Ron yawned just as the plane landed in Britain, waking up from his long flight nap.
"Plenty awake Ron?" Clint asked. Ron looked up at his dad and nodded his head. He rolled his head off of his dad's shoulder. With a stretch of his arms he could feel his limbs feel restless.
"We're landing?"
"Yep. Just in time for some fish and chips eh chap?"
"Sure dad."
"I can't wait to get to Flourish and Botts," Hermione spoke in a loud whisper so Clint and Ron could hear here along with Bruce, "I've heard Gilderoy Lockhart has been all of Europe facing off against all sorts of dark creatures and witches and wizards all over. He's somewhat of a legendary person in Britain."
"Celebrity. Got it," Clint commented rolling his eyes, "Not that meeting the Avengers was grand enough."
"Dad, your ego is getting to Stark proportions."
"Heaven forbid," he declared, "One major ego is enough. Could you imagine another that we couldn't legally beat to the ground?"
It was bright and far too early for the ever wonderfully popular and fabulous Gilderoy Lockhart. Alas, his adoring public required his perfect self out in the store on the bright for all of his adoring fans. How else would all those people be able to walk away with freshly autographed copies signed with his signature peacock quill?
But perfection was not as simple as he sauntered around as. Even he required a few sprits here and there along with a lovely quick wash to exfoliate his skin and brighten his wonderfully golden locks. Ah he was ever thankful his experiment using the Occamy egg yolks as a primary ingredient for his shampoo. With all the money he had from his book sales as well as his more fanatic fans so willing to retrieve the eggs, he was never in short supply of good hair days.
Yes, all in all he just knew today was going to be a simply marvelous day.
Tony hated waking early, so he hardly slept. Being a few time zones over made no difference. He was up and ready to face the day at a semi reasonable time. Not that he would want to be dragged out at seven in the morning but he was the one who was inconvenienced by their damn company. He was going to see just where it would all end.
He gave the door a knock at seven oh one. He didn't hide a smile as he heard a scramble inside. He heard mumbles and grumbles and something made a screech before the door opened.
Dressed in a blue cocktail dress was the stick like woman. Tony wasn't sure if this horse faced Doctor Strange looking woman owned any other type of dress.
"M-Mister Stark well why, you're early."
"Can't be early if no time's scheduled. No point in them anyway. Kid ready to go?"
"Yes. Harry dear?" she called out in an obviously fake and sickeningly sweet voice. It was almost comical had it not been happening right in front of him, "Are you ready to go?"
"Yes Aunt Petunia," Harry commented as he stepped past her, making sure not to touch her. Tony didn't blame him. If he had to live with someone like her he'd probably be less civil honestly. Avoiding touching was a far cry considering what he was picking up on. He may not know much about families, but he could recognize parental distaste. His father had given him such looks when he was being a particular problem because dear old dad had pushed him aside in favor of business or searching for Captain America.
Yes, Tony could say he really didn't like this family.
"Morning Mr. Stark."
"Tony. Mr. Stark was my father. Now let's go."
The dark haired boy followed behind To but matched his pace.
"So we drive there or-?"
"I don't know by car. Last time I was taken there, I started out on an island in the middle of the night. But I think I know where we need to go."
"Fun."
Tony wasn't great with kids. But thankfully the kid wasn't the nasty sticky stereotype. Ron and Hermione didn't count as they were a micro agent and a bookworm. But it was nice to have someone else against the stereotype.
He slid into the car and gestured to the kid to get into the front seat. Perhaps it was his slight paranoia, but hedidn't want some stranger sitting behind him in the car when he couldn't easily defend himself. Note to self, work on making a suit that could come out of the driver's seat while driving. Seperate note, make one for Happy too.
And while he was at it one for Pepper too.
"Turn left here."
Tony did as the kid advised and let himself be led to the entrance of British's magical and technologically impaired other half.
It was a twenty minute drive. Mostly quiet. Tony didn't have many questions considering he lived with magical preteens and both were rather forthcoming with information. When they did stop, Tony not only had to do a double take, he had to hold onto Harry just to see the entrance. It was surreal, like space unfolding a secret space hidden between the bricks no one else could see. How wasn't it in the slightest noticed? Doctor Strange's place was one thing, hiding under an elaborate illusion. But what he was seeing here was people completely unaware they were passing the establishment, Their eyes slightly glazing as they pass it to hide the actual distance they were walking.
"This is the place?" Tony asked aloud.
"It is. Well, the entrance is in the back."
"Classy."
The two entered the pub, the kid keeping his head down for whatever reason as they ventured forth. Tony glanced over the bottles ready to be served to the public, noting one bottle simply called fire whiskey. He'd have to try some later.
Undetected for his famous status, they left out the back door to see a brick wall.
"Let me guess, an illusion?"
The kid grinned. "Not quite."
It was then the kid pulled out a stick-wand and looked up at the bricks. He then started tapping a few of the bricks, grumbled, then tapped a slightly different set of bricks. The bricks shook, then began to peel back revealing a hidden market of sorts. To y wouldn't openly admit it, but he was amused. It was a rather neat trick and once he figured out the potion nonsense, this would be a fun follow up project.
The two stepped forward and Tony felt like the only decently dressed man there. Everyone was in long robes, as he remembered from the short stint when he had appeared in the area last year with the custody debacle.
"I hope you don't mind sir, but I'm going to need to make a stop at Gringotts."
"Gringotts?"
"Wizarding bank."
"Never understood that. American money is just American money. Such an easy thing."
The kid shrugged his shoulders.
"I guess they don't like working with pounds. It won't take long. It's just over there," Harry gestured to a large building. Tony raised a brow at the over the top appearance.
"Fine. I could use some of your magic money anyway."
Tony followed after the kid, keeping track of the transfer rate of money to understand more of the value of the everyday person. Especially since they seemed fond of using copper, silver and gold.
What was to stop people from just selling these to jewelers for a quick profit? From the conversions here, it would be marginal on a small scale, but with profit able to get more of the coins, for a while at least, there would be an increased profit. Was it the seclusion of the society?
Either way, he wouldn't quite know until he had to pay for something.
Or just forget the whole money tracking because he was rich.
"Come along everyone. It's going to be busy and we don't want to get seperated."
"Aw mum, can't we at least wait until Ron gets here?" Fred asked.
"We'll have to shop again when he gets here," George added. Ginny stood next to their mother eagerly awaiting their trip to Diagon Alley.
"Now boys, you've seen your school list. If we wait then there may not be all the books you'll need for class."
"We're in the same class mum. It's not like we haven't shared text books for class before."
"What's the real reason we're going today?" Percy sensibly asked. His mother wasn't one to waste time making two trips to shop. And he knew that his mother was looking forward to actually doing school shopping with Ron for the first time.
Last year had been a whirlwind of finding him and being whipped off to Hogwarts to have any of those memorable moments with Ron.
"Well, your defense against the dark arts teacher seem to favor literature from Gilderoy Lockhart," Molly began with a slight blush, "And wouldn't you know, he is supposed to be there to autograph his books today."
Fred and George gave each other knowing looks. Percy gave his traditional silent sigh as he fluttered his eyes closed trying to contain his known annoyance. Ginny just seemed excited to meet the famous author.
Gilderoy. The scarily flamboyant Ravenclaw.
Someone... stop this trainwreck!
Oh wait, no. This is gonna be fun.