TONY STARK'S POV :
Tony had been trained from the moment he was four to recognize threats. It had been ingrained deep into his psyche and into his bones : everyone who isn't family was a threat. Throughout the years, his definition of family had changed and distorted to fit every person that had decided to stay along with him into a sort of organized web. It hadn't been easy and he had learned after Stane's betrayal that it was not a fool proof plan. Even he, Anthony Stark, had been fooled because of something as trivial as feelings that had clouded his judgment. In hindsight, his former godfather had started his plan from the moment he had buried his parents.
With Howard in charge of Stark Industries, his colleague would not have been able to do much without his father's full scrutiny. And Tony had fallen into prey to his plans from the moment he had accepted that first drink in front of the cameras next to Stane. From there, his reputation had taken a toll and nothing he could have done would have changed other people's opinion of him. And just like he had done with his father, he had let the critics and the remarks get to him personally. Instead of creating and bringing projects to life, he was saddled with the responsibility of giving weapons to others. And he needed to show others how wrong they had been about him. He was not only his father reborn, he was his own of nature, he was Tony fucking Stark and he did not need anyone's approval to advance in life.
His soulmark had been hidden for most of his life and as a man of science, he had refused to believe that some sort of cosmic force decided what person would be better suited for him. After decades of reckless escapades and meaningless affairs, he conceded that maybe his other half was just out there and refused to approach him because of his lack of commitment. Meeting Persephone the night before he was supposed to fly to Afghanistan had been a torture and waking up in the morning alone had disappointed him too much. Even JARVIS had gotten quickly attached to her and he had looked into his coding for an hour before confirming that she had not changed anything in his systems to endear herself further to the Stark family. Apparently, she had woken up, made breakfast for him (a breakfast that had stayed hot for a long time now that he thought about it) and his AI confirmed she had not used anything else than the ingredients already present within the house to cook and had then vanished without leaving him any means of contacting her. It had hurt - but he did not want to forget about her easily. The color of her luscious dress and expensive belt had contributed to the colors associated with his suit - and a part of him wished she would notice and maybe contact him after making the link.
But still, he had resigned himself to a life with Pepper who was reliable and even though she did not respect all of wishes, such as his superhero business, at least, he knew where to stand with her. She was a safe place, someone he had known for years and had put his trust into without ever getting betrayed, even though she often showed her displeasure at some of his decisions. But still, had he wanted Persephone to stay after a single night of sex with him? He would have been particularly put out if she had sprung this on him at the time and he was still a bit of a douchebag at the time. The soulmark would not have been enough to convince him she was not after his money or fame - the relationship would have started with resentment and doubt. But the fact she had just left his life had hurt him because he had seen the potential of what they could have been. She was not a genius ; as much was true. But she saw through him like she understood him and he had found himself sharing more than he bargained for. She welcomed his humor, even though it could be considered crass and a bit dark. Most of all, even though she did not understand everything he was sharing with her, she still insisted on asking questions when she did not quite grasp the theory and looked almost ready to take notes. For the first time since meeting Rhodes, his ideas had not been brushed off and his philosophy was welcomed. When he shared his personal dilemma about weapons manufacturing, she had reassured him and found the words he could have never told himself. "If your weapons are the safest in the market, it's still better than a second rate competitor that would risk the life of your soldiers. You're American, it's only fair that you wish to protect those you consider yours and even though your country is using your weapons in wars worldwide, it means less collateral damage and safe soldiers coming back to their wives and children. It's almost like a necessary evil. When the time comes, you'll know when to switch your company's focus."
Tony wondered if she had the ability to see the future because less than 48 hours later, he was sure that no weapon from Stark Industry would ever be sold again. When the nights were too long and he could not fight the nightmares plaguing him, he remembered her words and convinced himself he did not have that much on his hands. He had been a necessary evil at the time and he could turn it around to a necessary good even if it was the last thing he had to do. Thinking about his soulmate made him ache : looking at her and her childhood, he felt a sort of magical connection forming and started wondering if that had been Fury's goal. He certainly knew more about magic than the rest of them and knew he needed a way to keep Stark as a contingency plan. Having his soulmate treat him as a sort of father figure and pushing them to work on it is a sure way to achieve his goals without further work. The billionaire did not want to think about the implications of the bond that had started working - but it had been useful to settle the anxiety that had been eating at him. It was a soothing feeling, like his soul was actually healing, like he could finally breathe for the first time since he had stepped foot into that blasted cave in Afghanistan. Even if the scientifical implications did not compute in his brain, it did not take a genius to understand Persephone had soothed him somehow. The fact she had been working the shadows with Fury and even helping him whenever she had the occasion did not sit right with him : everyone wanted something for Tony Stark. Since she was rich and had an established identity within their dimension, what could she need from him? From her memories, her community was pretty well advanced and had found ways to live without any technology so thinking she might want to steal something from him was too far-fetched. Besides, she had too much of a moral compass and thrived to do the right thing so she would never meddle with his feelings.
Those traits of characters reminded him of a certain Captain America who would be well suited with the Savior of the Wizarding World. And how ironic would it be if he decided to pursue a relationship with Pepper and leave his supposed other half with the man that had already stolen all of Howard's attention. Tony is many things, but he hadn't known he was particularly possessive. Of course, he had claimed Rhodes as his best friend from their very first interaction but they had found their own rhythms and the billionaire was known among their group for dealing very well with distance. He was used to people traipsing in and out of his life so he did not feel any particularly feeling of longing when he lost people, but just the thought of Persephone smiling at Rogers with her twinkling emerald eyes was enough to push him of his thoughts to concentrate on the memories. Apparently, he had missed Persephone's attack on Malfoy with a dangerous black curse even though she hadn't known what it would do exactly, but since the boy was planning on torturing her with a spell categorized as Unforgivable, they just swept it under the rug. What did they expect when they put students in the same vicinity and fostered their hatred of people from other houses, particularly Slytherin?
Persephone's facial expression is still broken when she hears the truth about Snape's involvement with the prophecy and her family's demise. But still, like the brave Gryffindor she is, she gets ready to follow her Headmaster on his quest for Horcruxes. In order to get the locket, he drinks poisonous water and his student has to force him to - at the danger of almost drowning and getting into the Inferi's claws. With an impressive feat of magic, Dumbledore got rid of the disgusting corpses. (Tony is a bit skeptical : he seems powerful enough but still expects a young sixteen year old girl to get rid of the most dangerous dark wizard to live. Does a prophecy hold that much weight in someone's life? Besides, if he had been aware of such a threat her whole life, why did he not train her better to be able to…A feeling of dread overcame him. He had been looking at the answer all along : Dumbledore never planned on Persephone winning, just living long enough for her to get rid of Voldemort. Since neither can live while the other survives and one of the two magic users has seventy years of headstart concerning lethal magic, it was foolish to think a young girl could do more than the rest of the government. Even though she had faced him more than any other wizard or witch to date and she was still alive to share the tale, which was more than anyone else could claim around her). The Dark Mark looms over the castle and the Avengers are shocked to see a bunch of kids fighting for their survival while hiding away from the Death Eaters that had found a way inside the school. Persephone looks heartbroken when her suspicions towards Draco and Snape are confirmed and she is once again one parental figure short. (In Tony's opinion, he was not much of a family member if he could get himself to leave her with those despicable Dursleys and not prepare her enough for her imminent confrontation with her father's killer.)
But she had not been sorted into the House of the brave for nothing. They all scream after her to run towards safety, but they see her attack the Death Eaters without any fear - it could almost be called foolish. After a brief duel, she stays to help Hagrid and the students. The whole school comes out to commemorate and mourn their former Headmaster. That's when Persephone finally shares her plan to finish Dumbledore's tasks - and Ron and Hermione do not hesitate before following her. (What had their friendship transformed into if she had moved to another dimension without them? Tony can see the feelings are real and even though he recognizes a bit of resentment from Hermione because of Percy's ability to excel in her classes and in her spellwork without trying and Ron is jealous of her fame and her wealth, but those are natural obstacles for someone in their position. To think such a partnership could have been broken after so many years of working together is so disconcerting that it almost makes him reevaluate some of his friendships. He quickly thinks of Romanoff - she had stabbed him with an unknown substance but he had somehow accepted the bring her back into the fold and work with her. It was not something he would usually do and even though he agreed the world needed them, he could never quite forget the Iron Man : Yes, Tony Stark : not recommended. The reminder of the report was enough to rebuff and make him sit straighter, a quick reminder to those around who was actually making the real decisions. They could claim to be organized and well prepared, but they could not go far without his help and not only as Iron Man, but his influence and money as Stark. He would make them regret that assessment as soon as he sent them the bill for his consultation and his involvement with the mission, WITHOUT lending them any material he did not consider necessary. The widow bites and the arrows would stay safely hidden in his lab and no one would be the wiser - aside from JARVIS of course, but he would never hide anything from him.)
When the memories start again, they are surprised to see Persephone investigating Dumbledore's life and complaining about the fact she barely knew the man she had trusted most of her life. His life was too mysterious and full of secrets and had never deemed it necessary to share anything about it with her. They witness the departure of the Dursleys and collectively cringe at the awkwardness radiating from every family member. The scenery changes and they are surrounded by different copies of Persephone Potter who are getting changed behind closed curtains. (His logical mind can understand the benefit behind such a plan, but the fact that six people had had access to a direct view of his soulmate's body left a sour taste in his mouth. He could not complain since it was a plan designed to save her life and assure safe transport - but he had already decided he was uncharacteristically jealous whenever Persephone was concerned and to live it at that.) A few seconds after they take flight, it's clear that they have been betrayed - and Persephone's scream when she sees her darling owl die was enough to bring tears to some of the Avenger's eyes. Her life was barely saved when her wand decided to act out of her own accord and to save her from a certain death and the hand of her arch enemy.
Just like the Potter heiress, everyone has a horrifying near-death experience and the loss of Moody and George's wounds are enough to break the girl's mask. Even though she tries to convince her friends to leave her to her own devices, they are adamant on coming with her and show her their preparations before going on with their daunting tasks. (Aside from the fact they remind him of Rhodey when he went against his superior's orders and went looking for him, he is impressed by Hermione's creations and the steps she has taken in order to ensure her family's safety. He is reminded of their young age and how at the time, he had drank himself half to death because the loss of his mother and the responsibility of taking over a company had been too frightening for him. Even if he wanted to put some of the blame on Obadiah who had encouraged this behavior, he knew he had let himself fall into a well of despair. It had taken almost two decades for him to wake up and notice that he could actually take his life into his own hands and do whatever he wished with it. Why was the situation with Persephone so complicated when he knew that she was supposed to be his endgame?) Each member of the Golden Trio receives something from Dumbledore when they read his will - and it's suspicious when you think about the fact he had barely spoken with Hermione and Ron while they were studying under his care. But since they were planning on saving the world with their best friend to finish his botched work, the sentiment was appreciated. The Minister is highly suspicious - and doesn't hide it from them but is not expecting the teenagers to point his mistakes to him in less than polite words.
(When Tony sees her with her long blue dress, his breath hitches. He was so used to think of her dressed in red and gold, the colors that reunited them after all, that he had not thought of her with other ornaments. The royal blue clashed favorably with her emerald eyes and her tan skin, enchanting him even though it was just a memory.) Before their eyes, she changed her appearance without needing a spell or a potion and arranged her blond hair and put on some blue headdress to compliment her new eyes. After a few hours of respite, the Trio is forced to escape when they learn their government had effectively been infiltrated by Lord Voldemort. (Even though they had been spiteful towards Scrimgeour, he had not hesitated upon saving their lives. It was clear from his voice he barely had a few seconds before dying and used them to save as many people as possible from the supposed resistance, especially their little golden girl. He winced when the surname reminded him of a certain godfather that had called him his golden goose, once upon a time.) Ron, Hermione and Persephone almost get squashed by a London bus before being attacked in a public cafe - and they are too coordinated for their own good. In a few minutes, they get rid of two talented Death Eaters before finding refuge in 12 Grimmauld Place. The brunette does not take long before falling ill and passing out when her scar hurts. (He does not pretend to know much about magic, but the fact that no cure has ever been found for the scar is not reassuring. But the fact that it connects the dark wizard and his soulmate somehow and with the knowledge of the prophecy, it does not bode well for Persephone. He always thought he had gotten the worst outcome concerning his childhood, but he can safely say he can offer her the award without much hesitation.)
Persephone finds more clues that Dumbledore was untrustworthy - and they are hit by the realization that she sees her mother's handwriting for the first time ever. Her search has been fructuous when they learn that R.A.B was actually Sirius' younger brother and when Kreacher finally shares the story with them. In one last heroic act, Regulus died to hide the locket, which has in turn been stolen by Fletcher. The Avengers are disgusted to see the segregation that's taking place in the Wizarding World because of crazy conspiracy theories and how everyone folds under the pressure. (It's harder when one side fights with morals whereas the other one has the same means but no reservations concerning the magic they use. From the sight of some Death Eaters, it's clear that it has taken their toll on their humanity and their health all in the name of power and purity.) Kreacher pleasantly stunned them when he came back with the thief who informed them Umbridge had bought the necklace. The Trio breaks into the Ministry with a half-arsed plan and even Fury applauds them with the improvisation. They are even more impressed when they see Persephone taking down several wizards and stealing the necklace from the woman herself. (Tony is terrified when he sees her lying down on the floor while Hermione is frantically healing Ron. He wants to congratulate her since he knows she survived the whole ordeal but seeing her fight in a literal war while being considered an enemy of the state is too complicated to assimilate.)
It's clear that the locket is cursed since he heightens every single one of their negative traits and enhances their emotions. Ron and Persephone are constantly fighting and Hermione has to play monitor between them, but even she has her limits. They are shocked when he ends up abandoning them when they most needed him and that he left two girls without a second thought. They cannot even share their indignation when they are pulled into a cemetery where they can see Lily and James Potter's graves. (He would not share it with anyone, but the quote resonates with him in ways he does not understand. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death is not something that every young couple would wish to instill upon their physical reminders on Earth.)
