Disclaimer: Tony Stark and the rest of the characters are the property of Stan Lee and Marvel Studios/Disney. Harry Potter and all associated characters and settings remain the intellectual property of JK Rowling and her associates. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Warning: This fic is un-betaed and will most likely stay un-betaed. There will be mistakes and misspellings. There will be things that don't match up with what I wrote before (feel free to point out those mistakes). This is called writing by the seat of my pants. I lost myself as a writer, I think, by participating in fest after fest – it's time I wrote for myself again.
Notes: This was supposed to be Chapter 27 and the Epilogue together, but then I figured that it worked just as well as just one thing. So here it is guys! The epilogue! And yes, it's more of the movie script because, honestly, I adore his press conference and had no plans to deviate from that, sorry.
Epilogue
Harry winced as Hermione poked at another cut on his forehead, wishing that they could just use magic and get this over with, but understanding the complications of not having a marred face after what happened. Maybe. Really, it depending on the story he was supposed to spit out about what happened to him while this 'body guard' protected the company. In the other room (and the television they had him watch), Blaise spoke to the press in his nice, crisp military uniform.
"You've all received the official statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night. There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor. Fortunately, a member of Tony Stark's personal security staff..."
This was ridiculous, but he couldn't argue with Clint or his boss. He supposed they did know what they were talking about. He rustled the newspaper he was holding and grinned at the headline there.
"Don't even think it," Hermione murmured, stepping back.
"Why not? 'Iron Man' is kind of catchy, though not technically accurate. The suit is a gold-titanium alloy." Harry laughed softly, putting the paper down. "Got a nice ring to it."
"That's a lame joke," Clint said as he walked into the room. "The metal will only 'ring' if you aren't inside it."
"Or unless your head is since you're empty-headed." Harry shrugged. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"I am officially the go-between when it comes to you until my boss can figure out how to deal with this."
"Liar."
Clint shrugged, but he didn't deny the accusation. Not that he had time to since Agent Coulson stepped in then and handed Harry a few cards.
"This is your alibi. You were on your private yacht." Harry had no idea when he got one of those, but he decided to go with it. Coulson continued, "We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night and sworn statements from fifty of your guests."
That was a lame cover. "Okay…"
"Just read it word for word." Coulson stepped back, resting his hands behind his back.
Harry read over the 'official story' and frowned. "There's nothing about Stane."
"It's being handled," Clint told him, looking to Coulson before he continued. "He went on vacation this morning and, well, you know how small aircraft not made by Stark can be."
He really didn't actually, but okay. "And the whole cover story that it's a bodyguard?"
"This isn't my first rodeo, Mister Stark," Coulson told him. "Stick to the statement and soon this will be over. You have ninety seconds."
Harry wrinkled his nose as Hermione went to talk to the Agent and he was left with Clint. "I hate press conferences."
"Same here, but oh hey! I don't have to hold one."
"I'm going to make you one day." Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Damn, I just want to sleep."
"When this is over with, you can sleep for a week and I won't let anyone bug you."
Harry smiled a little. "Thanks, I'll hold you to that."
Clint laughed a little as Hermione came back. "Come on, Tony. Time to go."
Harry glanced back at the paper, then grinned. "It's actually not that bad. The story, I mean. Eevn I don't think I'm Iron Man."
"You're not Iron Man," Hermione insisted.
"What? I am so."
"No, Tony, you're not."
"Fine, fine." Harry stood in front of Hermione and let her adjust his suit. "You know, if I were Iron Man, I'd have this girlfriend who knew my true identity." She arched an eyebrow at him and Harry winked. "She'd be a wreck when I went to save the world, but she'd also be proud of the man I'd become. A conflicted girl who would be crazy about me."
"Well, then it's a good thing you don't have a girlfriend." Hermione shook her head and patted his chest pocket. "Considering how much you make your friends absolutely crazy, I don't think anyone else could handle it."
"Ouch, that hurt."
"It was supposed to." Hermione grinned and pushed him toward the conference just as Blaise finished talking.
"…And now, Mr. Stark has prepared a statement. He will not be taking any questions. Thank you."
Harry nodded his thanks to Blaise and stepped up to the podium. The last time he did one of these, he caused chaos with one simple statement. Hopefully this time, he wouldn't. He glanced over the crowd, noting that Clint stood close to Edwin and Hermione near the back. Coulson was nowhere to be seen and Neville was just outside the windows by the car, ready to go at a moment's notice. Harry knew he was listening in and he took a deep breath, knowing that they all had his back.
They, at least, wouldn't rip the reactor out of his chest. He held himself back from pressing against it to make sure it was still there. Instead, he cleared his throat and started his speech.
"It's been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I'll stick to the cards this time." He waved the cards, smiling at the small bit of laughter. "There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop—"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you—"
"I know that it's confusing." Harry narrowed his eyes at the woman. Christine whatever. "It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm a superhero."
She smirked and Harry hated her more. "I never said you were a superhero."
Right, maybe he shouldn't have said that. "You didn't? Well, good, because that would be outlandish and fantastic." He couldn't lie about that. It would be fantastic, if only because then he'd at least be famous on his own terms. None of the 'boy-who-lived' business that he really didn't deserve. "I'm just not the hero type, clearly…"
Blaise leaned over. "Just stick to the cards, Harry. You're making a fool out of yourself."
"Yeah, okay. Yeah." Harry could always count on Blaise to keep him grounded when it came to his rambling. "The truth is…" Harry trailed off, looking around the room of reporters.
He met Edwin's eyes and the man nodded before mouthing the word 'arrogance' at him. A long-ago conversation came to his mind and he knew, without a doubt what he had to do. This was his life, not Tony's, and anything he did now, he did for himself. Tony Stark was just a name, just like Harry Potter. Both of them deserved a better life than what was trying to be handed to them.
Harry straightened his shoulders, prepared himself to be lectured later, and ignored the cover story. "I am Iron Man."
The crowd erupted into chaos, but Harry's eyes never left Edwin's proud smile. This wouldn't be easy, but he could do this.
The house was dark when he and Edwin walked in, both tired from the barrage of questions from media as well as idle threats from Hermione. Agent Coulson hadn't been kind either, but Harry felt as though they got off easy with the man.
He stopped when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Edwin paused next to him, holding out his arm for the jacket of Harry's suit, probably thinking that was the reason for the stop. Harry got a small (very small) satisfaction from seeing the old man jump when a voice spoke out of the darkness of the house.
"'I am Iron Man'," the deep voice said.
Harry whirled around, fist clenching and wishing he had his wand or his suit or something other than his damned jacket. That's it, he was making a mobile version as soon as possible. "Who the hell are you?"
The man smiled, walking confidentially toward them with his hands behind his back. He ignored Harry's questions. "You think you're the only superhero in the world, Mister Stark?"
Edwin put a calm hand on his elbow and Harry felt himself relax. Calm and arrogant. He could do this. "Yeah, wouldn't call myself a hero."
"You've just become part of something bigger."
"Have I? Let me ask again… Who the hell are you?"
The man stopped with just enough distance between them to still keep things civil. Harry recognized a calming tactic when he saw it. "Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD."
Harry laughed, handing Edwin his jacket. "So Agent called his boss man on me. Yeah, sorry about that out—"
"I'm here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative, Mister Potter."
Harry's mouth snapped closed and he stared at the smiling man, unease coursing through his system. "Who—"
"Did you really think only the nation leaders knew of magic's existence? No. I know all about you." Fury motioned to the nearest couch. "Let's have a seat, son. You'll want to hear what I have to say."
And Harry really had no other choice but to sit and to listen to the intimidating man that broke into his house and knew everything about his past.
Damn, this year couldn't get any worse.
And that's the end folks! Before people get up in arms about Fury knowing, just hold your horses. Fury knows, but he isn't going to tell anyone else. The only two people in SHIELD that officially know are Clint and Fury. As far as Harry's concerned, he wants to keep it that way. However, when the Avengers are all added in, well, it's not like he can lie to his teammates. That and Loki will know as soon as he takes control over Clint (that is so happening – a pissed off and vengeful Harry is secretly my favorite Harry) and he won't bother trying to hide it to make Harry feel safer. So it'll all come out in the open in the next installment, which will be a mix of Iron Man 2 (without the whole Whiplash drama – I adore Ivan as a man, but Harry won't stand for Hammer's crap) and Avengers.
What is there to possibly look forward to after this? Well, here's my list of "things that I might write" before/during the Avengers sequel:
-Clint and Coulson in New Mexico during the Thor fiasco.
-A short fic about the original two weeks Clint was at the mansion and attempting to gain Harry's trust.
-Wizarding world's reaction to Harry, Hermione, Blaise, and Neville disappearing.
-How Hermione and Blaise get together.
-Edwin and his ten-year disappearance.
-Some Fury/wizard interactions
-The move to New York (I really hated how this wasn't really covered/hinted at in the movies).
-Harry/Tony's purchase of that one bar Ross was in at the end of The Incredible Hulk.
-Clint and Natasha and one of their conversations about "Clint's new friends."
Also, I know I mentioned before that the Avengers were going to be introduced differently in this and I totally lied. Only Clint was (with hints of Natasha). Original plans were bigger and had things working differently, but this is how they wanted it, those silly characters.
I'd like to thank everyone who commented, good or bad! Thank you for letting me lob off this insanity onto you and for listening to my insane author's notes. I'll go back and edit this through to make it not-so-crappy after I finish with the next part (if Iron Man 3 hasn't come out by then). I'll attach a note to this fic when I have the next part up!
