Summary: There's a rising star magician named Hartwell Evan and Pepper takes a 'slightly' reluctant Tony to his show.
Hello and welcome to Assemble. =) Assemble is a collection of one-shots. Every chapter is equivalent to one story only. I will not write a sequel (if I was ever asked, sorry) because when I promise a sequel and an update, it never happens. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!
Warning: Hints of malexmale, grammar errors, unbeta'd, and barfing.
Rated: T
Pairings: TonyxPepper TomxHarry
X
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the most awaited magician to perform for tonight's show ... Hartwell Evan!"
There was a big round of applause as the commentator shouted the name of tonight's show and Tony Stark couldn't help to groan at that. He could have finished updating JARVIS' program code this night but then Pepper dragged into a fancy magic show, telling him that they weren't spending time together as a couple. Tony disagreed against her but then JARVIS, being JARVIS, took Pepper's side and insisted –more like forced, in Tony's opinion, he swore that one day JARVIS will turn out to be an evil Artificial Intelligence and rule over the world- him to go out with Pepper for the night.
The most outer curtain of the stage began to rise and soon a handsome man wearing a bathroom robe –scratch that, a formal robe the type of robe that only judges wear- stood alone on the stage. The audience clapped politely, excluding Tony, as the man dipped into a big bow.
Tony slumped on his seat as he peered down at the stage. At least Pepper availed a box, he didn't want to seat at the front row of a magic show, he despised magic shows.
"Watch it, please?" Pepper asked as her eyes left the handsome magician on the stage, who was busy conjuring water from his magic wand. The magician flicked his wrist as if he was a gymnastic who held a string of ribbon. The water twirled around him, making the audience applaud loudly. "You'll enjoy it."
Tony snorted. "Magic is just fancy illusions and trick. There nothing enjoyable about it, my tech is way more fascinating than that cheap trick. Magic isn't real."
"Of course magic isn't real," Pepper said as a pretty assistant appeared on stage. "This man, Hartwell Evan, is said to be the most amazing magician that ever lived. David Copperfield, Jeff McBride, and David Blaine acknowledge him."
"Oh please, please don't talk about them too. Especially Copperfield, I watched his 'I Will Make The Statue of Liberty Disappear' show. It was a complete bore. Magic is fake."
"You know a good boyfriend doesn't spoil his date with his girlfriend." Pepper said, clearly annoyed at Tony's lack of appreciation. "And of course it's fake." She said as the magician floated his pretty assistant five feet above the floor. "But it's fascinating to watch. How did you get to watch Copperfield's performance, anyway? You were only three when that trick was demonstrated."
"My parents took me to watch the show." Tony scoffed as the magician, Hartwell Evan, produced red and blue sparks from his wand. Pepper looked at the display of 'magic', obliviously fascinated by the pretty colours. "Magic is just a fancy illusion, there's nothing amazing about it." Tony snorted. "My tech is way more fascinating than some fraudulent trick." He said as the magician laid down his assistant. "There are wires attached to that woman." Tony remarked as the assistant and Hartwell Evan bowed at their audience. The assistant left the stage, leaving Hartwell standing alone on the stage.
"Just shut it, will you?" Pepper said as she playfully slapped Tony's shoulder. "Of course I know that, everyone knows that too, but we don't say anything about it because we are not a killjoy." She said, hoping that Tony will shut up for once.
Tony opened his to say a snarky remark but then the deep voice of tonight's main attraction stopped him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you all for coming here tonight." Hartwell Evan said as smiled widely at his audience. Tony rolled his eyes and muttered, 'drama queen' only for Pepper to talk back to him and say, 'you are one, too.' "I can't say how happy I am for you to be here." There was another round of applause, Hartwell waited for his audience's enthusiasm to die down. Once it did, Hartwell spoke again, "since I can't tell you how grateful I am tonight, I think I'll just show it to you." He said as his smile widened, if that was even possible. "Tonight I will perform a rare form of magic, a type of magic that I learned when I was seventeen years old." Hartwell paused and Tony assumed it was for a dramatic effect. "I require a participant from the audience for this trick." The magician said as he descended from the stage via the stage's middle stairs. "Though this trick is only for those people who can get out of a roller coaster without extracting his lunch through his mouth." Even from a great distance, Tony could see Hartwell's smile twitched. "Any volunteers?" Hartwell said as he walked along the aisle, some of the audience volunteered themselves.
It was a well known fact that Hartwell Evan's big trick of the night always requires a participant from the audience. And obviously this was the trick. It was one way for Hartwell to show off his latest magic trick while igniting the enthusiasm of his audience via participation.
"I'm so going to bust that man's trick." Tony muttered as he stood up from his seat, Pepper looked at him strangely, not understanding what Tony meant. "You'll see," Tony said when he saw that Pepper was looking at him. "Hey! Hey! Sir Magician!" Tony shouted as he waved his arms as if he was stuck in a small tropical island and saw a ship passing by. Pepper's eyes widened for a moment, realizing what Tony meant. Tony wanted to catch Hartwell's red handed, he wanted to discover Hartwell's secret of his newest trick. Tony wanted to humiliate Hartwell Evan.
"Tony! Give the man some rest! Sit do-" Pepper hissed and tried to tug him back to his seat but Tony moved away from her reach and continued to call attention.
And attention, he got. Hartwell and most of the audience looked at him. Hartwell stopped walking at the aisle and looked at him in the eye. "I volunteer!" Tony shouted. Hartwell stared at him for a moment and then nodded his head.
"Very well," Hartwell said. "Please come down here, and identify who you are, and then we can start." The second request wasn't really necessary, even when the hall was dimly lit and only half of Tony's face can be seen, it was easy to identify who he was. His voice, face (even if only half of it can only be seen from the first floor), and attitude shouted Tony Stark.
"Sure! Hold on a sec," Tony shouted back, ignoring Pepper's glare. He got out of his booth and stepped inside the hallway. Immediately, the sight of three men wearing business suits greeted him. "Are you here for a business proposal? Because if you are then you are not in luck 'cause I'm taking a night off. How did you two get past the security, anyway?" Tony said and then spun his heel towards the stairs that will lead him to the first floor. He planned on taking an appearance from the front entrance; it would make his entrance dramatic.
"I regret to inform you that we do not want you to hear our business proposal." One of the three men answered, the man was tall handsome and his raven hair was neatly combed. "I'm Hartwell Evan's manager, Thomas Gaunt." The man said as he extended a hand. Ignoring Tony's question about the security.
Tony shrugged his shoulders and politely shook his hand. "So, are you going to tell me what his trick is? And then tell me to do this and that so that his trick will work? Wait, hold still." Tony suddenly said and then broke free from Thomas' grasp and then faced his wristwatch at them. The wristwatch blinked for a few moments and then blue light came out from the watch. The wrist watch beeped once and then twice and the blue light from the watch was gone. "Yep," Tony said once the watch stopped glowing, "you really are Thomas Gaunt, Evan's manager, and the two men behind you are his bodyguards."
Thomas gave him a curt nod. "Yes, Mr. Stark as much as I want you to show me your gadgets, I think we need to hurry up. The audience cannot wait for a long time. I'm here to tell you what his trick and what you are not supposed to do."
Tony nodded his head. "Alright, tell me what he what's his gig tonight and I'll try to follow what I'm not supposed to do." As if. No one can tell him what and what not to do. Of course, there was his nanny, Pepper, JARVIS, Rhode, and his father but they were an exemption.
"Hartwell will be performing teleportation, all you have to do is stand beside him, let him take your hand and then he will pop you two from the aisle to the stage." Thomas said, "Sounds simple?"
"Yes, but I don't like how you worded it." Tony remarked as he walked away from the three, knowing that the three of them would follow him. "You make it sound like I'm going to elope with him."
Thomas almost frowned. "The only act that you are not to do is let go of his hand while he teleports. It will cause you a limb if you do that." Thomas said and Tony laughed. "I'm not joking, Mr. Stark."
Tony said, jokingly. "Yes, well, I hope next time you will mention insurance when you do this again."
"I will take that into consideration." Thomas said as they arrived at the first floor, the hall was deserted, except for a janitor who was busy staring at them. Which wasn't uncommon to Tony, Tony always receives stares from the public.
"Is that all?" Tony said as he stopped himself in front of two golden doors.
"I believe so," Thomas said.
"Alright then, now will you three move aside? The theater should be dark when I enter, it is brighter here than inside the theater, I want a dramatic entrance so step aside." Tony said and immediately the trio moved away.
He pulled the doors, slowly, knowing that from the inside (with the light set at his back), only his silhouette can be seen. He walked along the aisle with his chin high up in the air, as if he owned the place. He ignored the stares that were coming from the curious audience. He walked up the stage and stood beside Hartwell, who was busy popping pink flowers from his magic wand.
"I'm glad you came, Mr. Stark." Hartwell smiled warmly as he finished turning the pink flowers into a dove. "I think a proper introduction would be in order?" He said as he extended a hand to Tony. Tony looked at for a moment and then shook it. "Hartwell Evan."
"Tony Stark."
Hartwell nodded at him and then turned to his face to the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Tony Stark!" Hartwell said in a booming voice as the stage lights grew dimmer and a spotlight was turned to the two of them. Tony blinked a few times, taken by surprise by the sudden presence of bright light. There was another big round of applause and Tony, after his eyes adjusted to the brightness, looked at the audience's face. Their face was filled in anticipation and excitement as they clapped their hands loudly. One of the audiences even whistled. "Tonight I'm am going to perform teleportation!" Hartwell announced as he threw his hands up in the air, making Tony think of a particular scene in Titanic.
Hartwell offered his hand to Tony and Tony, remembering Gaunt's instruction, took it without a second thought. There was the sound of drumsticks beating loudly against a hallow drum, the cheer of the audience grew louder. "Look closely as I, Hartwell Evan, defies the laws physics."
"I already did." Tony muttered but Hartwell ignored him.
Hartwell gripped his hand tighter and then Tony's vision started to swirl and morph as if he was in a bright green swirly tunnel. "Bear with it."Hartwell said as both of them was plunged faster into the tunnel. For Tony it felt like hours but in reality they were for only half a second. Tony blinked and then stumbled forward as his feet connected to solid wood, the burrito inside his stomach threatening to come out of his mouth. The grip on his hand was released and Tony heard the familiar sound of hundreds of people clapping their hands. "Thank you! Thank you! You are so kind." Hartwell said as he waved, smiled, and bowed at his audience.
"Are you alright, Tony?" A familiar feminine voice asked as familiar hands touched his back lightly.
"He'll be fine, his dizziness will be gone after a minute." Hartwell said as he waved at his for the last time and then left the two of them.
"What? Where?" Tony asked as he crouched down (hiding from the audience's view) and closed his eyes, fighting back the urge to throw up.
"You teleported with Hartwell," Pepper answered as she crouched beside Tony and drew circles on his back. "You two teleported from the stage to our box, Tony! I couldn't believe my eyes when the two of you disappeared and then appeared right beside me! That was an amazing magic trick."
"Don't fangirl, you're giving me a headache." Tony grumbled as he unsteadily stood up from his seat. "Oh god. Am I having a hangover?"
"No." Pepper said as she helped her boyfriend sit on the nearest chair. "I'm going to ask again, are you alright?" She asked as she offered him a bottle of cold water.
"Yes, just a bit disoriented and I think I'm about to th-" Tony wasn't able to finish his sentence, because the burrito inside of him rose and exited from his mouth. Tony gagged and heaved on the floor as he emptied his stomach. "What a waste of good burrito." Tony muttered as he wiped his mouth with a handkerchief (that was offered by Pepper). "But seriously? Teleportation? I cannot believe this." He said as he stood up from his seat with the help of Pepper. He took the bottled water from Pepper's hands and drank it in two big gulps.
Pepper stared at him for moment. "So, what's the trick? What's his secret?"
"Not sure." Tony answered as he swayed a little and peered down, the hall was almost empty, only he, Pepper, and the cleaning staff were left inside the hall. "How long was I disoriented?"
"About half an hour."
Tony scrunched his nose. "It felt like five minutes to me."
"You're still a bit disoriented." Pepper remarked as she gently led him out of their box and into the hallway. "Tell me about the teleportation experience. I'll drive us back home, dinner is waiting."
X
Two years had passed ever since Tony saw Hartwell Evan's magic show and Tony couldn't explain how Hartwell's magic trick worked. Nothing.
He couldn't think of how Hartwell's trick worked. For the first three months, after watching Hartwell's show, Tony devoted a big amount of his time in discovering Hartwell's secret. His curiosity and thirst for revealing Hartwell's secret never left him. He had thought of every possibility of how Hartwell did it but crossed it out of the list of possibilities as soon as he thought of it. And so when Tony ran out of ideas, which happened to be four months after he had watched Hartwell's magic show, he called Hartwell Evan.
Of course, every time he called and asked about Hartwell's magic trick. Hartwell turned him down with a polite 'I appreciate your curiosity Mr. Stark but a magician never reveals his secret.' For two weeks he pestered Hartwell, again and again, until another man's voice answered Hartwell's phone.
"May I ask who am I speaking to?" The answer was polite but the tone was harsh and annoyed.
"You're not Hartwell." Tony said, "Who are you anyway?"
"This is Thomas Gaunt, Hartwell Evan's manager."
Oh. "Well, this is Tony Stark –The Tony Stark and I would like to speak to Hartwell."
"I believe that the name 'The Pest' would suit you more." The man on the other end of line insulted. Tony glared. "I'm sosorry to say this but Hartwell isn't available at the moment nor will he ever be. Please stop pestering Hartwell we are very close in filling you a restraining order."
Tony's eyebrow twitched. "Look here I can destroy y-" "Tom? Who are talking to? Merlin! Is that my phone? You are so dead!"
"Excuse me." Thomas said and then quickly ended the call before Tony could hear the loud crash from the other end.
And so after that call and Pepper's insistence that he was having an unhealthy dose of obsession towards Hartwell's magic trick, Tony never bothered to call Hartwell. The next time he saw Thomas Gaunt and Hartwell Evan personally was when Nick Fury assembled The Avengers.
X
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Avengers. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling while Avengers belongs to Marvel.
Author's Note: So, what do you think? Good? Bad? I hope you liked it. It took six hours to write this. I was having difficulty writing Tony's character since I can't come up with good witty remarks. I swear, he is the hardest character to write. Well at least for me.
The ending might be a bit rushed but I tried my best. :D Endings are the hardest part to write.
Next chapter will be about Harry being a magician street performer! I don't know when will it, though. Heh.
P.S. The next chapter is not connected to this chapter. Next chapter is a different story with a perspective of a different character and a different plot.