Hey all! I just wanted to address some of the reviews I got on the last chapter. I've loved the responses I've gotten from you all. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! This takes place after Tony came back from Afghanistan and will continue through to where the Avengers come in. But not till much later since Harlow is like 13 now. Loki will also have a role to play at some point.
Chapter 2: The Reveal
Harry couldn't stop the surprise he felt at the results. In his state of disbelief, he acted remarkably Gryffindor. Mouth gaping unattractively and eyes wide with unsuppressed surprise.
He could not believe what he was reading. Just who was Harry Potter? Or did Harry Potter even exist?
He looked down once more at the parchment.
Inheritance of Harlow James Potter Black Stark
Father: Tony Stark (Pureblood squib, biological, alive)
Sirius Black (Pureblood wizard, blood adopted, alive)
Bearer: James Potter (pureblood wizard, biological, deceased)
Godparents: Remus Lupin (Half-blood werewolf, alive)
Severus Snape (Half-blood wizard, alive)
Lily Evans (Muggle-born witch, deceased)
Heir to: House of Potter (by bearer)
House of Black (by blood adopted father)
House of Stark (by father)
House of Gaunt (by conquest)
House of Slytherin (by conquest)
House of Gryffindor (by bearer)
Properties: Gryffin Nest (in stasis)
½ Hogwarts (inhabited)
Grimmauld Place (uninhabitable)
Black Manor (in stasis)
Potter Manor (in stasis)
Stark Manor (in stasis)
Gaunt Shack (uninhabitable)
Serpens Place (in stasis)
This concludes the Inheritance test of Harlow James Potter Black Stark.
Gringotts Bank
If there was one thing Harry, no Harlow, knew now, it was that someone had been keeping his heritage from him. But who?
It could be Sirius, after all he should at least know who his parents were and he never mentioned that he was technically his father.
What about this other mysterious Tony Stark? Harlow knew he had heard the name before but he couldn't remember where.
If he was alive all this time then where was he? Why was he sent to the Dursleys when he had a father that was alive?
Harlow sighed. Well, if they wouldn't tell him anything then he would return the favor.
"Now then, would you like an audit of your accounts?" the goblin asked.
Harlow looked up curiously. He thought he only had a single vault.
"Yes"
The goblin brought out an additional parchment and wiped the bloodied dagger on top. The second the dried blood touched the parchment, it began to liquify and swirl about.
It was actually quite beautiful, if a little morbid.
The goblin picked up the parchment and spent aa long minute gazing at the script.
"It seems that there have been many transactions from your account, Mr. Potter-Black-Stark."
Harlow looked up alarmed.
"Transactions? I haven't been here since I went shopping for my school supplies last year."
"You have not authorized these withdrawals?" The goblin passed the parchment over the desk.
Harlow grasped the parchment tightly and looked down. His eyes tightened and mouth formed a firm line.
He was very displeased with the results.
Audit of Harlow James Potter-Black-Stark vaults
Withdrawals:
1,000 galleons yearly (to Dursley family)
2,000 galleons yearly (transferred to Order of the Phoenix vaults)
800 galleons yearly (transferred to Weasley vault)
500 galleons yearly (to Ronald Weasley)
500 galleons yearly (to Hermione Granger)
Potter bonding rings (by Albus Dumbledore)
Invisibility cloak (by Albus Dumbledore)
This concludes the Potter-Black-Stark audit
Dumbledore, Granger and the Weasleys had betrayed him. Was everything a lie since he entered the Wizarding World?
Now that he thought about it, it was very suspicious that Hagrid was sent to take him school supplies shopping when he had never taken a student before.
And the Weasleys! What business did they have using the muggle entrance to the train his first year.
They were a wizarding family and should have flooed.
Harlow schooled his expression and a determined glint appeared in his emerald eyes.
"I think it is time I left Britain" Harlow said with a fierce smile. "Any recommendations on where to go?"
The goblin replied with a shark-like grin "There's always America. They'll never find you there. They are much more relaxed and the trace will be removed from your wand when you cross the ocean."
"Thank you, Sir Goblin. It's been a pleasure."
At that Harlow strode from Gringotts with a new outlook. Just like the Dursleys, he would make them pay.
They would regret the day they ever tried to wrong him!
.
.
.
Harlow wandered around Diagon Alley. He was trying to decide where he should start or more like who the unfortunate soul was to receive his revenge first.
Weasley? Granger? Black? Lupin? Snape? Stark? Dumbledore?
They had all failed him and Harlow was determined to make sure they got what they deserved.
As he passed by yet another happy family, he felt bitterness seep in.
Why was it he had never met his father? Was he not good enough to live with him?
He smirked. The choice between victims was so much easier now. His father wouldn't know what was coming to him.
But first, he needed to find out where he lived.
Harlow made his way to the Leaky Cauldron. Upon opening the door, he was assaulted by multicolored robes.
Dumbledore was here!
If he found him now, he could be sent back to the Dursleys. Harlow quickly made his way to a corner of the room and pretended to be part of a larger group that consisted of seven wizards dressed expensively.
Although he didn't recognize any of the individuals, they sure recognized him.
.
.
.
Lucius Malfoy was sitting with Severus Snape and other associates of theirs. They were discussing an upcoming law that the Wizengamot was voting on.
As he proposed another point for the men to consider, he trailed off as he watched a young boy dash across the room. It seemed like he was trying to avoid Dumbledore. Not that he blamed him, his robes today were positively atrocious.
Dumbledore may be a great wizard. Lucius could admit that, but he had no fashion sense whatsoever.
Lucius sighed. At least Dumbledore didn't seem to notice them yet.
He turned his attention to the young boy as he blocked out the conversation happening around him. By now Severus would have noticed his lapse in attention and would have taken over the conversation. Their long-lasting relationship had made them as close as brothers and they were able to seamlessly aid each other.
Lucius narrowed his eyes. The boy looked very familiar but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before. Just then, Harlow narrowly avoided a passing waiter. The near collision caused him to dive to the side, which exposed his famous scar.
Harry Potter!
Lucius couldn't contain his gasp of surprise. He was meant to be with his muggle relatives for the summer and he couldn't fathom why he was in the wizarding world so soon. Summer had only just begun.
He narrowed his eyes. As he watched, Harlow darted his eyes towards Dumbledore multiple times and subtly shifted closer to their group.
Lucius decided that the mystery was too intriguing to ignore.
"Ah Nephew, come join us" Lucius wrapped an arm around Harlow's shoulders and drew him to their table.
He summoned a chair and pressed Harlow into it. Lucius sat next to him and maintained a possessive hand on his shoulder, simultaneously preventing him from rising and staking him claim.
Severus Snape raised an eyebrow.
"Just what are you doing, Lucius?" Snape questioned.
Harlow glared. This was his godfather who had done nothing but ridicule and torment him.
Lucius ignored the question for now and turned instead to Harlow.
"Harry Potter" he sneered "To what do I owe the honor of seeing you here today."
Harlow scowled. Now that he knew his real name, he was glad to be able to shed his boy who lived image.
At Lucius's exclamation, the men turned and scrutinized him.
"Hey, you're that boy from Gringotts this morning! But you said you were trying to find yourself a new family. I shrunk your trunk." The man exclaimed.
As he spoke, he grew more and more alarmed and angry.
Harlow stewed. This man was determined to draw attention to them and it wouldn't do to be discovered now.
Harlow quickly waved his hand and wished for the man to be silent.
The other men gaped. This child had just wandlessly silencioed one of their colleagues.
A frown formed on Lucius's face. The boy was powerful and like any good Slytherin, he took note of power and who wielded it.
The boy was young and although they had a less than ideal meeting at the end of his second year, children were naïve.
"That was quite the display, Mr. Potter?" Lucius asked.
Harlow turned and scrutinized him. He could tell his words were genuine but he knew to be wary. He had recently tried to kill him after all.
"Mr. Malfoy. How wonderful to see you again." He answered sarcastically.
Lucius grimaced. It seems that Potter was still bitter over their last encounter.
Lucius glanced to the side, Dumbledore was approaching. He could see the panic in Potter's eyes.
He knew tat if he helped him, then Potter may begin to trust and rely on him. He quickly casted a glamor charm on him to make him resemble a Malfoy and glared at his fellow businessmen.
They nodded back at him. They would be discrete.
"Hello dear boys. How are we today?" Dumbledore asked serenely.
The men all nodded at Dumbledore but did not respond verbally.
Dumbledore sighed disappointedly. Slytherins never change.
"Ah Severus, my boy, might I have a word?"
Snape stood slowly and looked to Dumbledore.
They walked a few feet away and Dumbledore looked solemnly towards him.
"It's about Harry. This morning I detected magic being done at his house and that he had left the wards. I would like you to go and see what happened." Dumbledore exclaimed pompously.
"No, absolutely not. The Potter spawn is fine. He probably got sick of the muggle world and wanted to be waited on in the wizarding one. You know how selfish and entitled he is, always thinking he's better than everyone else. Not to mention the mutt. Why don't you send the mutt and the wolf? I'm sure they would love seeing their precious godson." Snape sneered.
How dare that old coot try and disturb his peace to search for the errant Potter boy. The spoiled brat probably ran away.
"My dear boy. You really should try and see past school boy grudges. Harry is not James."
How dare Albus try and patronize him!
Severus sighed, he knew that the only way to get rid of Albus was to agree.
"Fine. I'll visit the brat."
Dumbledore smile and with a twirl, apparated away. Once he got what he wanted he left satisfied with the control he had over dear Severus Snape.
Snape rolled his eyes at the dramatic exit and returned to the table. There was no sense in visiting Privet Drive when the boy was sitting with him now was there.
As he neared the table, he found Potter sitting next to Lucius still looking like a Malfoy. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought Lucius had another child after Draco.
Snape sat down and regarded the Potter spawn wearily. Just why had he left the safety of his home to venture around Diagon Alley?
As he sat there, Harlow told the men exactly why he had left the Dursleys and all that had happened to him today from receiving the letter from Gringotts to the meeting with the goblins. When he told them of how he tricked one of their one, said man flushed and stammered that he looked much younger than he was.
At that the men had to agree. Potter did look much younger than 13.
When he got to his inheritance test, he pointedly looked at Snape. He wanted to see his reaction. He knew that Snape should be nervous. After all, the godfather bond was taken very seriously in the wizarding world.
"And low and behold, my parents were not really my parent and I had a nonexistent godfather I never knew about"
The men sucked in a breath. To ignore a godfather bond was suicidal. Mother magic herself blessed these bonds and would punish those who hurt their charge.
Harlow looked into Snape's eyes.
"Imagine my surprise when I found that one of my godfathers was none other than Snape. The man who has done nothing but bully me for the past two years. How lucky am I?" Harlow exclaimed.
Snape paled. This couldn't be true. Why would the Potters make him the brat's godfather? As he tried to remember, he could feel a headache forming behind his eyes.
"I honestly don't remember being made your godfather, Harlow. If I knew I would have been there." Snape lamented.
Harlow narrowed his eyes. If Snape was telling the truth then someone had really messed up his life.
Lucius interrupted their stare down.
"I believe we should all go back to Gringotts to sort this mess out."
He turned to his colleagues. "We will have to continue our discussion at a later date. Good day."
He turned and swiftly grabbed Harlow's arm to pull him up and out of the building.
Once outside, Harlow pulled his arm out of his grasp and the three walked calmly to Gringotts Bank.
Upon entering, Harlow walked up to the same teller as that morning and waited. When it seemed that Harlow had no intention of interrupting, Lucius opened his mouth to demand assistance from the goblin, uncaring of the task he was currently doing.
But Harlow yanked fiercely on Lucius's sleeve, causing his mouth to snap shut and for him to turn towards him annoyed.
"Yes, Potter?" he snapped out.
Harlow solely rolled his eyes and continued waiting in front of the goblin teller.
Lucius scowled. The brat had ignored him. As he sulked, Snape rolled his eyes and crossed his arms at the petulance Lucius showed.
After a few minutes the goblin looked up.
"Ah back again, young sir? How can Gringotts help you?"
"I was wondering if I could meet with my account manager again, please? Oh, and Snape's too."
At that the goblin looked towards Snape who nodded in affirmation.
"Follow me." The goblin barked.
The trio followed the goblin through the many twist and turns of Gringotts and found themselves entering a spacious meeting room. When Lucius tried to enter, the goblin blocked him.
"Only those with business here are allowed inside. It is a violation of privacy if you remain." The goblin growled out.
Lucius sighed. It seemed that the client rights would be taken very seriously in this case. There was no use arguing with a goblin over policy.
He turned when a voice stopped him.
"But sir goblin, Lucius has been very helpful towards me today. Can he stay, please?"
The goblin sighed. The second he saw those impossibly big green eyes; he could feel his protests being stifled. He nodded and left hurriedly in case the account managers were nearby.
After meeting with the goblins, the two men were shocked with what they discovered. There had been multiple blocks on Severus's mind that erased any knowledge he had of Harry Potter and warped man of his memories concerning the Marauders.
They had become friends after fourth year when Lily had enough of their fighting. They had been forced to spend time together and it was revealed that they targeted him so much because Black had a crush on him.
The mutt had been goading him so he would pay attention to him, even if it was negative.
Severus resolved to get to know his godson but he knew that he had a lot of memories to sort through before them. It would take multiple days before his memories were solidified and he could tell the difference between the fake and real memories.
Harlow didn't know how to feel. On one hand, Snape had willingly tormented him for the past few years, but he was also heavily impacted by the false memories implanted by Dumbledore.
Even with the test not saying the source of the false memories, Harlow knew that only Dumbledore would be underhanded enough to do this and have the skill.
He may not have exactly warm feeling regarding him, but he could admit that Dumbledore was powerful and influential.
As Severus and Harlow were lost in thought, Lucius had thought up a wonderful plan. He would take over Harlow's care while helping him search for his father.
Harlow was too good of an ally to ignore and the power he possessed would need to be harnessed and nurtured.
The trio continued to stay in contact for the next few days, as Severus Snape made sense of his memories and Lucius searched for Harlow's father.
Both men were familiar with the Stark name. It wielded great power many years ago before the family disappeared from the wizarding world.
On the fifth day, Lucius stumbled across a magazine while visiting an associate in the muggle world.
Tony Stark's picture was across the front. It mentioned that Stark had taken over his father's company and was continuing the legacy of manufacturing weapons. But then it mentioned his change of heart after being kidnapped and held overseas where he narrowly escaped.
He had to tell Harlow before he found out about his father himself. He needed to make sure Harlow knew just how valuable Lucius was.
At that, he took the magazine and apparated to the Leaky Cauldron with a sharp crack.
They were going to America.