Here we go, another chapter for you wonderful people. This one didn't want to work with me for the longest time. It also brought in people I wasn't sure were going to be in the story at all...now they are, I guess.
Thanks go out to OkamiPrincess for the cat idea. I hope you like it. There will be more of them later on.
The group had been able to have a restful couple of weeks and had all gathered at Harry's house to celebrate Steve's birthday and Independence Day. Up on the deck, Tony had taken over the BBQ and was enjoying the peace that came with being in charge of the food. Next to him, Bruce had claimed one of the chairs and was discussing potions with Severus. Harry had taken one look at what Tony was cooking, shook his head, and headed inside, mumbling about 'making proper food.' Out in the yard, the rest of the Avengers were playing some form of tag with Jamie and the dogs.
Grabbing a beer out of the cooler, Tony settled into one of the deck chairs to watch the chaos. "Tony," Harry asked as he came out and sat down next to the engineer. "How goes the work on Bucky's new arm?"
"Arm? What are you talking about, Harry?" Tony said, playing dumb.
"Oh, don't play dumb, Tony. I know you are already working on a design for a new arm for Bucky. I have a design for you to put on the arm but don't tell Bucky. I want it to be a surprise." Harry smiled as he held out a piece of parchment.
Taking the parchment, Tony looked it over before looking back up at Harry. "Why this?"
"The Howling Commandos all got this tattooed on their left arms the summer of forty-three."
"And Barnes lost his left arm and the tattoo." Nodding, Tony pocketed the drawing. "Alright. I'll add it just before I give it to him."
"Thanks, Tony. Now I need to go back and check on dinner and my cakes."
"Dinner? Harry' I've got hotdogs and hamburgers cooking, why are you cooking more? And what cakes?" Tony asked Harry's retreating back. "Damn it, Harry, what cakes?."
Severus chuckled and shook his head. "Don't bother asking Tony. Harry hasn't even told Jamie what he's making for dinner. Though James seems to have an idea of what Harry is up to."
"Hun." Getting up, Tony goes to check on the hotdogs and hamburgers. Grabbing a couple of plates, Tony pulls the food off the grill and heads for the large table set out in the yard. "Food's done! Come and get it!" Moving quickly, Tony got out of the way of the stampeding hoard rushing towards the table. Looking around, Tony noticed that Steve, Jamie, and Bucky were slowly making their way over. "Aren't you all hungry?"
"Yeah," Bucky admitted with a shrug, "but we know that Harry's cooking. We aren't about to waste our time on your snacks."
Tony didn't know what to say. Part of him felt insulted; after all, it's not every day he cooks…even if it is just hotdogs. Another part understood he'd had Harry's cooking before. Instead, Tony settled on flipping the soldier off with a smile.
"Should we be waiting for Harry's cooking as well?" Clint asked as he eyed his hamburger suspiciously.
Bucky thought for a moment. He was the only one to know what Harry was planning on cooking, though he figured Steve had an idea. "No, probably not. However, you might want to try some. Actually," James looked down at his namesake. "Little Punk, you should probably go and get a few hotdogs and hamburgers as well."
"Food's done!" Harry called from the deck. Slowly he made his way to the end of the table with numerous dishes floating behind him. Waving his wand, Harry set the plates down at one end of the table. Steve and Bucky were quick to sit down at that end and help themselves.
"What the hell is that?" Clint asked, looking at some of the dishes in horror. "Is that…peas and carrots in jello?"
"Yes," Steve said as he helped himself to the said dish.
Harry laughed at the look on the archer's face. "Everything here is from Mum's cookbook." Sitting down between Steve and Bucky, Harry began helping himself to the food. "I'll admit, the first time I saw some of these dishes, I felt queazy. But they are good."
"What are they called?" Jamie asked as he accepted a plate his uncle made up for him.
"You've got hamburger en casserole, jellied peas and carrots, scalloped potatoes au gratin, chicken a la king, mock duck, carrot surprise, chrysanthemum salad, and New York salad."
"That sounds good, but I'm not sure about how some of it looks," Clint admitted, leaning towards one of the dishes in curiosity.
"Try it if you want," Steve said as he helped himself to another helping. "Or not, just means more for us." Laughing, the others each helped themselves to a bit of Harry's food.
Once all the food was gone, Harry got up and headed for the house with a smile. "Hope you all saved some room for cake." A few minutes later, he returned, carrying two cakes, complete with candles. Tony, being the shit-disturber he is, elbowed Clint and began singing Happy Birthday. Steve just shot them an unamused look when the others started singing as well.
"What kind of cake did you make, Harry?" Natasha asked. She was surprised that she had enjoyed the older recipes Harry had made and was looking forward to the cake.
"One is a simple chocolate spice cake, and the other is a Creole cake that mum used to make." Everyone had a piece of each cake and enjoyed them both. Harry was left shaking his head at the empty plates as the family went back to their games in the yard. Jamie had even convinced Bruce and his grandfathers to join in the fun. The only one to remain on the deck was Steve, who claimed that he was entitled to just sit and watch. From his spot, Steve could hear Harry muttering to himself about needing more cake for the next birthday.
As Steve leaned back into his chair, he watched the others playing and laughing in the yard. Feeling Harry come close, he opened his arms and pulled the smaller man into his lap. The pair sat quietly, just enjoying each other's company. Pulling Harry close, Steve sighed in contentment. He could admit that this was the best birthday he had in a while.
It had been a quiet day, and somehow all the Avengers had each made their way over to Steve and Harry's house in Brooklyn. Currently, Phil and Nat were on the floor with Jamie playing Exploding Snap with a promise to switch to a muggle bord game after so Bruce could join them. For now, the scientist was content to sit in the chair and read over a copy of Potions Monthly Severus had loaned him.
On the couch, Steve was using the armrest to hold his drawing pad as he sketched out something from memory with one hand while the other hand was playing with his fiancé's hair. Harry took up most of the couch, his head resting in Steve's lap, and his feet were in Bucky's. On the other end of the couch, Tony had squeezed himself beside Bucky and was going over designs and ideas for his new arm.
"What do you think about Yule?" Harry asked, looking up at Steve.
"What about Yule?" Draco said from his spot in Clint's lap in the other chair.
"For our wedding," Harry clarified. "Well, maybe not on Yule but during December?"
Steve thought for a minute, then nodded. "That sounds like a good idea, and it will make Granddad happy."
Bucky laughed, "next, you are going to tell us that you plan on getting married on a Wednesday."
Harry joined his brother in his laughter. "You know, that sounds like a good idea. At least that way, we can party properly."
Chuckling, Steve put down his sketchbook and reached for his phone to pull up his calendar. "Well, there's either the fifth or the twelfth."
"What's the significance of Wednesday? And December?" Bruce asked, putting down the magazine.
"It's an old Irish traditional saying," Harry told them. "Marry on Monday for wealth, Tuesday for health, Wednesday the best day of all, Thursday for crosses, Friday for losses and Saturday no luck at all. There's another one about which month is best to marry in."
"You know that rhyme is missing Sunday." Tony pointed out.
Steve shrugged, "well, part of the rhyme was written by catholic muggles who would never marry on a Sunday. The magicals just went with it. Besides, at traditional Irish weddings, receptions are two days of partying."
"That sounds like my kind of wedding," Tony laughed.
"Mist," Steve called out, not wanting to move.
A soft pop and Mist stood in front of the couch with a huge smile on her face. "What can Mist be doing for Master Steven?" She had been so happy when she had been told her Master Steven was still alive and when she had finally been introduced to her Master James.
"Can you tell Granddad that Harry and I have decided to get married this December?" Smiling, Mist nodded and disappeared with a pop. Steve thought for another moment then looked down at his fiancé. "Harry, do we have plans for Lúnasa?"
"Usually, Jamie and I bake some bread, and I put together a feast, and we eat outside around the fire. Though this year, I suppose you, Jamie, and Bucky could have a wrestling competition." Steve just laughed.
"Hang on," Tony interrupted. "What is Lúnasa? And why do you need plans for it?"
"Lúnasa or Lughnasadh is a traditional holiday," Severus lectured as he and Lucius joined the group. "Most magical celebrations are tied with what is known as muggle pagan holidays."
"What are the other magical holidays?" Tony sat up a little straighter, forcing him to lean into Bucky.
Shaking his head, Lucius headed for the kitchen while Severus got comfortable in the open loveseat. "There are eight festivals throughout the year, many of which coincide with Christian holidays. Four of the festivals celebrate the summer and winter solstice, along with the spring and autumn equinox. These are Lithia, Yule, Ostra, and Mabon. The other four evolve around the harvests and change of seasons. Imbolc, Beltine, Lúnasa, and the new year, Samhain."
"I've heard of those," Clint said.
"I'm sure you all have. Thank you, love," Severus accepted the cup of tea Lucius handed him. "And most of them are celebrated using the same rituals as the muggles. The main difference is that for certain holidays magicals have rituals they perform at each. The rituals help replenish magic in both the world and ourselves."
Clint looked intrigued and gently pushed Draco aside so he could look at his soon to be father-in-law. "Could we do these rituals? Even without magic?" Clint had never been what people would call religious but had always felt there could be something out there. This sounded like something he could get behind. Besides, it was a good idea to know more about the family you were marrying into.
Lucius and Severus shared a smile. Despite the understandably rough start, Clint had come to accept all aspects of magic, far faster than they had expected. "While you may not feel much of a change in the magic as we do," Lucius took over, explaining. "Nothing is preventing any of you from watching or even participating."
"The only ritual you won't be able to join is Samhain. That ritual requires does require magic and cannot be watched."
"Can you tell us what happens during the ritual?"
Severus thought for a moment. "If you were to watch, there would be nothing to see. Once the ritual fire is lit and the blood is given, then the participants meditate until dawn. If the ritual is done correctly, and the petitioner has people on the other side of the veil, they will be able to visit for the night."
"What do you mean 'other side of the veil'?" There was something about that phrase that made chills run up Clint's back.
"The veil between life and death, of course. The Samhain ritual allows magicals to speak with their dead." Severus said without pause.
"Wait!" Tony finally spoke up. "You're saying that you talk with the dead."
"Yes," Steve answered with a smile. "I took part in the ritual for the first time when I turned eleven. I thoroughly enjoyed it."
"You never told me you did the rituals," Harry looked up at his fiancé.
Steve just shrugged. "You weren't with us for Litha, and I was sick for Lúnasa."
"Sick? That's an understatement." Harry snorted.
"I'm with the Brat on this one, Punk." Bucky chimed in from the other side of the couch, pushing Harry's feet off his lap. "Though it wasn't as bad as the attack you had that November."
"You just had to bring those up, didn't you?" Steve sighed.
"Yes," his brothers laughed.
"Okay, now I want to know what happened," Tony said as he made himself more comfortable on the couch. With Harry being forced to sit up, Bucky had shifted over, allowing Tony more room.
"I think we all want to hear this, Tony," Natasha pipped in with a smirk.
"Oh, Merlin," Steve laughed as he hid his face in his hands. Over the last few weeks, he had come to terms with the team learning about parts of his past he would rather they not. Harry was right. They need to understand that I'm not just Captain America. That Steve Rogers is just a person, just like them.
"So," Harry started when he finally stopped laughing. "Steve asked me out on July twenty-first, nineteen thirty-five. We had gone on a few dates, and on my birthday we…well. We ended up in our room snogging, and the next thing I know, Steve's clutching his chest and unable to breathe. Needless to say, I panicked. I knew he had asthma, but being from the future, I never thought twice about it. As it turned out, Steve didn't bother telling me about his other health issues." Harry paused to glare at his fiancé.
"You were sick, Daddy?" Jamie asked as he got up and climbed into Steve's lap.
"I was very sick when I was little. But I'm all better now." Steve had to force down his laughter when Jamie scowled up at him. Clearly, the child didn't quite believe his Dad.
"Don't worry, Little Punk," Bucky reached over his brother to ruffle the boy's hair. "Your mom and your Mhamó took excellent care of your Daddy when he was sick. And, he hasn't been sick for a very long time."
"What was wrong?" Jamie was still a little worried, but having his uncle tell him Dad was okay helped.
All three men laughed. "What wasn't wrong with the Punk?"
"Shut up, Buck," Steve reached behind Harry to smack his brother.
Rolling his eyes at the two men, Harry pulled Jamie into his lap. "Remember how I told you about the serum and how it helped release your Dad's magic?" he waited for Jamie to nod before continuing. "Well, the serum also got rid of all Daddy's sicknesses. So there is no need for you to worry about them, okay?"
"Okay, Mummy." Feeling better, Jamie climbed over Uncle Bucky to settle in Uncle Tony's lap. "But what did Daddy have?" Sometimes he felt better-asking questions around Uncle Tony, mainly because the man always encouraged him to ask as many questions as possible.
"Well, he had slight scoliosis, which is a bend in the spine. When you look at the pictures of us as kids, you notice how your Dad is always on the left end of us? That's because he was a little deaf in his left ear. He was colour blind and had astigmatism, which means his vision was slightly blurry. Your Mhamó told me that she was glad your Dad refused to get glasses because she would have to get new ones every week." The adults all chuckled, knowing Steve's reputation for getting into fights in his youth.
"He had arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat, heart palpitations, where his heart would beat too fast, and high blood pressure. He also had angina, which caused pain in his chest because his muscles would not get enough blood. He also had anemia."
"How in the hell did you live long enough to join the army, Rogers?" Tony asked, shocked. He knew from his father and Peggy that Steve had been sick when he joined up, and everyone knew he lied on his enlistment form. But he never knew it was this serious.
"Magic," Steve stated with a smirk. "My magic turned inwards and worked to keep me as healthy as possible, instead of working outwards with accidental magic. Most of my medicine was potions Granddad made for me. If it wasn't for my magic, I don't think I would have," Steve paused and looked over at Jamie. "Well, you know what I mean."
"What about non-magical medicines? Wouldn't those have worked just as well?" Tony was confused and a little irritated. What was so wrong with regular medicine that it wouldn't work on Steve.
"The other thing you have to remember, Tony," Harry added as he leaned into Steve. "Is that in the twenties and thirties asthma was considered a mental illness, not a physical one. That and the inhalers they did have were massive and required two people to use."
"That's nuts."
"No one will argue with you on that, Tony." Waving his hand, Harry cast a quick Tempus and sighed. "I suppose you are all staying for dinner." Everyone was quick to agree as they all enjoyed Harry's cooking. "Then, the rules are simple. Stay out of my kitchen unless you are helping me." Getting up, Harry gave Steve and Jamie a kiss then headed for the kitchen.
"Mummy! Wait!" climbing down with help from his Uncle, Jamie rushed to the kitchen. "I want to help!"
Smiling, Harry took hold of his son's hand. "I would love your help. Come, I'll teach you some of your Mhamó's recipes."
It was the weekend, and everyone had gathered at Peggy's. They had moved to the backyard after having taken out dish after dish of food and snacks. In one corner of the yard, away from the food, Theodore was busy setting up a stereo of some sort. At the same time, everyone chatted and slowly began devouring the food. Soon there was the sound of Irish music coming from the stereo.
"You boys are in for it now," Jim laughed, patting Tony on the shoulder.
"Who's in for what now?" Tony was confused. The Commandos were all smiling and laughing while Theodore had a knowing look on his face. Though Tony did feel better when he noticed that the rest of the Avengers were looking just as confused.
From behind him, Bucky clapped both his hands onto Tony's shoulders. "You're goin' to an Irish wedding, boyo. You need to be learning how to dance," Bucky said, sounding as if he had just gotten off the ship from Ireland.
"And you, Prat," Harry laughed, coming around the side of the house with Steve. "Do you remember how to dance?"
Letting go of Tony, Bucky placed a hand against his heart, looking horrified and offended. "Me? Not remembering mine own roots? How dare you?"
"Then get your arse down here and prove it." Harry simply held out his hand and watched as his brother jumped off the deck and sauntered over to take it. Together the pair reeled around the yard with huge grins on their faces. [Titanic: A Third Class Party. The Coors: Haste to the Wedding & Joy of Life]
Tony watched for a bit before looking at Jim in disbelief. Jim just held up his hands and backed away just a little. "Don't look at me. We already suffered through those lessons; besides, unlike those wizards, I am too old for this."
"Come on, Tony," Steve cajoled from the grass. "You too, Clint, Bruce. Nat, I know you want to prove yourself. Come have some fun."
On the grass, Harry and Bucky were still dancing while Steve was dancing with Jamie. Shrugging his shoulders, Clint grabbed Draco and pulled his fiancé out onto the grass, figuring they could try this out together. With a smile, Nat was quick to follow, taking Bruce with her. Tony watched for a bit before tossing back the rest of his Coke and joining them.
Noticing Tony finally was coming, Harry let go of Bucky and raced over to pull Tony into a dance. They reeled around for a bit before Harry locked eyes with Bucky and pushed Tony towards the other man with a laugh. Giving them a cheeky wave, Harry went in search of his own fiancé to dance with, show them all how it's done.
Forcing down his blush, Bucky held out a hand for Tony, "what do you say. Want to dance with me?"
Tony was going to hurt Harry for this, but he couldn't lie to himself. He really did want to dance with James Barnes. He found the other man to be not only good looking but interesting and exciting. Swallowing his fear, Tony reached out and took the hand.
Bucky waited with bated breath as Tony looked at his hand. He genuinely liked the genius and wanted to get to know him much, much better. He had never looked at another man before, nor had he thought of being in a relationship with one, but Tony made him want to. When Tony took his hand, Bucky couldn't stop the excited grin that spread across his face if he wanted to. Placing his other hand on the small of Tony's back, James pulled the smaller man close. "Just follow me; I won't let you fall."
Across the yard, Harry shared a smile with Steve, who just shook his head. "You and your matchmaking. Though Bucky and Tony don't seem to mind."
"Hush you." Harry gently smacked Steve's shoulder, where his hand rested. "Just dance with me." Together the pair continued to dance around the yard, song after song. Around them, the others danced for a few songs before either switching partners or stopping—all except Tony and Bucky. While Tony could dance, it was more ballroom dancing than Irish reels and was having a bit of a hard time despite Bucky's patient teachings.
"Reminds me of when Ma was trying to teach us to dance," Steve nodded his head towards Bucky and Tony with a laugh. Harry threw his head back, laughing as he remembered those painful lessons.
Flashback
Steve, Harry, and Bucky had pushed all the furniture to the sides of the living room and were listening to Sarah's records as they tried to learn how to dance. It wasn't working so well. So far, both Steve and Bucky had tried dancing with Harry but had ended up stepping on his toes and having their toes stepped on.
"What are you boys up to now?" Sarah asked with a smile as she watched her boys. Having just gotten off work, she looked forward to changing her clothes then relaxing on the couch, only to come home and find her couch pressed up against the wall.
"We're trying to dance," Harry admitted shyly. None of them had wanted to be caught by Sarah, but Harry wasn't surprised they had been. Not with his luck.
"Well, you're going about it all wrong. Let me go change; then I'll come to help you." Turning, she quickly made her way to the bedroom to change and get back before the boys fled.
In the living room, the three teens shared a look, "I was hoping your Ma wouldn't catch us." Bucky said as he took a drink of water. "Now, we're stuck." They all knew it was pointless to escape. Sarah would just catch them anyway and then make it far more complicated than it needed to be.
"Alright," clapping her hands, Sarah beamed at her boys. "Who wants to go first?" when none of the boys volunteered, Sarah held out her hand towards Steve. "Stevie honey, you get to go first. James, turn the record on again, please, and watch closely." Moving Steve's arms to where they needed to be, Sarah began trying to teach her sons how to dance. One by one, Sarah pulled each boy into the middle of the room and tried to teach them…with varying results.
"Hello! Harry! Steve! Buck, you here?" Jared's voice came from the front door.
"Run, Jay!" Steve laughed from his spot on the couch. "Ma's home and is teaching us how to dance!"
"Jared, perfect. Just the young man I needed to see." Sarah let go of Harry and pulled his friend into the living room. "I know you know how to dance. So, we will show these boys how it's done properly. Stevie, the music, please." Throwing his bothers a terrified look, Jared allowed Sarah to pull him into the middle of the room while Steve restarted the record again.
A knock startled them sometime later. Jumping away from his mom, Steve turned to see who had come over. He sighed in resignation when Theodore entered the living room. Great, now this is going to take all day.
"What are you doing?" Theodore asked with a smile.
"The boys were trying to learn how to dance on their own. I stepped in and decided to help them. It turns out they are not terrible." Sarah took advantage of the break and went into the kitchen for water.
"If you think they are not horrible, then perhaps it is time for another lesson," Theodore suggested. Groaning the, four boys collapsed on the couch. This was going to be a long day.
End Flashback
"You know, boys," Theodore said as he was changing the record. "You should show everyone what a proper reel looks like."
"There's only the three of us, Granddad." Steve pointed out, hoping to get out of the dance.
Theodore only smiled and gestured to where Jared and Liz were just arriving. "Numpty, even after all these years, you still have the worst timing."
"What now?" Jared asked, looking confused. Shaking her head, Liz just headed over to where Peggy was sitting and took the offered glass of wine.
"Don't listen to Steven, Jared. You have perfect timing. I was just asking the boys to show the others how a proper reel is done. Now that you are here, the four of you can demonstrate."
Jared hung his head and groaned. "The Twit was right. I do have shit timing."
Laughing, Bucky pulled the other man off the deck and onto the grass. After a slight glare from Theodore, the four men stood in a square and waited for the music. [The Coors: Toss the Feathers] Smiling at the memories, the four men relaxed into the dance and the familiar melody. Suddenly they weren't four battle-hardened soldiers, they were just four teenagers dancing in Steve's living room, and it showed.
For those watching, it was amazing, seeing the four friends so carefree and open. For the Avengers, it was a new and welcome experience. Tony especially was enjoying seeing Harry so happy and relaxed. For the Commandos, it was a trip down memory lane. While they hadn't fought with Jared, it wasn't the first time Steve, Harry, and Bucky had danced like this.
Harry and Jared backed away from the square during the drum solo, allowing Steve and Bucky to dance together. "Mummy," Jamie pulled on Harry's hand.
"What's up, love?"
"Can I dance with you and Daddy?"
"Of course, you can." Reaching down, Harry took Jamie's hand and led the boy back into the square. Steve smiled down at his son and ruffled the boy's hair as they finished the dance.
"You're a good dancer, Little Punk," Bucky said when they were done. "Maybe you should try teaching Tony."
"Okay!" racing up onto the deck, Jamie grabbed Tony's hand and pulled his Uncle back onto the grass. "Come on, Uncle Tony. I'll teach you!" Tony just sighed and allowed the boy to 'teach' him.
"Why don't we call it a night?" Steve suggested after another song.
While most of the team was quick to agree, Tony seemed disappointed. "If you want," Bucky said, resting his hand on the engineer's shoulder. "I can teach you some more back at the tower."
"If you wouldn't mind." Tony smiled at the soldier. He wasn't used to having to work at things, so he was grateful for the help. And if he was honest with himself, Tony was looking forward to spending time alone with Barnes.
Across the yard, Harry shot his bother a knowing look. Bucky just glared at the younger man. "Shut up, Brat."
"I didn't say a word, Prat. Not a word." Bucky just glared at the man and ignored Steve's laughter.
"So," Harry looked around his living room with a smile. Steve had mentioned to the team that they were heading to The Way today for their wedding robes. The couple were not overly surprised to find the team waiting for them in the living room, all wanting to join the magical shopping trip. "I suppose you are all coming with us?"
"Of course, we are," Tony laughed. "You really didn't think we would miss out on this adventure."
"Tony, did you get a chance to talk with Jay?" Steve asked with concern. He and Harry had asked Tony and Jay to try and get together to fix Tony's anti-magic problem. Jay was much better at making technology magic safe, but they hadn't heard from either man.
"Yeah, I did. He fixed me up with only a few problems. Jay was also able to help me magic-proof Bucky's new arm." Tony motioned for Bucky to show off his new arm. Once Jared had magic-proofed the arm, Tony had given it to James, much to the soldier's delight. And if in his gratitude he had kissed the engineer, well neither was complaining or telling. Smiling, Bucky took off his jacket to show off his new arm, complete with the Howling Commando's tattoo.
"Oh good," Harry said as he looked over the new, beautiful metal arm. "I had hoped Tony would include that."
"Wait," Clint asked as he looked over the beautiful design on the arm. "That looks like a company tattoo. Did you all have one?"
In answer, Steve rolled up his sleeve to show off his own, moving tattoo. He rarely had the concealment charm on the tattoo while he was at home. "We went to Diagon Alley back in forty-three and got tattoos done by magical tattoo artists. Mine moves because of my own innate magic."
"We should do that!" Clint exclaimed.
"We should what? All get matching tattoos?" Natasha asked, looking doubtful.
"Yes!"
"I'm in," Tony said with a shrug. "I've always wanted a tattoo but could never decide what. This seems like a good idea." Beside him, Bruce nodded in agreement.
"Looks like you need to get designing again, Punk," Bucky laughed.
"Before you all start going off on another tangent," Lucius scolded lightly. "Perhaps we should head to The Way. We do have an appointment this afternoon."
"How are we getting there?" Bruce asked, interested in magical travel. He had been spending quite a bit of time with Severus as the other man worked on a potion to control the Hulk. While Severus invented, he answered all of Bruce's questions about magic. The two men had become fast friends.
"Port-key," Harry held up a length of rope. "Everyone has to hang onto the rope, and don't be surprised in you end up in a dog-pile." Steve, Jamie, Draco, Severus, and Lucius all took hold of the rope with no hesitation. After a moment, Bucky shrugged and took hold of the rope as well.
"You're serious?" Natasha asked.
"If you don't want to come, that's fine. If you do want to come, I suggest taking hold of the rope." Lucius was done with her questions. While he liked all the Avengers, he found Natasha the hardest to get along with and the most likely to scoff at their abilities. Without any more hesitation, the Avengers all took hold of the rope. While they weren't quite sure of the means of travel, none wanted to be left behind. "Heilig Way," Lucius spoke the password activating the port-key.
"Welcome to Helig Way," Steve said with a slight bow once the Avengers had untangled themselves and stood.
"This is incredible," Tony exclaimed as he looked around. His expression mirrored Jamie's and made Harry and Steve laugh.
"What time's our appointment, Dad?" Harry asked Lucius. He knew that keeping the group together and on schedule was going to be difficult.
"Two O'Clock. I also made reservations at the Golden Snitch at eleven-thirty."
"Perfect," Draco grabbed Clint's hand and started walking away from the group. "We'll see you all at lunch."
"Bruce," Severus asked as he watched Draco and Clint disappear. "Would you and Natasha like to join us? I need potion ingredients and some books."
"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea," Bruce was quick to agree. Beside him, Natasha nodded and looped her arm through Bruce's. Together, the pair followed Severus and Lucius down the alley.
"Right," Harry clapped his hands and looked at his brothers. "Tony, you and Bucky are stuck with us. Jamie, you are in charge of keeping your uncles under control."
"Hey!" both men exclaimed, faking offence.
Laughing, Jamie rushed forward and grabbed both men's hands, pulling them along. "Swing!" he called. Sharing a look, Tony and Bucky shrugged and counted down before pulling the boy upwards and swinging him forward.
"Come on, you three," Steve called as he wrapped his arm around Harry's waist. "This way." Gently Steve guided Harry towards the Menagerie. He and Harry had talked about where to bring their brothers, and both had agreed that the pet shop would be an ideal stop. "Here we are," holding the door open, Steve guided the group into the shop.
"What's this shop?" Bucky asked as he looked around.
"It's the Magical Menagerie," Steve explained as he tried to keep hold of Jamie. "Alright, Sport. You have three dogs and two owls at home. You do not need another pet. However, you can pick up some special treats for them. Mo grá, do you have Tony and Bucky alright?"
"Don't worry about us, Love. You two go and find some treats." Harry watched his fiancé and son go off with a smile on his face. "Right you two," turning his attention back to his brothers, Harry guided them towards the cages. "So, when I began talking with Liz, she mentioned getting an animal. I didn't think much of it, to begin with…but once I got Scout, I realized what she was talking about. Now, I know neither of you are really dog people, so I thought maybe you might like a cat."
"Well," Bucky couldn't help but smile at Harry. "I suppose we can take a look…"
Brightening, Harry led the way over to the cat cages. "Most of the cats here are part Kneazle, which is a magical cat. They are incredibly smart and loyal." Once they were standing in front of the cages, Harry took a step back. "The best way is to just wander and see which animal calls to you. But, this only works if you really want a cat. If you don't want one, that's fine too."
Understanding what Harry was saying, James started to wander through the cages. He and Liz had talked about getting an animal just a few weeks ago. It was something he had been thinking quite a bit about and had decided to start looking. It was pure chance that Harry and Steve had thought of this, and he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Tony, however, was not quite as sure. Like Bucky, he had spoken to Liz about an emotional support animal. It was an idea he wasn't sure about. If Harry thinks this is something I need, it can't be too bad an idea. I suppose I can at least look around. Slowly Tony made his way through the cages, not expecting much. It was in a dark back corner that he was proven wrong. Feeling an urge to look into one cage, Tony was met with a pair of mismatched eyes in a white face.
Opening the cage, he reached in and pulled out a tiny cat. It was mostly white, with a black streak over its blue eye and a smaller tan patch over its amber eye. There was a little black patch on its left foreleg. The only other colour was on his fluffy bunny tail. "Well, aren't you just adorable." In response, the cat climbed out of his hold and onto his shoulders. "I suppose this means you want to come home with me?" The cat chirped at him and rubbed its head against his. "Well, alright, then."
With his new companion, Tony headed back towards the front of the store where Harry, Steve, and Jamie were waiting. Coming around the corner, he ran into Bucky, carrying his own, though larger, cat. Like his own, Bucky's cat was white and had mismatched eyes, but the larger cat was pure white and had a long fuzzy tail.
"I see you both found someone," Harry smiled at them. When he had first brought up the idea to Steve, Harry had been unsure. Steve had calmed him down and just told him to put the suggestion to their brothers. Now, seeing that it had worked out, he was thrilled. Harry was hoping that these cats helped his brothers with their issues. "We've already arranged payment for the cats and the supplies." Harry held up his hand to stop their protests. "If you want to, you can pay us back, but you don't have any Dragots, and the shops don't accept no-Maj money."
"What are we going to do with them while we shop?" Bucky asked as he pet his new companion.
"I've asked Mist to take them to your apartment, Bucky. She has agreed to take them there and stay with them to make sure they are settling in."
"That sounds like a plan," Tony said as he took the cat off his shoulder and placed her in the carrier, Steve held out for him. Next to him, Bucky was putting his own cat into its carrier. Once both cats were in their carriers, Mist came and took them along with the shrunken package before popping out.
"Where do you all want to go next?" Steve asked as they left the shop.
"Candy!" Jamie called, jumping up and down.
"Oh, very well," Harry sighed. "But you are not eating any of it until after lunch, and you are only allowed to spend two Dragots. That goes for all of you. I do not need you all hopped up on sugar during the fitting." Jumping around excitedly, Jamie led the way to the candy store with Tony and Bucky following closely.
Harry headed into the store with a smile. It had taken him until after lunch, but he was finally able to ditch the group, and it only took him an hour. He knew exactly what he wanted to get Steve as a wedding present and what he wanted for Bucky and Jay for standing with them. Thankfully, they were all in the same store. Getting the gifts, Harry paid extra to have them all gift wrapped. The last thing he needed was to have the recipients see the gifts before he was ready to give them.
Stepping out of the store, Harry froze in his tracks. No fucking way. Of all people to run into, why them? I should have asked Arthur or Jay if these two worked with Dumbledore like Ron and Hermione were.
"Harry? Is that you?"
Sighing, Harry headed towards the voice. "Black, Lupin. What can I do for you?"
"Oh, Harry! It is you!" Sirius rushed forward intent on hugging his godson, only to have Harry side-step him.
"What can I do for you, gentlemen?" Harry decided to fall back on his Granddad's pureblood teachings. It made him feel more comfortable for some odd reason, and he knew that it would put the two men on edge. Until he knew where they stood regarding Dumbledore, he would keep his distance.
"Harry? Pup, we've been looking for you for ages. Dumbledore said Malfoy had kidnapped you, but then he was arrested. When we heard about all the charges against him, we weren't sure if we could trust him. Half the wizarding world thinks you were killed while the rest think you have lost your magic from skipping out on the marriage contract with Ginny Weasley. Now we find you here. How have you been?"
"I was never kidnapped. Lucius and Severus both helped me escape from Dumbledore. And what marriage contract? No one ever told me anything about a marriage contract."
"While Dumbledore was your magical guardian, he signed a marriage contract between you and Ginny Weasley," Lupin explained in his professor's voice. "The contract stated that you and Ginny were to marry before her twentieth birthday. When you didn't show up for the wedding the Weasleys had planned, you were deemed in breach of contract, and they called magic against you."
"I don't want to say exactly where I was then but, I have been living here in New York for the last six years with my magic fully intact."
"Harry," Steve walked up and wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders, staring down the two other men. "Is everything alright, Mo grá?"
"Yes, love," Harry leaned into Steve's hold. "Everything is fine. Allow me to introduce my godfather, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. Sirius, Remus, this is my fiancé Captain Steve Rogers, Heir Grant."
"A pleasure to meet you, gentlemen." Steve held out his hand for them to shake.
"I'm sure," Remus cautiously reached out and took the larger man's hand. Beside him, Sirius just glared at the man. Clearly, this man was the one responsible for his godson, acting like a stuck-up pureblood.
"Mummy!" Jamie came running over and glomped into Harry's legs. "Granddad and grandpa need help with the uncles."
Looking back to where the others had gathered, Harry had to suppress a laugh. Lucius and Severus were having a difficult time keeping the rest of the Avengers out of trouble. "Well, I suppose we should head back and help them. I have what I need, and if we don't leave soon, then we will be late for our appointment." Harry thought for a moment and shared a look with Steve, who just nodded. "If you want to join us later, you can meet us at Avengers Tower for dinner at five."
Sirius lit up and was quick to agree. Remus eyed his cub's fiancé with confusion and suspicion. He thought the other man looked familiar, but he couldn't place it and why would they be meeting at Avenger's tower of all places. He would have to talk with Sirius before the meeting.
Knowing how uncomfortable Harry was, Steve quickly steered him and Jamie back towards the group. Harry had told him about Sirius and Remus, but he never really had a chance to know either man before he got sent back in time. "Tony," he said as he got into step with the man leaving Harry and Jamie to walk with Luc and Sev. "We ran into a couple of people, Harry knows."
"Is that what that was about. I thought it looked a little odd, which was why I sent Jamie over to rescue you both."
"Thanks for that; we really needed the out. That was Harry's Godfather and Uncle, I guess. They were close friends of his father but never got a chance to get to know Harry. He invited them over to the tower tonight for dinner. I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to talk to you about it, but…"
"That's fine." Tony interrupted Steve's ramblings as they entered the store. "The tower is a safe spot for Harry. Jarvis can keep an eye on them, and everyone will be there to help keep an eye on them. It also keeps your house a secret, which is what I think you both want."
"You're a good man Tony. Thank you for being my brother." Steve was called away by the seamstress and guided to another room, away from Harry. Bucky, Clint, Nat, and Severus were waiting for him.
Harry waited until Steve was safely in the other room before approaching Tony. "Did Steve tell you?"
"About your Godfather and Uncle joining us for dinner? Yea, he did. And like I told him, I have no problems with you using my tower as a safe place. Now, where are we and what are we doing here?"
Harry just shook his head, used to his brother's antics by now. "I am here to get measured and pick out materials and colours for my wedding robes. You just tagged along to be annoying."
"He's got you there, Tony," Bruce laughed. It had taken him a bit, but Bruce (and the Hulk) was now comfortable around magic. Harry, Steve, and surprisingly Phil helped him quite a bit with understanding magic and getting used to being around magic.
Tony gave a pouty look and put his hand on his chest, "I'm hurt. You're supposed to be my science bro."
"What does that have to do with anything? Besides, aren't brothers supposed to tease and bother one another?" Bruce just shot Tony a cheeky smirk.
Tony could only blink at the other man. He threw around the term science bro, but never in a thousand years did he expect Bruce to return the sentiment.
"If you are done breaking Tony," Lucius drawled. "We need to get the fitting started. Tony, Bruce, if you would like to wear muggle clothing to either wedding, that is not an issue. However, if you would like to have formal robes for the occasion, now is the time to get them. If you would like robes for an everyday occasion later, then we will come back another time."
Tony perked up, "Oh! I think I would like to get one. I don't know if I'll wear it to the wedding, but I think I want a formal robe."
Laughing, Harry guided his brother over to where the fabrics and colours were displayed. "Perfect, because I think I'll need help picking fabrics and styles."
"Have you picked out a colour already, Harry?" Lucius asked. He knew that Harry would be less than helpful with picking out fabrics and styles but hadn't put much thought to colour, so he was surprised that Harry had.
"Yeah," Harry rubbed the back of his neck and blushed a little. "I was going to wear blue."
"I have a feeling that we're missing something important," Bruce said to Tony, not trying to be overheard, but not being quiet either.
"In a traditional Irish wedding, the submissive partner usually wears blue." The head seamstress said as she joined the group. "Heir Grant told me that this was to be quite traditional, and I know the Grants hail from Ireland." The seamstress walked forward and offered Harry her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Potter-Black. I'm Jenise Dushka, and I'll be working on your wedding outfits. Does anyone have any ideas of what we want the robes to look like?"
"I do!" Jamie called out, holding his hand up. "I brought these pictures of Grandma and Mhamó on their wedding days, and Seanathair gave me a picture of him and Seanmháthair on their wedding day. Maybe we can combine ideas from their dresses for Mummy's."
Kneeling, Jenise took the photos from Jamie and looked them over. "Was there anything specific from these photos you wanted to see your mummy in?"
Harry watched with amusement as Jamie spoke with the seamstress, pointing out everything he wanted; he was glad someone knew what they wanted. Leaving Jamie to decide on parts of the outfit, Harry headed over to where the fabrics were displayed in all the colours of the rainbow. He focused on the outrageous number of blues and immediately regretted it. "Why in Merlin's name are there so many shades of blue?"
"No idea, but I would suggest you stay away from the lighter shades." Tony wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders and pointed to the darker end of the scale. "With your eyes and skin tone, I suggest you pick one of the jewel tones." Reaching out, Tony picked out five different shades of blue and handed them to Harry. "One of these would be best though it might also depend on what Jamie picks out for you." Turning them both around, Tony smiled as he saw Jamie and Jenise leaning over a sketch pad. "Are you really going to let your six-year-old son design your wedding robes?"
Harry shrugged and smiled. "I don't see why not. He learned from you all about proper fashion, and he has Steve's artistic eye. I guarantee he can design something better than I could ever pick out."
"Mummy! Look! What do you think?" Jamie ran over and showed Harry what he had designed. It was a flowing half-robe with slight bell sleeves. It had been embordered with shamrocks, horseshoes, Claddagh rings, triquetra knots, lavender, and a single Irish Penny.
"Jamie…I…this is amazing. I love it."
"Wonderful. I wasn't sure just how traditional a wedding you were planning, so I thought it might be prudent to have a penny embordered in the robes. Is there a particular year you would like for the penny?"
Smiling, Harry thought for a moment; he knew that they would be barefoot. That part of the tradition was having a penny in his shoe, which would be quite tricky considering. "That would be perfect. As for the year…I think nineteen-forty-three will do. Now I suppose I need to pick a colour?"
Lucius laughed, "yes, you do. While you do that, I will work with Jamie on his robes, and Tony and Bruce can take turns getting fitted while the other can watch over you."
"Hey!" Harry tried to argue, but Lucius was already guiding Jamie to the stand, leaving Harry to settle for just glaring at the older man's back. Sighing, Harry just turned his attention back to the fabric swatches Tony had given him. "Would it allowed for me to ask Steve's opinion on the colour?" Harry asked Lucius. He honestly had no idea which one he would look good in.
"Yes," Lucius agreed. "It is acceptable for him to weigh in on colour, though nothing else for your robes."
"If you like, I can take them across and ask his opinion right now while you all discuss styles for the others." Taking the swatches, Jenise walked into the other room where Steve was having his fitting done.
While he was waiting, Harry pulled out his phone and, after thinking for a few seconds, called Jared. "Jay, you busy? I need to ask you something." Catching Tony's eye, Harry pointed to the quiet out of the way corner where he headed to make his call.
"What do you need, Star?"
"I ran into Sirius and Remus today. Um…I was wondering…"
"Right. Well, I can tell you that they were questioned and subjected to multiple tests by both the ICW and Gringotts. It turned out that they were both being controlled by Dumbledore. Both men were cleared of all charges, including the false charge against Sirius. They have been searching for you since they were released; however, the goblins, ICW, and MACUSA all kept your information from them. They are in the States on business along with a, Fred and George Weasley. They have a series of successful joke shops in England and France and are currently looking into expanding here."
Harry sighed in relief, "Thanks, Jay. I was worried for a bit."
"I know, Star. Don't worry, okay, I'll be there for dinner tonight, and you have Steve and the others with you now. Just try to relax, and don't let Tony pick out Bruce's robes."
Laughing, Harry hung up the phone and made his way back just in time to stop Tony from convincing Bruce into trying on a hideous green robe.
I wanted to get the Samhain ritual in here, but it didn't work, and I didn't want to force it. I hope the next chapter comes out a little faster, but my brain has also decided to work on my LOTR crossover, so...
Let me know if there are any issues. I posted without re-reading the chapter, but as I've done nothing but read and re-read I figure it should be okay-ish. The recipes are all real recipes (even though I didn't post the ingredients) from my local newspaper from the late 1920s and early 1930s. If you want the recipes let me know and I'll post them/send them to you.
Also, my husband got Grammarly, so I've been using it and OMG! It wants me to add like 2000 commas! Never mind the other changes. I might be reposting my stories with the changes in them, but I'll make a note of it, and there shouldn't be any major changes.