Author's Note: Holy Crap. Since I posted Çhapter 1, I've been getting nearly daily notifications of people liking this, following this and it means a lot. I'm . . . I'm touched, I really am. Thank You.

Pepper Potts walked into her kitchen the morning of Harry's Birthday and stopped. There was a man standing there, calmly studying her collection of fine china teacups from around the world. At the table, Harry chatted away in between mouthfuls of cereal.

"Hello, Ms Potts," he said, turning to face her. He was extremely thin, borderline emaciated, with a heavily scarred face and soft brown eyes. His hair was combed and he bore a heavy mustache. His clothes were well cared for, but old.

"Hello," Pepper replied, sliding her hands into the pockets of her robe.

"Ah, before you summon Lieutenant Dallas, my name is Remus Lupin. Professor Dumbledore sent me." Pepper did not take her hands out of her pockets. He smiled. "He told me to remind you that the last time you saw him, it was the red cup from Scotland that he turned into a blue gray bird to prove that he was indeed, a wizard."

Pepper took her hands from her pockets. "Of course, forgive me for being cautious."

"Not at all. I would expect nothing less."

"Mr. Lupin says I'm a wizard, Aunt Pepper!" Harry called out. He picked up a letter from the table and waved it at her. "I'm a wizard! Like Gandalf! He just appeared out of thin air. Bang!"

Pepper poured herself a cup of coffee, still slightly wary. "You'll forgive me, Mr. Lupin, but it's 5am, can I ask what you're doing in my kitchen?"

"A miscalculation on my part," Remus admitted. "In England it's early afternoon and I was slightly excited to see Harry again. His father and I were friends at Hogwarts, you see and I was there when he was born."

Pepper nodded. "Um, if you were that close, then why . . ."

"I have a medical condition." Lupin's lips twisted upwards in a sardonic smile. "Not practical for raising a child."

"I suppose not," Pepper agreed.

"He brought me a letter!" Harry spoke up again. "It says I'm going to wizard school!" He waved it at her. "Wizard school, Aunt Pepper!" Pepper reached over and took the letter. "I'm going to wizard school, and then I'll find Tony, and zap the bad guys, and then turn them into bugs, and then step on the bugs . . ." Harry continued on in this vein as Pepper read. The letter was handwritten in emerald green ink and looked like a standard welcome form letter. The second page was a list of supplies including a cauldron, books, uniform requirements, and other things.

"It's not as expensive as it looks," Lupin told her, "and James and Lily planned ahead in case something happened to them."

Pepper nodded. "I don't think you came all the way from England to deliver mail, though."

Lupin chuckled. "No. As you can see by the letter, Harry will need things for Hogwarts. I'm here to take him shopping." Lupin smiled. "Ever been to the Wizarding World?"

Pepper had always liked London, or at least the little of the city she'd seen that hadn't been from a car or while dragging Tony out of whatever nightclub he'd gotten smashed in. After traveling from L.A. to London involving something called a "portkey" they'd taken a taxi into the heart of London and had been walking for the past few minutes.

"Ah, Miss Potts, I'm afraid I have to ask for a bit of trust." Lupin's hand closed around her elbow. "Close your eyes, please." Pepper considered pointing out that she had given him plenty of trust already, but nodded and closed her eyes. "Turn to your right," he murmured. "There's two steps coming up in three two one . . ." Pepper felt herself being guided up steps and through an opened door. "There."

Pepper opened her eyes and found herself inside a low ceilinged tavern. A set of stairs ran up the back wall and the room was filled with people in strange clothing. Pepper noticed with amusement that one wizard was reading Hawking while calmly stirring a cup of tea by waving his finger at the spoon.

"Is everyone here a wizard?" Harry asked.

"Witches and Wizards, Harry," Lupin corrected. "Neither better than the other."

Pepper nodded agreement and then stepped back reflexively as the largest man she'd ever seen suddenly moved and turned to them. The man had to be well over seven feet tall, maybe eight, with a massive beard, a mane of tangled hair, and beetle black eyes.

"Lupin!" he cried out. "Good to see yeh! Care for a drink?"

"Hello, Hagrid," Lupin said mildly. "No time for that, I'm afraid. You remember Harry, I assume."

"'Course I do," Hagrid replied. "Hullo, Harry, been years since I saw yeh!" He leaned over and shook Harry's hand.

"Bless my soul!' The barman cried out, leaning over the bar. "It's Harry Potter!"

Sudden silence slammed over the room as everyone turned to them.

"Oh dear," Remus murmured. "I forgot about this."

Pepper opened her mouth to ask and then everyone was pressing forward to shake Harry's hand and say how pleased they were to meet him. Harry wasn't the most outgoing of children and Pepper had taught him to be wary of strangers wanting to be his friend; a consequence of being close to Tony Stark. Pretty soon he was pressed against her and the people were still coming.

"Hagrid . . ." Lupin said in a strangled voice.

"Right then," Hagrid bellowed, waving his arms, "clear off ya lot! Give the boy room, there you go." The crowed dispersed, regrouping at the tables to whisper to each other and stare in their direction.

"Thanks, Hagrid," Lupin said. "All right there, Harry?" Harry nodded. "Good lad. Let's keep going."

"I'll head out with ya, Lupin." Hagrid drained a mug as big as Harry's head and set a coin on the bar.

Lupin nodded and they walked through the room and into a small courtyard.

"Mr. Lupin, who were all those people? How come they know my name?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure Lupin's the one to ask, Harry," Hagrid said, "me either for that matter." He removed a shockingly pink umbrella from an inside pocket of his coat and began to tap bricks on the back wall counting under his breath. Pepper started to demand answers anyway when the bricks began to move, rotating and flipping away as they ground and rearranged themselves into a doorway. "Welcome to Diagon Alley!"

Pepper and Harry stepped through at a nudge from Lupin and Pepper gasped, all questions banished from her mind. Before them stretched a long street lined with houses on either side. People were everywhere and a gentle nudge from Lupin set her walking. Around them, she saw costumes, some almost modern, others that looked like they had been taken from a hundred years ago or more in a riot of colors. Around them, snatches of conversation reached their ears; a woman complaining that seven sickles an ounce was mad, a complaint about fudge, something about cannons and a cup. It was insane.

"And now you see why we call it the Wizarding World," Remus said dryly.

"I honestly had no idea," Pepper replied, her attention drawn to a group of children, their noses pressed against the window, staring at a broomstick. "Is that . . ."

"It is, and we do, but mostly for Quidditch these days."

"Quidditch?"

Remus chuckled. "Once the school year starts, you should come see a game. It's very exciting."

Pepper struggled to get her brain in gear. "School . . .. Harry's supplies . . . do they take credit cards? I mean . . ."

"I told you Harry's parents planned ahead," Remus told her and pointed. "And so, that is our first stop." Ahead of them rose a large imposing building with the word "Gringotts" in vertical letters.

"Aye," Hagrid added. "Gringotts, ain't no place safer. 'Cept maybe Hogwarts."

The inside of Gringotts was just as imposing as the outside, if not moreso. High ceilings with a definite Venetian influence soared high overhead atop greco-roman columns as strange little creatures with long noses and pointed ears sorted gems and coins under the light of french stained glass lanterns. Everywhere was candles. Candles in the lanterns, candles in the wrought iron germanic chandlers, candles everywhere and not a whiff of smoke.

"Magic candles," Lupin said. "No smoke, no scent, plenty of light."

"And what are those . . .?" Pepper asked eyeing the creatures.

"Goblins," Hagrid replied. "Clever as they come, Goblins, but not the friendliest of beasts."

"Oh," Pepper said in a weak voice. "Goblins. Of course. Goblins." A nervous laugh escaped her and she suddenly wished for Tony to be there and make some smart ass remark because she could really use her best friend right about now.

"Steady, Potts," Lupin murmured in her ear as they approached the podium at the far end of the room. "Steady." Pepper nodded, although she didn't feel steady at all.

"Yes?" asked the Goblin at the podium.

"Mr. Harry Potter wishes to make a withdrawal," Lupin declared, passing over a golden key.

"There's also this," Hagrid added, handing over an envelope. "It's about the you-know-what in vault . . . you-know-which."

The Goblin studied the letter and then nodded, handing back the key. "GRIPHOOK!" he bellowed, ringing a bell.

Pepper hadn't been sure what she was expecting, but a roller coaster like ride deep underground through a vast series of caves was not on the list. Harry loved it though, whooping and hollering as the car they sat in sailed around turns and at one point, she thought she saw a flash of fire down a side tunnel.

Finally, as gentle as you pleased, the car came to a smooth stop along a corridor of polished rocks. Set into the rock walls were vault doors, each one bearing numbers.

"Key, please," Griphook said, taking it from Lupin and unlocking the vault, the door swinging open of its own accord. Inside were mountains of coins. Gold, silver, and bronze glistened in the lantern light, and Pepper gasped. She had never seen so much precious metal.

"Duck Tales!" Harry yelled, charging forward.

"Harry, no!" Pepper shouted and watched as the boy launched himself into the air, arms forward in the perfect diving position and crashed into the coins. "Sorry," she gasped out to Griphook as she moved forward to help Harry up.

Griphook shrugged. "Not the first time."

"Uncle Scrooge did it," Harry explained to Pepper.

"Harry, we've talked about this. Uncle Scrooge is a cartoon character, and cartoon characters can do things we can't."

"But I'm a wizard now."

"Wizards aren't truly wizards until they've finished school," Lupin supplied, saving Pepper from having to come up with a reason as to why being a wizard didn't mean you could swim in money.

"Lupin's right, Harry," Hagrid put in. "Yer gonna learn loads of useful stuff at Hogwarts and you'll be under the finest headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen; Albus Dumbledore." He nodded. "Great man, Dumbledore."

The worshipful look on Hagrid's face and the tone in his voice told Pepper that telling Hagrid what she thought of Albus Dumbledore would, at best, fall on deaf ears.

"Here now," Hagrid continued, taking a leather pouch from Lupin and filling it up with a few handfuls of coins. "This should do fer a couple o'terms." He handed the pouch to Harry, Lupin tossed a few coins that had rolled out back in and shut the door. Pepper took the pouch from Harry and tucked it into her purse.

"So what about the you-know-what?" Harry asked.

"The we-know-what what?" Pepper asked and then blinked. Had she really said that?

"Hagrid had a letter," Harry patiently explained. "He told the Goblin guy that it was about the you-know-what in vault you-know-which and I don't-know-what or which-vault-which."

"Secret Hogwarts business, that," Hagrid explained, puffing himself up. "Dumbledore trusts me with stuff, you see. Important missions and all that. Great man, Dumbledore."

"This way," Griphook pronounced and led them off down the corridor.

"And this is normal?" Pepper asked as Remus fell into step next to her. "The Wizarding World seems to be chaos incarnate."

"I suppose it does look that way to an outsider," Lupin conceded. "I promise that you're not the first to feel as though they've fallen down the rabbit hole, if that's what you're worried about."

"No, just . . . so much to take in." Pepper sighed. "I know how to exchange pleasantries in ten different languages, who to bribe in twenty different countries and plan a menu for everything from an intimate luncheon for two to a seven star, twelve course meal for royalty plus entertainment." She spread her hands. "But this? I have nothing to work with."

"Did you have anything to work with in those ten languages? Or determining who to bribe?" Remus asked. "You had to start somewhere."

Pepper blinked at him and then looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. Lupin was right, she decided as the world which had felt like it was lurching around her from the moment they'd stepped through into Diagon Alley suddenly steadied into something she understood; she hadn't fallen down the rabbit hole, she was just somewhere new and there was groundwork to be done. Thanks," she whispered.

"You're welcome," Lupin replied and then looked ahead of them, where Harry and Griphook were attempting to keep up with Hagrid's large strides. "I should probably bring this up later instead of now, but I suspect you might not bear the warmest feelings for Albus Dumbledore."

"You could say that," Pepper agreed. "Don't get me wrong, I love Harry and I'd do it again, but Dumbledore could have been a little more forthcoming"

Lupin nodded. "We could probably have a nice long conversation about it, but my point is that it would be unwise to speak ill of Albus Dumbledore around Hagrid."

"I guessed as much, but why?"

"As I understand it, Hagrid was a student at Hogwarts until he was expelled. Dumbledore then got him a job as Assistant Groundskeeper for Hogwarts. Later, he was promoted to Groundskeeper when his predecessor retired. He's been there ever since."

"Why was he expelled?"

"Lupin shrugged. "We never found out."

"We?"

Lupin smiled sadly. "I suppose I'll have to tell it sooner or later."

"You don't have to," Pepper told him. "I understand if it's painful."

"No, no. I mean, it is, but you should know." Remus inhaled, and looked at the floor before raising his eyes to hers. "Harry's father and I were in the same year and the same house at Hogwarts. Also in our year were two others. Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. Oh, the adventures we had, the things we did! We were close, but James, Harry's father, and Black were the closest. He was named Harry's Godfather, in fact."

"So why didn't Harry go to him?"

"He's in prison for Peter's murder and he was the one who told . . . him, where to find Harry and his parents." Rage was all over Lupin's face and reminded Pepper less of a man and more of a wolf. "I don't know if blood won out, or if he just went mad, but the only friends I've ever had in this world are dead because of Sirius bloody Black."

There were more questions than answers now, but Pepper knew that now was the wrong time to ask, so instead she simply laid a hand on Lupin's shoulder in comfort.

"Thank you," Lupin murmured and then he straightened up as ahead, Griphook stopped at a vault labeled 713. Reaching out, the Goblin began to draw a single line down the center of the door with one finger. "If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried this, they'd be sucked in and stuck there until we came to check," Griphook explained.

"How long does that take?" Harry asked.

Griphook smiled nastily as the sound of the vault unlocking filled the corridor. "About ten years or so."

Harry swallowed and backed up against Pepper, who put her arm around his shoulders and backed away from the vault door a few more steps. Just in case.

With a final clank, the door swung open and both Pepper and Harry craned their heads to see around Hagrid's bulk as the giant man stepped forward and picked up a small parcel from the vault floor. There was nothing else in the room. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about this," Hagrid said, tucking the parcel into an inside coat pocket. "Secret business and all that."

"So, Lupin," Hagrid said when they emerged from Gringotts and back out into Diagon Alley, "Yer all here to shop for Harry's Hogwarts things, eh?"

"Quite," Lupin said, "which brings up an important point." Lupin dug in his pocket for a moment and then crouched down in front of Harry. In his hand were three coins. One bronze, one silver, one gold. "Harry, this is wizarding money. The bronze one is a Knut, the silver one is a Sickle, and the gold one is a Galleon."

"Knut, Sickle, Galleon," Harry repeated, pointing at each coin.

"Good. Now, it take seventeen Knuts to make a Sickle, and twenty-nine Sickles to make a Galleon. Got that?"

"I think so," Harry said. "It's like pennies, dimes, and nickels back home, right?"

"Right, Harry," Pepper said and ruffled his hair. "So then," she pulled the list from her purse and looked at it. "Uniform and Robes first?"

Pepper was no stranger to marathon shopping, but the amount of things a first year student wizard needed was phenomenal. Robes, cauldron, scales and other things which Hagrid referred to as "bits and bobs", and then there were the books.

Dear god, the books.

Flourish and Blotts was a bibliophile's fantasy come true. Shelves groaned (which made her jump the first time she heard them do it) under the weight of all the books, and while Harry's actual book list was fairly short, there were so many others and Pepper had encouraged Harry's love of reading, which she was now regretting. Sort of. Pepper was an avid reader herself, at least when she had the time, and there was so much she didn't know.

She also got some books for Tony, all technical manuals and a book written in the fifties by a pair of muggleborn wizards turned scientists who had sought to apply the scientific method to magic and how it fit into the laws of physics. Not to mention, Tony would have questions. Lots of questions. Questions she wouldn't be able to answer.

Hagrid, having retrieved the whatever-it-was seemed to be content to help them with their shopping by carrying packages while Lupin took the role of guide. Instinctively, perhaps, Lupin steered them towards the second hand shops, and Pepper was glad. While it was obvious that Harry's parents had left him a fortune, Pepper considered it her obligation to stretch that fortune out. Harry, fortunately, shared Pepper's love of antique and thrift stores, so he thought the slightly battered scales, cauldron, and other tools in their bags were awesome and he couldn't wait to try them out.

"So," Harry muttered as he crossed yet another item off the list. "I still need . . . a wand."

"Oh you want Ollivander's fer that," Hagrid told him, pointing at a shop, whose sign proclaimed it had been established 382 BC, which suggested a lot of things that Pepper didn't want to think about. "Why don't you lot head in there. I got one more thing t' do, won't be long." Before anyone could say anything, Hagrid was gone.

The inside of Ollivander's seemed to be nothing but shelves filled to overloading with long flat boxes. The only open space was a small waiting area and the area behind the counter.

"Hello?" Harry called out.

There was the sound of metal on metal and then from somewhere in the shelves, a man slid into view on a ladder. :"I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr Potter," he said, smiling. He hopped off the ladder and selected a box from the shelf. "It seems as though only yesterday that your mother and father were in here buying their first wands." He walked right up to Harry and opened the box. Inside was a long thin stick which Harry took out and looked at it, then at Ollivander.

"Give it a wave," Lupin said. Harry nodded, flicked the wand and a vase on the counter exploded.

"Evidentially not," Ollivander sighed, taking the wand back. "No matter."

Over the next hour, wand after wand was tried and the shop got messier and messier as the pile of wand boxes grew higher. Ollivander's only response was to get more and more thoughtful. "I wonder," he said at last and vanished into the depths of the shelves only to return moments later. The wand inside didn't look any different than the others but when Harry waved it, the wand glowed and a soft wind seemed to blow through the room. "Curious," Ollivander mused, "very curious."

"Sorry," Harry said, carefully replacing the wand in it's box. "But, what's curious?"

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather resides in your wand gave another feather, just one other. It is curious that you should be destined for this wand . . when its brother gave you that scar."

Pepper swallowed a gasp. Harry's scar. The lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. When Harry had come to her, it had been fresh and raw, but over the years had healed to a single line. Pepper had gotten used to it and had barely given it a second thought. Harry occasionally got self conscious about it, smoothing his hair down to hide it, but for the most part, it was just there and they both ignored it.

"And who owned that wand?" Harry asked.

Ollivander stared at him for a moment. "We do not speak his name," he said gravely. "The wand chooses the wizard, Mr Potter, it's not always clear why. But, I think it is clear that we can expect great things from you. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible, yes . . . but great."

When they were outside, Harry looked at the box holding his wand. "Aunt Pepper?"

"Yes?"

"I don't think I like Mr. Ollivander very much."

"You're not alone, Harry," Lupin told him. "I feel the same way. Many do" He looked over his shoulder at the door. "He's very good though. Ollivander wands are considered the best for a reason."

"Harry!" Hagrid bellowed. The giant man was holding a bird cage, inside which was an owl. "Happy Birthday!"

"An owl," Pepper said, staring at the cage. "An owl?" They had returned to the pub, which Pepper had learned was called "The Leaky Cauldron" for a late lunch.

"Oh they're dead useful," Hagrid assured her. "Carry your mail and everything."

"Wizarding mail is carried by owls?" Pepper asked, incredulous. "Owls aren't that smart."

"Ordinary owls, yes," Lupin agreed, "however, owls in the wizarding world have been exposed to magic for generations, more than a thousand years, in fact. They've . . . changed."

"Hedwig," Harry said, looking up from a book. "Her name is Hedwig after Lady Hedwig of . . . of . . ."

Lupin leaned over Harry's shoulder. "Blaidd Drwg Moor. Ah yes. She was a very famous witch. Helped found Saint Mungos and codified the requirements for healers. In fact, she was Hogwart's first Headmistress. Excellent choice, Harry."

Harry beamed.

"Eat, Harry," Pepper said. Harry nodded and set the book aside before taking a great big spoonful of stew, but after a few bites, he sighed and began poking at it. "Harry, what's wrong?"

"All those people who know my name. My scar . . . the one who gave it to me. He killed my parents, didn't he? Why?" Harry looked straight at Pepper. "Why does this scar make me famous? Who was he?"

Lupin and Pepper looked at each other. Lupin seemed to be silently asking her permission to say something, but before she could nod, Hagrid sighed set his spoon down. "First, understand this, Harry, because it's very important. Not all wizards are good. Some go bad. Now, a few years ago, one of them went as bad as you can go. Yer parents were among those who fought him. But , You-Know-Who was powerful, and he was gathering followers. Nobody lived once he decided to kill them."

"But I did, didn't I?" Harry asked.

Hagrid nodded. "That's no ordinary cut on your forehead, Harry. That's the mark of a curse, and an evil curse at that. Somethin' 'bout you stumped him that night and that's why you're famous. That's why everyone knows your name. You"re the Boy Who Lived."

"But who was he? Is he dead?" Harry asked. He looked back and forth between Hagrid and Lupin. "What was his name?"

"Voldemort," Lupin said quietly. "His name was Voldemort and yes, Harry, he's dead."

"Codswallop," Hagrid snorted. "He's out there somewhere, I reckon. Too tired to carry on."

Pepper nodded. She wasn't a vengeful person, but if given the choice between Voldemort being tired and Voldemort being dead, she preferred dead.

"One thing I don't understand," Pepper said as they exited the Leaky Cauldron. Dusk was beginning to settle over London and the city lamps were turning on. Ahead of them, Harry walked, hands in his pockets, head down, clear signs that he wanted to be alone with his thoughts. "If this Voldemort was so powerful, how could Harry have lived? He was only a baby." She took out her phone and texted a message to Jarvis that he was to expect a large trunk and a snowy white owl in a cage. Lupin had helped her make arrangements to have Harry's school supplies delivered to Tony's house, where they would be more secure.

"That's the mystery," Lupin told her. "Avada Kedavra kills. Instantly. No armor will protect you, no spell will deflect it. To use it on a human being is forbidden and will net you a fate worse than death. A flash of green light, and that's it. You or someone you love is gone. So to find out that anyone, especially a baby survived, and destroyed a living nightmare in the process, well, so much the better. By the time anyone thought to ask questions, Dumbledore had already hidden Harry away."

"Green light . . ." Pepper mused. "Green light . . .Oh god!"

"What?"

"When Harry was younger, he kept having this nightmare and would wake up screaming. All he could tell me was that there was a green light." She shook her head. "I spent hours talking to psychiatrists trying to figure out its meaning." She sighed. "At least the flying motorcycle one was easy to figure out. Harry loves flying."

"I'm told that Harry was taken from the house by Hagrid on a flying motorcycle, actually." Lupin smiled. "Anything else?"

"Dancing pickles?"

"I wouldn't have put it past James to make food dance, but I'm pretty sure that's all Harry."

Pepper nodded and flagged down a cab.

At the Portkey site, Pepper took out a piece of paper, scribbled on it, and then handed it to Lupin.

"Cultural consultant," Lupin read out loud and Pepper hid a smile as she watched his eyes widen when he got to the salary. "I . . . what's this?"

"That, Mr. Lupin, is a job offer." Pepper clarified. Lupin blinked at her. "You said I needed to start somewhere, well, this is somewhere and I promise you, you'll earn every penny of that salary if not now, then when Mr. Stark returns."

Ah . . ." Lupin stared, stunned. "Um . . my condition . . . "

"Stark Industries has a top rated benefits plan," Pepper replied. "Whatever it is, Mr, Lupin, I'm sure we can handle it." Lupin blinked. He'd forgotten how blithe Muggles and Muggleborns could be about the Magical World. "My office at Stark Industries L.A. on Monday, Nine O'Clock sharp." With that, she and Harry touched the Portkey and were gone.

"You'd best get going there, Mate" The portkey wizard advised, making Lupin jump as he'd forgotten the man was there. "Sounds like you've got some packing to do."

"I never even said yes," Lupin protested.

"I don't know what's on that paper," the wizard advised, checking a pocket watch, "but any number what puts that expression on a man's face is one to chase. The salary too."

Lupin gave the wizard a look. "Why does everyone think I'm going?"

"Mate, I've been doing this job fer fifty years and nine marriages. You learn a thing or two in that time. Last I saw that look on a man's face, he wound up splinching himself chasin' her. Said it was worth it as they pieced him back together, right about where you're standing."

Remus stood there for a moment, and then looked back down at the slip of paper in his hand. "You wouldn't happen to know what the weather in Los Angeles is like, would you?"

Remus had heard the name Stark, of course. Anyone who did any research into the myths of the Norse Gods came across the name. The Muggles had classified the entire Tesseract incident of World War 2, but in Wizarding Academic circles, the cube and the study of it were in multiple books and Remus had read all of them. If there was an upside to being a werewolf, it was that the time spent as a human during the full moon left one a lot of time for reading.

However, nothing had presented him for the reality of Stark. Or Wizarding America, for that matter. In England, a wizard wanting to work in the Muggle world would have been met with skepticism, or derision and a werewolf would have been outright denied. In America, he'd simply had to fill out a few forms (Americans did seem to love their forms) and pay a simple fee. That he was a werewolf had required him to sign another form, this one certifying that he understood that he alone was responsible for isolating himself in a secure location during the full moon and maintaining it. Failure to so was punishable by death and the burden of proof was on him.

Strangely, Remus was more comfortable with that than he should be.

Still, he felt slightly nervous as he walked up to the front doors of Stark Industries. His papers for his Muggle Identity were neatly packed into a battered leather briefcase that had been a gift from his father upon his Hogwarts graduation. His remaining possessions had been shrunk and were sitting in a valise that was in a rentable locker in Wizarding Los Angeles. His small, meager savings had been emptied to pay for the trip over and the fees, so the two sickles in his pocket were all he had.

He had been expecting some trouble given his appearance, but aside from a curled lip of disdain from the security guard, his name had gotten him a visitor's badge, and within moments, he was being escorted to Potts' office by a perky brunette who upon hearing his accent had proceeded to regal him with how much she knew about England because she watched Doctor Who.

Thankfully, by half past nine, Remus was ensconced in a small room, filling out forms. Payroll, emergency contacts (not that he really had any) and confidentiality forms among others.

"I'm sorry, Mr, Lupin," Potts told him at ten as she came in, setting a cup of coffee on the table at his elbow. "I know this is a lot of work."

"Oh, I don't mind," Lupin said, setting his pen down and flexing his fingers. "I'm fine with hard work, was raised to it, really." He sipped the coffee. "My father always said that if you don't feel like you've earned your money, something's wrong. And please, Remus is fine."

Pepper smiled at that. "Then you must call me Pepper."

"As you wish," Remus agreed.

For a moment, they sat there in companionable silence and then Pepper spoke again. "Remus, what can you tell me about Harry's family? His parents?"

"Ah," Remus leaned back in his chair. "Well, they met at school James was very wild, rambunctious up through sixth year, when he changed and began to mellow out. Lily's handiwork, that. She was very pleasant, kind, caring, and would never hurt a fly . . . until the fly made her mad." Remus took another sip of coffee as Pepper chuckled. "The Potter family itself has no titles or anything that I ever heard about, but they're an old family. Aside from a few very distant cousins, myself included, actually, Harry is the last one left. And as for Lily's family . . ." Remus smiled that twisted, sardonic smile. "Best left for another time."

"I see," Pepper murmured. "There's, it's just, I've been in a vacuum all these years and now, I have so many questions, and I don't even know if they're the right questions."

"I've never held with the right and wrong question idea," Remus replied. "Best way to learn something is to ask a question." He smiled. "The people who claim that there's bad questions and wrong questions are people who either can't teach or expect everyone is as smart as they are."

Pepper nodded, glanced at her watch, and rose. "I'd better let you get back to work. There's still a few things left to do before you're completely on the payroll and I have lots of questions still."

Remus nodded and picked up his pen again.

The few things Pepper mentioned turned out to be a presentation involving the history of Stark Industries, a rather laughable lecture entitled "Helping Stark Industries help you", and a mercifully short training session on emergency procedures. After that, his photo was taken and put on an ID badge before he returned to Pepper's office just as she was packing up her bag.

"Ah, you survived," Pepper said with a smile.

"I've been through worse," Remus replied, thinking of Professor Binns' class.

Pepper nodded and shouldered her purse and work bag. "I have to pick up Harry from summer camp, so let's do that, and then go to the house and get you set up there."

Remus smiled. "You're the boss." He flicked his ID badge, which got her to grin.

Always the gentleman, he opened the door as they left and they ambled out into the hall, talking quietly.

"Pepper!" came the call from a side hallway and they looked to see a man in a suit striding towards them. He was bald as an egg save for the massive beard that reminded Remus of a an animated hedge. Under the suit, he had the large broad shouldered build that came from muscle and bone strung together with rope-like tendon. Unconsciously, Remus tensed. This man was dangerous.

"Obie!" Pepper greeted him. "How are you?"

"Eh, Trask industries again." Obie gave Remus a questioning look and Remus felt his old Marauder instincts kick in.

"Ah!" Pepper said. "Remus, this is Obediah Stane, Stark Industries CFO. Obie, this is Remus Lupin, he just finished his new hire paperwork."

"Welcome to the Stark Industries family," Stane grinned and shook Remus' hand. Remus had to give the man his due; the fake smile even showed his in his eyes. "What do you do?"

"I'm Librarian and an archivist," Remus lied. Well, half-lied, he did have the training. "Mr. Stark's filing system is less than optimal and Ms. Potts wanted me to straighten it out."

"Less than optimal," Stane snorted. "That's a good one. You Brits, always with the understatement."

"Well not to be cliche," Remus replied drily, "but stiff upper lip and all that does have some basis in reality."

Surprisingly, Stane actually found that funny and he clapped Remus on the shoulder. "I think you'll fit in just fine here, Lupin." He turned to Pepper. "Pepper, I need the C A Oh Two paperwork."

"What? Obie, there's no proof-"

"There's nothing that says he's alive either. We're coming up on the three month mark, Pepper. I don't like it any more than you do, but we have to face facts; Tony may be gone for good." Remus controlled a shudder. Stane was . . . hungry, that was the best term Remus could think of. "We have to at least have the forms in hand. If the board decides to declare Tony . . . that's their right." Remus was almost positive that that right was something Stane would have put in their heads, which in turn led to a number of speculations that made him distinctly uncomfortable.

"I'm not . . . I would just rather wait until the three month mark," Pepper replied. "You know how Tony is with showing up last minute."

It was then that Remus saw it, the flash of sheer ambition that was the real Stane showing through mixed with frustration and rage before the mask slammed back down. "No one wants to see Tony alive more than me, Pepper," Stane said soothingly, and again, Remus had to give Stane his due. The man could have given Sirius and James lessons in lying with a straight face. "But we have to be pragmatic; The stockholders are twitchy enough as it is -hell, so is the board, and if Tony is truly gone, then we have to be prepared."

Pepper heaved a sigh. "I know, Obie, I know. Next monday, okay? Next monday, first thing."

Stane nodded. "Next monday." He nodded once and Pepper took that as a dismissal and she and Remus walked away, Remus feeling Stane's eyes boring into his back until they reached a corner. Risking a look back, Remus could see Stane was gone, but it wasn't until they were off Stark Industries property that Remus felt he could relax.

Dumbledore was behind this. Remus couldn't explain how, but he knew that Dumbledore had sent him to pick up Harry just so Remus would get hired at Stark Industries, because Pepper and Harry needed protection and of course Remus would accept the offer and how Tony Stark fit into it all when he'd gone missing well before Harry's birthday and was probably dead, Remus didn't know. But Dumbledore had set it all up. He was sure of it.

It was times like now that Remus really, really hated Albus Dumbledore.

Three days after Harry left for Hogwarts, Tony returned.

Of course he did.