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Tony woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly refreshed after the long flight and time change. Sliding silently out of bed in the darkened room, he yawned as he made his way into the bathroom. His first meeting wasn't until 11am, made purposely so they could all ease into the time change. A quick glance at his watch showed it was just a little before 9am, giving him plenty of time to shower and shave, have breakfast, and drive to lower Manhattan.
Tony always enjoyed going to the World Trade Center and had rented out a large conference room on the 110th floor of the North Tower, adjacent to the Windows on the World restaurant. The view was spectacular and Tony wanted to study the WTC complex itself as a model for the tower he was planning on building. While the price of land in the city was high, if he was able to buy a block, he wanted a tower and at least one auxiliary building.
The slow opening of the bathroom door and a quiet yawn announced he wasn't alone, Tony smiling as he watched Harry pull off his pajamas and join him in the huge shower.
"Good morning, bambino." Tony picked his son up and kissed the top of his head as Harry buried his face in Tony's neck.
Laughing, Tony leaned his head back and finished rinsing the shampoo out. He grabbed the washcloth and gave Harry a quick wash. With one hand he managed to squirt a little shampoo in the tousled hair, scrubbing it gently.
"Cover your eyes, kiddo," Tony instructed as he turned into the water to rinse them both off.
Once they were done, Tony turned the water off and grabbed a fluffy towel off the warmer, wrapping it around Harry. A brisk rub and Harry had lifted his head with a protest.
"I can do it, Papa!"
Chuckling, Tony put him down and grabbed his own towel. Quickly drying off, Tony led Harry out of the bathroom and into the walk-in closet. Harry's clothes were all on the bottom racks, so he as able to pick out what he wanted to wear on his own.
"Papa, am I going to your meeting with you?"
Tony looked to see Harry's hand reaching for a black suit jacket. "No, bambino, you and Uncle Sirius are going to go explore the area and maybe go to the park for awhile."
"Without you?"
Tony stepped into his trousers before moving to kneel in front of Harry. "I'll come back then we'll go out all together, okay?"
Harry tilted his head back for a moment, his luminous eyes searching Tony's face, before he nodded. "Okay, Papa – can I wear my jeans to the park?"
Reaching over, Tony ruffled his hair. "A perfect choice, bambino."
Tony watched as Harry picked out a pair of black jeans and a red shirt with a dragon on it, carefully matching his underwear and socks to the shirt. Grinning, Tony reached for a red dress shirt and a black tie, which he looped around his neck, before grabbing his suit jacket. Harry picked out a black pair of sneakers and sat down on the small bench near the door to put them on, Velcro straps making the process easier for him. Standing, Harry bounced a couple times to make see if his shoes felt right as Tony watched indulgently.
Sirius stepped out of the bathroom, towel around his hips as Harry led Tony out of the dressing room, still looking half asleep. Tony leaned over to kiss him before stepping back quickly when Sirius made a grab to pull him against his still dripping body. He latched onto Harry instead, who squealed when Sirius shook drops off his wet hair.
"Daddy! Stop!" Harry yelped, lunging towards Tony. "Papa, help!"
Both men froze for a moment, exchanging wide-eyed looks, before Tony scooped Harry out of Sirius' arms and headed for the door. "Hurry up, Daddy, or we'll eat all the bacon!"
Taffy had breakfast waiting for them, eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit, making sure Harry's plate had more than just bacon and blueberries on it. Pepper joined them a few minutes later, coffee and toast popping up in front of her as she slid onto a stool at the breakfast bar. In her hand, Tony could see was their schedule for the day, several things underlined and others circled.
"Are we still flying under the radar?" he asked Pepper as she reached for another piece of toast.
Pepper nodded as she spread grape jam on her toast. "All the LA office knows is that we have meetings away from the office for the next week. They aren't expecting either of us back until after Labor Day."
Taking a swallow of his coffee, Tony considered for a moment – today was the 31st, which gave them two working days plus the three-day weekend before they were due back.
"I'd like to work in a surprise visit to the office here, hopefully before word leaks out that I'm in town." He drained his cup and set it down on the counter. "Any word where Stane is hiding out?"
Happy had joined them while Tony was talking and shook his head. "Not that I've heard – he could be in LA or he could be here in New York, he's got houses both places."
"Which means everyone needs to be on their toes and make sure the house-elves stay close," Tony directed. "We know he has friends in the Wizarding world who might help him. Be very careful of things thrown at you – while the runic arrays on the bracelets we made you both should prevent Port Keys, I still don't want to take any chances."
Sirius trotted down the stairs, clad in black jeans that hugged him in all the right places and a dark red tee shirt, reaching out to snag a slice of bacon off Harry's plate.
"Daddy! Mine!" Harry laughed as he tried to cover the rest of his plate.
Tony laughed at their antics, while Pepper gave the two men a sharp look. Smirking at her, Tony lifted an eyebrow as they watched Sirius try to snag another piece of bacon, even though Taffy had put his plate in front of him. She rolled her eyes at him and checked her watch.
"All right, boys!" Tony leaned over and kiss Harry's head. "Have fun at the park and I will see you this afternoon."
"Papa! You have to kiss Daddy, too!" Harry's expression was absolutely
Tony dutifully bent over Harry to peck Sirius, who was less than cooperative when he turned his head and captured Tony's lips in a real kiss. Harry's giggles under him prompted Tony to pull away before it became heated, a teasing look in Sirius' gray eyes.
"Come on, Casanova, time to go," Pepper snarked, gathering her purse and file folders.
Happy had gone down to the garage ahead of them, to bring the car around to the private elevator and was waiting for them. He held the door open as Pepper and then Tony slipped in. Hearing a grumbled greeting as Happy slid behind the wheel, Tony grinned, knowing Happy needed more coffee before he would be sociable – or as sociable as Happy ever got. He left the partition between the seats down as they pulled out into the late morning traffic in Manhattan.
"Tony, you still need to fix your tie." Pepper was reaching for him before he could move. "Here, let me do it!"
Turning his body toward her, Tony couldn't help but smile as Pepper tied his black tie with quick, precise movements, feeling like he was about Harry's age. "Thanks, Pep."
Tony smoothed his hand over the tie, tucking it inside his suit jacket and then turned his eyes back to the sights of New York City. He admired the architecture of the buildings they passed, making metal notes on things he saw and liked. The drive was made in a comfortable silence, each lost in their thoughts as Happy navigated the unique NYC traffic. Tony went through his mental notes on the meetings he had lined up for theb day, both magical and mundane.
"Lobby or elevators, Boss?"
Snapping back to the present, Tony leaned forward. "Garage elevator, please, Hap."
As Happy pulled into the underground garage, Tony kept a keen eye on their surroundings, the 1993 bombing in the forefront of his mind. He was impressed with the quality of the reconstruction, wiping out all signs of the blast. Pulling up to valet parking, Tony opened his door while Happy went around and helped Pepper out. A security guard greeted them quietly and escorted them up to the top of the tower.
Once the guard had excused himself, Tony looked around the room, noting the wall of windows which looked out on to the Hudson River and the large rectangle table in the center of the room. There were four chairs on each side of the table and one at each end. The end furthest from the door had been set-up with pads of paper for note taking and elegant looking ball-point pens. A coffee service stood on a credenza just inside the door and Tony took mug from the back of a stack and peered suspiciously inside it before he poured coffee from a carafe.
"You want one, Pepper?" Tony asked out of habit.
"Thank you, no," Pepper was organizing file folders on the top of the table, before taking the seat on Tony's right.
Tony was just seating himself when a tap came on the door. A glance at Pepper told him she was ready and he gave Happy a nod. Happy stepped from his post and turned the door knob with his left hand, his right on his gun. He swung the door wider as he turned toward Tony.
"Mr. Stark, Auror Captain Graves."
Standing, Tony gestured to the chair on his left, keeping his face a neutral mask as he took in the elegant suit the wizard was wearing. "Captain Graves, welcome."
They shook hands and Tony introduced Pepper, who nodded in acknowledgement. Graves was seated, mug of coffee in front of him as Tony pulled one of the folders in front of him.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me this morning, Captain Graves."
"Your invitation intrigued me, Stark," Graves cradled the mug between his hands. "Especially the request to meet off-duty."
Tony smiled and tapped a finger on the folder. "I have heard through the grapevine that you are considering retirement from MACUSA."
"Damn Proudfoot!" Graves muttered, taking a sip of coffee. "Yes, I've put in my papers."
Grinning, Tony tapped the folder again, before slowly sliding towards Graves. The Auror stopped the folder with his hand. "What's this?"
"I'd like you to become the Head of Security for the East Coast division of Stark Industries, working with Happy Hogan here, to coordinate security for the magical factory, as well as assisting with my family's personal security here in New York." Tony nodded at the folder. "That is our offer, a contract, and a timeline of how soon the Tower will be built,"
Graves flipped open the file and began skimming through the paperwork. "Where is this magical factory and what are you making?"
Tony slid his hand into his pocket and drew out the enchanted mirror Sirius had made for him. "Eventually, we will be manufacturing cellular phone that work with magic. In the meantime, we will be manufacturing these. We've retrofit an older factory just outside the city for it."
Standing, Tony handed the mirror over to Graves and exchanged smirks with Pepper. They watched as Graves turned the mirror over in his hands, examining it closely. The rune array which allowed the mirror to use the ambient magic of the magical person holding it were actually inscribed on the underside of the glass itself and not visible.
"If you would say Sirius' name into the mirror, Captain," Tony directed, "you will see how it works."
Graves scowled and shot him a pointed look, before holding the mirror up in front of his face. "Sirius Black!"
The mirror turned opaque and then Tony heard Sirius' voice come through. "Prongslet! Are you answering my mirror?"
"Yes, Daddy!" Harry's voice came through. "Papa – oh, Mr. Captain!"
"Hello, Harry, how are you?"
"I'm good, Mr. Captain and here's my daddy."
The was a bit of a shuffling sound over the mirror, before Sirius' voice was heard. "Sorry about than, Captain Graves – nice to see you again."
Tony thought he could almost see a smile on Graves face as Sirius became visible in the mirror.
"Auror Black—"
"Just Sirius, sir, please."
"Sirius, then, what can you tell me about these mirrors?"
"Marauders Mirrors were originally created while James and I, along with our friend Remus Lupin, were still at Hogwarts." The pride evident in Sirius' voice. "I'll let Tony explain the rest as I have an energetic five-year-old to chase after."
Graves looked up from the now deactivated mirror, a contemplative look on his face. "What is the range on these and how long do they last?"
"We've tested them to one hundred miles before the image degrades and they last as long as they are held, as they are powered by the natural ambient energy magicals have. The rune array they use will even allow some squibs to utilize them" Tony stated as Graves slid the mirror back over to him and he tucked it back in his inner pocket. "I thought we might ask the Aurors to field test them – what do you think?"
Pulling the paperwork out of the folder, Graves reached for the pen Tony had pushed towards him. "I'm interested and the pay is more than generous. My official retirement date isn't until the beginning of December – does that pose a problem?"
Tony grinned at him. "Not at all. In fact, that should coincide with the start of construction on Stark Tower, as it will take that long to secure a property and permits to begin construction. Just in time for us to start doing background checks on new employees."
"Heard you had a few problems in California," Graves said, looking between Harry and Happy. "Apparently, Aurors could learn a thing or two from Mr. Hogan about bringing down arrogant wizards in non-magical areas."
Tony could have sworn Happy almost smiled. "Hogan can give you shooting lessons, if you'd like. If fact, if you need anything further, Happy, as the Head of the Security Division, will be your point of contact if you have any further questions."
Graves remained seated and stared at Tony, who lived his eyebrows in question.
"Proudfoot mentioned taking Yaxley into custody and I believe there may be more former Death Eaters in the States who might target your son. I assume you have made provisions for that and how this will impact our protection of your family."
"Well, technically, you were employed as soon as you signed your contract," Pepper interjected, shooting Tony a look. "And your salary starts now."
Tony gave Graves an assessing look, but he'd trusted him since they had talked at the Embassy in London. The man was no-nonsense, of course, but smart, capable, and much more useful when he was provided with all the information.
"The next two interviews coming through that door are both architects, one no-maj and the other magical with proposals for designing Stark Tower. After that will be a realtor with several properties for sale, which I am hoping to pick one of by the end of the week." Tony laid out their schedule. "Then I'll be joining Sirius and Harry in the park. As for the protections we have in place, each of the people I think of as family has a house-elf assigned to them for personal protection. Each of the non-magicals has an amulet or bracelet inscribed with protective runes and enchanted to provide a shielding charm if they are attacked."
Nodding, Graves continued to watch him intently. Tony sighed, exchanging a look with Happy.
"My fear is Dumbledore will join forces with Obadiah Stane to find a way to kidnap Harry and iObliviate/i my memories of both Harry and magic. It was the specific threat Dumbledore threw at me when he attacked us in Malibu."
Graves ran a hand over his jaw. "How are your mental shields?"
Tony grimaced. "I'm working on them – the goblins arranged a tutor while we were in London, and I'm hoping I can find another here in New York." A thought occurred to him. "Where is the magical district here?"
Graves appeared lost in thought for a moment. "If it's agreeable to you, Mr. Stark, I will go check those addresses you have for any magical anomalies while you are speaking to the architects. I'll return here this afternoon and escort you to the shopping district."
Tony saw Pepper nod her head in agreement as did Happy. "I would appreciate that, Graves – say meet back here at 2 o'clock?"
Tony stood when Graves inclined his head and extended his hand. He watched as Graves nodded to Pepper and paused to shake Happy's hand, before disappearing in a crack of Apparation. Moving to refill his coffee, Tony stepped over to look out the windows at the Hudson River.
"I think that went well," Pepper said briskly. "I can handle blunt and honest. What do you think, Happy?"
"I can work with him."
Tony almost rolled his eyes at Happy's deadpan expression. "Thank heavens!" he exclaimed dramatically, his grin giving him away. "How soon do you think we can go through the Stark employees at the New York office and factory?"
"Every employee received the email at the same time, Tony," Pepper reminded him. "I have just over one hundred of them scheduled for interviews on Friday, with the same set-up we had in LA."
"Maybe Graves could help there," Happy interjected, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Great idea, Happy!" Tony agreed, making a mental note to ask Graves when he returned. "I'm hoping Gringotts has news on the Potter house-elves Dumbledore imprisoned at Hogwarts."
A knock signaled the arrival of the first of the architects and Tony smoothed down the front of his suit jacket before sitting down, giving Happy a nod. The next several hours were filled with blueprints, architectural models, and photos of building sites. The tower Tony initially liked was taken out of the running when Pepper had objected:
"Tony, that's not even a phallic symbol, it's a penis! No, an observation deck just adds to the penis look! You do not want your company to be represented by a round penis building with your name on it!"
In the end, a 100 story, more stylized tower, with the top seven floors incorporating an outdoor deck, a helipad, and two large balconies on the penthouse levels. The architect was actually a first-generation wizard and worked with a construction company which utilized both mundane and magical techniques. The site specifics to support the tower and two auxiliary building were outlined by the architect, which gave Tony a better idea of which site would be most beneficial. The construction engineer cautioned them about locating the tower too close to the river, based on the depth of the needed support structure and the parking garage.
Pepper prepared a letter of agreement between Stark Industries and the two companies, as well as NDAs, which Tony signed without reservation. The architect allowed Tony to keep the model of the tower to study and Tony planned to have JARVIS scan it for structural weaknesses before they signed the final papers.
Tony and Pepper went through the sites available with both of the real estate brokers, Tony for the structural needs and Pepper with an eye to location and suitability. Between them, they eliminated all but three building sites, each about a square block in size and all with dilapidated structures on them which would have to be removed. One of those was the location Tony had mentioned to Sirius, up Park Avenue and close to both the Chrysler Building and Grand Central Station. There was close access to mass transit as well as hotels and restaurants. Pepper favored a smaller site near Lower Manhattan, adjacent to The World Trade Center and Wall Street.
There was also a penthouse apartment within a couple blocks of the Park Ave site which had almost double the space as the one they were renting at the moment, including a floor with offices and conference rooms which could double as a classroom for Harry to begin his studies. Tony and Sirius had already begun to search for someone trustworthy who would be able to begin to tutor Harry. Sirius had already sent out a letter to Remus Lupin, asking him to meet with them. Tony, who remembered the quiet, studious man had questions about where Lupin had been the past four years and where his loyalties really were.
Taffy popped over with lunch for them, making sure Happy had a thick roast beef sandwich. Tony gave him an envious look as he ate the chicken Cesar salad Pepper had ordered for them. It was the trade off, she told him, for the calorie rich food he liked to eat for dinner. Tony rolled his eyes at Happy who snorted, but neither said anything as Pepper glared at them. Tony was already planning on a cheese burger and shake as an afternoon snack, knowing Harry would back him up.
While they were waiting for Captain Graves to return, Tony had Zin pop him back to the penthouse and changed into a pair of black jeans, leaving his shirt and jacket on. He wanted to be comfortable if they were going to hike around building sites.
"Papa!"
The tiny tornado would have knocked him on his ass if a firm hand hadn't grabbed his shoulder. Sirius' eyes were full of mirth and Tony was sure he was containing a laugh at his expense.
"Bambino! Are you home from the park already?" Tony asked, scooping Harry up and peppering his face with kisses.
"Yes!" Harry laughed, scrunching up his shoulders as Tony tickled him with his goatee. "Daddy said we could go with you now."
Tony looked at Sirius who shrugged, still smiling. "That is if your Papa, Pepper, and Mr. Happy are finished with their meetings, remember."
"Did you eat lunch?" Tony shifted Harry to his hip and looped an arm around Sirius' waist.
"We did! Taffy gave us the same healthy lunch she made for you and Pepper." Sirius grimaced.
"I love the crumtons!"
"Croutons, baby boy," Tony kissed Harry's forehead. "The healer will be very happy that you and Sirius are eating the right foods to get healthy."
"Daddy said a naughty word about salads," Harry giggled and hid his face in Tony's shoulder as Sirius gave a mock yelp.
Snorting, Tony carried Harry into the bathroom before grabbing one of the caps they'd had Harry wearing when they went out. Together, their house-elf guards popped them back to the conference where Happy and Pepper were waiting. Harry explored the room while they waited for Graves to return.
"Will the car be big enough for all of us?" Pepper asked quietly, as they watched Harry exclaim over the view of the Hudson.
"One of us can cast a small Expansion Charm on the inside, it will give us more room," Tony reassured her.
A knock on the door announced Graves return, sending his son scurrying over to him. Harry peered from around Tony's leg as Graves stepped into the room. Reaching down, Tony picked him up as he walked towards the door.
"Captain Graves will be coming with us, bambino."
Harry gave a shy nod. "'lo Mr. Captain."
Graves' lips actually twitched upwards as Harry buried his face in Tony's neck. Patting him on the back, Tony inclined his head towards Sirius, who had straightened to his full height.
"I know you've met before, Captain Graves, but allow me to present, Sirius Black." Tony smirked as Sirius rolled his eyes.
The men shook hands, eyeing each other before Sirius grinned. "Heard a lot about you, sir, Mad-Eye Moody always sang your praises."
"Indeed, he may have mentioned what pains in the ass you and Potter were."
"He loved us!"
"Papa!" Harry's voice was supposed to be a whisper. "Mr. Captain swored!"
They all laughed and Tony cast a Disillusionment Spell on Harry as Sirius helped Pepper gather up her files. They moved to the elevator with the security guard escorting them and it was a quick trip down to the garage. The car was waiting for them and Tony watched as Happy did a walk around it while Graves surreptitiously flicked his wand over it. Once both men deemed the car safe, Sirius stepped forward as Happy opened the back door, leaning in and casting an Expansion Charm. He slid inside with Pepper following him, then Tony and Harry. Graves took the front passenger seat as Happy took the wheel.
They started with the Lower Manhattan site Pepper favored. The traffic seemed even more congested in this area than it had in the morning, with the street narrower than most. Pepper jotted down their observations as Happy negotiated traffic towards the second site, a few block away from the United Nations, amid embassies and older neighborhoods. This site was larger than the first, but the block had a number of older, multistory buildings which would have to be removed, as well as an area which had been used to repair cars that would have to have toxic chemicals removed.
The last site was the Midtown site, which was the largest of the three. While there were several building on the property which would have to be torn down, there were no hazardous material concerns. The streets were wider in this area and the proximity to Grand Central Station a bonus. It was also the most expensive of the three sites and the furthest away from the water. Pepper was the one to point out the benefits of being able to dig deeper at this site than the others.
Parking the car, Tony carried Harry and walked with Sirius and Graves around the site, continued the block and a half over to where the penthouse for sale was. Graves titled his head back and looked up at the column of steel and glass, then signaled them to follow him. Tony exchanged a surprise look with Sirius as Harry swiveled his head back and forth, trying to take everything in.
Graves led them to an elevator set in an alcove off the lobby and, once everyone was inside, he drew his wand and tapped the single button on the gleaming panel. Tony was surprised when it dawned on him that this building had to be magical. The doors opened into a large open foyer with a frosted glass double entry door. Another tap of Graves wand opened the doors leading into the living room. Tony saw a hallway to his right and to his left was a kitchen area that opened up to the living room.
Stepping down into the two steps, he saw on wall of windows leading out to a balcony with the other two walls done in a charcoal gray and large windows. A fireplace was centered on the far wall and the floor done in a plush dove gray carpet. It seemed the accent colors were a vivid blue, along with brass fixtures. Harry wiggled to get down and Tony let him, giving his son a chance to explore the area on his own. This living room, actually the entire penthouse, felt bigger than the one they were currently staying in.
"This has a total of seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, almost eight thousand square feet and magically enhanced. This floor had four bedrooms with en suites, one stand alone bathroom, and three additional bedroom suites on the floor below. There are also several offices, a conference room, and a large magically reenforced room."
Tony nodded as he listened to Graves, making eye contact with Pepper as Sirius kept track of Harry. There were probably ten stories higher here than in the penthouse they had rented and this one would need to be renovated to his taste, but he liked what he saw.
"Can we buy it through Gringotts or –"
"Gringotts is handling the sale," Graves responded.
"Excellent, we have an appointment tomorrow there." He looked at Pepper. "Have legal begin negotiations with for the Park Avenue site and this one—"
"Tones?" Sirius appeared at his elbow, Harry dozing on his shoulder. "Why don't we buy this one for the Potter Trust? It would be nice to anchor Harry's future here in the States."
Tony nodded, running a hand through Harry's tousled curls. "Good idea, but I'll pay for the renovation. I don't think there is much to do, just some superficial things and to reenforce the safety precautions."
"Sounds good."
Later, after dinner, bath time, and a story, Harry was tucked into the large bed. Tony joined Sirius on the couch on the outside terrace, the evening retaining the heat of the day, tempered by a breeze off the river. Sirius tugged him against his side, and Tony turned slightly, tilting his face in invitation. With a grin, Sirius kissed him thoroughly, half pulling Tony into his lap.
"Hmm," Tony sighed, enjoying the feeling of being held. "I feel like we accomplished a few things today."
"Uh huh," Sirius agreed, burying his nose in Tony's hair. "I really liked the penthouse."
"Yes, and it will be close enough to the Tower when construction starts. And it sounds like we can turn one of the offices into a classroom for Harry."
"How long is the lease on this place?"
"Six months with an option for an additional six months."
"Will it take that long to finalize the sale and renovate the other one?"
"I don't think so, but Gringotts should be able to tell us tomorrow."
"So, Gringotts, shopping in the magical district, and you want to go by the SI offices tomorrow?"
"Yes." Tony tried to contain a yawn. "Friday is the interviews at the factory and if we have time, a visit to MACUSA. Then, Saturday is the gala for the Foundation."
"Maybe Sunday we can do something special with Harry – Time Square, Coney Island, the tourist traps." Sirius nuzzled his cheek.
Tony turned his head and caught Sirius' lips. This was different from kissing anyone else, with a deeper feel to the kiss than simply foreplay, and Tony allowed himself to be manhandled flat on the couch. Sirius' kisses made his heart pound and his body heat with desire – it was a novel experience and, while Tony wasn't sure where this was going, he was certainly going to give it the time it needed to find out.
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