the room which would indicate what it was used for and it made Tony nervous.

Harry half hid behind Tony’s leg as he looked at the two men disapprovingly. The second man was tall, with dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and a small goatee. He was dressed in a good quality black suit, with what appeared to be a red leather over-robe.

“I apologize, Mr. Stark,” The second man stood near on of the chairs in the sitting area. “Iggy’s a bit starstruck, I’m afraid. I am Auror Captain Robert Graves”

Tony shot the other man a suspicious look, as he was still staring at Harry. “I’m afraid I find it a bit perverse to have someone staring at my son like that.”

Iggy had the decency to blush. “I—”

“Because if this is about the whole Boy-Who-Lived crap, then I an truly disappointed. One of the prime reasons I want Harry to grow up in America is to get him away for all that—”

“No!” Iggy interrupted him. “It’s not that—”

Graves cleared his throat.

“Well, mostly not be cause of that! I’m Iggy Potter – I mean Auror Ignotus Potter and Harry is my cousin.”

Tony frowned as his mind paged through information. “A descendent of Abraham Potter?”

“Yes,” Iggy said as Harry peaked out from behind Tony’s leg. “I actually met James several years ago at an Auror conference here in London. He and his partner had the reputation of being rather formidable and were taking about the terrorist tactics they were dealing with.”

“You knew my other daddy?” Harry stepped forward, never letting go of Tony’s hand.

Iggy knelt down in front of Harry and held out his hand. Harry stuck the enveloped under his arm before hesitantly shaking Iggy’s hand. “When I met him, I was delighted to find out we were actually distant cousins on the Potter side, as we’re both from the Peverell line.”

“I have a Peverell ring!” Harry showed him excitedly and Iggy admired it dutifully.

“Gentlemen, could we move this to where we’d be more comfortable.”

Tony admired the scowl Graves threw at his Junior G-man and led Harry over to the couch. Lifting him up onto the couch, Tony sat next to Harry who continued to clutch the envelope with his paperwork. Tony accepted a cup of tea for himself and then one for Harry, leaving them on the table. A glance at Harry saw him eyeing one of the shortbread cookies, er, biscuits and Tony put one on a plate, handing it to Harry.

“Thank you for coming today, Mr. Stark,” Graves left his tea on the table and leaned forward. “I’m not sure how much you know concerning the Potters and—”

“I’ll stop you there,” Tony interrupted swiftly. “James Potter was my cousin on the Black side and I spent summers with him when I was a kid so I could be tutored in magic.”

“You’re a wizard?” Iggy exclaimed, almost spilling his tea. “You are not registered with MACUSA!”

Tony smirked. “No, I’m not and I’d rather it not become public knowledge to anyone.”

Graves threw his head back and laughed. “Yes, I can imagine if the media got a hold of the information that Tony Stark was a wizard!”

Harry glared at the man and moved closer to Tony. Tony cupped the back of his head as he narrowed his eyes at the Auror captain.

“I am taking my son back to California in three days and I am hoping you can give us a briefing on what we need to know. I never practiced magic in the states—”

Iggy snorted into his tea.

“—as my father didn’t know about magic and wouldn’t have approved.” Tony scowled. “Harry has already had instances of accidental magic and I don’t want someone showing up every time it happens. So, I need my home in Malibu registered as a magical house—”

“Better be registered as Harry Potter’s primary place of residence and we’ll need to help with the warding.”

“Stark,” Harry interjected.

Graves looked at him, confused. “Pardon?”

“My name is Harry Stark, sir.” Harry told him fiercely.

Tony smiled; his kid was feisty. “Technically, Harry has several names he could use – Potter, Black, or Stark, but he will be using Stark informally. And Sirius Black should be accompanying us back to Malibu.”

Iggy’s eyes went impossibly wide. “Seriously?”

“No,” Tony snarked. “Sirius.”

Graves wiped a hand over his face. “Okay, glad I work out of New York.” He sighed. “Let me get this straight, we have a world-famous billionaire, the boy-who-lived who is actually the heir to three—"

“Five,” Tony interjected.

“FIVE lordships, and an Azkaban-addled former Auror, the wizarding equivalent to Stark, all in one house!”

“The Gringotts’ warders have already layered it with wards and other protective fields,” Tony bit out, irritated by the attitude. “I will put it under a Fidelius if I need to, only that didn’t work out well for Lily and James!”

“Says the man who hacked the Pentagon at thirteen!”

Tony stood and lifted Harry up, fuming. He’d known the mistakes of his ill-spent youth would come back to him, but he never thought like this. These were the representatives of the American wizarding law enforcement? And he’d thought the British were bad.

“I requested a meeting with people I thought could help me protect my son against Voldemort and Dumbledore,” Tony bit out between clenched teeth and he could feel Harry’s magic swirl as he responded to Tony’s anger. “But you people are as bad as Dumbledore, and his fucking “greater good” bullshit! None of you seem to understand that both Sirius and I have the resources to take Harry and, disappear off the face of the earth—“

“Mr. Stark,” Graves quietly interjected. “I owe you an apology. I was not briefed on the content of your request, I was only told Tony Stark was demanding contact with MACUSA, and I made wrong assumptions.” Graves managed to look embarrassed.

“Lord Carb’nell.” Harry spat; one arm hooked around Tony’s neck.

Tony snickered at the fierce look on his son’s face and hugged him, as Graves’ words sunk into his brain. “It’s okay, bambino, I think we got off on the wrong foot. Maybe we should give them another chance.”

Reseating himself, Tony turned Harry in his lap and wrapped an arm around his waist, so they both faced the Aurors. “All right, if you have any other intrusive questions you need to get out of the way, ask them now and keep them appropriate.” Tony was trying to reign in his anger as Harry clenched his free hand.

“The little one is biologically—“ Iggy began until Graves threw him a sharp look.

Tony took a deep breath. “James was infertile, so we used a fertility potion utilizing my sperm. He is my biological son as much as James’.”

Graves nodded. “And Dumbledore?”

Sighing, Tony shifted Harry around so his head rested on Tony’s shoulder and pressed a kiss to his temple, encouraging Harry to relax. “Dumbledore illegally took Harry from the cottage that night, placed several bonds on his core, and left him on a muggle doorstep in the middle of the night without so much as a Warming Charm, where he was abused by magic hating relatives. The goblins and my solicitors are attempting to retrieve money and heirlooms removed from the Potter vaults with authorization.”

“And I understand the Grand Poobah wasn’t in good humor after you attended the Wizengamot session – something about his wand,” Graves commented. “You do know about Dumbledore and Grindelwald, correct?”

“I am not familiar,” Tony answered evenly, moving the now sleeping Harry to his shoulder.

Graves, his lips set in a grim line, “They were best friends and lovers starting when they were teenagers, with ideas not unlike Hitler or your Voldemort. The Peverell wand was “won” by Dumbledore in a duel that no one else witnessed and there were some nasty rumors after Grindelwald was locked in his own personal tower as a prison.”

Tony connected the dots. “You’re related to Perceval Graves?”

“I am,” Graves acknowledged, “and have no love for Dumbledore.”

Tony nodded and sighed in relief. “Will you help us, help me keep Harry safe from the fanatics on both sides?”

Graves exchanged a look at Iggy and both looked at Tony, before their eyes then dropping to the tiny child he held. There was an assessing quality to Graves.

“We will do everything in our power to help, Mr. Stark.” Iggy had a determined look.

“Please, call me Tony.”

Chapter Text

Tony spent an hour with the Aurors going over security measures, magical schools, customs, and everything he could learn about MACUSA itself. He’d taken copious notes on the current political climate in magical America, along with the information specifically to California, relieved the system seemed less rigid than the British Ministry. They discussed how Tony should go about integrating magicals into his personal security and delved into how Stark Industries could create electronics which might work with magic. It turned out there were several magical schools in California, including a primary school fairly close to the house in Malibu, which taught a mix of mundane and magical subjects.

Harry napped through the negotiations, waking up to juice and blueberries as Tony strapped him back into his car seat and Happy drove them back to Centre Pointe. The penthouse smelled wonderful and Tony was astounded to see three unfamiliar house-elves, clad in red uniforms, in the kitchen working steadily.

“Master Tony?” Taffy appeared beside him as Tony checked the bar in the living room to make sure it was well-stocked.

“Yes, Taffy?” Tony asked, distracted.

“Goblin Rockjaw bes sending over the post.” Taffy told him, holding up a small woven basket.

“Thank you, Taffy. Please set it on the table in the family room and I’ll look at them in a minute.”

“Goblin Rockjaw said alls bad spells taken off.”

Taffy popped away as Tony continued to walk through the room to the entry foyer. He was thankful Rockjaw had told him about Gringotts’ post services, as Tony hadn’t given a thought to the fact that harmful charms, hexes, and potions could be applied to letters. Now, all their post went through screening at Gringotts, except for those whose magical signature was known. Which at the moment were just Arcturus and Sirius Black.

“Papa?” Harry yawned and stretched as Tony walked into family room, where he’d been watching Sesame Street on the television. “I think one of the of your letters is smoking.”

“Taffy!” Tony could see a wisp of smoke and grabbed Harry from the couch.

Taffy popped in and snapped her fingers, taking care of the problem. “A Howler having delayed spell.” She said, exasperated.

“Do you know who it was from?” Tony asked as he and Harry peered at the pile of envelopes and scrolls in the basket.

“Yous goblin may know,” Taffy was terse and Tony had no doubt she knew exactly who sent the offensive letter as she popped away.

Tony snorted. “Harry, I don’t thing we ever want to make Taffy mad!”

Harry nodded as Tony set him on the floor, ruffling his hair. “No, Papa.”

“Come on, bambino, let’s go change into something a little more comfortable.”

Harry looked down at his now rumpled suit trousers. “I like my special suit; do I have to?”

Tony struggled not to laugh as Harry pouted and then widened his eyes imploringly.

“Please, Papa?”

Scooping Harry up and tossing him in the air (and thankful for vaulted ceilings), Tony caught him and kissed him all over his face. Harry squealed and hugged his head as Tony took them into his bedroom.

“Nice try, kiddo, but I patented that look!” Tony gentle tossed Harry on to his bed, listening to him shriek with laughter as he bounced. “You can wear your suit if you want, but you can’t play with Padfoot unless you change into some jeans.”

Harry contemplated the choice he had for a minute. “Okay, Papa, I’ll change.”

Smiling, Tony nodded and let out a breath. Maybe the parenting books he’d been reading actually had sound ideas; it wasn’t that hard to give Harry options to help make his own choices. Tony just knew that he would do what he needed to undo the abuse those animals had inflicted on his son and empower him. He also didn’t want everything handed to his son or to be emotionally distant from him like Howard had been. It was another reason to want Sirius with them as Tony knew he would be hard press not to spoil Harry rotten, and needed someone who wasn’t afraid to point it out. Sirius would also curb his tendence to bury himself in a project and forget everything around him.

“Will you help me please, Papa?” Harry asked, trying to pull a shirt from his wardrobe.

“Of course, bambino.”

By the time Harry and Tony were both changed into button-ups and jeans, there was a knock on the door and Tony had to grab Harry before he could rush to open it. He ignored Harry’s flinch, making sure to run his fingers through Harry’s unruly hair so he knew Tony wasn’t mad.

“I got it, kiddo,” Happy assured Harry in a quiet voice as he stepped by them.

Tony settled his hand on Harry’s shoulder, trying to ignore the butterflies in his own stomach. Like Harry, he was excited to reacquaint himself with an old friend and yet anxious to see if they could become friends again without James’ influence.

“Welcome, Lord Black.” Happy gave a small bow as he stepped back and allowed Arcturus in to the penthouse, a large black dog at his side.

“Grandpa! Padfoot!” Harry chirped and lunged for the dog.

Happy tried to grab him, but missed and Tony put a hand on his arm, rolling his eyes. “Lord Black, Sirius, welcome!”

Arcturus stepped inside and Tony extended his hand. As they greeted each other, Tony heard a gasp from Happy and turned to see Padfoot transform into Sirius with Harry in his arms.

“He’s what is called an Animagus, Happy,” Tony explained to the bemused man. “Harry’s father James could turn himself into a stag.”

“I had a professor at school who could turn into a tabby cat,” Sirius remarked. “Never did understand how the difference in body mass worked.”

“Magic!” Tony and Harry said together, Harry giggling.

“Sirius, I’d like you to meet Happy Hogan, my driver, bodyguard, and friend. Happy, may I present Heir Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather.”

The two men nodded to each other, Harry still in Sirius’ arms as Tony served drinks: beer for Happy, scotch for Tony, brandy for Arcturus, and water for Sirius.

Tony settled into a chair across from the couch where Arcturus and Sirius sat. “I never thought I’d see you pass up a drink, Sirius.”

“Healer’s orders for the moment,” Sirius grumbled as he helped Harry take a drink from his glass. “Apparently I’m a bit underweight.”

“Something you share with your godson,” Tony admitted. “I am curious as to how you arrived at the door without calling Taffy for assistance.”

“The fireplace on the floor below is hooked up to the Floo network, although it is available only to those of Black blood at the moment,” Arcturus informed him. “We will need to change the wards as there are many who would cause harm with access still.”

Tony nodded and exchanged a glance with Happy. “So I’m clear to have Gringotts add anti-Apparition and anti-Portkey fields to that floor?”

“Yes, and also add warding to the secret staircase between the two floors.” Arcturus smiled for the first timed. “It is in the back of the wardrobe in the entry.”

Tony arched an eyebrow. “That’s handy.”

“The Blacks have a number of enemies, Tony, and we tend to be a paranoid lot.”

Sirius snorted at his grandfather’s words and Tony grinned at the understatement. He remembered the summer Sirius had run away from home and come to live with them at Potter Manor. At the time, he hadn’t been able to believe what a bitch Sirius’ mother had been.

“I think I met someone who would rival your mother in vileness, though, and that is Lily’s sister.”

Everyone’s eyes went to Harry would was snuggled into Sirius’ chest and playing with the heir ring around Sirius’ finger. Knowing the rest of the conversation would wait until after Harry was in bed for the night,

Leaning forward, Tony patted Harry’s knee. “Why don’t you tell Uncle Sirius about our visit to the embassy.”

His face lighting up, Harry sat up and began to describe, with a four-year-old’s perception, the most important aspects of their visit. “Uncle Padfoot! We went in the big black car that Mr. Happy drives for us to a really big house with a huge stairway made of white stone, and we had to talk to a really stuffy man who didn’t listen to Papa. He gave me a big envelope with my papers, but he talked to me like I was a baby. I didn’t like that!”

“Breathe, kiddo!” Tony tried not to laugh and Happy snorted.

“Then we had to go clear up all those stairs and Papa helped ‘cause I still get tired sometimes, because of mean Aunt Petunia. I met cousin Iggy there and Mr. Aura—”

“Auror Graves, baby.”

“—Auror Graves, who knowed Daddy James!”

Harry chattered almost nonstop about the trip and then, at Sirius’ prompting, about everything which had happened since he’d been taken from Privet Drive and Tony smirked behind his glass – he didn’t think he’d ever heard his son so animated. By unspoken agreement, the men continued to let Harry dominate the conversation through dinner and dessert. Happy excused himself shortly afterwards and Taffy helped Harry take his bath. Before tucking Harry into bed, Harry had insisted Sirius come in and see the room they had fixed for him, before collecting kisses from everyone before Taffy led him away.

Putting up a privacy charm, Tony headed to the bar and poured a small amount of firewhiskey in each of the glasses. Arcturus and Sirius had settled on the couch once again and looked at him in surprise as he set the glasses in front of them,

“I’m afraid you’ll need those for this conversation,” Tony saluted them silently and took a very small sip, promptly coughing as the fiery fumes exploded in his throat. “So, how did your trip to Gringotts go? Find core blocks, compulsions, and probably memory charms?”

The two men exchanged a glance.

“You knew?” Sirius asked quietly.

Sighing, Tony rubbed his forehead. “You and James were always way too loyal to that bastard, even when he clearly had an unhealth obsession with Harry. The prophecy Dumbledore seemed to put so much stock in was easily contrived and he most certainly put it in motion by making James and Lily take Harry into hiding, but insisted they stay in the country.” He paused, taking another fortifying breath. “I left the pensive in New York, but I’d be happy to let you see all the memories – and yes, I know you lived them, but it would do you good to see them from another prospective. When I arrived at Petunia’s house a little over a week ago, I found Harry locked out of the house, beaten, starving, and wearing only an overlarge shirt. After punching the fat pig Petunia calls a husband, I took Harry straight to Gringotts The goblin healers found core blocks and charms for loyalty and submission. The worst thing they found, however, was a sliver of Tom Riddle’s soul, which had been sealed into his curse scar.”

Arcturus went deadly pale and took a deep sip of his firewhiskey, while Sirius looked puzzled.

“Whose Tom Riddle?”

Tony snorted. “I think they missed a memory charm on you, buddy. Tom Riddle is the name of the half-blood asshole who renamed himself Lord Voldemort.”

“WHAT?”

Arcturus grabbed Sirius’ arm and yanked him back down on the couch, Tony seriously impressed by the old man’s strength.

“It’s all right now, coz,” Tony fell back to an old nickname. “Goblin healers were able to remove it and, in the process, discovered a second soul piece in the bank.”

“Horcruxes,” Arcturus whispered, looking pale. “That sanctimonious son of a bitch made Horcruxes!” His eyes widened suddenly. “Regulus! That’s why he murdered Sirius’ brother!”

“Grandfather?” Sirius looked baffled and Tony stayed quiet, knowing this wasn’t a moment for levity.

Arcturus had his head in his hands, before lifting it to look Tony in the eye. “Regulus came to me just before he disappeared and was presumed murdered, asking me if the Black library held any books dealing with Soul magic. I thought at the time, as young as he was, that he was interested in soulmate bonds. I know now, I was very wrong.”

“I’ve hired Gringotts to track down the rest of these soul pieces,” Tony said quietly.

“I may be able to help.” Arcturus straightened up. “Kreacher!”

With a pop an ancient house-elf appeared wearing the dirtiest diaper Tony had ever seen. Or maybe it was a loincloth—

“Kreacher sees Lord Black and the blood-traitor who disappointed his mistress—”

“Kreacher!” Arcturus, raising his voice to cut through the ramble, admonished the elf in a derisive tone. “Do you know what Regulus was doing before he died?”

Tony was glad a Silencing Charm had been placed on the bedroom. And Pepper says I’m overly dramatic!

“My poor Master Reggie! Kreacher could not complete his last task—”

“Kreacher, what task did my grandson give you?” Arcturus had his hand on Sirius’ knee in warning as Sirius appeared to what to tear the house-elf apart.

“To destroy the Dark Lord’s locket, but Kreacher—”

“Kreacher?” Tony leaned down. “Can you get the locket you are talking about and pop it over the Gringotts? Give it to Rockjaw and tell him Lord Carbonell instructed you to witness the destruction.”

Arcturus stared at Tony for a moment. “Do as Lord Carbonell instructed you Kreacher, no matter how long you must wait at Gringotts.”

Kreacher nodded with wide eyes before popping away.

“Well,” Tony said, taking another sip of his firewhiskey. “that was unexpected.”

“Do you think he’ll actually do what you said?” Sirius asked as he sat back on the couch.

Arcturus looked thoughtful. “Even if you hated him, Reggie always treated that house-elf like a friend, and if this will complete the last task Reggie gave him, I believe he will do exactly as Tony asked.”

“All right,” Tony got up and retrieved the basket of letters Taffy brought in earlier. “I haven’t been through these yet, but I am wondering it any of them are from Dumbledore.”

“You mean you haven’t spoken to Dumbledore?” Sirius was astonished. “He was at Gringotts before my cleansing was completed and tried to bluster his way in to speak to me!”

“Bastard wanted Sirius to immediately apply for guardianship of Harry.”

“What?” Tony nearly choked as he tried to swallow another sip of firewhiskey.

Arcturus smiled grimly. “The goblins didn’t tolerate his behavior as he demanded to see Sirius, then he wanted the identity of Lord Carbonell, before demanding to see the Potter account manager. Watching him be threatened with forceful removal from the back was entertaining”

“So he doesn’t know—” Tony stopped and dumped the basket onto the table in front of him.

“Tony, why are these scorched?” Sirius asked as he and his grandfather leaned closer to watch.

“A delayed Howler.” Tony was sorting through the pile, moving the Gringotts mail to one side and Ministry documents to the other. “According to Taffy, anyway.”

“Molly Weasley,” Sirius guessed. “Her Howlers are legendary.”

Tony blinked and looked up. “Ah, the bi—woman from Diagon Alley, with the bully son.”

“Yes, I’m sure she wasn’t thrilled by the story in the Daily Prophet the next morning.” Arcturus snickered.

“Looks like I have three letters from Dumbledore, going by the seal,” Tony grumbled. “It would be a lot easier if they had postmarks on them!”

He lined the three up in front of him, before looking up at the Blacks wary faces. “Both Gringotts and Taffy have gone over all these for charms, hexes, and potions, but if you want to check them, I’d appreciate it.”

Arcturus slowly drew his wand and cast several spells on the parchment envelopes. The thinnest letter gave off a slight blue glow. “Merlin be damned,” he exclaimed, “a tracking spell, but one which is old and, more troubling, blood based.”

“Fuck! Taffy!” Tony cursed.

Taffy appeared instantly. “Master Tony calls Taffy?”

“I need you to get any of the Potter house-elves who are loyal to Harry and have them search Hogwarts from top to bottom – the bastard has some of Harry’s blood!”

“Elf!” Arcturus spoke sharply. “Look for small instruments which contain any blood – as this spell could use James or Lily’s blood as well as young Harry’s and is possibly powering monitoring spells.”

Taffy bowed, an angry scowl on her face. “Yes, Master and sir, Taffy will!” Se popped out.

“What wards did you have Gringotts put on the penthouse?” Sirius bit out. “Can’t believe Dumbledore would use Blood Magic! He wrote the fu—blasted legislation which outlawed most forms of the magic!”

Tony narrowed his eyes. “The potion we used—”

“Dumbledore would disapprove, if he knew, however blood potions are still legal” Sirius cut in, “but he has managed to get rituals banned. Which is why we did the blood based potions for both the conception and my adoption with Harry instead of the old godfather ritual James wanted.”

With a tilt of his head, Todd examined his memories of the time and pulled up the debate Sirius was talking about, as James had been adamant about the ritual, because his parents had taught him it was the most binding. Sirius had reminded him of their vows as Aurors about breaking laws. It was one of the few times Tony ever remembered the two men having a serious argument.

“I remember, but apparently Dumbledore is a do as I say, not as I do kind of leader. Have you ever heard of MACUSA Auror Robert Graves, Sirius?”

Sirius shook his head. “Name sounds familiar, but I’m afraid the Dementors had done a job on my memory.”

“How did you—” Tony made a vague circular hand gesture, not wanting ask the question verbally.

“I spent most of my time in Azkaban in my Animagus form,” Sirius admitted quietly. “The dementors didn’t bother me as a dog and the gruel they gave us was easier to eat in that form.”

Taffy appeared next to Tony, a fierce look on her face. “Bad Dumbles had whizzy things tied to Master Harry! Wes elvies took care of those and all the blood bad Headmaster had!”

Arcturus looked shocked. “He had more than just Harry’s blood?”

Taffy bobbed her head, still scowling. “Yes, Sir! Many vials bes in a drawer! Wes replaced them with elvies blood!”

The smug look on Taffy’s face made Tony laugh. “Well done, Taffy! Please, thank all the Potter house-elves for Harry and I.”

Taffy curtsied and disappeared.

“Why did you ask me about the American Auror, Tony?” Sirius questioned as Tony skimmed the second letter.

“He had interesting things to say about the relationship between Grindelwald and Dumbledore – including the fact that they were lovers.”

“Any relation to Percival Graves?” Arcturus asked.

“Grandson, I believe,” Tony opened the third let ter. “These all say basically the same thing, except they get a bit threatening by the third one – I needed to meet with him in order to keep Harry safe, including being quite insistent that I send him back to the Dursleys due to some blood wards.”

“That’s not happening,” Sirius muttered.

“Definitely not,” Tony assured him. “How are your Occlumency shields, Sirius?”

Sirius gave him a look. “They helped save me in Azkaban – only thing my mother ever demanded I learn that actually benefited me.”

“Can you teach me?” Tony queried, pointing at his head. “I don’t want to take a chance on Dumbledore messing with this fabulous brain!”

Sirius laughed. “I can try and we can get Harry started on meditation.”

Arcturus cleared his throat. “May I ask what you are planning to do about Dumbledore? You know he won’t give up trying to get your son back under his control.”

Tony studied the man for a moment, seeing steel in the gray eyes so like his heir. “While I am sure there will be a confrontation at some point, I would rather it be at a time of my choosing. He can’t do anything about the wand he lost to Harry, as it was a Peverell heirloom and among the missing heirlooms from Harry’s vaults. Gringotts has discovered irregularities with Harry’s trust vault during the time he had proclaimed himself Harry’s magical guardian, including large withdrawals.”

Both Blacks seemed on the verge of exploding and Tony knew how they felt. Dumbledore leaves his “savior” with a family who starves and abuses him, while he steals from the “orphan”.

“I have instructed the goblins and my lawyers –solicitors—whatever, in both worlds, to report all the irregularities to the appropriate authorities, prepare every possible lawsuit we have grounds for in both Harry’s name and mine. Tomorrow, Dumbledore should be served with both magical and mundane restraining orders to keep away from both Harry and I.”

Sirius whistled. “I never thought of doing that!”

Tony grinned. “I’m sure Arcturus could get his lawyers to file a wrongful imprisonment suit against Dumbledore, Bagnold and that Crouch guy. And, hell, the entire Ministry for that matter. Bring in the press, they will help to trash Dumbledore’s reputation.”

“I highly approve of the idea and will have the paperwork prepared,” Arcturus announced as he drained the last of his firewhiskey. “I am pleased Sirius is accompanying you back to America, as he needs time to heal and stay out of Dumbledore’s sphere of influence.”

Tony was very glad as well – he knew Harry would need help to get over everything he’d been through and Sirius could help him protect his son.

And maybe Harry and he would be able to help Sirius along the way.

Chapter Text

They flew out the next evening as Tony wanted Harry to sleep during the long flight, hoping he adjusted better to the time change. The day had been spent wrapping up loose ends, including a trip to visit the Ministry and to see Rockjaw. Sirius brought up the question of what happened to the years of mail Harry surely would have received as the Boy-who-lived. Tony had Floo’d to the Atrium of the Ministry, quite remembering why he hated traveling that way, and headed toward the Auror office.

“Can I help you with something?” A large, dark-skinned man dressed in an Auror uniform stepped out of a cubicle, his eyes sizing Tony up.

Trying not to bristle, Tony straightened the black open robe over his black pinstriped suit. “I am looking for either Madam Bones or Auror Proudfoot.”

Dark eyes narrowed slightly. “Lord Carbonell?”

Tony inclined his head, eyes meeting the Auror’s steadily.

“I’m Kingsley Shacklebolt, my brother is Sirius Black’s solicitor.” He held out a hand.

Shaking it, Tony could feel the power the man possessed. “He did a wonderful job at the trial.”

“So I hear,” Kingsley smiled. “Proudfoot is out on a call and I’m not sure where the Director went, is there something I can do to help?”

Tony weighted his options, but he was usually a good judge of character. “When I recovered my son from the abusive home he was place in, I believe there was a magical scan done of the wards and spells put on the home. I’m trying to get a copy of the report.”

“Actually, there were two comprehensive scans done,” Kingsley waved him into his cubicle and then cast a privacy spell. “Proudfoot did a rudimentary scan, but Bones sent me back to do an in-depth one when other issues came to light.”

“Anything to do with the embezzlement and theft reports?”

“More the involvement Albus Dumbledore had in erecting blood wards and other quasi-legal spells on a Muggle property.”

Snorting, Tony shook his head. “Wait until I tell Sirius! He was just relating why he did a blood-based godfather bond with Harry, instead of the ritual that James wanted to do.”

Kingsley gave him a hard look. “James was one of my trainers when I was a new Auror and I remember their debate. I take it you are the cousin Tony they were both so proud of.”

Tony grinned. “Tony Stark, yes.”

“Then you are family, Mr. Stark.” Kingsley finally smiled. “Though, I wouldn’t put it past someone as desperate as Dumbledore to utilize a blood ritual to achieve his goals. Between losing the Peverell wand and oversight—”

“You mean control.”

“—over the Savior of the Wizarding world.”

“Arcturus thought of that last night and the Potter house-elves scoured Hogwarts and replaced the blood he had with their own.”

Kingsley arched an eyebrow. “Potter house-elves?”

Tony studied his fingernails. “Apparently commandeered by Dumbledore the morning of that bastard’s attack on James and Lily, then put up wards so they couldn’t go back to the Manor or find Harry.”

“He knew,” Kingsley whispered, paling as the impact of Tony’s words hit him.

Blowing out a breath as he felt his own anger surge, Tony shrugged. “Anticipated maybe, based on it being Samhain; or a preemptive strike based on a prophecy no less. Whichever it was, we will never be able to prove it, but I know for sure he’s not going to raise my son as a weapon for his cause.”

Kingsley nodded. “While we are sitting on our laurels and doing nothing – assuming that Voldemort is gone.”

“He made Horcruxes – Harry was one.” Tony struggled to get the words out. “Gringotts and a team of curse breakers are actively searching for what we thing are at least three to four others.”

The Auror sat stunned for several long minutes. “What are you going to do with this information, as there are still a number of suspected Death Eaters around.”

“Some even at the highest levels of influence,” Tony agreed, thinking about what he’d learned of Lord Blondie from Sirius. “I understand Director Bones is a trustworthy person and I’m pretty sure I didn’t make a mistake telling you.”

“You did not.”

Harry loved flying. Tony almost had to tie him to his seat until they had reached the required altitude. He pointed out the ground below and Harry had glued his eyes to the view out the small window. Sirius, on the other hand, gripped the armrests until his knuckles were white. Tony just shook his head as he watched their antics.

“Remind me to sedate you next time we fly,” Tony murmured under his breath.

“I’ll Portkey and meet you there,” Sirius pushed out between clenched teeth.

“Magical travel sucks!” Tony declared emphatically. “At least you can relax on the plane, especially this one – I designed it myself.”

Sirius rolled his eyes and then grinned as the plane leveled out. “Hired the stewardesses yourself as well?” He waggled his eyebrows at Tony.

Tony threw his head back and laughed. “No, unfortunately, as I’d have mixed in a few handsome stewards myself.”

It was Sirius’ turn to bark out a laugh. “That’s more like it, variety is the spice of life.”

“Papa?” Harry asked softly.

“Yes, bambino?”

“Can I have something to eat, please? My tummy is grumbly.”

Tony carded his fingers through Harry’s hair. “As soon as it’s safe to get up, we’ll get something. Are you hungry for dinner already or just a snack?”

“Blueberries?”

Grinning, Tony nodded, knowing the staff would have stocked his favorite fruit. “Sirius, you want something?”

“Firewhiskey.”

Tony snorted. “I’ll order you some ginger-ale, it will settle your stomach.”

“Are you sick, Uncle Padfoot?” Harry turned to look at Sirius who sat opposite of them.

“No, kiddo, just a little uncomfortable – I’ve never been in one of these Muggle death traps before.”

Harry snickered behind his hand. “Papa designed it, so it can’t be a death-thing!”

“Hmmm,” Sirius was noncommittal as he slowly loosened his grip. “If you say so, pup.”

“Mr. Stark?” A pretty dark-hair attendant appeared before them.

“Hi, Tiffany.” Tony was quick to read the name tag on her blue uniform.

“You can move around the aircraft now, as the pilots indicate a smooth passage over the Atlantic.”

Tony nodded, reaching to unbuckle his belt. “Thank you. Could we have a couple of ginger ales and a coffee, with some blueberries, please?” Tony stood and looked to the seats across the aisle where Happy was reading a book. “Hap?”

“I’m good for the moment, boss.” Happy gave the lady a wave.

Tiffany headed towards the galley at the front of the plane as Tony bent over and released the buckles on Harry’s child seat. “Come on, Harry, let’s check out the rest of the plane.”

Holding his son’s hand, Tony walked towards the back, through a curtain and into the lounge area, complete with bar and large viewing screen on the wall. The couch was made to relax on and the sight of it actually made him blush as he thought of the shenanigans he’d gotten up to on it in the past. Harry wouldn’t know anything about that until he was thirty, Tony swore, as he led him into the bedroom at the back of the plane.

“Papa, is there a loo in your plane?” Harry asked him with a look on his face Tony was beginning to recognize.

“Right here, kiddo.” Tony opened the door to the ensuite bathroom and held in a laugh as Harry closed it in his face. “I can do it, Papa!”

Pressing his ear to the door, Tony listened for the sound of a flush and water running, before he took a step away. “Ready, bambino?”

Harry grabbed his hand with a decidedly damp one, something that would have made he shudder in the past, and Tony led him back toward the main cabin. “Why don’t we go get your snack and then we can talk about how you want to celebrate your birthday.”

“I gots a birthday, Papa?”

“You do, Harry, and it is coming up fast, so we have to decide what we are going to do.”

They found Sirius standing and stretching, his eyes taking in the richly appointed interior as if he hadn’t noticed it before. Harry ran up and tugged at Sirius’ pant leg and motioned for him to lean down.

“Papa’s plane has a loo in the bedroom, Uncle Padfoot, if you need one!”

“Thanks, kiddo!” Sirius ruffled his hair, before shifting his eyes to Tony. “A bedroom?”

Smirking, Tony jerked his head toward the back. “Through the party lounge.”

Seeing the look on Sirius’ face, Tony coughed as he struggled not to laugh. “Or there are two more just before the galley up front.”

The conversation was interrupted by Tiffany bringing their drinks on a tray. She settled it on the coffee table in front of their seats, along with a bowl of blueberries. Tony was unimpressed when she bent over in front of him, looking back over her shoulder coyly before standing back up. Tony kept his face a neutral mask. He knew he only had himself to blame as she’d probably heard of his past behavior on board – the drunken parties and the huge tips for those willing to participate.

Did she really think he would act like that with his son present?

“Dinner in an hour, please.” Tony bit out and turned away from the stewardess.

Sirius gave him an odd look, but led Harry back to his seat. Tony watched them, as he took off his suit jacket, and sat back down next to Harry. He handed Harry his small glass of ginger ale and showed him where the secret tray was in the arm of the seat. Sirius took the seat across the table from them, picking up his own glass and took a tentative sip, before smiling at the agreeable taste. Tony held the bowl of blueberries where Harry could reach it, watching as his son carefully took the berries one at a time.

“So, what would you like to have for your birthday, Harry?” Tony asked him, stealing a blueberry and popping it in his mouth.

“I don’t know, Papa, I’ve never had a birthday before,” Harry admitted casually. “Can I please have a cake?”

“Of course, you can have a cake! You HAVE to have a cake.” Tony should have known Harry couldn’t remember ever having a birthday before. “How about a blueberry cake?”

Scrunching his nose up in thought, Harry seemed to give the proposed cake some thought. “Does cake come in chocolate, Papa?”

Tony nodded and stuffed a handful of berries into his mouth before he said something stupid about the Dursleys.

“Can I have ice cream, too? Dudley always had ice cream with his cake on his birthdays.” Harry frowned and looked at him. “But I don’t want to be fat like Dudley is—”

Swallowing, Tony shook his head, keeping his tone even. “No way, sweetie, you will never be like your cousin!”

Harry lunged forward, almost knocking the bowl out of Tony’s hands as he threw his arms around Tony’s neck. “Thank you, Papa, for taking me away from there!”

Sirius reached over and took the bowl out of Tony’s hand, setting it back down on the table while Tony pulled Harry out of his seat and into his lap. “I’m sorry it took so long to come get you, bambino.” He hugged Harry tightly, burying his face in the soft hair.

“It’s okay, Papa, you came as soon as you knew,” Harry reassured him, patting his shoulder. “And you found Uncle Padfoot for me, too.”

“That he did, pup,” Sirius’ voice was soft.

Tony took a deep breath, kissed the top of Harry’s head, and turned him around on his lap. “Okay, now didn’t you bring a puzzle in your bag for us to put together? One that’s not to hard for Uncle Sirius to help with?” Smirking, Tony watched Sirius roll his eyes.

They actually put together two different children’s puzzles before dinner was brought out. The stewardess, an older lady Tony was familiar with, carried in the tray. Tiffany followed with a tray of drinks.

“Hello, Myra, its good to see you,” Tony greeted her quietly as Sirius stood and took the tray from her.

“Mr. Stark, it’s nice to see you,” Myra said, smiling. “Chef has sent out a very special plate of chicken and rice for this handsome young man.” She set a small bowl in front of Harry as Tony nodded in approval, before setting out four plates of steak and baked potato for the men.

“Thank you, Myra,” Tony appreciated the woman’s friendly, no-nonsense demeanor.

Harry ended up kneeling on the floor to eat from the coffee table and Happy moved over to join them for dinner. The conversation became more general in nature, with Happy and Tony describing California in general and Malibu specifically. They had gone through US custom agents prior to take off in London and were cleared to fly through to the private airstrip adjacent to Stark Industries o=in Southern California. They were making a stop in New York to refuel and should arrive in California just after midnight.

Once dinner was over and the light dessert of ice cream with berries eaten, Tony took Harry back to the bedroom and tucked him into bed. Tony only made it halfway through Green Eggs and Ham before Harry was asleep. He moved over to the desk set in the corner and started going through the stack of papers Pepper had sent with the plane. While Tony truly hated this part of running SI, he knew if was vital for him to know what was going on with the company he owned. His godfather, Obadiah, had urged him to delegate much of the responsibility to himself as Chief Operations Officer and to his PA, Pepper Potts, so Tony was free to be the eccentric inventor and designer of weapons which made them so much money. It dawned on Tony gradually over the last few years that his godfather had not wanted to relinquish control of the business to Tony after his father’s death and had very much encouraged his self-destructive lifestyle. Something Tony had been happy to indulge in, initially, until he noticed Obie stopped including him in major decisions involving SI.

Now, with his son to leave his family legacy to, Tony knew he needed to reassess his priorities. Obie would not like him having changed his will, but Tony wasn’t planning on telling him. In fact, Tony was hoping to enlist Sirius in his idea to become Harry’s chief caregiver when Tony had to work, either in the office or in his workshop. It would take Sirius some time to heal from Azkaban and being around Harry could help him. Sirius was also a trained Auror and would protect Harry with his life. At the same time, Harry needed to recover from the treatment the Dursleys had inflicted on him and he needed unconditional love, along with patience, in his caregivers.

Finishing with the stack of paperwork, Tony kicked off his shoes and laid down with his son. He knew Sirius was going to stretch out on the couch in the lounge to rest, while Happy was very adept at sleeping in the cabin seats which folded flat for comfort. None of them stirred when the plane smoothly landed to refuel and headed west towards California.

Chapter Text

The world seemed unusually quiet when Tony carried Harry off the plane in Malibu. The balmy Southern California night was perfect, a gentle on-shore breeze stirring around them as he led a blurry-eyed Padfoot to the nondescript black sedan Happy had called ahead to be left for them. Tony had had Taffy shrink their luggage down and he carried it in his laptop bag slung over his shoulder. As they drove down the Pacific Coast Highway, Sirius shifted back as they pulled up to the gate outside the mansion.

“Damn, Tony, this is beautiful,” Sirius whispered as he looked at the house.

Tapping on his phone, Tony asked JARVIS to open the gate and light up the garage. “Thanks, I haven’t spent a lot of time here since it was finished and it definitely needs some warmth. Oh, and my assistant isn’t expecting me back until at least tomorrow night, so we’ll have some time in the morning to check the warding.”

Sirius nodded his head, his eyes glued on the view out the window as they circled around to the side and into the garage. Saying good night to Happy, they walked up from the garage, JARVIS turned the lights on they moved into the house. Tony carried Harry into his own bedroom and pointed Sirius to the spare room across from his, which he knew was made up. Laying Harry down on his bed, Tony dug Sirius’ shrunken luggage out of his bag and took it to him.

“Here’s your stuff, dogman, I stuck a mild sleeping potion the healer recommended in the pocket. It’s there if you want to sleep until morning and get ahead of the jet lag.”

“Shot of firewhiskey would do the same,” Sirius grumbled, the effect lost as he yawned.

Tony chuckled. “Go to bed, Sirius, we still have things to work out in the morning, as the goblins may have made it magic-safe, we need to make it non-magic safe. You’ll need sleep.”

“Yes, Mum,” Sirius muttered as he closed the door.

Delighted, Tony grinned as he made his way into the kitchen. He’d forgotten how much fun it was to pull Sirius’ chain and how much of that he’d done when he would visit James over the years. If he were being honest, Tony had had a huge crush on Sirius back then and Lily had been the only one who recognized it, always teasing him about it when they were alone. The Sirius he knew then, was not the same man who just closed the door in his face and Tony just hoped Azkaban hadn’t destroyed the man he’d admired. His hope was to have Harry and Sirius help each other heal together, with time and patience.

“Hey J, hit me with what’s been going on.”

“Yes, sir – Ms. Potts has done an admirable job of keeping track of all your administrative duties. There is a stack of papers which need your signature on your desk and another stack of files containing correspondence as well as requests from various sources. You have already viewed the emails from R&D and there is additional information and prototypes which have been delivered to the garage for your inspection.”

Tony nodded as he pulled open the refrigerator door and peered inside with a frown. Those R&D guys were supposed to get permission before they sent prototypes to him. “JARVIS please start a list of groceries to be delivered from that twenty-four-hour grocery store: milk, blueberries, pancake mix, milk, a couple dozen eggs, butter, maple syrup, the stuff Dum E puts into those smoothies, and any other staples you can think of.”

“Placing the order now, sir.”

“Throw in some ice cream, please,” Tony requested, walking up to the top level of the house and looking out over the ocean. “Anyone been to the house since I left for New York, J?”

“Ms. Potts was here numerous times, to either collect various files and papers from your office and bring other paperwork, which she left on the desk.”

“People need to start sending their letters by electronic mail, JARVIS, then I could read it anywhere. Who else?”

“Mr. Stane has also been here three times since you left, including twice in the last three days, sir.”

Tony frowned, turning around slowly. “Why was Obie here? What did he do, J?”

“He spent some time in your workshop, looking at your projects and the schematics.”

“Not that he could make heads or tails out of them,” Tony muttered.

“Rather like your writing, sir.”

Tony smiled. “I’m wounded, JARVIS!”

“I doubt that, sir.”

“What else did he do?”

“Mr. Stane went into your bedroom and dressing room, sir – for what purpose, I don’t know. He also went out on the deck, failing to lock the door into the main living room when he returned.”

“The knob he knows you can’t lock?”

“Yes, sir, however I was able to engage the inner deadbolt to secure the door.”

Tony didn’t like it at all. Obadiah had no reason to be out here snooping, especially as he’d seen the man at the gala at the Rockefeller Center and Obie knew Tony was supposed to be staying on the island. He began to wonder how often those he’d given access to his house had come in when he wasn’t there. There were only a few people Tony considered family, but he’d always trusted those individuals completely, including with his workshops. Rhodey always liked to sneak in his workshop, but as he was deployed at the moment, Tony wasn’t worried.

“Cancel Obie’s access code, J, immediately. Until further notice, no one gains access into the house, except Happy and Pepper.”

“Done, sir.”

“JARVIS, add Harry and Sirius Black the 3rd to your search parameters, including any print or video media and any of the forums on the internet.”

“Already scanning, sir.”

Tony stood still for a moment, deep in thought as he considered the implications of both JARVIS’ report and his observations.

“J, have you detected any unusual electronic or transmission signals originating in the house since Obadiah was here.”

“You know I’m programmed to disrupt any such signals, sir. Especially after that last sex-tape emerged—”

“Yes, yes.” Tony waved him off with a grimace as he started up towards his bedroom. “Keep up the good work, J and, please, wake me up at 8am.”

“Of course, sir.”

Obadiah had not wanted Tony to take over Stark Enterprises, the now Stark Industries, when he turned twenty-one as directed by his father’s will. He had petitioned the Board of Directors to delay the change, based on Tony’s reckless and irresponsible behavior. His godfather forgot Tony was the majority shareholder and the board voted with Tony.

Stepping into his room, Tony cast a low-powered spell that was in reality a broad pulse of magic which should short out any small electronics, like a miniature listening or recording device. It wouldn’t affect the lights or JARVIS, but should eliminate any electronic surveillance devices. Once that was done, Tony stripped Harry down to his tee shirt and underwear before tucking him into the middle of the large bed. Walking into his dressing room, Tony undressed as he looked around surreptitiously, especially in the area where his hidden safe was situated in a vault of concrete beneath the floor.

Nothing looked disturbed, but Tony knew he needed to update all his security measures, as the goblin warding only went so far against non-magicals. He also intended to look into constructing a safe room, so Harry would have a place to hide if something happened. Pulling on his pajama bottoms, Tony detoured to the bathroom and then crawled into bed beside his son. Harry rolled toward him, snuggling up against his side as Tony loped an arm around him. His mind was still swirling with thoughts as he closed his eyes, even as he tried to calm it. Slipping into the meditation exercises his magical tutor had taught him, in preparation of learning Occlumency, Tony felt the whirl of his brain slow down.

Tony knew there were issues that needed to be dealt with, but he’d start tomorrow, tonight he was just glad he and his son were home safely.

Morning came in the form of a small, wiggling body pressed against him. Tony cracked open an eye and saw a pair of anxious green eyes staring at him.

“Papa!” Harry whispered urgently. “Where’s the bathroom?”

Tony surged up in the bed and grabbed Harry, carrying him into the ensuite. Setting Harry on his feet, Tony yawned as he staggered over to the sink and splashed water on his face. A flush and Harry wandered back to him and leaned against his leg. Bending down, he lifted Harry up so he could wash his hands. Harry waiting in the doorway as Tony made use of the toilet and washed his own hands.

“Come on, bambino, let’s go see if we can scare up some breakfast.”

Harry’s hand slipped into his as they walked down to the kitchen. Tony smiled as Harry’s footsteps faltered when he caught sight of the ocean out the wall of windows. Scooping Harry up, Tony carried him over to the wall of windows and set him down, letting him look his fill.

“Good morning, sir, you are up earlier than I expected.”

Harry’s head snapped up, eyes searching the ceiling to see where the voice had come from. Tony ran his fingers through Harry’s hair, reassuring him.

“Good morning, J. Harry, this is the same JARVIS who was on my phone, remember?”

Harry nodded, going back to looking out the window. “Morning, Mr. JARVIS. Where’s Taffy, Papa?”

Tony opened his mouth, only to have Taffy pop up beside Harry.

“Taffy’s right here, Master Harry! Are yous ready for breakfasts?”

“Taffy, there should have been groceries delivered – JARVIS, where were they left?”

“Outside the front door, sir.”

Taffy disappeared before Tony could move and, looking up, Harry giggled at the disgruntled look on his father’s face.

“Taz? Max?” Tony called, smiling at the grin on Harry’s face as he looked around.

Both house-elves popped in and Tony was surprised as the elves wrapped their arms around his son’s legs as Harry greeted them with pats on the head. Rolling his eyes, Tony listened to Harry greet each house-elf and exclaimed his delight that his little bodyguards had made the trip to California.

“Taz and Max, please be very vigilant for non-magical people coming onto the property. There are three others who have free access: Happy, who you know, my personal assistant Pepper Potts, and my best friend, Colonel James Rhodes, who’s away at the moment. Anyone else is to be prevented from coming through the gate unless I or Sirius gives them permission – magical or non-magical.”

The house-elves stepped away from Harry to flank him and nodded at Tony.

“You may set up quarters for yourselves, Taffy, and any other house-elves who we decide are necessary on the fourth level, there should be plenty of rooms for everyone there in the area furthest away from the laboratory.”

The elves again nodded and popped away. Tony held his hand out to Harry, who took it, and Tony began to show him around the top two floors. He could smell pancakes as they approached the kitchen and the sound of Taffy humming as she moved around.

“Tony? Harry?”

Sirius’ voice rang through the living room level, causing Tony to open his mouth to respond, but Harry beat him to it.

“Uncle Padfoot! We’re in the kitchen! Follow the pancake smell!”

Shaking his head, Tony jumped out of the way as Padfoot came running into the room. “JARVIS, I’m not sure if I warned you, but the dog is actually the wizard named Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather, who will be staying here with us. Also, little guys are very loyal to Harry and will respond if you need them – especially if it has to do with Harry or my safety. Taffy is the head elf if there is a problem.”

“Very good, sir. The dog is a nice touch – should I be ordering any dog treats or—”

“No,” Tony snorted as Sirius transformed back with a scowl on his face. “Well, maybe some flea powder—"

“You’re a right prat sometimes, Tony!” Sirius griped as he scooped Harry up and headed to the breakfast bar. “Taffy, you’re looking radiant this morning!”

“Master Harry be getting the first pancakeys, Master Sirius!” Taffy scolded him.

“Sir, Ms. Potts is approaching the front door.”

Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he moved down the stairs to the main living room. He looked down at his pajama pants and bare feet before shrugging – his PA had seen him in worse and less. He snickered, remembering. The clack of her stilettos announced Pepper Potts well before she stepped into the living room, impeccably clad in blue.

“Tony! You’re not even dressed yet! Obadiah is counting on you to attend the board meeting this morning! I was so glad to see the plane this morning and Obadiah was relieved, although he wants to know if you’ve made any progress on the latest propulsion system upgrade. He believes it would get a boast to your popularity with the directors.” She finally paused to take a breath, eyes narrowing as she took in his appearance.” “Do I need to go up and escort someone—”

“No!” It came out sharply, but Tony couldn’t help but wonder when he’d started to tune out most of what Pepper usually nagged him about. “I wasn’t even due back—”

“Obadiah said to remind you to look over the minutes of the last meeting,” Potts spoke over him as she looked at the files in her hands.

“Ms. Potts.” And when did his PA stop listening to him?

Pepper’s head snapped up at his tone and took in his expression, but remained quiet.

Tony let a little of his anger show on his face and the edge of his voice. “Yeah, good morning to you, too. In the less than two minutes since you stepped into my home, you have mentioned my COO four, no five times. I hired you as my personal assistant, not his, so let me know exactly where your loyalty lies, as I would have sworn you work for me.”

Pepper stared at him. “I—”

“Please be sincere in how you answer the questions, Ms. Potts, as my next question is going to have to do with who told Obie I was back – and a day early, I might add.”

Looking down, Pepper tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I wasn’t aware I shouldn’t let Obadiah know about your whereabouts – it hasn’t been a problem in the past.”

Tony crossed his arms over his chest. “I didn’t hire you to relay my every action to anyone, Ms. Potts. Which leads to the question: do you work solely for me?”

“Yes.” She answered without hesitation, meeting his eyes.

“Good, because I greatly appreciate all you do for me and for the friend you have become, Ms. Potts, but know from here on out, you will not give out information on me to anyone, even Obie, without my approval.”

Pepper tilted her head and stared at him. “Understood, Mr. Stark. Now, are you going to tell me what has happened?”

Signaling her to follow him, Tony led the way up to the kitchen. “None of what you see this morning is to leave this house without my express permission, understood?”

“I—yes, Mr. Stark.”

Tony was relieved to see Sirius standing between the stairs and the breakfast bar where Harry sat, the latter’s eyes huge in his face as he chewed his pancakes. Making his way over to where Sirius was, Tony turned and waited for his PA to join them.

“Pepper Potts, this is Sirius Black. Sirius, my personal assistant and friend, Pepper.”

Sirius gave Pepper a nod, but didn’t extend his hand, causing Pepper to grip her pile of file folders tighter.

“A pleasure, Mr. Black.”

The sounds of a stool moving against the marble floor had all of their heads turning and Tony could see Harry had vanished. Tony moved towards the kitchen, going down to one knee as he saw Harry huddled back against the far wall, Taffy nowhere to be seen.

“Come on out, bambino, I would like you to meet my friend.”

A tiny voice responded hesitantly. “Is she going to hurt me?”

“I promise you, Harry, no one is ever going to hurt you again.”

Harry scooted out towards him, before flinging himself into Tony’s arms. Gathering him up, Tony settled Harry on his hip as he carried him back to where Pepper and Sirius still stood. For the first time since Pepper had barged into his office after pepper-spraying his security team all those months ago, the redhead looked at of her depth.

“Harry, this pretty lady is Pepper, she helps me by organizing my life. Pepper, I would like you to meet my son, Harry.”

Sirius rolled his eyes at Tony’s dramatics, as Pepper’s jaw dropped and he put a hand on her arm to guide her over to the kitchen island where they were eating. Tony and Harry followed and Tony lifted Harry back onto his stool, pushing his half-eaten pancakes toward him. Tony watched Sirius sit back down across from him and he took the stool beside Harry.

“Pepper, why don’t you eat while you have a chance, they’re still hot.” Tony might have moaned, just a little, as he took a bite. “Now, where did my coffee go?”

“Right by your arm, Papa!” Harry said in a stage-whisper, still throwing looks at Pepper through his fringe.

“But, Tony – how?” Pepper stammered; her eyes glued on Harry.

“Why, the usual way, Ms. Potts,” Tony drawled and Sirius snorted before stuffing a fork full of pancake into his mouth.

Pepper leveled him a look that had Tony swallowing hard.

“Okay, okay! I provided my, uh, DNA which my cousin James and his wife used to conceive,” he began, smiling as Harry looked up from his plate. “They and Sirius were involved in a war against a terrorist group at the time, whose leader was targeting them. Long story short, my cousin and his wife were killed and Harry shipped to Lily’s bitch of a sister, instead of me being notified.”

Both Harry and Sirius sniggered over Tony’s language.

“I just found out what happened the day after the New York gala and went to get my son.”

“Papa even lets me sleep in a real bed!”

Pepper’s eyebrows rose, but Tony held up a hand to forestall her questions.

“At the same time, we discovered Sirius had been thrown into prison without trial on false charges and helped him get free. Now, they will be living here with me.”

“All right,” Pepper took a deep breath. “What do you need me to do?”

Tony gave her a bright smile, unknowingly copying the smile Harry was also giving her, as she looked between them. “The mansion is on lockdown with JARVIS controlling those with access – you, Happy, and Rhodey – as well as an increased security force.”

“Papa, I’m done!” Harry interjected quietly, laying down his fork.

Tony stood immediately and lifted Harry out of his seat. Harry threw his arms around his neck and gave him a smacking kiss on his cheek.

“Ugh! Sticky lips, kiddo!” Tony told him in mock outrage, holding Harry out away from him and allowing his feet to dangle as Harry laughed in delight. “Do you remember your way back to the bedroom?”

Harry nodded and Tony set him on his feet, turning him towards the stairs. “Taffy will be waiting for you in our room and help you clean-up, okay?”

“Ok, Papa?” He snuck a look at Sirius. “Can Uncle Padfoot help?”

Tony shook his head, leaning down. “I don’t know whether Padfoot can even dress himself, bambino.”

Harry giggled as he started towards the stairs.

“No running, Harry, this tile can be slick.”

“Yes, Papa!” was thrown over Harry’s shoulder as he climbed the stairs.

Tony waited a moment until he was sure Harry was out of earshot. “J, let me know when Harry is on his way down, please.”

“Yes, sir.”

Tony looked at Pepper. “The short version is Harry was placed, against his parents’ instructions in his mother’s sister’s care – she hated Lily and hated Harry. He’s been abused and neglected for four years, even though the wealth his father left him rivals my own. Luckily, the over-reaching idiot who kidnapped him, and left him overnight on a fucking doorstep in November, didn’t tell his aunt and uncle that detail, instead chose to help himself to some of those funds.”

Sirius reached out to lay a hand on Tony’s arm. “Deep breath, Tones, he’s here and safe now.” He looked at Pepper. “Harry’s father and I both came from rather narrow-minded aristocratic lines, making Harry a heir to even more than wealth. We believe I was imprisoned because it was assumed I would take him in after his parents’ death, as they named me godfather. No one knew about Tony’s involvement.”

Pepper’s head swiveled between the two of them for a moment. “And he’s still a target?”

“Yes,” Tony answered, pleased at her deductive reasoning. “You are going to get a copy of my new will, if you haven’t already, and it has two particular changes to it which need to be kept from Obie: One is Harry gets everything, with you as one of those to manage SI; two is that you are listed as one of those to take custody of Harry should something happen to me and Sirius.”

“Me?” Pepper looked puzzled.

“Pepper,” Tony started, rubbing the back of his neck – he just wasn’t good at expressing his feelings. “You, Rhodey, and Happy are my closest friends and if something happens to me, I have to know that Harry’s physical and financial future is secure.”

“What about Obadiah?” Pepper asked. “Tony, this isn’t like you – what’s going on?”

Tony shook his head. “Just suspicions, Pep, and little unexplained things which don’t make sense. Rather like the man who’s trying to control my son’s life. Obie didn’t want me to take over as CEO, delayed it until I got my MBA, and then only because the board sided with me when Obie challenged me. All for the greater good, you know.”

“Sounds exactly like Dumbledore.” Sirius muttered.

“And now, this surprise board meeting on the day BEFORE I’m supposed to return from the island. It’s just too coincidental.”

Disbelief showed on Pepper’s face. “Surely there’s an explanation?”

“Are you attending this meeting?” Tony asked quietly.

“Well, no…”

Blowing out a breath, Tony stood up. “How long do I have?

Pepper glanced at her watch. “About an hour.”

“Okay. Sirius, you up to staying with Harry for an hour or so?”

“Of course, Tony.”

Tony gave him a nod. “JARVIS, what is my current stock holding in Stark Industries?”

“49% of stock, and you are still the majority stockholder, sir.”

A tinge of panic shot through him, when had he fallen below 50%? “J, set 52% as the low threshold from now on and start a stock buyback. Don’t do it in my name, use—”

“Potter,” Sirius interjected. “Or under my name, so it can’t be traced back.”

Pepper nodded. “Yes, that would be best. If Tony starts buying back stock, it could set off a panic in some areas.”

“Good idea, Pepper. And thanks, Sirius. J, you should have the contact information for Rockjaw and my personal banker,” Tony told them as he headed up to dress and explain it to Harry. “And, JARVIS, get on it now, please. I want at least 52% before I walk into the meeting in an hour.”

His public face firmly in place, Tony strode down the hallway towards the executive conference room, his trademark black suit immaculate, black dress shirt, and silver tie perfect. Harry had insisted on picking it out for him. Pepper followed him, her ever present files in her hands, and her bag over her shoulder.

Tony’s mind whirled as he approached the conference room, the door standing ajar. He didn’t have a problem giving an impromptu presentation, not that any of the board or Obadiah would have any idea the engineering or physics behind Tony’s revolutionary new design. Nor did it matter that the idea was, at this point, still a detailed drawing on a schematic, Tony knew it would work and could be replicated in a cost-effective manner. Even bigger, was the design for a miniaturized version which had limitless possibilities.

“I think we are all here now.” Obadiah’s voice cut through the murmurs of the people gathered in the room. “Myra, be a sweetheart and close the door on your way out.”

Had Obie always sounded that oily and condescending? Tony thought as he stood to the side, allowing an older lady to step out, before brushing past her. Moving to the side, Tony let Pepper in, before he closed the door a little too hard. Obie, sitting in the seat usually reserved for Tony, looked up with a frown which morphed into surprise, quickly masked.

“Tony! I didn’t think you were going to make it!” Obadiah Stane stood up and stepped forward to give Tony a one-armed hug.

“And I didn’t know you were scheduling a board meeting the day before I was due home!” Tony interjected just the right amount of sarcasm. “How lucky are all of you that the weather sucked in the tropics!” He gestured to the eight men seated around the table, most contemporaries of Howard Stark, who chuckled indulgently at his antics.

Ignoring Obie as he tried to explain, Tony dropped into the chair closest to door, Pepper taking a seat beside him. Obadiah slowly sank back into his seat as Tony stared at him expectantly.

“Well, excellent, so glad to have you back, Tony. As I was about to say, welcome everyone and thank you for coming today, I realize it was on short notice.”

Tony snorted.

“Stark Industries profits continue to maintain a three-year high, led by the new Technologies Division, with the overall profits at—”

Tuning Obadiah’s droning voice out, Tony removed his phone from his pocket and tapped it on. He knew JARVIS was recording the meeting for his review later and dropped into his email to check for any new mail. The technology Tony had developed for his phone kept it logged onto the internet and always in touch with his private SI servers. Two new emails were waiting, both notifications of sales of SI stock, one to the Potter Family Trust and another to Black Enterprises. Keeping his face neutral, Tony glanced over the two and calculated with satisfaction they had just added another six percent of SI stocks.

“Although, I am certain, having been on vacation, Tony hasn’t made any progress on the propulsion improvements—”

“Actually,” Tony interrupted smoothly, “taking vacation allowed me to rethink the whole problem and conclude there is no way to improve the current efficiency of the system we have been using.”

Obadiah threw up his hands dramatically. “Come on, Tony! Just admit—”

“I have, however, developed a new propulsion system which shows great promise and I should have the first prototypes ready for testing in a few weeks.”

“A new propulsion system?” Elliott Andrews, one of Obie’s supporters, repeated. “Dose it have a name?”

Tony smirked, standing. “It does: Repulsor Technology. I’ll email everyone the specs.” He slid his phone off the table and back into his pocket, giving Pepper a nod. “Sorry, I have another pressing appointment.”

Striding back down the hallway, Tony loosened his tie, a wide smile on his face. Nothing was more pressing than introducing his son to the beach and the ocean!

Chapter Text

Harry loved the beach. Tony grinned as he stood watching his little boy squealed as he played in the surf, running away from the waves as they broke on the beach and then chasing them back to the water’s edge. Sirius was jogging alongside him, laughing wildly as he kept an eye on Harry. They were on a small strip of private beach adjacent to where Tony’s house sat perched, within view of the Pacific Coast Highway and a large public beach adjoining it. Tony knew they were attracting attention, but couldn’t care less; Pepper was up at the house now, already preparing a press release to announce Tony had become a father.

“You are a hard man to find, Anthony Stark,” Tony heard a familiar voice say in a conversational tone. “Now, you have a few things which belong to me and I want them back.”

Diving to the side, Tony could feel the hot prickle of a spell brushing against his arm as he hit the sand and kept moving toward the blanket where he’d left his wand. Panic clawed at his throat as Tony desperately held his hand out and was surprised as his wand slapped into his palm. Diving abruptly in the opposite direction, dodging another red jet of spell light, Tony stumbled to his feet and ran towards the water where he could see Sirius was down on the sand.

“Papa!” Harry screamed and Tony’s heart stuttered as he searched for his son as he zigzagged across the beach, dodging a fiery orange spell.

As soon as he saw his son, at the water’s edge, covered with a golden dome shield and Max at his side, Tony changed direction towards Sirius.

“Bombardo!” Tony casted at the old bastard’s feet just as he jumped backwards to avoid a sickly yellow spell. “Stupefy”

“You will surrender both the child and my wand to me,” Albus Dumbledore, dressed in eye-searing orange robes, pointing his wand at Tony as he continued to zig-zag down the beach.

A crowd had gathered along the fence at the edge of the beach, watching in disbelief. Tony moved to stand in front of Harry and Sirius, casting as strong a Shielding Spell as he could. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye, but kept his trained-on Dumbledore.

“Pretty brazen of you to come here, Dumbledore,” Tony spat out. “Max!”

There was a pop of displaced air and Tony knew Max had taken Harry away.

“I have diplomatic immunity here, Mr. Stark – being Chief Mugwamp of the International Confederation of Wizards has it’s benefits.” Dumbledore smirked. “I will take what is mine and then erase all your memories of your son and magic.” Dumbledore put on a sorrowful expression. “I am thankful you returned here, as I wouldn’t have been able to do anything while you were in England. Those restraining orders were a bit of a bother.”

Tony heard a groan from Sirius and hastily cast a localized Protego over him. “You want my son to groom him to fight for you. How much of a coward does that make you?”

Dumbledore’s face went slack and anger blazed in his eyes. “He is the child of Prophecy; he has a role to play.”

“No.” Tony stood his ground as the old bastard stepped toward him, wand coming up. “This is a war for adults to fight, not a child! You fucking know Riddle isn’t dead and yet you are sitting on your ass, doing nothing.”

He watched as Dumbledore raised his wand again, fire in the old fuck’s eyes.

The single gunshot threw Dumbledore face-first to the ground and Taz had him bound with a snap of his fingers. Tony folded to his knees next to Sirius as Happy kept his gun trained on Dumbledore, coming around to kick the hand still holding the wand. Seeing the other beach goers had scattered, Tony also kept his wand trained on Dumbledore.

“Thanks, Happy,” he got out, trying to get his breathing under control. “Sirius—”

Multiple cracks of Apparition sounded around them and Tony hoped it was the cavalry. Knowing Harry was safe was the most important thing.

“Mr. Stark? I’m Auror Fontaine, from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, I need you to lower your wand.”

Looking up seemed to take a lot of effort, but Tony had to make sure. The man was dressed in black with an insignia on the front of his shirt.

“Do you know Robert Graves?” Tony demanded.

The man nodded, a sneer on his face. “Everyone knows Captain Graves!”

“Sounds about right,” Tony muttered, lowering his wand. “Their good, Happy.”

“You know you are bleeding, Stark?”

Tony ignored the question, having only enough energy to turned towards Sirius. “Rennervate.”

Everything went dark.

Tony woke up abruptly, a weigh laying across his chest, and the soft sound of sobbing. The bright light flooding the room told him it was still daylight as he struggled to sit up.

“Papa!”

Small arms wrapped around his throat and Tony took a blow to the chin from the top of his son’s head. Wrapping his arms around Harry, Tony blinked as several pairs of hands assisted in helping him sit up. Tony could see he was on the couch in his living room and as he tightened his hold on Harry, he could feel the pull of newly mended skin along his left side and shoulder. Sirius sat down beside him and wrapped the two of them in his arms and Happy looked like he wanted to do the same.

“What did that bas—man hit me with?” Tony groaned as he laid his head against the top of Sirius’.

“Cutting Hex,” came an unfamiliar voice. “Among other things.”

Tony squinted at the woman standing near the windows. A cup of coffee materialized in front of him on the low table and he shifted Harry a little so he could reach it. Sirius left his arm around Tony’s shoulders as the woman stepped in front of them

“Auror Captain Jodi Proudfoot, Mr. Stark. I’m sorry we had to meet this way.” The woman, dressed in what Tony was becoming to recognize as the Aurors uniform, although this one seemed a little more ornate.

Waving off her apology, Tony eased Harry into his lap. “How did he find us? Gringotts ward smiths have layered the property in wards and protective fields!”

Proudfoot sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Your wards are formattable, Mr. Stark, however, someone apparently was able to cast a tracking spell on you when you went to Stark Industries this morning.”

“Well, shit!” Tony cursed, dredging up a smile when Harry giggled quietly. “That brings up a problem I hadn’t thought of.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you have a number of no-majborn magicals working for you, Mr. Stark,” Proudfoot informed him. “And I suspect there may be a few with connections to England.”

“Do you think you can track down who put the tracking charm on Tony?” Sirius asked. “I know during my time with the British Auror Corp, we were able to search the magical signature left at crime scenes.”

Proudfoot nodded, pacing in front of them. “I’ll contact my cousin, who works for your DMLE and see if he can assist, quietly, as this person may be a UK transplant.”

“Contact either Proudfoot, Shacklebolt, or Amelia Bones, they all helped me retrieve Harry from his relatives and know the situation.”

Pepper stepped forward, making Tony jump as he hadn’t even realized she was there. “Why not have them come to us?” she asked, sitting on the arm of the couch next to Tony and handing Harry a shortbread cookie.

Tony looked at her with wide eyes. He hadn’t given her anything but a rudimentary overview of magic as he hadn’t secured permission to tell her or Rhodey yet.

Proudfoot laughed at his expression. “I was filling Ms. Potts in, Mr. Stark, while you were being seen to by the healer. She had witnessed the attack from your deck and was instrumental in comforting young Mr. Potter—”

“Stark,” Harry corrected her around a mouthful of shortbread.

“—Stark when the house-elf transported him back to the house.”

Tony nodded, arching an eyebrow at Pepper in inquiry.

“Send out an email to all the SI employees about a new research development project you are looking into, code named something magical and invite them to apply to help with it,” Pepper suggested. “Offer those chosen a bonus.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It will intrigue those who recognize the name and may draw out our spy.”

Proudfoot nodded her head. “That is an excellent idea, Ms. Potts, and we can have Aurors at any interviews.”

“Besides, I know you, Tony,” Pepper said, giving him a calculated look. “You are going to find a way to invent tech which will work around magic.”

Sirius laughed at the look on Tony’s face. “Something like Project Patronus or the Quidditch Project!”

“We are more Quadpot players over here, Mr. Black.” Proudfoot smirked.

Harry squirmed in his lap and Tony set him on his feet. “Can I go see Taffy, Papa?”

“Of course, bambino,” Tony told him, brushing back his hair.

They all watched as Harry headed back towards the kitchen, before Tony turned back to his guest.

“Is that bastard still alive?” Tony spat out.

Proudfoot sighed and rubbed her fingers across her forehead. “Unfortunately, Mr. Stark, he is. If your bodyguard had aimed just an inch or so lower, it might have been a different story. His position in the International Conference of Wizard did indeed give him diplomatic immunity, however, he was incorrect about the restraining orders he was served with – they transcend international boundries. So, he was turned over to ICW Aurors, banned from the United States along with a long list of charges. I know for a fact he has lost his position in both the ICW and the British Wizengamot.”

Tony shook his head and exchanged a look with Sirius. “That’s not going to stop him. Lily said he’s been strangely obsessed with Harry since before he was born.”

“I would advise you to add proximity wards around the property, Mr. Stark—”

“Sir, Major Rhodes is driving up the driveway.” JARVIS interrupted.

“Thanks, J, let him in.”

“Probably time for me to leave,” Proudfoot said, flexing her wrist and her wand sliding into her hand.

“Rhodey is in the loop, if that’s what you are worried about,” Tony told her. “He’s been my best friend since I was fourteen.”

The front door slammed open. “Tony!”

“I’m here, Platypus,” Tony called, standing up.

Rhodes, still dressed in his desert camouflage uniform, came hurtling up the stairs. Eyes sweeping back and forth, he zeroed in on Tony and enfolded him in a hug. “Are you alright? There was something on the news about you being attacked?”

Tony clung to his best friend for a long minute before stepping back. “Yeah, I’m fine, Honey Bear—”

“Oh my god, is that Sirius Black?”

“Hey, Rhodey!” Sirius grinned and Tony rolled his eyes, the memory of partying with the two of them resurfacing.

“Papa!” Harry called as he carefully came down the stairs, skirting around Rhodey to hide behind Tony’s leg. “Papa, who’s that?”

Rhodey folded to his knees. “Oh my – is that Harry?”

Tony reached behind him, before gasping when he stretched newly healed skin. Sirius muttered something uncomplimentary under his breath as he picked Harry up and lifted him into Tony’s arms.

“Baby, I want you to meet your other godfather –”

“Hey!” Sirius yelped.

“—Papa’s best friend, James Rhodes. He’s pulled Papa out of more gutter—”

Pepper coughed loudly.

“—bad situations than anyone else in the world.” Tony rolled his eyes as Harry giggled.

“And they gave you custody of an innocent child?” Proudfoot muttered.

“Platypus, this is Auror Captain Proudfoot of MACUSA.”

Proudfoot nodded her head before looking at Tony. “Let us know when you need us to assist, Mr. Stark. I left my card with Ms. Potts. We will be in touch.” She turned and walked down the stairs toward the front door.

Tony looked around the room, still holding Harry on his right hip. “Let’s go up to the kitchen.”

They had planned to have their lunch on the beach, but Dumbledore’s attack had derailed that idea and Tony knew he and Sirius couldn’t miss a meal. Rhodey’s response made Tony wonder if there had been a block placed on his best friend’s memories, as well.

Taffy had lunch set up on the large deck and Harry clapped his hands with delight as he declared it was their beach picnic. Still a bit shy with two new people in their midst, Harry was mostly quiet but Tony and Sirius were able to draw him out. He fell asleep sitting on Sirius’ lap and Tony picked him up to lay him down for a nap.

Stepping back out onto the deck, Tony heard Rhodey ask what had happened. Pepper was able to give a very accurate overview, as Sirius had been stunned immediately and Tony too bust trying to get to his son and friend.

“It was my fault,” Tony admitted. “I thought we were safe because we were within sight of the house and, I thought, no one knew we were here. I had Taz stay at the house and Max stayed in the car with Happy. Thank goodness for the both of you, Happy!”

“Well, that old guy wasn’t quiet about what he was doing!” Happy’s face darkened. “I just knew I had to come up on his blind side to be able to get a shot before he stunned me and Max was right with me.”

“We need to add dueling practice to teaching you some Auror grade defense spells, Tony,” Sirius added as he pushed his plate away. “I can’t believe how rusty I am!”

“And maybe Happy and I need to start you on some weapons training, Tones.” Rhodey looked thoughtful. “In some circumstances, it sounds like getting a shot off would be quicker than unholstering your wand and then casting.”

“And we need to make sure we keep the house-elves close and not get complacent,” Tony resolved.

Pepper put a hand on his arm. “This is new territory for all of us, Tony.”

Tony nodded, exchanging a look with Sirius. They would need to do better and they both knew it.

Chapter Text

Pepper’s idea had been brilliant and Tony, proud of how his PA and friend was dealing with magic, had put her in charge. With Sirius’ help, she had drafted an email to all SI employees announcing a highly classified new Research and Development project. The project, code named Boggart would be its own separate department and require all staff positions from administrative to security to researchers, all with an added monetary compensation for the secrecy.

The email applications were coming in steadily and even Tony was surprised at the response. When Obadiah had cornered Tony in his office for an explanation, Tony had initially almost had heart failure thinking the man knew about magic, only to have him object because a number of his staff were intrigued and applying. Tony had reassured him it was the project he’d mentioned at the board meeting, with the name a play on bogie, and would require a specific skillset.

In the meantime, the goblins had come in and erected wards on the Executive floor, including the Board of Directors conference room, and a magic dampening spell on Stane’s office. A separate laboratory and office area was being renovated for people who would work on the project, adjacent to the experimental arc reactor Tony’s father had created as a revolutionary energy source. Tony and Sirius had tested numerous spells in the building before allowing both the American Aurors and goblins in to test the reactor and ward the building. Muggle-repelling and Disillusionment Spells were cast on the entirety of R&D laboratories, and specifically Sector 16, which was to be the main research area.

Tony had been delighted to find the reactor did not react to magic in the way electricity did; instead of exploding or frying the circuitry, it actually seemed to energize the reactor. They would also hold the interviews for the new project in the small entrance area, which held the history of Howard and his creation. A nonmagical interview area was set up near the front windows, while Specialized Disillusionment Charms were cast on signs pointing the way to the magicals interview room.

A week later, in anticipation of the sitting in on Pepper’s meetings, Tony took Harry down to his laboratory, the one which had been magical-kid-proofed, to read what JARVIS had discovered about Tony’s father. Harry loved coming to the lab with him and playing with the bots, especially Dum-E and Butterfinger, who seemed oddly protective of the little boy. Doing a bit of research for the best learning toys, Tony had bought a kid-sized work bench and stocked it with Legos, simple circuit boards, small tools, batteries, and wires. He smiled as he glanced at Harry tinkering at the table with U trying to help.

Tony turned his attention back to the files he’d found both buried in storage rooms at SI and by hacking into the government files. He’d grown up with the knowledge of Howard having been a crucial part of the development of both the Super Soldier program and the nuclear bomb. The files he had recovered showed Howard as a genius and inventor, a founding member of Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, and had spent millions looking for Captain America after he’d crashed a plane into the ice in WWII. There were also several different documents referring to the Stark Expo of 1974 in Flushing, New York which emphasized that Tony was the only one who should be given his development notes on the Expo.

“JARVIS, remind me to take Harry to meet Aunt Peggy after his birthday,” Tony requested, remembering the large Expo layout in a place of honor in his office.

“Of course, sir.”

Harry’s fifth birthday was the other big event of the week. The house would be full, with Rhodey taking a few days of leave, Arcturus was coming in tomorrow morning, Happy now lived with them, as did Pepper. Tony would do anything he needed to keep his cobbled together family safe. Sirius had helped Tony knock out a section of the wall between his bedroom and Harry’s, giving his son a secret door through their closets, so Harry could get to him whenever he needed his dad.

Sirius had started to tease Tony about having his “extra-curricular” activities curtailed, but the look Tony had given him shut him down. Truth be told, Tony hadn’t had any desire to restart his playboy ways – what he had at home was enough to keep him happy. Tony, being, well, Tony, didn’t examine that feeling very closely.

Besides. Tony’s bed was already fuller most nights than during playboy days. Harry loved his secret door and utilized it to slip into Tony’s bed more often than not. Tony didn’t mind, knowing his little boy suffered from nightmares. About a week ago, Sirius had begun to join them, in his dog form, when his nightmares left him with panic attacked. His bed was big enough to sleep four, so Tony allowed it, until Padfoot left dog hair on the sheets.

Tony made a point to tell Sirius he was welcome, but Padfoot could sleep on the floor. Harry giggled at the pout his godfather pulled, but Tony had awoken yesterday morning with Harry pressed to his chest and a very aroused Sirius wrapped around his back. Figuring out he was pansexual at puberty, Tony had, at one time, been very closed to Sirius, but what he was feeling in that moment was more than he wanted to dissect then. Tony contented himself to simple enjoy the embrace.

Tony sat at the conference table, looking over the list of interviewee names as Pepper sat beside him, going through a file folder. He knew in the other conference room, Rhodey and the head of R&D, Miles Johnson, were starting the interview for those who found their way there. Auror Captain Proudfoot had gathered a group of retired officers she had personally vouched for as members of Tony’s new magical security force and they were scattered throughout the area. Happy and Max had positioned themselves outside their conference room door, with a disillusioned on-duty Auror behind the table, who would be checking magical signatures.

By lunchtime, Tony was amazed at how many witches and wizards were actually employed by SI. He clearly hadn’t been playing attention to the world around him, but he was sure his PA would tell him it had something to do with his previously self-absorbed ego. Pepper had already begun a list of candidates Tony wanted to have second interviews with, for actual positions in the new tech division. Happy was glad for a chance to sit down as Rhodey joined them in their conference room to eat the lunch Taffy popped over to them.

“Any likely candidates?” Tony asked, spearing a hard-boiled egg half with his fork, Pepper having ordered Chef salads from Taffy.

“A couple of strong contenders for positions when you moved others to the new magic-based department, Tones,” Rhodey informed them. “Several people who have gotten degrees on your education incentives, now want to use them.”

“Will you forward your observations to Pepper, so we can have HR follow-up?” Tony paused. “We need to keep a better eye on those employees who are working to better themselves – I would always rather promote from within.”

Rhodey nodded and Tony hid a smile as he watched his friend pick through the lettuce to get to the strips of meat in his salad. Tony did have a suspicion about Miles, who had always been able to do miracles in R&D, but didn’t seem to have magic and he suspected might be a Squib. He shook his head, not sure how he’d lived without his magic for so long. Even now, he could feel it under humming under his skin.

“Happy, did all the security personnel get their sandwiches?” Pepper asked, her fork in one hand and a paper in the other.

Tony’s bodyguard was rooting around in his salad like Rhodey, looking for the world like he’d kill for a burger. “Yeah, those roast beef ones looked really good.”

Covering a laugh with a cough, Tony gestured with his fork. “If you want to go check on them, there’s probably one left—“

Happy was gone before Tony finished and the rest of them laughed.

“I don’t know why he doesn’t like the salad?” Pepper muttered darkly. “Tony, the first interview after lunch is Liam Yaxley, a British expat who has been on Obadiah’s security staff for about three years.”

Sitting up straighter, Tony took the resume from Pepper and scanned it. Alarms sounded as he saw a Scottish boarding school listed as well as a prior job as a bodyguard to a “Noble” family. Meeting Rhodey’s eyes, Tony handed over the paper.

“Make sure Happy gets a heads up when you go that way, please, Platypus,” Tony directed. “It’ll be interesting to see which way he goes.”

As the time approached for the interviews to start up again, Tony made use of the restroom attached to the conference room. As he dried his hands, he looked around the room, some instinct had him casting a detection spell, only to have two areas light up in red. Stepping back out, Tony shut the door softly.

“Max,” he called softly.

The house-elf appeared instantly and bowed. “Yes, Master Tony?”

“Please secure this restroom – there are at least two surveillance devices inside. Also make sure no one can Apparate or Portkey into it or this conference room.”

“Wes can do, Master Tony!” Max popped away as Pepper watched him.

As Tony seated himself, the door opened and Happy ushered in Liam Yaxley. The man greeted them with a wide smile and Tony nodded to the man as he sat down. Pepper began asking him the questions they had prepared in advanced, ones that danced around the edge of asking whether the applicant knew about magic. Concentrating on the man, Tony feel the man’s magic – an oily, slimy aura. Yaxley kept his right arm raised upward, leaning against the arm of the chair and Tony could just see the tip of his wand. Yaxley kept up the charming demeanor, answering Pepper’s questions promptly; waxing poetically when she asked him why he wanted to be head of security for the new department.

Tired of the bullshit, Tony leaned forward and cleared his throat. As Yaxley looked at him, Tony could see the contempt in his eyes before it was masked.

“So, Yaxley, in your opinion is a Cleansweep better quality or a Nimbus?”

Yaxley laughed. “Cleansweeps are rubbish – the Nimbus, of course.”

Tony had his wand in his hand and a Protego shield cast in front of Pepper, even as Yaxley processed what he’d said, but before he could do anything, Happy was on his feet with his gun in his hand, Max at his side. The door burst opened and several uniformed Aurors charged in. Captain Proudfoot followed at a more sedate pace, closing the door behind her.

“His magical signature matches the tracking spell you had on you, Tony,” she announced as her Aurors tied the man up. “And I’ve been authorized to use Veritaserum.”

Tony smirked as Happy holstered his weapon. “Hap, will you tell the next candidate we’ll be a couple extra minutes, please?”

“Sure, boss.”

Proudfoot came over to the table, her back to Yaxley as Tony stood next to Pepper’s chair, left hand on her shoulder. “You have any specific questions you would like answered?”

Taking a deep breath, Tony let it out slowly. “I’d like to find out if Stane knows about Harry, who gave the orders to put the tracker on me,” another breath, “what does he know about Stane illegally selling weapons.”

Tony sat back and watched, filing away the bastard’s answers in a way that Tony could have immediate recall of them. Yaxley was a Death Eater, loyal to the wizard who had killed Lily and James, and almost killed Harry. Stane knew about magic, had known since Howard had told him about working with them during World War II. Dumbledore had worked with Howard and Captain America, against Hitler and Grindelwald. Stane thought of Tony as a figurehead for Stark Industries and had started to sell weapons to terrorists after Tony’s parents were killed and Tony took over as CEO. Stane knew about Harry and was working to kidnap his son, to sell him back to Dumbledore – if they killed Tony to do it, all the better. The last question had Yaxley giving them a list of the witches and wizards working for Stark Industries, who were loyal to Stane.

Tony’s mind was whirling and he’d already thrown up Pepper’s perfectly elegant executive lunch, stress twisting in his stomach, as the Aurors transport Yaxley back to their offices in San Francisco. Auror Captain Graves and Auror Shacklebolt appeared on scene and now flanked Tony, Happy standing stalwartly behind him. While the no-maj applicants were continuing, the next magical interview had been pushed back an hour.

Requesting the conference room and restroom be swept again, Tony took a deep breath, centered himself and Apparated to his bedroom. He had a driving need to check on Harry and Sirius and made his way down toward the main level. He smiled as he heard Harry talking excitedly, the low rumble of Sirius’ voice, and his son’s happy laughter.

Harry looked up as Tony came down the stairs and slid off his stool to greet him. “Papa!”

Tony scooped his son up, hugged him tightly, before throwing him into the air and catching him.

“Papa! I drawed you a picture!” Harry took off up the stairs.

Surrounded by cookie making ingredients, Sirius wiped off his hands and stepped out to greet him as Tony walked into the kitchen. He frowned when he saw the look on Tony’s face.

“Tones, what’s wrong?”

Tony walked into Sirius, looping his arms around his waist. “Obadiah’s security supervisor is a Death Eater and admitted they’re conspiring with Dumblefuck.”

He was glad when Sirius’ arms pulled him close and held him tightly. “I just needed to see you two for a minute and make sure you were all right.”

“Papa?”

Hearing Harry’s tentative voice, Tony pasted a smile on his face as Sirius stepped back. “Let me see your picture and then you can give me a hug like Padfoot did.”

Harry held up his arms and Tony picked him up, setting him on the breakfast bar. A drawing of who Tony believed was he and Sirius, each holding the hand of a small stick figure with green eyes.

“That’s a beautiful picture, bambino! We’ll have to ask Taffy to have it framed so I can put it up in my office!”

Tony lifted his son into his arms and squeezed him, kissing his cheeks. “Be good for Uncle Sirius, kiddo, and I’ll be home soon. Then we’ll do something fun, okay?”

“Ok, Papa – me and Uncle Sirius are going to bake more cookies for the party tomorrow!”

Setting Harry back down, Tony spelled the flour off the front of his suit and waved before Apparating back to the conference room. Pepper and Happy were standing to one side, Happy’s arm around her waist and Tony smiled. Finally! The two had been dancing around each other for months.

“Everything okay at home?” Pepper asked, arching a brow but not stepping away from Happy.

“Yes,” Tony brushed his hand down his suit. “They’re baking cookies for tomorrow.”

Pepper gave Happy a peck on the lips and walked to Tony. Cupping his chin, Pepper brushed something off his check, probably flour, Tony deduced.

“Thanks, Mom,” he chirped in an imitation of Harry, making his friends laugh.

“And, no, Pep, we aren’t adopting Tony – he’s a magnet for trouble!” Happy grumbled good-naturedly as he walked back towards the door. “You ready for the next one?”

Tony exchanged a glance with Pepper as they resumed their places at the table and then nodded at Happy.

“Bring in the next one!”

Harry’s fifth birthday dawned sunny and bright, with the promise of being a hot day. Tony and Sirius both hid their faces in pillows, with Harry sandwiched between them. They had talked until long after midnight about the interviews and the just over a hundred magical individuals he and Pepper had been able to identify employed by SI.

“Sir, the time is 6:30am, the temperature in Thousand Oaks is 75 degrees, with a light wind –”

“JARVIS, why are you waking me up at this ungodly hour?” Tony groused.

“Because you requested I wake everyone up who will be accompanying you and Master Harry to the petting zoo in Thousand Oaks this morning.”

Tony groaned, as Harry began to stir beside him.

“Of course, sir, to be transparent, Master Harry wanted everyone awake at 5:30am—”

“Thank you, Mr. JARVIS!” Harry popped up, practically vibration with excitement. “Uncle Sirius, wake up!”

Tony snorted as his son jumped on his godfather’s back and decided the best thing was to slid out of bed quietly—Harry had other ideas.

“Papa! I’m five already!” A huge smile split Harry’s face as he tumbled off Sirius and in to Tony’s lap.

Taffy wisely made a breakfast which was heavy on proteins and light on sugar, introducing Harry to bacon and egg sandwiches. She also packed a hamper with fruit, meat pies, vegi sticks, juice and tea. Tony was thankful for the Warming Charm on his coffee mug as Happy drove he, Rhodey, Pepper, Sirius, and Harry the thirty minutes to the petting zoo. Another car with security personnel behind them, and an Auror escort in front of them, Arcturus electing to stay at the mansion.

Harry, dressed identical to Tony, down to the baseball cap and sunglasses, was delighted when he found they had a whole hour to go from animal to animal before the park opened for the general public. Mesmerized by the quick efficiency of the attendants as they fed and took care of the barnyard critters, Harry asked a non-stop string of questions, which the staff answered with smiles. Tony held his breath as they got ready to leave out the back, as there was already a line at main entrance. It had been obvious Harry had adored a number of the animals and Tony was deathly afraid Harry would want to take at least one home. Despite a wishful glance at the baby goats, Harry obediently took Tony’s hand to walk back to the car.

Despite having the picnic lunch which Taffy had packed, Tony had Happy pull into a fast-food hamburger place and go through the drive-through. He figured the Bentley could make it through and he was hungry for a burger. Apparently, so was Harry and even Pepper laughed at the delighted face of the birthday boy, who’d never had a cheeseburger before. Happy further thrilled the birthday boy by taking the long way back, driving down the coastal highway.

The afternoon party on the deck, under a series of awnings and umbrellas turned out very enjoyable. The adults were treated to pleasant temperatures under a warm sun, with the fog bank hovering near the horizon, promising an evening cool down. Harry splashed in the pool after he showed Tony how much he’d learned from Sirius. They’d kicked a ball around the yard and Harry opened a present from each of his guests. As much as Tony wanted to spoil Harry rotten with a mountain of gifts, the mind healer they were all talking to cautioned Tony and Sirius from overwhelming the little boy who couldn’t ever remember receiving one.

Dinner had been fish and chips with mashy peas, another first for Harry and delicious. He’s eaten enthusiastically, although his eyes kept straying to the adorable birthday cake Taffy had shaped to look like Harry’s new miniature car. His son dutifully ate most of his dinner and helped clean the table, insisting on doing his usual chore, before sitting at the breakfast bar and staring at the cake. The five candles were lit and Harry squirmed as he waited for everyone to finish singing to him, clearly uncomfortable with the attention, even from his family. Taffy cut pieces and Harry (and Tony) was amazed to see layers of chocolate and white cake under the frosting. Both layers were delicious and Taffy declared that Harry would be able to chose a favorite now, as he’d tasted both. Tony loved the cake, but thought the blueberry ice cream was even batter.

Harry’s favorite gifts were the child’s training broom Sirius and Rhodey conspired to get him and the battery-operated drivable car Tony had built him. Modeled after his own 1994 silver Porsche 911RS, Tony had made it with simple circuit boards and a take apart “engine” they could take about and put back together. Sirius had helped him, bemoaning the loss of the Harley he’d modified to fly – at which Tony gave him the side-eye. While he’d love to see the flying motorcycle, he didn’t want Harry flying on anything but the carefully charmed kid’s broom.

Tony made sure there were plenty of bubbles in the bathtub that evening and helped Harry have a sea battle for a little while, but he could see how tired his little boy was. Helping Harry dry himself, the five-year-old insisted he was old enough to get himself dressed. He smothered a laugh as he went downstairs. Tony was proud of himself, he’d retrieved Harry, he’d only has the occasional drink, usual a glass of scotch – and more surprisingly, he hadn’t missed it. Sirius looked up with a smile as Tony came into sight, nursing a small glass of firewhiskey.

“Everyone else gone?” Tony asked as stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for Harry.

“Pepper and Happy went on for a walk.” Sirius wagged his eyebrows suggestively. “Grandfather headed to bed and I think Rhodey is still out on the deck.”

Tony laughed and turned as he heard footsteps padding along the upstairs hallway. He smiled at Harry, clad in red pajamas and dressing gown, he was rubbing his eyes tiredly as he approached the top step and tripped.

It seemed to happen in slow motion, Harry’s startled then fearful look, his mouth opening to scream. Tony threw up his hands, stretching his arms wide as his feet carried him towards the stairs, yelling Harry’s name. All of a sudden, Harry was in his arms, his son desperately clinging to him and sobbing. Afterwards, Tony was never quite sure whether Tony Summoned him or Harry Apparated into his arms, or a combination of both.

“I’m sorry, Papa! I did bad! I’m sorry!” Harry wailed, shaking in Tony’s arms.

Tony was shaking himself; his legs unsteady as he tried to sooth Harry. “You didn’t do anything wrong, son! And I so glad you have magic and weren’t hurt!”

Arms wrapped around both of them and Sirius buried his face in Harry’s tousled hair. “Hey, kiddo, that was spectacular! What a strong little wizard you are!”

“It was pretty awesome, mini-me, although I do think my heart skipped a beat!”

Sniffling, Harry lifted his head. “Not gonna send me back?”

“Oh, hell no!” Tony bit out. “Never going to happen, son! You are stuck with me!”

“And me, pup!” Sirius interjected, arms tightening.

Needless to say, Harry slept between the two men that night, and none of them had a nightmare.

Chapter Text

Tony signed the last of the documents Pepper had put in front of him and sat back in his chair, blowing out a breath. It had been almost a month since the interviews for the new division of SI and production was to start the following Monday. On Tony’s order, the weapons manufacturing side of SI had started to become less of an emphasis within the company, in favor of their medical prosthetics, exoskeleton braces, and armor for the military and law enforcement. The personal technology division was gearing up to release the Stark versions of cellular phones and personal computers.

The newly created magical division was going to start researching how to shield electronics from magical interference and different types of energy which might work better with magic. Alternating current was easily shorted out with relatively low levels of magic, leading to most first generation magicals being recognized when they made lights flicker in their homes as young children. MACUSA concentrated on recording those interruptions in the electrical grid in order to identify accidental magic sooner, so it could be explained to their families.

Tony was helping with the exoskeleton designs and he was sitting in on the development meetings for the magical technology. His current personal project was the miniaturization of the arc reactor technology Howard had developed in the aftermath of World War II. He had begun researching and compiling all the data he could on how the technology was developed, along with studying the large reactor prototype Howard had built to power the SI complex. He was able to find blueprints and some rudimentary information on the reactor for the construction crews on file, but they were very simplistic. Tony wanted to find the original research notes his father had made as he developed the technology. While he was sure he could reverse engineer the reactor, Tony knew it would be more accurate to find the original notes.

“Tony?”

Sirius’ voice startled Tony from his contemplation and he looked up with a smile, to see Harry’s godfather standing in front of him, clad only in sleep pants. “Looking good, dogman.”

Snorting, Sirius rolled his eyes. “You lost track of time again, Tones. Come to bed now, so you get some sleep before we leave in the morning.”

A yawn overtook him and Tony actually felt his cheeks heat as he shut down the laptop he’d been working on and left it on his desk. He really needed to make something smaller and easier to use, he thought as he followed Sirius up the spiral staircase. His eyes strayed to the swaying hips in front of him and Tony swallowed, hard. The rest of his body was clamoring their agreement in the form of arousal as Tony evaluated his feelings toward the man.

It was easy to believe he was just horny, Tony hadn’t done any partying since he’d brought Harry home, and, surprisingly, he hadn’t had any desire to. With an active little boy in his life, Tony found he didn’t need to dull his senses with alcohol or indulge in his usual one-night stands. The deeper feelings Sirius stirred – feelings Tony had refused to act on all those years ago when he was sure Sirius and Remus were a couple – were harder to shove away now. Lily had privately teased Tony about his playboy persona as she got to know him, deeming him pansexual or “you’d nail anything with an orifice, Tony!”

Knowing he was bisexual even then was different than acting on those urges. Tony had gotten away with some discrete experimenting in college; however, Howard had been a notorious homophobe when Tony was younger. It wasn’t until after his parents’ death that Tony had included men in his partying, and then only occasional, but each had followed a type: tall, dark hair, light eyes, and a mischievous laugh. And Sirius was the embodiment of that “type”, but Tony didn’t want to do anything to damage his current relationship with Sirius, so he kept his interest to himself.

Tony disappeared into the bathroom, washing up and changing into sleep pants. Harry was already asleep, sprawled over Tony’s pillow. As he turned off the lights, Tony slipped into the bedroom, only to literally run into Sirius at the side of the bed. Only Sirius’ hands grabbing him kept him from falling back. A fissure of desire jolted him as he was pulled against a warm chest, Sirius’ breathing stirring the hair above his ear. Tony grabbed Sirius’ arms to steady himself and he could feel Sirius’ hardening cock pressed against his leg as they stood for a moment, neither letting go. Tony felt Sirius’ hand slide up to cup his face and held his breath as his chin was tilted up.

“Tony,” Sirius breathed warmly.

Warm lips settled over his and Tony was hard pressed not to groan as he was kissed. Not a kiss of lust, but one of sincerity and attraction. Before he could even respond, Sirius was stepping back, knuckle brushing his cheek, before he moving to the other side of the bed.

“Night, Tony.”

As Tony laid down, Harry shifted to plaster himself across Tony’s chest and sigh in contentment. Tony spent long minutes, wondering as his world had just been tilted once again. Despite his swirling thoughts, Tony actually fell asleep fairly quickly and woke up the next morning with a smile, Harry wrapped around his head again.

The flight to New York went smoothly, Happy and Pepper helping to entertain Harry as Tony worked on his laptop. Taffy had sent them with a basket of food and Myra was there, training a new steward, and kept them supplied with their drinks of choice. Sirius was reading through a list of investments Gringotts had sent them in preparation for their meeting at the bank while they were in the city. After having a snack of apple slices and blueberries, Harry had sat down beside Tony to work on some math worksheets they had gotten for him.

The trip had several purposes, including meeting with the head of the Security Forces of the MACUSA, a meeting at Gringotts, looking over several properties to construct a tower in NYC, and either buying or renting a penthouse to use as their interim residence. While he loved Malibu, Tony was a shrewd businessman and realized he and SI had been relocated by Stane to the West Coast to take them away from the true center of commerce, New York, even though it was where Tony had grown up. Another of Obadiah’s long-term plans to take over Stark Industries, Tony had realized.

Stane had disavowed any knowledge of Yaxley, illegal weapons sales, and plots against Tony, Harry, or SI. He was laying low at the moment, having been relieved of all of his official duties, and hanging onto his position on the board of directors by his fingertips. Tony actually shuddered to think of what Obie could have gotten up to if they hadn’t discovered the nefarious activities as early as they had. Especially when Tony realized how deeply he’d trusted his father’s partner, who encouraged his partying lifestyle and eccentric inventing habits. Tony’s technology had taken the company from millions in profits to billions, from a national company to an international one. And all of this before he'd gotten his memories back. He shuddered to think what might have happened if Stane had learned the truth about Harry and his own magic during that period of time.

Now, Tony had put formidable protections in place for everyone in his “family” – several additional Potter house-elves had joined the household and each of them had personal elves whose only duty was to keep them safe. Happy headed a security force of both magical former Aurors and no-maj former military and law enforcement. All had taken an oath or signed NDAs, as Tony was keeping Harry’s existence a secret for as long as he could. He didn’t want his son to go through a childhood like he’d had – or the one he would likely face in the UK as Dumbledore’s proclaimed Boy-Who-Lived. There was already a press release prepared, if it became necessary, clarifying Sirius as his cousin and Harry as Sirius’ son.

“Papa? Can you check my paper, please?” Harry pulled Tony out of his thoughts, hand patting Tony’s leg.

“Sure, kiddo,” Tony told him, reaching over to lift Harry into his lap. “Let’s see how you did.”

Running his finger down the two columns of problems, one addition and the other subtraction, Tony could see all the answers were right. “A perfect score, baby boy! Do you want something a bit harder?”

Harry nodded eagerly. “And I know my multi’cation and division, too, Papa!”

“Oh? Did Sirius teach you all those, kiddo?”

“What?” Sirius’ head pop up from his paperwork, a startled look on his face.

Giggling, Harry shook his head. “No, Papa! Mr. JARVIS taught me!” he chirped.

Tony arched an eyebrow at that and he grabbed a pen, flipping Harry’s math paper over. “So, if X=5, what is 2 x X + 2 equal?”

Harry blinked, “12, Papa.”

“Are you teaching your five-year-old algebra, boss?” Happy looked at him with wide eyes as Pepper laughed and shook her head.

“Certainly!” Tony crowed. “My boy is a genius!” He kissed Harry’s temple. “Shall we play with more numbers, mini-me?”

“Yes, please!”

The soaring two-story, five thousand square foot penthouse over looking Central Park had five bedrooms and a view that went on forever. Tony preferred to be in a higher tower in midtown Manhattan, but this would do as a temporary home, even if it was only a fraction of the size of the Malibu house. Tony was going to use one of the bedrooms, cleared out and reinforced by magic, as a preliminary workshop for ideas and minor tinkering. Any fabrication or hands on creating would have to take place at the SI factory site outside of the city. The main office of Stark Industries was about two blocks away and Tony knew it would probably be faster to walk than drive in the famous NYC traffic. He planned to Apparate himself once he became familiar with his office there.

Happy and Pepper were going to share one of the bedrooms which had brought a smirk to Tony’s face when his PA announced it. She got to smirk back when he told her he, Sirius, and Harry would share the large master bedroom on the second level, causing Tony to roll his eyes at her. The house-elves would set up their quarters in the bedroom closest to Tony’s makeshift lab, and the last bedroom would serve as a guest room in between Rhodey’s frequent visits. The neutral color scheme of the penthouse allowed them to add color with furniture and decorations.

A small alcove off the living room, with a wall of glass on the outside, house a baby grand piano, something which always made Tony think of his mother. He had begun to teach Harry how to play in Malibu and was happy to be able to continue those lessons here. The high vaulted ceilings, tall windows, and light walls, with gray throw rugs over pale hardwood gave a feel of spaciousness that made the rooms seem bigger. A private elevator opened into a secure lobby and only a keycard or six-digit pin would key someone into the penthouse itself. The goblins were due over the next day to put up temporary wards and protections for them, including anti-Apparation and anti-Portkey fields.

Tony carried Harry, a blanket covering him, into the private elevator from the limo which was in a gated, private area of the underground garage. He noted the locations of the surveillance cameras around the area and more in the elevator foyer. He knew the cameras in the penthouse were better concealed and planned to have JARVIS monitor all of them, adding an additional layer of security for them. Sirius stayed glued to his side, carrying Tony’s leather laptop bag, Pepper and Happy bringing up the rear. Taffy and Tizzy would already be in the penthouse, organizing the rooms and kitchen.

Harry stirred as they walking in from the elevator lobby, pulling at the blanket over his head. “Papa?”

Sirius pulled the blanket away as Tony lifted Harry a little away from him. Harry brought his hands up and rubbed his eyes, before looking around at the new surroundings. “Are we here, Papa?”

Tony laughed as Harry’s head swiveled back and forth, trying to take in everything he could. Smothering a laugh, Tony set Harry on his feet.

“Go explore, kiddo, while we organize everything, ok?”

Harry grinned up at him, hugged his leg and trotted towards the far wall which looked down on the park. Taz appeared as his side and took his hand as they peered down at the street below. Tony knew they would be occupied for a while exploring the rooms. Pepper directed Happy back towards the bedrooms with their bags.

Sirius casually pressed against his side as they watched the two exclaiming over the new sights. Tony was hyperaware of the heat he felt from Sirius and leaned into him with a sigh. It was already almost dinner time, having lost eight hours between the flight and the time change. Harry was going to have trouble going to sleep this evening, even though he’d only napped for an hour before they had arrived. While his son was the most an even-tempered child, any out of sorts five-year-old was going to be cranky.

“Come on, Tones,” Sirius murmured in his ear. “Taz will take care of Harry, let’s go check out the master bedroom.”

Tony grinned and took a step away. “Harry, I’m going to show Padfoot the bedroom upstairs.”

Harry turned and waved at them as Tony led Sirius up the stairs set against the wall of the living room. The room was accessed through a set of double doors and continued the color scheme from the floor below, white walls, honey colored hardwood floors, and a wall of windows looking directly out onto Central Park. A large rooftop terrace extended out from a set of French doors, with five-foot high tempered glass railing around it. The oversized bed was set against the opposite wall, with a view out towards the terrace and the city. There was a large sitting area with a gas fireplace on one wall. The other wall had two doors, one leading to the dressing room with a walk in closet, and the other into a huge marble and gold bathroom. A large soaker tub would be perfect for Harry to play his bath time ship battles.

Sirius walked toward the wall of windows, the lights of the city coming on as the sun started to disappear behind the skyscrapers. “Damn, Tony, this is amazing! I thought the London townhouse was nice in all its glory, but it doesn’t even compare to this.”

Tony stepped over to stand beside him. “It’s nice and not a bad location – one of the properties I want to look at for the tower is just a few blocks up Park Avenue.”

“Sounds like a good location. How high will it be?” Sirius moved closer, one hand reaching out for Tony.

“Uh, ninety-um, ninety-three stories,” Tony stammered out as Sirius drew him closer. “Are you sure this arrangement is—"

Tony wasn’t sure what to think as Sirius kissed him, softly at first and then progressively more demanding. His thoughts stuttered to a stop and, for the first time in years, Tony just let himself feel. By the time Sirius lifted his head, Tony was hard and panting. He could feel Sirius’ response was just as heated and gasped for air as he was held against a firm chest.

“Do you have any idea how long I have wanted to do that?” Sirius’ voice was a bit breathless.

Tony huffed a laugh. “I’ve been fantasizing about it since I was about fourteen.”

“You always were precocious, love,” Sirius laughed. “You were more like seventeen the first time I lusted after you. Lily was forever teasing me about telling you.”

Snickering, Tony leaned his forehead against Sirius’. “That’s because she knew I had a huge crush on you.”

“She tell you how upset I was over the memory charm plan?” Sirius asked softly. “That I was going to track you down here in New York and court you anyway.”

Tony kissed him, his heart clenching as he remembered what happened that fall. “Why did you take off after Pettigrew that night?”

Sirius’ arms tightened, but not uncomfortably so. “I don’t know. When I arrived at the house in Godric’s Hollow and found James, my primary thought was to get Lily and Harry to safety. After—” Sirius stopped and cleared his throat. “After I found Lily, I picked Harry up and made my way out of the house. He was so quiet, in shock I think, his head bleeding and all I could think of was to get him to St. Mungos and then Gringotts to secure guardianship.”

“That was when Hagrid showed up and demanded I give Harry to him – because Dumbledore said.” Sirius shook his head. “I argued with him for several minutes until he used that phrase, ‘Dumbledore said’, but once he said it, my whole focus changed. I handed Harry over to him and all I could think about was finding the rat and killing him for his betrayal.”

“Compulsion Charm with a keyword,” Tony reasoned. “Sounds about right and the bastard sentenced all of us: you, me, and Harry, to four years of misery.”

“Thank Merlin, your mum and Lily had the wherewithal to send you the Pensieve!”

Tony smiled. “Yes, remind me to get that from my apartment.” He looked at Sirius, who was watching his lips. “Later-“

Tony didn’t know you could kiss someone with your whole body, but Sirius was doing just that and Tony couldn’t help but moan. Even a pull on his jeans didn’t draw them apart.

“Papa, is Uncle Sirius biting you?”

They stepped back from each other, enough for Harry to get in between and lift his arms up. Tony scooped him up and Sirius moved forward until Harry was sandwiched between them.

“No, bambino, he’s kissing me.”

Harry, his hands braced on Tony’s chest looked between them with an assessing eye. “A ‘dult kiss? Like Aunt Pepper gives Uncle Happy?”

Tony schooled his face in a serious expression. “Yes, baby, an adult kiss. Is that okay?”

Screwing up his face in thought, Harry seemed to consider the issue for a moment, before nodding his head and wrapping his arms around Tony’s neck. “Does this mean Uncle Padfoot could be my real daddy?”

“We’ll see, kiddo, we’ll see.”

Chapter Text

Tony woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly refreshed after the long flight and time change. Sliding silently out of bed in the darkened room, he yawned as he made his way into the bathroom. His first meeting wasn’t until 11am, made purposely so they could all ease into the time change. A quick glance at his watch showed it was just a little before 9am, giving him plenty of time to shower and shave, have breakfast, and drive to lower Manhattan.

Tony always enjoyed going to the World Trade Center and had rented out a large conference room on the 110th floor of the North Tower, adjacent to the Windows on the World restaurant. The view was spectacular and Tony wanted to study the WTC complex itself as a model for the tower he was planning on building. While the price of land in the city was high, if he was able to buy a block, he wanted a tower and at least one auxiliary building.

The slow opening of the bathroom door and a quiet yawn announced he wasn’t alone, Tony smiling as he watched Harry pull off his pajamas and join him in the huge shower.

“Good morning, bambino.” Tony picked his son up and kissed the top of his head as Harry buried his face in Tony’s neck.

Laughing, Tony leaned his head back and finished rinsing the shampoo out. He grabbed the washcloth and gave Harry a quick wash. With one hand he managed to squirt a little shampoo in the tousled hair, scrubbing it gently.

“Cover your eyes, kiddo,” Tony instructed as he turned into the water to rinse them both off.

Once they were done, Tony turned the water off and grabbed a fluffy towel off the warmer, wrapping it around Harry. A brisk rub and Harry had lifted his head with a protest.

“I can do it, Papa!”

Chuckling, Tony put him down and grabbed his own towel. Quickly drying off, Tony led Harry out of the bathroom and into the walk-in closet. Harry’s clothes were all on the bottom racks, so he as able to pick out what he wanted to wear on his own.

“Papa, am I going to your meeting with you?”

Tony looked to see Harry’s hand reaching for a black suit jacket. “No, bambino, you and Uncle Sirius are going to go explore the area and maybe go to the park for awhile.”

“Without you?”

Tony stepped into his trousers before moving to kneel in front of Harry. “I’ll come back then we’ll go out all together, okay?”

Harry tilted his head back for a moment, his luminous eyes searching Tony’s face, before he nodded. “Okay, Papa – can I wear my jeans to the park?”

Reaching over, Tony ruffled his hair. “A perfect choice, bambino.”

Tony watched as Harry picked out a pair of black jeans and a red shirt with a dragon on it, carefully matching his underwear and socks to the shirt. Grinning, Tony reached for a red dress shirt and a black tie, which he looped around his neck, before grabbing his suit jacket. Harry picked out a black pair of sneakers and sat down on the small bench near the door to put them on, Velcro straps making the process easier for him. Standing, Harry bounced a couple times to make see if his shoes felt right as Tony watched indulgently.

Sirius stepped out of the bathroom, towel around his hips as Harry led Tony out of the dressing room, still looking half asleep. Tony leaned over to kiss him before stepping back quickly when Sirius made a grab to pull him against his still dripping body. He latched onto Harry instead, who squealed when Sirius shook drops off his wet hair.

“Daddy! Stop!” Harry yelped, lunging towards Tony. “Papa, help!”

Both men froze for a moment, exchanging wide-eyed looks, before Tony scooped Harry out of Sirius’ arms and headed for the door. “Hurry up, Daddy, or we’ll eat all the bacon!”

Taffy had breakfast waiting for them, eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit, making sure Harry’s plate had more than just bacon and blueberries on it. Pepper joined them a few minutes later, coffee and toast popping up in front of her as she slid onto a stool at the breakfast bar. In her hand, Tony could see was their schedule for the day, several things underlined and others circled.

“Are we still flying under the radar?” he asked Pepper as she reached for another piece of toast.

Pepper nodded as she spread grape jam on her toast. “All the LA office knows is that we have meetings away from the office for the next week. They aren’t expecting either of us back until after Labor Day.”

Taking a swallow of his coffee, Tony considered for a moment – today was the 31st, which gave them two working days plus the three-day weekend before they were due back.

“I’d like to work in a surprise visit to the office here, hopefully before word leaks out that I’m in town.” He drained his cup and set it down on the counter. “Any word where Stane is hiding out?”

Happy had joined them while Tony was talking and shook his head. “Not that I’ve heard – he could be in LA or he could be here in New York, he’s got houses both places.”

“Which means everyone needs to be on their toes and make sure the house-elves stay close,” Tony directed. “We know he has friends in the Wizarding world who might help him. Be very careful of things thrown at you – while the runic arrays on the bracelets we made you both should prevent Port Keys, I still don’t want to take any chances.”

Sirius trotted down the stairs, clad in black jeans that hugged him in all the right places and a dark red tee shirt, reaching out to snag a slice of bacon off Harry’s plate.

“Daddy! Mine!” Harry laughed as he tried to cover the rest of his plate.

Tony laughed at their antics, while Pepper gave the two men a sharp look. Smirking at her, Tony lifted an eyebrow as they watched Sirius try to snag another piece of bacon, even though Taffy had put his plate in front of him. She rolled her eyes at him and checked her watch.

“All right, boys!” Tony leaned over and kiss Harry’s head. “Have fun at the park and I will see you this afternoon.”

“Papa! You have to kiss Daddy, too!” Harry’s expression was absolutely

Tony dutifully bent over Harry to peck Sirius, who was less than cooperative when he turned his head and captured Tony’s lips in a real kiss. Harry’s giggles under him prompted Tony to pull away before it became heated, a teasing look in Sirius’ gray eyes.

“Come on, Casanova, time to go,” Pepper snarked, gathering her purse and file folders.

Happy had gone down to the garage ahead of them, to bring the car around to the private elevator and was waiting for them. He held the door open as Pepper and then Tony slipped in. Hearing a grumbled greeting as Happy slid behind the wheel, Tony grinned, knowing Happy needed more coffee before he would be sociable – or as sociable as Happy ever got. He left the partition between the seats down as they pulled out into the late morning traffic in Manhattan.

“Tony, you still need to fix your tie.” Pepper was reaching for him before he could move. “Here, let me do it!”

Turning his body toward her, Tony couldn’t help but smile as Pepper tied his black tie with quick, precise movements, feeling like he was about Harry’s age. “Thanks, Pep.”

Tony smoothed his hand over the tie, tucking it inside his suit jacket and then turned his eyes back to the sights of New York City. He admired the architecture of the buildings they passed, making metal notes on things he saw and liked. The drive was made in a comfortable silence, each lost in their thoughts as Happy navigated the unique NYC traffic. Tony went through his mental notes on the meetings he had lined up for theb day, both magical and mundane.

“Lobby or elevators, Boss?”

Snapping back to the present, Tony leaned forward. “Garage elevator, please, Hap.”

As Happy pulled into the underground garage, Tony kept a keen eye on their surroundings, the 1993 bombing in the forefront of his mind. He was impressed with the quality of the reconstruction, wiping out all signs of the blast. Pulling up to valet parking, Tony opened his door while Happy went around and helped Pepper out. A security guard greeted them quietly and escorted them up to the top of the tower.

Once the guard had excused himself, Tony looked around the room, noting the wall of windows which looked out on to the Hudson River and the large rectangle table in the center of the room. There were four chairs on each side of the table and one at each end. The end furthest from the door had been set-up with pads of paper for note taking and elegant looking ball-point pens. A coffee service stood on a credenza just inside the door and Tony took mug from the back of a stack and peered suspiciously inside it before he poured coffee from a carafe.

“You want one, Pepper?” Tony asked out of habit.

“Thank you, no,” Pepper was organizing file folders on the top of the table, before taking the seat on Tony’s right.

Tony was just seating himself when a tap came on the door. A glance at Pepper told him she was ready and he gave Happy a nod. Happy stepped from his post and turned the door knob with his left hand, his right on his gun. He swung the door wider as he turned toward Tony.

“Mr. Stark, Auror Captain Graves.”

Standing, Tony gestured to the chair on his left, keeping his face a neutral mask as he took in the elegant suit the wizard was wearing. “Captain Graves, welcome.”

They shook hands and Tony introduced Pepper, who nodded in acknowledgement. Graves was seated, mug of coffee in front of him as Tony pulled one of the folders in front of him.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me this morning, Captain Graves.”

“Your invitation intrigued me, Stark,” Graves cradled the mug between his hands. “Especially the request to meet off-duty.”

Tony smiled and tapped a finger on the folder. “I have heard through the grapevine that you are considering retirement from MACUSA.”

“Damn Proudfoot!” Graves muttered, taking a sip of coffee. “Yes, I’ve put in my papers.”

Grinning, Tony tapped the folder again, before slowly sliding towards Graves. The Auror stopped the folder with his hand. “What’s this?”

“I’d like you to become the Head of Security for the East Coast division of Stark Industries, working with Happy Hogan here, to coordinate security for the magical factory, as well as assisting with my family’s personal security here in New York.” Tony nodded at the folder. “That is our offer, a contract, and a timeline of how soon the Tower will be built,”

Graves flipped open the file and began skimming through the paperwork. “Where is this magical factory and what are you making?”

Tony slid his hand into his pocket and drew out the enchanted mirror Sirius had made for him. “Eventually, we will be manufacturing cellular phone that work with magic. In the meantime, we will be manufacturing these. We’ve retrofit an older factory just outside the city for it.”

Standing, Tony handed the mirror over to Graves and exchanged smirks with Pepper. They watched as Graves turned the mirror over in his hands, examining it closely. The rune array which allowed the mirror to use the ambient magic of the magical person holding it were actually inscribed on the underside of the glass itself and not visible.

“If you would say Sirius’ name into the mirror, Captain,” Tony directed, “you will see how it works.”

Graves scowled and shot him a pointed look, before holding the mirror up in front of his face. “Sirius Black!”

The mirror turned opaque and then Tony heard Sirius’ voice come through. “Prongslet! Are you answering my mirror?”

“Yes, Daddy!” Harry’s voice came through. “Papa – oh, Mr. Captain!”

“Hello, Harry, how are you?”

“I’m good, Mr. Captain and here’s my daddy.”

The was a bit of a shuffling sound over the mirror, before Sirius’ voice was heard. “Sorry about than, Captain Graves – nice to see you again.”

Tony thought he could almost see a smile on Graves face as Sirius became visible in the mirror.

“Auror Black—”

“Just Sirius, sir, please.”

“Sirius, then, what can you tell me about these mirrors?”

“Marauders Mirrors were originally created while James and I, along with our friend Remus Lupin, were still at Hogwarts.” The pride evident in Sirius’ voice. “I’ll let Tony explain the rest as I have an energetic five-year-old to chase after.”

Graves looked up from the now deactivated mirror, a contemplative look on his face. “What is the range on these and how long do they last?”

“We’ve tested them to one hundred miles before the image degrades and they last as long as they are held, as they are powered by the natural ambient energy magicals have. The rune array they use will even allow some squibs to utilize them” Tony stated as Graves slid the mirror back over to him and he tucked it back in his inner pocket. “I thought we might ask the Aurors to field test them – what do you think?”

Pulling the paperwork out of the folder, Graves reached for the pen Tony had pushed towards him. “I’m interested and the pay is more than generous. My official retirement date isn’t until the beginning of December – does that pose a problem?”

Tony grinned at him. “Not at all. In fact, that should coincide with the start of construction on Stark Tower, as it will take that long to secure a property and permits to begin construction. Just in time for us to start doing background checks on new employees.”

“Heard you had a few problems in California,” Graves said, looking between Harry and Happy. “Apparently, Aurors could learn a thing or two from Mr. Hogan about bringing down arrogant wizards in non-magical areas.”

Tony could have sworn Happy almost smiled. “Hogan can give you shooting lessons, if you’d like. If fact, if you need anything further, Happy, as the Head of the Security Division, will be your point of contact if you have any further questions.”

Graves remained seated and stared at Tony, who lived his eyebrows in question.

“Proudfoot mentioned taking Yaxley into custody and I believe there may be more former Death Eaters in the States who might target your son. I assume you have made provisions for that and how this will impact our protection of your family.”

“Well, technically, you were employed as soon as you signed your contract,” Pepper interjected, shooting Tony a look. “And your salary starts now.”

Tony gave Graves an assessing look, but he’d trusted him since they had talked at the Embassy in London. The man was no-nonsense, of course, but smart, capable, and much more useful when he was provided with all the information.

“The next two interviews coming through that door are both architects, one no-maj and the other magical with proposals for designing Stark Tower. After that will be a realtor with several properties for sale, which I am hoping to pick one of by the end of the week.” Tony laid out their schedule. “Then I’ll be joining Sirius and Harry in the park. As for the protections we have in place, each of the people I think of as family has a house-elf assigned to them for personal protection. Each of the non-magicals has an amulet or bracelet inscribed with protective runes and enchanted to provide a shielding charm if they are attacked.”

Nodding, Graves continued to watch him intently. Tony sighed, exchanging a look with Happy.

“My fear is Dumbledore will join forces with Obadiah Stane to find a way to kidnap Harry and Obliviate my memories of both Harry and magic. It was the specific threat Dumbledore threw at me when he attacked us in Malibu.”

Graves ran a hand over his jaw. “How are your mental shields?”

Tony grimaced. “I’m working on them – the goblins arranged a tutor while we were in London, and I’m hoping I can find another here in New York.” A thought occurred to him. “Where is the magical district here?”

Graves appeared lost in thought for a moment. “If it’s agreeable to you, Mr. Stark, I will go check those addresses you have for any magical anomalies while you are speaking to the architects. I’ll return here this afternoon and escort you to the shopping district.”

Tony saw Pepper nod her head in agreement as did Happy. “I would appreciate that, Graves – say meet back here at 2 o’clock?”

Tony stood when Graves inclined his head and extended his hand. He watched as Graves nodded to Pepper and paused to shake Happy’s hand, before disappearing in a crack of Apparation. Moving to refill his coffee, Tony stepped over to look out the windows at the Hudson River.

“I think that went well,” Pepper said briskly. “I can handle blunt and honest. What do you think, Happy?”

“I can work with him.”

Tony almost rolled his eyes at Happy’s deadpan expression. “Thank heavens!” he exclaimed dramatically, his grin giving him away. “How soon do you think we can go through the Stark employees at the New York office and factory?”

“Every employee received the email at the same time, Tony,” Pepper reminded him. “I have just over one hundred of them scheduled for interviews on Friday, with the same set-up we had in LA.”

“Maybe Graves could help there,” Happy interjected, a thoughtful look on his face.

“Great idea, Happy!” Tony agreed, making a mental note to ask Graves when he returned. “I’m hoping Gringotts has news on the Potter house-elves Dumbledore imprisoned at Hogwarts.”

A knock signaled the arrival of the first of the architects and Tony smoothed down the front of his suit jacket before sitting down, giving Happy a nod. The next several hours were filled with blueprints, architectural models, and photos of building sites. The tower Tony initially liked was taken out of the running when Pepper had objected:

“Tony, that’s not even a phallic symbol, it’s a penis! No, an observation deck just adds to the penis look! You do not want your company to be represented by a round penis building with your name on it!”

In the end, a 100 story, more stylized tower, with the top seven floors incorporating an outdoor deck, a helipad, and two large balconies on the penthouse levels. The architect was actually a first-generation wizard and worked with a construction company which utilized both mundane and magical techniques. The site specifics to support the tower and two auxiliary building were outlined by the architect, which gave Tony a better idea of which site would be most beneficial. The construction engineer cautioned them about locating the tower too close to the river, based on the depth of the needed support structure and the parking garage.

Pepper prepared a letter of agreement between Stark Industries and the two companies, as well as NDAs, which Tony signed without reservation. The architect allowed Tony to keep the model of the tower to study and Tony planned to have JARVIS scan it for structural weaknesses before they signed the final papers.

Tony and Pepper went through the sites available with both of the real estate brokers, Tony for the structural needs and Pepper with an eye to location and suitability. Between them, they eliminated all but three building sites, each about a square block in size and all with dilapidated structures on them which would have to be removed. One of those was the location Tony had mentioned to Sirius, up Park Avenue and close to both the Chrysler Building and Grand Central Station. There was close access to mass transit as well as hotels and restaurants. Pepper favored a smaller site near Lower Manhattan, adjacent to The World Trade Center and Wall Street.

There was also a penthouse apartment within a couple blocks of the Park Ave site which had almost double the space as the one they were renting at the moment, including a floor with offices and conference rooms which could double as a classroom for Harry to begin his studies. Tony and Sirius had already begun to search for someone trustworthy who would be able to begin to tutor Harry. Sirius had already sent out a letter to Remus Lupin, asking him to meet with them. Tony, who remembered the quiet, studious man had questions about where Lupin had been the past four years and where his loyalties really were.

Taffy popped over with lunch for them, making sure Happy had a thick roast beef sandwich. Tony gave him an envious look as he ate the chicken Cesar salad Pepper had ordered for them. It was the trade off, she told him, for the calorie rich food he liked to eat for dinner. Tony rolled his eyes at Happy who snorted, but neither said anything as Pepper glared at them. Tony was already planning on a cheese burger and shake as an afternoon snack, knowing Harry would back him up.

While they were waiting for Captain Graves to return, Tony had Zin pop him back to the penthouse and changed into a pair of black jeans, leaving his shirt and jacket on. He wanted to be comfortable if they were going to hike around building sites.

“Papa!”

The tiny tornado would have knocked him on his ass if a firm hand hadn’t grabbed his shoulder. Sirius’ eyes were full of mirth and Tony was sure he was containing a laugh at his expense.

“Bambino! Are you home from the park already?” Tony asked, scooping Harry up and peppering his face with kisses.

“Yes!” Harry laughed, scrunching up his shoulders as Tony tickled him with his goatee. “Daddy said we could go with you now.”

Tony looked at Sirius who shrugged, still smiling. “That is if your Papa, Pepper, and Mr. Happy are finished with their meetings, remember.”

“Did you eat lunch?” Tony shifted Harry to his hip and looped an arm around Sirius’ waist.

“We did! Taffy gave us the same healthy lunch she made for you and Pepper.” Sirius grimaced.

“I love the crumtons!”

“Croutons, baby boy,” Tony kissed Harry’s forehead. “The healer will be very happy that you and Sirius are eating the right foods to get healthy.”

“Daddy said a naughty word about salads,” Harry giggled and hid his face in Tony’s shoulder as Sirius gave a mock yelp.

Snorting, Tony carried Harry into the bathroom before grabbing one of the caps they’d had Harry wearing when they went out. Together, their house-elf guards popped them back to the conference where Happy and Pepper were waiting. Harry explored the room while they waited for Graves to return.

“Will the car be big enough for all of us?” Pepper asked quietly, as they watched Harry exclaim over the view of the Hudson.

“One of us can cast a small Expansion Charm on the inside, it will give us more room,” Tony reassured her.

A knock on the door announced Graves return, sending his son scurrying over to him. Harry peered from around Tony’s leg as Graves stepped into the room. Reaching down, Tony picked him up as he walked towards the door.

“Captain Graves will be coming with us, bambino.”

Harry gave a shy nod. “’lo Mr. Captain.”

Graves’ lips actually twitched upwards as Harry buried his face in Tony’s neck. Patting him on the back, Tony inclined his head towards Sirius, who had straightened to his full height.

“I know you’ve met before, Captain Graves, but allow me to present, Sirius Black.” Tony smirked as Sirius rolled his eyes.

The men shook hands, eyeing each other before Sirius grinned. “Heard a lot about you, sir, Mad-Eye Moody always sang your praises.”

“Indeed, he may have mentioned what pains in the ass you and Potter were.”

“He loved us!”

“Papa!” Harry’s voice was supposed to be a whisper. “Mr. Captain swored!”

They all laughed and Tony cast a Disillusionment Spell on Harry as Sirius helped Pepper gather up her files. They moved to the elevator with the security guard escorting them and it was a quick trip down to the garage. The car was waiting for them and Tony watched as Happy did a walk around it while Graves surreptitiously flicked his wand over it. Once both men deemed the car safe, Sirius stepped forward as Happy opened the back door, leaning in and casting an Expansion Charm. He slid inside with Pepper following him, then Tony and Harry. Graves took the front passenger seat as Happy took the wheel.

They started with the Lower Manhattan site Pepper favored. The traffic seemed even more congested in this area than it had in the morning, with the street narrower than most. Pepper jotted down their observations as Happy negotiated traffic towards the second site, a few block away from the United Nations, amid embassies and older neighborhoods. This site was larger than the first, but the block had a number of older, multistory buildings which would have to be removed, as well as an area which had been used to repair cars that would have to have toxic chemicals removed.

The last site was the Midtown site, which was the largest of the three. While there were several building on the property which would have to be torn down, there were no hazardous material concerns. The streets were wider in this area and the proximity to Grand Central Station a bonus. It was also the most expensive of the three sites and the furthest away from the water. Pepper was the one to point out the benefits of being able to dig deeper at this site than the others.

Parking the car, Tony carried Harry and walked with Sirius and Graves around the site, continued the block and a half over to where the penthouse for sale was. Graves titled his head back and looked up at the column of steel and glass, then signaled them to follow him. Tony exchanged a surprise look with Sirius as Harry swiveled his head back and forth, trying to take everything in.

Graves led them to an elevator set in an alcove off the lobby and, once everyone was inside, he drew his wand and tapped the single button on the gleaming panel. Tony was surprised when it dawned on him that this building had to be magical. The doors opened into a large open foyer with a frosted glass double entry door. Another tap of Graves wand opened the doors leading into the living room. Tony saw a hallway to his right and to his left was a kitchen area that opened up to the living room.

Stepping down into the two steps, he saw on wall of windows leading out to a balcony with the other two walls done in a charcoal gray and large windows. A fireplace was centered on the far wall and the floor done in a plush dove gray carpet. It seemed the accent colors were a vivid blue, along with brass fixtures. Harry wiggled to get down and Tony let him, giving his son a chance to explore the area on his own. This living room, actually the entire penthouse, felt bigger than the one they were currently staying in.

“This has a total of seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, almost eight thousand square feet and magically enhanced. This floor had four bedrooms with en suites, one stand alone bathroom, and three additional bedroom suites on the floor below. There are also several offices, a conference room, and a large magically reenforced room.”

Tony nodded as he listened to Graves, making eye contact with Pepper as Sirius kept track of Harry. There were probably ten stories higher here than in the penthouse they had rented and this one would need to be renovated to his taste, but he liked what he saw.

“Can we buy it through Gringotts or –”

“Gringotts is handling the sale,” Graves responded.

“Excellent, we have an appointment tomorrow there.” He looked at Pepper. “Have legal begin negotiations with for the Park Avenue site and this one—”

“Tones?” Sirius appeared at his elbow, Harry dozing on his shoulder. “Why don’t we buy this one for the Potter Trust? It would be nice to anchor Harry’s future here in the States.”

Tony nodded, running a hand through Harry’s tousled curls. “Good idea, but I’ll pay for the renovation. I don’t think there is much to do, just some superficial things and to reenforce the safety precautions.”

“Sounds good.”

Later, after dinner, bath time, and a story, Harry was tucked into the large bed. Tony joined Sirius on the couch on the outside terrace, the evening retaining the heat of the day, tempered by a breeze off the river. Sirius tugged him against his side, and Tony turned slightly, tilting his face in invitation. With a grin, Sirius kissed him thoroughly, half pulling Tony into his lap.

“Hmm,” Tony sighed, enjoying the feeling of being held. “I feel like we accomplished a few things today.”

“Uh huh,” Sirius agreed, burying his nose in Tony’s hair. “I really liked the penthouse.”

“Yes, and it will be close enough to the Tower when construction starts. And it sounds like we can turn one of the offices into a classroom for Harry.”

“How long is the lease on this place?”

“Six months with an option for an additional six months.”

“Will it take that long to finalize the sale and renovate the other one?”

“I don’t think so, but Gringotts should be able to tell us tomorrow.”

“So, Gringotts, shopping in the magical district, and you want to go by the SI offices tomorrow?”
“Yes.” Tony tried to contain a yawn. “Friday is the interviews at the factory and if we have time, a visit to MACUSA. Then, Saturday is the gala for the Foundation.”

“Maybe Sunday we can do something special with Harry – Time Square, Coney Island, the tourist traps.” Sirius nuzzled his cheek.

Tony turned his head and caught Sirius’ lips. This was different from kissing anyone else, with a deeper feel to the kiss than simply foreplay, and Tony allowed himself to be manhandled flat on the couch. Sirius’ kisses made his heart pound and his body heat with desire – it was a novel experience and, while Tony wasn’t sure where this was going, he was certainly going to give it the time it needed to find out.

Chapter Text

The magical shopping was set adjacent to the Woolworth Building, the headquarters of the Magical Congress of the USA or MACUSA. Gringotts anchored one end of the street, opposite of the Woolworth building. Tony walked beside Sirius, Harry between them, hanging onto their hands as he tried to look at everything. Both Tony and Harry were wearing caps and sunglasses, Sirius had pulled his hair back and secured it in a low ponytail. All three of them were dressed primarily in Muggle attire, dress pants, collared shirts, and dragon hide boots; Harry had the little black cape he loved tied around his neck. There were appreciative looks from both women and men, but nothing that suggested any further interest in the trio. They were lucky Harry was such a well-behaved child, as there were several stores that caught his attention, but he didn’t let go of their hands or try and run off.

Spontaneously leaning down, Tony kissed the top of Harry’s head. “We can look at some of the shops after we see the goblins, bambino.”

Harry grinned up at him, almost tripping over Sirius’ foot. “Okay, Papa!”

Tony tightened his grip on Harry’s hand slightly, keeping Harry on his feet as they were pushed forward by a group of teenagers running between stores. Sirius sent a withering glare at their backs and moved closer to Harry, keeping the little boy tight between them. Although Tony knew their security team encircled them, he was still hypervigilant, especially after his surprise visit to the Stark Industries headquarters that morning. Several of the long-term employees in managerial positions there were strong supporters of Obadiah and had demanded meetings with Tony over his treatment of his father’s business partner. Pepper had also been approached and the attempt made to intimidate her into an explanation. Luckily, she was a hard woman to intimidate, putting them in their places as she offered them a generous severance package Tony had approved if they didn’t feel the ability to support him.

Tony smiled. He’d sent she and Happy off for the afternoon, complete with dinner at Pepper’s favorite restaurant, as a thank you for all their work. He knew they should be safe in magical New York, especially with the former Aurors turned security guards. It was a relief, however, to be finally climbing the short marble stairway up to the door of Gringotts Bank. The goblin guards didn’t spare them a look as they walked towards the golden doors, which swung open on their own.

“I’ve got him,” Tony announced, as he scooped Harry up into his arms, following Sirius through the doors.

The inside of the back was as elaborately decorated as it’s London counterpart, with more windows and slightly fewer gold accents. To Tony, it seemed a tad more inviting, if you didn’t look at the perpetually scowling goblins at the teller stations. Walking past those, Tony headed towards an elegantly suited goblin sitting above the rest at a desk off to the side. He waited until the goblin looked up to acknowledge their presence.

“Heir Black, Lord Peverell, and Lord Carbonell here as per our appointment,” he announced, keeping his tone neutral.

The goblin’s eyes seemed to widen just a fraction before he tapped on the top of his desk with a fingernail. Footsteps were heard almost immediately from a hallway to their right and a short, well-muscled goblin adorned in a golden breastplate and carrying a spear, gave them a short bow. He signaled them to follow him back down the corridor. Tony shared a look at Sirius as Harry played nervously with the front of Tony’s shirt, his eyes fixed on the goblin. They were ushered into an office a short distance down the hallway, complete with large desk and a pair of chairs in front of it.

“Mr. Rockjaw!” Harry exclaimed as he caught sight of the goblin behind the desk and wiggled to get down.

Tony set him on his feet as he smiled at their account manager. “Good afternoon, Rockjaw. Like Harry, I’m pleased to see you here.”

Rockjaw gave them a nod and the closest thing to a smile goblins were able to produce. “Hello, young Harry, Heir Black, and Lord Carbonell. I would not have missed this opportunity to catch up.”

“I’m glad!” Harry asserted, bouncing in place. “Papa and Daddy have been takin’ the best care of me since I seen you!”

“Saw you, baby,” Tony corrected gentle.

Harry grinned at him. “Yeah!”

“That is very good news, Harry,” Rockjaw assured him. “Have they talked to you about your allowance, yet?”

“Oh, yes, Mr. Rockjaw!” Harry beamed, reaching into his pocket to take out a handful of change. “I get a quarter a week for keeping my room clean and pickin’ up my toys, AND, another quarter a week for setting the table and helping put dishes away after Taffy says they’re dry!”

The goblin managed to look aghast at the coins. “And you are going to spend it all today?”

Harry shook his head. “No! I put half of my allowance away, to buy presents for birthdays and Christmas!”

Tony exchanged a startled glance with Sirius. Neither of them knew Harry was saving part of his allowance. Saving wasn’t something Tony often thought of, as he’d always been fortunate enough to know he had an abundance of money. Even if Howard had followed through on any of his threats to cut Tony out of his will, he still had a substantial trust fund from his maternal grandfather, which guaranteed he’d never have to worry about money. If he remembered right, both Sirius and James were in the same situation, with moneyed backgrounds and generous trust funds. Only Harry had known the pain of having his basic needs withheld from him.

“That is excellent, young Harry,” Rockjaw intoned gravely. “It is a wise person who makes sure he has money in reserve.”

Harry nodded his agreement and Tony drew him onto his lap, looping his arms around his son. “I’m proud of you, too, bambino,” he whispered, kissing his temple.

“I am impressed in what has been accomplished in such a short span of time,” Rockjaw told them, one finger tapping on the pile of folders in front of him. “I understand the ICW has scheduled a trial for the end of September, as they had requested historical records of the Potter and Peverell vaults, along with the wills that were illegally withheld, and unauthorized releases of funds.”

“And the lawsuits which were filed in July?” Tony enquired.

“They have been delayed to the end of November, after the solicitor learned of the criminal trial, apparently they believe a guilty verdict there will strengthen the civil suits.”

Tony nodded in understanding. “I can see where that would be advantages to our case.”

Harry held up his hand, looking around. “Is it my turn yet?” he asked, fairly vibrating with excitement.

“It certainly can be,” Rockjaw responded, giving Harry his attention. “How can I help you, Lord Peverell?”

Harry drew himself up, balanced in his father’s lap, and gave the goblin his most serious look. It was all Tony could do to keep from laughing.

“Mr. Rockjaw, Papa and Daddy say I get to buy a pen’house!”

Rockjaw seemed to take Harry’s statement seriously. “A pen house and from which vault will you be making investment?”

“From my Pot-Peverell vault, please, Mr. Rockjaw.”

Tony didn’t know a goblin’s eyebrows were that mobile.

“If I might make a suggestion, young Harry?” Rockjaw waited for Harry to nod. “The Emrys vault needs a bit of exercise, as it is the oldest and hasn’t had an investment in a number of years.”

Tony had forgotten Harry was the heir to the Emrys line and, from the shocked look on Sirius’ face, he must not have mentioned it. He rubbed the back of his neck with the hand not holding Harry and offered a silent apology to Sirius.

“Forgot about that line. How would that be better?” Tony asked, tugging Harry back to lean against him.

Rockjaw tugged a folder from the bottom of the stack and opened it. “The Emrys line is one of the most ancient and most wealthy. This vault has sat mostly stagnant for the past millennia and needs fresh investments to make sure it continues to grow. If the purchase is made from this vault, it will start that process.”

“Rather like the Carbonell vault?” Tony interjected and Rockjaw nodded.

“Are there no charities which the family line supported in the past?” Sirius asked, leaning forward.

“No,” Rockjaw admitted. “Other than being accessed for suspicious reasons, there has been no other activity.”

“After the pen’house, can we build houses for little kids who don’t have mummys and daddys? And maybe kids who get hurt because they do freaky things?” Harry asked quietly.

“Perhaps we could call them the Emrys Houses for Children, youngling?”

“I think that’d be a really good idea, Mr. Rockjaw.”

Harry glanced at Tony for approval, and he gave his son a warm smile. “I think that is an excellent plan, bambino.” Tony turned his attention to Rockjaw. “So, the penthouse, Harry mentioned, at least two orphanages, and possible some type of outreach for mundane-born magicals to come out of the Emrys vault. Also, let’s take the cost of any updates, security improvements, and renovations of the penthouse out of the Carbonell vault. Now, with the use of appropriate vaults in mind, I would like to purchase the property at 200 Park Avenue, which Robert Graves said you would be able to handle for me.”

Rockjaw inclined his head. “I can make those arrangements as well, Lord Carbonell, but you need to consider whether you want the property and what you build on it to be corporate or private.”

Tony arched an eyebrow. “Does it make a difference where the funds come from?”

“Not within the Wizarding world, really, but in the mundane world of New York City and America it does, especially in getting the proper permits, insurance rates, and civil liabilities. Corporate protections are the best in these situations.”

Tony cocked his head, his brain going through the figures the goblin’s words had provoked and came to the same conclusion. “In that case, I would surmise we have two choices; one to buy the property and finance the buildings utilizing SI profits, or, two, set up a new corporation which would actually own the property and buildings.”

“With the first option, wouldn’t Tony still be under the review of his board of directors?” Sirius asked as he followed the conversation.

Rockjaw gave an unpleasant smile. “Yes, even as the majority shareholder, his directors could assume some oversight into the design and construction of the buildings.”

Adjusting Harry a little, Tony leaned forward. “Alright, please set up a new corporation, let’s call it Stark Tower Inc, funded from my personal vault, to buy the land, arrange for the demolition of the existing buildings, and prepare the land for an environmental impact report. After that, we can discuss which vaults the monies will come from to actually fund the buildings.”

“I am able to accommodate that request.” Rockjaw made several notes,

“Put Sirius, Rhodey, Happy, and Pepper in as the board of directors, please.” Tony went through his mental list of items. “I have already commissioned the design and building plans, which we can finalize with the goblin-led foundation crew.”

“Can’t I be a d’rector, Papa?” Harry asked, his green eyes wide and beseeching.

Biting his lip to keep from laughing, Tony gave his son a solemn look. “Not until you are able to spell it, bambino.”

“Oh,” Harry frowned, but nodded his understanding. “But someday, when I’m bigger?”

“Definitely, little one!”

“Rockjaw,” Sirius leaned forward with a parchment in his hand. “Tony and I have also put together a list of investments we’d like to make with our personal vaults.”

Tony sat back as Sirius discussed the assets they wanted to utilize; Harry played with Tony’s ring as they waited, Tony’s mind swirling around timeframes they were looking at to build what he envisioned. Both he and Sirius agreed that Harry would initially be homeschooled, until they could make a more permanent move to New York, and then they would search for a small private school or co-op with other magical parents. Harry had already proved he was a very smart little boy and had the potential to have inherited Tony’s genius; there was no way Tony was going to ship his son off to a boarding school at eight as Howard had done to him. His little boy would grow up at home.

“Papa, when can I ‘vest my ‘lowance?” Harry whispered in his ear as Sirius conferred with Rockjaw.

Tony carded the fingers of the hand not holding Harry through his son’s tousled hair. “I will give you five gold Galleons, bambino, and you can decide how you want to invest them. Alright?”

Harry gave him a delighted grin and threw his arms around Tony’s neck. Giving him a smacking kiss.

The shopping area seemed to have fewer people walking around it when they came out of Gringotts and Harry, hat and sunglasses in place, enjoyed his “shopping”. The chocolate and candy store was amazing, and while Tony didn’t have a huge sweet tooth, he remembered Sirius had a weakness for chocolates. Harry’s eyes were wide as they went through the aisles, but he didn’t ask for anything, his hand firmly clutching at his coins in his pocket. It took Tony several minutes of watching his son before he saw any interest as the green eyes lingered on licorice whips and then fairy floss. When Harry moved on, Tony made sure he bought a supply to give the little boy as treats.

This pattern continued when they visited the small joke shop Sirius appeared to want to buy out and the magical toy store. Tony was able to pick up several educational toys and the magical equivalent to Legos for Harry to build things with. He also couldn’t resist grabbing a unicorn and niffler stuffed animals. Tony reasoned that every child needed something soft to cuddle up to and quietly had Zin send the bags he’d filled back to their rented penthouse. Catching up to Harry, he found the child giggling over Sirius who was juggling several bags at this point and Tony rolled he eyes at the man’s antics.

“Zin,” Tony whispered again and waited the few seconds for the house-elf to appear. “Could you send Sirius’ bags to the penthouse as well, please.”

With an enthusiastic snap of his fingers, Zin Banished the bags and Tony smirked when Sirius squawked as he almost fell over at the sudden loss.

“Merlin, Tony! You could at least warn a guy!” Sirius pouted dramatically.

Harry slapped his hand over his mouth to smother his giggles as Tony reached to take his free hand. “Come on, son. While Sirius is pouting, we’ll go see if there are any books we want to read!”

Swinging Harry up into his arms, Tony strode into the bookstore like he owned it and the people gathered in the entry way parted for them. He gave several young women his devilish playboy smile, as Harry wiggled in his arms to be set down, and then tugged at his hand to speed him up. Disengaging his fingers, Tony ran them through his son’s tousled hair.

“I think the children’s section is that way, bambino,” Tony pointed him in the right direction. “Lead the way.”

Harry stepped forward excitedly, weaving around displays of books and other children, with Tony at his heels. As he followed, Tony’s attention was distracted by a display of books, their covers a garish shade of green, with purple writing. He paused, eyes taking in the cover of a small boy with black hair and eyes the color of the Killing Curse.

Tales of the Boy-Who-Lived: Harry Potter and the Baby Dragon

Tony grabbed one of the books off the display, examined the cover, and had to wrestle his anger back down. It seemed Britain didn’t have a monopoly on inappropriately using his son’s name – not to mention that insensitive title! Wonderful to remind the child of what he’d lost that terrible night! Flipping the book open, Tony read the inside cover, his anger building.

“Tony?”

A hand settled on his shoulder and Tony took a deep breath, before turning to meet Sirius’ eyes. He held the book up so the other man could read the title and then pointed at the display.

“Bloody hell! I thought we’d had all of those pulled off the shelves!”

“We did – in the UK,” Tony ground out. “Can you pay for this one and then we’ll send it over to Rockjaw to take the appropriate action.”

Sirius took the book from him. “Where is Harry?”

Tony froze, his head swiveling back and forth. “Harry! HARRY!”

The book forgotten, Tony rushed through the bookstore, his eyes scanning the aisles as he passed them. His eyes narrowed into tunnel vision, his ear vaguely registering Sirius’ shouts behind him. It seemed like hours, but realistically it could have only been moments when Tony spotted Harry, seated on a small stool in an area set aside for children. Taz became visible beside his son as Tony folded to his knees and hugged Harry tight.

“Did you get lost, Papa?” Harry patted his head reassuringly.

“I did, bambino!” Tony huffed as he heard Sirius thunder up behind him. “I guess I got a little distracted. ‘

Leaning towards him, Harry kissed Tony on the head. “It’s okay, Papa, I was reading a story to Taz.”

“That’s my good boy,” Tony assured him as he tried to slow his racing heart, Sirius planting his hands on his shoulders.

Harry patted Tony’s cheek and went back to his book, a tiny frown wrinkling his forehead as he worked to decipher the words on the page, Taz listening to every word. Taking deep breaths, Tony forced the panic that had taken over his senses away and wasn’t sure whether he was holding Sirius up or vice versa. This was one of those times Tony wondered if he was cut out for fatherhood.

As he stood up, Tony leaned back against Sirius and accepted the arm slung around his waist. A little girl, black hair done in tight curls and big, brown eyes sat down on a stool beside Harry’s and gave him a small smile as he continued to read. Harry shied away for a moment, but when the girl didn’t try to hit him or take away his book, he relaxed and turned the book slightly so his new listener could see the pictures. Tony had just gotten his heart rate back to normal when he heard a bit of commotion from the front of the store.

“Aurelia! Aurelia!” A male voice shouted and Tony turned his head to exchange a look with Sirius.

The frantic voice grew louder, and Tony watched as a man skidded around the end of the nearest aisle in a familiar state of panic. He and Sirius both pointed to the quietly reading children, their own panic still very fresh. The man’s dark complected face reddened as his eyes narrowed at the little girl, who looked up with wide eyes. The man stepped in front of Tony and lifted her in a rougher manner than Tony considered necessary, hauling her into his arms.

“Aurelia! I told you to stay beside me! Can’t you ever follow instructions!”

The man brushed passed Sirius as he stomped away, the little girl now crying in his arms. Tony glanced at Harry, only to find him watching with frightened eyes, his face pale, and his bottom lip trembling. His heart clenching, Tony reached down and scooped Harry into his arms, book and all. His son buried his face in Tony’s neck, a shudder running through the little boy.

“Shh, bambino, you are not in trouble,” Tony crooned in Harry’s ear, “you did exactly what I asked you to and I’m glad you found such a great place to sit and wait for Sirius and I.”

“Man mad, Papa.”

“Yes, and maybe it was just because he was scared, little one,” Tony patted his back as Sirius carded a hand through his hair. “But I’m not mad at you and neither is Daddy, baby boy.”

“Not a baby,” Harry grumbled, but his arms tightened around Tony’s neck.

Tony huffed a laugh and snuggled Harry closer. “Let’s grab you a couple books, bambino, and then we can go walk through the pet shop. I think Padfoot needs a new chew toy.”

Harry’s snickers were like a balm to his ragged nerves and Tony drew a deep breath. Sirius wrapped his arms around both of them with a good-natured growl at Tony’s words. Sirius pressed a kiss to Tony’s cheek and then Harry’s head as Tony leaned into him. They had accomplished quite a few things today and he was thankful Harry was such a well-behaved little boy, as Tony wasn’t sure how he’d have dealt with a tantrum.

They would need to look for a pediatrician and a mind healer who specialized in abused children for Harry to speak to, both in Malibu and New York. Tony wanted his son – their son – to have the best start to the rest of his life he could. Dumbledore, Voldemort, and whoever else fate might throw at them; they would be prepared. Tony was determined that Harry would grow up strong, healthy, and well-adjusted, but he’d also know how to fight for what he wanted.

Allowing Harry to get down and show Sirius which books he wanted, Tony watched fondly as the two interacted. Tomorrow were the interviews and Saturday the charity gala for the Maria Stark Foundation, then they could take a few days to relax. The magical modifications for the communication mirror would start in a couple of weeks and Tony was itching to improve the cellular phone SI would be putting out. Technology improvements, learning more about their abilities, and getting a schedule set up with time spent on both coasts.

Tony hadn’t even missed his old playboy lifestyle – he hadn’t had time.

Chapter Text

There were two conference rooms on the executive floor of Stark Industries NYC, one adjacent to the office Howard Stark had used for decades and the other next to Obadiah Stane’s office. There was a large sitting area on the first floor, utilized by the Personnel department, who was providing screening for the interviews. Like with the California interviews, employees entering the building at their appointment time would be directed to the appropriate conference room by charmed signage. Of the one hundred applicants, it was believed thirty-three were actually witches and wizards, the others either Squibs or no-majs employees who knew about magic and recognized the magical-related words.

Tony, Pepper, and Happy were at the building by quarter of eight, with the first interview scheduled for nine. Rhodey was due there any moment to give them a hand with the non-magical employees, while Sirius was taking care of Harry.

“Hogan? Stark?”

Tony looked up from his casting a spell scanning for electronic abnormalities along the hallway when Graves called his name. “In here, Captain.”

Continuing the search for listening and video devices, Tony had Zin with him, zapping the several he had already found with elf magic. Tony had expected Obadiah’s office to be bugged, the bastard was more than paranoid, but the two listening and one video device Tony had discovered in Howard’s old office angered him. The only person authorized to even enter the office was Tony, except for a monthly cleaning crew. Graves appeared in the doorway to the conference room, dressed in clothing similar to the uniform the American Aurors wore, black tactical pants topped with a red tunic and over it, a fitted long leather jacket.

“Good morning, Stark— “

“Tony, please.”

Graves tipped his head, “Allow me to introduce my new assistant.” He gestured towards the diminutive woman walking beside him. “Maggie Garcia.”

The woman seemed to flow as she walked, dressed in golden brown robes, just a shade darker than her complexion. Tony gave her a short bow as he walked to join them.

“Ms. Garcia.”

“Maggie recently retired from a secret department within the Security Forces of MACUSA, where they specialize in gathering intelligence and investigation unexplained happenings.”

Tony cocked his head. “Are you talking about the Unspeakables?”

He smirked as he watched both sets of eyes widen. “Don’t worry about me, Sirius explained them to me when we were teenagers – I guess at one time he was trying to talk his friend into applying for the position in the British Ministry, but he was a werewolf—”

“Remus Lupin,” the woman answered immediately. “I tried to recruit him just after the Potters were killed, but he disappeared.”

Tony gave her a sharp look. “Something no doubt orchestrated by Dumblefuck. Everything else which happened to the Potters, Sirius, and my son was tied to that bastard.” He cast a general detection spell on the room, overpowering it in his annoyance. “Sirius wrote Lupin before we left California, but he hasn’t received an answer.”

“You are most probably right, Dr. Stark,” Garcia assured him as she walked up beside him and cast a Revealing Spell.

Tony relaxed his arm and watched as the woman began casting, impressed at the power he felt in her spells.

“Maggie has developed a localize Compulsion Charm which she will be casting on the chairs the interviewees will sit in. It is undetectable unless you know what you are looking for.” Graves joined him and together they watched Garcia walk around the room.

“I like her,” Tony decreed with a grin. “Assistant, you say?”

Graves gave Tony a deadpan look. “Yes, mine.”

Holding his hands up in the air, Tony ceased his teasing as he backed out into the reception area and allowed Graves and Garcia to set up the interview room. He had been nervous about the interviews, especially with what had happened in California. Although they had the advantage of these employees not being as familiar with Tony as the main office was and few if any of them knew Tony was a wizard. Those familiar with the Wizarding world, who’d work with Howard during WWII, might know about his mother, but Tony wasn’t sure.

“Tones?”

Rhodey’s inflection told Tony he’d called him several times, and Tony turned around with a sheepish look. “Sorry, Honey-bear, I was thinking.”

The airman, dressed today in a navy-blue suit Tony had given him on his last birthday, handed him one of the Styrofoam cups in his hand. “How’s my favorite nephew?”

“He’s doing great!” Tony enthused, careful of the hot coffee. “Sirius was going to take him to the Natural History Museum this morning, then the park, and maybe join us for lunch. Kid’s too smart to keep cooped up without something new to learn!”

“Maybe you should have him tested, Tony,” Rhodey muttered as he blew across the surface of the coffee. “See if he has the Stark Curse, too.”

Tony threw back his head and laughed. “Howard about killed me every time I called it that!”

“Bastard was prouder of your genius than of how you used it!”

Nodding grimly, Tony glanced toward the door to Howard’s old office. “I think that’s why he started feeding me scotch when I was six, figured if he could get my mind to slow down a bit, I’d be more obedient.”

“How’d that work for him?” Rhodey responded darkly.

“Threw up on his shoes the first time!” Tony grinned at his friend’s burst of laughter. “No one will ever put Harry through anything like that,” he promised.

“Over my dead body!”

The interviews went well, the compulsion spell on the chair aiding them in weeding out the simply curious from those who were excited about creating magic compatible tech. Those successful candidates were given new Non-Disclosure Agreements to sign and transfer paperwork to the new magical R&D department. Several Squibs had gone through interviews with Rhodey and Graves, eager to work in the PR or Legal offices of the new department.

The second to last interview, a John R. Wolfe, seemed out of place in the science and tech heavy crowd. Tony frowned as he looked over the man’s resume, which was heavy in academics, Defense, and magical theory. The door opened and Happy escorted in an unassuming man about Tony’s age, clad in a tweed jacket and trousers, with sandy brown hair and amber eyes. Tony stood up as if to greet the man, the amber eyes riveted on his face as the man moved cautiously forward.

Wolfe stopped beside the chair and gripped its back. “Tony?”

Tony blinked, a memory surfacing of having dinner at the Potter’s mansion when he was about twelve, the first time he'd met the friend James and Sirius had brought home for the summer holidays. “Remus?”

Several things happened simultaneously: Maggie Garcia stepped through the door behind Remus; Tony’s wand found its way to his hand, and Sirius Apparated in with a crying Harry. Tony found his arms full of his son, sobbing into his neck, Sirius froze in shock, and Remus stared at Harry.

Sirius snapped out of it first. “Somebody snatched Taz thinking it was Harry!”

Tony almost laughed. “Taz knows to stun only, right?”

Eyes narrowed; Sirius smirked. “I’m rather hoping he forgets! Who grabs a five-year-old off a slide with their parent less that two meters away!”

With a crack, Taz and Taffy appeared, three men dressed in leather jackets and jeans, hog-tied, hit the floor hard. Taz was still wearing the glamour which made him resemble Harry so the two could play when they went to the park. With a snap of his fingers, Taz dropped the glamour and glared down at the unmoving figures. Taffy popped in, looking as if she was ready to tear the idiots who would threaten her “baby” apart.

Graves burst in, wand in hand, with cracks of Apparation in the hallway behind him. Harry clung hard, cutting off most of Tony’s airway. Moving away, Tony murmured reassurances to his son as he heard Graves and the Aurors dealing with the suspects. Carrying Harry over to where a window overlooked the industrial area and the river.

“It’s okay, bambino, you’re safe. Papa’s got you.” He jostled Harry a bit and got him to loosen his grip.

“Papa! Taz saved me!” Harry pulled back slightly, tears drying on his face and his nose running.

“He did, baby! He did a great job!”

Tony slid him around to his hip and was searching around for a handkerchief when one appeared from his other side. Looking up, Tony saw Remus Lupin standing next to him, his eyes riveted on Harry. With murmured thanks, Tony used the handkerchief to dry Harry’s face as he continued to speak softly to Harry, who is peeking around Tony to look at Remus.

“Papa?” Who's that?”

Sirius walked up behind Harry and put his arm around Tony protectively. “Moony?”

Harry leaned in a bit, looking closely at Lupin as he grasped onto Tony’s shoulder. “Daddy? Is that Unca Moony?” He whispered loudly.

“Daddy?”

Tony couldn’t help but snicker at the wide-eyed, thunderstruck expression on the man’s face. And laughed harder at the dopey look on Sirius’ face.

“Actually, Harry decided Sirius was going to be his Daddy when Sirius and I decided to start a relationship.” Tony kissed Harry’s temple as he felt Sirius’ arm tighten around him.

A wide grin spread across Lupin’s face. “You should have done that five years ago – the two of you were ridiculous!”

“It is Unca Moony, Papa!’ Harry crowed, before giving Lupin a hard stare. “You’re not here to hurt me, are you, Unca Moony?”

"Oh no, cub, never!" There was a wounded tone to Lupin's words.

Tony glanced over his shoulder and saw Graves and Happy looming over the three suspects, Graves appearing to be yelling at them. A translucent bubbly enclosed them, and Tony recognized it as a privacy spell of some kind – damn, he really needed to practice his magic more!

"Daddy?" Harry tugged at his lapel. "Taz saved me."

Refocusing his attention, Tony pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead. "He certainly did, bambino! And I am immensely grateful."

Harry's fingers played with the knot in Tony's tie and looked up at him under his lashes. "I think Taz should get a 'ward, but I don't have anything to give him." Harry lifted his face to look at Tony.

Barely withholding a laugh at the puppy dog look Harry fixed on him, Tony nodded in agreement. "Taz!" he called softly.

The house-elf appeared instantly with hardly a sound, pausing to pat Harry's foot before bowing to Tony. "Yes, Master Tony?"

"Harry and I would like to reward you for doing an excellent job of protecting him today," Tony told Taz as he knelt with Harry still in his arms. "You may ask for anything."

Seeing the luminous blue eyes tear up, Tony felt a moment of panic and Harry patting his cheek grounded him.

"Master Harry and Master Tony bes too good to Taz! But if youse are happy with Taz, Taz would be wanting to stay with Taffy always."

Tony blinked and then grinned. "I think we can make sure you always stay with Taffy!"

It took a few minutes to put everything back in order – the Aurors whisked the culprits away for interrogation and booking, while Sirius took Harry and Remus back to the apartment to talk. The last interview was restless, pacing back and forth in front of the conference room door instead of sitting as directed. Taking a peek from the one-way window in Howard's office, Tony stiffened. This was the man they had encountered in the bookstore the day before.

Moving back into the conference room, Tony reached into his briefcase and withdrew the magic resistant amulet he had been working on.

"Pepper, I want you to put this on, under your blouse, so it rests against your skin." He handed it to her before turning to Happy. "Max, I want you to make Happy invisible as soon as he lets the last man in."

"What's wrong, boss?" Happy inquired, hand going to his gun.

"We ran into him yesterday at the book store and he was a piece of work, yelling at his kid, and scaring Harry." Tony leveled a look at him. "Now, it could have just been exasperation over his kid, but he just seemed a bit more aggressive than I liked."

"And if he thinks its just Pepper doing the interview, he might say more than he would with you there, right boss?"

Tony nodded, coming over to stand on Pepper's right, his wand in his hand. She had the file open with a picture of the man clipped to the inside cover. "Regis Bowles," Tony read, "wizard, homeschool, has worked for SI for the past ten years. His direct report is Obie's PA. Hmmm."

Pepper shuffled through the pages for a moment. "Good attendance, adequate evaluations, but it doesn't say exactly what he does, except he seems to work a lot of overtime."

Grimly, Tony recognized the pattern from Stane's employees in California. "Okay, escort him in. Zin!"

Being invisible was rather freeing, Tony decided as he moved about the room. Luckily, he'd thought to cast a silencing charm on himself. Bowles strolled into the conference room as if he owned it and smiled condescendingly when he saw Pepper sitting at the table alone. Settling into the charmed chair, Bowles leaned back with a shark-like grin.

"I'm surprised you're alone, Ms. Potts. I was sure that imbecilic idiot you work for would be here, if only for looks."

Tony moved closer to Pepper, wand at ready, as he listened to the arrogance of the man.

"You understand, Mr. Bowles, that Tony Stark will be personally in charge of this new division of Stark Industries?"

Bowles sneered. "You keep thinking that, sweetheart. You are going to give me the job of department head and then add to the paperwork that I'll be a direct report to Mr. Stane."

"There is no way you—"

"Oh, you'll never get the chance to do anything, doll," Bowles twisted his wrist and his wand slid into his hand. "I'll be modifying your memories when we are finished here. That's the beauty of making sure I had the last appointment."

Pepper didn't even blink at the appearance of Bowles' wand. "Do you modify memories often, Mr. Bowles?"

Bowles gave a grunt of laughter. "I'm a bit of an expert, actually, and it's one of the reasons Mr. Stane has been able to skim millions off of Si's profits. A bit of a memory alteration here and there, and I get huge bonuses." Nodding his head toward the door to Howard's office. "And we were smart enough to store the files and data in the old man's office – idiot son of his has no idea and we've been doing it for years."

"Really?" Pepper closed the folder and folded her hands over the top of it, head up and staring him down. "You hid it all in Howard's office?"

"Top drawer of his desk!" Bowles sneered at her, twirling his wand in his fingers. "All of it, including the patents Mr. Stane stole from Stark – the father wasn't much smarter than the whelp."

"I think I've heard enough," Tony announced, his voice cold as he cast a stunner at Bowles. "Zin, Max, will you restrain this asshole, please. Happy—"

"Already on my way, boss." Happy headed toward the other conference room.

Tony paused and patted Pepper's shoulder. "You okay, Pep? You did a fabulous job getting him to spill his guts."

Pepper shot him a look, before standing to join him. "Feel like I need a shower now!"

They both stared at the man on the floor, hogtied courtesy of Zin. Tony had to take a deep breath and push down the rage threating to overwhelm him. His father's business partner, Tony's unofficial uncle, had been stealing from their family business since before his parents had died. And his patents? The products he had invented to further SI's development and to help protect the service members of their country.

"We are going to need the FBI, Pep," Tony grimly announced. "This is industrial espionage, especially with the patents for weapons and protective products which are under federal contract."

"We'll liaison with everyone, Stark." Graves appeared at his elbow. "MACUS Security Forces will bring them in, along with the DOD and whomever else is needed."

Howard and Stane's offices were soon swarming with people clad in different uniforms, photographing and collecting evidence, as well as carefully disassembling everything in
both offices. Grim-faced, Tony stood watching, knowing it was his own fault for having unequivocally trusted Stane, as his father had before him. Stane, who insisted Tony finish his MBA at Columbia before he took over as CEO and then tried to oppose him with the Board when he did. All those months where the bastard had unfettered access to everything, including all of Tony's inventions and improvements.

At some point, Rhodey materialized at his side and slung an arm around his shoulders. No remonstrations, no jokes, just Rhodey being his brother and a pillar of support for Tony as he witnessed so many of his mistakes being exposed and his worries coming to fruition. Happy stood, his arms crossed over his chest and head tilted towards Graves as they discussed the information as it was uncovered. Pepper sat on the couch in Howard's office taking notes of critical information, such as the names of those who Stane was paying off to look the other way.

It was well after dinnertime before they returned to the apartment Tony was renting, Pepper and Happy excused themselves immediately and headed towards their room. Taffy had sent food to them, but none of them had been very hungry. As Tony and Rhodey moved to sit on the couch, Harry came running down the stairs, one hand clutched tightly on the handrail.

"Papa! Unca Rhodey!" Harry practically flew into Tony's lap, gripping his neck in a strangle hold. "Daddy and me were so worried about you!"

Tony wrapped his arms around his son and pressed their cheeks together. "Zin, Rhodey, and Happy would never let anything happen to me, bambino!"

"I'm just thankful the idiot was so stupid," Rhodey muttered as Sirius came down the stairs clad in his sleep pants. "I'm sure your Dad could have handled him without our help, little man."

"Harry insisted on staying up until everyone was home and safe." Sirius sat down beside Tony and looped an arm around his waist.

Tony leaned against Sirius; Harry buried his face in Tony's throat and sighed, relaxing as he fell asleep. "Poor little guy," Tony said softly, rubbing Harry's back, "I know how you feel, bambino, all this adulting is just exhausting!"

Snorting, Rhodey stood up and ruffled Tony's hair, who gave him a death glare. "Take your kid to bed, Tones, and tell those little guys I'm sleeping in," Rhodey stretched his back, arms in the air. "See you in the morning."

"Night, Honey Bear," Tony threw over his shoulder, standing as Sirius drew him up to his feet.

"At least we accomplished what we wanted," Sirius commented as they climbed the stairs towards the bedroom.

Tony nodded, his legs feeling like lead as they trudged upward. "We've taken care of the some of most obvious of them, but they're like cockroaches, dogman, and it's the ones still hiding in the darkness I'm concerned with."

Sirius lifted Harry out of his arms and laid him down on the far side of the bed, pulling the blanket up. Tony watched as he began to undress, throwing his clothes over the chair in the corner. He felt hands on his back as he bent over to pull his sleep pants on. A light touch, there for Tony if he needed support.

A smile curved his lips as he stood and turned into Sirius' arms, tilting his head in invitation. Sirius studied his face for a moment, uncharacteristically solemn, before sliding his hands up to cup Tony's face.

"This afternoon scared me, Tones, more than I could imagine, but the thought of losing Harry or you would devastate me." He met Tony's eyes, the gray stormy.

Tony laid his hands on Sirius' hips, magic tingling them as they caressed the warm skin, knowing he was in just as deep and tried to express that with his eyes. He'd never been good at expression his emotion and often fell back into teasing or annoying comment but knew now wasn't the time.

"Sirius, I—I don't know what I'd do—"

Tony couldn't continue, the words stuck in his throat, but he didn't have to as Sirius was kissing him. Pressing closer, Tony slid his arms around Sirius' waist, hands splaying on the warm skin of Sirius' lower back as he pressed against Sirius. The kiss was hard and just this side of desperate as Sirius cupped the back of Tony's head, mapping out the interior of his mouth. Easing back before things got too heated, Tony buried his face in Sirius' throat, working to slow his breathing and heart rate.

Tony pulled back, envious that Sirius was one and a half inches taller than he was. "Perhaps we could leave the Gala a bit early tomorrow and pop over to the apartment? I really need to retrieve the Pensieve before I have the place cleaned out."

Sirius arched an eyebrow, eyes trailing down his chest suggestively. "Sounds like a lovely plan."

The Gala for the Maria Stark Foundation was anticlimatic after the excitement of the passed few days. Tony and Sirius, both wearing bespoke classic tuxedos, made an eye-catching couple as they stepped out of the limo Happy had arranged for them. The expected troop of security guards were both mundane and magical, as well as Max and Zin, and both men felt secure. Pepper rode with them and both men made a point of dancing with her at least once, as Happy had stayed behind to personally oversee Harry's safety. Rhodey arrived in full dress uniform escorting Auror Captain Jodi Proudfoot, lovely in ice blue. Tony blinked at them before grinning.

The food was better than usual and both alcohol was top shelf, although both Tony and Sirius only drank the initial toast, Taffy switching out the scotch they were served with apple juice. Tony, for one, had cut his drinking way back and Sirius was still restricted by his healer. Both were anticipating the trip to Tony's bachelor apartment after the party and wanted to be sober for the stolen adult time they had managed to secure.

Dessert had been served and Tony had aced his speech, thanking everyone for coming. He challenged the room full of very wealthy, beautiful people to match his one-million-dollar donation. Wearing his media smile and flashing the crowd his trademark peace sign, Tony swept from the ballroom and headed to the small, private room he'd been given to freshen up, if needed. Sirius, who'd slipped out during Tony's fund-raising speech, had alerted everyone they would be Apparating to Tony's apartment to gather some of his belongings. The security team had checked the rooms earlier in the day and swept it for bugs and video devices – three of each were found – declaring it safe.

Tony was fuming, wondering if the surveillance was what clued Stane in on Harry. While he couldn’t hear the memories in the Pensieve, the audio device and video camera in his office had been there for a long time, based on their locations, he would have been aware of Tony’s reintroduction to magic.

"JARVIS, backtrack all those devices as far back as you can,” Tony told his AI as he watched with an admiring gaze Sirius do a striptease with his tux. "And JARVIS, initiate Protocol Do Not Disturb, unless it's about Harry."

"As you wish, Sir."

Tony arched an eyebrow at the sassy tone, but soon lost all track of thought as a naked Sirius began to peel his suit off him, flinging it haphazardly onto a chair in the corner. Since he'd been fifteen, Tony had engaged in sex with a lot of people, male and female, and while he prided himself on being a thoughtful and thorough lover, he'd personally never been so swept away that he lost all thought – especially when it came to putting on a condom. He'd never felt the desperate desire to feel naked skin against naked skin, the feeling like he was going to spontaneously combust while in someone's arms, and certainly had never lost the ability to think as the desire inside him built to an explosive level.

Until now.

Sirius nipped and tweaked and sucked, surrounding Tony with his unique scent. Tony's head spun with sensations, his cock hard and leaking as Sirius seemed to know every erogenous zone on his body. Finding himself pushed flat on his back on his bed, Tony drew in a deep breath, just to expel every bit of it as Sirius impaled himself onto Tony's cock.

"Fuck, Tones!" Sirius gasped, leaning forward to kiss him senseless. "You actually do have the best cock I've ever seen!"

His fingers found Sirius' hips and desperately held them still until Tony felt he wouldn't embarrass himself when he moved. Tony groaned as Sirius clenched around him and he could have sworn he felt his eyes roll back in his head.

Then, Sirius began to move and encouraged Tony to move as well. "Come on, baby, harder! I won't break!"

"Pushy bottom! Tony muttered flipping them over and pushing Sirius' legs up to his chest. "I'll show you harder!"

Tony didn't last long but was able to console himself that he held out longer than Sirius did. The muscle contractions from Sirius' climax pushing Tony over the edge magic and he collapse forward onto Sirius' chest, breathing hard. A tingle of magic between them told Tony that Sirius was at least coherent, and Tony rolled to the side.

"That was incredible!" Sirius turned his head and kissed Tony's temple.

"Thank you," Tony panted, trying to regain his breath.

"We're incredible, you prat."

Tony could hear the smirk in his lover's voice and had to grin. He had to agree even as Sirius let out a low laugh when he didn't respond.

"Come on, dogman, get dressed or you can explain to Harry why we are there in the morning."

Chapter Text

Sunday dawned hot and muggy, a steady layer if high clouds kept them out of the direct sunlight, and way too early for Tony. His son was in the process of trying to quietly climb over him, sliding to the floor and disappearing into the bathroom. A flush and the tinkle of running water pulled Tony from his doze and he lifted his head from the pillow, smirking as he saw Sirius, snoring into his own pillow, sprawled across the bed.

Resisting the urge to grope the delicious ass on display, Tony sat on the edge of the bed waiting for Harry to creep out of the bathroom. When he didn't, Tony rubbed a hand over his face and stood, slowly making his way into over. Harry stood in the middle of the warm floor, having stripped off his pajamas, and was trying to figure out how to turn on the shower.

"Good morning, bambino," Tony yawned, bending down to kiss Harry on top of the head. "Didn't you take a bath last night?"

Shaking his head, Harry pouted. "Uncle Happy said I might drown myself without pro'er sup'rvision,"

Tony snorted as he made use of the toilet. "Well then, let's take a quick shower and go see what Taffy has made for breakfast."

"Papa?" Harry gave him a serious look as Tony flipped on the shower.

"Yes, baby boy?"

"Does Taffy know I had to cook sometimes at my nasty relatives house?"

His words felt like a punch to his gut and Tony reached down to pick his son up. Giving him a hug and kissing his nose, he dunked them both under the showerhead, wetting them down, before pulling back a little.

"I think so, bambino," he admitted softly, "and she knows it's not something appropriate for a child your age. If you want to help cook, I'm sure we can do that, but no using the stove or oven until you are taller. Okay?"

Harry had already grabbed the shower gel and squeezed out a handful. "Okay, Papa! I do like to help bake biscuits, though."

Tony plucked the bottle from Harry' hands. "I'm sure that can be arranged. Now, wash everywhere!"

Harry snickered as he rubbed his hands together to foam up the gel and proceeded to spread it everywhere he could reach.

It took them less than fifteen minutes to wash and dress in jeans and tee shirts. Tony swung Harry up on his shoulders as they crept out of the bedroom, both giggling over Sirius' snoring. Taffy had eggs, bacon, pancakes, and fruit waiting for them as they sat down at the kitchen island to eat. Harry nattered away at Taffy and Taz while Tony checked his email on his laptop.

By the time Sirius stumbled down the stairs, Harry giggling at his sleepiness, Tony had taken care of their travel arrangements the following day and acknowledged an email from the FBI. They had launched a full-blown investigation into Obadiah and Stark Industries, which was what Tony wanted them to do. He'd already given them his statement, including what he suspected Stane to have done in the years since his parents died. He rubbed his forehead, wondering what would have happened if he hadn't gotten his memories back and discovered the irregularities in both his and his son's lives.

Sirius inhaled his first cup of coffee before he blinked his eyes and gave Harry exaggerated kisses to both cheeks and his nose. He'd then turned to Tony with a gleam in his eyes and practically pulled Tony from his stool to smother his face in kisses. Tony tried to laugh, then tried not to moan as Sirius swooped in for a snog and Harry laughed harder as Tony's hand flailed before grasping Sirius' head.

"Keep it kid friendly in the kitchen, boys," Pepper's dry comment had them springing apart with guilty looks on their faces.

"Yes, mum," Sirius quipped as he snagged Tony's plate and began eating.

"Hey!" Tony yiped, grabbing at it, but Sirius bend over the plate protectively.

Harry grinned. "You can share mine, Papa."

"Thank you, Harry!" Tony grabbed a handful of blueberries from his son's plate. "Don't ever be as rude as your daddy, okay?"

"Yes, Papa!"

"Oi!"

It was close to midmorning before they ventured out to sightsee. Graves had put together a route that encompasses a number of interesting places for Harry to see. Figuring Cooney Island could wait until Harry was older, they instead went to see the Statue of Liberty, the Museum of Natural History, wandered around Time Square, had a late lunch at Juniors, and walked along Broadway. Harry loved the view from the observation deck at the Empire State building and ran around Central Park as the sun set. Tony had made arrangements to have lasagnas delivered from an old family style restaurant in Little Italy, knowing Harry would be hungry when he woke up from his nap, having fallen asleep after chasing Taz and Padfoot in the park.

Tony had carried him back to the car and swore even Happy almost smiled at the sight of the exhausted child. Impressed with the way his security team was able to both be visible for any would-be attackers, but also blend in with the other people in the area. The museum had been the only place Tony had felt uncomfortable, and that was only because he'd been recognized the instant he'd taken his sunglasses off. Cursing his reputation when he was swarmed by flirting women, Tony had smothered a grin when Sirius actually growled at one very forward twenty-something.

As amusing as that had been, Tony decided to pay next time for whichever museum to shutdown so Harry could actually enjoy walking through the exhibits. They had managed to divert his attention today, but he was a smart kid and Tony knew it wouldn't take long for him to catch on. Tony knew they were on borrowed time, before one of their worlds found out about Harry and they had magical fangirls added to the mix. Pepper had no sympathy for Tony, her arched eyebrow communicated perfectly her feelings that he'd brought his problems on himself with his past partying and shenanigans.

Tony sighed, moved closer to Sirius, and decided to start on creating a new image – Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, philanthropist, and devoted father.

The Malibu house was backlit by the setting sun as they drove up the driveway the next evening and Tony sighed, glad to be home. They had accomplished more than they thought possible in New York, but he was tired of being busy for days at a time. All Tony wanted was to be home, with his son and Sirius, tinker in his lab, and start teaching Harry. Pepper had to be back in the office tomorrow, but Tony had a three day reprieve to put together prototypes for the Boards next meeting on Friday.

Sirius had spoken to Remus Lupin, who was willing to relocate temporarily to California and become Harry's primary tutor. He would live with them during the week and Floo back to New York for weekends and full moon nights. The Gringotts healer had found several memory charms and Compulsion Spells on Remus, all bearing Dumblefuck's magical signature, which explained why he had accepted a long term mission to infiltrate werewolf enclaves in America.

Werewolves were more accepted here and Remus soon found he enjoyed being able to run with others on secure plot of land outside New York City. Landing a custodial job at SI, Remus had taken advantage of the program which helped pay for college, he'd attended classes at Empire State University, earning a degree in training. As soon as he'd graduated, Remus had been approached by HR and given a job in their training department, where Remus excelled.

Tony was keeping Remus on the SI payroll, but funding his position personally, hoping once they returned to New York to live, he would know the feasibility of starting a small on-site primary school for children. SI already had daycare centers in most of it's office buildings and factories, which had proven to be a great success. It was something his mother had started in the early 1990s in order to help young families who wanted to work but couldn't afford quality childcare. And these same kids were the ones applying for internships when they got into college, know they wanted to work for SI when they graduated.

Tony unbuckled Harry's car seat as soon as Happy pulled to a stop in the garage. His son yawned and looped his arms around Tony's neck as he swung his legs out of the door. Sirius was there to give him a hand out, carrying Tony's laptop bag which contained their shrunken luggage. Deciding to take the stairs up, Tony followed Sirius up.

"Welcome home, Sir." JARVIS' voice greeted him as he stepped into the lounge. "Master Sirius and little Sir."

Harry's head lifted off his shoulder. "Hi, Mr. JARVIS!"

Tony grinned and kissed Harry's temple before easing him to his feet. "You want to go look at the water, bambino?"

"Yes, Papa!" Harry took off towards the stairs with Sirius behind him.

"Has anyone been here since we were gone, J?" Tony asked as followed them up the stairs.

"Not that I am aware of, Sir, however there is an unexplained twenty-minute gap in my memory banks this morning."

Tony froze, before hissing. "Fortress Protocol, JARVIS, NOW!"

Turning on his left foot, Tony Apparated up to directly inside the balcony doors. He wand in hand, he immediately sent as strong a Stunning Spell as he could, taking out the two men standing over Sirius and Harry. He hit the panic button on his watch as he called

"Taz, Taffy!"

The house-elves immediately appeared and took in the scene, Taffy immobilizing the men with a snap of her fingers. Taz stood for a moment before popping away with a growl, instantly returning with an unconscious female.

Taking a deep breath, Tony dropped to his knees next to Sirius. "Enervate!" He cast it first on Harry and then Sirius, and slowly expelled his breath as they began to stir.

"Don't let them move!" Happy was by his side, gun in hand, as several members of his security team piled out of the stairwell, wands and guns drawn.

"Have the whole house swept for surveillance equipment and spells, Happy," Tony bit out through clenched teeth. How could he have forgotten to have the place checked before he let his little boy inside?

The cracks of Apparation had Tony diving over Sirius and Harry, protecting them with his body, until he heard Captain Proudfoot's voice issuing orders.

"Tones?" Rhodey's voice sounded sweet in his ear, and he felt his best friend's hand settle on his shoulder. "Come on, the healer is here to check on them."

Tony slid back onto his knees, and looked around. An angry Taffy and Taz stood beside him, glaring at the three immobilized people on the floor. Jodi and another Auror had them at wand point. Sirius sat up on his own, but Harry was curled in a ball, crying. Tony wasn't sure he was supposed to move him, but scooted over until he was curled around his son.

"I'm here, baby boy," he crooned in a low voice and Harry turned into him, burying his face in Tony's chest as he continued to cry.

A witch in a lime green robe was waving her wand over them, a grim look on her face. "Mr. Black, you may get up and move to the couch. Mr. Stark, if you will pick your son up, and do the same. I have a potion which will help mitigate the rest of the effects of the spell. Monsters! Using a full Stunning Spell on a child!"

With Rhodey's help, Tony pushed himself on to his knees, Harry clasped firmly against his chest. He dropped down onto the couch closest to the wall of windows overlooking the ocean. The healer handed him a small vial of light lavender potion, just as Rhodey helped Sirius sit next to him on the couch, slumping against Tony.

"What happened?" Tony asked as he turned Harry slightly in his arms to rest back against his arm. "Here, bambino, open your mouth for Papa."

Harry just turned his face into Tony's shoulder and it took more cajoling to get his son to take the potion. "It will make you feel better," Tony begged, holding vial up so Harry could take it himself. "See, even Daddy took his and you know what a knot-head he is
about his medicine!"

Sirius gave him a side-eye look, but held the vial out and with exaggerated motions swallowed the potion, his eyes widening at the taste of the liquid. "Oi! That tastes good!"

Tony gave him a look, but was grateful when Harry brought the vial to his mouth and drank. He handed the healer the vial as he pressed himself back against Tony. One last twirl of her wand over Harry and the healer was gone. An arm slid around his waist and Sirius leaned his head back. Rhodey sat on the coffee table in front of the couch, a hand on Tony's knee.

"What—"

Harry's head popped up suddenly. "Papa! Where are Max and Tiffy? Did the bad people hurt them, too?"

"Taz!"

The little house-elf responded to Tony's call with an unusually loud crack, the usually affable elf spitting fire. "Taffy be healing the elvies in their sleeping rooms. Bad house-elves hurt them and brought the hate mongers here!"

"Are they okay?" Harry almost fell out of Tony's arms as he lunged towards Taz.

Taz nodded, reaching to pat Harry's hand. "Theys be fine by tomorrow, Master Harry."

Harry refused to let Tony go and they all sat on the couch as the Aurors conducted their investigations. Tony was able to coax Harry into eating some soup before letting him lay on the couch with his head in Tony' lap and feet in Sirius' lap, as the two sat close together. Rhodey sat with them, making sure they had water and something to each. At some point, Pepper had silently joined them, vibrating with anger.

"Tony?" Proudfoot stood beside Rhodey.

"Jodi, what have you found?" Tony asked softly.

Proudfoot flicked her wand at Harry. "Just a spell to keep him from hearing anything. Our preliminary information points at some of Stane and HYDRAs associates have followed your example and utilized house-elves to add them in this attack. Apparently, while you have formidable anti-Apparation wards around the house, you don't have any protections against house-elves or Animagi. This allowed them to order several house-elves to Apparate those two into the house, where they laid in wait."

"I'm a bit concerned as to how they got the information that we would be home this evening," Tony questioned.

"You might need to make sure there isn't a blind spot where your AI wasn't able to detect them while they waited," Proudfoot suggested. "James—"

Rhodey spoke up. "I'm more concerned about a possible mole in our security forces. Jodi has suggested you call a meeting with all of your team – personal and SI people, slipping a mild true serum into the refreshments."

"Which is what those who planned this would expect, so be suspicious of those who don't attend and those who don't drink the punch." Proudfoot produced an evil smile.

"And Maggie can cast that spell of hers on all the chairs!" Tony schemed.

"That's a good plan." Pepper was scribbling notes. "I'll organize a date."

"Thank you," Tony told them. "In the meantime, we'll get the goblins out to add the new wards. Right now, JARVIS has us in Fortress Protocol, meaning only Pepper, Rhodey, and Happy are allowed to enter the residence without additional screening. I'm sure Taz and Taffy will be extra alert for any intruders and I'm going to give JARVIS an upgrade before I go to bed."

"I've also doubled the guards outside. Tony," Happy interjected.

Tony looked at him. "You and Pepper staying here tonight?"

A glance at Pepper and Happy nodded. "Sure, boss."

"Don't forget about Polyjuice Potion, Tony," Proudfoot advised. "You might think about utilizing a password until the you can upgrade the security." She turned to go, before turning back. "Oh and the healer told me that if Harry hadn't had the runic array bracelet with the shielding on it, he could have been badly hurt."

"Which tells me these people really don't give a fuck as to who they hurt to get what they want."

"Exactly."

"JARVIS, let's start by reimaging the entire house, use the bots to help. I want every space scanned, let's fill in those blind spots."

Tony ended up taking both Harry and Sirius down to the lab with him. He didn't want Harry to wake up alone and his little boy wasn’t comfortable without him and Sirius within eyesight. If he was a less paranoid man, he'd wait until morning to start upgrading JARVIS's code, but Tony knew he wouldn't sleep until his loved ones were as safe as he could make them. Guilt swirled in his chest, but Tony forced it down. Howard was huge on guilt trips, laying them on Tony as far back in his childhood as he could remember. Failures which fed his lack of self-confidence and eroded his self-worth.

And Howard wondered why Tony had been a drunken, party boy by fourteen.

Shaking himself, Tony savagely pushed the feeling away and worked on a line of code which would allow JARVIS to take action in the event of another incursion into the house. All the door handles and most of the window frames were made of metal and Tony planned to give the AI the ability to zap anyone unauthorized who might be trying to gain access. He was also investigating localized knock-out gases, for release into the garage, lab, and foyer area in case someone got in. He also had several ideas taking form in his head on the application of electromagnetic pulse technology and sonic weapons.

He paused in his coding to roll over to where his desktop computer was and sent an email to his head of R&D, detailing what he thought they should look into regarding both EMP and sonic technology. Sliding back to his coding keyboard, Tony scrolled through the data JARVIS was producing for him and went back to work. It was several hours before he took a deep breath and allowed his fingers to still as he interpreted the scrolling information.

"Tony?"

Sirius' soft voice made Tony jump and he twirled around to see Sirius sitting up on the couch. Standing, Tony arched his back to stretch it, before sitting beside Sirius, who immediately slid an arm around him and leaned into his side. Tony kissed his temple as he watched Harry sleep. He could only hope this wouldn't trigger more nightmares to disrupt the little boy's sleep.

"Are you at a place where you can stop?" Sirius asked in the same soft voice. "It's half two and you need some sleep before the goblins descend on us in the morning."

Nodding his head, Tony gently picked Harry up from the couch. "Taz! Check the upstairs, please."

A few seconds later, Taz popped into the lab. "Masters be safe, Master Tony."

"Thank you, Taz." Tony trudged to the elevator, too tired to walk up the two flights of stairs to the bedrooms, Sirius at his side.

It only took a few minutes to get ready and then slip into bed, with Harry in between them. Tony curled around his son, his hand finding Sirius' in the dark. He hoped they could all sleep, but every time Tony dozed off, he kept seeing his son and Sirius at the top of the stairs, unconscious and not moving. He woke up gasping each time. Towards morning, Harry turned suddenly, plastering himself against Tony's chest, his breathing becoming rapid and shallow. Tony cupped the back of his head with one hand and stroked his back with the other.

"Shhh, sweetie, Papa is here. No one is going to take you away from us, I promise," Tony crooned softly.

Harry drew a deep breath and lifted his head. "Is it time to get up, Papa?"

"I think so, bambino, are you hungry?"

Harry nodded his head before burying it in Tony's shoulder again.

"Hold on, then," he whispered as he awkwardly maneuvered them out of bed as Harry held on like a chimp on its mother's back. A quick stop in the bathroom and Tony carried Harry downstairs. JARVIS lit the way as he held his precious cargo tight, his bare feet padding quietly down the marble steps. Harry lifted his head as Tony stepped onto the living room floor. The lights came up automatically as Tony moved towards the kitchen.

"Master Tony?"

Tony stopped abruptly, curling around his son in a protective way. He felt his jaw drop as he found himself facing a crowd of about two dozen house-elves standing between him and the kitchen. Taffy and Taz stood in front of them, and Tony relaxed slightly.

"Taffy? What's going on?"

His normally unexcitable lead elf was fairly vibrating as she bounced up and down. "These be being the Potter elvies from Hogwarts, Master Tony! Theys being freed last night and left to come meet Master Harry!"

Looking over the little beings, Tony could see they appeared to be a wide range of ages, all wearing faded red togas with the Potter crest embroidered on the front, and every one of them was staring at Harry.

"Are they all, uh, good elves, Taffy?" Tony wasn't taking any chances with their safety. "Anyone who doesn't want to swear loyalty to Harry or wants to be free, I don't want them here."

Taffy turned and glared at the crowd, repeating Tony's question in a more aggressive way and then had each house-elf swear, in turn, their loyalty. Two of the elves decided they would like to be freed, which left twenty-five elves. Harry, who had watched everything with wide eyes, wiggled to be put down. Tony shot Taz a look as the other elves seemed to surge forward and Harry giggled as he patted each of the house-elves on the head.

Taffy drew a white-haired male from the group and pulled him over to Tony. "This being Lenz, Master Tony, the elder of the Potter elvies."

Still a little befuddled and in need of caffeine, Tony nodded as he looked around. "All right, Taffy and Lenz, could you please divide the house-elves into groups based on their abilities? I'd like to know who likes to cook or help in the kitchen, who wants to help outside with the landscaping and outside work, who is best at protection, and who likes to build."

Quickly, Lenz began pointing to different elves, as Harry leaned against his leg watching the elves move to their groups. It took a few minutes to organize everyone, leaving on smaller elf standing in front of Tony.

"Mazzy being a nursery elf, Master Tony," she said, wringing her hands.

Taffy pushed a mug of coffee into Tony's hands and he paused to drain half the mug.

"Okay, you can be in charge of making sure Harry has everything he needs and stays healthy. You will all take one day a week off and receive a Galleon a month allowance to buy personal stuff, just like Taffy and the others." Tony looked around. "Is that sufficient?"

Wide-eyed, Mazzy nodded exuberantly as did the other elves.

"Lenz, if you will work with Taffy on who stays here and who will go take care of the Potter houses, I would appreciated it." Tony took another long swallow of coffee. "Taz, I need you and Max to train those who want to be part of the protection details."

Harry watched, entranced, as one by one all the elves snapped their fingers and disappeared. Taffy shook her head and huffed, muttering about before breakfast visitors.

"Come, Master Harry, yous need to eat your pancakies!"

Tony followed behind, bemused, as his mug filled again with hot coffee. While he was grateful that the Potter house-elves had been released from whatever spell Dumbledore had used on them, he wasn't sure why it had happened. He joined Harry at the kitchen island for his own plate of pancakes.

JARVIS, who had been remarkable silent up to this point, announced: "Sir, Lord Black has appeared outside the front door."

Tony sighed and swallowed his mouthful. "Let him in, J, and let him know we're here. He should know the way. Then get Sirius up, will you, please?"

"Of course, Sir."

Harry grinned at his expression and Tony knew it was going to be a long day.

Chapter Text

Tony stared out the window looking over the manicured lawn on the north side of the mansion, his eyes tracking his son as Harry drove his little Audi around the edge under Happy's watchful eyes. The six-foot hedge around the yard kept him from prying eyes as the small boy played with several of the house-elves. It was quite a sight to see Harry carefully drive around the concrete pathway with two of the little beings beside him. He marveled at the resiliency of children; after Harry had given his grandpa a hug and finished his pancakes, his only request was to go play.

"Everything all right, Tony?" Rhodey appeared at his side and slung an arm around his shoulders.

Tony scrubbed his face with his hands, his lack of sleep and guilt wearing on him. "Yeah, fine, Platypus. Just—"

Rhodey's hand squeezed his upper arm. "Breathe, buddy. Learn and move on, they're okay and we'll keep them safe."

He took the comfort offered, something Tony had shied away from in the years after his parents' death; especially with Stane's push to isolate and undermined Tony. Although now, Tony couldn't understand why, as Rhodey hugs were the best and his friend had perfected his ability to manage an emotionally compromised Tony in college.

"Thanks, Honey Bear."

"Tony?" Sirius' voice pulled him back to the present. "Grandfather has news."

Turning as one, both Tony and Rhodey walked across the living room before they separated. The goblins had arrived shortly after Lord Black had that morning and the warding had already been completed on the buildings, Tony's workshop, and the garage. They also refortified and shielded the foundation, prepared an underground safe room, and cast a Muggle Repelling Charm on the property. Arcturus sat in a comfortable chair, with a cup of tea on the small table beside it. He was speaking quietly with Sirius, whose head was bent toward him. Rhodey moved to sit next to Jodi Proudfoot who was reading what looked like a copy of the Daily Prophet.

Sirius looked up at him as Tony sat beside him, a neutral expression on his face, reached his hand over to lay it on Tony's thigh. "Harry okay?"

Nodding, Tony picked up the mug of coffee which appeared in front of him on the coffee table. "He's having a ball chauffeuring house-elves in his favorite toy."

Sirius relaxed enough to give Tony an eyeroll and Tony smirked at the tiny banter about which new toy was Harry's favorite, his car or his broom.

"How is Harry coping with what happened?" Pepper asked, sitting down on Tony's other side, and handing him a donut on a napkin.

"You are definitely my favorite!" Tony grabbed the napkin with a grin, holding it carefully as Pepper smiled. "He's doing amazingly well, I think." He glanced at Sirius. "Had a pretty bad nightmare this morning, and is a bit subdued, but otherwise, he seems okay."

"I am relieved to hear that, Tony," Arcturus joined the conversation. "When Sirius relayed all that had happened last night and in New York, I was concerned."

Tony nodded, his guilt swelling in his chest once again. "I feel like I've painted a target on his back—"

"Nonsense, young man! What do you think would have happened to Harry if you had not retrieved your memories and gone to get him?" Anger edged Arcturus' voice. "The poor boy would have been abused and manipulated, the perfect pawn in an old man's schemes and plots!"

"And from what I've heard, Tones, he is much more protected than you ever were at this age!" Rhodey interjected.

"You have already established a security net around him, Tony, we just need to make sure there aren't any more loopholes." Jodi told him.

Sirius leaned into him as Tony opened his mouth to answer, but snapped it shut and ended up just nodding. Pepper nudged his arm with her elbow and looked pointedly at the donut in his hand. Tony took a bite out of the pastry as Arcturus cleared his throat.

"As for my unannounced visit, I was hoping to forewarn you of the latest developments concerning Dumbledore and Riddle's faction." He paused, looking at each of them. "A sensationalist reporter by the name of Rita Skeeter somehow gained access to Dumbledore's cell and interviewed him. Additionally, she was also able to gather information concerning his relationship with the last Dark Lord, Grindelwald, whom he defeated in the 40s, confirmation of his knowledge that Harry was both abuse and a Horcrux, as well as utilizing vaults which didn't belong to him." Arcturus looked at the ceiling. "JARVIS, could you please show us the newspaper article you scanned?"

"Of course, Lord Black."

The large TV over the fireplace turned on and displayed the front of the morning edition of the Daily Prophet, a picture of Albus Dumbledore in ICW prisoner robes on the front. The headlined screamed: DUMBLEDORE AND GRINDELWALD LOVERS!.

"Summarize it for me, J," Tony directed the AI.

"The article is the first part of an apparently serialized story, sir. In this part Mr. Dumbledore's personal history is relayed, from his teenage years when he and the self-proclaimed Dark Lord Gellert Grindelwald became friends and then entered an intimate relationship. They quarreled, which ended in a magical duel where one of them cast a dark spell and killed Dumbledore's sister. Dumbledore became a teacher, while Grindelwald allied himself to Hitler. When the second world war broke out, Dumbledore was one of several magicals who joined with Captain America and the Howling Commandos to defeat the Nazis and HYDRA. It also states that Dumbledore subsequently defeated Grindelwald in a magical duel that no one else witnessed. Said Dark Lord was then imprisoned in his own tower."

Sirius and Arcturus both leaned forward. "Grindelwald is still alive."

"Yes, Master Sirius."

"Anything more, J?" Tony asked, giving the two Black men a confused look.

"Just a listing of the accolades and titles Dumbledore was honored with in the 1940s. However, there is a related article on the Dark Lord Tom Riddles' rise to power, starting after his completion of Hogwarts School. It describes the atrocities he and his followers committed as they began a subtle war on first generation magicals, despite having a non-magical father. It also described his fanatical quest for immortality, including the creation of Horcruxes—"

"What!" Arcturus was on his feet. "Bloody hell!"

Tony wanted to grin, but Arcturus' reaction stopped him. "That sounds like a good thing to me. Won't it help when people learn he was a hypocrite, as well as crazy enough to tear apart his own soul?"

Both Arcturus and Jodi looked grim and shook their heads. Jodi spoke first.

"It will inspire the most fanatical of his followers to try and discover the location of the other soul pieces, as I'm sure there is a vile ritual of some type which will bring the bastard back."

"Usually with at least a blood sacrifice involved," Arcturus added intensely, leaning forward in his chair. "I'll immediate search the Black library for anything which might help us prevent it."

Tony stiffened, his donut halfway to his mouth, and he swallowed hard. "They'll want to use Harry," he whispered, horror struck.

Sirius shuddered beside him, tightening the arm wrapped around his waist. "It won't happen, Tony. We won't let it happen."

Taking a deep breath, Tony narrowed his eyes. "JARVIS, make sure you are able to have an eye on Harry wherever he is."

"Yes, Sir."

"Lenz, Taffy!"

The house-elves appeared immediately. "Master Tony calls?"

The face Tony wore at that moment would have been instantly recognized as the one which coined the nickname "Merchant of Death". "Dark Lord Riddles followers, a man named Stane, and an organization named HYDRA want to use Harry in a ritual. You must make sure there are at least two house-elves always guarding him. Other than the people in this room and Remus Lupin, trust no one with his safety."

Even Tony was taken back at the murderous expressions on Lenz and Taffy's faces as they swore they would see to it. A tug on Tony's free arm startled him and he looked into the concerned eyes of his son. Sirius helped him lift the little boy into his lap.

"Are you okay, Papa?" Harry asked, snuggling against his chest, but eyeing the half-eaten donut.

"I'm just perfect now, bambino, except I can't seem to get rid of this donut." He gave Harry a serious look. "Can you help me?"

Harry reached for the donut slowly, as if making sure his papa really wanted him to have it, before darting forward impishly and taking a large bite. Tony gasped dramatically, but he didn't move the donut – Harry still took his food very seriously.

"Do we know why the magic on the Potter house-elves broke?" Happy asked as he followed Harry into the room.

Arcturus nodded. "When the ICW Aurors discovered Skeeter had been there, they also discovered Dumbledore had been attempting to use a wandless Imperius Curse on some of the guards, in an attempt to have them remove the magical suppressant restraints which had been put on him. Apparently, any support for Dumbledore had among his former colleagues evaporated and they temporarily bound his magical core."

Tony, Jodi, and Sirius gasped at that news, knowing it was something only done in the most extreme situations.

"Immediately afterwards, it became very apparent Dumbledore had cast many charms, most of which collapsed with the absence of his magic."

Jodi nodded as Tony continued to feed Harry the rest of his treat while he thought of the ramifications. His son burrowed into his chest, as usual, seeming to be able to feel the turmoil swirling inside him. Wiping off his fingers with the napkin Pepper handed him, as she leaned close and gave Harry a kiss on his head.

"I hope they check that Tower Dumbledore locked his former boyfriend in," Rhodey quipped. "Hate to have that guy getting loose."

With a start, Tony looked up at him and then turned toward Jodi who had paled. With a smooth movement, she had her wand in her hand and cast in a circular motion with a flick up of her want tip. The silvery form of a sleek Siamese cat shot out and circled around as Jodi leaned over to speak to it in a low voice. Harry's eyes were wide as he watched the cat shoot through the wall and disappear.

"I've sent a message to Kingsley Shacklebolt," Jodi announced.

"I'll double-check with the goblins about the wards," Sirius spoke up. "Specifically, whether they added ones to protect against Polyjuice and Animagi."

The conversation diverted from anything unpleasant as they divided up with their own duties to perform. Rhodey headed out with Happy and Pepper to do several SI and military errands, while Sirius escorted his grandfather to his room to rest. Jodi headed back to check in with her office. Tony cradled Harry against him for several minutes, until the child leaned back and looked up at him.

"Papa, can we go down to see where Uncle Moony will be teaching me?"

Tony smiled at him, his mind still whirling with the details of their latest discovery. "Yes – but we need to get you cleaned up first, as Taffy will have lunch ready for us shortly."

Swinging Harry up into his arms, Tony "flew" him over to the elevator and allowed Harry to push the button for the floor above. Usually they walked, but Tony knew how much Harry enjoyed the "treat" of riding in the elevator every few days. A grinning child trotted off the elevator onto their floor and Tony followed behind him as they headed to Harry's room. His son easily stripped naked as he walked, an ability Tony was sure he had inherited from himself, and he shook his head fondly as he picked up the dirty clothes.

Harry's room was surprisingly neat for a five-year-old and there wasn't anything out of place. While Harry had gotten better over the weeks he had been with Tony, there were still lingering issues which continued to pop up. He and Sirius had discussed bringing in a child psychologist, especially trained to deal with abused children, but hadn't located one they thought Harry would be forthcoming with. Sirius was hoping the child might be more comfortable with Remus, having remembered the man from when he was a baby. Tony was willing to do anything, to make sure his son recovered from his treatment at the hands of Lily's relatives.

Grinning, Tony watched a cute little butt disappear into the bathroom and heard the water start in the scaled down shower he'd designed. The water was charmed to Harry's perfect temperature, and he was allowed to take as many showers a day as he wanted to. Harry didn't mind getting dirty when he was playing or helping Tony work, but he hated staying dirty. Something else to blame on Petunia, the bitch!

Tony stepped into the walk-in closet to grab a clean set of clothes for Harry, when he saw something stuffed under a stack of shirts. With a sinking heart, Tony gingerly lifted the clothing to see a small pile of fruit, chips, cookies, and, of all things, pizza. And those were the ones Tony could recognize.

"Taffy?" Tony whispered as he heard the water shut off in the shower.

The house-elf popped in immediately and Tony showed her the problem. Taffy snapped her fingers, Vanishing the food, just as Harry came into the closet and froze, towel held in front of him. His face lost all color and Tony could swear he was starting to have a panic attack.

"Bambino, I'm not mad," Tony told Harry as he slowly knelt and reached out to tug him against his chest. "And there is no reason you can't have some snacks in your room, if you want; we just need to make sure they are not going to go bad. Okay?"

Tony rubbed Harry's back with one hand, the other cupping his cheek, a tear sliding down it. Harry stared at his face, searching his eyes.

"Not mad, Papa?"

The words came out as a broken whisper and Tony's heart ached for his little boy. "Not mad, baby boy. Taffy's going to bring you special snacks and we'll even put-up a shelf just for your food." Tony dried Harry off and used a corner of the towel to gently wipe his face. "Does that sound acceptable?"

Harry nodded before flinging himself into Tony's arms. He scooped Harry against his chest and held him close for long minutes. Laying his cheek on the top of Harry's damp hair, Tony rocked his son back and forth as he hummed an old lullaby, he didn't even remember the words to.

Between Taffy and Harry, part of one of the shelves in his bookcase was cleared for several colorful boxes. Tony showed Harry how to push a tiny bit of magic into his fingers to unlock the top and open the boxes. Brown was for cookies and small baked goods; a red one held fruit, and the green one held chips and candy. Harry was in awe that he would always have food available to him and he was allowed to use his magic as well. Tony stressed it was Harry's treats and only his magic would open the boxes. He did draw the line at letting Harry have liquids in his room, as he could always get a cup of water out of the bathroom.

Harry stood next to the waterfall, trying not to bounce up and down as he watched the front door. Tony stood beside him, examining the latest magic resistant StarkPhone R&D had delivered for his approval. The phone was thinner than the non-magical cellphones they produced, thanks to the runic array Sirius and several of the magicals had created. The runes were very similar to those James, Sirius, and Remus had developed for the communication mirrors and transferred well to the basic StarkPhone. Like the mirrors, these phones would be powered by the inherent magic in each person.

"Papa! Uncle Moony is here!" Harry lunged at the door.

Tony grabbed his shoulder. "Hang on, baby boy! We have to be careful, remember."

Lenz popped up beside them and snapped his fingers, letting the door swing open as Remus Lupin approached. The smile on his face dimmed a bit as he saw Tony holding Harry back, to which Tony grinned and stepped back. A small forty-pound tornado flew across the small room to wrap around Remus' legs. Tony grabbed Remus' arm to keep him from stumbling and laughed.

"Good morning, Uncle Moony!" Harry chirped, head back and looking up at the man.

Remus reached down and ruffled Harry's hair, leaving his hand there as he looked up at Tony. "Thank you, again-"

Tony held up his hand. "None of that, now. Sirius and I are both delighted you are willing to tutor Harry and, if we can find a few other children among our employees, we can expand."

Harry grabbing his hand distracted Remus, and Tony watched as his kid dragged his new teacher towards the elevator. Harry paused at the door, looking back at Tony, who trailed behind. They went down to the first floor, where Remus' room and Harry's schoolroom were situated. Tony stood in the doorway of the room set up like an elementary school room, pleased to see Harry so excited and animated as he showed Remus his desk and the books he'd picked out on the bookshelves. Three brightly colored boxes also sat on these shelves, and Harry carefully showed Remus how to open one using his magic in order to get a snack out.

When Harry finally took a breath, Tony stepped into the room. "Why don't you sit down at your desk, bambino, and work on your math, while I talk to Remus."

Harry beamed at him and clambered into his seat, the small workstation with monitor lighting up. "Okay, Papa!"

Tony leaned down and kissed the top of Harry's head before straightening and joining
Remus as he examined the desk Tony designed for him. It was made of warm-toned cherry wood and tempered glass, with the newest technology, and a computer with a touch screen monitor. Three of the walls in the room were made of the same twhite stone which the mansion was constructed out of and the fourth featured large windows looking out over the ocean, letting in natural light.

"JARVIS loaded a few tutorial videos onto the desktop for you or you can just call on him if you need anything."

"Good morning, Mr. Lupin, I am JARVIS."

Remus jumped as Harry shot the closest camera a cheeky grin.

Tony smirked. "JARVIS is an AI who runs the house and tries to keep me on task."

"Tries is the optimum word, Sir." JARVIS commented.

"And he is teaching my son sarcasm!" Tony grumbled, shaking his head in mock frustration as Harry giggled. "This stack of documents here need to be signed."

Remus sat down and pulled the documents closer as Tony pulled a pen out of his breast pocket. "I thought I'd already signed the standard SI NDA—"

"Oh, you have," Tony agreed, "these are the documents for the trademarking of the communications runic array you created for the mirrors with Sirius and James. We are getting the mirrors, as well as the array itself, magically patented. Sirius decided that a third of the profits would go back into the company, a third to help fund the Emrys Houses, and final third divided between James' estate, Sirius, and you."

"But—" Remus started to object, but Tony cut him off.

"Nope, wolfie," Tony waved a hand at him. "Standard operating procedure, buttercup; you are one of the creators, you get a share of the profits." He leaned towards Remus and tapped a finger on the stack of papers. "You can do what you want with the money, but Sirius has set up a vault for you and I'll sic my PA on you if you don't—"

Harry gasped and Tony tried not to smirk – no one liked Auntie Pepper mad!

"—and she is someone who can make us lesser mortals' quake in our shoes."

Remus sighed at his dramatics, while Harry tried to hide his snickers and Tony smirked, but the papers were signed before Tony left the room. Humming under his breath, Tony almost skipped down to his workshop. His mind was already absorbed in the upgrades he want to try with the propulsion system of the miniature rocket he was designing to be carried by special ops squads on rescue missions.

Like all the weapons Stark Industries manufactured, these specialized missiles were made specifically for the US military and her allies. Stane had hated Tony's specialized lines, as they weren't as marketable as the larger missiles were, the bigger the better in his godfather's mind. The more lethality, the better the profits! was Stane's favorite saying – despite his knowing that Tony hated designing larger ordinance.

Ruthlessly, Tony shoved all thoughts of the bastard out of his mind and concentrated on the mechanism in front of him.

The warm sunshine and perfect weather of September and early October gave way to days of dark clouds and rain as southern California slid into its version of winter. Harry still had the occasional bad day, but for the most part, was the happy, loving little boy Tony knew he was always supposed to be. Continued nightmares and a deep-seated fear of losing his Papa and Daddy, had Tony searching out a child psychologist, who came to the mansion several days a week, speaking to all of them. Harry had even begun going to bed in his own bedroom at night, but often ended up snuggled between Tony and Sirius by morning.

Renovations were progressing nicely on the new penthouse, their Merlin house as Harry called it. The contractors were scheduled to be done by November 1st, and the decorators would have everything ready for them to spend Christmas there. Tony was looking forward to showing his son all the wonders of the season and NYC always went all out for Christmas. Arcturus, Pepper, Happy, Rhodey, and Jodi were spending the holidays with them and Tony couldn't wait.

Harry absolutely loved to learn, and he had astounded Remus with his abilities. Testing Harry determined he was studying at a 3rd to 4th grade level, with his IQ testing out five points higher than Tony's own and Harry giggled when his papa pouted about that. With Remus' urging, Harry needs to socialize with kids his own age, Tony!, they spread the word discreetly to several trusted managers in the Magical Division, asking about anyone who might be interested in having their children privately tutored. The first three chosen were the children or grandchildren of long-time SI employees, one of the two little boy's was a Squib, and Harry was delighted to welcome them all. The four were soon as thick as thieves, helping each other in the classroom, with little friction even when playing.

The various law enforcement agencies investigating Stane had swiftly consolidated the cases under the FBI's jurisdiction. The first Federal warrant issued included industrial espionage, conspiracy, and treason. All of Stane's assets had been seized and JARVIS had been instrumental in locating several offshore bank accounts which contained millions of ill-gotten gains, traced directly back to illegal weapons sales. Obadiah had gone to ground, as had several of his henchmen, which worried Jodi and Graves.

Dumblefuck's court date had been pushed back as several new charges were filed, based on his activities since taking over at Hogwarts. A genealogist had been brought in by the ICW back trace magical families of Muggle-borns, in connection to some of the anciet vaults Dumbledore had made use of. Rockjaw and his attorney, Ian Smythe, had a stack of civil lawsuits ready to be filed as soon as Dumbledore's criminal case was determined. The man himself was still locked up, remaining in the custody of ICW Aurors and being tended to by a healer who had been veted by both the British Ministry and MACUSA.

Tony ran a hand through his hair, cringing a bit as he felt how greasy it was. Sirius was attending several meetings at Gringotts in London with his grandfather and Tony had only slept a few hours in the last two days. Harry, having gotten used to Tony's work habits, had dragged his blanket from his bedroom and crawled onto the couch in his lab, refusing to sleep anywhere else.

Shutting down his computer and equipment, Tony carefully scooped Harry up, blanket and all, and headed out of the lab.

"Lenz? Is everything secure?"

The older house-elf appeared beside him. "Yes, Master Tony, everything bes safe. Taffy be leaving a sandwich for you by your bed."

Thanking Lenz quietly, Tony stepped into the elevator.

He'd found that the Potter house-elves were frighteningly efficient, and Tony felt incredibly safe, but he never wanted to become complacent. After wolfing down the sandwich and taking a quick shower, Tony slid into bed beside Harry and settled him against his chest. A crescent moon was visible in the sky and, with a sigh, Tony closed his eyes.

Halloween was next up and then the trail, before he could give Harry his first Stark Christmas.

Chapter Text

Tony looked around the meeting room, eyes sweeping over the room, arranged classroom style with long, narrow tables and chairs, a pad and pen at each place. Along the back of the room were larger tables with neatly stacked white boxes holding various types of salads and sandwiches, pitchers of tea, lemonade, and water, with carafes of coffee. At the far end were trays of cookies and brownies. Thirty of his employees, including members of security, transportation, and the aviation departments had been summoned to a mandatory meeting. Each one had knowledge of Tony's travel plans and they hoped to locate who had leaked information about Tony's return from New York the week before.

Happy stuck his head into the room. "People are starting to arrive," he informed Tony.

Nodding, Tony walked toward the podium at the front of the room. "Let them in, Happy, and tell them to help themselves to lunch."

A table set below the dais was set up similar to the rest of the room, except it faced the room. Two places were laid out, Tony's laptop at one and a white sandwich box beside each, cups of coffee, and a plate of cookies. There were a dozen security trained Potter house-elves invisible around the room, and security cameras connected directly to JARVIS, recording everything. They had decided not to add anything to the food or drink; Maggie Garcia had cast her spell over each seat in the room, except for Tony's and Pepper's chairs. Tony sat down and opened his lunchbox, knowing Taffy had personally made his sandwich.

As Pepper led the first of the employees in, her ever-present file folders in hand, Tony took a bite of his sandwich. Flavors exploded on Tony's tongue, and he hummed in pleasure, marveling at how Taffy made a chicken salad sandwich so tasty. Taking another bite, Tony gave Pepper a nod as she sat beside him, her own lunchbox in her hand. He recognized the marking on the box and wasn't surprised to see it was one of the salads. Happily finishing his sandwich, Tony felt more and more eyes on him as the room began to fill up. Keeping a surreptitious eye on the room. He could see several people sit down without getting any of the refreshments and Tony hid a smirk behind his coffee cup.

Like most work meetings, the room filled up from the back to the front and Tony reached for a peanut butter cookie as he waited for Happy to signal everyone was there. Pepper set a document above his lunch box and went to work on her salad. Restraining himself from an eyeroll, Tony tapped on his laptop and pulled the same document up from his email. While he knew the information by heart, having written it with Proudfoot and Graves the night before, Tony went over it again. The beginning was an announcement, updating and tightening the release of any information pertaining to Stark Industries, Tony, his family, or company products. Each employee would receive a copy of the agenda, on paper spelled to prevent those with any magic from talking about what happened in the meeting.

His phone vibrated and Tony saw it was from Happy. Wiping his fingers on his napkin, Tony washed the last of his cookie down with a swallow of coffee and stood up. He stepped up onto the podium and reached to take the microphone from its stand.

"Good afternoon, everyone," Tony told them, his media smile in place. "I hope you are enjoying your lunch – the peanut butter cookies are particularly tasty."

There was a cheer from the group and Tony nodded as he heard several thank-yous yelled at him. Sweeping his eyes across attendees, Tony noticed two of those who had chosen not to eat sitting in the back, in the seats nearest the door. There was another seated in the very front row, a latecomer who had no other choice of where to sit. As Tony looked at the woman, he saw a look of pure hatred directed at him and a chill went down his spine. His eyes flashed up to Happy's, watching from the back, who gave him a tiny nod of acknowledgement.

"While you all eat, I just wanted to go over some changes in policies here at Stark Industries, especially concerning the released of information to individuals outside the company." Tony paused for a moment. "How many of you would provide information to people outside of SI for some kind of compensation?"

He knew what was going to happen but was still stunned into silence when half-a-dozen hands went up. Taking a deep breath, Tony continued, as if nothing had happened.

"There is concern among the Board of Directors that their personal information is being compromised," he gave them a fake smile, "afraid of the old 'loose lips sink ships' adage. How many of you have provided information on myself or one of my employees in exchange for monetary reward?"

Most of the same hands went up again and Tony saw several of his magical security force silently slide into the room. His eyes sweeping the room, Tony could see the two men in the back row grinning as they put their hands down, not giving a thought to what they had admitted to. The woman at the front hadn't raised her hand, but she hadn't stopped trying to murder him with her eyes. Turning away from her, Tony waved a hand at Happy, signaling him to have the document passed out.

"These documents acknowledge you've been advised of the new policies, so please sign them. Anyone found releasing unauthorized information will be immediately terminated and handed over to the authorities, if deemed necessary."

Tony jumped down from the platform and walked over to the woman in the front row. "I take it you would hand me over to someone free of charge, given your attitude."

The woman made a sound, no doubt some twisted form of laugh. "I'd kill you with my bare hands if I could, Stark, or I'd give you up to whoever wanted to do the job for me. More importantly, I look forward to getting my hands on that kid of yours, I understand he'd fetch a large price in some quarters, after I'd sold his virginity to the highest bidder."

There was a sudden roaring in his ears and Tony saw red as he valiantly struggled to hold on to his magic as it threatened to explode out of him. There were too many nonmagicals in the room to let it go, and the woman knew that as she stared at him smugly. A fist came into his narrowed range of sight and hit the woman's jaw, coldcocking her in a flash of strawberry blond hair. Jodi Proudfoot was there immediately, surreptitiously binding the unconscious woman to her chair.

The maelstrom of his emotions twisted inside him, and Tony took a deep breath, willing his magic down as he turned to Pepper, who was shaking out her hand, with a dark scowl on her face. Wrapping an arm around her, Tony stepped back, pulling Pepper with him, and allowed the security personnel to do their jobs, checking documents and escorting the employees out of the room. Seven people, five men and two women, had been stuck to their chairs and immobilized by the still invisible house-elves. Happy moved closer to them as he oversaw the operation, sending a concerned look at Pepper as she continued to cradle her hand.

As soon as the room was cleared, Tony turned and wrapped Pepper in his arms. "Harry's lucky to have you as his godmother," he managed to force out hoarsely.

Pepper gave him a wobbly smile and hugged him back. "I'd say I was sorry, but I'm not," she told him in a shaky voice. "What kind of animal says things like that?"

Tony could only shake his head as he surveyed the room over her shoulder. The seven people had been separated and each had a magical guard, while they waited for Proudfoot to question them further. Standing between the suspects and them, Happy had his gun in hand and a look that said he was just waiting for an opportunity to shoot the bitch.

They stayed at the opposite end of the meeting room and Tony erected a privacy shield as they watched the Aurors interaction with the suspects. Taking a moment, Tony had mirror called Remus, just to make sure Harry was all right. Sirius would be at a fund raiser for Emrys House at the moment and would head back by portkey later that afternoon. Pepper had an ice pack on her knuckles, waiting for updates from Happy.

Both jumped when Taffy popped in with a refreshment tray, throwing hateful glares at the woman who was now under a full body bind and a silencing charm. Tony would have sworn he heard the fierce little house-elf growl at the bitch. She snapped her fingers casually before turning back with a smug expression on her face.

"Evil Squib will never get near little master," she spat before popping away.

Tony stared after her. "Don't ever piss off a house-elf."

"I would never!" Pepper exclaimed, a small smile appearing.

They finished the little lemon tarts and coffee Taffy had brought them as they discussed several ways to diversify the different areas SI was already in, including doing more specialized munitions and protective clothing for special forces troops and SWAT teams. Tony had a call into Peggy Carter to see if she could help him track down Howard's notes on the arc reactor, which he was trying to reverse-engineer. The reactor powered a large manufacturing plant as well as several warehouses on the SI property here and was self-generating, without the pollutants of other power sources. If Tony's theory was right, he could make the reactor various sizes and power output, depending on the need.

"Boss?"

Tony looked up at Happy as he slipped into their bubble, looking a little less tense and without his gun in sight.

"Hey, Hap, what did you find out?"

Helping himself to a mini-tart, Happy took a bite, washing it down with a sip of coffee. "Three of these people are just idiots, who liked to brag about knowing you better than they did."

Tony watched with a little impatience as Happy stopped to take another bite of the tart, before he realized Happy probably hadn't had any lunch. He dragged a hand through his already rumpled hair and took a deep breath.

"The woman in the front is actually Liam Yaxley's sister, who shared his blood-purist prejudice, despite most of their family treating her as a pariah. Apparently the two of them were close and she blames you for his being in prison. She admits to trying to stalk you but didn't have any true knowledge."

Finishing the tart, Happy tilted up the coffee cup to drain it and wiped his fingers on a napkin. "The other three are non-magical employees who willingly sold information on your whereabouts and flight schedules. They've apparently been doing it for some time, arrangements originally brokered by Stane."

A mixture of relief and disbelief flowed through him; relief they knew who had leaked the information and disbelief that his godfather had been orchestrating his life for so long. Tony couldn't help but wonder when he might have become expendable to Stane, a chill racing down his spine as he contemplated the scenario. He had no doubt, at some point in the future, he would have become more of a liability to Stane than an asset.

"Happy, let's have each department hold their own meetings and introduce the new policies."

Tony felt the need to move and got up out of the chair. "Pepper, could you please help with the arrangements and make it companywide. I'm tired of the lies the media have printed about me, and while it was amusing for a while, I wouldn't like my son to hear about it."

Leaving the two of them to make the arrangements, Tony stepped into the restroom and Apparated home.

Tony was still a bit unsettled several days later, which manifested itself in being even more over-protective than he'd already been. Their security force as well as the house-elves had been given the information learned from the meeting at SI. Sirius agreed with Tony that the level of the threat had risen to the point of shoot first, ask question later when it came to Harry's safety. New protocols were put into place with JARVIS as well and saferooms were built in the mansion – one on each floor. Neither Tony nor Sirius was taking any chances.

Harry, thankfully, didn't pick up on the undertone of tension in the adults in his life. While he was still quiet, he clearly enjoyed learning and socializing with the other children in his little class. Remus was able to customize the lessons for each of the children, making sure everyone was challenged by the subjects. Tony sat in several afternoons, especially when Remus would instruct on magical holidays and customs, both British and American. As it was October, Remus had been teaching the children about Samhain, and how it differed from Halloween, as well as the customs of various cultures around the world.

As the month progressed, Remus wove the Samhain theme throughout the lessons, from math to reading assignments to art. The children loved it. Tony, having sat in that particular afternoon, realized he had a dilemma: how was he going to explain to Harry he couldn't go trick or treating. When he brought the topic up to Happy, Pepper, and Sirius at dinner one night, after Harry had gone to bed. Sirius looked baffled while Pepper just arched her eyebrow.

"Arrange for SI to have a Halloween party for the employees and allow them to bring their kids in to the office Halloween afternoon, in costume, then they can go to each department and trick or treat."

Blinking, Tony looked at her before grinning widely. "You're brilliant, Pepper!"

"I know." Pepper deadpanned, making everyone else laugh.

"It's a perfect solution and it will keep the kids safe as well," Happy reasoned, smiling proudly at Pepper. "I would make sure there were no masks, though."

"You could encourage the parents to dress up as well, Tony," Sirius suggested, an evil glint in his eye.

Nodding, Tony readily agreed with both suggestions, and Pepper took responsibility for setting the event up. Sirius' smile dimmed a tad when Tony drafted him into helping give out candy, in costume. And Happy was smart enough to hightail it out of the mansion before he was mandated to wear a costume.

"JARVIS, please order the top 10 candy bars for us to give away!" Tony ordered, his mind already thinking about the cutest costumes for Harry to wear.

"And bags of M&M, please!" Pepper interjected.

"Would you like me to choose a variety of the most popular sweets, Sir?"

"As long as Harry likes some of them, sure," Tony answered, his mind focused on costumes.

A week later, Tony was in his workshop, tinkering with an upgrade to the communication mirrors which were flying off the shelves. He was trying to extend the distance the devices could cover by adding an enhancement to the power rune, Uruz. If properly inserted into the runic array, it should be able to double the range they would transmit. One hand absently rubbing over a scorch mark on the work bench from his last try, Tony studied the different runes. While he was sure either Sirius or Remus would be able to correct the array in minutes, Tony was determined to try to figure it out on his own.

"Papa?"

Harry's quiet voice startled Tony and he whipped his chair around to find his son, fingers twisting in the hem of his shirt, standing in the doorway of the lab. Usually DUM-E or U would chirp when Harry was close, but both were on their chargers in the back of the room.

"Bambino? Are you all right?" Tony slid off his stool and scooped Harry into his arms.

Harry circled his arms around Tony's neck and gave him a hug, nodding his head. "Daddy said you were thinking too hard, and I should get you for lunch."

Smacking a kiss to one soft cheek, Tony ran a hand down his son's back. He was delighted Harry had gone through his first growth spurt, adding several inches in height as he gained some much-needed weight. He looked healthier and had moved up the growth chart from the bottom to the thirtieth percentile. His hair shined, his skin was a bit tan from the time Harry spent outside, and his eyes almost glowed with intelligence and mischief.

Tony drew back a little and gave Harry a horrified look. "Daddy didn't do the cooking did he?"

Giggling, Harry shook his head. "No, silly, Taffy did!"

"Oh, thank goodness!" Tony dramatically blew out a breath before reaching in to tickle Harry's side.

"Papa! Stop!" Harry laughed and squirmed, pulling his hands down to cover his stomach.

With a snort, Tony stopped and hugged Harry again, before standing up and carrying him up to the kitchen. Taffy had made a hearty stew, salad, and fresh baked bread for them. Sirius was already seated, reading a letter as he waited for them. Tony kissed the top of his head and sat Harry down on the stool between them. Setting his letter to the side, Sirius began to ladle stew into their bowls, while Tony cut and buttered slices of bread. With murmured thanks, Harry bent over his bowl and began eating. Tony met Sirius' eyes over his head; they had been working with Harry as the therapist instructed them to do, to reassure him no one would ever deny or take away food from him. It was a work in progress.

"How are you doing with the power rune?" Sirius asked between bites, his face carefully neutral.

Cocking an eyebrow, Tony glared at his partner, not surprised when Sirius caved and shot him a smirk. "I'll figure it out, dogman!"

"Papa?"

Looking down, Tony felt his heart contract as his son looked up at him with wide, too innocent eyes. "Yes, baby boy?"

"I need a costume for Samhain."

Tony recognized the puppy eyes now and smothered a grin. "Did Helena teach you how to make those killer eyes, kiddo?"

"Ah huh." Harry nodded his head proudly and Sirius snorted, almost choking on a bite of food.

Rolling his eyes, Tony leaned towards his son. "Costume, huh? Well, Samhain costumes are usually animals and—"

Harry's face screwed up in a scowl. "Animals? Not Power Rangers?"

Sirius barked out a laugh before he could contain it and Harry shot him a suspicious look. Tony bit his cheek to prevent his own smile from erupting.

"You mean you want a Halloween costume," Tony asked him softly, rewarded with a bright smile and nod as Harry continued to eat his stew. "You want to be a Power Ranger?"

"Maybe?" Harry muttered around a mouthful, eyes darting between Tony and Sirius.

"You want to be a unicorn?" Sirius asked, his face completely, well, serious.

Tony smirked at him. "Maybe a witch? Or an Auror?"

Harry's head bounced between them before scrunching up his nose. "I don't know—"

Shaking his head, Tony reached over and ran his hand through his son's hair comfortingly. "It's okay, baby boy. We'll sit down this afternoon and JARVIS can show us some of the most popular costumes kids are wearing, okay?"

Harry's face brightened and he gave Tony a wide smile. "Okay, Papa!"

The discussion was entertaining and perfect for a Sunday afternoon. Although discussion was a loose label. It turned into a planning session, complete with diagrams, schematics, and designs. Harry, to Tony's delight, decided he wanted to be Luke Skywalker for Halloween. That led to a spirited debate between Tony and Sirius as to who got to be Han Solo (as the coolest character) and what other Star Wars character was cool enough for them to be. In the end, Harry chose Tony to be Han and Sirius would be Lando Calrissian.

"At least I get a cape," Sirius said with a sniff, looking over the picture JARVIS had brought up on the TV. "Besides, I look good in blue!"

While Tony silently agreed with him, he arched an eyebrow. "You could always go as Princess Leia," he snarked and Harry giggled.

Sirius gave them both a bland look.

With their characters set, they spent the afternoon tucked up on the couch, talking about Halloween. Harry chattered excitedly about going to SI to trick or treat and all the plans the others in his class had made for the day. While he listened with a half-smile on his face, Tony used his laptop to send an email to his tailor for an appointment. He wanted them to have the most realistic costumes possible and pictured how cute Harry would be dressed as Luke. With JARVIS' help, Tony knew he could create real-looking blasters for he and Sirius, but fashioning a lightweight lightsaber for Harry might be a bit more of a challenge.

"Daddy?" Harry's voice was quiet and hesitant, catching Tony's attention.

"Yeah, pup?" Sirius set down the drink he had in his hand and turned his attention to the little boy.

Tony followed his example, setting the laptop to the side. Harry fidgeted where he sat between them, his fingers again twisting into the hem of his sweat shirt. Tony could almost feel him working up the courage to speak and reached out to lay his hand over Harry's fingers.

"Take a deep breath, bambino, and say what you want to, neither of us will get mad at you. I promise."

Harry's eyes were wide. "Mean Aunt 'tunia always locked me in my cupboard on Hallo'een, 'cause she said Mummy and Daddy James died on Hallo'een." He took another breath. "Is it okay for me to have fun then?"

"Oh, baby," Tony breathed, damning the bitch for the thousandth time. "Come here."

Harry climbed into his lap and Sirius scooted against him, putting his hand on Harry's leg. They cuddled together for several minutes, taking comfort from each other. Tony kissed Harry's temple.

"Your mummy and daddy would not have wanted you to be sad on Halloween, baby boy," Tony told him softly. "They would have wanted you to have the most fun you could, because they loved you very much, Harry."

"I remember your first Samhain," Sirius squeezing his leg gently. "Your mum dressed you up like a little dragon and you were adorable. Neither she nor James would want you to spend the day punishing yourself, pup."

Those brilliant green eyes searched first Sirius' and then Tony's face, before Harry snuggled back against Tony's chest. They sat there for several minutes, before Taffy popped in to tell them dinner was ready.

Harry had a nightmare that night and ended up sleeping between Tony and Sirius, mumbling about screaming and green lights. He was a bit quieter than normal for the next few days, but by the time Samhain arrived, he was as excited as his classmates. Tony knew Remus would have a hard time getting the children to settle down and do any real work in class, so Remus had allowed them to watch an animated cartoon about Halloween as they colored pictures of the crops normally harvested in the fall. Each child had brought in a small pumpkin to learn how it grew, clean it out, and roast the seeds, then draw a face on, which Tony and Sirius got to help with.

Tony was actually amazed that they were able to make it through the day and get everyone into their costumes without a meltdown. Harry may have been the youngest of the students, but Helena was the highest maintenance, a literal little drama queen, even though she was much older at eight. Of course, she decided she wanted to be a princess, complete with a tiara. One of Harry's classmates was dressed like a scientist in a white lab coat, and the other was dressed as a Quadpot player, but it resembled the type of uniform a jockey would wear, so safe for the no-majs at SI. Tony praised each of the children's costumes and took pictures of all four kids together, swearing silently that Harry was the cutest Luke ever.

As the time drew near for them to head out to SI, Tony began to feel anxious. In his mind, the most dangerous part of the trip would be when they arrived at SI and exited the car. Sirius stopped beside him, an arm sliding around his waist, tugging Tony against him.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked quietly, looking amazing in his Lando costume.

Tony turned into him, so that he was pressed against Sirius' chest, face buried in his neck. "Can't we just have the house-elves pop them over?"

A hand cupped the back of his head. "There are layers and layers of protections, Tones, including Rhodey and Proudfoot riding in the van with the kids."

Taking a deep breath, Tony took a step back and let the breath out slowly. "Okay, let's go then."

He followed Sirius out to his favorite Audio, hand finding a natural resting place on his blaster (he'd never tell anyone he'd modified it to shoot a taser blast). Tony loved his costume and planned to re-wear it at the next costume gala that was held. Sliding into the driver's seat, they followed the van as it drove along the Pacific Coast Highway, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.

There were no problems with the event at all, much to Tony's relief, and many of the staff had taken the time to bring their children in. They divided the kids by age, allowing the youngest ones to go first. A large meeting room had been set up with games and non-sugar treats like fruit and veggie sticks to try and counter all the sugar. Tony was proud of his son, who was delighted to be at his Papa's work, and talked excitedly about all the things Tony invented.

By the time the older children had finished their rounds and made it to the meeting room, the younger kids were tired out. Harry walked over to where Tony and Sirius were talking to Rhodey and Pepper, dragging his bag of candy behind him. He bumped against Tony's legs and leaned forward, burying his face in Tony's thigh. Smothering a laugh, Tony brushed a hand through his son's tousled hair as Sirius took his bag.

"Are you finished walking, bambino?" Tony asked quietly.

Harry nodded and lifted his arms in the unspoken plea of small children. Scooping him up, Tony pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead as Harry wrapped his arms around his neck, laying his head on Tony's shoulder with a sigh. Sirius slipped his arm around Tony's waist, his eyes scanning the back of the room as they stood near the refreshment tables.

"Why don't you and Sirius head out, Tony?" Pepper whispered, noticing Harry had already fallen asleep. "We'll stay and finish up for you."

"Thanks, Pep," Tony answered after a glance at Sirius and leaned to kiss her cheek.

Weaving their way through the gathered crowd, Sirius using the arm around his waist to maneuver Tony between groups. They emerged from the meeting room and headed down to the front of the building where his car was parked. An escort vehicle was waiting for them at the entrance and as soon as Tony strapped Harry, who was sound asleep, into his chair, they were on the way to the mansion. There was more traffic on the road this time of the afternoon and Tony concentrated on his driving while Sirius kept watch for anything out of the ordinary.

The escort car waited until they passed through the gate and drove into the garage. JARVIS brought up the lights as Tony pulled into the parking spot next to the stairway with a relieved sigh. Sirius was already around the car and lifting Harry out of his car seat, as Tony stepped out. He arched his back to get the kinks out of it.

"JARVIS is the property secure?" Tony asked quietly.

"Yes, Sir," JARVIS responded immediately. "Only the small ones moving around."

"No unexpected anomalies or blanks in your surveillance?"

"None at all, Sir, nary a ghost nor goblin has appeared."

Tony huffed a laugh. "Excellent, J! Taz?"

The house-elf appeared beside him. "Yes, Master Tony?"

"Can you pop down to the beach and make sure everything is clear down there, please?"

"Yes, Master Tony!" Taz popped away.

Tony hit the button for the elevator and held it open for Sirius to carry Harry through. Carefully laying Harry down on one of the couches in the living room, Sirius grabbed one of the throws and covered him. Tony leaned down to kiss Harry's forehead.

"A short nap will do him good." Sirius said as he tugged Tony into his arms with a roguish smile. "Have I told you what a handsome Han Solo you make?"

Smirking, Tony tilted his head upward, his muscles finally relaxing as Sirius kissed him. He looped his arms around his boyfriend's neck and pressed closer as Sirius deepened the kiss. They had both been tense since their return from New York, despite most things going smoothly in their slowly combining lives. Sirius' hand came up to thread his fingers through the hair at the back of Tony's hair and he sighed. He'd never felt as cherished as he did in Sirius' arms.

The sound of Apparation startled them apart and Tony had his wand in his hand even as he jumped back to stand protectively in front of Harry. Sirius had reacted identically, and they both straightened as they saw Rhodey stepping out of Jodi Proudfoot's arms. Rhodey rolled his eyes as he saw them.

"You two must have been making out to have us startle you so badly," he observed with a knowing smirk.

"I'm gonna sic the kid on you, Sour Patch!"

"Consider it payback for the things you put me through at MIT, Tones!"

The two couples spent a pleasant couple of hours just relaxing and talking. It had been a while since they'd had the opportunity and they took advantage of it to talk about the upcoming holidays. About sunset, a sleepy Harry wandered over to where they were seated and climbed into Harry's lap for a cuddle. Taffy appeared with a snack of carrots and celery with a dip. After his snack, Tony carried Harry upstairs to change out of his costume into warmer clothing, taking the time to do the same.

Remus joined them for dinner, which Taffy had made using traditional Samhain dishes. A roasted pork lion with potatoes and root vegetables, biscuits with dried fruit, an apple relish, pumpkin soup, with apple tarts and apple cider for dessert. Tony made a conscious effort to keep the conversation on light, upbeat topics, allowing Harry to monopolize it for a time to describe all the cool costumes he'd seen that afternoon.

JARVIS helpfully turned the beach floodlights on after dinner, to light the way down the cliffside stairs. Everyone had taken the time to put on a jacket and Tony tugged a warm cap on Harry head to keep his ears warm. They gathered at the area of the firepit; wooden beach chairs set in circle around it. Between Rhodey and Tony, they laid a fire in the pit and Tony lit it carefully. Jodi and Sirius piled some larger rocks together and placed a wedding picture of James and Lily on it.

Tony allowed Sirius to relay the story of what happened four years before in Godric's Hallow, as Harry sat wrapped in Tony's arms. Rhodey added wood to the now roaring fire. And the spotlights went off.

Sirius took a deep breath. "James and Lily, I hope you can rest easy now, Harry is with Tony and I, and together we will raise him in the way you wanted us to. He is well, getting healthy, and will always be loved very much."

Tony gathered his thoughts for a moment. "Thank you, Lily, for you and Mom sending me my memories back, it allowed me to rescue Harry from those manipulating and abusing him. He is such a precious gift and know I will always protect him with my life."

Harry slid off Tony's lap and walked over where the picture was, reaching up to run a fingertip over the faces of his parent. "Hi Mummy and Daddy James. Papa and Daddy Padfoot are taking really good care of me and lets me eat and never hits me, I'm sad you had to go away, but I know Papa and Daddy and everyone will take care of me."

Tony pushed himself to his feet, feeling both teary and furious as he scooped Harry up and hugged him fiercely. Sirius expanded his beach chair to hold Tony and Harry, as they watched the fire burn down. The wind swirled around them, and the flames danced high while Tony watched them. At one point, Tony's heart stuttered in his chest, and he could have sworn he saw faces appear in the flames: Lily, James, and his mother.

A blink of his eyes and the images were gone.

JARVIS woke Tony up at an ungodly hour the next morning. "Sir, you need to wake up."

Tony groaned and untangled himself from both Harry and Sirius, before stumbling to his feet. He made his way to the bathroom, before grabbing his dressing gown and yawning as he headed downstairs. A hot cup of coffee was waiting on the kitchen island and Tony grabbed it, silently thanking Taffy, as he took a gulp.

"All right, J, what's the emergency?" Tony tone was a bit sharp, but he knew JARVIS wouldn't wake him up for anything else.

The television nearest the kitchen came on and showed a slightly blurry picture of he and Harry at the SI Halloween party. The show was one of the early morning news shows and the anchor was talking about Tony carrying a small child, before the co-anchor threw out a comment about a secret love child. The picture changed to a slightly shaky but much clearer video of Tony carrying Harry with Sirius walking beside them, his arm around Tony's waist. His fingers tightened around the coffee cup.

"Is it the same on all the channels, JARVIS?"

Yes, Sir, apparently, whomever took the images sold them to anyone who would pay."

Tony took a deep breath. Someone had violated the SI policies by using a camera within the building. "JARVIS, see if you can hanck in and get the metadata behind those images. I want to know who took these as soon as possible."

"Already in the works, Sir. Would you like me to wake Ms. Potts?"

"Give me fifteen minutes, JARVIS, and then wake her and Happy up, please."

"As you wish, Sir."

Tony sighed, long and low. He knew this day would come and had Pepper write a press release that would automatically be sent out about Harry being Sirius' child, but he'd changed his mind. There was no reason not to just tell the truth about Harry and, besides that, the Board would be pleased to know he had an heir. And it would probably save him from some lectures.

"Taffy."

The house-elf was beside him in an instant. "Yes, Master Tony?"

Rubbing his eyes, Tony gave her a small smile. "It's going to be an early morning for everyone, could we get some oatmeal and toast going, please?"

"Of course, Master Tony."

"And lots of hot coffee, Taffy, please."

Tony smoothed a hand down the front of his black pin-striped suit, his red tie the only spot of color. He slid his sunglasses onto his face and, with a nod to Pepper, stepped into the SI press room. Walking out onto the dais, Tony kept a neutral expression on his face as he stood beside the podium while dozens of flashes exploded in his face. As he stepped behind the microphone, the room full of reporters quieted down.

"Good morning, I have a brief statement to read and the first one of you who shouts at me will be escorted out and the media outlet they represent will be banned from future press conferences."

He looked around the room, noting those faces that were familiar to him.

"Since the day I was born, I have been in the media spotlight, thoroughly documenting my accomplishments, my missteps, and my failures. I have never done anything about the rumors, suppositions, and outright lies, allowing the press to have a field day with my reputation. That stops today." Tony's made eye contact with as many of the people as he could. "From this day forward, any derogatory articles or unsubstantiated rumors better have facts to back them up or my lawyers have been instructed to file lawsuits."

The room was completely silent.

"This morning a video was sold to numerous media outlets, who began broadcasting it without even trying to validate the footage, despite a minor being one of those pictured. A number of wild allegations were made by various anchors. Lawsuits were filed against every one of those media outlets and anchors as soon as the court open this morning."

There was a low hum of whispers now.

"As for the speculation involving the child pictured, I can confirm I am his biological father."

The room erupted and two of the journalists stood up, shouting. Tony made eye contact with Happy and nodded. Instantly, security guards approached the two and escorted them from the room. The rest of the attendees fell silent as they turned back towards Tony.

"I have always known about my son, as I donated sperm to enable my cousin and his wife to have him. I have been involved in his life since before he was born. My cousin and his wife were murdered, and my son has come to live with me. Along with my cousin's best friend, who is also my son's godfather, I will be raising my son. I will not tolerate unauthorized photos or videos taken of him and will bring the full weight of Stark Industries down on those who violate the law, especially those pertaining to taking pictures of an underage child."

Tony smiled slightly as the room remained quiet. He turned sideways and Harry, dressed identically, including the sunglasses, walked to his side, with Sirius, clad in a charcoal gray suit, behind him.

"His name is Harry Stark and you may take pictures for the next five minutes, but we will not be answering any questions."

The three of them stood there for the allotted five minutes, Harry's hand slipping into his as he stood still. At the signal from Happy, Tony lifted Harry, kissing the top of his head as he turned and followed Sirius to the back of the dais. Feeling like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, Tony moved toward his office, where they could Apparate home. Sirius walked beside him, hand at the small of his back. Harry pulled the sunglasses off and was fiddling with them with a little smile and Tony was glad he had made the decision to claim his son. He certainly didn't want his son to think he was ashamed of him.

The door to his office opened for them as they approached, curtesy of one of the house-elves. Now, they could start making plans for the holidays in earnest. Before that was the trial, where Tony hoped Dumblefuck would be convicted of being the manipulative bastard Tony knew he was.

Chapter Text

The courtroom within the International Confederation of Wizards, in Lichtenstein, was like many magical government buildings, dark inside, lit by high chandeliers and small glowing lights to mark each row of benches for the audience. An usher led Tony and Sirius to the first row of seats, reserved for witnesses and those who had a claim for damages against the accused. The area for the ICW Security Council, who heard criminal and civil proceedings, was reminiscent of the United Nations Security Council Chambers, the walls rounded and a huge wooden desk in the shape of a horseshoe. The accused and prosecutor were sat at a table within the open end of the large table. A huge banner of the ICW hung on the dark back wall, golden sconces held slightly brighter lights which illuminated that end of the grand hall.

Tony had opted to dress in a three-piece bespoken black suit, with a red overrobe, his family crest embroidered in gold on the left front, along with smaller crests of Harry's Houses below his. Sirius had chosen more traditional black robes over his dress trousers and tunic shirt, the Back family crest prominent in pure silver on the back of his robes. Tony had rolled his eyes at his partner, muttering something about being ostentatious, to which Sirius had just grinned. Harry had pouted, wanting his own set of robes.

The five-year-old was staying home with Remus, and the house-elves watching over him. When Tony had explained about the trial, Harry had shuddered at the thought of being in the same room as Dumbledore. He'd kissed them both several times and made them promise to call him on his new Marauders Mirror, with the enhanced runic array. With Taffy and Mazzy taking care of Harry, Happy and Pepper living at the mansion with them, the security team, and Rhodey just a call away, Tony felt confident in leaving his son. Or so he tried to tell himself.

The delegates from the ICW began to take their seats as the benches around Tony and Sirius filled up. Arcturus joined them, sitting on Sirius' opposite side, along with several people Tony recognized, including Aurors Bones, Proudfoot, and Shacklebolt from the British Ministry, and Auror Fontaine from MACUSA. A glance around spotted three of the Hogwarts professors Tony remembered from his summer studies. Members of the media took up the back row and Tony made a point not to look in their direction. He was still a relative unknown in the magical world and hoped to keep things that way as long as possible. It helped that Harry Stark held no interest to them and shouldn’t until he was revealed to be the blasted Boy-Who-Lived.

A tall, black man clad in beautiful earthtone robes of brown, tan, and gold strode forward and took his seat at the top of the U-shaped table. Babajide Akingbade, the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, if Tony was correct, signaled for the proceedings to begin. A half-dozen barristers filed in, sitting at the far end of the inner table. A panel at the back of the room opened and a contingent of ICW Aurors stepped out, escorting Albus Dumbledore. The bastard looked a little thinner, but had his head held high, dressed in bright blue and red robes, which washed out his already paste complexion. Both his hair and beard had been cut shorter, but otherwise he appeared well-kept and healthy.

The Supreme Mugwump gaveled the session open, and the clerk of the Confederation spent the next twenty minutes reading out the list of charges, including those specifically for crimes against Harry and Tony: kidnapping, failure to probate wills, child endangerment leading to injury, withholding a child from a parent, crimes against a Noble and Ancient family, and various embezzlement and theft charges. Additional charges included knowingly taking blood without consent and theft from Muggleborn children, use of the Unforgivables, binding the cores and magic of children without permission, illegal incarceration, and use of compulsion spells.

The morning was spent listening to the witch prosecuting the case lay out the basis details of the crimes, documenting a timeline of suspicious activities and unbelievable coincidences. From the unseen duel with Grindelwald, to locking his ex-lover into his own tower, to the questionable interaction with Tom Riddle, the prophecy, and the Potters. The prosecution detailed Dumbledore sending the Potters into hiding, casting the Fidelius Charm himself, before sending Sirus to Azkaban, and Harry to be abused with magic-hating relatives. The dark-haired woman, whose hazel eyes blazed with righteous indignation, described Dumbledore's systematic testing of Muggleborn students for a magical ancestor and acquiring signed authorization to any family vaults the students might have.

The defense's response was as arrogant as their client, dismissing all the charges as being decisions which had fallen to Dumbledore as the leader of the Light, for 'The Greater Good'. Tony ground his teeth in irritation while Sirus gave a snort of disbelief.

Testimony began immediately, with a parade of witnesses Tony had never heard of. Occasionally, Sirius would lean over and whisper to him as to who the person was – Dumbledore's brother, an old professor, a former Auror. The old wizard never looked their direction, which Tony was very glad of, as he was trying to keep ahold of his temper and that might be too much provocation. Listening to the minimal questioning of the witnesses by Dumbledore's barrister, Tony had to wonder why anyone else who might be a witness had been allowed to attend the trial before they testified.

His ears had focused in when he heard the name Tom Riddle being bandied about by the prosecutor. A heavyset, older man was on the witness stand, speaking about Dumbledore's odd fascination with Riddle and his belief the child was evil personified. An orphan whose magical roots went back through the Gaunt and Slytherin families. The names stirred a memory and Tony made a note on his phone for Rockjaw to check the properties Harry had inherited by conquest for Horcruxes.

Tony was called to testify the afternoon of the second day, his favorite black pin-striped suit with the red over-robe which matched his tie, causing whispers in the gallery. He felt the weight of Dumbledore's furious eyes as he sat down but refused to look in the man direction. When asked, Tony identified himself with his doctorates and inherited titles, causing a ripple through the audience when he included the Duchies of Sardinia and Genoa. The prosecutor waited until the murmurs died down.

"Lord Carbonell, are you not also the Regent for the Most Noble and Ancient House of Peverell?"

Tony just kept the smirk off his face. "I am."

The witch seemed to double check her documents. "And are the biological father of Lord Peverell, also known as Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived."

The reminder that James and Lily had died sent a shiver down his spine. "I am."

"Can you tell the assembly how that came to be and why, please?"

"James Potter and I were cousins, sharing Dorea Black Potter through my mother's blood and James' father. I spent most summers being tutored in magic from the time I was about eleven until I was twenty-one, a year after my son was born. James was sterile due to a curse he'd taken while working as an Auror; he and Lily asked me to donate sperm so they could conceive. Harry was born nine months later."

The prosecutor nodded, giving him a smile. "And you interacted with Harry after his birth?"

"I did, he called me Papa Tony," Tony answered, crossing his legs and relaxing back in the chair. "I visited a number of times over the first fifteen months of Harry's life."

"May I ask why you stopped visiting?"

Tony carefully folded his hands in his lap, not allowing any emotion to appear on his face. "Lily and James became increasingly concerned for both mine and their own safety. The followers of Tom Riddle, the self-styled Lord Voldemort, had stepped up their terror attacks and they knew I was as big a target as they were. Additionally, Lily became very concerned over the obsessive way Albus Dumbledore was acting concerning Harry. He'd apparently heard what he described as a prophecy, and had urged Lilly and James to take Harry, going into hiding in Godric's Hallow. Which was suspicious as hell to me."

"And why was that, Lord Carbonell?"

Tony answered matter-of-factly. "Potter Manor was protected by ancient and powerful wards and enchantments, unplottable, and would have been much more secure for them, however Dumbledore insisted they stay in the cottage instead."

"You disagreed with that?"

"I did, as I knew there were many other, more secure properties they had access to, including any of the Black homes, as well as my own mansion in the United States. However, as they were both members of Dumbledore's secret vigilante group at the time, and James, particularly, felt they needed to listen to him. Dumbledore cast the Fidelius Charm and declared that was enough."

"What happened after the defendant cast the charm?"

Tony sat up straight and glanced over to meet Sirius' eyes. "Lily was still concerned about their safety and Dumbledore's continued interest in Harry as a child of Prophecy. Just after Harry's first birthday, she and my mother came up with a plan to ensure Harry was looked after in the event something happened to her and James. They removed my memories of the family and magic, to protect me from my father and those magical relatives who supported Riddle. They had already made wills with Gringotts which gave me custody of Harry should anything happened to them and in the wills, they directed the charm on me be reversed." Tony couldn't help the bitterness that colored his words."

"What happened to your son when the Potters were killed, Lord Carbonell?"

"Based on eyewitness reports, he was kidnapped from the cottage on Dumbledore's orders by one of his employees, taken somewhere and subjected to multiple blocks put on his magical core and abilities, and the soul piece which had attached itself to my son was sealed inside his scar. He was then left, in the middle of the night of November 2nd, 1991 on the front porch of Lily's nonmagical sister and her husband, who hated magic, where he was abused and neglected for four years."

The prosecutor made eye contact with every council member. "Why were the Potters wills not adhered to, Lord Carbonell?"

Tony could help but sneer his answer. "Because Dumbledore, as the head of the Wizengamot, sealed them without having them read or probated, sentencing my son to years of misery!"

The defense barrister jumped to his feet, but the prosecutor cut him off. "Is what you have stated fact or supposition, Lord Carbonell?"

"Established fact!" Tony stared down the barrister.

"As you most certainly have your memories back, could you enlighten us on how that happened?"

Tony smirked, looking for the first time at Dumbledore. "My mother was a Black and Lily, a formidable and intelligent woman – they left the Pensieve with my memories in the care of the Potter family account manager at Gringotts with the directive to send it to me just before Harry's fifth birthday, if the order had not been rescinded by then. Master Account Manager Rockjaw sent it to me on July 1st this year and I was able to collect my son from his prison on July 2nd."

The prosecutor addressed the council. "All of the memories mentioned by Lord Carbonell have been made available to this body. At this time, I'd like to have Lord Carbonell step down for a moment and call Gringotts Master Goblin Rockjaw to the stand."

There were a few murmurs throughout the assembly as Tony returned to his seat. He gave Rockjaw, clad in the blood-red suit Harry loved, a small bow as the goblin walked by. Sirius was trying to stifle his chortle as Tony settled back into the seat beside him. They both knew Rockjaw was going to talk about the wills, the unauthorized withdrawals from Harry's trust vault, Harry's exam, the lack of any blood-based wards on the Dursley home, and the unsealing of the wills. The same wills which exonerated Sirius and condemned Dumbledore. If the testimony and documentation weren't challenged, Sirius might not even have to testify, as his trial transcripts would be entered into the record.

The defense barrister waived questioning either Rockjaw or Sirius.

Tony returned to the stand to describe how he'd found Harry that night in July and what the Dursleys had said about his placement with them. He described the nightmares and lingering issues Harry was dealing with, especially after Dumbledore's attack on them in Malibu. In the end, the evidence was irrefutable, and the defense barrister didn't bother to cross-exam him, either. Apparently, Dumbledore's arrogance would not let him believe he might be found guilty.

The prosecutor called various other parties, including Hagrid, the half-giant who had taken Harry from Sirius, as well as Professor McGonagall, whom Tony remembered from his tutoring in the summers at Potter Manor. There were several other witnesses, British Ministry employees who either couldn't remember anything or had vague recollections of events. Tony and Sirius exchanged a look at the general poor memories the individuals had, wondering how many Obliviates had been cast.

The exception to this were several of the British Auror corps, including Shacklebolt, Proudfoot, and Bones, who were able to collaborate Tony's testimony and who had work or trained with James Potter. Shacklebolt and Bones, who had actually worked with James and Sirius before the attack, testified they were aware of Tony's existence and that both men considered the American as a close family member. The defense again waived asking any of the witnesses questions.

After the Prosecution completed their testimony, Dumbledore's barrister stood up and called Dumbledore to testify. Both Tony and Sirius straightened up in their seats and Tony reached over to slide his hand onto Sirius' thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze. The barrister had Dumbledore recite all his former titles and honors, with took five minutes on their own. The next four hours were spent listening to the barrister guiding Dumbledore through his version of his life story, including his heroics during the Grindelwald war, and helping out Allied Special Forces during WWII in their fight against Hitler and HYDRA. He didn't mention his relationship to that Dark Lord and Tony glared at him, careful not to meet his eyes.

With skillful questioning, the former Chief Warlock was portrayed as a powerful but benevolent wizard who championed the Muggleborn and Half-bloods of the wizarding world. Tony felt his jaw ache with the way his teeth were clenched, and Sirius had taken his hand in a tight grip. The wizard brought Dumbledore around to Voldemort and the attack on Godric's Hallow, his "devastation" at the loss of the Potters and placing their orphan son behind Blood wards with his mother's sister. The barrister nodded solemnly at the answer.

"So, you were doing what you could to keep the child safe?"

"Of course, and with family is always the best place for children."

"And the matter of continuing to take funds from the Potter vaults?"

Dumbledore's attempt at an innocent smile made the hair on the back of Tony's neck stand up.

"James was an ardent supporter of the fight against the Dark Lord Voldemort and gave generously to the help offset financial burdens."

"This continued after Lord Potter's death?"

"Of course." Dumbledore glanced at Tony with a gleam in his eye. "As per the behest in his will, the payments continued."

"How can you be sure there was such a behest?"

A magnanimous smile was turned towards the ICW. "I was the executor of the will and signed it as a witness—"

The ensuing uproar silenced the old bastard as the entirety of those in the chambers were on their feet. Pushing down his own rage, Tony grabbed Sirius, whose wand was in his hand and had surged forward. The Supreme Mugwump used his wand to fire what sounded like a minor explosion into the air, when the firecracker he tried first failed, halting all conversation in the room.

"There will be order or I'll have the Aurors throw all of you out!"

The spectators quieted down immediately and between he and Arcturus, they wrestled Sirius back into his seat. The barrister proceeded to further question the specific charges against Dumbledore, who admitted to each one, and spoke on his knowing Harry was underweight, overworked, and downtrodden, as he needed a malleable savior in order for Harry to manipulated into sacrificing himself for the Greater Good. Admitting freely that once Harry had played his role, Dumbledore would be able to kill Voldemort himself.

The room was deadly silent.

"Why, Mr. Dumbledore?" Even the barrister looked dumbfounded.

"It is his destiny and, of course, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

It was Arcturus who cast the body binder on both Tony and Sirius, to keep them from physically attacking the former headmaster. The chamber remained eerily quiet as the barrister quickly finished the defense questioning. The prosecutor stood, her normally caramel colored face pale, and she shook her head.

"I'm not even sure how to follow that line of testimony, so I will request the council deliberate on the testimony as given for both the criminal and civil issues before them." With a shake of her head, the witch abruptly sat down.

The red had faded only slightly from Tony's vision as the council retired to deliberate. Arcturus allowed the room to empty before he took out two small vials of translucent lavender potion and held them up.

"I will release you and you will take these Calming Drafts. No matter how much you would like to tear that bastard to shreds, it would only lower you to his level."

Tony managed to take one of the vials with a semblance of grace as soon as Arcturus released him from the bind and tossed the potion back. Sirius had to be cajoled by his grandfather before he did the same. He knew they were all thinking the same thing, something about Dumbledore's smug arrogance which told them he expected to be freed to continue his insane behavior.

"This is not Britian, and the fucker has made a calculated error," Arcturus judged critically. "The ICW does not support vigilante armies and that was what Dumbledore led. Nor do the majority of adults subscribe to any type of child abuse or consider a child's life forfeit, despite any predesignated destiny."

Feeling the potion taking effect, Tony let out all the breath in his lungs and dragged in another lung full. Blowing that out, he nodded thanks to Arcturus and put a hand on Sirius' forearm.

"Even if we don't eat anything, we should at least get up and walk around a bit." Tony stood up and extended his hand to Sirius. Arcturus sighed and withdrew two larger vials from somewhere and handed one to each of them.

"Nutrition potion, as I know you won't be able to choke anything down and it's inappropriate to have a liquid lunch at this time."

Tony groaned, but downed the unpleasantly brown liquid in two gulps, and shuddering before recorking the vial and handing it back to Arcturus. He led Sirius out into the atrium, where they used the restroom before wandering around the area. Stopping at a large fountain in the center of the entrance area, Tony paused, shoving his hands in his pockets, and watching the spray of water shower a revolving globe and fall back into the pool with a plop. Sirius let out a soft laugh as he saw the member nations outlined in gold.

"Rumor has it, that reporter – Skeeter – has disappeared since she published the story on Dumbledore and Grindelwald."

"Probably in hiding," Tony commented, remembering a drunken encounter or two in fountains. "Especially if Graves and his new assistant are correct, and the remnants of HYDRA are not only still around but teamed up with Death Eaters." He reared back as a beetle flew towards his face and he batted it away. "What the hell? I walk by this fountain, and a fucking beetle gets in my face?"

Sirius nudged the fallen beetle out of the walkway with his toe. "That's funny, the wards usually keep insects out of the interior."

"Someone's falling down on the job then," Tony murmured as they turned and walked side-by-side.

Sirius shrugged. "Possibly, but a number of wardsmiths construct wards, especially those around government buildings and private dwellings, in the shape of domes. They make the assumption that wizards won't try to tunnel under the building in order to get inside."

Tony frowned. "Would that include the cliffs below the Malibu house?"

"The goblins are usually more thorough than that, however, they might not think anyone could get into the house from those sheer cliffs or even through the rock the foundation is set in."

Tony reached into his pocket and activated his phone. "JARVIS, remind me to check the cliffs under the Malibu house to make sure the wards cover that area."

"Of course, sir."

A low gong sounded through the atrium and Tony exchanged a glance with Sirius, perplexed. It hadn't been an hour since the council had retired to the conference room. With many others in the area, they made their way back into the gallery where Arcturus had saved their seats, as the prosecutor was seating herself at her table. To his surprise, Ian Smythe joined them, smoothing down a black formal robe over his dark gray suit. Rockjaw, wearing a frightening grin, seated himself on Smythe's far side.

Tony arched an eyebrow at them both and Smythe leaned his way.

"We both received notification concerning the civil cases filed against Dumbledore, saying they had all been settled as well."

The answer surprised Tony. He imagined they would be here another day in order to plow through the civil lawsuits. Forcing his body to relax on the uncomfortable seat, Tony drew in a deep breath as he watched the council members begin to filter in. Sirius slid his hand into Tony's and interlaced their fingers, filling Tony with warmth. He'd never been as glad to have a partner to rely on, especially with his relationship history. The only thing better would have been Rhodey on his other side.

All the seats were filled by the time Dumbledore was led back into the chambers. The elderly wizard held his head high, giving the impression of untouchable arrogance as he sat at the inner table. Tony scowled at the implication of Dumbledore's smirk, but quickly smoothed his face into his time-honored media expression, bland neutrality. He could feel Sirius' eyes on him, before shifting closer as Sirius' eyes returned to the front.

The Supreme Mugwump, Babajide Akingbade, stood and called the session back to order. He turned the floor over to a petite, Asian witch whom Tony didn't recognize, but who had been made spokesperson for the council.

"Albus Dumbledore! Rise and receive the decision of this body." The witch waited until the barrister helped Dumbledore to his feet. "Albus Dumbledore, it is the decision of this council that you are guilty of each and every one of the charges leveled at you and only regrets it that we have no authority to add to the charges for knowingly using your authority as Supreme Mugwump and Chief Warlock to further your own nefarious activities."

"My dear lady, I simply can't agree—"

Tony felt elated at the decision but knew enough about Dumbledore to know whatever monologue he was going into was a cover for something. He let go of Sirius' hand and flexed his wrist, allowing his wand to slide into his hand. He knew Zin and Lenz were right there, invisible, and would teleport them and Arcturus home if anything happened.

"—and I will not accept your authority. Fawkes!"

A phoenix flamed into existence above the inner table and Dumbledore turned to face the gallery as he lifted his bound hands into the air. "Lord Voldemort will return—"

The phoenix's great wingspan lifted it higher and beyond the reach of Dumbledore's grasping fingers, seeming to watch as one of the Aurors recovered their senses enough to cast a Petrifying Spell on Dumbledore. The magical bird circled slowly as everyone watched, head up, looking around the room, before locking eyes on Tony. The phoenix warbled and flew over to circle above him, a feather dropping on to Tony's lap. Gingerly, Tony picked it up, surprised to find it was still warm.

"Thank you!" Tony knew being gifted a phoenix feather was extremely rare.

Tony could have sworn the bird winked at him before disappearing in a burst of flames. Turning his attention back to the council, surprised to find Dumbledore's stiff form being held up magically by his barrister and the council debating charging the man with attempting to escape. Tony slipped the feather into the inner pocket of his suit jacket. Able to still feel its warmth as he waited for the debate to conclude.

"Albus Dumbledore, it is the decision of this council to permanently bind your magic and sentence you to spend the remainder of your natural life in the highest security wizarding prison in the world. A prison so remote and secret that no one will know where you are.

As for the civil lawsuits brought forward by Lord Carbonell and his son, whose life you were so cavalier with, we find in the favor of Lord Carbonell and Lord Peverell. In addition to the conviction on kidnapping, child endangerment, and failing to carry out your sworn duties as Chief Warlock of the British Wizengamot, we find you personally responsible for failing to probate the wills of James and Lily Potter, falsely imprisoning the child's legal magical guardian, removing heirlooms from a minor's family vault, and failure to monitor a child you claimed custody of. We also hold warrants for you issued by the British Minister for violation of varies Boy-Who-Lived laws.

For the civil lawsuit brought by Lord Arcturus Black, on behave of his heir, Sirius, and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, we find you personally responsible for Heir Black's unlawful incarceration and the subsequent negative impact on House Black. Additionally, we find you civilly culpable in withholding a blood relative from his rightful guardian by keeping Lord Black's great-grandson from him.

We direct all your real property, possessions, and funds be immediately seized by the Goblins of Gringotts and liquidated. One half of the funds will be awarded to Lord Carbonell and his son, a quarter of the funds will be awarded to House Black. The remaining quarter of the funds will be held in lieu of payment for any future lawsuits brought against Albus Dumbledore."

With that, the Supreme Mugwump and the council gathered their papers, silently filing out of the chamber. The prosecutor stood and nodded to her assistant who dropped what must have been a portkey on Dumbledore's chest and the two of them disappeared. She walked over and had a quiet conversation with the barrister, before signaling to Tony, Sirius, and Arcturus.

For Tony, the succinct end of the proceedings had knocked him for a loop. He'd expected the deliberations to take at least hours, if not days, and then they would have to argue the validity of the lawsuits. The ICW members had proved themselves no-nonsense individuals who were expeditious to the extreme. Not that Tony was complaining; he'd just thought it would take more effort, was all. As he followed Sirius and his grandfather to the inner table, Tony could help groan when he found a pile of paperwork waiting. Rockjaw grinned evilly when he added another pile of parchment on top of the original for Tony's signature.

It was half-eight in the evening before the three men walked back across the atrium, tired and hungry. Tony decided they needed to grab something to eat before they went home. Quickly calculating the difference in time zones, Tony knew it was just before noon in California, giving them time to have a leisurely meal and still make it back to Malibu before Harry was out of class.

Max popped up in front of him and Tony took one look at his face.

"Max? What's going on?"

Max wrung his hands. "Wes be under attack, sir! Come quickly!"

Tony grabbed Max's hand. "Zin! Lenz! Grab them and go!"

Gritting his teeth, Tony held on tightly for the long moment between Lichtenstein and the cool, bright sunshine of the California coast in November. Max had brought him back to the edge of the grass lawn, just up from the edge of the cliffs. A quick scan showed several uniformed Aurors around the yard, a crumpled form close to the edge of the cliff, and a large supine form laying on the lawn with Harry standing protectively over the figure. Remus shielded Harry from the Aurors' wands, Helena clinging to him as she sobbed.

"Papa! My friend saved me again!" Harry shouted fiercely, before turning and trying to stop the blood flowing out of the black clad man.

Chapter Text

Tony immediately moved to his son's side, despite the protests the Aurors made as they continued to scan the area. Harry had tears running down his face and Tony could see blood on his small hands. Sirius, wand in hand, took in the scene before disappearing into the house, as Tony surged forward. The man’s breathing was ragged.

"Get a healer out here!" Tony shouted after him as he dropped to his knees next to the where Harry was trying to stop the bleeding from a wound below the man's left shoulder. "Are you hurt, Harry?"

Relieved when his son shook his head, Tony covered Harry's hands with both of his own. "Move your hands out of the way, bambino, so I can press harder."

Sliding them out, Harry immediately pressed himself against Tony's side. "I'm not hurt, Papa, 'cause As'et saved me! He jumped front of me when the bad man over there tried to shot Helena and me!"

Sirius appeared on the other side of the fallen man, carefully taking off the goggles the man wore. "Everyone is fine in the house, Tony. Jodi says two HYDRA assassins, male and female are down, one came up the cliff here and the other over there on the rise. Along with another male, different emblem on his uniform." He unhooked the mask around from the man's face. "Do you know this man, Harry?"

Nodding, Harry sniffled, wiping his face on his sleeve. "He's As'et. He saved me once when I lived with nasty Aunt 'Tunia and gave me something to eat and kept me warm with his jacket."

A man, clad in healer's robes, appeared beside Tony, waving him away as he began casting on the man, the bleeding slowed to almost imperceptible. Sitting back on his heels, Tony shifted Harry into his lap and looked at the man's uncovered face, only to do a double take. Recognition hit him hard enough to feel like a punch to the gut.

"Get him inside," Tony snapped, his words directed to the healer. "Taffy!"

The house-elf was there instantly. "Master Tony?"

"Direct the healer to the guest bedroom on this floor and make sure the healer has everything he needs." Surging to his feet with Harry, Tony motioned Sirius inside. "JARVIS! Get me Aunt Peggy, like yesterday!"

Remus met them as they stepped into the living room, Helena still firmly attached to him, but at least no longer crying. Tony's eyes swept the house, taking note of a grim-faced Jodi Proudfoot snapping out orders to her Aurors. He caught her eye and tilted his head, knowing she would have the most information on what had happened.

"Tony? What's wrong?" A woman's voice, crisp British accent, came out of the speakers and Tony pivoted to face the closest TV screen.

Harry's head came off Tony's shoulder, looking around. "Papa, that lady sounds like me and Daddy!"

Director Margret Carter's eyes narrowed on the child Tony was holding. "Anthony?" She snapped out at him. "Why does that child have blood all over him?"

Drawing in a deep breath, Tony shot her a hard look. "I need you here, as soon as possible!"

Aunt Peggy blinked and took one look at his face. "You have your memories back."

"Yes!" he grounded out. "Seriously, Aunt Peggy, now!"

The screen went black and as Tony took a deep breath, there was a knock on the front door. Tony shook his head as he signaled the Auror by the door. Of course, Aunt Peggy knew about magic. The woman strode up the stairs dressed in brown tailored slacks and a cardigan, despite her seventy-odd years, slowing as she approached Tony, eyes sweeping the room. Sirius had stepped closer, and Harry watched her with huge eyes as Tony rubbed his back, both of them with blood on their hands and clothes.

"Tony, who is this?" Carter's voice had a sharp edge to it.

His posture straightened and Tony faced his godmother. "Tesoro, this is my Aunt Peggy. Peggy, my son, Harry, and his godfather, my partner, Sirius Black."

Harry bobbed his head, as Tony taught him to, before burying his face in Tony's neck. "Papa, we got to go see As'et!" he whispered loudly.

"We're going, son," Tony told him as he gave Carter another significant look. "The house is clear and safe, protected by a shit load of wards and spells. Even with that, it looks like somehow, a group of assassins managed to climb up the cliff face and take shots at Harry and his classmate. However, one of them jumped in front of a bullet meant for Harry, and you'll never believe who he is."

Leading the way down the hall, Tony stepped inside the room, but staying close to the doorway. The healer had managed to remove the leather tactical vest covering the man's torso and had stopped the bleeding from the wound above his heart. Jodi Proudfoot stood with her arms crossed over her chest as she watched the healer casting Tony thought was a diagnostic spell at the unconscious man's head. Tony could see the man's chest and abdomen were littered with scars, particularly around where an implant had replaced his shoulder, and his left arm appeared to be made of metal. If this was who Tony thought it was, he should be around Peggy's age, however, he didn't look much older than Tony or Sirius.

Peggy Carter gasped as soon as her eyes landed on the figure in the bed. "Bloody hell, Tony! That's the Winter Soldier – the one they call the Ghost! We need to get him out of here before he kills us all!"

"NO!" Harry screamed, lunging for the bed before Tony could tighten his hold. "He's not a ghost, he's As'et! He saved me!"

Tony awkwardly grabbed Harry's legs and eased him down on the bed, before looking at the healer, who gave him a small nod. "Stay out of the healer's way, Harry."

A hand grabbed Tony's arm as he straightened up and he turned his head to take in Peggy's pale face. "Aunt Peggy, he may be this Winter Soldier, but he's also someone you should know! Look at his face!"

Harry looked up as everyone in the room watched the older woman lean closer to the bed and gasp a second time. "Bucky Barnes?"

Tony nodded grimly, he'd actually hoped he was wrong, because it meant the man in front of them had been held somewhere for the last fifty years. "Looks like someone found him after he fell from that train." His mind swirled with possibilities, especially as he took in the red star on the prosthetic arm and the HYDRA patches that had been on the female assassin’s uniform.

"Harry?" Sirius crouched down to where Harry was sitting at the foot of the bed, his hand on the wounded man's leg. "How do you know this man?"

Harry's eyes flitted toward the healer, who was still concentrating on Barnes' head. "When I was littler, Dudley's aunt came to visit, and she had a really mean dog. The dog bit me and chased me until I climbed up really high in a tree in the backyard. It was dark when they took the dog inside, but nobody came to help me down. It was really cold, and I was hungry and sleepy, an' I wasn't sure I could hang on all night. Then Mr. As'et was there and he got me down, kept me warm with his jacket, and gave me some food. We stayed in the shed, As’et let me sit on his lap and I fell asleep, but when I woke up, I was back in my cupboard. As'et told me he was watching me and would keep me safe."

Sirius kissed the top of Harry's head and asked him another question in a soft voice as Jodi moved around the bed to stand next to Tony and his godmother.

"He's calling Barnes Asset," Jodi murmured, shaking her head.

"It's likely what he called himself," Peggy interjected, then held out her hand. "Director Peggy Carter, SHIELD."

Jodi reached over and shook Peggy's hand. "Auror Captain Jodi Proudfoot, Director. Am I to understand you believe you know this man?"

"James Buchanan Barnes, best friend of Steve Rogers, Captain America. He fell from a train in early February 1945, in the Alps, trying to the capture the chief scientist for HYDRA, Hitler's scientific branch of the Nazis."

Jodi glanced at Tony and then met Peggy's eyes. "Anyone who fought in that war should be in their seventies, this man looks about thirty."

"Mr. Stark?" The healer interrupted them.

Flexing his wrist, Tony cast the privacy spell Sirius had taught him, not wanting Harry to hear. "How is he, Healer Peck?"

The healer crossed his arms over his chest. "The man was lucky; the bullet went through his body above the heart and below the prosthetic implant. It did pass through his lung, causing it to collapse, but he seems to have some type of enhanced healing ability and it was quickly dealt with. Physically, he is otherwise intact and uninjured, however, his mind shows evidence of chronic, long-term exposure to massive charges of electric current." The man shook his head, looking distressed. "The damage is not unlike an overpowered Obliviate or a very focused Cruciatus Curse. There are areas within his brain that have been shielded, I'm not sure how, but it shows it might be possible to heal him."

"He saved my son," Tony said simply. "I owe him a life debt and want everything possible done to make him better."

Peck nodded, a small smile on his face. "The absolute courage and will it took to break through that kind of torture, to save even a small part of himself is amazing. I have requested the foremost mind healer to come in and evaluate him."

"And until they get here? How are we to keep the world's most successful assassin from killing us all?" Peggy demanded.

"That shouldn't be an issue, ma'am," Peck assured her. "He should be in a healing sleep for at least the rest of the day and, if I could ask you, Mr. Stark?" Peck motioned him over to the bedside. "This prosthesis appears to be very heavy and will interfere with the man's healing. Do you think you could figure out how to remove it?"

"Of course," Tony answered and moved to the head of the bed, exchanging a glance with Sirius, who moved closer to Harry. "JARVIS, can you scan the arm for any bugs or trackers?"

A moment passed before JARVIS spoke. "There are two tracking devices within the prosthetic arm, another in the shoulder implant, as well as several on the clothing Sgt. Barnes was wearing. I believe it would be prudent to check the attackers as well. Sir."

"Damn it!" Tony swore as he and the doctor closely examined the shoulder implant. "JARVIS, send Dum-E up with my toolbox, please. Jodi, did you ever identify the assassins' handler?"

"No, but perhaps Director Carter can accompany me and see if she recognizes him."

At Peggy's nod, Jodi grabbed her elbow and Apparated, just as Dum-E enter the room with a red toolbox in his claw. With a muttered thanks, Tony took the box, set it on the bed, and opened it. Harry patted Dum-E's arm as the bot headed back out of the room. With the healer's help, Tony managed to open a plate on the front of the shoulder implant and trace it to the arm joint. He quickly located a lever which released the arm from the joint, the heavy prosthetic dropping into his hand.

"Sirius!" he yelped as the arm began to slip.

Sirius jumped from his position next to Harry and grabbed the forearm, lifting it to set it down on the top of the dresser. Tony threw him a smile and leaned back over the bed, his fingers tracing along the back of the metal shoulder joint. The healer helped prop up the man's torso as Tony located a plate and popped it open. Less than a minute later, Tony had found and torn out a crude tracking device.

"JARVIS, can you scan Barnes again and see if there is anything else in the implant?" Tony asked as he and the healer lowered the man back on the bed.

"You have located the only device which was broadcasting in the shoulder, Sir, however, the devices in the arm are still transmitting on an unknown frequency. I would advise destroying them with all due haste."

Tony straightened and lifted the toolbox. He dropped a kiss on the top of Harry's head as he stopped to grab the prosthetic arm and made eye contact with Sirius who nodded. As he passed through the living room, Tony could see there were still Aurors on the lawn outside, but the living room was empty. He continued down the stairs to his workshop.

"JARVIS, open the door please, my hands are full."

"Certainly, Sir."

Laying the arm on his work bench, Tony set the toolbox down, and selected a small pry tool. He went to work locating the tracking devices with JARVIS' help. He'd just located the second device and was prying it out of the arm when the door to his lab opened.

"Tony?"

Tony finished extracting the tracker and snipping the wires before looking up to see Aunt Peggy standing just inside the door. He straightened up, tossing the tool and the deactivated tracker onto the bench.

"Were you able to identify the handler?" he asked, frowning at the solemn look on the older woman's face.

"Actually, he's one of SHIELD's – a squad leader of the STRIKE team," she admitted, clearly unhappy with the discovery.

"What?" Tony couldn't believe his ears.

With a deep sigh, Peggy moved further into the lab. "I have always worried, with Operation Paperclip after the war, that we had willing brought Nazis and HYDRA into some of our most secret agencies, Zola being a perfect example. Howard and Phillips didn't seem worried about them and over the years, there were no hints or instances of impropriety within SHIELD and I'm afraid we all grew complacent."

"A high-ranking SHIELD officer turning out to be the handler of a team of HYDRA assassins seems to be a pretty good clue," Tony retorted, pushing the metal arm to the side.

"Oh, it’s far worse than that, Tony, the handler happens to be Pierce's right-hand man."

"The man who has already been selected as your replacement?" Tony questioned, a bad feeling welling in him.

Peggy nodded; arms wrapped around her stomach. "I'd heard snippets of information over the years, knew HYDRA and, after them, the Soviets, tried to replicate the Super Solider Serum. Bucky himself told Howard and I that HYDRA had experimented on several of the 107th when they were captured the first time. What I didn't know, was that Howard had apparently continued to try and perfect the Serum as well."

Tony scrubbed his hands over his face. "Why?"

Peggy shook her head. "I don't know, but I suspect he wasn't working alone." She blew out a breath. "Tony, I suspect whomever he was working with was secretly HYDRA and the crash that killed your parents wasn't an accident. I think HYDRA ordered their deaths, as the Serum Howard was working on vanished at the same time. And, if that man upstairs is actually the one they call the Winter Solider, he may have been the weapon HYDRA used to kill them."

It felt as if he'd been punched in the solar plexus, taking all the breath out of his body, and Tony pressed a hand to his chest as he stumbled back, collapsing on his stool. Nothing could have prepared him for this type of news, compounded by the fact that HYDRA had tortured a friend of Howard's and then force him to kill his own friend. And the thought of his mother as collateral damage made his stomach churn, and his eyes prickle with tears.

"God, Peggy, that makes it even worse! They tortured and brainwashed Barnes for decades before sending him to kill one of his own friends! How could SHIELD have signed off on it as a car crash if they were murdered?"

Her face turned even more grim. "Pierce was the supervising agent on the case, Tony, he could have sanitized the crime scene photos and made it appear like it was an accident."

Taking several deep breaths, trying to stop his head from spinning, Tony struggled to calm himself. Peggy took a step forward and laid her hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"I'll start digging, Tony," Peggy promised him. "Quietly and carefully, but I will get to the bottom of this, I promise you."

Tony grabbed her hand and held it between both of his. "How are you going to know who to trust? HYDRA won't hesitate to make you have an accident, too!"

"There are a few people I know who are trustworthy," she told him.

"Let me send a couple of the Potter house-elves to protect you, please."

Peggy gave him a small smile. "How do you think I got here so quickly, Anthony? My Mipsy is still with me."

The memory of the little elf his mother had gifted Aunt Peggy surfaced and Tony nodded, relieved that someone was watching over her. "Good, and I'll give you contact information for Robert Graves, who is a MACUSA Auror Captain who will be retiring at the beginning of December and will be in charge of SI Security on the east coast. He is absolutely trustworthy."

"Thank you," Peggy replied, pulling Tony to his feet and giving him a hug. "And do be careful, Anthony, please. I realize Bucky saved your son’s life, but if his mind can’t be healed, he won’t be safe for anyone to be around."

It took three days for any progress to be made with the man known as the Winter Solider. When he wasn't in class or with Tony or Sirius, the little boy could be found sitting at the foot of the man's bed. They had disabled the trackers on his clothing and turned them in to the Aurors, along with the firearms Barnes had carried. The two other intruders had also had trackers, as did the SHIELD agent, which the Aurors collected to try and trace back to their source. Any other property had been sanitized and put away. The mind heeler, a silver-haired older woman with a grandmotherly personality, had arrived the first night and began to physically heal Barnes' brain, trying to regrow the scarred brain tissue she had encountered. Healer Addison had kept Barnes in an enchanted sleep, which was easier on him that a magical coma, and utilized Legilimency to safely deprogram him from the Winter Solider.

"It appears Sgt. Barnes was programed with certain words to bring forth the Winter Solider, which had to be used in the proper order and within a minute of each other," Healer Addison told Tony, Graves, Proudfoot, and Rhodey over coffee that Sunday morning, looking out over a stormy swell and threatening black clouds. "I've isolated five of the words and erased those from his programming, so the other words should not affect him, even if the trigger words are used."

"You still have concerns, though," Tony interjected, his head tilted a little to hear Harry as he read one of his story books to Barnes and Sirius.

Addison nodded her head, setting her cup down. "Without knowing all of the other words, I can't declare him free of the programming, even if the chances are nil he'll trigger. I am concerned there is another word, probably something Russian which will shut him down completely – his handlers would not leave themselves vulnerable to attach without a way to drop him in his tracks."

"And?" Jodi prompted this time.

Addison took a bite of a blueberry scone and washed it down with a sip of coffee before she spoke. "I am concerned for his mental health, frankly. I believe it took them years to program Sgt. Barnes, as the first records we've been able to even suggest he was involved in aren't until the late 1950s, which would indicate almost fifteen years of progressive torture. There is also evidence of freezing and thawing within his tissues, which could mean cryogenic freezing, which makes sense, as it would be a safe place to ‘store’ him, considering his enhanced abilities. That mental strength could work against him when he wakes up, depending on how many of his memories returned." She looked at Tony. "Especially if he remembers the assassination he was forced to carry out against his own friends."

"From what I've found of his military record and what Director Carter has told me about his younger years, Barnes will internalize it, disappear, then attempt suicide." Graves looked thoughtful. "I've put an Auror grade Tracking Charm on him, and I'm sure Tony will include one in the upgraded arm he's working on."

"I am a bit puzzled with Barnes’ previous encounter with Harry," Jodi interjected. "More why he was in Little Whinging than why he decided to protect him."

Tony nodded to both Graves’ statement and Proudfoot’s. "I think—"

"Sir, my sensors indicate Sgt. Barnes is waking up."

"Thank you, J," Tony answered, on his feet immediately. He looked around the table. "Why don't I go in the room, but you all stay in the hallway until I signal."

"That is a good idea, Tony," Addison agreed, pushing back her chair.

Taking the steps two at a time, Tony was in the large guest room in under half a minute. Harry was still reading from his story book about the adventures of two dads and their kids, as he sat next to Barnes' legs on the bed. Sirius was sitting on the floor, his back propped against the side, dozing in a patch of sunlight. Tony almost snickered as he took in the view, wondering why his lover hadn't just transformed into Padfoot to do the same thing.

"Hi, Papa!" Harry chirped as Tony entered and stood next to the bed.

"Hi, munchkin," Tony stroked a hand through his hair as he turned to look at the man in the bed. There was movement under the closed eyes and Tony was sure the man was trying to get a bearing on his surroundings before he chanced opening his eyes. "Are you reading to Sgt. Barnes?"

Harry sent him a stern look, and Tony had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing. "He's Mr. As'et, Papa, he told himself."

"Well, bambino, what if your friend wants you to call him a new name when he wakes up?" Tony could see Barnes' eye crack open at Harry's statement.

Tilting his head, Harry turned towards Barnes. "You mean like I'm now a Stark because you came and took me away from my mean relatives?"

"Exactly, baby."

Harry studied Barnes, before leaning over onto the uninjured side of Barnes' chest. "Mr. As'et, I want to ask you a question, can you wake up now, please?"

As Tony watched, Barnes' eyes flickered open, but eerily, not another muscle in his body moved. The blue-gray eyes flicked around the room, pausing for a few seconds on Tony and then rested on Harry. Barnes blinked and Tony held his breath, hoping the man would be able to remember what he'd done for Harry, as he was sure Harry would be devastated if he didn't.

"Kid?" Barnes' voice was barely a whisper, but it made a brilliant smile blossom on Harry's face.

"Mr. As'et!" Harry scooting up to hug Barnes. "You saved me again! Thank you!"

Barnes wrapped his right arm around Harry, awkwardly patting his back, looking completely baffled and his eyes darting around the room again, touching on Tony. Sirius stood up, taking Barnes' attention, and moved to stand at the end of the bed. The man’s eyes swung back, meet Tony's eyes and holding them. Tony leaned in slightly.

"Thank you, Sgt. Barnes, for protecting Harry, this week and before," Tony said quietly. "I owe you a debt I can't even begin to pay."

"No…" Barnes' voice was rough, as if he'd not used it in a while. "I need to lea—"

The man struggled to sit up and Tony stepped forward to help him, Sirius moving to stack pillows behind him. His eyes seemed more alert now, the man shook his head once as Harry patted his chest. Barnes glanced around, before his eyes once again zeroed in on Tony. His eyes flicked down at Harry and back up to Tony with an unspoken question. Tony nodded slowly, holding his hand out, palm up.

"Everything is fine, Buckaroo. We know who you are, and you are safe here. None of those handlers can get to you, nor can HYDRA or SHIELD."

"Tony Stark?"

"I am, and I have removed the trackers which were implanted in your arm and in your shoulder." Tony watched as Harry wiggled around so he could sit up but kept Barnes’ arm around his waist. "How do you feel?"

Barnes frowned as Tony waited. Having learned about Barnes’ accelerated healing factor, he assumed the bullet damage was almost completely healed, but manners dictated he ask. Addison had remarked on how quickly the man’s brain tissues had healed while she was working on him. It was also part of why Barnes had been able to resist the brainwashing for such a long period of time.

"I…good, I think." Barnes met Tony’s eyes again. "My head is—it doesn’t hurt and feels—clearer?"

"It’s magic!" Harry chirped and Tony grinned, even the Winter Soldier’s face unfroze enough to look fond. "What do you want me to call you now they fixed your brain, Mr. As’et?"

Tony scrutinized Barnes’ face as the man looked down at Harry, sitting in his lap. He could almost see the tumbling thoughts and memories whirling in Barnes' mind and Tony knew it would take time to assimilate everything. Barnes opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again before finally speaking.

"I think they called me Bucky."

Grinning, Harry wrapped his arms around Barnes’ waist and hugged him. "Okay, Uncle Bucky!"

Snorting, Tony shook his head at his kid and glanced at Sirius. He knew the others were waiting to come in, but he didn’t want Harry in the room for the conversation they needed to have. Sirius must have understood his silent plea as he moved around the side of the bed, on hand brushing against Tony’s back. Bucky’s eyes followed Sirius as he approached Harry.

"This is my other half, Sirius Black," Tony explained as Sirius held his hands out to Harry.

"Come on, pup. Let’s go see if Taffy will give us something for your Uncle Bucky to eat. He must be very hungry."

"Ok, Daddy!" Harry allowed Sirius to pick him up, waving goodbye as Sirius carried him out of the room.

Healer Addison entered as soon as they left, her wand casting on Barnes before he could say a word. Apprehension flickered in Barnes’ eyes, but not surprise.

"You know about magic," Tony stated as he moved to Barnes’ left side and out of the healer’s way.

Barnes nodded; eyes glued to the wand. "Yeah, Stevie’s ma and mine had magic, my father as well, I think. I didn’t have enough for a wand, though."

"That is how you were able to see the house," Tony guessed, "and the others who were here?"

"They chose those of us in the 107th who had some magic to experiment on."

Addison completed her scan and glanced at Tony, before turning to Barnes. "Sgt. Barnes, I am Healer Addison and I was asked to heal the damage done to your mind, including restoring as much of your memory as possible. How are you feeling?"

Opening his mouth to speak, Tony was sure Barnes was going to say what he thought would placate the healer, but the man hesitated, an astonished expression lighting his face. "I feel good and my mind is—clear! I can remember—" Barnes balled his hand into a fist and pressed it against his mouth, visibly overwhelmed.

Addison slipped out of the room and Tony stood awkwardly for a moment, before making a decision, sitting into the chair next to the bed. "You’ve been through quite an ordeal, Sgt. Barnes, and I can promise you are safe here. I also promise we will make sure you get whatever help you need and get started on the legal matters."

"Even though I’ve been used to kill so many people since I was captured," Barnes whispered bitterly.

Swallowing hard, Tony managed to push out. "You were the weapon, Barnes, but HYDRA pulled the trigger and Howard was an idiot for trusting Zola enough to try to recreate the Serum."

He didn't know which of them was breathing harder and Tony forced himself to draw in a lung full of air and blow it out slowly. "You saved my son twice, why I don't know, but it tells me that there is still some Bucky Barnes in you. The healer thinks she's been able to repair most of the damage done to your mind, but it might be a bit fragmented. I don't think it's going to be a cake walk for you, but we'll help you through it."

"Thank you."

Tony scrubbed his face with his hands, hearing Jodi and Graves move into the bedroom. He introduced both of them and slumped into the chair as they began to ask him questions. While Tony knew the Death Eaters had allies within America and they had believed HYDRA was also active, but as Barnes began to answer questions, the extent to which they were intertwined was chilling. And who knew HYDRA had a watchlist?

Tony Stark: Do Not Engage

And HYDRA had been watching Harry since he had defeated the bastard who murdered Lily and James. The Death Eaters wanted Harry's blood and HYDRA wanted to experiment on him, to see why he was so powerful.

Tony ran both hands through his hair. They would not get his son.

Chapter Text

From Tony's observations, James Barnes settled into the routine of the house well and by the time of Harry's last day of classes before Thanksgiving came, he had become the little boy's shadow. Healer Addison had used Barnes' own memories to identify the additional trigger words, as well as several words which could immobilize the man instantly. Arcturus had lent the healer the large Black family Pensieve, which she used to desensitize the words and allow the man to watch some of his clearer memories. Tony even accompanied the solider into several memories which showed details of his arm, which he was planning on reworking. The present one being heavy enough to pull on the man's entire torso and spine.

Once he was declared safe by Healer Addison, Barnes had taken to sitting in the back of the classroom, studying history books Remus had ordered for him in an effort to acquaint him with everything he'd missed. The children seemed to all love him, as he was exceedingly patient with them, and he even assisted Remus when asked. Sirius had found a first-generation therapist came in three mornings each week to work with Barnes, Harry, and himself. Tony was more than relieved as Harry's nightmares became less frequent and he began to accept that he had family who genuinely loved him. Sirius and Barnes both had smirked when Harry had announced out of the blue that he wanted his hair to be long like them and Tony rolled his eyes at his son's pout.

Tony had gotten Barnes a Starkphone and laptop when he learned that Barnes had been trained on the electronics by HYDRA and could use them. Splitting his time that first week between SI and working on Barnes prosthetic arm, had given Tony the opportunity to examine HYDRA's work. JARVIS had taken a number of scans of the arm and its internal mechanisms; Tony fascinated by the engineering. He'd been able to fabricate a titanium outer shell for the arm, which reduced the weight by a third, before reattaching it to Barnes' shoulder mount. The work had the side benefit of inspiring Tony to begin work on new schematics for SI's Medical Division, and if he'd improved on the elements he'd seen in Barnes' arm, Tony wasn't going to worry - he doubted HYDRA had patented their design.

Spending more time than usual in his office at Stark Industries in the next few weeks, Tony had quietly removed Obidiah from the Board of Directors, replacing him with Sirius, who oversaw the 20% of SI stock owned by the Black and Potter families trusts. Pepper had been moved into the position of Administrative Assistant, with an eye to seeing how she did with the added responsibility. As each government contract was fulfilled, Tony was giving the SI workers paid vacations during the time selected factories were refitted to build electronics or communications mirrors. The military had praised the new designs on the protective body armor and had issued a new contract for SI to reoutfit all their ground troops. The ICW was requesting a field demonstration of the mirrors after the first of the year and, according to Graves, most countries Magical law enforcement departments followed the standard the ICW set.

The FBI and the Aurors of MACUSA were holding various criminal warrants for the arrest of Obidiah Stane, on charges which varied from corporate espionage to illegal weapons sales and attempted murder. The US Attorney General ordered all of Stane's assets seized, including several off-shore accounts they'd found. In addition, the CIA and ICW wanted to question him about aiding and abetting a terrorist group. Stane had disappeared, not a difficult task considering his magical associates, but Tony knew they had to be vigilant. The bastard was a cockroach, hiding in the shadows, waiting for his opportunity, and very hard to kill.

Tony had been tempted to turn the house-elves loose to deal with the man, but restrained himself. Barnes--Bucky (as Harry reminded him with a huff) agreed to work with Graves and Happy in order to test the security protections they had put in place, both at SI locations as well as their residences. Each one of their security team made an oath of loyalty and were well compensated for their wariness and attention to detail. Tony wasn't taking any chances with his family and close friends. Bucky even joined Tony in learning Occlumency, expressing a fear of having anyone ever being able to control of his mind again.

Thanksgiving was quiet day with those who had become family to Tony, Sirius, and Harry gathered around the magically expanded table. Arcturus joined Pepper, Happy, Rhodey, Jodi, Bucky, Remus, and his wife. Harry had insisted the house-elves eat dinner with them and Taffy had transfigured the kitchen island into a long, low table set up just outside the kitchen. Tony jumped in to help when Harry insisted he could carry food to both tables, despite Taffy's protests. Arcturus had just shaken his head. Rhodey and Happy introduced Bucky to televised football in the living room, while Tony had gathered Harry and half of the house-elves in his room to watch the Thanksgiving parade.

Tony was in his workshop, recalibrating on his calculations to miniaturize the arc reactor Howard had built to power the SI factory twenty years before, when his lab door opened. Sirius had returned to London with Arcturus for the pre-Yule meeting of the full Wizengamot. Bucky gone with them for the first few days, where he'd been examined and cleared by the mind healers at St. Mungos and was tested for magical strength by a specialist. Sirius had told Tony the night before, about Barnes' reaction to being told he could learn to use a wand, even though he'd never be a powerhouse. That had led to a trip to Olivander's wand shop.

"Sir, Master Harry is wake and headed down to you."

Tony glanced up. "Thanks, J."

"Papa?"

"Is that my favorite munchkin?" Tony set his work aside and turned on his stool.

Harry peered around the corner of his workbench; the stuffed unicorn toy Arcturus had brought him cuddled to his chest. "Are you busy, Papa?"

Tony leaned down and scooped Harry into his lap. "I'm never too busy for you, cookie monster."

Harry and, surprisingly, Bucky, had taken a liking to helping Taffy bake cookies, which then disappeared at an astounding rate. They were the only ones Taffy allowed in her kitchen and would bake enough for both the humans and the house-elves to enjoy. Bucky, the originator of the Thousand-yard Stare, could protect their cookies with simply a glare, especially when Sirius attempted to sneak more than his share.

Giggling, Harry snuggled into Tony's chest. "I waked up and you weren't in your bed."

Tony pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose, laughing when Harry pulled away and scrunching it up.

"Papa!"

Tony pressed a kiss to Harry tousled hair and tightened his arms around him. "Hmm?"

"When are we going Chris'mas shopping, Papa?"

Tony pushed with his foot and slowly spun his chair around, letting the gentle movement continue until they were back facing the door. "Christmas shopping? We just had Thanksgiving, bambino!"

Turning his face up, Harry gave him the most solemn expression he could. "But Papa, I gots lots of presen's to buy!"

Pushing to his feet, Tony bit down on a snort as he switched Harry to his hip. "Really? Who do you want to get presents for?"

Harry snuggled into him, one arm around his neck and the other in front of him as he used his fingers to count. "You and Daddy, Uncle Rhodey, Aunt Pepper, Grandpa, Uncle Bucky—" he blew out a breath and scowled. "I need more fingers, Papa!"

Laughing, Tony carried him up the stairs into the quiet living room. "Well, I can see you have a lot of shopping to do. We have to pack tomorrow for the trip to New York and then we leave the next day. How about we wait until Wednesday to go shopping?"

"How many days away is Wednesday, Papa?"

"Count them, Tesoro."

Harry opened his free hand again as Tony walked into the kitchen. "Tomorrow is Saturday, then Sunday, and then Monday—"

Tony sat his son down on the kitchen island and turned toward the refrigerator, only to stop as two mugs of warm milk appeared on the counter top. Saying a silent thanks to Taffy, Tony picked them up as Harry extended all five fingers.

"Five, Papa! Wednesday is five days away!"

Kissing the top of Harry's head, Tony carefully set one the mugs down. "You are absolutely correct, my little genius!" He handed the mug to Harry, making sure his hands were firmly clasped around it before Tony let go. "So, I promise we will go Christmas shopping on Wednesday in New York, okay?"

Harry cocked his head, eyes already heavy with sleep. "Okay, Papa, and we can take Uncle Bucky and Daddy with us?"

"I'm sure that can be arranged, bambino."

The move to New York was problem-free with the help of the house-elves and magic. Tony was delighted to practice some of the spells and charms he hadn't used in years, despite Sirius' open amusement. Harry and Bucky were amazed, following him around as he utilized the unpacking spell on everyone's suitcases. He let Sirius handle the more complex magic, including a proximity charm on their bedroom. While Tony knew JARVIS alerted them if Harry was out of bed, his son had almost caught them in the 'act' more than once, so better to be certain than have to explain sex to a curious five-year-old.

Thankful they'd chosen to move over a weekend, as the time change had thrown Harry's sleep schedule off track, and it had taken two days to get him back on an even keel. While Harry was recovering well from his time with his abusive relatives, the change had him clingy and tearful until Sunday afternoon. Everyone had been very patient with the little boy, but even Tony had felt drained, frustrated by his inability to cajole Harry out of his funk. Bucky had been amazingly patient with Harry, carrying him around for hours while Tony and Sirius unpacked and helped strengthen the protective fields on the penthouse. A late afternoon cookie making binge had brought the first smile and wore Harry out enough to go to sleep at a healthy time.

Tony spent Monday and Tuesday touring the New York SI offices and factories. Sirius went with him to the new facility which was producing as many of the communications mirrors as fast as it could, while maintaining the quality. They continued to be extremely popular, both for personal and government use. Remus had agreed to work with him on the runic array while Tony adapted the devices to work off both batteries and the ambient energy each magical person possessed. He'd discovered in his research on the energy of the arc reactor, that it was compatible with magic and was working on utilizing it for the new line of batteries.

Wednesday dawned cold, cloudy, and threatening the appearance of snow.

"Papa! Daddy! You got to get up, it's Chris'mas shopping day!" Small fingers poked at his cheek.

Tony startled awake, hand going for his wand on the nightstand before his awareness kicked in and he saw Harry climbing up on the bed. Sirius groaned and rolled over, covering his head with the blanket, which Harry promptly tugged off again. He bounced on his knees, trying to get Sirius to open his eyes.

"Daddy! You have to get up!" Harry pushed at his shoulder. "It's su'posed to snow today!"

Sirius groaned again, a rumble deep in his chest as Harry climbed on his back. Tony sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes before stretching his arms above his head. Gray light filtered in through the windows, confirming exactly how early it was.

"JARVIS?"

"Good morning, Sir. It is currently 6:25 Eastern Standard Time and 30 degrees in New York City. The current forecast is for snow flurries today with a high temperature of 37 degrees."

Sirius groaned even louder and buried his head under his pillow. Harry's bottom lip began to tremble and Tony reached under the blankets to grope Sirius' ass, then grinned at the squeak from the man. Tony pulled his hands back and reached for Harry just as his son's breath hitched, a sob threatening.

"Come here, bambino. Daddy will get up as soon as he smells the pancakes Taffy is making," Tony soothed, gathering Harry against his chest. "You know how grumpy Daddy gets when he has to wake up early."

"Ugh! Not a grump!" Sirius pulled his head out and rolled over towards Tony. "I just need kisses—"

Harry dove out of Tony's arms and gave Sirius a noisy kiss to his cheek. "Daddy!"

It was just after 8am when the group Flooed from the penthouse to the Lobby of Gringotts Bank. Tony and Sirius had business with Rockjaw and Harry had talked Bucky into taking him into the shops nearby for some mysterious purchases. Tony stood just inside the lobby and watched as Harry carefully held onto Barnes' metal hand, talking a mile a minute as they walked into the shopping area. Several people moved along the same direction, blending into the crowd of holiday shoppers. He also knew that Taz and Max were there, walking beside Harry.

"Come on, love," Sirius appeared at his elbow. "Rockjaw is here and the quicker we get business out of the way; we can get back to spoiling our boy."

Allowing himself to be led away, Tony tried to concentrate on their meeting. The Stark and Black family vaults were benefitting from the sales of the new magical division at SI and the plans for expansion were on schedule. The first Emrys House, located in London adjacent to Diagon Alley, was ready to open at the first of the year. The second house, just outside of New York City would open shortly after that. The acquisition of the building site for Stark Tower had been accomplished and Tony signed off on the final architectural design. A goblin crew would be handling the underground excavation and a construction company owned by a first generation magical, employing both mundane and magical methods, had been hired for the above ground build.

Sirius stayed with Rockjaw to go over some of the investments Arcturus had asked him to make for the family, while Tony headed out. He paused in the lobby to double-check that he had the new Gringotts card he'd been given, which worked in both worlds. A much easier way to spend money than having to carry a pouch of coins around. Stepping out into the shopping district, Tony took advantage of the height at the top of the stairs to glance over the heads of the many shoppers. The area seemed unusually busy for a morning in the middle of the week, Tony thought.

Just as Tony caught sight of Bucky stepping out of a nearby shop, the man standing a head taller than most around him and carrying Harry, a jet of red spell light flashed from a shadowed doorway. Tony's wand was in his hand instantly and, suddenly, he was a step from Bucky's side. Bucky already had his wand out, casting, when Harry reached across, wrapping his own hand around the wood just below Bucky's hand. A golden shield snapped into existence around them, causing the Stunning Spell to rebound back at the caster. Taz became visible, his arms wrapped around Barnes' leg, ready to Apparate them out.

Tony, seeing that Harry was safe, pivoted and sent a broad stunner towards the doorway, grinning viciously as two bodies hit the cobblestones. He followed with a binding spell.

"Papa!" Harry yelled at him, sounding furious.

Spinning around, Tony was with them, the crowd having scattered away from them. "Harry! Are you all right?"

The shield dissolved as Tony turned to his son, but Harry had both arms wrapped around Bucky's neck. "Papa! Those bad people tried to hurt my Mr. Bucky!" Harry spat, while Bucky held his wand at ready, scanning the crowd.

Tony moved behind Bucky, pressing his back against the taller man, his eyes watching for trouble. He noted the security team ringing them, before cracks of Apparation sounded around them. Tony drew in a deep breath when he saw Robert Graves appear next to him. Relaxing, Tony holstered his wand and reached for Harry, who grabbed him tightly.

"Excellent shield, Buckaroo," Tony told him as he hugged Harry.

Bucky looked a bit shellshocked as he finally slid his wand back into his sleeve. "I don't think it was just me," he admitted to Tony. "As I cast the spell, I think Harry added his magic to mine."

Tony met his eyes, rubbing Harry's back. "Bambino, did you help Bucky with his shield?"

Pulling back, Harry first shook his head, bit his lip before he nodded. "Kinda, Papa. Those bad people were trying to hurt us, so I let Mr. Bucky use my magic, too."

Tony wasn't sure what to think, as he'd never heard of someone 'helping' with their magic. "You did good, bambino!"

"Tony! Harry!" Sirius skidded to a stop beside them. "What happened, Buck?"

Shaking his head, Bucky looked between Tony and Sirius. "We'd just stepped out of the store, when Harry stiffened and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I threw up a shield like you and Proudfoot showed me."

"And Harry lent his magic to make it stronger," Tony added, Harry turning to grin at Sirius.

"I helped, Daddy!"

Graves interrupted them, a familiar auror at his side.

"Cousin Iggy!" Harry greeted Auror Ignotus Potter with an excited bounce.

"Hi, Harry," Potter acknowledged him with a smile, nodding his head at Tony.

Graves made the introduction, as apparently the junior G man had gotten a promotion and would be in charge of the case. Tony's stunner had caught a male and female, identified by the Aurors as petty thieves who preyed primarily on shoppers.

"Petty thieves don't usually risk stunning someone in the middle of a heavily populated shopping area," Sirius interjected before Tony could.

"Which is why they have been transported back to the office for interrogation with Veritaserum," Potter assured them. "One of the drawbacks to attacking the—child."

Tony arched an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Graves. Handing Harry over to Sirius, with Bucky standing guard over them, he stepped towards Graves.

"I'll go along to observe, Tony," Graves told him quietly. "It doesn't appear to have been an organized attack."

"You believe it's safe to continue shopping?" Tony wasn't going to put his son in danger.

"I do." Graves glanced up as snowflakes started to fall. "I wouldn't dawdle, however, as word is bound to get out that you are here."

Nodding, Tony looked at Sirius and Harry. "Did you get everything you wanted, kiddo?"

Harry looked at Bucky, who gave a short nod. Tony coughed to cover a laugh; only Harry would use an assassin as a personal shopper.

"All but the sweets store, Papa," Harry chirped, pointing, and Sirius rolled his eyes, but started to walk towards the shop.

Tony fell into step beside him, while Bucky took up position on the other side. When they got to the store, Harry insisted Tony and Bucky stay outside while he and Sirius went in. Bucky took up a position in front of the door, while Tony stood behind him, checking his phone for any messages. It was only a few minutes before Harry came back out, a bright smile on his face as he clenched a small red and white bag. Sirius followed him, shaking his head, and Tony arched an eyebrow.

"Your kid is as stubborn as you are!" Sirius said under his breath.

Tony gave him an affronted look.

The small entourage made its way toward the exit into the mundane world, where Happy waited with the car. Driving around Manhattan, they made several stops at different smaller shopping areas, spending enough time to walk around the stores, going in if any of the were of interest. After lunch from a hot dog cart, much to Harry's delight, they went to a medium sized, cluttered toy store in the West End Happy knew of, which didn't seem to be too busy to take Harry in. Pepper had pointed out the little boy might be overwhelmed by the huge toy store Tony originally wanted to take Harry to in Time Square.

His son held tightly to his hand as Tony stepped inside with him, Sirius was a step behind them, with Happy to the rear and Bucky in front. There was a large throne-like chair in the front corner of the store, with a discrete sign displaying the hours Santa would be there. Checking his watch which showed they had thirty minutes to wait, Tony smothered a smile, as he really wanted a picture of Harry on Santa’s lap.

As they went down the aisle which held all the stuffed toys, Tony leaned down. "Do you want to pick up a present for your school friends, bambino?"

Harry looked up with wide, hopeful eyes. "Am I allowed to, Papa?"

"Of course you are, Harry," Tony responded, being careful to moderate his tone and not let his anger show. "Christmas is a perfect time to give your friends gifts."

Harry threw himself at Tony, wrapping his arms around his papa's legs. "Thank you, Papa!"

It took almost the entire half an hour for Harry to pick out presents for Helena and the boys in Harry's class. Tony had spoken to the manager and paid handsomely for an hour of uninterrupted shopping time, with a picture on Santa's lap included. He learned Harry loved to pick out gifts for the others, something he'd never been allowed to do in the past. For Helena, Harry picked out a new golden tiara, along with a little brown teddy bear with a red ribbon around its neck. For the two boys, Harry chose an action figure for Shawn and a book about dinosaurs for Marco. Tony signaled Sirius to make note of any toy Harry lingered at, as he had no idea what Harry might like.

Harry himself still seemed to feel he wasn't worthy of presents, something he and Sirius were working on.

"Papa?" Harry whispered, tugging on Tony's hand.

Crouching down, Tony rested his hand on his son's shoulder. "Yes, Tesoro?"

Looking around quickly, Harry leaned closer. "I read the story about Uncle Bucky's best friend, Papa, about him being Capt'in America, and know Uncle Bucky must miss him." Harry took a deep breath, pointing over Tony's shoulder. "Do you think I can get him that for Christmas?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Tony didn't know whether to gasp or snort. There on the wall was a display of the Captain America and Bucky Barnes teddy bears, which Tony himself had played with when he was a toddler. Both were dressed in the uniforms they had worn during WWII, with Rogers in the uniform Howard had made for him and Bucky in his Howling Commando uniform.

"I think Bucky would be delighted, bambino."

Tony knew one of the things that bothered Bucky was Steve Rogers opting to ditch the Valkyrie in the Artic Ocean, instead of making an attempt to land the plane or, at least, eject before he went down with the plane. He'd shared his theory of Rogers' having chosen suicide, over living with the guilt he must have felt after Bucky had fallen from Zola's train. While he understood Bucky's sentiment, Tony also knew there was no way Rogers could have known his best friend could survive the fall he'd taken that day in the Alps.

"Why don't we get both of them, so they can keep Bucky company?" Tony suggested as he straightened, swinging Harry up into his arms and moving to the shelf.

In hindsight, Tony should have realized having Harry sit on Santa's lap might be problematic, thanks to Lily's bitch of a sister. He realized Harry might not know who Santa Claus, (or Father Christmas, as Sirius called him) was as Harry had already mentioned he'd never gotten any presents from those people. However, Tony had no idea the bastards actually told his son that he was too naughty – too bad - for Santa to ever bother with him, making Harry feel it was his own fault he'd never gotten anything at Christmas.

It took Tony and Sirius, combined, over fifteen minutes to diffuse the meltdown Harry experience when Tony suggested his little boy sit on Santa's lap. Bucky, who recognized the conditioning Harry was subjected to, had a whispered conversation with the gentleman who had been hired as Santa. He was an experienced Santa and whispered a suggestion to the former assassin.

"Kid?"

Tony looked up from where he was rocking his son, who drew a hiccupping breath as he turned to look at Bucky. If it hadn't been so tense, Tony knew he'd have snorted with amusement to see the sight of the Super Solider sitting on Santa's knee.

"I need you to help me, kid." Bucky waved them forward.

Tony's feet seemed to have a mind of their own as he moved toward Bucky, Sirius right behind him. Harry tensed a little as they stopped a step away from the platform Santa was on. Santa remained silent as Bucky held his hands out, a silent invitation to come to him.

Swallowing hard, Tony began to hand Harry over, pausing as his son stiffened for a second, before kissing his forehead. "Tesoro, Bucky has always protected you and kept you safe, right?"

Harry gave him a sorrowful look, his big green eyes huge, as he sucked on his forefinger, but gave a short nod. Turning, he leaned toward Bucky and Tony lowered him into the man's arms. Bucky spoke quietly to Harry as he gave him a tight hug and sat him on his lap.

"Harry, this is Santa Claus, who's not gonna forget you this year."

Santa smiled sadly at Harry. "I am so sorry you were hidden from me the last few years, young Harry, and your uncle is right, now that I know where you are, I shall not forget your gifts."

Harry looked up at Tony and Sirius, who each gave him a nod, as did Bucky. He turned back to Santa. "Thank you."

It had taken a bit of work, but Santa was able to finally coax out of Harry what he wanted for Christmas. After fifteen minutes, they were able to talk Harry into sitting on Santa's lap by himself in order to take a picture. Tony tipped the man well as he thanked him for his patience and waved at the store manager as Sirius carried the exhausted five-year-old to the car. Harry was out like a light as soon as he was strapped into his car seat.

Tony collapsed back against the soft leather seat, allowing Sirius to grasp his hand. "Barnes?"

Bucky turned toward him from his seat next to Happy. "Yes, sir?"

"Thank you."

With a sharp nod, Bucky turned back around, his eyes scanning the area around the car as they drove back to the penthouse.

Harry woke up as Tony carried him out of the elevator, his sleepy eyes blinking open as Harry snuggled into his chest. Rubbing circles over his back, Tony stepped down into the living room and moved to the wall of windows as he noticed it had started to snow. Sirius came to stand beside them as he eased Harry away from him and slid him to his hip.

"Hey kiddo, do you want to see the snow?" Tony asked softly.

"Snow?" Harry whipped his head around and gasped as he looked out the window. "It's snowing!"

That was all it took to reenergize his child, who wiggled to be let down. Harry watched the snowflakes, nose pressed against the glass, fascinated at the sight for several minutes. Then he was off again, declaring Mazzy was going to help him wrap the presents he'd gotten. Tony collapsed on the couch with a sigh, Sirius joining him, looking as exhausted as Tony felt.

"Where in the world does he find the energy?" Tony muttered, just as a cup of coffee appeared on the low table in front of him. "Thank you, Taffy!"

Sirius leaned over and gave him a kiss which quickly deepened, before the elevator dinged, separating them. Tony could feel his cheeks heat up as Pepper stepped out with Happy following her. She gave him a knowing look, but Tony refused to be embarrassed and leaned against Sirius.

"Hi, Pepper," Tony greeted her with a contrived look of innocence. "How was your day?"

"Tedious," she answered, setting a small stack of papers on the kitchen island. "I have papers you need to sign and have emailed you a couple of schedule changes—"

Tomy groaned, throwing his head back to stare up at the ceiling.

"Don't even start!" Pepper snapped. "Why do you always think its bad news?"

Tony continued to stare at the high, vaulted ceiling. "Tedious equals bad, doesn't it?" he brought his head up and looked hopefully at her. "Your favorite nephew got his Auntie Pepper a lovely Christmas present!"

Pepper's expression softened at the mention of Harry and she reached over to pat Tony's shoulder. "Sign the papers, Tony. There are a couple patent documents, as well as the transcript of the deposition you gave for Barnes – signing that will put his pardon on the President's desk and earn him his back pay as the longest held POW in history."

With a loud, put upon sigh, Tony pushed himself up and walked over to the island. Picking up the fountain pen Pepper had set on top of the stack; Tony slid the papers toward him.

"What about the schedule changes?" Tony asked as he signed the top paper with a flourish and slid it to the right.

"I've managed to rearrange your appointments, clearing you for ten days over Christmas and New Years." Pepper informed him, kicking off her shoes as she collapsed onto the couch beside an amused Sirius.

Scanning the document in his hand, Tony scribbled his name on the indicated line. "No manhandling my boyfriend, Pep!"

Settled into an armchair, Happy snorted as a bottle of beer appeared on the table next to him. "Thanks, Taffy," he called, lifting the bottle.

Tony scowled at him, just as a cup of coffee materialized at his elbow. "That's more like it," he muttered, as a cookie appeared beside it.

"You're amazing, Taffy!" Pepper said and Tony turned to see her taking a sip of red wine. "I've even cleared the afternoon of the 22nd for you, so you can go on the field trip with Harry's class."

"Field trip?" Tony repeated vaguely, signing off on a request to have Bucky cleared for top secret Federal clearance, as personal security to his family.

"Remus is teaching the class about the different ethnic and religious celebrations and I've rented the ice rink at Rockefeller Center as a Yule gift to Harry and the kids."

Tony turned and shot Sirius a smirk. "Can you even ice skate, magic man?" he teased.

Sirius just grinned. "I spent seven years going to school in Scotland, of course I can ice skate!"

"Can you, Tony?" Pepper tossed at him, a glint in her eyes. "Or do I need to make sure Rhodey is here to hold you up?"

Tony clasped his chest dramatically. "You doubt me? What about Winter Wonderland? Did they even have ice skates in the 40s?"

"Sir, Sargent Barnes states he is very capable of ice skating and wishes me to remind you he's been experienced at pulling skinny punks out of tight spots since the 30s."

Groaning at the implication, Tony grumbled as he finished off his coffee.

The days to Christmas flew by at an alarming speed. Tony knew the meetings he was attending were laying to foundation for a fundamental shift in direction for Stark Industries. The new divisions were coming on-line almost seamlessly, with sales skyrocketing and public demand at an all-time high. The large missile development had halted and two of SI's largest factories were being retrofitted over the holidays, one to begin producing the new medical devices and prosthetics, and the other for the bullet resistant clothing and protective armor.

Sirius accompanied him on any of the meeting for the new magic-resistant technology, in both the magical and mundane worlds. The arc reactor, half the size of the one in California, had been install at the primary factory in New York and was functioning perfectly. It had so far remained impervious to magic, especially with the runic warding they had devised. The only problem they were encountering was the reduced strength of the mass-produced runic arrays and Remus agreed to help the development team when he could.

Harry and his classmates had settled back into class the Monday after their shopping day. There are two more weeks before the Yule/Christmas holidays and Remus didn't want his students to fall behind on their studies. Due to the increasing restlessness of the children, Remus made sure the lessons were more hands-on and interesting. The customs surrounding all of the major winter holidays were studied, although not going into depth concerning the religious aspects of the celebration rituals. Each student was given a project to do based on the traditions their family celebrated. They were going to have a small party and gift exchange their last afternoon of class on the 21st, the day before the Winter solstice.

Tony was working in the small laboratory they had fashioned on the second floor of the penthouse, on the opposite side of the floor, away from Rhodey, Pepper, and Happy's rooms. Arcturus and Bucky shared the penthouse level with Tony, Sirius, and Harry. His workshop was much smaller than the one in Malibu, but adequate for his immediate needs, which didn't include weapons designs. He was working on the articulation of the prosthetics, refining the fluidity of elbow and knee movements, listening to the latest AC/DC album when JARVIS cut the music.

Tony's head popped up as the lab doors opened to admit a nervous looking Bucky Barnes in his customary Henley and black jeans. "Frosty? What's up?"

"I, uh, I need to ask a favor, Mr. St—"

Tony cut him off neatly. "It's Tony, please, Buck." He eyed the obviously anxious man. "I thought we had established that weeks ago."

Bucky drew a deep breath. "We did, but I thought I would keep it formal as I wanted to see if I could—if you would consider loaning me some money. I'll pay you back!"

Taken back, Tony stared at him. "Money?"

Face pink with embarrassment, Bucky refused to meet his eyes. "Just, just a couple hundred bucks? I'd like to get some Christmas presents."

Tony could feel his own face heat up. "Damn! Sorry, Bucky, this is on me," Tony sighed. "I just never have to actually deal with, you know, cash!"

He moved across the room, where a corner was set up with a desk, complete with a sleek metal rectangle he used as an inbox. As he started to go through the stack of papers and files, Tony grumbled under his breath about people who refused to embrace progress. His hand finally pulled out a thick white envelope, Tony flipped it over to double check the name on the front.

Turning, Tony held the envelope out to the former assassin. "My apologies, Bucky, I should have given this to you before we left Malibu."

Bucky stepped toward him and gingerly took the envelope. He glanced at Tony, before sliding a metal finger under the flap. It only took a moment before his head snapped back up.

"Tony? What is all this?"

Waving a hand, Tony walked past him, back to his workbench. "JARVIS set up a bank account for you, along with a credit card, identification, certified copies of your birth certificate, and military records. The Presidential pardon—"

Bucky stumbled backward, his face gray, causing Tony to jump forward and grabbing his arm, leading him back to one of the rolling stools. Dum-E rolled forward with a glass of water in his hand, which Tony took automatically, patting the bot's strut.

"Why?" Bucky choked out. "Why would you do this for me, after what I did to your –"

His stomach clenched, as it always did when Tony thought of his mother, but he pushed through. "HYDRA killed my parents, James, not you! They were the ones who dehumanized and weaponized you; aiming you at the targets who stood in the path of their new world order!"

Tony took in a deep breath, remembering the nights Sirius had held him when he woke up screaming, as his mind played out the execution in his sleep. "Add to that you protected my son, more than once, James. You have more than made up for anything you have done, and Harry sees you as his personal protector."

James Barnes just stared at him for a moment, before giving him a curt nod. "I'm going to find way more money than I want in this account, aren't I?"

Tony smirked and turned back to his workbench. "Standard amount for saving a Stark, Frosty. And if you think that's too much, just wait until you get your back pay from the Army for the last fifty years." He waved a hand at the glass door. "Enough with emoting! Don't you have presents to buy? Oh, and remember the rule: only one gift per person for the munchkin!"

Arcturus arrived the morning of December 23rd, and Tony set his coffee down and pushed himself to his feet from the couch, swallowing a moan. He really thought he was better at ice skating, but his body was suggesting something different as he greeted Lord Black. Tony had been disappointed to learn that even Bruise Paste took a few hours to work.

"I understand from Harry that his class had an enjoyable time at their party yesterday."

Tony waved him to a seat as he sat gingerly.

"And you forgot how to cast a Cushioning Charm," Sirius' grandfather smirked before taking a sip of the tea which immediately popped up on the table next to his chair. "I approve of the decorations."

Over the last few weeks, the house-elves had done a remarkable job at incorporating Tony and Sirius' wishes, while keeping in mind Harry's age, to decorate with a mixture of Yule and Christmas items. Holly and ivy garland mix with evergreen wreaths, a fifteen-foot-tall Douglas fir scented the air and was decorated with popcorn and cranberry strands. Red, gold, and silver ornaments sparkled in the light, most of them on the lower branches, indicating Harry's reach. Fairy lights twinkled among soft material draped artfully around the columns. Tony enjoyed the effect and Harry loved it all, especially the line of red and green socks hanging from the mantle.

"Grandpa!" Harry bounced down the stairs, carefully holding onto the banister. "You're finally here!"

Tony smirked into his coffee cup as Arcturus hastily set his tea cup down and opened his arms to Harry's exuberant welcome. Tuning out Harry's excited chatter, Tony went over his mental checklist of things still to do. They were having a formal dinner tomorrow night, with present opening afterward, in a tradition whose roots were lost to time in his mother's family. Bucky had expressed a desire to attend midnight mass, having been raised Catholic. Rhodey and Jodi wanted go with him, as did Harry. Tony made him a deal – Harry took a nap tomorrow afternoon and Tony would take him to mass. Christmas morning was "Santa" presents and Christmas brunch.

Tonight was another old Yule tradition he remembered his mother telling him about; they would be serving the house-elves their Yule dinner, cooked by them. Tony had been regulated to a support position, while Pepper, Bucky, Harry, and, surprisingly, Rhodey did the actually cooking. Sirius pouted when he was banned from the kitchen, but even Harry knew what a disaster he was in there.
Tony was helping Harry arrange salami, cheeses, olives, and raw veggies into what his mother would have called an antipasto plate, needing three of them for the low, long table Taffy insisted on conjuring for their dinner. The food was eggplant lasagna, braised short ribs, salads, risotto, and panna cotta. Each of them worked on a recipe from Maria Stark's own recipes, which Tony had kept over the years. Gifts for the house-elves were also distributed before dinner, with Harry giving out little bags of holiday sweets, and warm, fuzzy scarves for everyone. Tony had gifted each house-elf with a small bag containing five Galleons for the elves to spend however thy wanted. Sirius had wanted to provide new uniforms and other clothing, but had thought around to obvious problem, providing a dozen different bolts of cloth, from warm cottons to lightweight silk.

The evening was a hit with everyone, the humans eating in shifts as they served the house-selves. Tony had to smile at the happy look Harry had as he carefully picked up the dirty dishes and carried them to the kitchen. Taffy had decreed that she would take care of the clean-up, using magic. There was a limit to her patience, Tony deciphered from her statement and he wasn't going to argue. With many thanks, the house-elves disappeared to enjoy their evening off, while Taffy, Taz, Max, Mazzy, and Zin returned to their duties at their own insistence.

Harry was delighted when each of the house-elves thanked him, before popping away. Tony felt ridiculously sentimental, thinking of the meals Maria would cook for the two of them when he was little and Howard away. Ana and Jarvis had made lasagna for him every time he'd come home from boarding school, after Maria became more wrapped up in her charities than in her son. He was determined never put himself in a position where he was too busy to be there for Harry.

Christmas Eve dawned overcast and gray, with snow showers off and on all day. Tony put the last touches on the work bench he had made for Harry in his lab, giving his son the same type of space Tony had created in the Malibu house. He and Bucky had also collaborated on a low play table for Harry's room which was perfect for him to build on with the Lego blocks and Junior Erector Set he'd come to love. It would also work as a platform for the enchanted miniature Quidditch game Santa was bringing the little boy. Tony had created a kid-friendly tablet as his primary gift to Harry, with math and science games, a word-processing function, and a number of classic books for him to read.

Everyone had built their gifts with a focus on Harry's development, either physical, emotional, and academic. Rhodey was going to teach Harry baseball, something Bucky had promised to help with. Pepper and Happy had gotten Harry a Buddy Bear; a very soft teddy bear for the little boy to tell all his secrets to. Sirius was gifting Harry with a small selection of magical toys and everybody had decided to give Harry some tee shirts with cute sayings on them.

Tony had vetoed the idea of a trampoline in the room being used as a gym and boxing lessons for the five-year-old.

Harry announced to everyone loudly that he would be busy in his room for the afternoon and no one was allowed in. Tony bit his lip, trying not to laugh at the serious expression on his son's face. JARVIS kept an eye on the child, and Tony sent Mazzy in when his AI announce Harry had fallen asleep on the floor while trying to wrap presents. It was an adorably sleepy-eyed Harry who trudged out of his room a couple hours later to put his presents proudly under the tree. Tony took advantage of the situation to cuddle with his son, wrapped in a warm throw and watch the snow fall outside the large windows.

Christmas Eve dinner was a simple Shepard's Pie, hearty and filling, with a salad and warm chocolate pudding for dessert. After dinner was finished, everyone gathered in the living room, the tree lit against the darkness of the sky and the lights of New York City. It took some cajoling and Tony sitting on the floor helping before Harry would distribute presents to everyone. Once he got started, Harry's excitement delighted Tony and he wasn't surprised that his son was thrilled to watch everyone else open their gifts. Keeping it simple, Tony had given those he considered his family two-week vacations anywhere in the world they wanted, with the exception of Bucky, who he gifted with a black 1995 Harley Softail motorcycle. Arcturus actually cackled when he unwrapped the fifty-year-old bottle of Dalmore Pure Single Malt Scotch.

Sirius had given him a wrist watch, protection and tracking runes etched into the underside, much like the ones now etched onto the Carbonell heir bracelet Harry wore. Tony had gotten him a Tom Ford designed Gucci bespoken suit in heather gray which he knew would look spectacular on his partner. Harry had gotten each of the adults a small bag of candy which he knew they liked, along with fluffy socks for most. Bucky got a pair of the leather gloves, Sirius and Arcturus wool scarves, and Tony received a pair of leather slippers. Each gift chosen especially for the person receiving it, which spoke to Harry's kindhearted manner.

It was the little boy himself who had to be persuaded to open his presents. Tony thought they'd made more headway, as the sessions with the mind healer had seemed to suggest, but Harry reverted back to his extreme shyness when Tony had handed him his first present.

It was actually Bucky who came up with a solution. "Harry, why don't you go and sit with the person who gave you the present, so they can help you open it. My little sisters used to do that when I was a boy."

With a grateful grin, Tony made eye contact with the man whose tragedy of a life had been turned around. As he stood Harry on his feet, Tony kissed his temple.

"Can you read the tag and see who gave it to you?"

Harry lifted the large, but lightweight package. "To Harry, from Grandpa Black."

Arcturus held out his arms and Harry walked over to him, letting himself be lifted into the man's lap. Harry followed his lead as Arcturus tore a corner to reveal a toy dragon. The toy had articulated legs and was enchanted to stomp around the room, blowing smoke out of its nostrils.

Harry practically danced around the dragon when Arcturus activated it. "Thank you, Gran'pa! Thank you so much!"

Once the ice was broken, Harry moved from person to person, opening their gift with them, complete with a chorus of Wows! and Awws!, always including many Thank yous and hugs. Taffy popped in with the play table Tony and Bucky had built, along with the Howling Commandos plastic soldier set Bucky had found. By the time Sirius had given Harry his bespoke black wool cape and a small bed for all his stuffed animals, Harry was overwhelmed. He thanked Sirius profusely, gave him a big hug, before crawling into Tony's lap and burying his face in his chest.

Tony rocked him back and forth slowly as everyone else continued to open their presents. For the first time in years, Tony felt content, happy even, to be celebrating Christmas – something he had avoided for the last four years. He might have locked himself in his lab for most of the day on December 19th, avoiding contact with all but Harry and Sirius, but Tony was proud he hadn't spent the day intoxicated to the point of blacking out.

He leaned against Sirius as he felt Harry's breathing even out, indicating he'd fallen asleep against Tony's chest. Bucky came over a few minutes later to sit on the floor, resting his back against the couch next to Tony's legs. The man looked as overcome as Harry had, looking at the small pile of presents next to him. Reaching down carefully, he squeezed Bucky's shoulder.

Tony couldn't imagine the turbulent emotions swirling within James Barnes at the moment. He'd gone from being HYDRA's killing machine to regaining his memories and his autonomy due to his remembered kindness to an abused little boy. A child the assassin had saved more than once. That alone would have put him under Tony's protection, despite what Bucky's role was in the killing of Tony's mother.

Tony was able to separate James Buchanan Barnes from the Winter Soldier.

Everyone else seemed to be able as well, considering the small, but well thought out gifts they have given him. Happy had found a book written about the Howling Commandos, written with the input from the surviving Commandos. Sirius had a family tree drawn up for Bucky's family, which showed that Bucky's sister Rebecca was still alive. Rhodey gave him a voucher good for a day exploring his airbase, something Bucky had expressed an interest in. Pepper, who'd been so pivotal in the research and request for a Presidential pardon, along with the back pay for Bucky's fifty years as a prisoner of war, gave him that document in a fancy frame. Harry, recognizing Bucky's preference for soft things, had found a small blanket made of the softest material Tony had ever felt.

"Thank you," Bucky whispered. "For everything."

Tony couldn't think of a better way of expressing himself; he tugged on Bucky until he got up and sat on the couch beside them, When Bucky was settled, Tony carefully handed Harry to him and covered them both with Bucky's new blanket.

Clad in his best little suit and his new black cape, Harry was awake and wide-eyed during Midnight mass, looking at the architectural features of St. Agnes Church on East 43rd street. Bright frescos decorated the walls along with a number of statues. Tony was proud of his son, who was on his best behavior during the service, mimicking his and Bucky's movements. It had been a long time since Tony had been in a church, yet he felt at peace. His son leaned into him during the sermon and Tony wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders as they listened to the Christmas carols being sung by the choir.

He was barely fastened into his car seat before Harry was sound asleep. It was a tired group who separated in the foyer, quietly saying goodnight as they headed to bed. Tony slipped off Harry's outerwear, shoes, and trousers, before tucking him into bed. He disrobed and piled his clothes on the chair in their bedroom before slipping into bed beside Sirius, who turned over and wrapped his arms around Tony.

"Happy Christmas, love."

"Merry Christmas."

The proximity alarm sounded, seeming minutes later, pulling Tony from a deep sleep, and he groaned into his pillow. He sat up and rubbed his hands over his face.

"JARVIS?" he whispered.

"It's Monday, December 25th. The times is 6:45am and the temper—"

"Where's Harry?"

"Young Sir is just coming into the living room, the little ones Mazzy and Taffy are with him, however, Master Harry does seem to be in some distress."

Tony was out of bed instantly and grabbed his robe as he hurried out of his bedroom. The lights came up slowly and highlighted Harry, sitting on the floor in front of the Christmas tree. Sirius had stayed behind last night to lay out the Santa gifts and had done a nice job in filling all their stockings as well. Mazzy and Taffy looked lost as Tony came into the room, disappearing as he sat down beside his son, who was crying quietly.

"Papa?"

"Yes, Tesoro?"

"Is this what it looks like when Santa comes?"

Tony's heart almost broke at Harry's question. "It is, bambino. It looks like Santa thought you were a very good boy this year."

Harry sniffled. "But why, Papa? Why now and not before? Was I bad, before?"

"Oh no, Harry!" Tony drew Harry into his lap and wrapped his arms around his son. "Your relatives were the ones who were bad and didn't let Santa bring you your presents." He leaned down and kissed Harry's cheek. "Never you, sweet boy, you have never been bad."

Drawing his sleeve across his face, Harry took a deep breath. "And all these presents are really for me?"

"They are, bambino! Shall we take a look?"

When he stood up, Tony saw that Sirius was standing behind them, along with Arcturus and Bucky. Setting Harry down, Tony slipped an arm around Sirius' waist as they watched Harry walking around the Quidditch pitch. Arcturus flicked his wand and little players began taking off from the field and flighting circles around the hoops at either end. Giving into a delighted giggle, Harry turned wide-eyes towards the adults.

"Papa! Daddy! Look!"

Sirius turned, giving Tony a kiss. "Happy Christmas, Papa."

Tony could only laugh as he hugged Sirius. "It has been a wonderful Christmas, Sirius!"

"That it has," Sirius agreed, stealing another kiss before Harry came over to drag them to the tree.

Chapter Text

"Sir? Arrival at your destination in 30 minutes."

JARVIS' voice woke him from a restless sleep and Tony flopped over on his back with a groan. He hated sleeping alone, having gotten used to Sirius' soft snores and Harry warm weigh against his chest. Throwing back the light blanket, Tony sat up, sighing, and rubbed his face with his hand. The sooner he got this damn field test done, the faster he would be able to get back to his family. He trudged into the bathroom and took a quick shower; thankful he'd decided to fly over to avoid the Portkey nausea.

The opening of the London Emrys House had been the day before, Harry bouncing with excitement as they had welcomed the first children into the new orphanage. Set up more like a boarding school, with four children to a room, each with their own designated space, it was homey and warm. There were playrooms for different age groups, classrooms, study areas, a library, as well as a large yard. The staff had been vetted thoroughly and were assisted by several of the Potter house-elves. Harry had been over the moon by the children's excitement as the examined their new, safe living space.

Tony walked down the airstairs twenty minutes later into the brisk winter sun in Geniva. He had his open black robe over a signature pin-striped black suit and the red tie Harry had picked out for him. Casting a quick personal shielding charm, Tony checked that his rings were in place, as was his portkey necklace. A group of ICW Aurors stood to one side and Graves, who had Portkeyed in, scanned the small gathering as he waited for Tony to descend the stairs. A gentle tug on his trousers let him know Max was with him. An older wizard in formal robes stepped forward to greet him.

After two hours, Tony felt like he'd been through the wringer from multiple Apparitions to put more distance between the mirrors. The last jump had put him in Romania, a thousand miles from Geniva and the mirror, delighted that the new runic array had worked perfectly. They had one more test sight to go and, Tony had decided, while this had been a complete success, he just wanted to get back to his son and partner.

One of the Aurors, one who had not been introduced, stepped up to Tony, extending a pink flipflop, of all things. Tony resisted rolling his eyes and laid his hand on one edge, as Robert Graves made a move to do the same, however, the Portkey was activated before he could. After a noticeably longer elapse of time, Tony was dropped into a landscape that looked barren – miles of sand, dirt, and scrub brush, with equally unwelcoming mountains behind him. He could feel the ambient magic around him, dark and oppressive, his wand was instantly in his hand but before he could cast anything, there were two thuds in front of him.

"Max!" Tony yelped, looking at the two Stark fragmentation grenades at his feet as he scrambled away. "Paradise!"

Tony went cold when there was no response from the house-elf. The activation word activated the Portkey; however, the magic was shutdown just as the grenades exploded, tearing through his shield charm and the protections of the runes etched into his rings. The blast hurdled him into a pile of rocks and everything went black.

The swirling blackness which followed was full of excruciating pain and vivid nightmares. Tony felt like his heart was being torn from his body, only to have something shoved into his chest, making it difficult to breathe. His son’s face swam in front of him, pleading for him to come home, even as Sirius begged him to be strong and hold on. There was a pressure weighing him down, all the while, making him feel like he was moving through a cloud of the syrup Harry loved so much.

The first time he woke up enough to be aware, Tony thought he’d died and gone to hell as darkness surrounded him. The air was heavy with smoke and ash, his chest burning with every breath he took. Something was lodged in his throat, running down from his nose, and Tony immediately reached up to pull it out. The removal was painful and it dawned on Tony that it was a feeding tube, making him wonder just how long he’d been in this hellish place. He tried to sit up, but a wire tethered him to something—

"I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Mr. Stark."

Snapping his head up, Tony saw a thin man standing in front of a small mirror, shaving, his voice carefully modulated in a flat tone. He brushed his hand over bandages on his chest, finding the wire and rolled carefully to his side to try and follow it. Tracing it back to a car battery, Tony realized that the heaviness he felt in his chest was something mechanical, as he could feel the hum of machinery. With a grip on the wires, Tony sat up, trying to breathe through the pain that jolted through him.

A door behind him burst open with a clang and the man at the mirror quickly pulled him to his feet next to the camp bed he’d been lying on. "Stand up! Keep quiet!"

"Tony, Tony, Tony," came the oily, condescending voice of Obadiah Stane. "This could have all been avoided if you’d stayed the drunken genius of your MIT days! Feeding you the best scotch and drugs only made you more pliant and creative, but then you had to rediscover magic and a son, becoming responsible."

Even in a cave wherever the hell they were, his one-time pseudo-father figure was dressed in a three-piece, thousand-dollar suit as he shook his head, a fake look of distress on his face. Tony ruthlessly squashed the rage trying to bubble up as he recognized the magic dampening spells, wanting nothing more than to hex him, or punch him in the face.

"Really, my boy, I thought I had at least another ten or fifteen years before I would need to eliminate you. However, I can’t pass up the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, literally!" Stane laughed, apparently quite amused with himself. "You will build me the scorched-earth bomb I saw the blueprint for on your workbench and then, we will use you to lure that son of yours out of hiding, so these Death Eaters can sacrifice him to bring back their Dark Lord."

Every muscle in his body tensed up, but Tony was careful to keep his face a neutral mask. "And if I say no?"

The look on Stane face turned vicious. "I’ll just kill you, use your body to lure the kid out, and after I take Harry, allow the more unsavory of the Death Eaters to satisfy their deviant proclivities before he is killed. All the while telling him how his father couldn’t save him."

His teeth clenched so hard; Tony was afraid he’d crack a tooth. "Fine, I’ll build your fucking bomb!"

Stane had the audacity to wink at him. "I figured you would." He signaled the robed and masked Death Eaters. "But I did promise them a bit of torture."

The men dragged Tony away, and it was all he could do to hang on to the car battery he was tethered to. Luckily for him, the wizards were also affected by the magical suppression and were forced to do their torture physically, which they were not very good at. Unfortunately, they had taken to the water boarding someone has taught them, much to Tony’s detriment.

Ho Yinsen, the man held captive with Tony explained he’d been taken by a local terrorist group. A group who had somehow illegally purchased many of Stark Industries missiles, bombs, guns, and other explosive devices, all before entering into a partnership with the Death Eaters. Stane was the supplier of the weapons and had demanded the locals find a surgeon who could save Tony. The Shielding Charm Tony had cast on himself had been weakened by the natural magic dampening of the area and had only offered minimal protection from the fragmentation grenades. The fine shrapnel in his blood would shred his internal organs if not held at bay by the electromagnet in his chest.

Thankful that he'd spent time studying his father's creation, the first thing Tony did was to create a miniature arc reactor to replace the battery. Then, he grimly got to work on his plan of escape. The doctor helped with what he could and took it upon himself to keep them fed with the scraps their captors gave them. Thoughts of Harry, Sirius, and his other friends occupied his mind as his hand shaped the metal he was hammering out. While he knew they were well protected, it had been a traitor within the ICW Auror ranks who had sold him out and he worried the man would be able to infiltrate their security.

It was during one of the discussions with Yinsen, who also turned out to be a research scientist, when the man quietly suggested Tony had received some of the Super Soldier Serum Howard had been involved in developing.

"You are either uncommonly gifted, Stark, or received a gift of enhancement, as no normal person could have survived the surgery you endured, under the circumstances. Many would not have survived if they’d been in a fully equipped operating room."

Sleep didn't come that night as Tony stared up at the ceiling and wondered when he became an experiment to the man who had sired him. Was it when he was at MIT, taking any substance he was given, and drinking himself to unconsciousness every other night? Surely, he'd waited until Tony had reached puberty at least.

Tony had no idea how long he’d been imprisoned, weeks at least and possibly months. He’d crafted a metal suit of armor, powered with propulsion units of the many weapons the idiot Death Eaters had given him to build Stane's missile. There was an empty shell of the prototype missile which stood near the fire, blocking the armor, and made up of several pieces of shaped iron that Yinsen would use as a bulletproof vest when they made their escape.

Stane, who had never understood the design or fabricating part of Stark Industries, stormed into the cave one afternoon and demanded the missile be ready the next morning or he would kill Yinsen. Vowing he would permanently remove the smirk from the man’s face if it was the last thing he did, Tony had agreed.

It was after Stane and the guards had left, Yinsen having moved toward the cooking fire, that Tony heard the sound of someone else moving around the room. He stepped to the far edge of the range of the surveillance camera, just as a soft clearing of the throat had him turning around. Near where his iron armor lay disassembled on the floor, Bucky Barnes’ head appeared from beneath James Potter’s Invisibility cloak. His back to the camera, Tony stepped that way, wanting nothing more than to hug the former assassin.

"Holy fuck, Frosty! How’d you get—"

With a shushing motion, Barnes beckoned him closer, and into the hug Tony needed desperately. "Non-magically, primarily, and just so you know, Harry misses his Papa and we’ve had to physically restrain Black half a dozen times to keep him from coming to find you."

Tony let out a sigh of relief, taking a step back. "Put the cloak back on and we can talk while I put the finishing touches on my missile."

Going over to the forge, Tony grabbed a piece of metal with a gloved hand and began to hammer it flat. "What's happening?"

Barnes' voice was barely a whisper and Tony angled his body to protect the man from the sparks his hammering was throwing around.

"One of the ICW Aurors had been bribed to Portkey you to a foothills location in Afghanistan, near Tajikistan, and drop you into an area with ambient magical damping minerals. Max was thrown clear of the area by the wards, including anti-Apparation and anti-Portkey. He was the one was able to give us the general area to start our search. Rhodes and Lord Black were able to involve the US military and Aurors, who have been searching since."

Tony swallowed passed the lump in his throat. He'd thought his little protector dead. "How did you find me?"

"Followed the magic," Barnes growled. "Death Eaters are idiots, think their repeated Apparitions into an area no magicals would willingly go, wouldn't draw attention! Max and I followed them to their Apparition point, where there is a well-marked footpath to the caves. Stane joined them shortly afterwards." Barnes went silent for several moments. "I instantly remembered him, or the soldier did – he’s been HYDRA for a long time."

His chest squeezed. "My parents?"

"Yes," Barnes whispered, apologetically.

Swallowing tightly, Tony paused in his hammering and took a deep breath. "Tell me how Harry is doing."

Bucky whispered to him while Tony continued to pound the end of a tube of metal until it was perfectly round, one end flattened to be inserted into a ring of solder Tony had already prepared. A cone shaped tip sat on the floor, in a prominent position for the camera and their unseen watchers. Yinsen turned from the fire, giving Tony a considering look before ignoring him to continue stirring whatever stew would serve as their meal for the day. Tony wasn't sure whether the doctor believed he'd finally gone crazy or was studiously ignoring the invisible man in the room. Either way, Tony didn't care, nor did he bother to wipe away the tears streaming down his face as he listened to what his son and partner had been doing the passed three months.

Working through the night, everything was as ready as they could make it by dawn. The improvised explosive device, with its directional charge aimed toward blowing the door outward, was in place. Yinsen was tightening up the hulking iron armor and Bucky had positioned himself midway between them and the door. As the terrorists attempt to gain entry into the cave, the explosion blew them and the door into the hallway. Yinsen deviated from the plan and Tony was beyond sad when he realized there was never any other way for his friend.

"Don’t waste your life, Stark."

Stane’s maniacal laugh filled the passageway, a ground-to-air missile launcher balanced on his shoulder, aimed at Tony's chest. He opened him mouth, however, before he could spout more of his vile rhetoric, a bullet hole appeared between his eyes and threw him across the open area. As they burst out of the cave, Barnes grabbed onto the handholds Tony had made for Yinsen and held on as Tony blasted over the desert. As they soared over the dunes and began their descent, Tony yelled at Barnes to jump before he thudded into the sand.

"Didn’t really think through the landing, did ya, iron man?" Barnes asked smugly, tucking away the cloak into a pocket before he helped Tony stand up.

Sagging against the man, Tony tried to catch his breath, the reactor pressing against his lungs making it difficult. Barnes steadied him, a bottle of water appearing out of nowhere and Tony drank over half of it greedily, before handing the rest of the bottle back for Bucky to drink. A large Stark communications mirror was thrust into his hands and Tony might have shed a tear or five when Sirius and Harry's blurry faces appeared. The conversation cut in and out, and Tony was sure he wasn't really coherent, but Barnes' voice was steady as he gave them their current location and direction. Tony, feeling utterly exhausted, physically and emotionally, contented himself with waving to Harry.

"Come on, Tony, we need to keep moving," Barnes slid a supporting arm around his waist. "Rhodes is on his way with a helicopter, as we're still within the no-magic zone of this area."

Tony lost track of time, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, until Barnes stopped him. Then Rhodey was there and the rest pretty much a blur. His last coherent thought was how relieved he was that Stane was finally dead.

Tony woke up with a start, his eyes darting around the dimly lit room. He was disoriented and it took him a long moment before his brain kicked into gear. They'd made it to the helicopter, where he'd collapsed into his platypus' arms. Jodi Proudfoot had been there, along with Max, who latched onto Tony's leg. Most of the flight had faded into a blurry, before Tony had just gave into the darkness pulling at him.

A movement at the side of the bed drew his attention and Tony turned his head to see Sirius dozing in chair next to the bed. He tried to shift, to reach out a hand, but a warm weight press into his side kept him from moving. Turning his head, Tony could make out Harry curled up along his side. Tony smiled for the first time in weeks, reaching down to run his fingers through his son’s hair. When he tried to sit up, Tony discovered his right arm immobilized in a sling across his chest and pain reverberating through his body at the slight movement.

Harry stirred and lifted his head, his eyes popping open. "Papa!" His cry loud in the quiet room as Harry lunged forward.

Sirius startled awake, grabbing the little boy before he could crawl onto Tony’s chest. "Careful, baby, remember Papa is hurt."

Tony lifted his left arm in invitation, and Sirius allowed Harry to scoot up, tucking himself against his father's side. Wrapping his arm around Harry, Tony leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of his head, before looking back up at Sirius.

"Hi," he croaked.

Settling a hip on the bed beside him, Sirius bent down and gave Tony a lingering kiss, before resting his forehead against Tony. "Damn, love, don’t ever do that again."

Tony gave a shaky laugh. "Believe me, dog man, I’ll do my best not to."

"Papa, I missed'ed you," Harry’s voice was muffled as he turned his face into Tony’s shirt, but it was clear that he was crying.

"Oh, Tesoro, I missed you so damn much!" Tony felt hot prickles in his eyes, tightening his arm around his son. "Thank you for sending Bucky Bear to rescue me."

"Although, according to Barnes, you didn’t need all that much help," Sirius muttered, just as the man in question peered around the doorframe.

Barnes gave Tony a nod and a slight smile. "I’ll let the healer know he’s awake."

Despite his chest aching and his throat parched, Tony returned the smile and savored the feeling of being alive, his family around him.

It turned out, he had been taken to the New York penthouse. Max having popped him there from the helicopter as soon as they had left the magical null zone at the foot of the Afghani mountain range. The healers weren’t able to do much for Tony’s chest wound with the arc reactor embedded in it and the shrapnel in his blood. He was warned the palladium he’d used as a core would degrade over time and begin to leach into his blood, if they couldn’t find a way to contain it or replace it. In the meantime. Tony was put on a regiment of foul-tasting potions: blood clarifiers, bone strengtheners, and nutritional supplements.

Barnes had suffered two bullet wounds, but it irked Tony that he had healed in hours, while the healers forced him for to stay in bed for three days. Howard must have had inferior Super Soldier Serum! Sirius argued that Tony had been tortured and starved for three months, holding him tight when Harry’s haunted green eyes had shutdown Tony’s argument. Everyone conspired to make him take it easy for another two weeks. Pepper and Sirius reminding him that Harry and SI needed his attention the most, while Sirius and the others would concentrate on keeping everything else going. Remus even brought the children on a "field trip" to the living room to say hello, knowing it would cheer Tony up.

It turned out the distance tests they had done, prior to Tony being taken, had been successful; both MACUSA and the ICW had already ordered substantial numbers of the enhanced mirrors. For now, Tony and Sirius had decided to make the mirrors only for exclusive government contracts, as it seemed a better application. The magic resistant cellular phones were still flying off the shelves and Tony added division to begin building the infrastructure needed to stabilize the network for the phones, regular and magical, more accessible. Tony’s brain had not shut down, although dulled by the conditions, had actually kept him sane by developing strategies on improving several of their divisions, including medical, prosthetic, inteli-crops, and protective gear.

Harry was doing well in his classes and, aside from a couple of incidents while Tony was missing, continued to heal and grow strong. His emotional recovery was still a work in progress, but it helped when Tony agreed to speak to a mind healer about his on trauma and nightmares. Sirius and Barnes were already undergoing treatment, so there was no stigma attached to it anymore for Tony. Arcturus Black was a frequent visitor, having taken a liking to the New York area. He had even been persuaded to teach the children lessons on Magical History and Understanding of Family Magics.

While Tony was still trying to find another element to use as a core for the arc reactor, he had also began drawing up the schematics for a sleeker, lighter suit of flying armor. He knew he wanted a titanium alloy, as it was one f the most durable and flexible metals to work with, possibly Adamantium, Vibranium, or even gold. Arcturus and Sirius were working with a healer and an American Potions Master to develop a potion to either coat the palladium in or to internally mitigate the damage heavy metal poisoning might cause. Tony swore each rendition of the potion tasted worse than the one before it!

In the aftermath of his rescue of Tony from the cave, James Barnes had broken out of his shell, finally accepting Tony forgiveness of his parents’ death. The healers and the regenerative potions had helped his mental health to the point, he had sought Tony out to talk about his experiences in Afghanistan, and after Tony’s initial panic attack, he’d actually felt better talking to Barnes. Tony knew there was no one else in the unique position Barnes was, to understand what Tony had gone through. Barnes had even been able to talk Tony into doing physical exertion tests to try and determine whether or not he’d been given the Super Soldier serum by Howard.

Tony had.

He was able to surpass the strength and endurance limits of a baseline human. His enhancements didn't match the records that Steve Rogers had been able to set, nor the slightly lower enhancements Barnes had gotten from Zola at Azzano, apparently it was Howard's Vita-Ray machine that had made the difference. The Soviets and subsequently, HYDRA had attempted to replicate the serum over the years, most of the human trials had failed or had they had to be euthanized, with the exception the five HYDRA soldiers who were given Howard's last batch of serum. Barnes had already relayed that information to Director Carter.

When the tests indicated Tony had the serum, it shouldn't have been a surprise, but Tony had taken the confirmation that his own father had used him as a guinea pig badly. Sirius had called in Rhodey when Tony locked himself into his lab – sending Harry in to sit with his Papa until his best friend arrived. Tony rolled his eyes at the manipulation, but accepted when Harry crawled into his lap and began reading his Papa his favorite story. Tony, his mind whirling with memories of his own childhood, shut down his thoughts and got lost in his child's voice. Rhodey had joined them, wrestling father and son on to the couch in the lab, and cuddled them both until Tony was ready to talk.

James Rhodes had never been a fan of Howard Stark. Two weeks as Tony's roommate at MIT had given him an insight into Howard's parenting style, and it didn't take his genius level IQ to figure out Tony's coping mechanisms. Instead of preaching, James had attended parties with Tony, reminding all present that he was "jailbait", and ran interference when Tony managed to get in sticky situations. His big brother attitude rapidly became fact, and Tony was unofficially adopted into the Rhodes family. While he became known as Tony's best friend and protector, James had also graduated with degrees in physics and aerospace engineering.

After Tony finally opened up and began talking, his anxiety lessening as he was able to talk it out. They spent the rest of the day in the lab, sciencing as Harry called it, Sirius checking on them every so often. Harry wandered out to get them snacks in the middle of the afternoon, only to come back leading Barnes by the hand, a sheepish look on the man's face.

"Papa, please fix Uncle Bucky's arm, 'cause it's hurting him."

Tony knew, for several reasons of his own, Barnes hadn’t been one of Howard supporters during the war. However, he also knew Barnes had been a science fiction fan in his teens, and the look on Barnes' face the first time he’d actually stepped into the workshop and Dum-E had immediately deemed him someone worthy of playing catch with. As Tony looked up at his son's statement, he remembered when they had gone to the gym to test Tony’s strength, how he could hear the servos in Barnes’ prosthetic arm laboring. His mind had immediately begun to develop a design for a new arm.

Waving Barnes over to his workbench, Tony reached for his microtools. "Come on over, Frosty, and let's get a look."

Harry followed him, still holding Barnes other hand as the man sat backwards on the stool, laying his silver arm along the backrest. Tony rolled his stool over, Rhodey standing to watch over his shoulder, as he ran his fingers over the arm, from wrist to shoulder.

"JARVIS, scan the arm, with particular attention to the shoulder joint."

"Yes, Sir."

Tony moved his hand back down to the area of the elbow, searching for indications of entry points. "Can you extend your fingers for me, Buckaroo?"

Barnes moved his fingers, the sound of the gearing audible as they flexed and Tony could feel the section of metal heat up. Running his fingers over the plates, Tony found the edge of one and slid his fingers under it, to open what he assumed was a maintenance panel.

"I have the scans ready, Sir." JARVIS announced.

"Throw them up, J."

Rhodey leaned closer, his eyes running along the wiring schematic displayed on the screen, seeing where they connected to the servos. "Tony, there is another panel on the inside of the forearm that will give you better access."

Tony looked up, seeing where Rhodey's finger was pointing at. "Got it. Find where the hydraulic pump is for me, please, Honey Bear?" He turned his attention to Barnes. "Does this area always get hot when you use it, Frostbite? Tells me you may need some fluid—"

Tony's fingers brushed a coupler and something sparked. Barnes jumped and Tony shook out his fingers, rubbing the tips on his shirt. "There is just enough electricity in this to not like my magic," he grimaced. "The new one I'm making for you will have a little arc reactor in it as a power source, keep it from shocking you or me."

"New arm?" Barnes questioned; his eyes wide.

"This thing shocks you?" Rhodey looked horrified. "Damn HYDRA torture device!"

Harry frowned and Tony smothered a grin at the look on his son's face. He reached over and ruffled Harry's tousled hair, loving how protective the little boy was about those he considered family.

"It'll be fine, bambino. We'll get Uncle Bucky all fixed up."

Harry wide smile was reward enough for Tony.

Chapter Text

"Sir, Director Carter is requesting admittance."

JARVIS' voice startled Tony, who had been immersed in the final designs for Bucky's newest arm. The placement of the small Arc Reactor in the shoulder was vital to powering the new limb, but not until Tony found a replacement for the palladium. In the month since he'd been home, Tony's time had focused on his family, SI, and finding a solution to the heavy metal poisoning which was just making itself known.

At JARVIS' announcement, Tony straightened in his seat and rubbed a hand over his face. Even with talking to the mind healer and Dreamless Sleep Potion twice a week, his nightmares still limited his sleep to, at best, a few hours per night. A particular nasty one had him up at 3am and, while he'd been productive, his lack of sleep was catching up with him.

"Let her in, JARVIS," Tony told him, tapping the image on the glass flatscreen to minimize it.

The reenforced door swung open to admit Peggy Carter, dressed immaculately in tailored black trousers and a blue blouse, despite it being 7am. She shook her head when she saw him, stepping around his workbench to wrap her arms around his shoulders.

"Still not sleeping?" Peggy asked as she kissed his cheek.

Instead of fussing, Tony leaned into her, basking in the warmth of her touch. "It's complicated."

Peggy stepped back, her hands resting on his shoulders, eyes examining his tired face. "Then start taking naps, Anthony! They aren't reserved just for toddlers, you know."

Tony lips twitched upwards, remembering how Anna used to lay down with him when he was Harry's age. Footsteps pulled him out of his thoughts and Tony looked around Peggy to see Bucky carry in a medium sized pelican case.

"Where do you want this, Peg?" Bucky asked softly.

"Over by the couch, so Tony can be comfortable while he goes through it."

"Morning, Frosty," Tony greeted Bucky. "What's this?"

"It's all the personal effects Howard left behind at SHIELD when he resigned," Peggy told him, nodding a thanks to Bucky.

"What's in it?" Tony asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Peggy glanced at Bucky, who was turning to leave, but she shook her head. "You better stay, James."

Tony snickered at the eye-roll Bucky gave her, reaching for the cup of coffee that just popped up on his workbench. "Thanks, Taffy!"

"I'm gonna call you Margret," Bucky muttered threateningly as he moved back to the workbench.

"Only once, Buchanan!" Peggy snarked back, sitting elegantly on one of the stools. "I haven't been through what Howard left for you, and I don't think anyone else has either, as the trunk has been in my office closet since 1991. I know he refused to work with Zola—"

"The HYDRA Zola?" Bucky interrupted, an appalled expression on his face. "The one who tortured me?"

"The very same," Peggy confirmed grimly. "He was brought into SHIELD by Colonel Phillips after the war, in the belief he could aide our scientists to improve on the projects we were working on. After Howard found the Tesseract, he concentrated on attempting to harness the energy it produced and, I thought, stayed away from some of the other more questionable, experiments. The attempt to reproduce the Serum was all Zola and I didn't know Howard had become involved again." She took a deep breath. "I don't know whether there were any of his research notes in the trunk concerning the development, as he was supposed to deliver all his notes that night, along with the packages of Serum they'd managed to produce."

Peggy reached out to lay a hand on Bucky's flesh arm. "I hate to bring this up, for both of you, but do you remember if there were any file folders that night, James?"

Bucky shook his head, his face frozen and his eyes blank. "No, just a chrome case, noth—nothing else." He took a deep breath, his expression devastated. "Tony, again, I'm so sorry."

Tony nodded, swallowing hard as he struggled to contain his own swirling emotions. "What's this about, Peggy?"

"Specifically, I've heard some rumblings since you were kidnapped, Tony, about a secondary research path toward recreating Super Soldiers." Peggy tapped a manicured nail on the top of the work bench. "I think they're still trying to make Super Soldiers even now."

"Make them?" Bucky sounded as confused as Tony felt. "Without the serum?"

Peggy gave him a sympathetic look. "Do you remember HYDRA taking blood samples from you, Bucky? Or any other type of biological samples?"

"Yeah." Bucky shrugged; his eyes haunted. "Every time they dragged me out of cryofreeze, they took blood."

Nodding, Peggy looked at Tony. "Do you remember Howard taking blood from you?"

Tony slowly shook his head. "Not that I can specifically remember, but I don't recall him injecting me with the serum either." He sighed heavily. "Then again, he feed me enough alcohol to get me drunk on many occasions from the time I was six, so I'm really not sure what he might have done."

"Bastard," Bucky muttered, crossing his arms.

"That he was," Tony agreed, meeting Peggy's eyes. "Are we talking about artificial insemination or human cloning?"

"Both," Peggy answered. "I know for a fact that samples were taken from Steve Rogers after he underwent the procedure. Dr. Erskine had told him it was required before he volunteered, as they would need to test his blood to make sure everything was all right after the procedure. Steve mentioned they also took skin and sperm samples."

"What the fuck!" Tony and Bucky exclaimed together.

Tony gritted his teeth when a truly horrendous thought occurred to him. "Do you know if SHIELD has scientists doing human genome experiments?"

The widening of Peggy's eyes told him she knew exactly what he was thinking, but slowly shook her head.

"What the hell is that?" Bucky gave him a wide-eyed look.

"Replacing the DNA of one person with the DNA of another individual or graphing them into an already fertilized egg," Tony explained. "I know there are scientific studies going on in the UK working on that, as well as cloning or duplicating a person from their own cells."

"And Erskine's formula was designed to change Steve clear down to the cellular level." Peggy added.

Rubbing a hand down his face, Tony sighed. "Which means the effects of the serum would most likely pass down to any children he fathered."

Peggy nodded. "And don't forget, if they have magicals working for them, it's not that hard to brew a Blood Adoption Potion or even do a ritual with someone's blood."

Tony could feel a headache begin across his forehead and took a deep breath. "All right, we'll have to readjust our priority list, putting Howard's trunk at the top. See what that might reveal." He turned toward Bucky. "How's the arm holding up?"

"It's fine, Tony," Bucky assured him. "You've already revamped this one a couple times and have other things—"

"Bucky," Tony interrupted. "I got the new one designed, I just need to find the right metal to make it lighter and see if we can't do something about the shoulder mount. I want to make sure the new one is as comfortable as possible."

"This one's fine for now!"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the stubborn man, Tony turned to Peggy. "When do you officially retire?"

"Well, in light of the recent HYDRA infestation, I'll probably be working several more months yet." Peggy shook her head. "I'd really like to get someone in to examine the computers before word of our crackdown has them destroying files."

Tony exchanged a glance with Bucky. "Well, with the Potter Invisibility cloak and Rhodey's help, we could probably get that done."

"I'll set it up, how about weekend after next for the closest facility?"

"SHIELD isn't on the internet?" Bucky asked, looking puzzled. "HYDRA was all about brute force and stealth skills, but I was trained on how to get into computer systems several years ago."

Tony would never admit to being gob smacked, but he felt it. "The internet only went public in 1993!"

Bucky smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "I seemed to take to it."

"Well—"

"Papa!"

Harry's voice interrupted him and Tony turned toward the open door. His son was making his way carefully down the stairs and Tony walked around the workbench in order to catch his son as he ran in.

"Bambino!" Tony smothered his face in kisses.

"Papa!" Harry tried to protest, burying his face in Tony's shoulder. "Stop! Taffy says breakfast is ready!"

"Is Daddy already up?" Tony spun Harry around.

"He's eatin' all the bacon, Papa!" Harry sounded indignant.

"Uncle Bucky may have some objections to that," Tony whispered loudly, leading the way out of the workshop.

Two nights later, Tony had just put Harry to bed, the Bucky Bear he kept borrowing from Bucky tucked up with him. Sirius met him in the foyer and drew him in for a hug and a quick kiss.

"Any problems?" he asked quietly, as Harry was going through a bit of a clingy stage.

Relaxing into Sirius' lean form, Tony sighed. "A little, but Bucky Bear seems to help." He pulled away slightly. "I think we need to get him his own set."

"Harry can keep that set," Bucky' voice called out.

"Maybe you can share the bears," Tony led the way down into the living room. "It would break Harry's heart if he felt you didn't like his special gift, Barnes!"

Bucky was standing in front of the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city, a bottle of beer in his hand. "Maybe you're right."

Tony heard the sigh Bucky made and Sirius caught his eye, frowning toward the former assassin. Tony gave a slight shake of his head as he walked over to join the man. He'd shared Peggy's conversation with Sirius, who had been outraged by the possibility of babies being created with such methods.

"You still brooding, old man?" Tony kept his tone light and teasing as he stepped up beside Bucky.

"Yeah," Bucky muttered, then taking a swig of his bottle. "I'm not sure which bothers me more: that I might have a child out there I don't know of or the ones who didn't make it through the experimentations."

Tony felt his face blanch; he'd not stopped to actually think through what might happen to the babies who were created by HYDRA. The thought had his stomach twisting with nausea and the breath catching painfully in his chest.

"Shit!"

A warm hand grabbed his left wrist and Sirius' arm wrapped around his waist as Tony felt lightheaded.

"Fuck! I hadn't even had time to think through the situation that far!" Tony was devastated at the thoughts swirling his mind.

"We'll go to Gringotts, Bucky," Sirius promised the other man. "They should be able to tell you whether there are any children related to you by blood."

"They won't be able to tell us how many of the attempts failed, however," Tony whispered.

"We need to get into their computers as soon as possible," Bucky stated firmly. "See if we can find out where the bastards are doing this, because most of the documentation at HYDRA is still paper files."

Tony turned his hand over and slid it up to grasp Bucky's hand. While he was pretty sure the heritage test he'd taken in London would have shown if he had any other living children, but they'd had Bucky for fifty years. He shuttered to think what they might find, but he knew what they would do if they found any children.

"If there are—if we find any kids out there, yours or Steve's, we'll bring them home, Bucky," Tony promised.

Bucky turned his head, his eyes searching Tony's face and he gave a sharp nod. They all stood there for a few more minutes, before Tony tugged on Bucky's hand before releasing it.

"Let's go down and see what we can find in Howard's trunk," he suggested, looking between Bucky and Sirius. "It'll be like a treasure hunt."

The lab wasn't as big as the one he had in Malibu, but it was comfortable for the three of them to gather around the trunk. Bucky sat on one of the rolling stools, while Sirius sat on the couch beside him. It took several minutes to figure out how the lock worked as it resisted Bucky's attempts to break it.

"Go figure," Tony muttered when the latest combination worked. "Captain America’s birthdate."

Bucky stared at him. Tony knew he’d ranted a bit about Howard’s obsession with Steve Rogers, but he apparently hadn’t thought Tony was serious. He arched an eyebrow at the man, while Sirius looked between them. Lifting the lid, Tony let it fall to the side as they all looked at the contents. On the top were several rolled up blueprints and binders, with a film canister.

"JARVIS, find a projector for 8mm film, please." Tony asked the AI as he lifted the canister. "Here, dogman, see what this is, will you?"

Tony handed him a binder full of papers and reached for a second one underneath it, which he handed to Bucky. "Here’s one for you, Frosty."

Bucky gave him a deadpan look as he took the binder and braced it in his metal hand as he gingerly opened the cover. Reaching in again, Tony took out a stack of notebooks and set them on his lap. Opening the first one, he found it was about the 1974 Stark Expo. As he began to thumb through the pages, Dum-E appeared carrying a case, which turned out to be the right projector for the film.

"Tony, this contains all the notes on your father’s search for Rogers in the Arctic." Sirius held up a list of coordinates. "Apparently, there are also maps in the trunk which show what areas they had searched."

Nodding, Tony paused in setting up the projector to look over what Sirius had found. "Well, I was always sure his expeditions to the Artic were stupid, but considering what Bucky survived, I guess it is plausible that the Serum could have put Rogers into a state of suspended animation when he was frozen."

"There’s a chance Steve is still alive?" Bucky whispered, looking from Sirius to Tony.

"Possibly," Tony agreed, considering what they now knew. "Sirius, see if they have the last known coordinates on the Valkyrie in the notes and we'll have a place to start."

"Won't we have to factor in the gravitational drift and seasonal ice shifting?" Bucky inquired.

Lifting his head, Tony looked at Bucky with wide eyes. He knew James Barnes was an intelligent man and Peggy had said that between he and Rogers, Bucky was the smart one, and he was awestruck to have that proven true.

"A simple algorithm should help with that," Tony suggested and watched Bucky brighten at his words. "Let's separate all these into categories and we'll prioritize them, because you're right, Buckaroo, we'd have to do all the calculations. I know I'd rather find Captain America before SHIELD or HYDRA finds him."

"Magic might help us in finding him as well, Bucky." Sirius smiled as he carefully set the binder to one side and slid down to the floor. "I'm going to see if I can find the maps it was talking about."

Bucky gave him a small smile. "Thank you and I'll help in any way I can."

"Try not to get your hopes up too high, though," Tony said softly, concerned how Bucky would handle another blow if they couldn't find his friend.

"I won't."

With coaching from JARVIS, Tony figured out the projector and began to watch the reel. Bucky's head popped up as well as soon as he heard Howard's voice. A look of profound sadness flitted over the man's usually stoic face and Tony felt bad.

"You want me to turn it off?" he asked quietly.

"No," Bucky shook his head, eyes still glued to the wall where the image was projected.

Sirius looked up as they watched Howard try to get his presentation right, while dealing with a four-year-old Tony, and Tony silently sighed as he saw the highball glass Howard had seemed perpetually filled with scotch. He was about to turn the projector off when Howard once again spoke, calling his name. The three of them watched Howard as he told Tony about the new element he'd discovered, but couldn't synthesize.

Tony stared at the wall as the film ended, trying to understand what it was about the Expo that would give him the information his father had left for him.

"Where is that model?" Sirius asked.

Tony frowned. "The one in the background?"

Bucky nodded with Sirius. "I think he meant that's where the information was."

His eyes widened when Tony realized what they were saying. "Taffy!"

The little elf appeared immediately. "Yes Master Tony?"

"I need a couple of house-elves who are familiar with my office in Los Angeles to retrieve the model of the Stark 1974 Expo. Have them bring it to my Malibu lab."

"Wes do it, Master Tony!" Taffy disappeared.

"JARVIS, when the model gets there, could you kindly Vac-U-Form a digital wire frame? I need a manipulatable projection."

"Yes, Sir."

"Tony?" Bucky looked up, the binder he'd been looking at in his hands. "These are notes on Project Insight and about the effect of the Serum. There's even the unofficial report on the experimentation Peggy took from me after Steve brought us back from Azzano."

Tony slid the reel of film back into the trunk, then leaned toward Bucky. "Why would he have those?"

"Maybe he was trying to gather evidence on Zola?" Bucky asked as he continued to page through the binder. "There aren't any notes about creating the Serum, though."

"Damn," Tony swore and speared a hand through his hair. "All right, let's see what else we can find."

Between them, they uncovered blue prints for the original Arc reactor that powered the Los Angeles factory, as well as evidence that Howard's co-creator on the project had sold US secrets to the Soviet government. Tony set those to the side for the moment, finding a new element and Steve Rogers the two top priorities at the moment. Nowhere in the contents was there any evidence that Howard had worked with Zola to try and create more Super Soldiers.

There was also no evidence Howard was aware of Zola's continued HYDRA connections.

"Sir, the 1974 Stark Exposition model is ready for viewing." JARVIS' voice sounded loud in the lab.

Tony sat up and stretched out his back. "Put it on the screen, J."

The model appeared on the glass monitor above the workbench and Tony swept a finger over it to spin the model. While the glass touchscreen was one of the most advanced tech that Tony had created, it had its limitations. He muttered instructions to JARVIS to change the perspective and lose some of the extraneous elements of the map. The unisphere caught his eye and Tony paused to study its position among the other pavilions.

"Highlight the unisphere, J, and move the model until it is in the middle." Tony stared at the model.

"Sort of looks like a nucleus," Bucky muttered, staring at the screen.

"Son of a bitch!" Tony exclaimed. "Still teaching me lessons from the grave!"

"What is it?" Sirius asked, frowning at the displayed image.

"A new element – Howard apparently discovered it, but couldn't synthesize it in 1974."

"Will it work as a replacement for the reactor?" Bucky inquired, Artic map in his hand momentarily forgotten.

"It should," Tony answered. "As soon as I find the closest particle accelerator."

"The new element should serve as an acceptable replacement for the palladium, Sir." JARVIS confirmed. "Also, there is a particle accelerator large enough for the synthesizing at the Stark Industries factory in Hoboken."

Sirius held up a handful of metal scraps from the trunk. "There's a note that says these are Vibranium."

"Just what we need to anchor the new element to make a core!" Tony clapped his hands, a relieved grin on his face.

In the end, creating the element was anticlimactic, especially with Bucky and the house-elves assistance. The trunk, minus the notes and maps on the search for the Valkyrie, was repacked and stored in the Stark vault in Gringotts New York branch. The stress the whole household had been under, eased as soon as the new core was in his arc reactor. Bucky had put off his ancestry test as he dove into working with JARVIS on trying to plot the trajectory of the Valkyrie.

Tony's birthday snuck up on him. He'd not been keeping track of the time since he'd escaped captivity just under two months, with all the other things he needed to get done. Rhodey showing up on a random Tuesday should have told him something, but Tony just gave him a hug as he appeared at his side between meetings at SI. His best friend swept him off to lunch at one of Tony's favorite sushi restaurants in Manhattan, something they hadn't done, just the two of them, in years.

Sirius and Bucky met them at the Woolworth Building after lunch, as Bucky had an appointment with the goblins and Sirius wanted to do some shopping. Rhodey hadn't had the chance to see the shopping district yet and Tony smirked, knowing his Honey Bear would be wowed. Bucky was a bit twitchy and Tony guessed it was partly the heritage test as well as leaving Harry at the penthouse. Despite the knowledge that Harry was in class with Remus, along with a virtual battalion of house-elves to protect him, Tony knew he was anxious about leaving. Arcturus was also visiting and was still a formidable wizard.

Sirius led the way into Gringotts with Tony behind him, both of them nodding their head in acknowledgement of the goblin guards' bow. Rockjaw was standing near the Chief teller's desk when they walked in and Tony headed toward him, a hand on Bucky's elbow.

"Good afternoon, Rockjaw." Tony grinned as he reached to shake the goblin's hand. "You look to be in a fine mood this afternoon."

"Indeed I am, Tony!" The goblin guided them down the elaborately decorated hallway. "I am most pleased with the new investments we've made, especially those from the Carbonnell and Emrys vaults. Lord Black is also very pleased by the returns to the investments he had made in the mundane world, especially those in the businesses you suggested."

"And the children's homes?" Tony asked as they entered Rockjaw's office.

"The London facility is running smoothly, the children, house-elves, and the employees are happy. The New York facility is at about 60% capacity and running smoothly." Rockjaw sat behind the desk. "Although, I think a visit might be in order as it opened just before you were able to escape captivity, so you haven't gone by yet."

Tony winced; he'd forgotten all about his promise to take Harry over to visit the children. "We'll make time in the next week or so, Rockjaw, things have just been crazy."

"Is that what we are calling three months in captivity now, crazy?" Bucky deadpanned.

"Shush you." Tony wagged a finger at him as he sat down in front of Rockjaw's desk.

"Good morning, Mr. Barnes," Rockjaw acknowledged him with a nod of his head, and Tony could see everything they needed on the top of the desk. "I'm sure Tony has explained the procedure to you."

Bucky nodded; his hands clenched in his lap. It wasn't the first time he'd come into Gringotts with Tony and Harry, but he'd never been directly addressed.

"Then, shall we begin?"

Tony watched as Bucky stood and leaned over the desk, silently going through the ritual as it had been explained to him. The seven drops of blood swirled into the golden potion covering the bottom of the shallow bowl as Bucky watched in amazement, his palm already healed. Rockjaw slid the glittering parchment into the bowl and they all watched as the swirling red became writing. Rhodey looked as fascinated by the magic as Bucky did and stood on the man's other side, watching avidly.

When the bowl dissolved, Rockjaw looked over the family tree with interest. "This shows your mother was a Macmillan, one of the founding wizarding families of Great Britian. You're also distantly related to Sirius and the Black family through that link. Your father's family are primarily Irish-Scots warrior mages."

Tony followed the red script down until he found Bucky's name and his heart sunk. There were two gold lines coming off his name, both ending in numbers: 017 and 079. There was also another name attached to the numbers by a gold strand: Steven Grant Rogers. A million and one scenarios rolled around in his mind, all progressively more heinous, and Tony's heart went out to Bucky – HYDRA had taken so much from him already. This was a nightmare worse than they could have imagined.

Bucky staggered back, falling into the chair as his fingers reached out to trace the golden stitching. "Goblin Rockjaw, what does this mean?"

Tapping his fingers on the desk, Rockjaw contemplated the family tree in front of him. "It seems to designate that you share one or both of these children with Steven Rogers."

"How can that be possible?" Bucky whispered.

"There's no indication of a mother, so probably not through a blood potion," Sirius observed.

"Damn HYDRA and their experiments!" Tony swore. "Either attempting to clone you or genetic splicing of some type, I think."

"But how would they get blood from Steve?"

"Probably took a number of samples after he underwent the procedure with the serum," Rhodey suggested. "Likely under the guise of studying what had changed during the process and to make sure he was all right."

"Is there any way we can track them down?" Tony asked, watching Bucky shutdown, his face turning to stone.

Rockjaw pursed his lips. "Anchoring a blood-based tracking spell is easier than searching for someone by blood, but there was an ancient ritual which may be of help. Sirius, there may also be applicable spells documented in the Black Family library, if you could ask Lord Black to look for us."

Sirius nodded. "I will, Rockjaw, and any expense, please take out of our family vault."

"Sirius—" Bucky began, before Tony cut him off.

"You are part of our family, James Buchanan Barnes! And don't you dare deny it, as it would break Harry's heart. We are going to find these kids and they will be raised with Harry as the siblings he wants."

Bucky stared down at the parchment, but nodded his head in agreement, before whispering. "Thank you."

Tony called for two of the house-elves to take he and Bucky back to the penthouse, while Sirius took Rhodey into the shopping area. Without a word, Bucky went directly to his room, parchment in hand, and Tony watched him with worried eyes. He felt he'd come to know to know James Barnes pretty well in the past six-months and knew Bucky would blame himself for everything. The two children he hadn't know about, plus the seventy-seven attempts who hadn't survived the experimentation.

"Taffy?"

The house-elf popped up beside him. "Master Tony?"

"Will you please send up some hot chocolate and cookies to Bucky's room?"

"Right away, Master Tony."

Throwing his suit jacket over the back of a chair, Tony climbed up the stairs, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. He had no idea what he could say to Bucky to help, but he wasn't going to let him deal with it by himself. The door to Bucky's bedroom was ajar and Tony pushed it open silently, to find Bucky curled in a ball on his bed, face buried in his hands.

"All right, up you get!" Tony clapped his hands, before he reached out slowly to pull on Bucky's shoulder. "Let's get you into something softer, Buck."

Bucky allowed himself to be manhandled and changed into a pair of sweat pants and a tee-shirt. Taffy's hot chocolate and a plate of cookies sat on the bedside table as Tony opened his arms. With a sob, Bucky fell into his embrace and wrapped his arms around Tony. With silent thanks to his son, Tony held on, his own emotions swirling in his chest. To find his son had had his magical core blocked and left to an abusive family had been bad enough, he couldn't imagine the pain Bucky was feeling. To know he had two surviving children somewhere, even now possibly, being experimented on.

"We'll find them, Bucky. Both Steve and the kids, we'll find them, I promise," Tony assured him, moving them both to sit on the edge of the bed. "I—"

"Papa? Why is Uncle Bucky sad?" Harry stood in the doorway, his hands tugging at the hem of his shirt.

"Come here, Bambino," Tony extracted one arm to motion his child into the room. "Uncle Bucky had some sad news today and could use a cuddle."

Harry walked over and patted Bucky on the knee. The man pulled far enough out of the embrace to allow Harry to climb up into his lap and under his arm, which Bucky then wound around Harry. He continued to lean against Tony as Harry tucked his head under his chin. Tony loosened his hold, drawing his hand back to rub circles on Bucky's upper back, as he did when Harry was upset. Bucky drew a shuddering breath, before drawing away from Tony, but keeping Harry in his lap.

Tony took the opportunity to pick-up a mug of chocolate and pressing it into Bucky's free hand. "Sip on this, Buckster, it has medicinal properties."

Harry shifted until his back was against Bucky's chest, his one hand gripping the metal arm Bucky had around his waist. "Can I have a biscuit, Papa? I'll share it with Uncle Bucky."

Smothering a laugh at Harry's expression, Tony carefully handed him a cookie. "I think there are enough, if Bucky wants one of his own."

Tony ended up giving his hot chocolate to Harry and slipping out of the room when his son started whispering to Bucky. With a smile on his face, his chest feeling a little lighter, Tony went down the stairs to his workshop, only to find Rhodey already there. His best friend stood up as he walked in.

"Sirius explained what was going on, how can I help?"

They spent the next few hours going through the HYDRA notes Bucky had given them, plus the intelligence Aunt Peggy had acquired during her investigation. They were able to identify two possible facilities in the New York and Washington DC areas that warranted investigation. Bucky had given them information on a bunker in Siberia where he had remembered being conditioned to become the Winter Soldier, but it was a training facility for him and five other Soldiers, he'd never seen any other experimentation. With the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Bucky had been moved around to other facilities in Europe until he was sent to the United States.

The abandoned SHIELD facility at Camp Lehigh, New Jersey, appeared to be the best place to start, as Peggy had said it was Zola's base up until his death in 1972. The HYDRA location in Washington was a maintenance facility for the Asset, but might be a means for them to get into the internal computer system. Once they were able to gather information, they should be able to pinpoint where the experimentation labs were located. It was frustrating, akin to looking for a needle in a haystack without a magnet, as Tony didn't have all the necessary variables.

After an unusually quiet dinner with Rhodey, Sirius, Harry, and Bucky, Tony had grabbed his best friend and returned to the lab. They dug into the notes Howard had left on his search of the Artic waters for the Valkyrie and Captain America. The Tesseract had been easy to find, with the unique energy it gave off, however using that as the starting point for the search for the Valkyrie hadn't gone as well.

"What were the last coordinates transmitted from the plane, before contact was lost?" Rhodey asked as he studied the map of the search area.

Looking around the messy workbench, Tony found the folder of notes under another map and handed it to Rhodey. "Rogers was talking as they lost contact with him, and I think there is an audio recording, if that would help."

"No, I'm trying to calculate how fast the plane was moving as its obvious to me that the Tesseract somehow dropped out of the plane before he ditched it," Rhodey told him, before looking up at Tony. "Why didn't he just eject before it crashed?"

Tony blinked at him before shrugging. "I actually have no idea, Honey Bear."

"Hmmm." Rhodey turned back toward the map. "You don't think—"

"What?" Tony asked, trying to think where his friend was going with the conversation.

"Well, this all happened within days of Bucky falling from the train," Rhodey observed. "I just wonder what Rogers' frame of mind was."

The thought hadn't ever crossed his mind and, apparently, hadn't ever occurred to his father, either, as Howard had never spoken of anything other than Rogers' heroism and innate goodness. He'd have to ask Bucky what he thought, but later, not until his emotions settled a little.

Tony was surprised when Rhodey started to put things away at midnight and was then hustled upstairs. Sirius was waiting in the living room for them and Tony was about to protest when he caught the gleam in Sirius' eye. Rhodey rolled his eyes and be lined for his own room, telling Tony that Bucky was watching over Harry for the night, while Sirius dragged him into their bedroom.

Later, boneless and sated, Tony had no trouble falling asleep. Sirius had even had the foresight to spell on his sleep pants, which came in handy when Harry bounced on top of him in the middle of the night.

"Happy birthday, Papa!"

Startled, both by the child and the greeting, Tony groaned and rolled to the side, capturing Harry against his chest. "Munchkin! It's the middle of the night! And it can't be my birthday!"

"Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday!" Harry kissed his nose and laughed as Tony tickled him.

"Actually, love, it's almost 7am, and Harry wanted to have breakfast with you before he had to go to school." Sirius set a mug of coffee on the bedside table, before scooping Harry into his arms. "Happy Birthday, Tony."

"Uncle Bucky and I helped Taffy make waffles, Papa!" Harry bounced in Sirius' arms as he was carried out of the room.

Shaking his head, Tony couldn't help but grin as he quickly showered and dressed. He had honestly forgotten the date; with all they had going on. Heading to the kitchen, Tony found his makeshift family gathered around the table, all with huge smiles. A Belgian waffle sat at his usual place, blueberry eyes and a whipped cream smile, and a candle in the middle. With a snap of her fingers, Taffy lit the candle as Tony approached and Harry cheered as he blew it out. Hugs from Pepper, Peggy, Rhodey, and even Bucky, a kiss from Sirius, were enough manhandling, and Tony was grateful to just get nods from Happy, Arcturus, and Remus.

Breakfast was chaotic and Tony loved it. He'd spent too much of his life by himself, mostly by his own choice, but he preferred this cluttered, noisy version. Harry climbed into his lap as soon as he was finished eating and hugged him tight.

"Daddy says we can't give you presents until dinnertime," he pouted and gave Tony his best sad eyes.

Tony laughed, marveling over how much Harry had grown in the past eleven months. "Which is good, otherwise you and Remus would be late to class." He kissed Harry on the nose and set him down.

Everyone disbursed to their own jobs and activities, while Tony padded down to his workshop. Today was his day and he was going to spend it finalizing the Mark II armor he'd built over the past weeks. JARVIS would fabricate the completed suit at the Hoboken facility, where Tony would go to do flight testing this weekend. Tonight, there was a family dinner to celebrate and Friday night his birthday gala to raise money for the Maria Stark Foundation.

After that, they would move on the plans they had to eradicate HYDRA, locate the Valkyrie, and find the children.

Chapter Text

Tony soared through the clear blue sky, slowly accelerating as he skimmed a hundred feet above the waves of the Atlantic. JARVIS was recording his speed and maneuverability, but Tony knew he needed to stay under the radar, literally. His on-board radar would alert him to any vessels in the immediate area and Rhodey was monitoring him from the penthouse. JARVIS was already fabricating another suit, with slightly heavier armor for his best friend, as a compromise for when he had announced he wouldn't mass produce them for the military.

They had worked hard to negotiate an agreement which brought in the Air Force as the primary oversight for what Tony and Rhodey would be doing, but they also had the joint blessing of the US President and the MACUSA President. The ICW had agreed to spearhead an international agreement, adding one of their Aurors as a liaison. Proudfoot would fulfil that capacity for the magical side in the states. Aunt Peggy had offered to step in as well, especially with their mission of quietly eradicating HYDRA. Bucky, Sirius, and Graves, with Tony and Rhodey, would do the primary investigations and missions.

The group's secondary mission was to find the remaining Death Eaters, the Horcruxes, and what was left of Tom Riddle. Kingsley Shacklebolt had been assigned to assist them. Arcturus had provided information on as many of the known Death Eaters who remained at large and given the groups access to Black library. There was a squad of specially trained ICW Aurors who would help them with any missions. The concentration at the moment was twofold, one to identify those with the Dark Mark and two, to locate the other Horcruxes.

Part of both the teams' missions was to help locate and deal with the HYDRA weaponry, including the warheads in the Valkyrie Steve Rogers crashed into the Artic in 1945. Aunt Peggy had brought the problem secretly to both the presidents and the ICW when she learned that the HYDRA bombs were most probably still armed, and possessed the ability to explode. It was something Tony and Rhodey had discovered, and Bucky confirmed, when they read through the notes Howard had left, pointing to the Tesseract as the energy HYDRA had employed to create their arsenal. They were hoping the magicals could render the bombs safe, at least until they could be transported to an area where their detonation wouldn't injure anyone.

"All right, Tony, head up, the sky is clear." Rhodey's voice came through his HUD. "Don't need you to break any records; just check and make sure we've fixed the icing problem."

"Okay, JARVIS, take us up," Tony told his AI as he gradually lifted upwards until he was vertical. "Increase thruster power to 70%."

"Yes, Sir," JARVIS answered immediately. "You have an incoming phone call from
Dr. Strange, Sir. Shall I connect it?"

Tony frowned at that, wondering why the good doctor wasn't on the golf course on a Saturday afternoon. "Please, JARVIS."

The click of a connection had Tony speaking, wishing cellphones had video like the mirrors did. "Hello? Dr. Strange?"

There was a bit of a pause, before a tired male voice answered. "Dr. Stark, I presume. What can I do for you?"

Tony couldn't get much of a read on the voice, other than tired sounding and a bit of impatience. "I understand you have a developed a revolutionary new technique for dealing with nerves, Dr. Strange."

"That is correct, Stark, but it wouldn't be something adaptable for anything connected to the heart."

Well, someone had done his homework, Tony thought. "You've utilized this technique to reattach nerves to the spinal column."

"Correct—"

"Would it be applicable to reattach major nerve connections in the brain?" Tony cut him off. If the guy was going to be a prick; Tony could go there.

"I—yes, the technique would lend itself well in that environment."

"Great! I've got a specific situation where it seems your technique could prove revolutionary. When would you be available to for a more in-depth discussion of the case?"

The was a pause. "You do realize I am still a resident, right?"

Tony grinned. "I do, and if we go forward, this procedure will be under the supervision of several experienced cerebrovascular neurosurgeons."

There was a sigh. "I would assume there will be NDAs involved."

"Absolutely!" Tony laughed. "JARVIS, will you set a date for the meeting with the doctor, please?"

"Of course, Sir."

Tony waited until he heard the click indicating the call had disconnected, before he laughed. He hoped Strange's bedside manner was better than his conversational abilities or Bucky might punch him. He glanced at the altimeter and leveled out, checking for any signs of the icing that had scared the shit out of him the first time he'd taken the suit for test flight. No one had been impressed by that stunt.

"I'm leveling off at 25,000 feet, Honey Bear, with no signs of icing."

"You're still in the clear, Tony, but are appearing on radar, so come back down and we'll call it a day."

"Worry wart," Tony muttered, but went into a shallow dive, gradually back down to a thousand feet and headed back towards the penthouse.

Landing on the reenforced platform outside, Tony walked over to the elevator, JARVIS taking him down to his workshop where the rings took the armor off. It was a miniature of the set-up Tony planned to put in Stark Tower when it was built. An Expansion Charm gave him plenty of room for the moment, but Tony wanted to be able to fabricate new suits in his workshop, instead of having to do that in the New Jersey warehouse. Rhodey's suit was ready to do the final assembly and testing one, which they would be working on tomorrow.

Walking up the stairs, Tony scooped Harry up as he came running towards him.

"Papa! You were gone forever!" His son gave him sad, puppy eyes.

"You need to stop learning things from Helena, bambino!" Tony laughed as he peppered his son's face with kisses.

Harry giggled and buried his face into Tony's neck as he carried him into the living room. Sirius rose to his feet to meet him, giving him a welcoming kiss. Bucky, sat at the dining room table surrounded by maps and notes, lifted his hand in greeting.

"How'd the flight go?" Sirius asked as they settled onto the couch, Harry scooting down and taking off toward his room.

Tony gave Sirius a smile. "It went great and I was able to take the suit up to altitude without icing or any difficulty breathing. We'll get Rhodey's suit put together tomorrow and see if the new seals work, as I'm pretty sure we'll find the plane underwater—"

"On the ice shelf, actually," Bucky interrupted him, grabbing the map and bringing it over to spread out on the coffee table. "In looking over all the information Peggy was able to give us, I think Steve actually set the plane down on an ice shelf."

Tony frowned as he looked at the area Bucky had marked in red. "The engines would have still been hot, Buck, they would have melted through the ice."

"Just the surface ice." Bucky shook his head. "The Lindbergh article in the 1934 National Geographic magazine showed a clear definition of the coast and how far the ice shelf extended, but there were several melts between 1938 and 1943."

Harry came back into the living room, the book he was currently reading under his arm as Bucky asked JARVIS to display the article he was referencing up on the glass screen. Tony studied the map as Bucky was talking.

"There was so much difference in the next study in 1968, that the boundaries had to be redrawn around parts of Canada. Now, Mrs. Lindbergh herself had redrawn the area around Greenland in 1934. If the surface of the ice shelf had melted and refrozen, the Valkyrie could have broken through the top of the ice and sank down to the shelf itself, which could be from 160 feet to 2000 feet down."

"And where was it Howard was searching?" Tony asked, looking at the sets of lines.

Bucky pointed to an area to the northeast of Greenland and Tony nodded, as numerous light blue areas showed up.

"Tesseract was found just south of where Howard started his searches, but—" Bucky shrugged.

Tony looked between the map and Bucky's face. "Where do you think Steve put the plane down?"

"Here," Bucky pointed to a point due north of Greenland, and not far off the coast of Russia. "I think he put it down somewhere around here."

Tony tapped his fingers on the reactor in his chest. "Was there anything in the information you and the task force found at those HYDRA facilities in DC that indicated the bastards ever tried to find Steve?"

"No, nothing at all."

"Peggy and Rhodey both think Camp Lehigh should be the next target, as that's where the bunker was built for the Tesseract Project. She said it should have the most advance computers of the time in it."

Bucky nodded, still studying the map. "She may be right."

An arm slid around his waist as Sirius came to stand beside him. "Grandfather may have found something that can help, both with Steve and the kids."

The Kinship tracing ritual Arcturus had found would be relatively easy, with Bucky's intent and love pushed into his magic to complete it. They needed to wait until the vessel got in the area of where they thought the plane had gone down, so the location would be check immediately. There was a draw back with the ritual, as the person they were searching for had to be enough alive to be recognized. Bucky fretted over that, as magic could determine life as long as the heart was beating, but he had overheard the HYDRA scientist talk about how low his heart rate had dropped while he was in cryostasis.

While the potion to do the blood trace on the children was a challenge, the MACUSA Potions Master assured them she would have it ready within two weeks. Once ready, it would only need Bucky's blood to complete it. The potion would then be poured onto a parchment map, treated by the goblins, which would be able to pinpoint where the two children were. More than once, Tony found Bucky sitting in the dark living room late at night, worried about what they would find when they did locate the two. Bucky's fears ran the gambit, between finding adults who wouldn't want anything to do with him or helpless infants who were like the Steve he'd grown up with: small, scrawny, and asthmatic.

While they waited for the potion, Tony and Rhodey had done a flyover of the Artic Ocean to remap the area, setting a starting point for the Artic exploration vessel out of Iceland, which SI was funding. It would take the ship a least ten days to navigate up the little used Northeast passage and along the edge of Russia's territory waters, to the area they thought the Valkyrie had gone down. Tony had made sure the ship had the latest in ground penetrating radar, especially designed for use in the ice. In addition, several new satellites were helping in the search, something Howard had never had in the past.

"Sir?"

JARVIS' voice pulled him out of his thoughts and Tony refocused. "What's up J?"

"Lord Black has arrived with Goblin Steeljaw, Sir."

Tony looked up from the paperwork he was signing. "I'll meet them in the workshop, JARVIS."

Feeling his heart pick up in anticipation, Tony flexed his wrist and Banished the paperwork to his office at SI, where he knew Pepper would find it. Bucky would be in the classroom with the kids at the moment and he made his way down the stairs. Tony made sure he wasn't seen by Harry or his classmates as he signaled Bucky. Harry knew what was happening, and Tony had given him an extra tight hug that morning, in anticipation of having to leave soon. Remus gave him a small nod of acknowledgement when they slipped out of the door. Bucky silently followed him down to the workshop.

"Steeljaw, thank you for coming today!" Tony breezed into the workshop, where he could see Sirius had already cleared off the closest work bench.

The goblin, impeccably dressed in a black suit, gave Tony a short bow. "It was my pleasure, Lord Carbonell, as I knew you and Mr. Barnes were anxiously awaiting the potion."

"We really appreciate this, Steeljaw," Bucky responded and bowed in return, before turning and thanking Arcturus as well.

The pleasantries done with, Steeljaw withdrew a roll of parchment from the leather bag he carried and handed it to Sirius, who unfurled it on the top of the workbench. Tony stepped up beside Sirius, Bucky on his other side as Steeljaw drew a large vial of pearlescent potion and a small dagger from his bag. Bucky offered his right hand immediately, and they all watched intently as his finger was pricked. Tony didn't even try and count the number of drops went into the potion, but it was certainly more than they used for the heritage test. Steeljaw gently swirled the potion for a minute, before pouring it into the center of the parchment.

It took several minutes before lines began to appear on the parchment in different shades of green and brown. The colors rapidly spread over the map, lining out an unfamiliar topography as they watched. The map became more detailed, the colors solidified into forests and open spaces. Tony could see an area which looked like buildings, defining the edge of a city.

"JARVIS, can you identify the area?"

There was a pause as his AI accessed available mapping programs available on the internet. Tony would have to work on an interface in order to get instant, real-time satellite images.

"It appears the map is of a rural area outside Rochester, Minnesota, Sir."

"Minnesota?" Sirius scowled.

"North and west, near the Great Lakes," Tony replied, his forehead furrowed in concentration. "Damn it! The Mayo Clinic main genetic research labs are in Rochester!"

"Okay, makes sense," Bucky grounded out. "Is there a more specific location?"

"As close as I can pinpoint it, the Moon Valley Wildlife Management Area, in an underground facility." JARVIS provided.

The parchment map showed two pulsating red dots in the area JARVIS had identified, a small open area near a forest and mountains. They all leaned over the parchment to see if it would give them more details, but it didn’t. Tony's eyes tracked over the area, committing it to memory.

"All right," Sirius straightened. "Bucky, gear up and I’ll get Proudfoot to make us a Portkey. We’ll go in with the covert team and recon the area while Tony and Rhodey fly in." He glanced over and met Tony’s eyes. "I'll have JARVIS get a jet enroute with a healer and a doctor."

Nodding, Tony watched as Sirius casted his Patronus, sending instructions to Proudfoot and Graves. Studying the map for a few more seconds, Tony headed towards the assembly rings in the back of the lab, as the rest headed up the stairs.

"JARVIS, send the information to Rhodey and plot the fastest route."

"Yes, Sir."

"Max!"

The little house-elf popped in at once. "Yes, Master Tony?"

"It’s time. Make sure all the protection elves are ready and let Taffy known so she can alert Remus. Remind Mazzy and Lenz that the penthouse is on absolute lock-down and Arcturus will be here if you need further direction. Have the house-elves take the children home when class is over, please." Tony pointed toward the parchment. "That is where we are going, the children are in an underground facility."

Max looked fierce. "Wes ready, Master Tony!"

Tony stepped onto the platform and stood still as the armor built around him. A short elevator ride to the balcony and Tony was in the air. JARVIS put the flight plan, as well as the image of the parchment on his HUD and he pushed the speed up as far as he dared. Rhodey joined him as he approached Chicago. Bucky’s comm came on-line when they slowed and dropped under radar as they approached the area.

"—the best point of entry will be on the Northeast side of the complex—"

"Where are you, Winter?" Tony asked, coming in from the North side.

"Edge of the tree line, just to your right."

Tony spotted the group and pulled back, hovering at a thousand feet. "Where do you want us?"

"Give us a minute to get into the building quietly so we can disable the security and then you can take out the HYDRA agents protecting the perimeter, so we have a clear path out."

"With pleasure!"

Tony had expected heavy resistance, but even he underestimated the ferocity of the battle. Two of the other Winter Soldiers had been brought in to guard the research laboratory, probably in anticipation of Bucky launching an attack. The raids on the other HYDRA facilities had been done very quietly, with Bucky and the covert group being disillusioned, which led back to there being at least one high-level leak within SHIELD. The ICW and MACUSA Aurors were able to take down the foot soldiers and capture the scientists fairly easily, petrifying them so none of them could bite down on the cyanide capsules inplanted in their teeth. The level of fighting ramped up the deeper they went into the underground laboratories. Tony and Rhodey had aggressively taken out the perimeter guards and blasted their way into the front of the building. Rhodey positioned himself there with the Aurors to keep it clear.

Tony's heart clenched when they lost communications with Bucky and he'd had Max immediately popped him to where the man was. Bucky was battling the two HYDRA Super Soldiers in front of a closed, reenforced door. A repulsor shot took out the male solider, slamming him into a wall, allowing Max petrify and bind him. The female was vicious and managed to blow off Bucky's metal hand, taking the lower part of his forearm with it, and spinning him into the door in agony. The weapon she used reminded Tony of the description in Howard's notes of the weapons the Red Skull had created using the Tesseract. Tony shot both hand repulsors at the weapon and the resulting explosion tore the woman apart, causing the ceiling to collapse onto the male Winter Soldier.

Tony had a tough time feeling bad about it. Sirius appeared beside him, casting a Shielding Spell to protect them from the debris. Tony moved to Bucky's side, where he was staggering to his feet, his face white with pain. Still, Bucky staggered to the door, trying to batter it down with what was left of his prosthetic.

"Winter, move away and I'll blow it open!"

"No! The kids—"

Tony stepped closer, flexing his forearm. "I have a laser, step back!"

Sirius steadied Bucky with a hand on his flesh arm as Tony activated his laser and cut through the lock on the door. He ducked a volley of bullets as the door swung open, before stepping fully into the room, his hand raised to shoot, only to find an older male in a white lab coat on the ground, foaming at the mouth. The room appeared to be an examination room, with two smaller exam tables, several pieces of medical equipment he didn't recognize, but no children.

Bucky came in after him, his eyes systematically doing a search of the room. "I heard them crying in here!"

Sirius twirled his wand in a broad circle and cast what Tony recognized as a Revealing Charm, jumping in shock as the outline of a small child became visible just in front of his feet. He quickly stepped back to allow Bucky to come closer.

"Finite Incantatem!" Sirius casted again, wand movement much more intricate on this spell.

Suddenly, the wailing of a baby sounded in the room and Bucky fell to his knees beside the child, who turned out to be wrapped protectively around a baby. Bucky muttered to them in a quiet, reassuring voice, first in Russian and then English, before the child lifted its head. Tony bit down on a gasp as a miniature of Steve Rogers’ face stared back at them. With short, dark hair and Bucky's blue eyes, Tony thought the child looked to be around three years old. Eyes filled with fear, the child cringed away from Bucky initially, before slowly leaning closer as he continued to speak softly.

"I’m going to pick you up now, so we can take you to a nicer place, all right?" Bucky spoke softly but firmly and leaned in to wrap his arm around the two, as the baby continued to cry loudly.

"Max!" Tony called, grabbing Bucky under the elbow to help him stand.

The house-elf appeared with a crack, looped an arm around Bucky’s thigh, whisking he and the kids away to the waiting plane. The short distance between the laboratory and airstrip shouldn’t aggravate any existing wounds, Tony hoped. He took a deep breath in the sudden silence and looked around.

"Is this the computer, Tones?" Sirius asked from across the room.

Tony made his way over to where Sirius was standing by an open door. Inside what he thought was a closet, were several interconnected server towers filling the space. Looking over the set-up, Tony quickly located where the main data storage files are and cut the section out with his laser. Hefting it up onto his shoulder, Tony backed out of the small room and turned to Sirius.

"Anyone else left in the facility?" Tony inquired as JARVIS checked for heat signatures.

"No one still alive."

"Everyone in a position to leave?" He asked quietly, the silence around them now felt oppressive – they'd been there almost too long.

"Yes, we're done," Sirius cast his Patronus.

Tony nodded and had his helmet close around his head again. "Rhodey! We've got what we needed, so head out!"

"Jodi's with me, so she's going to take us back to the house."

"Sirius and I are headed to the plane first, and as soon as we're out, blow the place up!"

With Sirius holding onto his back, Tony flew up the stairwell and out the entrance. Rhodey and Proudfoot were standing out by the destroyed fence line as they exited, both firing a battery of missiles and spells into the building before disappearing from sight. Tony kept his speed low, but quickly moved up and away from the impending blast. The plane was at the edge of a small airport on the outskirts of Rochester, but close enough to hear and feel the rumble of the explosion.

Sirius boarded the plane quickly, Max appeared at Tony’s side just as JARVIS released the manual latches for Tony to step out of the armor. "Take it back to the workshop, please, Max."

Heading up the ramp, Tony hit the button for it to retract. "Get us in the air!"

Glancing around, Tony dropped into the empty seat beside Bucky, who still had the baby in his arms, while the child was seated on one of the sofas with two of the medical team. The baby was thankfully quiet, gnawing on its fist as it looked up at the man who cradled him to his chest. Both children looked a bit like Harry had, when Tony retrieved him a year ago, thin and wary. He couldn't see any obvious bruises on either child, but that didn't mean much, knowing what he did of the treatment Bucky and other experiments had endured.

Bucky's prosthetic hung at his side and Tony gently laid his hand on the remaining part of the forearm. "Can I take a look at this?" he asked softly.

Turning his head, Bucky gave him a short nod and Tony was hard pressed not to laugh at the semi-panicked look on the other man's face. Scooting closer so he could help support the arm, Tony lifted the forearm with gently hands, to see the metal had been sheared off just above the wrist, leaving jagged metal and wire.

"Is it painful?"

Bucky shook his head. "Not anymore, I've only ever been able to feel pressure really. I mean whatever that goon shot at me, it tore through the arm and felt like a hard electrical shock and was excruciating, but its better now."

"Okay," Tony murmured, acknowledging he heard as he ran his fingers over the surface. "There are a lot of sharp edges here, let's get something over this."

Sirius produced a small towel from somewhere and covered the stump, affixing it in place with a flick of his wand. The plane had leveled out and the healers with the child moved over to the couch to finish their examination. The child looked fervently around, and Tony could imagine how scared he was. He met Bucky's eyes, and held out his arms.

"Why don't you give me the little one, so I can get a clean diaper and clothes, while you go comfort the other one."

Bucky closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before gently sliding the baby into Tony's arms. Despite everything they had done to prepare for finding children, it was obvious that both Bucky and the kids were overwhelmed. Lifting the baby to his shoulder, Tony rocked back and forth while rubbing soothing circles on its back. Sirius disappeared for a moment, before coming back with his arms full of baby things.

"Mazzy figured we might need these," he told Tony simply.

Tony felt a wave of gratitude for the little elf as he stood and moved towards the bathroom in the rear of the plane. From the smell this little one was giving off, a bath would probably be necessary. Grabbing a hand towel, Tony laid it down in the bathtub, before adding a couple inches of warm water. Sirius set the things he was carrying in on the counter, and dug around for some soap as Tony peeled the layers of filthy clothing the baby was wearing.

His eyes watered as he finally removed the diaper and the baby started to cry again. Sirius quickly Vanished the dirty diaper and cast a spell which, Tony guessed, freshened the air. Tony could help but grin when he saw the baby was a boy, only to wince when he saw raw, red skin of the diaper rash.

"Fucking HYDRA!" He said under his breath, not wanting the rage he felt to upset the baby. "Something tells me this little guy wasn't changed very often." He looked at Sirius. "Can you see if the healers have any kind of ointment we can use, please?"

Making soothing noises and muttering nonsense words to the baby, Tony lowered him on to the towel in the tub. Wetting the soap in his hand, Tony began to lather the small cap of light brown hair, rambling on to the baby about projects he was working on for SI. The blue eyes watched his face with bright intelligence as Tony continued to support him with one hand and wash him with the other. When he was finished, Tony set the soap aside and reached to drain the dirty water. Opening the tap, he checked the temperature of the water before refilling the tub and rinsing all the soap off.

Sirius had a towel ready when Tony carefully lifted the baby out, taking him from Tony and drying him. Quickly rinsing out the tub, just in case the other child was ready for a bath, Tony joined Sirus in the bedroom, where his partner was smoothing lotion over the diaper rash. Muscle memory saved him as Tony elbowed Sirius out of the way to put on the baby's diaper. The footed pajamas were a little big, but Tony didn’t think the little one would complain.

"Were there any bottles in the things Mazzy sent?" he asked Sirius softly, as the baby was gnawing on his hand again.

"I'm not sure, I was concentrating on the diapers," Sirius answered.

Tony nestled the baby against his chest. "Well, let's go see what we can find before he starts to imitate a banshee again."

Moving to the front of the plane, Tony could see the other child was being coaxed to take a potion by one of the healers as he sat on Bucky's lap. A bottle of apple juice sat on the table beside them and Tony grimaced, knowing how nasty some potions could taste. While he seemed less anxious, the little child immediately looked up when he and Sirius approached, blue eyes wary.

"They wouldn't hurt you, I promise," Bucky said reassuringly. "These are my friends, they helped me find you."

Tony smiled before turning to Bucky. "Curl up your left arm so I can set this one down," he said briskly. "Congratulations, James, it's a boy."

Looking a little surprised, Bucky did as he was told and Tony settled the baby into the crook of the metal arm. Sirius appeared at Tony's side, a bottle in hand, trying to hide his grin at Bucky's expression. As soon as Bucky had the baby stable, Sirius handed him the bottle and showed him how to get the baby to drink. They were all surprised when the baby grabbed the bottle with both hands and helped hold it in place, while he greedily sucked.

"Nobody ever held Seventy-nine before when he got fed," the other child muttered, eyes wide.

Tony tried not to react to the spike of anger he felt. He saw the healer take the empty vial from the child and Tony leaned over to grab the juice, twisting off the top before he held it out for the child to take. The blue eyes, brighter and lighter than the baby's, narrowed at him, before the bottle was slowly taken from his hand. Sirius, a bag of blueberries in his hand, opened the top and handed it to Tony. Smiling, Tony wrapped his arm around his partner's waist as he handed the child the fruit and urged them to eat.

By the time they had reached New York in the early morning hours, the kids, both boys as it turned out, had been washed, clothed, fed, and were sleeping in one of their arms. The healers' reports had shown a pattern of neglect and abusive testing on the older boy, and simply neglect on the baby. Seventeen was three years and nine months old, with a birthday around mid-October of 1992 and the baby was nineteen weeks old, or early February of the current year. Mazzy had set a crib up in Bucky's room and they had put Seventeen in Bucky's bed, everyone crawling into bed to get some sleep.

Tony wasn't sure what woke him up a few hours later, as Sirius snored softly beside him. Slipping out of bed, he stumbled to the bathroom and then out towards the kitchen. A low murmur of voices made him frown and as he came out of the hallway, Tony saw Harry in the kitchen with Bucky's little boy, both watching Taffy make waffles. Harry was explaining everything the house-elf was doing as she poured the batter into the waffle iron and then they watched it cook.

Harry looked up as Tony walked towards them, his face lighting up. "Papa!"

Tony scooped him up, pressed kisses all over his face, and set him back on his feet. "Good morning, munchkin!"

Harry's smile took up half his face. "Papa! I have a new friend!" Harry put an arm around the little boy's shoulders. "But he doesn't have a name, only a number."

Nodding, Tony accepted the mug of coffee from Taffy with thanks and downed half of the steaming beverage before he crouched down in front of the boys. "Remember I told you we were going to find Uncle Bucky's children?"

Harry nodded and his eyes widened. "So, Seventeen is my new cousin?"

The little boy's eyes grew large with a hopeful look, and while Tony doubted the little one knew what a cousin was, it was clear that Harry was claiming him.

"Something like that," Tony acknowledged. "I'm sure Bucky will think up a better name for your new cousin and his little brother."

"As soon as I can," Bucky said as he stepped into the room, the baby held carefully against his shoulder.

Tony stepped closer, hands out to take the baby from him. "Does he need changing?"

Bucky leveled a glare at him as he let Tony take the baby. "No, I managed."

"Of that, I have no doubt, Frosty." Tony took the bottle Taffy handed him and sat down.

Harry, his eyes wide, came over and leaned against Tony. "Papa, this cousin's really little!"

Tony smiled at him. "He's just a baby, Harry, not quite five months old."

"And I'm almost six years old, Papa, that's why I'm bigger than he is!" Harry told him, matter-of-factly.

Bucky stepped over to where his oldest was still watching Taffy make them breakfast, and carefully ran his fingers through the child's hair. "Good morning."

The little boy looked up at him shyly and gave him an uncertain smile. "Hi."

Crouching down, Bucky held out his arms. "Can I pick you up?"

The boy nodded and Bucky drew him forward into his arms before standing, and Tony could see he was careful to keep the stump away from the boy. They both watched Taffy as the stack of waffles grew higher, Tony could see the stiffness in both of their stances slowly relax as Bucky quietly explained what the house-elf was doing.

Harry watched from where he was leaning on the arm of the chair watching Tony feed the baby. "Papa, did you ever feed me when I was this little?" He gingerly touched the tiny foot.

"I did! Your mom laughed at me the first time, though, because I was scared as you were so little."

His son nodded, eyes switching to Bucky as he spoke to the little boy, before leaning in to whisper loudly. "Papa, what happened to Uncle Bucky's arm?"

"One of the bad men hurt him," Tony said, his stomach twisting as Harry’s lip wobbled.
"He’s okay, bambino, I’m already have a new arm for him."

"Good." Harry sniffled and then reached down to offer the baby his finger, looking delighted when it was grabbed.

The baby's eyes fluttered shut as he finished the bottle and, easing it away, Tony asked Harry to hold the empty. He lifted the baby to his shoulder and began to rub his back.

"Why are you doing that?" Harry questioned as he watched.

"Well, sometime babies can suck air into their stomachs while they drink, so you have to help them get it out or they might get a tummy ache," Tony explained as he gently patted the tiny back.

The baby let out a loud belch and Harry giggled behind his hand, causing Tony to smile at his son. Mazzy appeared and took the baby from him, so she could put him back down for a nap. In the meantime, Taffy had gotten Bucky and his little boy to sit down at the table and Tony lifted Harry up, flying him into his chair. Filling a plate for Harry, Tony smiled as he watched Bucky copy his movements as he cut up the waffle into bite-sized pieces and drizzled syrup over it.

Bucky's little boy hesitantly reached for a piece of waffle, picking it up with his fingers and stuffing it in his mouth. Tony and Bucky looked at each other for a moment, unsure what to do, only to have Harry save them.

"Did the mean people who had you not 'low you to eat with a fork?" he asked matter-of-factly, showing his own fork.

"No, they were mean and didn't let me eat much at all." The little boy confessed, as Bucky leaned over to spoon up a bite of scrambled eggs. "Most of the time I had to drink the same yucky stuff Seventy-nine had."

Stiffening, Tony watched as Bucky held the spoon out to his son, who opened his mouth in surprise and let Bucky feed him. He closed his eyes tightly for a moment and took a deep breath. JARVIS should have the scanned through the information in the hard drives by now, which, hopefully, would give them an overview of the boys' treatment at HYDRA's hands.

"If you're not used to eating things," Tony met Bucky's eyes, "just try a bit of everything to start. Don't want you to get sick to your stomach. I'm sure Taffy can make you a smoothie to supplement your breakfast."

Bucky fed him another spoonful of eggs. "Did those people tell you anything about your parents?"

The little boy looked at Bucky blankly, voice apprehensive. "They said they made us themselves, from parts of the Winter Soldier and Captain America. They showed us pictures and told us we had to do what they said."

"They showed you a picture of the Winter Soldier in a mask, didn't they?" Harry asked, frowning.

The child nodded, just as two of Harry's covered glasses popped up on the table.

"Smoothies!" Harry cried happily, standing up to grab them and passed one to the other child, showing him where to drink.

Bucky leaned forward as both boys lit with delight over the taste and Tony acted like he was going to grab Harry's cup. "Ohhhh, is it blueberry? Can I have it?"

Harry laughed at him, holding the cup out of his reach. "No, Papa! This one is mine!"

The other boy laughed as he watched, wrapping both hands around his cup, turning to look at Bucky. "Are you my papa?"

Bucky's blue eyes widened and Tony mirrored Harry's frown as the boy's question had been asked quietly, as if he'd been discouraged from asking anything before. Even Harry looked between the two of them, waiting for Bucky's answer.

"Yes, I'm your papa," Bucky told him in a soft voice. "I was the one they called the Winter Soldier, but Harry and his papa helped me escape the bad people. When we found out about you and your brother, we came to get you away, too."

"Can I call you papa?" his son asked, voice hopeful and eyes bright.

"Yes, little one, and we also need to think of names for you and your little brother."

The child frowned. "But I'm Seven—"

"No," Bucky interrupted him with a shake of his head. "That is the number those—bad people gave you and I don't want to call my son by a number."

The boy watched him, still holding onto his smoothie glass as he watched Bucky. "What kind of name?"

It was Harry who leaned across the table and gave an encouraging smile. "You get to help pick your name? That's wicked cool!"

Rolling his eyes, Tony sighed. "Is that Helena's newest phrase?"

Harry blinked and then grinned at him. "No, Malcom taught us!"

Tony and Bucky both pinched the bridges of their noses.

"So," Bucky looked at his son. "I was thinking you might like something that sounded similar to what you are used to, like Seth, or Seb for Sebastian, or even Steven. I thought you could have James as your middle name."

The boy seemed confused that he had a choice, and Tony felt the anger swirling in his gut. The way HYDRA dehumanized their captives in every way possible was disgusting. The children, the two of at least seventy-nine attempts who survived, were assigned numbers, like property! Fed liquids and who-knows-what else, with apparently limited human interaction—Tony had to take a deep breath. Harry had gotten down and was around the table, whispering with his new "cousin"; apparently discussing the names.

"I—I like Seb," the newly minted Sebastian said, Harry's arm slung around his shoulders.

Bucky nodded and grinned. "Sebastian James Barnes-Rogers is a good strong name." He leaned over and tousled his hair. "And your brother will be Grant Anthony Barnes-Rogers."

Tony felt his jaw drop as his head snapped up and he met Bucky’s eyes. The man gave him a sheepish smile, flesh hand raking through his hair.

"I was going to ask you about being godfather to the boys before I told you about their names," he explained. "Ah, with you and Peggy being godparents, because I know you’d love them as your own."

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Tony nodded and coughed. "I’d be honored, James."

Harry bounced up and down as he listened. "Seb! That means you and, uh, Grant are my brothers!"

Little Sebastian gave Harry and then his papa a big smile. "I think I’ll like that."

Chapter Text

The boys slept in Bucky's room, both for Bucky and Seb's frame of mind. It didn't surprise any of them that Seb had nightmares, waking Bucky during the night. On several occasions in the past ten days, they had even found the little boy cuddled up in bed with Harry in the middle of the night. Sebastian was wary of most of the other adults, loved the house-elves and Padfoot, but was mesmerized by Pepper. The baby liked everyone but was especially fond of Bucky and Tony. Both children loved Harry, who clearly adored them back.

Mazzy was delighted to have more charges to look after and Taffy had assigned a young elf, Elly, who wanted to learn how to be a nanny elf, to help. Lenz allotted a protection detail of house-elves for each of the boys. Bucky had been particularly worried about HYDRA searching for the boys, as the children had been layered with tracking charms and both had subdermal locater chips. Once they were removed, Tony had given each of them one of the bracelets identical to the one Harry wore, which were unremovable and invisible to anyone outside the family.

It turned out both of the children were magical, as Seb had watched Harry summon one of his stuffed animals to give to Grant when the baby was fussing. Freezing, his eyes wide when he realized what he had done, Harry had nearly had a panic attack before Seb threw out his own hand and summoned a toy to himself. Tony could only roll his eyes at an overjoyed Bucky as Tony drew Harry into his lap to soothe him, while Bucky explained to a suddenly scared Seb that having magic was a good thing. Tony figured Grant was most likely magical as well.

Both the boys had advance healing, were at the top of the chart for growth, and Seb had already displayed above normal speed and strength. Bucky had refused to allow the healers to draw any blood from either child for more specific testing. There wasn't a need for it yet, even to establish paternity, thanks to the data they'd found in the HYDRA facility and Bucky's heritage test at Gringotts. Steeljaw had been able to create birth certificates, listing both Bucky and Steve Rogers as fathers, with an unknown mother. Rockjaw had set up trust funds at Tony's request, from his personal vault, for each of his new godsons.

It was mid-morning the following Saturday when Tony and Bucky stepped out of the town car in front of New York Presbyterian Hospital, greeted by Robert Graves who escorted them inside. At the same time, Sirius and Rhodey were slipping into the SHIELD facility at Camp Lehigh under the Potter Invisibility Cloak, and followed Peggy instructions on how to get down to the data storage room. They all hoped Tony's usual showy arrival at the hospital complex would stir anyone watching them into a flurry of activity and draw attention away from what Sirius and Rhodey were doing.

The conference room they were taken to overlooked the river and Bucky set the bag he carried with Tony's laptop down on the table, before walking over to the large windows. Graves stationed himself beside the door as Tony settled himself into a chair with the windows to his back. Healer Addison, who worked on the magical side of the hospital, was the next through the door, nodding at Tony before she moved to greet Bucky at the window. The door swung open again and Tony stood as he recognized Stephen Strange, dressed in blue scrubs and a white lab coat. Behind him was an older man, most probably the head of Neurosurgery, Dr. Kent, dressed similarly.

"Stephen," Tony extended his hand, almost daring the man to not acknowledge that they had spoken before.

"Stark," Strange drawled, and Tony could definitely hear the eyeroll in his tone as they shook hands.

"Ah, none of that, now," he winked at Strange. "Tony, please."

"Tony." Strange practically ground his teeth. "This is—"

"Dr. Kent!" Tony interrupted as he moved past Strange to shake the older man's hand. "I hope the endowment to the NICU has proved helpful."

"It most certainly has, Dr. Stark!" The man was all smiles. "I don't know why you refuse to let us put up a plaque."

Tony waved a hand in dismissal. "No need, Dr. Kent. I'm just grateful to be in a position to help. My mother, unfortunately, lost a baby and would certainly have been pleased with the donation."

The men sat down at the table as their eyes shifted toward the others in the room. Graves stepped forward and set a file folder on the table for Tony, flipping it open to the NDAs the two doctors needed sign. Bucky and Addison moved from the windows to the table and sat down.

"Thank you, Graves."

Tony slid a document over to Strange and another to Kent, before moving back to his seat. Both men read through the pages and Kent signed without question, handing the NDA back to Graves. Strange arched an eyebrow at Tony before removing a fountain pen from the front pocket of his coat, before signing with a flourish. Graves took it and stepped back to his post inside the door, folder behind his back, which he surreptitiously Banishing back to the penthouse.

Tony gave him a wink, before turning to Dr. Kent. "I understand you have worked with
Healer Addison before and will vouch for her abilities for Dr. Strange's benefit?"

Kent was nodding before Tony finished his statement, clearly knowing about the healer's abilities.

"Good," he muttered, getting his thoughts in order. "Gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to James Buchanan Barnes, who served in World War II with Captain America—"

"Reports of my death may have been exaggerated," Bucky quipped.

"—he fell from a train in the Alps." He side-eyed Bucky, pausing for a moment to see if he wanted to add anything. "What was not widely known and kept out of the records from that time, was Bucky had been experimented on by Armin Zola when the 107th was captured in Azzano."

"The Super Soldier Serum," Strange interjected grimly.

Bucky gave a sharp nod and Tony knew he was masking how hard it was to have this discussion. Healer Addison laid a reassuring hand on Bucky’s right arm.

"While that fall severely damaged his left arm and caused some internal injuries, he was able to apply a tourniquet before passing out. He was discovered by Soviet troops affiliated with HYDRA." Tony paused, his eyes taking in Bucky’s pale face." At some point soon after that," Tony set his hand on Bucky’s left shoulder. "Bucky regained consciousness in the middle of an operation to remove his damaged arm and attach a prosthetic. The shoulder mount was crude and invasive, and while the arm has been upgraded over the ensuing fifty years, the shoulder hasn’t."

Tony met the eyes of each of the doctors. "I have built a new arm and shoulder mount, but the old mount needs to be removed and everything done to make sure the wound is healed, before the new one is attached. At this point, the shoulder causes Bucky constant pain and I’d like to change that."

Strange glanced at Dr. Kent before lifting an eyebrow at Tony. "It sounds like you need a general surgeon, Tony, not—"

"The HYDRA doctors somehow hard wired the prosthetic to Bucky’s nervous system, apparently to make the arm more effective as a weapon, so a neurosurgeon with exceptional talent is need to detach and, when the time is right, reconnect the nerves."

Tony tried to maintain the charismatic, easygoing façade, but he was under no illusions to the difficulties the surgery would entail, but he’d be damned if Bucky lost what abilities and dexterity he had now with his arm.

His voice had an edge to it. "This man saved my son’s life, more than once, and I only want the best for him."

Both doctors looked horrified and intrigued, by turn as they processed the information, but Tony wasn’t quite through.

"Add to that the effects of being in cryofreeze for extended periods of time and what being frozen and thawed repeatedly might have done to his tissues, despite Sergent Barnes' enhanced healing abilities."

Stephen Strange returned his hard look. "Well, I’m always up for a challenge, gentlemen. Do you already have X-rays and scans, Tony? And, Mr. Barnes, when can I examine the shoulder?"

Bucky's face was carefully neutral as he watched Tony, fingers dancing over his keyboard, while he described the specific neurons, synapsis, and pathways highlighted in JARVIS’ diagrams to the two doctors. He knew Bucky would have been lost at the terminology if Tony hadn't explained it to him the night before, with JARVIS showing him helpful illustrations. It was important to him that Bucky have all the information he needed or wanted in order to make his choice – something HYDRA had taken from him for so many years.

When they'd removed the arm in the workshop the night before, Tony had instantly seen the muscles along Bucky's shoulders relax. He doubted his friend was entirely comfortable to be without one of his strongest weapons, but he was glad to see the relief Bucky felt. While Tony had knew the arm was a piece of advanced technology, he also knew HYDRA had created it as a weapon, with no thought to how heavy it was or the pain it caused Bucky to wear it.

Tony was pleased that Bucky had taken an interest in the new arm as he crafted it, assisting him in describing what features had been built into the old arm and what he wanted in the new one. Having managed to create any alloy with a blend of the new element, Starkanium, and Adamantium, two of the hardest known metals, Tony was pleased as it was lighter weight but the metal even stronger than whatever his old arm had been made of. Currently, the arm was a pewter gray, but Tony told Bucky they could make it any color he wanted, including flesh tone. At this point, Tony knew Bucky just wanted to be able to hold his children in his arms, which he knew included Harry as much as the younger boys. The Asset claimed his son when Harry was not much older than Seb and even Tony wasn’t going to change his mind.

Tony packed away his laptop as Healer Addison nudged Bucky's right arm to alert him that he was the focus of both doctors. He frowned; Bucky seemed have withdrawn into himself as the discussion had continued around him. The last thing Tony wanted to do was to have Bucky feel like he was excluded from what was going on.

"We’d like to examine you, if we could, Mr. Barnes?" The younger doctor asked, his voice held an edge of impatience to it.

Bucky arched an eyebrow at the tone, but nodded as he stood. Glaring at Strange, Tony grabbed his bag as the doctors led the way out of the conference room, a hand on Bucky's arm. Healer Graves followed them, with Graves bringing up the rear, as they moved to a large examination room two floors down. Strange gave Tony a hard look as he entered the room and opened his mouth, no doubt to deliver a scathing rebuke, but Bucky gave him what Tony called his Soldier Death Glare.

"I want Tony to stay."

Barely keeping a smirk off his face, Tony followed Bucky into the room, setting his bag against the wall beside the door. He didn't necessarily worry about Bucky ever reverting to the mindless, automate of his Winter Soldier programming, he also knew this wasn't going to be comfortable. Last thing Tony wanted was for Bucky to have a panic attack and injure the very men who were supposed to help him. Kent had shared a look with Strange but both doctors nodded their assent.

"If you could remove your shirt, Mr. Barnes," Strange directed as Bucky stepped up to the examination table in the middle of the room.

Bucky easily slipped out of the blazer he was wearing and laid it across the foot of the table. Tony stepped in front of him, shielding him from the men's eyes and helped unbutton the dress shirt Bucky had insisted on wearing. Stepping back after giving a reassuring look, Tony grabbed both Bucky's jacket and shirt. Tony stood patiently as Bucky dragged the tee shirt over his head, keeping his hand wound into the cloth of the shirt as he held it on his lap. Looking down, Bucky stared at his hand and Tony knew he was concerned about the doctors' reactions to the scars and the shoulder implant, a feeling Tony was very familiar with.

Tony leaned closer to him, setting his hand on Bucky's right shoulder, as a reminder that he wasn't alone and as a reminder Tony understood how he felt about exposing himself this way.

"Healer Addison, can you make the metal transparent, so we can see the condition of the skin underneath?"

"Of course, Dr. Kent, as long as Sgt. Barnes doesn't mind?"

Bucky inclined his head sharply to indicate his agreement and Tony watched with interest as Addison waved her wand in a spiral with a sharp downward flick. The metal shoulder plate turned transparent and the doctors leaned in close. From his position, Tony could see what looked like a mass of red, ropey scars running along the top of the shoulder, down to what was left of Bucky's natural arm. The mount itself was more intrusive than Tony had thought after studying the scans they had taken in the workshop.

Ignoring the mutters of the two surgeons, Tony tightened his hand slightly as Bucky leaned toward him. He remembered Addison telling them what she'd found out about how HYDRA had replaced the arm, in circumstances as brutal as the conditions under which he'd had open-chest surgery, without anesthetic or care to the pain he was suffering. His nightmares of it still haunted him and Tony had no doubt Bucky had had his fair share of those since the return of his memories.

Tony swallowed hard and turned his attention back to Bucky, checking on his breathing as neither one of them needed to give in to their shared trauma today.

Tony was thankful the doctors kept their exams to x-rays, ultra sounds, and one hands-on exam of Bucky's shoulder. The way Bucky had stiffened, Tony knew it was only the Calming Draught Addison had produced and his presence that kept the man from dropping into a flashback. It was telling to Tony how far Bucky withdrawn into himself when he didn't protest as Tony helped him put his shirt and jacket back on. They left the doctors and healer to discuss the surgery, as Tony put a hand on Bucky's elbow to guide him out of the exam room.

Happy arched an eyebrow as he watched Tony help Bucky into the car, but slid into the car. Pulling into the midafternoon traffic, Tony caught Happy's look in the rearview mirror, but gave a slight shake of his head. Once they were settled, Tony asked JARVIS to put in an order for calzones and the works from his favorite Italian restaurant near Grand Central Station. As they did a slow crawl through traffic, Tony kept a hand on Bucky's forearm and was relieved when the man finally relaxed into the seat.

"We're going to have to come up with a way to put that Calming Draught into an IV for the surgery, Frosty."

Turning his head, Bucky threw him a weak glare. "Well, perfect it then, 'cause you're going to be just as bad when we take that nightlight out of your chest."

Sputtering, Tony splayed a hand over his chest dramatically, drawing a small smile from Bucky. "What—"

"He's right, Boss," Happy piped up. "Gonna have to take that thing out someday."

His old friend's tone held more truth than Tony wanted to deal with at the moment, so he did the adult thing: stuck out his tongue and raised the privacy screen as Happy laughed at him. Bucky gave him a side-eye look before turning slightly in his seat.

"Hey Tony?"

Taking a deep breath to calm any remaining jitters, Tony turned to look at him. Bucky's face had taken on a serious expression.

"Buck?"

The man rubbed his face with his hand, before dragging it through his hair. "Sirius told me about the Godfather ritual he did with Harry when he was born. Could you—would you do the ritual with the boys?"

Tony blinked before meeting his eyes. "I'd be honored, James, if you think it's necessary."

Bucky nodded; his face serious. "Yes, and as soon as possible, please." The blue eyes were imploring. "I need to know that if anything happens, my sons are going to be taken care and, even more important, protected from the assholes who would use them like I was."

"But Steve—" Tony began, but Bucky shook his head hard.

"We don't know when or, even if, we will locate the Valkyrie, Tony. If we do recover him and he's alive, there's nothing to say he'll accept the boys." Bucky looked down. "Children weren't something we ever talked about. Steve didn't want to pass on his medical conditions and I—"

While he'd put two and two together awhile ago, Bucky's voice and infection spoke volumes. "You never thought children were possible, when it was a man you were in love with."

Bucky wasn't even surprised at Tony's comment, just nodded. "Yeah."

Tony reached over and squeezed his knee. "All right, snowflake, we'll do it as soon as we can. I'm sure Arcturus and Sirius know which will be best." He gave Bucky a sly look. "And that means you have to accept those trust funds I set up for Seb and Grant, just like the one Harry has."

Rolling his eyes, Bucky gave him a telling look, but seemed relieved. Tony wasn't sure whether the man was fearful of not finding Steve Rogers or being rejected by him.

"Hey, Buck, tell me about your Steve." Tony leaned toward Bucky, encouragi9ng him to speak.

A soft smile curved Bucky's lips, a faraway look in his eyes. "He was the scrawniest, scrappiest little punk you'd ever meet, Tony. We were just kids when we met, me turning a corner and finding the new kid in school taking a swing at the school bully, who was three times his size. I dragged the kid off of him and sent him on his way, when I turned to Steve, he was wiping blood off his face with his sleeve, one eye almost swollen shut, but he nailed me with the one good eye, that cornflower blue blazing with righteous indignation. 'I had 'em on the ropes!'" Bucky shook his head. "Turns out the bully was terrorizing the little girls on the playground and Steve stepped in; one of them was my own sister, Hannah."

Bucky met Tony's eyes. "We just clicked and were pretty much inseparable after that. Stevie got sick a lot and his ma wasn't always able to stay home with him, so he either slept at my house or I went and slept at his. We always shared a bed, even as we got older – neither of our families had much; we were heading into the Great Depression then. Both are families were lucky – Sarah Rogers was a nurse and made enough to support and feed them, but not enough for the medicine for Steve's frequent illnesses. My da worked any job he could find, and Ma supplemented by washing clothes and being a seamstress. I worked in the neighborhood grocer when I was old enough, stocking shelves, cleaning, and delivering groceries. Even Steve brought money in with his art, either commissions or comics."

Bucky lapsed into silence for a moment, and Tony resisted the urge to fill the gap.

"We shared everything and as we got older, we experimented together." He looked down at where his hand was rubbing along the seam in his trousers. "It was illegal in those days and we never really talked about it, but we both enjoyed it. I would even describe to him what I did with the girls I dated, under the guise of teaching Steve how to be with a woman." He shook his head, eyes glistening.

"After Steve rescued the 107th from Azzano, we managed to share a tent, despite the difference in our ranks." Bucky snorted. "The punk was more than happy to show me everything he'd learned while on the USO tour – those show girls had been excited to further his education!"

Tony couldn't help but laugh with Bucky, the image of Captain America under a pile of dancers easy to imagine. "And Peggy?" he asked softly.

Shaking his head, Bucky gave him a crooked grin. "Scary woman back then, kind of like your Pepper Potts is now. She was the only one who seemed to see the real Steve, before the serum." He met Tony's eyes. "Quite a gal, although I was jealous as hell, and she looked right through me, like I was invisible." Bucky shook his head. "I could easily see she and Steve as a couple, but I'm not sure whether he'd have chosen her over me. Even now, she a force to be reconned with."

Avoiding the landmine Bucky just laid, Tony nodded. "Yeah, Aunt Peggy is quite a woman. Only one I knew who would put Howard in his place when he needed it. Rumor has it that she punched him regularly during the war."

"Yeah, we bonded over punching Howard," Bucky told him with a straight face, failing to hide the mirth in his eyes.

Tony laughed as the car came to a stop and Happy opened the door beside Tony. "Come on, you two, I'm hungry!"

By the time JARVIS let him know Sirius and Rhodey had returned, grim-faced and angry, lunch was eaten, the baby was napping and Harry was reading a book to Seb in his room. Tony took in both men's grimy appearance and the fact they had driven to the penthouse in an unfamiliar van. Getting up, he hurried to the foyer, where he grabbed one of the boxes Rhodey was carrying and pausing to give Sirius a kiss.

"I thought you said there were no problems?" he questioned, looking them over for any wounds.

"There weren't, until we found the hidden bunker underneath a building that shouldn't even be there." Rhodey headed down the stairs toward the workshop. "I don't think you want these in the living room."

Bucky was right behind them as Tony followed the two men. "JARVIS, will you let Jodi and Aunt Peggy know these two have returned."

"Can you send a couple of the house-elves to the van and ask them to bring in the rest of the boxes, please?" Sirius added, setting the two boxes he was levitating on a worktable.

"Of course, Master Sirius."

"How'd Bucky's appointment go?" Sirius asked, head inclining toward Bucky.

"I'm right here, pal," Bucky muttered without even looking their way.

Tony grinned as Sirius rolled his eyes, the evidence of exhaustion in the black circling them.

"Strange is an ass," Tony announced, "though the appointment went well and they should be able to do the surgery soon. We'll have to give the shoulder a chance to heal afterward, but the new shoulder mount will be a million times better than what HYDRA did."

"And the little ones?" Rhodey straightened up, arching his back.

Bucky’s whole face lit up. "They are amazing! Although, Seb is having a little trouble with his tummy."

"He’s not used to solid foods," Tony interjected, standing back to look at the boxes now littering the worktable and floor. "We just have to be careful what we feed him until his little body gets ajusted to it."

"Bastards!" Sirius spat, dropping down on to the couch. "I think they’re worse than the Death Eaters!"

"What is all this?" Aunt Peggy’s voice came over his shoulder, making Tony jump.

Grabbing his chest, Tony swung around and glared at the woman, even as she kissed his cheek with a smile. Bucky and Rhodey laughed at the look on his face and Sirius was already asleep on the couch.

"This all came from a secret bunker under what I guess was the original SHIELD offices at Camp Lehigh," Rhodey explained. "Zola somehow loaded his consciousness into a computer system in the bunker in 1972 before he died. These are the data storage units and the main components of the system."

Peggy listened grimly. "I can't believe he was able to do all this and neither Howard or I was aware of his activities!"

Rhodey threw Bucky an apologetic look. "This is just part of it, Director. Zola had a video that he played – doctored up to show-off the Winter Soldier's greatest hits. Unfortunately for him, we weren't impressed, so he trotted out a list of high-ranking HYDRA faithful in other branches of the government. Oh, and videos on their training of Bucky into the Soldier. " He shook his head. "All a ploy to keep us occupied while he sent out an alarm, but, thanks to Sirius, we were able to get out before they found us."

A glance at Bucky's face made Tony want to grimace. "He held a shielding charm until you could get out?" Tony guessed, turning back to throw Rhodey a look.

Rhodey nodded grimly. "Goons in black tactical gear swarmed the building – I think they were actually another of the SHIELD STRIKE teams, Director," he told Peggy, grimacing. "Sirius threw up a strong shield and held it while we got the last of the boxes to the van and got out of there."

"Where'd you find the van?" Jodi asked as she looked around the workshop.

"It was parked on the side of the building." Rhodey wiped his forehead on his sleeve. "I used the device Tony made to short out any tracking devices it might have had."

Jodi nodded. "I'll have one of the Aurors take it to headquarters and sweep it for evidence."

"Thank you, Jodi," Tony jumped into the conversation. "I'm going to take Sirius up to bed so he can get some rest. JARVIS, will you ask Taffy to bring Honeybear a calzone, please?"

"We can work on getting this stuff sorted," Bucky told him, glancing between Rhodey and Peggy.

Tony nodded before concentrating on casting the Levitation Charm and lifting Sirius off the couch. He was able to hold the spell until he'd made it to their bedroom, where he found the duvet already pulled back. As gently as he could, Tony laid Sirius down on the bed, Banished his clothing to the laundry hamper, and covered him up. Pressing a kiss to his partner's forehead, Tony quieting backed out of the room and closed the door.

As he walked back down the hallway, Harry came out of his room, leading Sebastian by the hand. Harry's face lit up when he saw his father.

"Papa! Sebby needs some help!" His son's expression was serious.

Crouching down, Tony took their clasped hands in his. "What seems to be the problem?"

Seb gave him a small smile. "I think I have to go to the bathroom, but it feels different."

Tony stood, lifting a boy in each arm. "Well, why don't we go see what happens?"

He carried both down to the bathroom off the living room, knowing it was closer to his lab in case he needed to call Bucky up. The little boy had been plagued with diarrhea since he'd arrived and they were concerned that HYDRA had damaged his digestive system by keeping Seb on a mostly liquid diet since he was born. The pediatric healer had examined him and told them he would be fine – keep him well hydrated and feed him food with natural fiber. Tony was sure Bucky's eyes rolled as hard as his did.

Setting the boys down, Tony opened the door to the large bathroom and stood back as Harry helped Seb pull down his pants and underwear. He stifled a laugh as Harry chattered on about the book they were reading. Watching as Harry helped Seb onto the child's toilet they'd had installed, Tony reflected back on the changes of the last year. He remembered a time when he would have cringed away from helping any child with their bathroom business, but Harry had cured him of that. His son had only had one brief bout of the flu, something that went through his class last fall, but taking care of a miserable, sick child had cured him of any squeamishness.

"Is it s'pposed to look like that?" Seb asked, voice wavering.

Tony glanced over to see both boys peering into the toilet bowl and stifled a laugh.

"I think so, Seb, that's what mine looks like." Harry looked over at Tony. "Papa, is this okay?"

Working to keep his face straight, Tony leaned over just enough to see normal looking poop in the toilet. "It looks perfect, Seb! Do you need my help to wipe?"

Seb gave him a glare that was pure pre-serum Steve Rogers and Tony couldn't help his grin. Holding up his hands in a sign of surrender, Tony stepped back into the doorway, to supervise as Harry helped Seb finish up and wash their hands.

Their hands were still damp as they each took one of Tony's and he guided them toward the kitchen. Taffy had cantaloupe and jam biscuits waiting for them as Tony lifted Seb onto his stool and Harry climbed up on his own. Just as Tony sat down, Mazzy brought Grant out, his face as grumpy as his papa's got and Tony couldn't resist taking him. A warm bottle appeared at his elbow and Tony popped it into the baby's mouth with a grin.

"There are my boys," Bucky's voice floated over from the direction of the stairs. "I thought I'd have to wake Grant up."

"Mazzy just brought him out," Tony told him, waving him off. "Seb has some news for you."

The little boy's head lifted up from his bowl of fruit, a brilliant grin lighting his face. "Papa! I poop'ded real poop!"

"Well, that's just—wicked cool!" Bucky gave Seb a proud smile. "I think we need to celebrate! Taffy, jam biscuits all around, please!"

Tony snorted and shook his head as Grant grabbed his pinkie finger. How the mighty have fallen! he thought, but he wouldn't change what his life had become in the last year.

Tony stood in the doorway to Harry's room, watching his son sleep peacefully. He couldn't believe it had been just over a year since he'd brought his son home, thin, abused, and scared. They had had a rollercoaster of a year, thankfully more ups than downs, identified threats, survived adversity, and had gained a loving family. And Harry had blossomed and thrived amid the love and acceptance he'd been showered with.

A pair of arms slipped around his waist and a warm body pressed against his back. Sirius had been one of the best things of the past year and, at times, Tony had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Through the years he'd been a notorious playboy, Tony hadn't understood why people settled down, until he learned what it was like to have a strong, loving partner. He grinned as he leaned back into Sirius' warmth.

"Are you done staring creepily at our son?" Sirius whispered in his ear as he nudged Tony down the hallway toward the living room.

"I just can't believe he turns six tomorrow," Tony responded, turning in his partner's arms to give him a thorough kiss.

"Hey, get a room you two!"

Rhodey's voice had Tony lifting his head and shooting his best friend a smirk. His platypus just grinned as he sat on the long couch, arm around Jodi Proudfoot. Pepper and Happy shared an oversized armchair, while Arcturus and Peggy were seated on the small couch. Bucky turned from the window wall, a wide-awake Grant bouncing in his arms and Tony grinned as the fading sunset gleamed off the black metal of his new prosthetic arm.

"His teeth bothering him again?" Tony asked as Grant gnawed on a frozen teething ring.

"Yeah—" Bucky was interrupted by his son patting his cheek with a drool-covered hand.

"Pa!" Grant squealed and then planted a wet kiss on Bucky's stubbled cheek.

"Yes, Grant, we all know you are here," Bucky gave the baby a longsuffering look. "You are supposed to be asleep."

Grant wiggled to get down and Bucky rolled his eyes as he bent down, settling him on his bottom. Without a pause, Grant was crawling across the room and pulling himself up on Tony pants, one hand still gripping the soggy chew toy.

"Ta! Up!"

Grabbing the baby under the arms, Tony threw him gently in the air and caught him. He pressed a kiss to his godson's cheek and cuddled Grant to his chest. They had performed the godparent ritual for both boys on the Summer Solstice, cementing their bond and easing Bucky's anxiety as they prepared for his surgery. Both the ritual and the surgery had gone amazingly well. After the old shoulder mount HYDRA force on him had been removed, had been the first time in fifty years Bucky hadn't been in pain. The implantation of the new Starkanium mount had gone smoothly and integrated with the new arm without any discomfort.

"How's the arm doing?" Tony asked Bucky quietly as the man moved to stand beside he and Sirius.

"Pain free," Bucky told him with a smile. "I know it's only been a week, but it feels like my natural arm."

"Of course it does," Tony smirked as he rocked Grant side to side.

Bucky reached over and ruffled Tony's hair, which he thought was very unfair as the baby occupying his arms sighed and relaxed against his chest.

"You're just jealous of my ability to put the baby to sleep," Tony huffed, still rocking.

"I don't know about that, Tones, you've been lulling me to sleep since you were fourteen!" Rhodey quipped.

Turning toward the bedrooms, Tony threw a pout over his shoulder. "You wound me, platypus!"

Bucky was right behind him as he stepped into the bedroom, Seb sound asleep in the king-size bed. Grant's crib was set against the wall furthest away from the window wall, and, while Tony was delighted that Harry wanted to celebrate his birthday in Malibu, it did leave them short on bedrooms. Laying Grant down, Tony stepped aside so his papa could settle him on his back. Seb stirred but settled down after a minute and Tony couldn’t believe how much both boys had improved over the past six weeks. Particularly Sev, who was very bright and absorbed information like a sponge, similar to Harry.

When Bucky joined him in the hallway, they walked together toward the living room, Tony shooting Bucky a smirk.

"I don't know whether you heard him or not, but Seb was reading a story to Harry on the plane." He was proud of the little guy.

Bucky grinned and nodded. "Remus says he's already reading at a first grade level!"

"And Grant should be walking within a week or so," Tony predicted as they walked down the stairs to the living room.

"Lily was beside herself when Harry walked at six months," Sirius laughed as Tony threw himself down on the sofa next to him, slipping his arm around Tony’s waist. "Said it ran in her mother's side of the family."

"All my grandbabies asleep?" Arcturus asked with a smile, a brandy glass in his hand.

The usually staid Lord Black had been a surprise when he met the boys, much like he doted on Harry, he'd embraced Seb and Grant completely. Even after Sirius had told him Bucky was distantly related to the family, the first time Seb, following Harry's lead, had called him Grandpa, the look on the man's face had been priceless. Peggy, Pepper, and Jodi had become aunties and Rhodey, Sirius, and a reluctant Happy were uncles. Tony had become Ta, thanks to Grant.

Bucky sat down between the two couples with a sigh, calling a thanks to Taffy when a beer appeared on the low table in front of him. Everyone had their drink of choice; Tony had a finger of top-shelf scotch in hand. He'd cut way back on his alcohol intake since bringing Harry home and had no desire to start up again.

"Any word from the search team?" Bucky asked quietly, rolling the bottle between his palms

Tony took a small sip from his glass, appreciating the burn as he swallowed. "The last storm battered them a bit, but according to the captain, they have refueled, resupplied, and are still on schedule to be in the area we think the Valkyrie went down in by mid-August."

"Well, its optimistic news, at least," Bucky muttered before taking another swig of his beer. "Everything ready for tomorrow?"

"Yes, except—" Sirius paused and exchanged a glance with Tony.

"What?" Bucky asked, frowning at the two of them.

Tony cleared his throat. "Well, apparently, Harry has decided he wants to give the presents this birthday."

"What does that mean?" Pepper interjected, a glass or red wine halfway to her lips.

"He decided he wanted his god-brothers to have presents to open, instead of him getting all of them."

"He's one hell of a kid," Rhodey threw in with a smile. "I've never seen someone who loves so hard."

Nodding his agreement, Tony watched the expressions play over Bucky's face. The man had taken to fatherhood well, especially considering the circumstances, but had insisted on paying for every expense – something Tony wasn't used to. Bucky, in turn, stared him into submission, when he argued that he had his back pay from the Army which meant he could afford to support his own children. Sirius and Rhodey both had agreed with the terms, out voting Tony, as long as Bucky agreed to take a paycheck from SI for being Harry's primary protector and continue to live with them.

Tony was more than relieved when Bucky agreed.

"He was being stubborn about it, wasn't he?" Bucky sighed.

"Exceptionally," Sirius answered. "We were able to keep it to a small toy for each of them and a couple of matching outfits."

"They are cute and all the boys will look adorable in them," Pepper answered, while Tony made a face.

Bucky laughed. "At least Harry was smart enough to ask someone with taste to help him pick them out!"

"To Harry," Arcturus intoned, "an uncommonly wonderful little boy."

Tony's chest felt tight as he lifted his glass to his son, acknowledging the toast even as he wished Lily and James could have been here. Sirius’ arm tightened around his waist and Tony leaned into him as he sipped the scotch. His eyes fell on Peggy who gave him a smile, her eyes sparkling with intelligence as Rhodey leaned toward her with a question. He was thankful she had followed Arcturus’ suggestion and had a healer examine her after she’d taken a curse on one of her covert SHIELD operations to weed out HYDRA sympathizers. The healer had called in Addison, who had diagnosed her with the early stages of Alzheimer's, early enough to treat with a potion regiment of Regenerative Elixir and Wit Sharpening Potion.

Everyone was staying over at the house and began drifting to bed shortly after their drinks were done. Tony stifled a yawn as he and Sirius were the last two heading for the stairs. Tony had always loved having sex at any opportunity; the physical release had the ability to slow the whirling thoughts in his mind. However, he'd discovered there was something infinitely more pleasurable and satisfying in sleeping, wrapped in his partner's arms, loved and safe. He'd never been with anyone who could calm his sometimes manic nature with a touch.

Harry woke them up the next morning by bouncing up and down on the bed, Seb standing in the doorway looking like he doubted his self-proclaimed brother's sanity. Tony tackled his son and began to kiss him all over his face. Sirius groaned and then yelped as Tony fell back against him, with Harry sprawled over his chest. The sight of Seb, clad in his blue pajamas, hair sticking out every direction, giggling behind his hands as he watched, melted Tony's heart. He wrapped his arms around his son and stood up, stepping over to plant a kiss on the top of Seb's head.

"Let's go wake your papa up, Sebby," he whispered conspiratorially, Harry still laughing in his arms.

Tiptoeing down the hallway, Tony eased the door open to Bucky’s room and grinned at the exaggerated snore from the bed he heard from the bed. Made sense that Bucky would have heard the commotion. Setting Harry down, he lined the two boys up and silently urged them forward with a tiny push forward. Grant pulled himself up to stand against the crib rails and watched, Tony scooped him up as the boys crawled all over Bucky.

"Papa! Get up! It’s Harry’s day!"

"Uncle Bucky! It’s my birthday! We gets waffles for breakfast!"

Reaching down, Tony patted one of Bucky’s feet as the two children smothered him with kisses. He headed back to his bedroom where Sirius was sitting on the edge of the bed, blinking sleep from his eyes, and plopped the baby in his lap, before going into the bathroom. Ten minutes later, Tony, dressed and hair brushed, carried Grant down to the kitchen. Pepper got up immediately and stole the baby from him, which Tony thought was rude, until a mug of coffee popped up next to him.

"Taffy, you are the best!"

A plate of waffles and bacon appeared next, just as a rumple Bucky walked down the stairs, a boy under each arm. Sirius followed him with a grin, taking Harry from him as they hit the bottom. While Tony ate, he watched his son passed around to everyone for a birthday hug and kiss, before he was settled into the chair beside Tony.

"Eat up, Tesoro, we have a busy day ahead of us!"

The planned beach party had to be relocated to the pool due to high winds, and the house-elves creating a large sandbox in the garden for the kids to play in. Harry’s classmates arrived in time for lunch on the deck and a couple hours playing in the pool. Remus and his wife, Sonya, along with Robert Graves and Maggie Garcia joined them for cake and presents. Seb had to be coaxed to open his presents, but ripped into them when Harry showed him the proper technique. Grant was much more interested in eating the wrapping paper, Bucky gently tugged it away from him, and encouraged the other kids there to help the baby open his gifts.

Harry was much more relaxed about opening his presents, sitting beside the couple who gave him the gift as he opened it, more so he could give them hugs and thanks immediately, Tony figured out. He had limited the gifts for Harry to one per couple, not wanting him overwhelmed like he'd been at Christmas. His son happily shared his new toys with his friends, even after Malcom had accidentally broken one of his new action figures. A flick Sirius' wand had repaired the arm.

When it came time for the others to leave, Harry had hugged and thanked each of them again, before giving each of them a gift bag to take home. He'd even put one together for Seb, so he didn't feel left out. Rhodey manned the grill with Bucky helping, making cheeseburgers for dinner on the deck. By the time the sun set, Harry was fast asleep in Tony's arms, Seb sleeping in Bucky's, and Grant already in bed. The boys had requested a sleepover, so Tony led the way to Harry's room, where he tucked the now six-year-old in. Bucky settled Seb beside him, kissing both of their forehead, before following Tony out.

A hand wrapped around his elbow as Tony turned toward the stairs. Looking back, he gave Bucky a questioning look.

"I just wanted to thank you again, Tony, for accepting me and then the boys, for all you've given us, and the—"

"James," Tony interrupted him, his face serious. "You were tortured, brainwashed, and abused for so many years, yet you broke through that conditioning in order to save a tiny, abused child. And stepping in front of a bullet for the same kid – that tells me what kind of a man you are." Tony grinned at him. "And Harry has adopted you, so you are stuck with us now! End of conversation!"

Tony squawked when Bucky pulled him into a tight hug and all he could do was pat the man on the back. "Uh, okay, Buckaroo. I adore you, too, but I was hoping to go down and make out with my boyfriend in the moonlight for a while."

Bucky snorted but let him go and stepped back. "Thanks, Tony. I think I'll just go to bed and leave the moonlight to you and Sirius."

Tony waved him off and went in search of Sirius, hoping everyone else had already gone to bed.

Chapter Text

Tony woke up suddenly, the hair standing up on the back of his neck. He blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out why he'd woken up so abruptly. Sliding out of bed, he grabbed the jeans and tee shirt he'd left hanging over the back of the chair. As he dressed, Tony strained to hear anything out of the ordinary. Jamming his feet into his sneakers, he made his way into the hallway, wand in his hand. A low voice startled him.

"Tony, I smell smoke," Bucky whispered, gun in one hand and wand in the other.

"Damn it!" Tony breathed, heading down the stairs and out onto the deck.

"Holy crap!" Bucky exclaimed as they both turned toward the ridgeline to the east of the mansion, where the source of an angry orange glow lighting the night sky was.

"Damn it!" Tony swore sharply. "It's in the Topanga Canyon burn area from 1993, which means it will burn even faster. JARVIS"

There was no immediate answer and Tony frowned as he moved back inside. "JARVIS!"

"I apologize, Sir," the AI's voice was not quite as crisp as usual. "The fire has already taken out cellular towers and powerlines, I had to reroute some functions."

Relief flooded Tony. "Start the generator for the house, J, and get us off the main power grill. The goblins put up fire wards, so we won't have a problem there, but turn on the sprinklers, the ones that pull water from the cistern. Wake everyone up, except the boys – it'll be better if they were still asleep."

"Tony—"

Bucky voice was urgent, but Tony cut him off. "Buck – go get dressed – wear leather, not cloth, as it's more fire resistant. I'm going to have the house-elves pop the kids to New York, while you and Sirius protect the house. Rhodey and I will fly over to the command post and see what the fire department needs help with."

Bucky ran, taking the stair two at a time as Taffy, Lenz, and Mazzy appeared in front of Tony. "Taffy, have everything we need for New York packed and popped over. Mazzy, you and Elly take the boys to the penthouse and stay with them. Lenz, gather any elf who isn't helping Taffy or Mazzy to help with the evacuations and protecting houses without being seen."

Sirius was up and dressing as Tony reached the bedroom and changed into his undersuit.

"Can you find ear pieces for you and Bucky? I'm going to take Rhodey and go see what we can do to help. Taffy's organizing the house-elves to take the boys to New York."

Stopping long enough to give Tony a hard kiss, Sirius was gone. Grabbing what he needed, Tony headed down to his workshop, where Rhodey and Jodi Proudfoot were already dressed and waiting.

"Arcturus Portkeyed to New York to be with the boys and Director Carter's house-elf popped her home," Rhodey reported immediately. "Pepper and Happy have already headed to SI."

"Sirius and Bucky will stay here and protect the house. I'm going to have JARVIS open the gate so anyone who can't get out doesn't get trapped on the highway. Platypus, suit up and let's go see if the firefighters need our help."

Jodi listened and nodded her head, leaning over to kiss Rhodey. "I'll go see if the local Aurors need any me." She immediately turned on her heel and Disapparated with a crack

He lost track of time while helping with evacuations, but judging by the sun, it had been at least half a day before things were stable enough for Tony and Rhodey to return to the house. The winds had stayed light and the firefighters were able to keep the fire within the canyon for the most part, and out of the populated areas. There were several park structures lost and four houses along the edge which had burned. The highway had remained open and those evacuated had been able to get out without incident.

Rhodey flew into the garage in front of Tony and landed on the platform first. Tony stood by as the rings disassembled the armor, his eyes glancing around as he did. There had been an attack on the house during the fire, easily repelled by Sirius, Bucky, and their security house-elves. It happened in the middle of the fire fight, just after Rhodey had told them the Fire Chief said the origin of the fire was suspicious in nature. JARVIS had relayed the information to Sirius, Bucky, Pepper, and Arcturus, who put the penthouse on a precautionary lockdown. Pepper had Happy tightened security at all Stark Industry building, as well.

By the time Tony was out of his armor, Sirius had made his way downstairs, a grim look on his face.

"Bucky believes this was HYDRA doing," he said without preamble." Which tracks as neither Jodi nor the other Aurors could detect any large amount of magic in the area."

Rhodey frowned as he drained the bottle of water Tony had grabbed for them. "I wonder if we are dealing with different factions of HYDRA."

Tony almost chocked on his swallow of water. "Different factions? Like one that knows about magic and another who doesn't?"

"Exactly," Bucky replied as he walked into the room. "I never heard any of my handlers refer to magic at all, and it is probably information only given out on a need-to-know basis. This attack, like the one that sent me here in the first place, was probably a mid-level supervisor who was told to create chaos and get into the mansion."

Tony stared at him, his mind whirling with the information. "So, what do you think their goal was?"

"Could have just been a test of our defenses," Rhodey suggested.

"Or they were trying to grab Tony," Bucky guessed. "Or me."

Tony crossed his arms over his chest, trying not to shudder due to the cold tendril of fear running down his spine. "You think this another faction knows about the boys or do we assume only those who know about magic, are also aware of them?"

"It's possible, but improbable as only the top scientists and elite agents would have any knowledge of the boys or the breeding program." Bucky said grimly. "And I would have bet if they knew, those in charge would bring in one of the remaining Winter Soldiers, not just sent a hit squad."

Sighing, Tony rubbed at his chest. "We need a meeting with everyone, including Robert, Maggie, and Peggy. I think we need to move the other enhanced soldiers up on our to-do list, especially if HYDRA gets the bright idea to send them after us."

"Sir, young Harry is calling and he sounds distressed."

Tony looked between his friends. "Put him on the screen, JARVIS."

The glass monitor lit up with a tired, teary-eyed Harry, Sebastian leaning against him.

"Bambino, what's the matter?" Tony's heart wrenched at his son's expression.

"Papa! Are you okay? Is Daddy and Uncle Bucky and Uncle Rhodey okay?"

Everyone crowded around Tony as Harry and Seb leaned closer to the camera.

"We are fine, Tesoro, and we'll be there soon," Tony assured the boys. "Are you being good for Grandpa?"

Both boys bobbed their heads up and down, earnest looks on their faces. "We are, Papa, although the baby has been fussy."

"Well, that's what babies do—"

Bucky interrupted him, leaning over his shoulder. "Grant isn't sick, is he?"

"No, Papa," Sebastian shook his head. "Mazzy said his teef are sore."

"And Taffy let him have some smoothie," Harry informed them. "Grant really liked the blueberry one."

"Of course, he did, sweety, I'm his godfather," Tony said with a serious expression, squawking when Rhodey pinched him.

"We are just finishing up here and we'll be there in just a little while," Sirius interjected with a smile. "Will you tell Taffy to expect us in the next hour, please?"

"Yes, Daddy!" Harry chirped and both boys took off running.

It took them nearly the whole hour to secure and add protections to the mansion, before the four men Portkeyed to the New York penthouse. Two of the house-elves would see to transporting the armor back to Tony's workshop there. Even the grumpy-faced Grant grinned, two new bottom teeth gleaming, when he saw his papa. The boys demanded all their attention, wanting to play a simple game, allowing everyone to decompress and letting the events of the day settle into their brains.

It was a somber group of adults who sat down after the boys were in bed, to discuss the ramifications of what had happened. Bucky explained his theory of lower level, more mercenary, HYDRA agents taking the incentive to recapture him or to take Tony for ransom.

"What makes you think they weren't magical, James?" Aunt Peggy asked, looking up from her notes.

Graves was the person who spoke up. "They would have used Fiendfyre if they'd been magical, which is damn near impossible to control and would have required the caster hold it far longer than they wanted to be around the scene."

"Pretty sure someone would have seen them, as the fire originated on one of the main roads," Happy added with a frown. "Also, the fire chief from Los Angeles County Fire confirmed there was an accelerant used to start the blaze, which pretty much rules out magic."

"So, we need to remember to be careful of the mundane methods, as well as magical," Tony inserted, fingers tapping on his chest. "Which is something we should be doing anyway."

They all agreed, especially Happy who'd been dealing with threats and attempts on Tony's life for years. Bucky was quiet as he listened, but his right hand was raking through his hair repeatedly.

"Hey, Buck?" Tony addressed him. "What is it that's bothering you?"

Bucky looked up at him and then glanced around the table. "The other Winter Soldiers – why hasn't HYDRA used them yet?"

"That's a good question," Peggy added. "Although, the two who were guarding the boys seemed to be easily taken down with magic, according to your reports."

"Which makes me wonder what else they may be guarding?" Sirius asked.

"Or they might be working on ways to make them magic resistant, like the runes on the Iron Man and War Machine armor." Jodi suggested.

"Whatever they are doing with them, it is a concern," Graves agreed. "Barnes, do you think they are still being held in the Siberia bunker?"

Bucky sat up straighter and seemed to ponder the question. "It was the only place HYDRA had that could contain multiple enhanced Soldiers, so I would guess so."

"All right, let's move that problem up on the priority list. I'll have JARVIS dive into the satellites and see if we can get eyes on the facility. We need to get more information on the level of activity around the facility." Tony typed a reminder on his tablet. "In the meantime, tomorrow we have the visit to the Emrys House in Queens. Harry wants to go and I think he wants Sebastian to go too. Anything we need to prepare for?"

The visit to the Emrys House went wonderfully. The building appeared to be a dilapidated children's clothing store, as it was a safe house for abused and neglected children. There were repelling charms on the front, along with wards which gave the building the rundown appearance. Visitors were directed to go to the rear entrance, a walkway off the alley behind the building, in order to make access. The goblins wardsmiths had done an amazing job warding the building, specifically designing them to make those inside feel safe.

The house had been as run down as the front still appeared when they'd purchased it, a large, three-story Painted Lady style home. The goblins had overseen the house's complete renovation and had painted it a pastel green. Once they passed through the wards, Harry had stopped on the path, his eyes wide as the house became visible.

"Papa, it's pretty!" Harry gushed.

Sebastian squirmed in Bucky's arms and he set his son on his feet. Seb immediately moved to Harry's side and grabbed his hand. "This is your house?"

Harry shook his head. "No, it's a house for kids, Sebby! A place they can go when their family is hurting them, like my mean aunt and uncle used to. It's also for the kids whose families don't like magic – they can come here to live."

"Oh! That's good, right?" Seb looked up at Bucky. "It's not nice to hurt kids, especially babies!"

Tony reached over and ruffled Seb's hair. "You are right about that, Seb! Harry uses one of his family vaults, the Emrys family, to help the kids."

Although Tony didn't think a six-year-old could blush but Harry managed, as Sebastian gave him a huge smile, Harry was adorable as he ducked his head. Bucky patted the top of Harry head as Tony urged them toward the door, their security guards already standing there waiting for them. A petite lady in her mid-forties stood in the open doorway as they approached, smiling at the boys.

"Well, what do we have here?" She asked brightly, crouching down to their level.

Harry, dressed in a miniature of Tony's navy suit, complete with red shirt and tie. "We're here to see the house, ma'am."

Sebby, who had convinced his father to let him wear a suit Tony had gotten him as well, nodded, clinging to Harry's hand.

"For two such handsome young men, of course."

She ushered them into the house with a bemused Tony and frowning Bucky following behind. Mrs. Smythe kept her attention on the boys, explaining where they were going and each room as they passed it. Tony was impressed at the woman's ability to put the boys at ease as they moved into the main part of the house. Tony knew there were forty-three children in residence at the house, ages between a year old and ten years old. There was a separate dormitory space built for those older children who needed housing during summer vacation from magic school. Tuition fees for their schooling were also paid out of the Emrys vault.

"And here is the main playroom," Mrs. Smythe told them as they came to a large, open room filled with children and a small playground. "Would you like to play with the others?"

Both boys looked around at the children on the swings and slides, nodding their heads.

"Wait!" Tony knelt down and turned Harry toward him. "Let's get this off so you can play properly, bambino."

He quickly took off Harry's tie and opened the first button on his shirt, before lifting the jacket off him. Beside him, Bucky did the same for Sebastian and with a murmured word to his son, he sent them both off. Tony stood, taking both jackets to hang them over his arm, Harry's tie stuffed in the pocket.

"Mr. Stark, it is a pleasure to meet you," Mrs. Smythe said giving him a nod, turning toward Bucky. "And Mr.—"

"Barnes, ma'am."

She smiled. "Thank you both for coming. The children have been looking forward to meeting Lord Peverell—"

"He would prefer to be just Harry, please, Mrs. Smythe, especially when he's out there, just being a kid," Tony answered.

Harry was sliding down the slide with Seb, who was sitting in front of him, and Harry had an arm around Seb. Several other children were watching the two curiously, making their way toward the slide. Sebastian whooped as they reached the bottom and sprang up, no doubt ready to go again. Harry stood up slower, and Tony could tell he was watching the other children approach. One little girl stepped forward and gave him a small smile, just a Seb came racing down the slide again, yelling Harry's name.

Turning back, Harry tried to catch Seb. Tony seemed to watch in slow motion, only to sigh with relief when Bucky leapt forward and caught both boys before they could be hurt. Tony tossed the boys jackets toward Mrs. Smythe and hurried over to take Harry from Bucky and give him a reassuring hug. Bucky moved away with Sebastian, no doubt to check him and explain why going that fast on a slide wasn't good. Setting him down on his feet, Tony could see Harry's eyes were wide.

"Papa! Seb was going really fast!"

"I saw," Tony replied in a light tone. "Are you all right?"

Harry nodded, a bit perplexed as he looked over to Bucky and Seb. "Did Sebby get hurt?"

Tony shook his head. "No, but he could of as he was going really fast."

Before Harry could answer, the little girl who had approached Harry was standing beside them.

"Hullo," she said, beaming at him. "I'm Beth, do you want to play with me?"

"You want to play with me?" Harry sounded so doubtful, it broke Tony's heart.

Beth nodded, bouncing on her toes. "Yeah! You helped your little brother on the slide, so I figured you were nice!"

"He is exceptionally nice," Tony interjected, giving Harry a little nudge. "Go on, munchkin, go play!"

Harry smiled shyly, but apparently Beth wasn't satisfied, as she grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the swings. Sebastian ran to join them and Bucky moved back to where Mrs. Smythe stood, Tony retrieving the suit jackets with thanks. She had a large smile as Tony walked up.

"My apologies, Mrs. Smythe, neither of the boys have really had the opportunity to played with other children like this before," he explained as they all watched the boys interact with the others.

She smiled at him and gestured toward a small table set next to the play area. "Why don't we sit here, then. That way the boys can see you whenever they need to be reassured."

Tony allowed Bucky to choose his seat first, having learned he needed to see all the areas where danger could come from in order to feel comfortable. Once he and Mrs. Smythe were seated, Tony angled his chair so he could see the play area, before sitting himself.

"I am pleased you decided to visit, Mr. Stark," Mrs. Smythe began, consulting a piece of paper she'd taken from her pocket. "We are currently housing forty-three children from all over America: thirty fulltime residents and thirteen who will be going back to their respective magical schools come September."

A quick calculation in his head confirmed that the facility would be at capacity with thirteen more children. The little ones being housed in a nursery, and the four- to seven-year-olds in dormitories by age. The older children had their own rooms, which they were allowed to decorate as their own. The last thing Harry had wanted was for the house to feel like an orphanage. Tony made a mental note to see which of the nearby buildings could be bought to start an expansion. Mrs. Smythe was still going through her list of facts, but seemed to be winding down and Bucky was nodding when appropriate, his eyes on the boys.

"Is there anything you need, Mrs. Smythe?" Tony asked, turning to face her. "Would additional funding help?"

She gave him a crooked smile. "I would never say no to more money to spend on the children, but the budget we were given is generous, Mr. Stark. My only concern is the prospect of having to turn children away when we run out of room."

Tony nodded in agreement. "We have broken ground on a new facility in the Los Angeles area, but it's going to be about eight months before it is ready for occupancy. Are you able to house anyone who needs it until then?"

"Barring any unforeseen emergency, I'm confident we can. The older kids will be going back to school the 5th of September, so I'm sure we can manage."

They chatted until they saw Harry grab Seb's hand and head back their way, as Sebastian was rubbing his eyes. Tony knew the little guy still got tired fairly easily. Mrs. Smythe gave them a tour of the house, which Harry followed attentively, he was especially curious about where the kids slept. That, in its self, broke Tony's heart. Bucky had slipped Sebastian's suit jacket back on him, before picking him up. Tony could see the little boy had worn himself out and wasn't surprised when he went right to sleep in his father's arms. Tony picked Harry up when he stumbled as they said goodbye and his son was asleep before Happy helped both men into the car.

August had come in hot and humid, the typical dog days of summer, Tony thought as he stepped out of SI's main manufacturing plant into the sweltering heat. The non-magical side was humming along, with improvements in body armor and goggles for the military and law enforcement. Tony had upgraded the basic Starkphones and R&D was working on laptops and handheld tablets. The tablets were a challenge, as they would be more compact than a laptop, but with the versatility of a cellphone. The magical division was hard at work manufacturing the communication mirror for the public and the advanced model available to the military and law enforcement.

Walking toward his car, Bucky at his shoulder, Tony was glad Grant's teeth had come in and the baby was back to his happy little self. They had discovered both the baby and Sebastian had enhanced hearing when they had a thunderstorm two nights ago, terrifying both the boys. Tony grinned, thinking back on the cuddle pile their bed had become when Harry and a crying Seb had appeared in the middle of the night. Bucky had soon joined them with a sobbing Grant. Sirius had taken it all in stride, wrapping an arm around Harry, while Tony had cuddled Seb to his chest. They had managed to go back to sleep, only to wake up with the children gone and the three men cuddling each other.

Tony and Sirius had just grinned as Bucky had turned red with embarrassment. As he fled the room, Tony had watched thoughtfully, knowing how lonely Bucky had been since his brain had been healed. Sirius had given him a knowing look.

"I feel bad for the poor guy, love," he'd whispered to Tony. "This search for Rogers is weighing on him."

"The ship should be in place in the next few days, let's get ready make sure everything is ready for the ritual."

"I'll speak to Grandfather today," Sirius had promised.

"Tony, you want me to drive?"

Bucky's voice snapped Tony out of his thoughts and he grinned at Bucky. "I'll drive – you can ride shotgun, snowflake."

Tony slid into the driver's seat and waited until Bucky had put on his seatbelt, before taking off like a bullet. Bucky just groaned at his antics and used his metal hand to hold onto the door handle.

"Last time I let you drive," Bucky muttered, just loud enough for Tony to hear. "I'd like to get there in one piece."

"You just want to be home in time for the cookies Taffy is baking with the boys," Tony shot back with a smirk. "Besides, Sirius should be back from Gringotts with everything we need for the Kinship Tracking Ritual."

Bucky stiffened in his seat. "Is—is it time?"

Keeping his eyes on the road, Tony nodded. "The captain contacted me last night and they should be in the general vicinity by tonight or tomorrow."

Taking a deep breath, Bucky let it out slowly. "Then speed it up, punk! We need to get home!"

Sirius was indeed back and greeted them at the penthouse door. Bucky jumped him before Tony could even get a kiss, smacking kisses on each of Sirius' red cheeks, while Tony crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

"Papa?"

Bucky immediately disappeared into the apartment when he heard Sebastian call out. Tony and Sirius looked at each other and laughed. Who knew the big bad assassin was such a softie inside. Stepping forward Tony greeted Sirius properly, before they walked in, arms around each other’s waists.

The boys were seated at the kitchen island with Remus, looking at a workbook spread out in front of them. Grant was in Bucky’s arms, babbling nonsense as he tried to grab his father's goatee. Tony snuck up on the other side and swooped in to grab the baby, pressing kisses all over his face, before dropping a kiss on the top of both Harry and Seb's heads. Remus gave them all a flat look as he continued to give them a geography lesson on the Artic region.

"Is this where Uncle Steve is, Papa?"

Harry looked up at Tony, his finger pointing at a spot which was almost right. Moving his little finger just slightly south and east to where they were going to look, Tony tapped the map twice with his own finger, pushing a tiny bit of magic into the paper. Harry watched in delight as the map zoomed in closer to Baffin Bay.

"That's where Grandpa Howard found the Tess'act, right?" Harry asked, pointing at another point on the map.

Narrowing his eyes, Tony refused to look at Bucky, knowing he'd laugh. "Have you been helping Uncle Bucky with his research, bambino?"

"Yes, Papa!" Harry chirped proudly. "But Uncle Bucky said the drift would be faster for the box, 'cause it was—" he broke off clearly trying to remember.

"The weight difference, kid," Bucky whispered out the side of his mouth, lifting Grant out of Tony's arms.

"—lighter than the plane!"

Ruffling his hair, Tony leaned down so that he could kiss Harry's cheek. "That's amazing, baby! An A+, right, wolfman?"

Remus rolled his eyes at Tony, while agreeing with him verbally that Harry had done an exceptional job. The other man had already discussed moving Harry up to the next level in mathematics, but keeping him at the same level in English and History as his classmates. Sebastian would be joining the class in September, as Helena's little brother and Malcom's little sister, both four-years-old, would join as well. Another two children, twin girls Harry's age, and related to Graves, were also starting. Tony smothered a grin – Remus was going to have his hands full with eight kids, especially little Seb, who had certainly started to come out of his shell.

"Sir? Captain Vargas is advising they are an hour out." JARVIS announced.

"Thanks, J." Tony untangled Grant's fingers from his hair and handed him back to Bucky. "Where's Rhodey?"

"Major Rhodes is currently at an undisclosed location, and, I quote, 'a fair bit closer than your ass, Tony'."

It was Tony's turn to roll his eyes. "Have the upgrades to the heater code been tested, J?"

He leaned over and kissed Harry, then Seb on the head, before walking toward the stairs. JARVIS sounded vaguely offended by the question as he answered in the affirmative. Harry and Seb were giggling as he headed downstairs. The house-elves had already moved a hospital bed into Bucky's room and Healer Peck would be summoned as soon as they got Steve back from the Artic. Healer Addison was on standby, either for Steve if the outcome was favorable and for Bucky if not.

As he walked into his workshop, Tony could hear Bucky coming down the steps behind him, his arms full of gear. Stripping out of the rest of his business suit, Tony pulled on the thermal undersuit which worked with the heater built into the suit to keep him warm. Bucky was suiting up as well. Tony knew it would take an extra moment for him to get into the thicker, insulated Kevlar material, specially designed with heating elements activated by a rune array Sirius had etched onto the material. His boots, gloves, and the head covering he'd designed were also heated with the same technology Tony had used on the metal arm.

"We're sure the Aurors have all been vetted?" Bucky asked, even though he knew the answer.

"They have, Buckaroo," Tony answered easily. "And every single one of the ship's crew, any of the Air Force or SHIELD personnel have been signed a magical NDA, which prevents them from ever talking about the mission."

"I'm not sure I like the idea of SHIELD getting the bombs, either."

"They won't," Tony reassured him, knowing how anxious his friend was. "The ICW Aurors will be taking those to a safe, secret location and they have a mixed team of scientists and magicals looking to dismantle them. Their goal is to render the explosive portion inert, which would give us the knowledge to disarm anyone else trying to use the same energy as a destructive force."

"It won't impact your reactor, will it?" Bucky looked concerned.

Tony shook his head. "I won't be anywhere near them and the benefit is the scientists might be able to figure out how to shield it better." He stepped onto the platform. "I'd like to start manufacturing larger reactors to supply power to buildings, but have to know they wouldn't explode someday."

The rings worked quickly and Tony stepped down several minutes later, leaving his faceplate up. Bucky turned toward him, balaclava leaving only his eyes uncovered and his metal hand held thick gloves, reinforced goggles dangling from his other hand. There was a little nugget of unease in Tony's stomach, wondering if the harsh comparison his father had always made between Tony's worthiness and Captain America's would prove correct. He swallowed hard; Bucky deserved this, deserved a second chance with Steve and their boys, for the life he was forced to live by HYDRA.

"Come on, Winter Wonder, let's go get your Capsicle." Tony held out his gauntlet, which Sirius had charmed into a Portkey.

They were deposited onto the rolling deck of a large vessel, on the bow, just in front of the superstructure, heavy gray clouds shrouding the area. They had anchored the Portkey to the 360-foot icebreaker itself instead of a geographic position. The deck in this area had been spelled as the Apparation and Portkey platform; the Aurors had put up wards to protect the rest of the vessel. The back of the ship held a helipad and a large crane, strong enough to lift the bombs out of the Valkyrie, if necessary. They suspected the entire plane would be under water, making the process of carefully removing ice-encased missiles harder.

"Tony!"

Turning, Tony could see Robert Graves beckoning them toward a door in the hull. He retraced his face plate to a blast of Artic cold and headed that way. Bucky followed him into a narrow hallway, which led to a large open area that was being used as an operations base. There were several radios along one wall, a map of the area hanging on the wall. A large computer tower sat next to the table, a desktop keyboard and large monitor at one end. He wasn't able to suppress a smirk when he found several of the larger, Auror-grade StarkMag communications mirrors on the table as well.

Tony nodded at Jodi Proudfoot and Kingsley Shacklebolt, and was surprised to recognize the man sitting at a second computer at the far end of the table.

"Dr. Weller!"

The older man looked up from the screen and frowned at him for an instant, before recognition dawned. "Dr. Stark, it's nice to see you again."

"Thank you for lending your expertise in gamma radiation for this project, Professor." Tony had to wonder what Weller's connection was to magic.

"Thank you and Director Carter for asking me along on this historic search. It's refreshing to see you haven't continued Howard's blind searches."

Something about the man's tone, both superior and haughty, grated on Tony and he shot Graves a look. Bucky stepped up beside him, looking utterly terrifying in his black Kevlar and armed to the teeth. Tony grit his teeth and gave Weller one of his media smiles.

"Well, despite Howard's seemingly blind searches, he was able to retrieve the Tesseract, which was the original source of the gamma radiation you're helping to track now."

Dismissing the man, he moved toward the smaller table set up at the other end of the room, with Bucky following him. The table was ready for the ritual, Rockjaw having checked the runes himself. There was an enchanted parchment laid out for them and a crystal vial containing the Kinship potion. Graves drifted over and stood on Bucky's other side, their backs to the room in general. Tony felt, more than heard, Rhodey touch down on the deck and put a hand on Bucky's wrist to anchor him. As Tony watched, Bucky's fingers practiced drawing the runes that he'd have to mark on the parchment in blood.

"Tones!"

Rhodey just fit through the door in his armor and Tony smirked when he saw Weller's eyes widen at the armament on War Machine. The asshole might be one of the foremost experts on gamma radiation in the US, but if Tony had any say, he would not be working on the bomb project. There was just a bit too much gleam in the man's eyes for Tony to trust him.

"Honey Bear," Tony greeted his best friend as Rhodey moved to stand behind he and Bucky. "How's the upgrade to the environmental system?"

Rhodey gave him a flat look. "The heater is working fine, Tony."

Bucky snickered at his delivery and Tony was just glad to see the man relax for a minute. The ship hit a particularly high swell and Tony remembered why he like sea travel less than any other methods, except maybe Flooing.

"Sir, I believe the vessel is within acceptable range now." JARVIS' voice sounded in his earpiece. "Also, according to Dr. Weller's equipment, it is picking up some very low-level gamma radiation due west of your present position."

"Thanks, J. Can you please ask Sirius to Apparate now?"

"Of course, Sir."

He pivoted slightly and met Bucky's eyes, his hand gently squeezing Bucky's wrist before letting go. "Sirius will be here in a second and you heard JARVIS."

Bucky gave a single, sharp nod, but otherwise seemed to have conquered the nerves he'd been dealing with, as the time grew nearer to do the ritual. Sirius was going to anchor a compass point, as he was distantly related to Bucky. Tony was going to anchor another as godfather to Bucky and Steve's children, along with the bond between Bucky and Harry. Graves had agreed to be a representative of Steve's Irish-American heritage on the East compass point. Sirius stepped into the room, dressed similarly to Bucky, and met Tony's eyes, before gripping Bucky's shoulder.

The men moved into position around the small table, Jodi appearing with one of the communications mirrors, to be able to instantly get the target point to the captain. Sirius went first, pricking his finger and using his blood to sketch out the Ogham rune for family at the East point of the compass. Graves etched the rune for heritage at the North and Tony, the rune for children at the West. Taking a deep breath, Bucky sketched the runes for love, family, and brotherhood at the South. He then opened the vial of potion, adding the required drops of blood into the vial, and swirling the potion gently. Circling the table anticlockwise once, Bucky then poured the potion onto the Southern compass point.

They all waited as, much like what happened when they'd found the boys, a map began to form in lines of blue and white. As they watched, a red dot formed just north of their current position, and pulsed once. Holding his breath, Tony stared at the dot, waiting forever until it pulsed once again. Tony wrapped his arms around Bucky, glad he was in his armor, as the man slumped against him. Sirius and Rhodey circled them, just lending their support.

"Tony! The captain says he can have the ship on scene is about half an hour, but we are going to have to be quick as that approaching storm has strengthened. It'll only allow him to remain on scene for an hour or so." Jodi relayed.

"All right, let him know that we'll go ahead and see what we can do to hurry things along."

Bucky pulled himself off of Tony and swiped his face with his hand. "I'm going with you."

Tony patted his back. "I was counting on it, snowflake."

"Let me put a tracking charm on you, Tony, and then we can Apparate directly to your location and help." Sirius had his wand in hand.

"Go ahead," Tony told him as Bucky pulled his gloves on. "Goggles, Frosty."

Sirius flicked his wand at Tony and they were out the door. His faceplate came down, the map already displayed on his HUD. Rhodey was right behind him and they moved toward the Apparation point.

"Handholds behind the shoulders, Buck." Tony instructed him. "Wrap your legs around my waist as much as you can, keeps them out of repulsor heat range."

Tony launched into the air, making sure Bucky was holding on firmly before upping his speed. They were over the sight in less than five minutes and Tony slowly descended, circling around the site were the red dot pulsed roughly every fifteen seconds. There were several large mounds of snow on the relatively flat portion of ice beneath him. Looking to the right, Tony gasped – what looked like a wingtip stuck out of the vast whiteness.

Bucky had been right – the plane had landed on an ice shelf, not in the open ocean. Somehow in the drift and undulation of the ice in the area, the plane had risen back up to almost the surface. Tony landed carefully, not wanting to fall through a thin portion of ice. Bucky stepped down as soon as it was safe and Tony could see his hands were trembling. Rhodey landed a short distance away, and trudged toward the largest mound of snow.

"If that is the Valkyrie's wing tip, then this should be the top of the plane, over the cockpit," Rhodey said over the comms, just as a gust of wind stirred up loose snow and ice, obscuring him.

"JARVIS?" Tony asked, trying to envision the huge flying wing Schmidt had built.

"I concur with Major Rhodes, and he needs to move four feet west from his present location. You should be able to cut down into the aircraft there, without setting off any of the explosives."

Rhodey paced off the distance, just as there were several cracks of Apparation. Sirius, now wearing head gear and gloves, joined them as they moved to the mound. Using the lasers in the armor, Tony and Rhodey were able to cut a circle, eight-foot in diameter, in the top of the mound. Sirius levitated the steel disc up and out of the hole.

"I would have thought the whole plane would be filled with ice," Rhodey commented as he shone a light down. "It looks like there's only a couple feet of ice."

"Apparently, the Tesseract fell out of hole in the underside," Tony answered. "If Steve actually landed on the ice shelf, like we think, that hole may have filled with water and froze before the plane was completely submerged."

Bucky stood at the edge, peering down, his posture stiff and Tony was afraid he'd just jump.

"Buck, grab on and I'll lower us down."

Bucky immediately grabbed on to the handholds and Tony lifted off, cleared the rim and maneuvered them down into the darkness. Rhodey followed, turning on the external lights on his armor. Tony landed gingerly and waited until Bucky let go, before he shuffled around, looking for landmarks to try to figure out what was where. Bucky didn't hesitate, turning toward what looked like a large window and it was only then Tony was able to identify a single pilot's seat. Moving forward, Tony made his way toward Bucky, just as the man fell to his knees and brushed snow off something just behind the seat.

Leaning closer, Tony recognized the iconic shield. He folded to his knees and got a hand under the edge of the disc, wiggling the metal until hs could pull one side up.

"He's here!" Bucky called out, using his metal hand to try to dig down underneath the shield.

"Sirius, Rhodey," Tony called. "Let's get him out of here first and we should have enough time to remove the weapons."

Steve must have fallen to the side when the plane had impacted the ice shelf in 1945, as he was wedged between the pilot's seat and the fuselage, Once Tony was able to free the shield, the lasers made quick work of cutting him out. He was just visible, inside the ice, lying on his side, his hands crossed over his chest. With Sirius and Rhodey helping, it took less than twenty minutes to cut Steve free. They shaved down the ice from around him, leaving only enough to act as a protective layer until they could get him back to the healers.

"Tony!" Graves called from further down the plane, assisting the Aurors removing the bombs, "The storm's really whipping up the water and the ship's going to have to pull out early. If you're going to Portkey him out, can we get you and Rhodes' to help with the last bomb?"

Tony turned around, exchanging a look with Sirius, who was levitating the ice block in which Steve Rogers was curled in a fetal position. He gave Tony a nod and said something in a low voice to Bucky, who started to shake his head, before Sirius cut him off. Max and Lenz appeared and whisked them away, Bucky grabbing the shield, too.

By the time Tony and Rhodey made it back to the penthouse, Tony was sure he was an interesting shade of green. The bombs had been retrieved and package for transport, then Portkeyed to an underground scientific facility in Greenland. Duplicates of them had been conjured and transported into the cargo hold of the icebreaker, making the scientist and crew aboard believe they were actually transporting the bombs to a secret base in Alaska. None of them was willing to leave anything to chance, not with the likelihood that either HYDRA or some other terrorist faction knew what they were doing in the Artic. The vessel had actually headed out in the opposite direction they should have, thanks to the storm bearing down on them. ICW Aurors had remained on board to make sure no one could attempt to board the ship.

Tony was impatient as the rings disassembled the armor and sighed with relief when he was able to step down, for Rhodey to take his place. Taking the stairs two at a time, the penthouse silent as it was the middle of the night and Tony knew it was the perfect timing. Harry and Seb were sure to be underfoot as soon as they were up and found out they'd brought Steve back. He felt chilled, even though the runes had worked perfectly on the suit. As his teeth started to chatter, he had to wonder how much was empathy from seeing Steve Rogers encased in ice.

Stepping through the door into Bucky's room, Tony stopped short. Healer Peck was standing by the hospital bed, where he could see a de-iced Steve, still laying in a fetal position, covered with a light blanket. He wasn't surprised to see Bucky, still wearing his gear, sitting next to the bed with his head in his hands. The presence of Dr. Stephen Strange standing next to Bucky was unexpected.

"Strange?" Tony questioned as he walked toward them. "I didn't expect to see you here."

The neurosurgeon glanced at him, before looking back to Steve. "Dr. Addison explained the circumstances and asked if I was interested in observing when Captain Rogers was found. I'm still under your NDA and the premise intrigued me, plus Sgt. Barnes knows me and I thought I could help."

Tony nodded and turned his attention to Peck as he laid his hand on Bucky's shoulder. Peck looked up from his clipboard and gave him a tired smile. The monitor attached to the bed showed a slow heartbeat and low blood pressure, but Tony could tell the heartbeat was faster than when they'd initially found Steve.

"Hello, Mr. Stark," Peck greeted him, before frowning and casting a diagnostic spell on him. "No frostbite, but your core temperature is a bit below normal. It needs to come up. Perhaps I can get your help in getting Sgt. Barnes into a hot shower, before I petrify him myself."

Bucky groaned and Tony patted his shoulder. "I'll take care of it, but can you give me an update on Steve?"

Peck gave him an expected look. "We were able to remove him from the rest of the ice, which improved his vital signs immediately. After your house-elves were removed Captain Rogers' uniform without moving his extremities, they also cleaned him up. I have cast a mild heating charm on the mattress and the blanket, to gently rewarm him."

Peck peered over his glasses at Tony and Bucky. "It will still be hours, if not days, before he has been warmed sufficiently to wake up. And otherwise, he is in exceptional physical shape, with only a few injures which were still healing. I will immediately call you if there is any change."

"Thank you, Healer Peck," Tony knew a dismissal when he heard one and tugged on Bucky's sleeve. "Come on, Buckaroo. The sooner we get you cleaned up, the sooner you can sit and stare at Captain Spangles."

Bucky followed him blindly to the master bedroom, where Sirius had just finished his shower. After threatening to strip Bucky himself, Tony grabbed a set of sweats and a towel and tip-toed into Harry's room. A peek at the bed showed him Seb had joined Harry and the two were sound asleep curled around each other. Tony slipped into the bathroom, taking a quick shower with the water as hot as he could stand it. As water cascaded over him, Tony thought of the ramifications around Steve being found would cause, and how it could impact Bucky and the boys.

Hopefully, Steve would want to keep his return quiet, so he and Bucky could adjust to parenthood and the 20th century. Healer Addison had already suggested a therapist who specialized in helping families, plus the healer who was already helping Bucky, could work with Steve and the PTSD he probably had over Bucky's fall from the train. Hell, Tony thought, they should all be seeing a therapist! So much had changed in his world in the last fourteen months, it was enough to keep his head spinning.

Sirius had hot chocolate waiting when Tony and Bucky emerged, showered and dressed comfortably. Bucky took his with a muttered thanks and turned to head back to his room, before Tony put a hand on his arm.

"Sebastian is in with Harry," Tony told him. "We'll take care of the boys, so you can sit with Steve. Just remember you aren't going to be able to help him if you are exhausted, so nap when you can."

"Thanks, Tony, for everything."

Tony sighed as he watched Bucky head for the stairs, knowing he would sit beside Steve's bed until the healer kicked him out.

Shifting around in the chair, Tony yawned widely as the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor made him want to close his eyes and nap. He shook his head and tried to concentrate on the screen in front of him. He and Healer Addison had jettisoned Bucky from his bedside vigil about an hour ago, sending him out with Sirius and the boys to have a picnic in the little park a block over. It had been three long days since they had found Steve and brought him to the penthouse. In that time, he'd thawed out enough to move around a bit, and now was laying on his back on the hospital bed.

Rubbing his eyes, Tony focused back on the diagram and decided to do what Bucky had been downing, talking to Steve.

"All right, if we etch the runes on the outer edge of the prosthetics, it should keep them from getting too cold in the winter time."

He used two fingers to enlarge the diagram and study the outer edge. "Theoretically, the same array should work on the comm mirrors, but Remus and Sirius will need to take a look and make sure these don't cancel out the existing runes."

Tony saved his work and pulled up the latest progress report from the Stark Tower. "Oh look! The Tower is ahead of schedule with the iron work! We'll have to go over and take a look. Which reminds me, I'll need to take a look at the penthouse layout – we might need to take the top three full floors for the family, leaving the half-floors for labs and the schoolroom, maybe even our offices."

"Howard?"

A raspy voice had Tony's head popping up and his eyes widening. Steve Rogers was awake and staring at him.

Tony stood up slowly, and set his laptop down on the chair. "I'm Tony, actually, Howard's son."

Straightening up, Tony stepped closer and grabbed a glass on the bedside table, pouring some water into it. Steve was slowly sitting up, his eyes taking in the room and the equipment, before they darted back to Tony. He slowly extended his hand with the glass toward Steve, allowing the man to decide whether he wanted to take it. When Steve didn't reach for it, Tony set it back on the table.

"Where am I?"

Steve's tone was a bit clipped, and Tony prayed he didn't fuck this up, because Bucky might kill him.

"New York City, Manhattan to be more precise. You're in my family's apartment, and these machines are monitoring your heartbeat and such."

His eyes never left Tony, but he reached for the IV needle in his hand.

"The IV just has saline solution in it, to keep you hydrated. You should leave it in—" He winched as Steve yanked it out. "—or not."

Tony held out a conciliating hand. "Steve – can I call you Steve?"

The man threw his legs over the side of the bed, his eyes on the partially open curtains and the skyline beyond, but he nodded.

"Steve, I'd like to tell you two things right up front, seeing how you have been, well, sleeping for a long time - like Rip VanWinkle long. One, is today is Wednesday, August 7th, 1996."

Steve's head snapped back to him, surprise warring with skepticism in his eyes. Tony picked up his laptop and JARVIS already had the front page of the New York Times displayed; the date prominent. Tony extended it toward Steve, who stared at it for several long minutes.

"That would explain the futuristic machines, but I’m not sure I believe fifty-one years' worth." The hard blue eyes met his. "What is the second thing?"

Tony swallowed hard. "Your—uh, Bucky is alive—"

Steve jumped to his feet, hands fisted in front of him, seemingly uncaring that he was only wearing boxers. "You bastard, that’s a lie! I saw him fall!" His voice broke, but his hands never wavered.

"I’m not!" Tony held his hands up in front of him. "I swear! Bucky’s—"

"—alive, ya punk!"

Tony almost fell over in relief when he heard the voice behind him. Bucky stepped around him, handing Grant off to him as Steve’s face lost all color and he staggered forward. Bucky grabbed him and enveloped him in a hug, burying his face in Steve's throat. Tony ignored the sob or four he might have heard as he rocked side to side with the baby, who was watching the scene with wide eyes. A pair of small hands grabbed each leg and Tony knew Harry and Sebastian were also watching.

Bucky eased himself back so he could see Steve's face without letting go of him. "You look pretty good for eighty, Stevie," he said with a grin, shooting a look over his shoulder at Tony. "But don't ever punch Tony, jerk, he's short and fragile!"

Tony sputtered, making Grant giggle at him, and the boys snickering behind his legs. Sebastian peered around his thigh and Tony saw Steve's eyes widened comically as he glanced in their direction. And Bucky was hoping to ease him in gradually, Tony thought with a shake of his head.

"Steven Grant Rogers! You will not be punching anyone, least of all my godson!"

Steve froze, his body snapping to attention, and Bucky's smirk matched Tony's own.

Peggy Carter, who JARVIS must have notified, brushed by Tony and paused to look Steve up and down, before Bucky dragged her into the hug. Sighing with relief, Tony herded the boys out and shut the door behind him. Now that Captain Icicles was awake, they had plenty of time to get him caught up on what had happened in the last fifty years.

"I think we are going to have a couple of exciting days, munchkins. Maybe we should go help Taffy bake a ton of cookies!"

The boys cheered as they followed him down to the kitchen.

Chapter Text

Tony tossed and turned for what seemed like an hour, before finally throwing the bedding off and climbing out of bed. Sirius had accompanied Arcturus back to London for the quarterly Wizengamot meeting, traditionally held in August before Hogwarts started. Sirius was voting his and Harry's seats for during the session, as the Carrow family was going to introduce another piece of hate legislation against werewolves. And Tony always slept for shit when Sirius was gone.

Taking a quick shower, Tony threw on gray trousers and dress shirt, grabbed the matching jacket, and stuffed a blue tie into a pocket. Tony had a Board meeting this morning and then he was taking the boys to do an inspection of Stark Tower. It was their reward for working so hard, Seb on his reading proficiency and Harry on his American history. Remus was overseeing the boys summer studies, while Tony put in time at SI, both as CEO and with the scientists in R&D, with Robert Graves accompanying him, freeing Bucky up to spend some time with Steve.

Tony grinned as he popped his head into Harry's room and then the boys, where only Grant's bed was empty for a change. It had been a long week for Steve Rogers and Tony didn't know how the man was managing to cope with everything they had dumped on him. Poor guy had to have felt like he was on the rollercoaster at Coney Island (Bucky delighting in telling them that story).

Peggy had been staying with them and helped Bucky explain what had happened after his fall, The horror on Steve's face when he learned what Bucky had gone through at the hands of HYDRA, despite Bucky trying to down play the torture and mind wipes. Then being told HYDRA had made the two children who were actually his and Bucky's sons. The horror warred with joy of when Steve was told, and Tony knew Bucky was anxious as Steve tried to assimilate all the information. Steve accepted the boys with open arms and Tony didn't know which of them was more relieved.

Initially, Steve had been scared he'd hurt Grant, and had kept his distance from the baby, but Harry and Sebastian had not allowed him to do that for long. Both boys had decided it was their job to introduce Steve to everything modern, and they couldn't do that without Grant, so Steve was elected to carry him. Bucky, following their example, had taken to plopping Grant into his lap with a bottle and letting Steve flail until he'd overcome his fear.

Walking down the stairs, Tony could see Steve silhouetted against the wall of windows in the living room, humming softly. He turned when Tony walked toward him, a soft look on his face.

"Morning, Capsicle, someone fussing already?" Tony peered around Steve to see Grant gnawing on his fist as he cuddled into his father's chest.

"Bucky said he might be teething again; he was up with him a couple times during the night," Steve said in a sing-song voice.

"Does look like he might be working on another tooth," Tony observed, reaching over slowly to tickle Grant's foot, who promptly gave him a grumpy look. "And there is the look Bucky said he got from you!"

Steve frowned. "Liar! That is pure Barnes!"

Tony laughed as he headed toward the kitchen, only to have Mazzy intercept him with a frozen teething chew.

"Thank you, Mazzy." He handed it to Grant, who grabbed onto it immediately and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Poor little guy," Steve murmured, resting his cheek on Grant's head. "He hurts and doesn't understand why."

They both turned back to the view out the window, the sky to the east just beginning to lighten. Tony hid a smile at the natural sway Steve had already developed, to soothe the cranky infant, noticing Grant was already halfway asleep against the man's broad shoulder.

"How are you coping, Steve?" Tony angled his head to look at Steve's face. "I can't imagine waking up like you did and trying to figure it all out."

"Actually, I feel like I've been incredibly lucky," Steve told him softly, "and I know I have you to thank for that. As overwhelmed as I have felt, Bucky and Peggy have been my anchors. I don't know what I would have done if I'd been found in any other circumstance." He turned to face Tony. "Thank you for everything you have done, for me, for Bucky, for our kids. I'm so grateful—"

His stomach squirming at the genuine emotion, Tony cut him off. "Steve, you don't have to thank me for anything. You were Howard's friend, are Peggy's friend, and Bucky's other half, which makes you family."

Steve sighed heavily, giving Tony a disapproving look. "Allow me to express my appreciation, Tony, or has the future done away with manners?"

Tony blinked his eyes before his face morphed into a shy grin. "Sorry, I'm just not that good with the whole, you know, gratitude thing." He rubbed the back of his neck, as he shrugged. "I like taking care of those I consider my family."

A hand lightly grabbed his upper arm and Tony was pulled into a light hug, Grant looking up sleepily, appearing as surprised as Tony felt. It was over as quickly as it had happened.

"While we are on the topic of families," Steve took a step back, patting Grant back gently. "Why won't either Bucky or Peggy give me an answer when I ask about Howard?"

Tony felt the impact of the question in his solar plexus and had to take a step back. His hand came up automatically to press against the reactor in his chest. Turning around, he headed to the couch facing the windows. "Sitting down would probably be a good idea for this conversation."

Taking a moment to organize the thoughts swirling through his mind, Tony was grateful for the cup of coffee that appeared on the table next to him. He wrapped his hands around the warm cup and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Blowing out a breath while he wrestled his brain into submission, choosing what he thought was the gentlest method of delivery. Steve had turned to face him.

"My parents were murdered by HYDRA, Steve."

Horror flashed across Steve's features and he went completely still, Grant, luckily, sound asleep. "But why?"

Tony unconsciously lifted his right hand, fingers tapping on his reactor. "I know Bucky has given you a brief outline of what happened to him and Peggy has told you about co-founding SHIELD with Howard and Phillips. One of the things they were holding off on telling you, in order to not overwhelm you completely, was that Armin Zola was given a pardon for his wartime crimes and brought into SHIELD, supposedly to help America further our scientific knowledge."

Steve sputtered, causing Grant to start, before settling back down.

"Howard worked with Zola to recreate Dr. Erskine's formula for years," Tony told him quietly. "And Howard continued it after Zola died in the 1970s." He shook his head, still unable to believe that Howard had actually done that. "He was ordered to deliver what he thought was a successful replication of the serum to the Pentagon in December of 1991, but they were intercepted by HYDRA, killed Howard and my mom, and stole the serum."

"And you remember what I said HYDRA did to me, Steve?"

Bucky's voice startled Tony and his head snapped to the left, to see Bucky standing next to the couch. He gave Tony a sharp look, which made him shrug his shoulders. He certainly hadn't brought the conversation up!

Nodding his head, Steve looked at Bucky with wide eyes.

"I was the weapon HYDRA used that night."

The remorse and sorrow in Bucky's voice was heartbreaking and Tony's heart twisted in his chest. He knew how hard the whole situation was for Bucky. Setting his coffee on the table, Tony stood and gave Bucky a one-armed hug, before reaching over to take Grant from Steve's arms. He stepped away from the two men, giving them a bit of alone time as he carried the baby to his room and laid him down. Seb was still sleeping soundly, but Harry was sitting up, rubbing his eyes as Tony stepped into his room.

"Good morning, bambino," Tony said softly, bending to kiss the tousled hair. "Are you ready to get up or do you want to sleep some more?"

Harry yawned and raised his arms; Tony lifted him up with a chuckle. "Well, you can come out and have some breakfast with me before I have to leave for my meetings."

Harry nodded and Tony cradled his sleep-warm body against his chest and carried him out to the kitchen. Steve and Bucky were standing in front of the windows, talking quietly, Bucky's arm around Steve's waist.

"I think Uncle Bucky could use a kiss, too," Tony mock-whispered as Harry's head swung toward the two men.

Harry had been cautious of Steve when he first woke up, and Tony wasn't sure if it was if it was due to his size, his blond hair, or the fact that he'd been harsh with Tony that first day. He was slowly getting to know Steve, especially as Seb was delighted that he now had a Daddy to go along with his Papa, just like Harry did. Tony knew Steve wouldn't ever hurt any of the children, he was too kindhearted and gently. Neither Tony, Sirius, or Bucky would ever force Harry to interact with the man, and everyone had given him a bit of space. It had been nice to watch Harry warm up to Steve, but Tony suspected Bucky would always be Harry's favorite.

Setting Harry on his feet, Tony stepped back as his son ran over to Bucky, who scooped him up and threw him in the air, before pulling him into a tight hug. As Tony watched, Steve, leaned into Bucky's side, spoke softly to Harry, who immediately leaned toward him. Steve carefully took the six-year-old and stepped back, tossing him into the air even higher than Bucky did. Harry laughed as Steve caught him, his green eyes sparkling, and Tony smiled as his son threw his arms around Steve's neck in a hug.

It was an image that got him through the morning of boring meetings and irritating Board members.

Tony trudged into the penthouse, Bucky at his side, and sighed. Perhaps it was time to give Pepper more responsibility for the management of SI, or at least the tedious things, like stockholders meeting, that he really hated. Or, as he had begun to seriously contemplate, he could just finish the buyback of all the outstanding SI shares and put their family in as Board of Directors. It would be so much easier – they already badgering him.

"I'm used to the boys running to greet us," Bucky complained as they walked toward the kitchen.

"They should be almost at lunch break," Tony answered, a quick look at his watch. "I just can't believe they're already back in classes!"

"I can't believe Moony is in there surrounded by sprogs!"

Sirius' voice was amused and Tony turned to see him coming down the stairs with Grant, who had a post-nap grumpy look on his face. Bucky moved to meet him; Grant's expression turned instantly to delight as his Papa lifted him out of Sirius' arms. Tony, in turn, was delighted by the over-the-top kiss he got from Sirius.

"Sir, Mr. Lupin has released the children for lunch." JARVIS advised. "The boys are coming up now."

Tony's thanks were drowned out by the pounding of little feet, and he braced as a tornado wrapped around his thighs. Sirius stifled a laugh as he steadied Tony, with Harry practically vibrated with excitement.

"Papa!"

Scooping him up, Tony gave him a smacking kiss of his cheek, Sirius leaned closer, and Tony not surprised when Harry wrapped one arm around his neck and the other around Sirius', like a double headlock. Both men loudly kissed the little boy's cheeks, making him squeal. A glance over at Seb showed him pinned between his fathers, suffering a similar fate.

"Alright, munchkins, we have just enough time to eat lunch before we all have to go to meetings and class."

Tony made a show of tugging Harry away from Sirius and flying him over to his seat. Taffy had already set the table with a platter of chicken salad sandwiches, raw vegetables, and a large bowl of cut fruit. Harry and Seb chattered on about their morning in class, where they were learning to write in cursive, while Steve attempted to feed Grant apple puree for the first time.

Everyone stopped to watch as Grant sucked the puree from the spoon, before scrounging his face up, smacking his lips a couple times, and then leaning eagerly forward, mouth open wide, for another bite. Bucky leaned over and kissed Grant's temple as Steve popped another spoonful into his mouth. Harry and Seb cheered between bites of fruit. Tony tried not to snicker as Seb tried to mimic Harry's cutlery skills by using a knife and fork to cut a carrot.

"Is your meeting an Auntie Pepper meeting, Papa, or a Gramma Peggy meeting?" Harry asked, a knowing gleam in his eye.

Sirius snorted and Bucky hid a grin as Tony sent them a glare.

"Is there a difference in my meetings, munchkin?" Tony questioned, taking a bite of his sandwich.

Harry nodded solemnly. "Yes, Papa! Auntie Pepper runs your meetings and you only have to talk when you want, but Gramma Peggy makes you pay attention, like Mr. Remus does in class."

"Out of the mouth of babes," Steve muttered, before stuffing a spoonful of fruit puree in his own mouth.

Tony winked at Harry, before scowling at Steve. "He's not kidding, Capsicle! Don't say I didn't warn you!"

It was probably why Steve had kept sending him glares as they sat in a conference room in the Woolworth Building later that afternoon. The oversight committee were all in attendance, including both presidents, Jodie and Shacklebolt as the Auror liaisons, along with the head of the ICW Aurors, Costello. Peggy Carter sat at the head of the table, and gestured for Tony to sit at the other end. Steve had chosen to attend the meeting, feeling it was the right time for him to announce his continued existence. He flanked Tony on the side closest to the door, with Bucky beside him and Sirus sat at Tony's right-hand side, Graves beside him.

"I think everyone is here," Peggy looked over the paper in front of her. "Before we get started, I would like to make you all aware of someone who seems to be a person of interest to this committee." She glanced up, making eye contact with the three Air Force officers at the table. "Wood of caution, an Army Major has expressed an interest in both Tony's armor as well as other enhanced individuals,” she grimaced. “My former assistant recommended him for this committee and I vehemently disagreed.”

“The assistant who turned out to be a HYDRA operative,” Tony deadpanned.

Everyone winced at that.

"Precisely why we should keep an eye on Major Ross." Peggy plowed on. “Speaking of HYDRA, we have managed to weed out several additional sympathizers in positions of power within Shield, as well as a Senior Auror for MCUSA.” She glanced at Shacklebolt. “Kingsley, how are things at the Ministry of Magic?”

Kingsley slid a piece of parchment towards Peggy. “Thanks to Maggie Garcia and the ICW Aurors, we were able identify ten Death Eaters in the Ministry employ and removed five members of the Wizengamot for the same reason." He looked up at Sirius. "We are executing search warrants at their homes as we speak, with the help of Costello's people."

Both presidents shook their heads and Clinton murmured, "That's an unfortunately high number."

"Quite, Mr. President," Peggy agreed without looking up. "General McCall, would you like to brief us on the progress made—"

"Director Carter," the MACUSA president interrupted. "The project you are about to discuss is highly classified. Before we speak about any of the finding, I'd like to know who this man is you've allowed to sit in on this session."

Tony bit his tongue as Aunt Peggy gave Seraphina Picquery an apologetic smile. "I apologize, Madam President, I assumed everyone already knew Steve." She gestured toward Tony, who immediately stood up, Steve beside him.

"President Picquery, President Clinton, it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to Captain Steven Rogers, Captain America. Steve, President Seraphina Picquery of the Magical Congress of the United States of America and President Bill Clinton."

Steve bowed to Picquery. "It's an honor, ma'am." He reached to shake Clinton's hand, as they had not formally met.

Picquery arched an eyebrow at him. "I understood you had been recovered, Captain Rogers, however, I had assumed the worst. While I am delighted you are alive, Captain, how is it possible?"

Steve glanced at Tony for help. Giving him a smirk, Tony waved him back into his seat.
"Our Cap is a bit shy, Madame President!" He sat down and leaned back in his seat. "How much do you or President Clinton know about Project Rebirth, which the SSR, the Strategic Scientific Reserve, began during the World War II?"

"The Super Soldier Serum?" Clinton questioned.

"Exactly!" Tony flashed him a thumbs-up. "Steve was the soldier chosen to receive the serum, which drastically changed his body, giving him super strength, endurance, and enhanced his healing. All of these changes or improvements, to his body, apparently, put him into a state of suspended animation or, really, cryostasis for the past fifty-one years, when the HYDRA bomber he was flying crashed into the Artic Ocean."

"It might also be due to his own latent magic," Bucky spoke up helpfully. "Sarah Rogers, Steve's mother was magical, and believed Steve didn't have any of his own, but if you've ever seen him throw that shield of his, you'd think differently."

That drew a number of chuckles and McCall took the opportunity to launch into his report on the HYDRA bombs they were trying to defuse. There was clear worry someone would attempt to reverse-engineer the devices, and the committee wanted to bring in an expert on gamma radiation. McCall voiced a request to have Tony take a look at the data they had gathered, which he readily agreed to.

"Just promise me you won't ask that ass—guy who was on the expedition," Tony warned them. "He had his own agenda and I don't think we'd approve of it."

"You might check with Culver University, General," Rhodey offered up. "They have a research lab dedicated to the study of gamma rays, so it makes sense that they would have the most up-to-date knowledge available."

"I agree," Tony told them. "I still have my father's notes, so I'll go through and see if there is anything helpful in them as well."

"You can make yourself available if they need further assistance, Tony?" President Clinton asked, giving Tony a pointed look.

Tony gave him a media smile. "Of course, and possibly, in turn, if you could green light the military to process his identity and back-pay to make Captain Rogers a person again."

Clinton glanced at the Air Force officers down the table. "I'll authorize General McCall to handle the paperwork and sanction adding Captain Rogers to your group."

"Excellent!" Tony's smile was more genuine this time.

"Thank you, sir," Steve spoke up. "If you'd give me just a bit of time to acclimate to the new century, I would be proud to join Tony, Bucky, and the others in fighting HYDRA and these Death Eaters."

There was a pleased rumble around the room as the discussion turned to intel on suspected Death Eater activities in Britain, and various HYDRA facilities, especially in Asia and Eastern Europe. The ICW Aurors were working with the military for updated satellite images of the areas of concern, and putting their heads together to prioritize those bases which seemed to have the most activity. The group was making a list for Tony and Rhodes to do flyovers of, in the hope they could get a read on the activities, based on heat signatures. There was debate on which bases might be training facilities, scientific or experimentation labs, or some type of headquarter offices, all factors which would help to prioritize their activities.

Listening with interest, Tony had already started to draw up a flight plan in his mind for he and Rhodey, which would take them over the majority of the targets in one twelve-hour flight. Mentally, he added the Siberian bunker to the list, even though they had a dedicated Stark satellite surveilling the facility at all times. If they were going to be in the area of Eastern Europe anyway, they might as well take the northern route back to New York.

Very few of the oversight committee were aware of the true nature of the Siberian base, and the core group had all agreed to keep it that way. Bucky was concerned that word of the other Winter Soldiers would get out before they could take action. Tony shuddered at the thought of how certain world leaders, ones who could wreak havoc if they acquired any or all of the remaining three. Without the necessity of code words, Tony wasn't sure how anyone would be able to control the remaining Winter Soldiers.

"Tony?"

Peggy's voice held a trace of humor and he looked up from his phone to see the meeting had ended and people were filing out. Rhodey was giving him the evil eye, but Sirius, Bucky, and Steve were having a quiet conversation as they stood beside the table waiting.

"Sorry, Aunt Peggy," Tony apologized with a smile. "I was mapping out Rhodey and my flight route over the HYDRA bases."

She gave him a nod and pulled him to his feet, before hugging him. "Tell the boys I'll see them this weekend."

"Yes, ma'am," Tony teased her as they moved to join the others.

Rhodey gave him a wave as he walked beside Jodi Proudfoot toward the Auror office. The rest of them were headed to the shopping district, as Steve had wanted to have a heritage test done at Gringotts. Tucking his phone into his pocket, Tony fell into step beside Sirius as they headed toward the bank's entrance. There were few people around and Tony was able to enjoy himself, slipping his hand into Sirius' as they walked.

Steeljaw was waiting in the lobby of Gringotts to greet them, escorting them back to his office, Concealing a smile at Steve's wide-eyed glances around the marble and gold surroundings. Tony sat down in one of the chairs in front of Steeljaw's large desk, not surprised when a parchment scroll floated over to him. Sirius sat beside him, leaning over to see the quarterly figures for their vaults and bank accounts, Gringotts and Tony's personal bankers now working together, streamlining their finances. The growth of the investments were steadily accumulating tidy sums in the accounts, and both SI as well as the MagTech were increasing faster, even with a quarter of the profits being funneled into various foundations and charities.

He heard Bucky introduce Steve to the goblin and tuned them out, being very familiar with the process involved with the heritage test by now. It was a formality, really, but one Steve had insisted on, more to determine his magical inheritance for his own peace of mind. Sirius' finger tapping on the heading of one of the columns distracted him.

"I'm absolutely amazed by the way witches and wizards have accepted technology!" Sirius told him quietly.

Tony nodded his agreement; even with minimal mark-up on the mirrors, they could barely keep them on the shelves. The goblins had already started construction on another factory, next to the original one outside the city. The ability to have machinery etched the runes arrays into the mirrors had been a huge breakthrough, allowing the purchaser of the mirror to activate the device with their own magic. Even Squibs had enough latent magic to power the mirrors.

A soft exclamation from Steve caught Tony's attention and he looked over to see the man tracing his finger down the family tree the Heritage Potion created. Bucky stood to get a better look, before laughing heartily and shaking his head. Steeljaw watching amused from behind the desk.

"Harry's going to be overjoyed!" Bucky smirked.

"What?" Tony tried to get a look at the parchment, practically laying across Sirius' lap.

Steve turned his head with a wide mile. "Apparently I share a common ancestor with you and Harry, clear back to when the Anglo-Saxons invaded the British Isles. And then another one, Celtic, with, uh, Lily."

Laughing, Bucky shook his head. "You're never getting rid of us now, Stark!"

Grinning himself, Tony tried to scowl. "Well, damn!"

A tap on the door quieted all of them and Tony sat up straight when he saw who was interrupting their meeting.

"Rockjaw!"

"Hello Tony," the goblin returned, giving Steeljaw a nod. "Greetings everyone, I have news and thought I would deliver it in person."

He had all of Tony's attention now and Sirius grabbed his hand as Tony sat, tense. "Something has happened?"

"A great many things, my friend," Rockjaw wore the goblin equivalent of a smirk. "We were searching the manor house of Lucius Malfoy, one of the arrested Wizengamot members, and discovered another Horcrux."

Tony and Sirius nodded grimly as Bucky mouthed 'later' at the look Steve gave him.

"And while we were at the estate, Severus Snape Floo'd in, apparently on an errand for Lord Malfoy."

"Snape!" Sirius spat the name and Tony squeezed his hand tightly, he remembered Lily's childhood friend.

Rockjaw nodded. "He is a professor at Hogwarts—"

Sirius choked and Tony thumped his back.

"—who is also a marked Death Eater," Rockjaw continued. "Dumbledore had vouched for him after Tom Riddle's defeat, said he was a spy for him. However, as Snape has been teaching for the past six years at Hogwarts, the ICW Aurors are at the Ministry right now obtaining a search warrant for the school."

Sirius stood up, giving Tony's hand a squeeze before letting go. "I'll go with them," he declared. "James, Remus, and I mapped out the school extensively when we were there. I know where all the secret passageways are."

Flying was one of Tony's most favorite things in the world. Soaring through the cloudless skies, his HUD telling him War Machine was mirroring his flight pattern ten feet to his left. Just like Harry loved to fly on his toy broom, Tony loved the sensation of freedom he had when he was able to just fly. It was something he could never get bored of, despite what his godmother and the rest of their group believed of his attention span. Sirius was the only one, with his love of Quidditch, who seemed to understand.

A glance at his HUD showed him it was close to 2 o'clock Sunday morning over the HYDRA bunker in Siberia, which would put it at 7 o'clock Saturday evening in New York City. He and Rhodey had left seven hours ago, leaving the boys with Aunt Peggy, Arcturus, and Remus, along with Taffy and the legion of house-elves. Bucky and Steve were assisting them from the lab, monitoring the data the suits were generating as well as their wellbeing along the way. Tony had been able to put together a protein drink in a camel-pack which would keep them hydrated and fed until they got back. They'd landed a couple time to relieve themselves and grab a protein bar.

Sirius and Jodi Proudfoot were still in Scotland, working with the ICW and Ministry Aurors to search Hogwarts. Tony knew the castle was huge, but he'd hadn't known the extend of the dungeons and other environs, including an underground chamber with a frigging sixty-foot snake in it! Aunt Peggy had primely informed him it was a basilisk when she'd called to give him an update. Sirius had gone into more detail when he'd called later that night.

"This place just goes on and on, Tones!" Sirius complained. "I thought we'd mapped all the areas when James, Remus, and I created the Marauder's Map, but we miss so much!"

"Where is that map?" Tony asked him, curious.

"I—" Sirius narrowed his eyes in thought before snapping his fingers. "Damn rat had his confiscated in our seventh year by the caretaker, I bet he still has it!"

Tony grinned as he remembered Sirius' hurried declaration of love before disconnecting and, no doubt, gone to track down the caretaker.

"You guys still awake?" Bucky's voice came across the comms and Tony snorted as he heard Rhodey's startled snort.

"Of course, Buckaroo," Tony assured him, checking his HUD to make sure Rhodey was still with him. "What's up?"

"Not sure, but the satellite monitoring the bunker just recorded a small thermo-heat event." Bucky's voice was serious but not overly concerned.

"As in an explosion?" Tony asked. "Does it indicate where in the facility it happened?"

Steve's voice came across. "Must have been deep, as it was just a flicker, but with no indication of an explosion, just a rapid rise in the heat signature."

"JARVIS? Anything else you can mine out of the data available?"

"Not so far, Sir."

"Set up another scan of the bunker, J and display for us the heat signatures present in the facility."

"Tony?" Rhodey asked. "Are the instruments sensitive enough to determine whether the heat Bucky mentioned might be one of the cryo-tubes thawing out?"

"I'm not sure—"

"Tony!" Bucky's voice cut him off. "How far out are you?"

Tony stared at his HUD. "JARVIS, give us a visual of the satellite feed and the lab."

Two feeds popped up on his HUD and Tony could see the two men's eyes glued to the satellite image, tension in every muscle. A glance at their current speed and a quick calculation had him answering.

"If we upped our speed to maximum output, we could probably be on scene in about thirty minutes. Platypus?"

"I agree, but max speed only, as emergency speed might compromise the suits if we utilized it for that amount of time."

People seemed to forget that James Rupert Rhodes was a genius himself, and an honest-to-God rocket scientist. Tony was always proud of his best friend.

"I would agree with Major Rhodes, Sir."

"Tony!" Bucky's tone was urgent but controlled. "We've had another heat burst from the bunker."

"Rhodey."

Tony knew they needed to notify the committee. They'd need back-up as soon as possible if something was going on.

"Already on it."

A glance at the satellite showed two blobs of redish-orange moving around the bunker in an unhurried fashion. Two other, fainter, yellow heat signatures were displayed in the area the blobs were leaving.

"Bucky, you know that bunker best – what do you think is going on?" Tony asked him, leaving it to JARVIS to up nudge up their speed and check that their trajectory was the fastest.

"I think at least one of the soldiers has been released from cryo, but I don't know who did it. The weekly maintenance staff was just there yesterday—"

"And this might have been someone who followed them." Steve's voice was grim.

"Sir, a wave of thermal heat has been detected building in the lower area of the bunker." JARVIS announced.

"Start making notifications—"

Tony watched as the two heat signatures they'd been monitoring left the bunker and entered some type of vehicle, taking off toward the south at a high rate of speed. They were only a mile away when the entire bunker shook with a white-hot explosion, overwhelming the satellite feed for a long moment, before coming back on line to show a blacked mass of concrete and steel.

"Where did the two that got out go?" Steve asked quietly, but on one answered as they seemed to have vanished.

Tony had a feeling they had their work cut out for them.