I'm a little surprised by how quickly this chapter came together. The Muses were working with me on this one! Tissues, hopefully, will be needed for the end of the chapter.
"So," Tony was hanging off Bruce as they left the seamstress.' "I saw you and Natasha being all cozy this morning. Is there something you wanted to tell us?"
Bruce sighed but didn't bother trying to get the engineer off him. "No, Tony. There is nothing to tell you."
"Are you sure? You seemed rather close." Squinting his eyes, Tony studied Bruce, sure that the other man was lying.
"Oh, Tony," Harry crooned like he was talking to a child. "It's amusing how naive you can sometimes be. Nat looks at Bruce like a younger brother." When Tony still didn't get it, Harry looked at Bruce for his permission. "Bruce is gay."
"WHAT!" Tony jumped off Bruce to get a better look at his brother. "Really?"
"Yes, Tony." Bruce was having a difficult time, not laughing. "Natasha knows that I'm gay and has decided I'm her…how did she put it? Her gay best friend." The three men laughed.
"What's so funny?" Steve asked as he came up behind the three men with Jamie on his shoulders.
"Tony didn't know I was gay," Bruce supplied as he was the first able to breathe.
"You really didn't know, Tony?" Steve was surprised. He figured if anyone knew, it would be Tony. After all, the man always wanted to know everything about everyone.
"Wait," Tony immediately stopped laughing. "Captain Spangles knew, and I didn't. How does that work?"
Steve shrugged, making Jamie giggle. "When you grow up in a time when being gay is a death sentence, you learn to spot the signs without asking questions."
"Right," Tony shifted a little. "Well, if we're done here, let's head back to the tower."
"How are we getting back?" Clint asked.
Smiling, Harry began walking towards the public floo. "Everyone pick a magical partner. We're going through the floo."
"The what now?" Clint looked at Draco for an answer.
Draco sighed and glared at Harry. "The floo. It's a magical form of travel through fire." Not waiting for his fiancé to freak out, Draco pulled Clint to the public floo. Grabbing the floo powder, he smiled at Clint. "Hold on tight, close your eyes, and hold your breath." Taking a step forward, Draco pulled Clint with him into the fire. "Star Retreat!" with a whoosh, the pair disappeared.
"Holy Shit!" Tony exclaimed, looking equal pairs horrified and excited.
"Bruce," Severus stepped forward. "Shall we?" Taking hold of the scientist, Severus took him through the floo, followed quickly by Lucius with Natasha.
"Jamie," Harry reached up and pulled his son off Steve's shoulders. "You get to go next. Your granddads will be waiting for you on the other side. Remember, if you end up in the wrong fireplace, call for Mist or Twig immediately."
"Yes, Mummy." Taking the powder, Jamie stepped forward into the fire and quickly disappeared.
"He'll be fine, Mo grá," Steve pulled Harry into a hug. He knew about Harry's issues with the floo and understood his worry. "Why don't you take Tony through first. I'll follow with Bucky."
Giving Steve a quick kiss, Harry stepped away. "Come on, Tony. Hold on tight, whatever you do, don't let go." Grabbing his brother, Harry held Tony in a tight hug as they stepped through the floo. After a dizzying ride, they arrived in Harry's apartment in the tower. Knowing how bad Tony was probably feeling, Harry, guided the man off to the side.
Tony let go of Harry and dropped to his knees. "That was horrible. Please let's not do that again."
"I'm with you on that one, Stark," Clint groaned from his spot on one of the couches.
Smiling, Draco passed his fiancé a cup of tea off the tray. "Oh, don't be a baby," he teased. "Trust me, floo is not the worst way of traveling. Just wait until we have to apparate."
"I'm not sure I want to know," Bruce admitted as he accepted his own cup of tea.
Tony and Bucky settled on another couch, leaning into one another. Across from them, Harry and Steve shared a smile. A moment later, Tony and Bucky were pounced on by two white fluff balls. Laughing, Tony picked up his cat and held her up to his face. "Hello, beautiful."
"You got a cat?" Natasha asked with a scowl. "Stark, what are you thinking?"
"Natasha," Harry scolded. "I'll have you know Tony and Bucky both got a part Kneazle as a therapy animal. They are magical creatures and can look after both themselves and their human with few issues. Kneazles are highly intelligent creatures. It seems like these were breed with a Japanese Bobtail and Scottish Fold, both intelligent breeds. There is nothing to worry about; all four of them will be fine."
Shrugging, Natasha left the room. She would just wait until shit hit the fan, then she would tell them all she saw it coming. Giving Tony and Harry an apologetic look, Bruce went after his sister. Bucky stood with a sigh, his cat still in his arms. "I'll go and talk with her, try and find out what her issue is." Giving Tony's shoulder a pat and his cat a scratch, Bucky left the apartment.
"Well, Cat," Tony stood after a few minutes. "Let me show you where you'll be spending most of your time and work on getting your space set up." As he moved, Cat climbed up his arm and perched on his shoulder, looking like a queen on her throne.
"Wait!" Draco called, looking offended. "Tony, are you really going to call her Cat?"
"Of course," Tony smiled. Not waiting for the blond to continue criticizing his naming process, Tony left. "Honestly, they have no notion of what proper names are," he told Cat as they were in the elevator. Cat mewled in agreement. "Exactly. I'm glad you agree with me." Reaching up, he scratched under Cat's chin with his finger.
Stepping out of the elevator, Tony headed for his bedroom first. "This is where I sleep; you're welcome to sleep here as well." Leaving the room, he glanced into the bathroom and smiled. He could see the litter box all ready to go next to the toilet. "Looks like Mist got your things set up for you. I think you're smart enough to figure that out. Here is the kitchen, and there are your bowls. I'll have to remember to ask Harry or Steve if you need special magic food or if regular kitten food works for you."
Leaving the kitchen, Tony was pleased to see a large climbing tree had been placed in his living room. "Good to see everything up here is in order. Jarvis, do I have time to show Cat the lab?"
"As long as you do not get distracted by another project, I see no issues with showing Cat your lab, Sir," Jarvis answered quickly.
"Excellent!" he quickly headed for the elevator, which Jarvis had open and ready. "Let's go introduce you to your brothers Cat."
While Tony was occupied with introducing Cat to Dum-E, U, and Butterfingers, Bucky was busy being annoyed by Natasha. "Seriously, Nat, what is your problem with the cats?"
Natasha sighed and leaned against the wall. "I just don't think it's the best idea for Stark to be responsible for a living creature. It's bad enough Harry leaves Jamie with him, now Stark is supposed to be responsible for a cat twenty-four-seven. I just don't see it going well."
James couldn't believe what he was hearing. How can she really think that? Hasn't she been around for the last few years and seen how amazing Tony is with Jamie? "What? You've got to be kidding me! How can you think that?"
"Stark is a self-centered man child who doesn't think of anyone other than himself. He was irresponsible enough to nearly destroy his own house, fighting his best friend in the Iron Man suit while drunk. Tony Stark should not be an Avenger, and I told Fury as much after my mission."
"You had best hope Harry never hears you say that," Bucky shook his head. "I hope you're never around me when I'm deathly ill if you're going to hold those decisions over my head." Bucky took a couple of steps backward, not wanting to be near her right now. "I highly suggest getting your head out of your ass, take a good look at what's actually going on." Turing, he headed to his bedroom, needing to be alone for a bit. In his arms, the cat purred and rubbed against his chest.
Laying down on his bed, Bucky pet his cat, immediately feeling relaxed. "What to call you?" studying the cat sitting on his chest, James smiled. "You know your eyes remind me of dominos." Standing, the cat meowed at his human in agreement. "Alright then, Domino, it is." Needing the peace to calm his mind, James decided to put off checking on the set up he was certain Mist had done for Domino. Instead, the pair remained on the bed until Jarvis alerted them to Harry's panic.
Harry watched Bucky leave with an uncomfortable feeling in his gut. He knew Natasha still had issues with Tony concerning the other man's actions when he was dying. For some reason, she refused to believe that those were the actions of a dying man. On top of that, the assassin still refuses to believe that Harry was anything more than a paper pusher and mocked him for it.
Feeling arms wrap around him, Harry leaned back into Steve's embrace with a sigh. It was followed by a laugh when a small body slammed into his legs. Reaching down, Harry ran his fingers through Jamie's hair. "Let's head out into the kitchen. If I'm going to be cooking dinner for everyone, I need to get started sooner rather than later."
The rest of the group followed Harry out of the apartment's magical part and settled around the living room while Harry headed into the kitchen. Severus and Lucius followed Harry into the kitchen. "Harry," Lucius said, not wanting to startle his son. "We are going to head out. We will be back in time for dinner, though. I just think it might be better if we are not here when Sirius and Remus show up."
Harry paled at that thought. He hadn't thought of what Sirius would feel about him calling Lucius and Severus his dads. That was bound to cause some problems. "Okay. Don't forget to tell Jamie; he'll get upset if you don't."
Severus walked over and pulled Harry into a hug. "Don't worry so much, Harry. Everything will be fine. Nothing they say will change how anyone here feels about you. We just have something to order for you and Draco. We will be back for dinner." When Severus let Harry go, Lucius pulled him into a hug as well before they went to tell their grandson they were leaving.
"Harry," Draco asked after their dads had left. "You okay?"
"I'm not sure, Dray. Part of me is kind of excited to see Sirius, Remus, and the twins again."
"But?"
"I'm scared. They seemed excited to meet me back in third year, but there were also times when they seemed to expect me to be more like my father. There were a few times during the summer when I caught them nearly calling me James."
"That's not good. I get why you are nervous, but I also think that they seemed excited to see you. Don't feel like you need to keep them in your life if they upset you. We'll all stand behind you, no matter what you decide to do. I'm sure Tony would love to throw them out…through the window." Both men laughed at the thought.
"Thanks, Dray. Now, get out of my kitchen, so I can cook." Still laughing, Harry shooed Draco out of the kitchen. While he did feel a little better, he was still unsure. A small part of him really wanted Sirius and Remus to accept him and his family. Taking a deep breath, he tried to regain his focus and calm. In the living room, he could hear Tony and Bucky rejoining the group and, while it did help calm him a little, the panic returned after a moment.
An hour later and Harry had given up trying to cook and was just pacing the living room. After burning the food for a second time, Tony had steered his brother into the living room and asked Jarvis to order an insane amount of pizza. Harry was nervous about seeing his godfathers again. He hadn't had much time with either man before being thrown into the past, but he got the feeling that they had expectations about him, and he was scared that he wouldn't meet them.
"Mo Grá," Steve said quietly as he wrapped his arms around his fiancé. "You need to relax. Everything will be fine. If for some reason, they do reject you, it changes nothing with your family that matters. This family here is the one that you have chosen, and that has chosen you in return. If they can't see how wonderful you are and accept your choices, then that is their loss."
Sighing, Harry relaxed into Steve's hold, reminding himself how he had made his own family. The people gathered around him had chosen to be there for him over the last six years. Turning in Steve's hold, Harry reached up and kissed the man. "Thank you."
"Sirs," Jarvis said, breaking the silence that had followed. "Four men are arriving at the tower that match the description of Harry's guests."
"Thanks, Jarvis," Harry pulled away from Steve with a smile. "I'll head down and meet them." Giving Steve one more kiss, Harry headed for the elevator.
Sirius looked around the foyer in awe; beside him, Remus and the Weasley twins were little better. "I know," Harry said as he stepped out of the elevator. "I had that same reaction when I first came here. Come on; everyone else is waiting upstairs." Turning, he headed for the elevator, not waiting to see if the others were following him or not.
Quickly, not wanting to lose him, the four wizards raced after Harry. "So, um, do you live here?" Remus asked quietly after a few floors.
"No. I do have an apartment here, though, and I do spend a fair amount of time here. It's owned by my adoptive brother, Tony Stark."
"You've really come a long way, little Harrykins," Fred said with a smile. He and his brother had done well for themselves after the war. It had taken a long time, but they finally opened their own shop, and it immediately took off. They now had multiple stores and were currently looking into opening new stores in America. It was pure luck that Sirius and Remus, their investors, and co-creators, had run into Harry today.
Harry laughed, "Fred, you have no idea." Finally, they reached Bucky's floor. Harry had opted to meet there as he and Jay had put up more wards to protect the technology on the floor and the rest of the tower from magic. "Everyone," Harry called out. "I want to introduce you to Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, George and Fred Weasley. Guys, this is my family. My fiancé, Steve Rogers, and our son Jamie. My brothers, James, or Bucky Barnes, Tony Stark, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner. The lovely Natasha Romanoff. Then there is Jared and Phil -"
"Coulson?" Sirius looked at the older man in confusion. "Is that you?"
"Wait!" Harry looked between the two men in confusion. "You know each other? How?"
Jared looked over at Sirius and Remus with a fond smile. "Yes, we've met before." He turned his attention back to his brothers. "You remember Euphemia?"
Steve and Harry threw back their heads and laughed while Bucky cringed. "Yeah, I remember her," he admitted.
"How could we forget?" Harry wheezed. "She actually went along with your stupid imaginary boyfriend joke."
"That and she kneed Bucky in the groin when he tried to flirt with her," Steve added when he could breathe.
"Well," Jared ignored Harry and Steve, well used to their antics. "You remember how she went to England to study under Potion Master Gendre?"
"It was her and some Flea guy," Bucky said. "We met them on leave a couple of times."
"Well, she married him and ended up staying in England. She brought her husband, son, and her son's friends, with her to visit back in seventy-five."
Hearing that, Harry paled. "Oh, sweet Isolt." Slowly he sat down on the couch. He had never known anything about his grandparents other than their names on his inheritance test. "She married Fleamont Potter and had a son named James, didn't she?"
"Yes, she did. Why?"
"James Potter was my Father. Euphemia was my grandmother."
"Oh, that's just too rich," Bucky laughed.
"What's too rich?" Severus asked, standing behind Sirius and Remus.
Turning on his heel, Sirius scowled at the potions master. "What the hell are you doing here, Snivellus?"
"I happen to be considered family Black. Lucius and I adopted Harry six years ago and helped him move to the States."
Knowing what was going to happen, Draco got up and took Jamie's hand. "Come on, Munchkin, why don't we go in search of something for dessert and surprise your mum?" nodding, Jamie jumped up and let his Uncle steer him to the elevator. Clint sent Draco a questioning look, wondering if his fiancé wanted him to come with. Shrugging, Draco left it up to Clint; he didn't mind the company. Getting up, Clint was quick to join them.
"WHAT!" outraged Sirius turned back to glare at Harry. "How could you let HIM adopt you? After everything, he's done?"
"Everything he's done?" Harry asked in disbelief. "What he's done is keep me from killing myself, kept my son alive when I couldn't. Athair saved my life so many times while I was at Hogwarts. Hell, he stood in front of a werewolf to protect me. You have no right to get mad at him."
Sirius could only gape. He couldn't believe what Harry had just told him. How desperate had his Godson gotten that he tried to end his own life?
"If you have that much of an issue with them, then you can turn around and walk back out." Harry was trembling but doing his best to hide it. This was his worst nightmare coming to life before his eyes. It was only Steve's hand on his back that kept him from running and hiding.
Remus could see Harry's reaction much clearer than Sirius did. Reaching out, he grabbed Sirius' arm. "Just a moment Harry." Tugging, he pulled Sirius over into a corner. "What the hell are you doing? If you keep this up, Harry will refuse to have anything to do with us ever again!"
Shaking their heads Fred and George rushed forward and pulled Harry into a hug. "We missed you, Harrykins."
"Yeah, Hogwarts wasn't quite the same without you."
"Quiet,"
"No drama,"
"Boring!"
"Though," Fred smiled as he eyed Steve, who was standing protectively behind Harry. "I have to say,"
"You picked out a very nice,"
"Piece of eye candy."
Harry couldn't help but laugh at the twin's antics. It made him feel better that George and Fred accepted him. "Thanks, guys." Taking Steve's hand, Harry led them to the large open couch. "So, what brings you, trouble makers, here?"
"Well, as you know,"
"We were planning on opening our own joke shop."
"I remember," Harry interrupted them. He could feel the tension in Steve's body from trying to keep up with the twins. "You had some really great ideas. Jared said you were doing really well and looking to open a store here."
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Remus demanded, wanting to hit Sirius. "We have been worried sick for years, and now that we've finally found Harry, you are doing your best to push him away forever."
"I don't want to push him away. But how can he call Snivellious dad? It's not fair. If anyone should be his dad after James, it should be me!"
"You sound like a two-year-old who has been denied a favourite toy. Grow up. I have no intention of losing Harry again due to stupid childish rivalries. Get your head out of your arse before you lose your godson forever." Giving his brother an angry glare, Remus turned and stormed back to where the others were. Taking a deep breath, Remus made a bee-line to where Severus was standing with Lucius. "Severus. I would like to apologize for everything I was involved in during our school years. I really should have put a stop to James and Sirius. I'm sorry." Remus held out his hand, hoping to start over again.
Looking at the other man, Severus searched his face for any deception. Finding none, he took the other man's hand. "Thank you, Remus."
Letting go of Severus, Remus walked over to where Harry was talking with Fred and George. "Harry," Remus had to pause and take a breath. "I'm sorry for Sirius' outburst, but I won't make excuses for him. Not any more. I'm glad to see that you are happy and have found a family, Harry."
Harry smiled at the werewolf. "Thank you, Remus." Gathering his courage, Harry reached out to hug the other man. "It's good to see you, Moony."
In the corner, Sirius watched it all with a bit of shock. He couldn't believe that Moony had apologized to Snivellious or that Harry had threatened to cut him out of his godson's life if he wasn't nice to the Death Eater. Seeing how Harry acted around Snape was shocking, nevermind how the bastard acted around Harry. Maybe Remus is right. Sirius thought as he continued to watch the others interact. It sure looks like Snape and Malfoy have changed. I don't know what to do. Sirius wasn't sure if he was grateful or not when Draco returned with the muggle and Harry's son, each carrying food boxes.
"Mummy!" Jamie called from behind a stack of pizza boxes. "We found the pizza guy on our way home!"
"I can see that," Harry laughed as he took a few boxes from his son. Seeing Jamie like this made Harry think of Steve so much. Turning, he flashed, said man with a huge grin.
Knowing exactly what the wizard was thinking about, Steve pointed at him with a stern finger. "Not one word Harry."
"Reminds me of you, Punk," Bucky said with a laugh as he clapped Steve on the shoulder. "Looks just as small too."
"He's right, Twit," Jared laughed as he took a few more boxes from Jamie. "Though I think he's only small because of all the boxes he's carrying. Good job…Oh. I really can't call him that, can I?"
Steve, Harry, and Bucky all laughed, knowing full well what Jared was talking about. "No. You really can't, Plonker." Harry laughed. "Best stick to one of Tony's names for him or the Prat's."
"Come on," Clint whined. "We have hot pizzas here. I don't want to listen to you four arguing over nicknames." Setting down his boxes, Clint then took Draco's from him and pulled the blond down into his lap. The others followed them, all finding spots to sit, some on chairs and couches while others took the floor.
Looking up from his spot beside Phil, Remus saw Sirius still standing in the corner. Sighing, he shifted closer to Phil and gestured for Sirius to join them. Slowly, Sirius made his way over and accepted a slice of pizza from Remus. The four English wizards were shocked to see all of the pizza disappear into the Avenger's stomachs, nevermind the huge amount of desserts.
The rest of the evening was spent peacefully talking among themselves. Sirius avoided Severus like the plague, refusing to be polite to the man, yet not insulting and cursing him like he wanted to. Harry saw it as a small win and hoped that his godfather could get over whatever hang-ups he had from school.
It was after eight when Jamie fell asleep on his grandpa. "Harry," Lucius said quietly as he helped Severus stand. "We are going to head home and take this little Koala Bear with us."
Laughing, Harry walked over to hug his dads or as best he could with Jamie clinging to Severus in his sleep. "Yes, I can see there is a koala bear attached to athair. It does make sense for you to take him tonight; that way, we don't have to get up early for your trip tomorrow."
"Where are you taking the Mini-me this time?" Tony asked as he kissed the sleeping boy's head.
"The Aquarium," Severus said quietly. "Lucius suggested the Museum of Modern Art, but Jamie said he wanted to go there with Steve."
Steve smiled, "I did promise to take him to an art museum. Maybe, next weekend."
After a round of good-byes, Luc and Sev took Jamie through the floo. Seeing the older wizards leave, Fred and George decided to follow their lead. Standing, they said a quick farewell to Harry before pulling Remus and a reluctant Sirius to the elevator.
"Wait," Harry called, following the group. "Do you know how to use a phone?"
"We do," George said. He had enjoyed his time in the tower and had quite a bit to talk about with his brother.
Harry held out a piece of paper. "Here's my phone number and the floo address. You can do magic around the Avengers, but no one else. If you want, you can floo home as well. It's just through here." Slowly Harry led the four men through to his older apartment. "It was good to see you all again. I would like for you to visit again. Just call ahead."
George and Fred hugged Harry. "It's good to see you're doing so good, Harry."
"Georgie is right, Harrykins. We're glad your happy, and we'll come back soon." Letting their youngest brother go, the pair went through the floo, leaving Harry alone with Remus and Sirius.
Remus reached out his hand, not sure if Harry would accept a hug from him. Shaking his head, Harry pulled the older man into a hug. "It was good to see you, Moony.
"You to Pup. I'll come back and visit. Who knows, maybe I'll even extend my stay here."
"I'm sure Phil will be glad to have you around," Harry teased. He had noticed how close the two men had been over dinner. I'll have to ask Phil about that later. Blushing, Remus gave Harry one last hug then went through the floo.
Sirius stood by the fireplace, feeling a little uncomfortable. He had spent the night watching everyone and was surprised by how close they all were. "Harry…" Sirius wasn't sure what to say.
"Look, this is my family, Sirius, and nothing is going to change that. Accept it or not. That's up to you. I've fought too hard for my family just to let it go. I would like for you to be a part of it, but only if you can accept all of them." Harry held up his hand to stop Sirius' protests. "Don't say anything right now. Think about it first." Nodding, Sirius, just went through the floo.
Sighing, Harry made his way back to the living room where the Avengers were sprawled out on the couches. With a groan, Harry sat on Steve's lap and buried his face in Steve's neck. Without being asked, Jarvis turned on a movie and lowered the lights.
"If you don't mind, Tony, Harry, and I will stay here tonight," Steve said from his spot on the couch once the movie was over. It was late, and he didn't want to move off the sofa, nevermind floo home.
"Hey, technically, this is your apartment. I don't care what you do with it." Tony shrugged. Around them, the others were all slowly getting up and moving to their floors for bed. Despite having places of their own most of the Avengers all stayed in the apartments, Tony made for them.
"Thanks, Tony," Harry wrapped his arm around Steve's waist. "Though, you may want to take Bucky with you."
"Oh, God. Not again." Bucky hung his head while Jared laughed. "Tony, can I stay in your apartment tonight? I want to be as far away from these two horn dogs as I can." Blushing, Tony couldn't look away from the sad puppy-dog eyes Bucky was giving him and could only nod. Ignoring the smug looks the other's shot their way, Tony and Bucky headed for the elevator.
Pepper Potts walked into the Avenger's common floor with a tiny bit of nerves. While she was sure no one would get mad at her for being here, it had been a while since she was last here. So, she was not prepared for the number of people in the living room in varying stages of dressed and undressed. Thankfully, no one was naked.
"Pepper!" Tony cried out as he vaulted over the back of the couch. "What brings you here this fine Sunday morning? I'm not skipping out on a meeting, am I? Cause I was sure I was getting better at attending those."
Pepper had to smile at Tony and his energy. It surprised her a little at how much energy he did have considering what time it was.
"Tony," Bucky said as he wrapped his flesh arm around Tony and pulled the smaller man against his naked chest. "Relax, Doll. Who's your friend?" he couldn't help the possessive growl that accompanied the question.
"Oh yeah. I forgot you haven't met the amazing Pepper Potts yet. Pepper, this is Sergent James Barnes. Bucky, this is Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries."
"Wait, this is the Bucky Barnes? I thought he died in the war?"
"Almost ma'am." No matter how much the woman rubbed him the wrong way, Bucky couldn't be rude. His Mamma might just come back from the dead to yell at him. "I was captured, tortured, and brainwashed into becoming an assassin for the enemy. That is until Steve, and the others found me." It truly showed how far Bucky had come with Liz's sessions that he could so calmly speak of those horrors.
Pepper nodded before ignoring the man. "Tony, I came to remind you about the Board Metting you called tomorrow. I was hoping we could spend some time today talking about what it is you want to present. I don't want to go into the meeting blind. As it is, you are barely giving me enough time to come up with counter-arguments for when they vote against your idea. I just hope this won't be another waste of time."
Tony hid his flinch from Pepper, knowing that she was only trying to do her job, and Science knows he doesn't make it easy for her. While he could hide the flinch from Pepper, he couldn't hide it from Bucky. "What the hell do you mean by that?" Bucky asked angrily. "Why do you automatically assume that this will be a waste of time?"
"Clearly, you haven't been around long," Pepper didn't bother to look at the man. Instead, she checked over her nails. "The Board rarely agrees to any of Tony's cooked up schemes. I'm the one who has to keep Tony in line, so the Board doesn't try to get rid of him."
Bucky held Tony tight to his chest, feeling angry on the other man's behalf. He couldn't believe this woman dared to call herself Tony's friend. It seemed all she did was put Tony down and treat him like a child.
In the kitchen, Harry, Steve, and Jared were watching the drama unfold. Part of Harry wanted to go over and slap Potts for her attitude. He couldn't count how many times he had forced himself to walk away instead of giving her the slap she deserved. He had never been so glad when he found out Tony had never gotten around to asking the woman out.
"We need to do something before the Mororn kills Potts," Jared said, concerned. He didn't want his brother arrested or on the run for murder.
"I know," Harry said with a cheeky smile.
"Oh, Merlin. It's never good when you smile like that, Mo Grá."
"Hush. Actually, no, don't. I want you to swear."
Jared looked between the two men feeling confused. "Why does the Twit need to swear?"
"Tony and the others believe a lot of the stores about Captain America," Steve explained, blushing a little. "They think I'm some paragon of virtue and honour."
"That's such bullshit," Jared laughed.
"Exactly," Harry stated. "Which is why if Steve swears, it will put a stop to all the tension in the living room. I'm not convinced Phil won't faint. I bet someone will even drop their cup."
"Done." Jared reached out and shook Harry's hand. "I'll take that bet, ten Dragots. It can't be that shocking to hear Steve swear." Harry just smiled.
"Harry, I'm not going to just start screaming profanities."
Slowly, Harry sauntered up to Steve and ran his hands up Steve's chest. "What if I told you I had ordered another set of the black lace you liked so much…along with a few other sets?" Closing his eyes, Steve groaned and gripped Harry's hips in a bruising grip. Standing on his tip-toes, Harry licked Steve's ear, "and I'm wearing part of one right now."
"Oh, fucking hell!" Steve called out while Jared tried not to gag.
There was instance silence in the living room, followed by the sound of glass shattering. "Ha!" Harry cried out, jumping away from Steve. "You owe me ten Dragots, Plonker!"
"Am I hearing things, or did Steve just swear?" Clint looked around in shock. Beside him, Phil was blinking, his empty hand twitching a little.
In Bucky's arms, Tony tried to turn to look at Steve with little luck. Instead, he put a hand dramatically against his chest. "I can't believe my ears! Captain America just swore! It's the end of the world!"
Bucky just laughed. "If you think that's bad, then you clearly haven't been around the Punk for long."
"Why is Steve swearing such a big deal?" Jared looked between Bucky and Harry, confused. "He swears all the time." When his brothers only laughed at him, Jared turned to the Avengers, hoping they could answer him, only to be met by stunned faces too shocked to respond. Sighing, he looked for the broken glass; no need to leave that lying around. "Phillip," he scolded. "Pick up your glass before someone gets hurt and close your mouth." Behind him, Harry snorted.
Pepper looked between Tony and Steve with her hands on her hips. "Honestly, Tony. I can't believe you. What have you been telling poor Steve? Corrupting Captain America like that, I don't know what to do with you anymore."
Tony could only blink at her in disbelief. Is that what she really thinks? That I taught Steve those words and have corrupted him? How could she believe that? A part of him was aware of Bucky tightening his arms around his chest, trying to give what comfort he could.
"For your information Miss. Potts," Steve clenched his fists at his sides. He couldn't believe what she was suggesting. "Tony has not corrupted me in any way. I swore long before I became Captain America, and even after, I can tell you, soldiers in war are quite colourful in their language. Now, perhaps you should leave as you clearly do not understand our family."
Pepper could not believe what she was hearing. Captain America was scolding her as if she was a child. "I'll have you know that I am the CEO of Stark Industries!"
"Yes," Harry stepped around his fiancé and glared at the red-head. "And this is the private family quarters of Mr. Stark and the Avengers. As it is a Sunday, and Mr. Stark, the owner of the company, has not requested your presence, it would be best if you left."
Holding tight to Bucky's hand, Tony took a step away from the soldier. "The Rogers are correct. There is no need for us to discuss the meeting; I have everything under control. That will be all, Miss. Potts." His hands shook as he watched Pepper stormed off. When the elevator doors closed, Tony closed his eyes with a sigh and leaned back into Bucky.
"You did wonderful, Doll," Bucky held the smaller man to his chest and kissed Tony's head.
"Buck's right Tony," Harry said, reaching out to grab Tony's arm. "You handled her well. I can't believe what Pepper said. I know she's an excellent CEO, but you may want to put your foot down when it comes to your personal life. Now," Harry rubbed his hands together. "How about some breakfast?" not waiting for them to answer, Harry went back into the kitchen and proceeded to kick Jared out.
The rest of the team settled on the couches in silence. Sighing, Natasha leaned forward, "so Phil, Stark, what have you got on Hydra in Shield?"
The distraction seemed to work as Tony perked up a little. "Well, Jarvis and Phil have been going through the list of Agents. I have been going through Pierce's files with Jarvis's help. I think we're getting close to an answer, but it's going to take a little more time. Unless you want to just go in guns blazing and hope we get them all."
"No, I'd much rather get them all in one swoop," Clint said. "No need to keep wondering if they're going to grow another head or something."
"Yeah, I'm with Clint," Steve sighed. "I thought we got them all when I went into the ice."
"I've found some interesting data coming from a spot in Jersey. Jarvis is trying to decode it, but even he's having a difficult time with it. We may have to go straight to the source with this one," Tony admitted. Part of him was glad for the distraction, while another part was irritated that it was taking so long.
"Well, better that we take our time with this and be absolutely sure, then go in before having all the information," Bucky shrugged. Tony had to smile. It was like Bucky was reading his mind.
"We'll let you all know when we are closer to a strike; that way we can plan properly," Phil said. He knew they were all eager to get rid of Hydra. Still, they needed to know who was loyal and who was Hydra with one hundred percent certainty before attacking.
"How about you all talk attacks over food?" Harry stood in the doorway. "Breakfast is ready, so move it!" The others were all quick to get to the table, eager for Harry's cooking. Almost all the food was gone before the conversation started again. "What's everyone's plan for today?"
"I was going to meet up with Remus and Sirius in the Way for lunch today," Phil admitted trying not to blush. He was excited to reconnect with Remus after all these years. They had dated for a bit back in their teens. Still, it was challenging to keep the relationship going with them in two different countries. He was hoping they could rekindle their relationship.
"Would you mind if I came along?" Natasha asked. "I want to learn more about the magical world."
"Sure, I have no problem with it, and you can help keep Sirius in line."
Harry snorted into his cup. He may not have spent much time with the men, but he knew keeping Sirius in line would be difficult. Though, if anyone can do it, Natasha should be able to. "That's a good idea. Maybe you should take Bruce with you as well. He can talk with Remus about being a werewolf, and if the twins are, there you may need more help." Harry had noticed the looks George and Fred had been giving Bruce and figured he try his hand at matchmaking again.
Across the table, Bruce looked up at Harry in shock. "W-what? You want me to go with them?"
"Sure, why not?" Harry shrugged. "You have the calming draughts Sev gave you, so there's no major risk of hulking out. Besides, Remus is a werewolf; he knows what it's like transforming into a different form with no control. And Phil might need some help keeping everyone calm and under control if George and Fred are there."
Bruce thought for a moment before shrugging. "Sure, why not. I've nothing pressing going on in the lab. What time are you leaving, and how are we getting there?"
"I'm meeting up with them at eleven, and I have a portkey. So we don't have to floo. We can meet back here at ten forty-five." Phil stood and took his plate to the sink. "Breakfast was wonderful Harry, thank you. I have to get some paperwork done in the meantime." Heading to the elevator, Phil wasn't surprised when Nat and Bruce both joined him.
Harry waved his hand at the table and sent the rest of the dishes to the sink and washing. "What are our plans for the day?"
"Tony wanted to go over my arm and make sure everything was working alright. After that, I'm not sure, might just read. There are a few books I wanted to check out."
"I've got a few other projects to work on in the lab after running a diagnostic on Bucky's arm, so I'll be in the lab most of the day. If you want to bring your book down, you can hang out in the lab after I'm done. Dum-E would like to play fetch again." Standing, Tony started for the elevator but paused and waited for Bucky to join him.
Steve and Harry watched the pair with a smile. "So," Steve pulled Harry onto his lap. "Everyone else is gone, and your dads have Jamie for the day. What say you and I go home and enjoy some time alone?"
Harry leaned down and kissed Steve before getting up and slowly sashaying towards the magical apartment door. Opening the door, Harry paused and turned to look back at Steve. "Are you coming, Love?" He gave Steve a coy smile and was rewarded with Steve jumping up and rushing towards him. Harry yelped when Steve grabbed him and threw Harry over his shoulder. "Damn it, Steve! Put me down!" Laughing, Steve slapped Harry's ass as he went through the floo.
Over the next few weeks, Tony and Phil focused on going through Shield's personnel files while Jarvis continued searching through Pierce's files. It was left up to Bucky to force both men to stop, eat, and leave the office. Though, more often than not, he called in reinforcements, namely Remus. James would focus on getting Tony away from either the lab or the office and leave Phil for Remus to wrangle.
James had finally gotten up the courage and asked Tony out on a date. The pair were keeping it quiet and mostly went on 'dates' within the tower, though both men had plans for what their first public date would look like. When the team had found out money was passed over, mostly to Harry.
Tony and Bucky weren't the only couple to get together that month. Remus and Phil had begun dating again. They had spent the beginning of the month just spending time together, wanting to get to know one another again. Both men felt the connection and decided to try again.
Even Bruce and Natasha found themselves with magical attention. Sirius had been getting along better with Severus and Lucius. He was also doing his best to try and convince Natasha to go out with him, with limited success. Natasha later admitted to Clint that she enjoyed Sirius' attention and might let him 'catch' her. Clint only rolled his eyes at her before telling Draco and putting in their bet on the couple.
Bruce often found himself the center of attention of the Weasley twins. At first, it made him uncomfortable, having the two young men flirting with him. He had called Harry in a panic after one such time, wanting to know why George and Fred were playing with him. It took Harry days to convince Bruce that while the twins were pranksters, they never played with people's feelings. Harry finally had to talk with Fred and George about Bruce and get them to adjust their tactics. By Samhain, both Natasha and Bruce had accepted their magical's advances, though none of them were officially dating just yet.
The four British magicals did have to head back to England to settle some of their business affairs and apply for an extended visa. However, they were able to put it off until after the Samhain ritual. None of them wanted to go, but needs must. Sirius was confident that they would be back before Yule, especially with Harry and Jared's connections helping them. Their departure was scheduled for the fourth of November. First, though, the other magicals were going through the Samhain ritual.
Staring at the woodpile (ash, beech, blackthorn, hazel, holly, oak, rowan, yew) just waiting to be lit, Harry began to feel nervous. Why did I let them talk me into this? They had gathered at Jared's large country house for the Samhain ritual. He startled when he felt arms wrap around him. Looking behind him, Harry smiled when he saw it was Steve.
It had taken months, but Steve had finally convinced Harry to join them. Though, Steve thought with a smile. Most of the credit has to go to Jamie. The boy had asked Harry to pass his love along to his grandparents for him, and that had finally broken through Harry's reserve. "Come Mo grá," Steve gently pulled Harry towards the circle.
Taking a deep breath, Harry joined the others around the circle and sat crosslegged. At Jared's signal, everyone sent a spark towards the wood, lighting it. For a few minutes, Harry just stared at the flames, becoming memorized by the light. Feeling calm for the first time that week, Harry closed his eyes and let his mind wander. When he opened them again, he was in a white void, surrounded by mists.
"Oh, Sweetie."
Turning around, Harry was surprised to see Sarah Rogers standing in front of him with her arms open and waiting. "Mum?" he whispered, not quite believing. When she didn't disappear, he rushed forward, throwing himself into her arms. "I've missed you, Mummy." Buring his face in her shoulder, Harry let his tears flow.
"I know, Sweetie. I've missed all my boys, but I've never been far. You are an amazing mum; you know that. I'm so proud of you." Pulling Harry's face from her shoulder, Sarah kissed his forehead. It hurt, having to watch her boys suffer and not able to do anything about it. She would forever be grateful to her grandson for convincing Harry to take part in the ritual. "Come on, Sweetie. I want to introduce you to a couple of people." Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Sarah steered Harry to where Steve was talking with two other men. "Love," she called, getting the attention of a young man in military uniform. "This is our Harry. Sweetie, this is my Joseph."
Blinking through his tears, Harry reached out to shake the man's hand, only to be pulled into a tight hug. Close up, Harry could see the resemblance between Steve and this Joseph; clearly, this was Steve's father.
"Thank you. For helping Sarah look after our boy. I know he's not the easiest to keep out of trouble."
Despite the tears that continued to fall, Harry found himself laughing. "Da," Steve whined.
"I've been watching over you since you were born, Steven," Joseph scolded lightly. "I know how man fights you've gotten into."
"And, he's still getting into fights," the other man laughed. Harry looked at the other man. Harry was sure that he had never seen the other wizard before, yet he seemed familiar.
"Mhamó. I am fighting to protect the world."
"Harry," Sarah smiled at her youngest. "This is my mother, Stefanus Prince."
"Joseph is right," Stefanus said as he pulled Harry into a hug. "You do a marvelous job looking after steven here, and you both are doing a wonderful job with young James." Letting go of Harry, Stefanus pulled Steve into a hug before turning to his daughter and son-in-law. "I believe that is it for our time. We still have to visit my Theo." Stefanus gave Harry and Steve a smile, "you always remember that we are never far, no matter if you can see us or not. I look forward to seeing you next Samhain." Bowing, Stefanus disappeared into the mist surrounding them.
"As much as I hate to admit it, Mum's right." Reaching out, Sarah pulled both her boys into a hug together. "I love you both so much, and I couldn't be prouder of you. Give my love to little Jamie. And tell James that I love him and that he has picked a wonderful man." Kissing both her boys, Sarah let them go and joined her husband. "I love you all, and I'm always close."
"You look after one another and your family. We'll see you next year." Taking his wife's hand, Joseph led Sarah into the mist.
Pulling Harry in close, Steve was grateful for the soul bond that allowed them to share in the ritual. After a few moments, Steve noticed two shapes coming towards them through the mist. Smiling, he gently pulled Harry away from his chest. "Mo Grá, look."
Sniffling, Harry turned around and gasped. "Mom? Dad?"
"Hello, Harry," Lily smiled at her grown son.
Letting go of Steve, Harry slowly walked over to his parents. When he was within a few steps of them, Lily held open her arms in a welcome invitation, which Harry was quick to accept. Smiling at the pair, James reached out and held both his wife and son for the first time in years. "I'm so proud of you, my son," James said, kissing Harry's head.
Across from them, Steve watched with a smile. He knew how often Harry had wished for just this and was glad his fiancé had finally gotten his wish.
"I'm sorry for everything you went through, baby," Lily whispered. She still couldn't believe what her sister and Dumbledore had done to her baby. She owed the Rogers so much for taking care of her baby and showing him what a family was supposed to be. Speaking of… "Will you introduce us?" Lily asked as she finally let go of her child.
Nodding, Harry reluctantly pulled away from his parents and held out a hand for Steve. Moving quickly, Steve took Harry's hand, giving Harry what comfort he could. "Mom, Dad. This is my fiancé and soul bonded husband, Lord Grant, Captain Steve Rogers. Steve, these are my parents, Lord James Potter and Lady Lily Potter."
Steve held out his hand to James, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord and Lady Potter."
"None of that formal talk," James smiled as he shook Steve's hand. "We're family."
"He's right," Lily hugged Steve once James let him go. "Thank you for looking after my baby. I couldn't have asked for a better partner for my Harry."
"Mom," it was Harry's turn to whine at his parents, and it felt wonderful.
Turning to look at the mist, Lily frowned and let out a small sigh. Their time was almost up. With tears in her eyes, she pulled her baby into another hug. "I couldn't be prouder of you, baby. I love you so much. You give my love to my amazing grandson." Taking a step away, she gave Harry one more kiss. "I am always with you." Letting James hold their son, she went and hugged Steve. "You have our blessings. Look after them and yourself."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Harry didn't hear what his mom and Steve were talking about as he was far too focused on his Dad's arms around him. "I'm crazy proud of you,…Starfeathers," James said with a wink, making Harry laugh. "You're doing an amazing job, kiddo. Keep it up. Give that munchkin of yours a hug and kiss from us." Kissing Harry, James forced himself away from his little boy.
"We love you all so much." Lily blew one last kiss to her baby before the mists surrounded them.
Gasping, Harry opened his eyes and found himself back at Jared's with the feeling of love still surrounding him. Crying out, he flung himself at Steve, burying his face into his fiancé's muscular chest, and just let go. Steve wrapped his arms around Harry, rested his head on Harry's, and let his own tears fall.
Everyone was in a similar state around the room, each giving and taking comfort from their partners. Being the only one without, Draco got up and left the room, knowing that Clint would be just outside waiting for him.
Clint was the only No-Maj there. Tony and Bucky had taken Jamie trick-or-treating while Nat and Bruce had stayed at the tower with Sirius and the twins, watching horror movies. When Clint had learned that Draco would be visiting his mother alone, he had promised to wait behind. The archer knew that no matter how much Draco loved his dads, the man still missed his mother. So, he waited.
Hearing the door open, Clint jumped up just in time as Draco slammed into him. Hearing Draco's sobs, Clint could do nothing but hold him close. Gently, Clint moved himself and Draco down into the chair he had occupied for the last few hours. It took a bit, but he eventually got settled comfortably with Draco in his lap. He wasn't sure how long he sat there holding Draco, but eventually, the door opened again.
The first pair out was Jared and Liz, who smiled at him. "When you're ready for bed, call for Daisy, our house-elf. She will show you to your room. If you call for her when you wake, she can either direct you to the dining room or bring you breakfast."
"Thank you," Clint whispered back, not wanting to disturb Draco just yet.
Slowly Jared and Liz made their way down the hall to wait for their guests. They did not have a chance to show the others to their rooms before the ritual as Harry had dawdled until the last possible minute.
Lucius and Severus were the next out; each man had his arm wrapped around the other and tear tracks on their faces. Together they headed for Clint and Draco, enveloping both men into a tight hug. "Thank you for looking after him, Clint," Lucius whispered, kissing his soon-to-be son-in-law on the hair. Once they had both checked on Draco, Luc and Sev left the pair alone.
Next, to come out were Phil and Remus holding hands. It was clear to Clint that they had not been affected as strongly as the others had. Last out was Steve carrying Harry. It shocked Clint to see both men still crying. "Steve?" he asked. It hit the archer hard, seeing his captain like this. The man was a pillar of strength, at least when he wasn't goofing off.
Hearing his name, Steve looked up at Clint and forced a small smile onto his face. "It's okay, Clint. It's been a while since I saw my parents and grandmother. And I got to meet my in-laws." Clint simply nodded and smiled at his captain. Smiling in return, Steve headed down the hall, eager for a bed. The Samhain ritual was the most challenging and rewarding of all the rituals he had done.
Steve followed Liz, glad to be given a room on the main floor. Smiling at the pair, Liz opened the room and went in to turn down the bed. Giving Steve a comforting pat on the shoulder, she left the two men, closing the door behind her. As gently as he could, Steve laid Harry down on one side of the bed, pulling the man's socks off. Climbing into bed next to Harry, he was glad they had decided to wear sweat-pants and t-shirts. Steve wasn't sure he had the energy to change his own clothes, never mind Harry's.
Back in the hall, Clint was glad that Draco's cries had lessened. Deciding it was time for a bed, he shifted Draco enough to pick the blond up. "Um…Daisy?" Clint called, feeling a little silly.
A soft pop alerted him to the house-elf's presence. Taking a look at the pair, Daisy held out a hand. "If Masters be preferring, Daisy can pop them into their room."
Clint studied the thing for a moment, thinking. "Yeah, sure. Thank you, Daisy."
Taking hold of the archer's pants, Daisy popped the pair into their room. Snaping her fingers, Daisy turned down the bed and warmed it gently. "Yous be calling for Daisy if needing anything." With another pop, she was gone.
Sighing, Clint gently laid Draco down on the bed and tucked him in. Moving quickly, Clint raced to the other side and crawled in, pulling Draco close. "Clint," Draco whispered some time later. "My mother likes you. She says we have her blessings."
"That's good," Clint whispered, feeling half asleep.
"Clint," Draco called again. Clint just hummed a response. "Your…your, mom, and dad came to see me." Now wide awake, Clint sat up to better look at Draco. "They say they are sorry for leaving you and Barney alone; they never wanted to leave you. But they asked me to tell you that they are very proud of the man you've become and sent their love to their Little Bird."
Hearing his mom's nickname for him, Clint started to cry. Reaching out, Draco wrapped his arms around his fiancé and pulled the other man down onto the bed. Knowing exactly how Clint was feeling, Draco just held him, letting the other man cry. Eventually, they both fell asleep, wrapped around one another.
At the tower, the night was relatively peaceful. Tony, Bucky, and Jamie had dressed up as the three Musketeers and out in search of candy. The two men were even responsible enough to have Jamie back at the tower, bathed, and in bed, within the time range, Harry asked for. Jamie's bedtime was followed by Tony and Bucky only a couple of hours later. They had to get up early the next morning to get Jamie to school. Steve had arranged with the school for the pair to be given a port-key to drop Jamie off and pick him up.
Getting up the next morning, Tony went to get Jamie up and make sure Bucky was awake. Hearing voices from the kid's room, Tony smiled and headed for the kitchen. Clearly, Bucky and Jamie were up and getting dressed, so no need to check. Guess I'll start on breakfast and coffee…what the hell is on my couch? Walking into the living room, Tony had to cover his mouth to stop himself from laughing.
Sirius was sleeping on one couch as Padfoot, while Natasha used him as a pillow. His other couch had been enlarged, and Bruce was being sandwiched between the red-headed twins. Smiling, Tony pulled out his phone, took a picture, and then texted Jarvis to warn Bucky and Jamie to be quiet. Heading into the kitchen, Tony quickly made a pot of coffee before pulling out Eggos, butter, and syrup. By the time he had cooked a package of waffles, Bucky and Jamie had joined him.
"Would you look at that," Bucky smiled as he guided Jamie into the kitchen. "Tony made breakfast without burning it." Jamie laughed as he accepted a plate from Tony.
"Bite me, Barnes. It's not like your much better." Tony mocked as he passed another plate over. "Keep it up, and no coffee for you."
"That's just cruel, Tony," Bucky pouted, making Jamie laugh again. "Can you believe this little Punk, keeping coffee from me? Honestly."
Winking cheekily, Tony slid the cup of coffee across the island to Bucky. "Feel better now, Sweetheart?" Tony swallowed hard, blushing. He couldn't believe he just called Bucky sweetheart, like…like some kind of lover.
"Thank you, Doll," James couldn't resist flirting back. That blush looks lovely on him. I'll have to make sure it's there more often.
"Uncles," Jamie jumped down and took his plate to the sink. "I think we need to leave soon, or I'll be late for school."
"Shit!" jumping up, Tony threw back the rest of his coffee. "Grab your bag, kiddo, and let's go. Your Mum will kill us if you're late." Following Tony's lead, Bucky downed his coffee and joined the pair as they all headed for the magical apartment. Taking hold of the school shield badge they had been given, the three disappeared.
I apologize for nothing! I hope that Sirius' reactions don't seem too forced. Honestly, I had no intention of bringing him, Remus, or the twins into the story, they just pushed their way in. Now I'm stuck trying to make it all work.
The next chapter should have the Hydra attack and a Phantom reveal. Fingers crossed.