Chapter 3:
"What the hell was that back there?"
Tony stood in front of me, his face cloudy. I swallowed, for I didn't know what to say. The elevator gave a ka-chunk sound as it began its smooth descent downward.
"I…" Tony waited, his stare pinning me to the spot and the box of the elevator leaving me with nowhere to run. "I just…"
Annoyance shifted to anger. "You just what? Please tell me Harry, because I don't know what the hell is going on anymore!"
I swallowed again, cowering in the face of Tony's ire. "What do you want me to say?" I asked, my voice low.
"The truth—the whole truth. And not these half truths you've been spoon feeding me since yesterday."
My eyes shifted away. I stared at the walls, at the floor, at Tony's shoes. Anywhere but into the eyes of the man before me. "I can't…" I sighed.
Tony made a sound of frustration and there was a waning sound as the elevator ground to a sudden halt. I looked up in confusion, for a moment panicking.
"Calm down. I hit the emergency brake button. We're not going anywhere until you tell me the truth."
Now I was getting angry. "I've already told you I can't! Why can't you just trust me and—"
"Trust you? How on earth do you expect me to trust you when you dodge every single question I ask you? How about instead you start trusting me."
I had no response for that. I merely shook my head, the frustration and helplessness making me want to scream. "I… I can't…" I said, clenching my fist to the point of pain. "You're asking me to put my life in your hands…"
"Harry. Harry, look at me." I did as instructed and looked up as Tony put his hands on both of my shoulders. His eyes stared into mine. "Harry, tell me: are you in danger?"
I bit my lip but didn't look away. "No… but I don't know what you'll do once I tell you the truth…"
"Would it put me in danger?"
"No," I said without hesitation.
"Then Harry, I promise that no matter what you tell me, I will not do anything to jeopardize your safety."
He seemed so earnest—so genuine and unlike his usual self that I wanted so badly to believe him. I didn't have anyone whom I could turn to in this world, so to be able to tell just one person…
"How can I know you won't go back on your promise?" I asked.
"I may be many things, unpredictable one of them, but if I promise something, you can bet your ass that I'll deliver."
I released a quiet breath and stepped away from Tony's hold. I pressed my back against the furthest elevator wall and closed my eyes. I needed a moment to collect myself. I was taking a huge risk, but… honestly, what did I have to lose?
I opened my eyes. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything."
I sighed. "Then take a seat. ...Or stand," I said with a wan smile as I remembered our setting. "This is going to take a while."
"Hold on," Tony said, turning to open a hidden panel beside the elevator door. He fiddled with a few wires before closing the hatch and turning back to me with a nod.
"What was that?" I asked.
"I disabled the security cameras so that this conversation stays between the two of us."
My eyebrows rose, as I hadn't even thought about that. A bit more assured that Tony could be trusted, I gathered my thoughts and began to speak.
I told him what he wanted to know. The truth. All of it. Starting from how both of my parents were killed, through my time at the Dursley's and subsequently Hogwarts, and the events that led up to the current point in time. The veil, Sirius' letter. I left nothing out. Tony listened without interruption, but his facial expressions as I talked were telling.
They flickered from doubt to surprise, with a few glances of pity thrown in as well. I didn't know if the pity was because of how I had lived my life, or because Tony thought that I was mental and needed help. Either way, I didn't let it deter me.
"And that's everything," I finished, leaning my head back against the iron elevator wall to stare at the florescent lights above us.
Tony didn't respond as he stared at nothing. I was curious yet wary of what his reaction would be.
After what felt like minutes, Tony said, "So let me get this straight. You and Sirius are from a world where magic and mythical beasts exist. What's more, the both of you could also use magic."
"…Yes," I said, trying to gauge how Tony was taking the whole thing.
"And in this world, in what you referred to as 'The Department of Mysteries', there is a veil which Sirius fell through, with you following shortly after." I nodded. "And this veil was a… a gateway to this world, only Sirius arrived here twenty years in the past, while you arrived just yesterday. Now, do I have all this right?"
"You don't believe me," I said, my voice empty. I had expected this much, but it still stung.
Tony shook his head. "I believe you've had a hard life—I can tell from the look in your eyes. I also believe that you knew Sirius—how, I don't know. I believe that you don't have anyone else to turn to. But magic…? Everything we've thought to be magic has been proven by science."
"Magic may not exist in this world; I don't know anything for certain," I conceded. "But I can prove it."
The man raised an eyebrow. "I'll take that wager. If you can show me proof—right here, right now, within the enclosed space of this elevator—of magic… then I'll believe you about everything."
I gave him a serious look, although there was a grin on my face. "No going back on your word."
"I never do."
With a nod, I pulled out my wand from the confines of my sock. Tony raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. I paused for a moment to think.
Tony was a man of science. I would have to do something not only impossible by science, but something that couldn't be explained by the person who had seen it. My eyes lit up as I thought of the perfect spell.
I pointed my wand at Tony and flicked my wrist. "Wingardium Leviosa."
The effect was immediate. Tony's feet lifted off the ground and the man's eyes widened in horror. "W-What the…? W-Woh… hey!"
I lifted my arm in a slow ascent and Tony bobbed along with it. "Do you believe me now?" I kept my voice low, focusing on channeling the spell so that I wouldn't drop him.
Tony gave a nervous laugh. "Ha…haha… Yeah! Holy crap, this is amazing!"
I grinned and had Tony do a front flip. The man gave a whoop of excitement and did a breast stroke as he pretended as if he were swimming through the air. I laughed, deciding that Tony had had his fun and slowly returned the man to the ground. His face was flushed and his eyes were alight with an almost childlike glee.
"That was… that was…"
"Wicked?" I supplied, unable to wipe the smile off my face.
"Yes! Oh my god… Why don't we have jetpacks yet? That's it. When I get home I'm drawing up the blue prints for a jetpack."
I stored my wand back into my sock and looked on in amusement as Tony continued to babble to himself. When it seemed as if he would not be stopping anytime soon, I interrupted, "So. I take it you believe me now?"
That seemed to sober the man up and his eyes widened. "…Magic is real…? You can use magic…" Tony began to pace. He stopped. "Sirius could use magic! …There's an entire world out there full of people who can use magic. This… this changes everything." Tony began pacing again before he stopped and turned to me. "We have to tell Obadiah."
"No!" I said immediately, frowning.
"Why not?" Tony asked with a frown. "I trust Obi with my life."
"But I don't," I said. I could tell that Tony was ready to argue with me, so I cut him off. "I already took a gamble on trusting you, Tony. One of the biggest reasons I was afraid was because I thought you might try to have me dissected in a lab somewhere."
Tony was horrified. "What? I wouldn't!"
I hesitated in responding. I didn't know Tony that well, as we had only known each other for a day, but I wanted to trust him and he had given me his word. He had no magic with which to make an unbreakable vow, so I couldn't take what he said at face value.
"…I don't know what anyone in this world is capable of," I said, choosing my words with care. "Least of all your friend. He already seems to have his suspicions on magic existing. I don't know what he would do once he found out. Do you?"
Tony didn't look pleased, but he didn't press the issue, for which I was grateful. "So what do we do now?"
I opened my mouth and then closed it, blinking. "We?"
"Of course," Tony said without hesitation, pressing the red button on the side of the elevator doors. The machine gave a mechanical thud before moving again. "You didn't think I'd just abandon you after all this, did you?"
"…I'm confused. What are you saying?"
Tony rolled his eyes. "Do I need to draw you a picture? I'm saying you're not alone in this. Until you can find your way back home, I have your back. You can come crash at my place and we—"
My eyes widened and I shook my head. "I couldn't, you've already helped me enough, I'd—"
"Shut it. I'm not backing down from this. Face it, kid; you're stuck with me for a little while longer at the very least."
Mouth open in silent wonder, I stared at Tony, who stared right back. As the elevator reached the base floor and the doors swung open, a smile found its way onto my face. A weight I hadn't even noticed disappearing from my shoulders. I had a momentous task ahead of me if I wanted to find Sirius and return the two of us home. Knowing that I wouldn't be alone during the ordeal was a huge relief.
"Thanks, Tony," I said, not even caring when my voice hitched.
He placed a hand on my head and ruffled my hair. "Don't worry about it, kid. Though I should mention that I'm only in New York on business. I planned on returning to my home in LA soon… but what the hell, let's make this a bit of a vacation."
Back at Tony's apartment, there was a mysterious red-headed woman waiting. Tony, however, seemed to know her for his face lit up at the sight of them.
"Pepper! Just the person I was looking for," Tony said.
Pepper did not look half as pleased to see him. "I've been trying to call you, but all of my messages have been going to voice mail."
"My phone is off," the man said simply.
She sighed. "I figured as much when you didn't show up for your eleven o'clock."
"Cancel it."
"…You've already missed it. I've rescheduled."
"Even better," Tony said, shrugging off his suit jacket and throwing it haphazardly over the couch. Pepper picked it up and placed it over the nearby coat rack.
"And your two o'clock?" she asked.
Tony thought for a moment. "What was that again?"
"Going over the patent proposal with the executive board."
"Cancel it."
Pepper gave a long suffering sigh. "I'll reschedule it for tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Tony said with a frown. "No, tomorrow won't do. In fact, clear my schedule for the entire week."
The woman just stared. "The entire week? Not that it will make anything better, but what do you have to do that's so important that you'll have me tick off the whole business district of New York by trying to reschedule everything?"
"Family."
"Family?" Pepper asked, blinking.
Tony turned and gestured to me with his arm, drawing her attention. "Family."
I was caught off guard, but at Tony's pointed look, I hid my surprise and rolled with his white lie. After a brief moment of hesitation, I stepped forward. "Hello. I'm Harry Potter. It's nice to meet you."
"…You as well," she said, for a moment appearing dazed. She turned to Tony. "…I didn't know you had family visiting. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know myself until he appeared on my doorstep late last night." Tony glanced at me with a quirked eyebrow and the corner of my lips turned upward. "He came all the way from the UK to visit a close friend he knew at boarding school who moved to the states. But, on his way to the airport to return home, he was mugged."
Pepper gasped and she turned to me. "Are you okay?"
It took a great deal of effort to turn my mouth into a frown. I wanted so badly to laugh, and the grin Tony was giving me over Pepper's shoulder was not helping. "I'm… I'm fine," I said, crossing my arms and digging in my nails in an effort to stem my amusement. "But the buggers stole all my things."
"Including his luggage and plane ticket home," Tony continued, nodding. "That was why I had you get something for him to wear earlier."
Pepper nodded and glanced at the clothes I was wearing. "I was curious about that. I'm glad to see they fit."
"Anyway," Tony said, "Harry will be staying with me for a while."
"What about his parents?" the woman asked.
"They're on holiday too," I said, thinking fast. I glanced at Tony and the man motioned for me to continue. "That… that was why they agreed to let me visit my mate in the first place—because they wouldn't be home." Pepper didn't seem convinced. "They worry about me," I added.
Tony picked up on my behalf. "So they were pleased to know that Harry would be staying with me. Until they return from their trip, of course."
Pepper hummed. "While I think it's sweet that you want to take care of your…"
"Cousin," we both said at the same time and then exchanged looks.
"Right. While I think it's sweet, you can't just shirk all of your duties while Harry is here." She frowned. "How long will that be, anyway?"
"…Good question," Tony said with a frown. "Harry?"
How was I supposed to know something like that? I suppressed a glare as I thought. It would seem suspicious if I gave an arbitrary amount of time, so it would be best to instead give a reasonable time frame. At least for now. "…Until the end of summer?" I said, though it sounded more like a question.
Tony nodded. "Until the end of summer."
Pepper opened a notebook I hadn't noticed her carrying and began to flip through it. For a moment, only the sound of her muttering and the sound of the pages turning filled then room. Then, with a snap, she closed the notebook and sighed. "Okay. If you can just manage these next few weeks, I'll have some leeway to give you time for the rest of the summer. Deal?"
Tony looked as if he were going to argue so I spoke up.
"I don't need anyone to look after me." Both pairs of eyes swiveled onto me and I tensed under the combined weight of their stares. "If you have other obligations to take care of, you shouldn't ignore them on my account…"
Tony searched my face. After a moment, the man gave a resigned sigh and turned to his secretary. "Fine. Reschedule everything so that I can be done with it all as soon as possible."
Pleased, Pepper nodded. "Oh, and what about Harry's belongings? Did you report the incident to the police?"
"Police…? Of course." Tony scoffed, as if it were obvious. "But it was dark and Harry didn't get a good look at them. His possessions are probably being sold off on the black market as we speak."
"What about replacements?" she asked. Tony just blinked at her and she rolled her eyes. "You got him one suit. He can't exactly wear that the entire time he's here, can he? Not to mention all the toiletries and sundries he'll need."
Tony frowned. "Right... So we'd need to go on a shopping trip."
"Hold on," I said, shaking my head. "You're already doing so much for me by letting me stay here… I couldn't possibly ask you to buy me things as well…"
"Don't be stupid. I'm rich," Tony said. "Besides." He walked over and slung his arm over my shoulder, his body weight making me slouch. "You're family. And you can't so no to a family member's generosity, can you?"
I held my tongue, knowing that Pepper was watching the exchange between us. "…Right," I said with more of a growl then I intended. "I can't…"
Smiling, Tony once more faced Pepper. "Then it's settled. We'll go shopping now so that—"
"Nice try, but you have an appointment," Pepper said, checking her watch. "If you don't leave soon, then you're going to be late."
"But Harry—"
"We have a deal, remember? Just a few weeks, Tony. I'll take him clothes shopping. You go. Happy should be waiting for you outside."
Seeing that he wouldn't be able to weasel his way past Pepper, Tony relented. He looked down at me and ruffled my hair. "Looks like you're gonna have to survive without me for a while. You up for it?"
I brushed the hair out of my eyes and glared without any heat. "I think I'll manage."
"So, what's your style?"
Pepper and I were in a clothing store located in the market district of the city. Racks and racks of clothes surrounded me from all directions, mannequins stood on pedestals to show off the latest designs and there were posters on the wall which proclaimed discounts on the latest fashions.
I turned to the woman who stood beside me, feeling entirely out of my element. "My… style?"
Pepper saw the look of discomfort on my face and gave me a small smile. "What sort of clothing do you like? Do you have a particular color you favor? A certain design of jeans you can't live without? Anything like that?"
A hum escaped me as I thought. At last, I shook my head, my eyes following a group of girls my age as they wandered past, smiling and talking as they passed by. Upon seeing me, one girl whispered something to her friends and they all giggled before disappearing to another part of the store.
I frowned, shrugging one shoulder. "No… Not really. I've been wearing jeans and a t-shirt for as long as I can remember."
"Let me guess," Pepper said. "You've never gone clothes shopping for yourself, have you?"
It was true. Ever since I was small, I had always received Dudley's too large hand me downs, continuing even into my time at Hogwarts. Not once had I been allowed to pick out my own clothing, and as such, I was not someone concerned with fashion.
"Is that weird?" I asked. It felt almost as if I didn't know how to be a normal teenager.
Still, Pepper shook her head. "Not at all. You're still young, after all. Follow me, we'll look through jeans and t-shirts, and I'll let you pick out the ones you like."
Shopping for myself was an unique experience. As we went from clothing rack to clothing rack, I would try my best to ignore the pricier clothing options and instead pick something on sale or of lower quality, uncaring of how it looked. While it was true that this was for me alone, it was still Tony's money, and I could not in good conscience take advantage of his kindness. However, I didn't give Pepper enough credit, and she saw through my ploy without delay.
"You don't have to hold back," she told me after I had found a shirt I liked. It was collared and emerald green with white stripes, and the material was soft under my fingers. However, one glance at the price tag and I had sighed and placed it back.
I blinked at her in confusion as she added the shirt to the growing pile of clothing I had already collected.
"No, that's okay," I said, picking up the shirt and staring down at it. "I… don't like this color anyway."
"It matches your eyes." Pepper smiled when I glanced up at her. "If you're worried about Tony, you do know that he's loaded, right?"
I nodded once, letting my shoulders slump. "I know, but it's just the principle of things. I hate feeling like I'm taking more than I deserve."
"You're his family, right?" My eyes widened and all I could do was give a jerky nod. "Tony never talks about his family, outside of his father, and that's only during business speeches. I didn't even know he had family in Europe until today."
I bit my lip, a sinking feeling in my chest. Pepper may have thought that she was cheering me up, but in fact she was doing the exact opposite.
"Hey, Harry… Tony doesn't give handouts—not even to charities." That caught my attention and I cocked my head in confusion. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Tony is some sort of miser, because that's as far from the truth as one could get. But what I mean is, if Tony doesn't think something is worth it in some way then he won't waste his time with it. That's just how he is." Pepper sighed and brushed a strand of hair from her face that had slipped from her bun. "What I'm trying to say is, if you feel like you're taking advantage of Tony, don't, because Tony only invests. Do you understand?"
"I… think I do," I said after a short moment of quiet contemplation.
"So you'll take the shirt?" she asked with an almost hopeful smile.
I chuckled. "I'll take the shirt."
After that, shopping continued, and it was a much brighter affair. I selected clothing I wanted, and while there was a bit of hesitation, I would look to Pepper and she would just smile, and that would be enough to convince me.
In the end, I bought quite a few pairs of trousers, shirts, undergarments, and two pairs of shoes. I didn't even want to stay in the store as the cashier rung up the prices on the items, for I was sure that guilt would once more rear its head, and I would suggest that we return some things. So instead, I had gone outside and waited for Pepper to finish up.
At last, the shopping came to an end and we loaded everything up into Pepper's car and we were on our way.
She suggested we stop for frozen yogurt, and since I had never tried it, I agreed. I ended up trying vanilla flavored topped with chocolate sprinkles. The yogurt melted over my tongue and I released a pleased hum at the taste. It was sweet with the sprinkles adding a bit of a crunch.
Even though the intent had been just a shopping trip, once Pepper had learned that this was my first time in Long Island, the woman had been insistent that she give me a tour. Unable to think of a reason not to, I had agreed, and again we had set off.
I had seen a small fraction of the city during the time I had wandered in a daze, and then, I hadn't been too impressed. But as Pepper explained each building and pointed me toward something of historical significance, I couldn't help but appreciate the city for what it was.
At last, when the sun was beginning its descent in the sky, painting the sky in hues of pink and orange, Pepper had at least realized the time. With a sheepish smile, she suggested we return home and I agreed with a chuckle.
By the time we finished putting away the clothing in my room, the sun had set, and Pepper had left. Tony still wasn't back, and I was exhausted, so I went to bed.
When next I woke, it was to sunlight ebbing into the room from the cracks of the curtained window. I sat up in bed and stretched before slipping on my glasses which rested on the bedside table. I jumped out of bed to prepare for the day.
When I was finished dressing, I headed into the kitchen and browsed around, unsurprised to find that Tony had already left—if he had ever even returned. Still, I wasn't worried. Pepper had told me yesterday that Tony would be busy since he had decided to handle his affairs in bulk instead of spread out over time.
I was hungry, and from the fact that Tony had his assistant cook for him, I knew that there wouldn't be much in the way of ingredients, but he did at least have cereal so I helped myself to a bowl.
It felt… odd being in Tony's home by myself. I hadn't noticed so much yesterday because I had been exhausted after spending the day with Pepper, but now that I was rested, the clinking of my spoon on the glass bowl I was using sounded awfully loud.
I finished eating and cleaned the few meager dishes that rested in the sink before glancing at the clock. It was still early, so I decided to check and see how programs on the telly had evolved over the course of ten years.
I plopped myself down onto the couch and grabbed the remote off of the coffee table. It took me a moment, but I figured out which button turned on the large screen in front of me. The image of men playing golf immediately appeared on the screen. A man had just hit the ball through the air, and there was polite applause as the ball landed in the green.
Sports—at least Muggle sports—were not something that I was fond of, so I changed the channel. This time it appeared to be a news channel, and I listened in as the woman on screen spoke.
"The situation on the war in Afghanistan intensifies as late last night, two U.S. soldiers were injured in a car bomb."
My face twisted as the camera feed shifted to the scene of the incident in Afghanistan. Men and women alike were being ushered away by camo-wearing men toting guns. They appeared to by trying to quarantine off an area where an obvious explosion had taken place, a blackened crater marring the ground.
A cold sensation spread through my gut and I quickly changed the channel. I had already had my fill of war, fighting and death in my world; I couldn't take any more of it here as well. My stomach tightened when I remembered that Tony was a weapon's manufacturer and possibly the U.S. Army's largest benefactor.
Tony was involved in this war, whether he realized it or not. And since I was involved with Tony…
I switched the TV off and stood to my feet, the cereal I had eaten earlier debating if it wanted to make a return trip from my stomach. Thankfully it was over as soon as it had begun, and I placed a hand on my stomach, willing it to relax.
Having nothing else to do, I began to pace. When I grew tired of that, I marched over to the bookshelf and began to read through the titles. The Analysis of Mechanics and You; Absolute Guide to Physics and Engineering; Rudimentary Study of Matter - For Dummies.
Not having a clue of what any of these books were about, I chose one at random and went into the kitchen to read it. I placed the book on the table and took a seat before opening to the front page. After nearly ten minutes, I closed the book in frustration, having not even made it past the first paragraph.
Tony must have been a genius to understand any of these books. My brain was pounding from even attempting to read it; I could not even begin to imagine trying to comprehend it. Science was always one subject that I had struggled with, and when I had learnt of magic and discovered the opportunities there, a normal Muggle education had seemed pointless. I could just get a job in the Wizarding World, after all.
Now that option wasn't even available to me. I was stuck in a world where magic didn't exist with only a primary school education. To add insult to injury, my new guardian was a genius who had become rich and famous through his knowledge.
Compared to Tony Stark, I was an amoeba.
I was broken from my depressed musings when there was a knock on the door. I again glanced at the clock before treading over to open it. It was a man I had never seen before.
"Hey there," the man on the other side of the door said, a smile on his face. "You must be Harry?"
I had the door open a small bit and peeked out at the man through the crack. "Um… Yes. Can I help you?"
"I'm Happy Hogan. I work for Tony…"
"Okay," I said, still not opening the door any further.
"He asked me to keep you company. Well, Pepper did, but Tony agreed that it wasn't a bad idea. I'm his chauffeur and bodyguard, by the way."
I frowned. "I see…"
The man on the other end of the door chuckled. "You don't believe me—that's good. Here, I'll call Tony and you can speak to him yourself."
Happy, as he had introduced himself, removed one of those small portable phones from his pocket and tapped a few keys on it before pressing it to his ear. There was a small quiet moment as we stared at each other, waiting for Tony to pick up on the other end. After a few more moments of waiting, Happy perked up.
"Hey, Tony—what? No. He's here now… Yeah, he's fine. We're just having a little stranger danger moment." Happy laughed but then abruptly stopped with a frown. "Eh? Yeah, I'm fine… Why wouldn't I be?" The man blinked as he listened and then gazed at me. I shifted, wondering what was being said on the other end.
After a moment of listening, the man offered the phone to me. "Here. It's Tony."
I glanced at the device being presented to me before snatching it from the man's large hands. He seemed amused by how quickly I had grasped it, but I was already pressing the phone to my ear and listening in for any sounds on the other end.
"Tony?"
"Yo, Harry," came the voice of Tony on the other end. "Sorry about Happy. It was Pepper's idea and I figured you could make do with the company."
I glanced at Happy out of the corner of my eye. "I suppose…" It was true that I was becoming bored being cooped up with nothing to do, but I didn't need a babysitter either.
"Happy's a pretty good guy once you get to know him. I think you'll like him," Tony said. My only reply was a hum. "Sorry, but I have to cut this call short. I'm starting to get death glares from the share holders… Oh, don't go trying to hide it now," Tony muttered to someone I couldn't see.
Tony and I said our goodbyes and I handed the phone back to Happy. The man smiled and flipped the device closed before placing it into his pocket. Reluctantly, I stepped away from the door and invited the man in.
Once inside, Happy walked over toward the sofa and plopped down. "So, what were you up to before I crashed the party?"
I remained standing and shrugged my shoulders.
"And you're Tony's cousin?" Happy asked.
I nodded.
The man shifted in his seat and glanced around the room. "What do you like to do for fun?" he asked.
I frowned and again shrugged my shoulders.
"You don't know? Really?" Happy sighed. "How about video games? Do you like those?"
I thought for a moment. Dudley had owned all of the latest gaming systems while growing up, but I had never had a chance to try any of them.
"I've never played any," I admitted.
The man's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Seriously? Wow, that's surprising." Happy stood to his feet and walked over to a small glass cabinet under the flat screen TV. He began rummaging through its contents before he released a sound of accomplishment and stood to his feet holding a plastic case.
"Trust me; you're going to love them."
I hadn't expected the man to be right.
It had taken a bit of trial and error, but after a few games, I managed to catch on. There was a wide variety of games, ranging from racing cars, solving puzzles, and games where the object was just to beat the other person to a bloody pulp.
We had just finished a game when Happy suggested we play something else. I agreed without hesitation. The name of the game appeared on screen: Camelot Wars. I tilted my head, intrigued, and then Happy navigated his way to the character select screen.
The game's roster consisted of all of the characters from the tales of King Arthur and his legendary reign, including Merlin, whom Happy was quick to select. I chose Arthur and the journey began.
The game was what Happy described as a "hack and slash" game where we fought our way through horde's of enemies on our quest for the Holy Grail. The story made no sense to me, but I supposed it didn't have to when the purpose of the game was just to have fun.
I was rubbish at it, and would die over and over again. I ended up going through every character on the list except for Merlin, as the great wizard was always chosen by Happy.
"Why do you always choose Merlin?" I asked, as the game loaded.
Happy thought for a moment and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know… I'm just really into wizards and stuff like that, you know?"
That surprised me. I looked over at the man and then back towards the screen. "You're interested in wizards?"
"…Well, that's not it either," he clarified as the music from the game started up. "I guess I'm more intrigued by what they can do."
"That's a little surprising considering you work for one of the leading developers of modern technology," I said, remembering the title of a magazine article I had read.
"Technology doesn't disprove fantasy… If anything, it's quite the opposite."
I was so surprised that I mistimed my jump and ending up falling into a pit full of spikes. I sat the controller down on the table and stared at Happy. The man was frowning at the game over screen, but he sat down his own controller and turned to me.
"What's up? We were pretty close to the end."
I wetted my dry lips and asked the question that had been hammering away at my mind since we began this conversation. "Happy… Do you… do you believe magic exists?"
The man stared at me, lifted a single eyebrow, and said without hesitation, "Yes." My eyes widened; there was a sudden rushing in my ears as if I had been pushed from a high distance and left to free fall. "Well," Happy continued with a frown on his face. "I guess it also depends on your definition of magic."
I blinked, cocking my head to the side as the falling sensation halted mere moments before I hit the ground. "What do you mean?"
Happy shrugged and leaned backward in his seat. "What something means to me could mean the exact opposite to someone else, such as the definition of a word. It's all objective. Take for instance the game we were just playing. In it, Merlin could control the elements to shoot fireballs from his staff and make lightning rain down from the skies. But would you call what he was doing was 'magic?'"
"…I don't get it," I admitted with a frown. "Are you asking me if my definition of magic is being able to shoot fire?"
Happy shook his head with a wry smile. "No… Not exactly, at least. Okay, think of it this way. I know it's not real, but bear with me. To the people of that world, what Merlin could do would without a doubt be magic. However, is it the method he used to achieve those results? Is that 'magic'? Or is it the results themselves that are magic?"
I thought for a moment, trying to wrap my mind around the proposal before me. "Well, it's the result themselves that are magic," I concluded. "Whether it's done by waving a wand or just speaking a magic word, if the result is something impossible by ordinary means, then I'd say that it was magic."
"So that is your definition of magic?" Happy asked. "When an impossible result is achieved through unorthodox means?"
Thinking on it a moment, I nodded.
"In that case, yes, I do believe in magic—but not in the same way you seem to." Happy gave a quiet sigh and ran a large hand along the back of his neck. "Ah, this is a kind of ridiculous discussion, isn't it…? Maybe we should take about something else?"
"No!" I said, perhaps with too much force. The man gave me an odd look and I took a quiet breath to calm myself. "Please. I would really like to hear your opinion."
In my world, there was no questioning whether magic existed or what form it took. Magic was, without a doubt, an intangible energy that resided in all wizards, witches, and even some creatures, which could be used with a focus to achieve incredible results. It was fact.
But here, in this world, Sirius had claimed that magic as I knew it did not exist. Which meant it was safe to say that no one in this world was born with magic inside of them. Yet, could another form of magic exist? Had the people of this world developed their own form of magic?
"What is magic?" I asked, looking at Happy with serious eyes.
"…This is a little embarrassing," Happy said, and I could see red creeping up from his neck to touch the bottom of his ears. "I've never talked about this with anyone… but, since you asked, I'll tell you my opinion." Taking a deep breath, Happy said, in the same matter-of-fact tone he had used earlier, "I believe that magic… is science."
I was caught off guard and could only shake my head. "Science?" I had been expecting something more… well, magical. "…Wait, you said earlier… that 'technology doesn't disprove fantasy.' What did you mean by that?"
Happy rubbed along his jaw and gazed at the ceiling. "Well… It all comes back to the question: what is magic? Like I said earlier, that's subjective, but even you agreed that magic is 'the achieving of the impossible.' Well, I believe that is true as well. However, who decides what is impossible? Unless you believe in a higher power—which is doubtful considering this talk of magic—then that leaves only one being, and that… is man. So, in that case, the 'impossible' is little more than what we as humans believe can be done. That does not, however, make it so. The impossible has always been possible, and I believe that those capable of bridging the two can do so using 'magic.'"
"And science?" I asked, trying my best to keep up with his leaps in logic.
"Science is…" The man hummed. "Science is like… the conductor… The—"
"Magic wand?"
"Yes!" Happy said with a snap of his fingers. "Science is the 'magic wand' that harnesses the energy of those willing to put forth the effort to make things thought impossible a reality. Am I making any sense here…?"
"A lot I don't quite understand," I admitted with a sheepish grin, "but what I did get was that science is the magic of this world."
After a few moments, Happy nodded. "Yeah… I like the sound of that. Simple, but gets the point across. However, I'd change one thing. Science is not the magic of this world; it is the magic of humans as a species."
For a moment, I was speechless, and then, a small smile broke across my face. "In that case, anyone is capable of this 'magic', huh?"
Happy nodded. "Now you're cooking with Crisco."
"So, do you think it would be possible to create a doorway to another world…? Through science," I added, when Happy raised an eyebrow.
"A doorway to another world?" he asked. "Like, to Mars…?"
"No… I mean like to another world. An entirely different universe, much like the one we're on now, but completely different."
Happy stared at me with a single narrowed eye. "That's a pretty… interesting question. New Trek or old Trek?"
I blinked. "…Excuse me?"
"Star Trek… You're a fan, right? Because in the episode where the Enterprise goes through the wormhole and they…" As I continued to stare in bland incomprehension, Happy trailed off with a cough. "So… not a fan?"
"Sorry," I said with a shrug of my shoulders. "I've never heard of it."
"I—you've never—" Happy looked as if he would fall into an epileptic fit. "You've never played video games, you've never heard of Star Trek… what type of childhood did you have?"
The question made me wince and my eyes drifted toward my lap, the small smile I had worn during Happy's antics falling away.
"…I'm sorry. That was insensitive of me," Happy said after a brief beat of silence.
"It's okay," I told him, pushing the sting of his remark away. "But back to my question…"
"Of course. You asked me if it was possible to go to other worlds?"
"Um… not quite. I asked if it was possible to build a doorway between them."
"And by doorway you mean like… a portal?"
I nodded.
The man seemed bemused but considered the question. "Well, anything's possible," he said with a shrug.
"You don't look very convinced of it," I said, unable to keep the disappointment from coloring my voice.
"Well, that type of thing is probably tens, if not hundreds of years away…" My shoulders slumped. "Then again, the reason is seems so unlikely is because such unusual forms of travel are still thought of as 'impossible.' For all I know, we could be using beam technology to travel to and from work as early as next year."
"So it's just a matter of finding out how?" I asked, to make sure I understood.
"Exactly that. As soon as you find the 'magic words,' as it were."
I tried to sort everything in my mind that Happy had just told me. My head pounded a bit from all of the new information that had been crammed into it, and I did not for a second think that I would be able to create a portal home, just because someone had told me it wasn't impossible.
Science was the magic of this world… Technology did seem more advanced, but I was also further in the future than where I came from. If I was in the same time period in my own world, would the technology be the same? There was no way for me to know for sure.
In the end, I came to the conclusion that it didn't matter. There was no magic to turn to, for magic didn't exist. From the very beginning, my only other alternative was science, and this conversation with Happy had only cemented that notion.
Turning to the man, I smiled. "Thank you."
"For what?" he asked.
"Just… for talking with me," I said.
Happy stood up and stretched, releasing a low groan. "I never get a chance to talk about this kind of stuff with Tony, so it was my pleasure as well. I'm a bit of a sci-fi buff, which is why I've given such things the amount of thought I have. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm starving." I watched as Happy disappeared into the kitchen and heard the sound of the fridge opening.
I rose to my feet as well, a determination welling up inside of me. I finally had a concrete plan of attack for returning home: learn science.
Tony was a genius, and his books had been targeted towards individuals who also had his level of knowledge. It was understandable that they would all be well above my head, so I couldn't let that discourage me. I would just have to start smaller and work my way up.
Thinking of the inventor, an idea implanted itself in my brain.
Tony came through the door of the apartment, his shoulders slumped and his suit jacket hanging over his shoulder in one hand. He caught sight of me on the couch and gave a small smile that soon disappeared as he headed past me and toward his own room.
I frowned as I watched, thinking that the man looked run down and exhausted. I wanted to speak to him, but if he disappeared into his room, I didn't know when next I would get the chance.
After only a few minutes, Tony returned, still wearing his black trousers but his old shirt replaced with a t-shirt. The man next disappeared into the kitchen and I could hear the beep of the microwave before Tony ambled out with a bowl of macaroni and plopped himself into the seat across from me with a low rush of air.
Instead of digging into his food, the man placed it on the coffee table and then rubbed between his eyes with thumb and forefinger.
"You okay?" I asked, adjusting myself in my seat.
Tony cracked open one eye to look at me before closing it. "Don't become an inventor. Dealing with assholes who think they know your blueprints better than you is a nightmare. And then I have to get ready to go to this stupid charity auction in a few hours."
I winced, but with Tony's eyes closed, he didn't notice. "…Sounds rough."
With a sigh, Tony sat up and then dug a spoonful of macaroni into his mouth. He paused in chewing to stare down at it.
"What's wrong?" I asked, noticing his expression. "You don't like it?"
He swallowed and shook his head. "Quite the opposite. It's great. Did Pepper make this?" Without even waiting for an answer, the man returned to his meal.
A smile curled across my face. "Nope. I did."
His eyes widened and he once more looked down at his bowl of macaroni, as if it were shape shifting before his very eyes. "What's your secret? Fairy dust?"
"Close," I said with a laugh.
Once Tony finished eating, he sat back with a sound of contentment and patted his stomach. His eyelids were half-lidded and I knew that if I ever were to ask a favor of the man, this would perhaps be the best moment.
"Hey, Tony…"
He made a sound of tired inquiry.
"Do you… do you think you could teach me science?"
Tony's eyes opened and he sat up in his chair, his mouth curling downward. "What brought this on?"
I felt a slight pang of guilt for springing this on the man after he had endured an entire day of business meetings and who knew what else, but it was something I had given great thought to and wanted to work on right away.
"…This world doesn't have magic—or at least, the type of magic I can perform, right?" The man nodded with a contemplative frown. I took in a quiet breath before continuing, "Well, I've been thinking about it, and what would be the closest thing in this world to magic?"
A light shone in Tony's eyes. "…I see."
"Right," I said, my fingers entangling across my lap. "So, since magic isn't as easily manipulated as you'd think, it won't help me as much in my quest to return home as I'd like. With that off of the table, the only thing I'm left with… is science."
"It's sound logic," Tony said, standing up and disappearing into the kitchen. When he returned, he had two small shot glasses in one hand and a bottle in the other. He poured clear liquid into both and then handed one to me, but I declined with a frown. Shrugging, Tony downed mine and then his own with nary a flinch. With a refreshed sigh, Tony relaxed into his seat. "Anyway, learning science… That's a tall order. Didn't you tell me that you left for—what was it?—Frogwarts, when you were only eleven?"
"It's Hogwarts. And yes, I never finished primary school..."
Tony poured himself another drink as he hummed. "Well, I don't mean to sound cruel or anything, but even if you did have a proper education for your age, it would take years before you'd actually be able to apply what you've learned to anything practical."
"Yet you were making technological advances at seven," I countered, remembering something I had read about Tony in an article.
He tilted his head to the side, his gaze piercing through me. "I was a genius."
"And I'm a quick study."
There was a quiet moment as the two of us stared at the other, a silent battle of wills transpiring. But I was not going to back down just because I was years behind. It had been the same when I entered the Wizarding World as well.
I was against children who had spent their entire life receiving training from tutors and family members on all things magical, all while I had been stuck in a Muggle hell, ignorant. Yet it had never hindered my education in the slightest. In fact, I had taken to some spells quicker than anyone else, such as the Patronus charm.
Tony may have been a child prodigy, but I was a bullheaded Gryffindor, and if it meant becoming a master of all things scientific to return home, then there was nothing on the bloody planet that was going to dissuade me from it.
After what felt like an eternity, Tony rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine."
"So you'll teach me?" I asked, a grin blossoming onto my face—
"No."
—only to fall away in the next moment.
"What? Why not…?"
Tony downed the rest of his drink and leveled his gaze on me. "First of all, you have no basics, no foundation. With no proper education, there would be nothing to build upon, so it would all go to waste in the end. Second, though you may have a drive to learn, that doesn't mean you have a talent for it. Word's like 'prodigy' and 'genius' exist because some people were just born with a gift that allows them to soar above the rest. I refuse to waste my time teaching anyone whom I'm not one-hundred percent sure is even deserving of studying under me." I opened my mouth to argue, but he held up a hand to silence me. Scowling, I remained quiet. "Now, none of this is a personal attack against you, it's just the truth of the matter."
"So that's it?" I spat. "I'm uneducated, and thus, hopeless?"
"When did I say you were hopeless?" Tony asked with a raised brow. "I merely said that you are, in essence, a blank slate. I have no idea what you may or may not be capable of. I can't teach you, but that doesn't mean I won't help you. Because you're so behind, our best bet would be to find you a tutor who can brush up what you already know."
"And then?"
The inventor shrugged and settled himself into his seat. "And then we can see about entering you into a school when summer ends."
I stared, waiting for a punch line that never came. "…You're joking, right?"
"No? Why would I be?"
"Muggle schooling?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "I don't care about Maths and Language Arts and whatever other rubbish they'll try to cram down my throat; the only thing I'm interested in is Science."
Tony frowned. "Well, a tutor can only help you so much… Eventually you'll have to enter a school if you want to further your education."
I didn't like the thought of wasting time, but Sirius had spent two decades trapped here. If that was how long it would take, then… I sighed. I had no other choice. "How many years of schooling would I have to do?"
"That depends," Tony said. "At the end of the summer, I'll let you take an assessment test and we'll work from there."
With clenched fists, I nodded resigned.
"You know…" Tony's voice was low and hesitant, at odds with the confident way he had been speaking only moments prior. The shift caught my attention, and I waited for the man to gather his thoughts. "The reason you want to learn all of this is because you want to find a way home, right?"
I gave a slow nod which caused Tony to give a bitter smile. "I'm an accomplished engineer and I said I would help you… Why don't you just ask me to research a way?"
"I… couldn't do that," I said after a slight moment of hesitation.
"What if I told you I wanted to?"
"Thank you, but… I wouldn't be able to accept. At least not yet."
"I don't get you, kid," Tony said with a sigh. "You need help but you fight tooth and nail against it. They call that being prideful. Although… I guess I'm the last person who should try to lecture anyone on that, huh?"
I chuckled, a wry smile on my face which mirrored Tony's own. "…Maybe you're right. Maybe I do have too much pride, but it's more than that. I… I'm not naïve. Sirius was here for two decades, and in that time, he never found a way home…"
"How do you know he didn't find one once he went missing?" Tony asked.
I shook my head. "No… I know for a fact that he didn't."
"How can you be so sure?"
"This necklace…" I pulled the silver chain hidden within my clothes to reveal the shining emerald surrounded by the twin snakes. I met Tony's eyes, my voice filled with conviction. "This necklace is proof that Sirius didn't forget about me… If… if he had found a way home, he would have left something to tell me. He wouldn't have just—" I took a deep breath to calm myself, my hand clenched around the cool stone of Sirius' necklace.
When my eyes opened, I had regained my composure and stared down at my lap to focus my thoughts. "I couldn't put such a burden on you, Tony. I know that I'm setting out on an impossible journey, but I'm prepared to spend ten, twenty or even fifty years not only looking for a way home, but Sirius as well. Even if we're both grey old men… if that's how long it takes…"
"I understand," Tony said. "But… in the future, once you've taken that first step… I'd like to be there. To walk it with you."
I grinned, touched beyond words that Tony would make such an undertaking. I couldn't speak past the lump which had formed in my throat, so all I was able to do was nod and extend my hand. For a moment, Tony seemed surprised, but then he grinned as well and we clasped hands, leaving me with the sense that something stronger than even an Unbreakable Vow had been formed that day.
