AN: I do not own Harry Potter or the Marvel Universe. They belong to their respective authors and writers.

I would like to apologize for any mistakes in advance. Please do not copy this story.

Dorea didn't know how long had it been since the terrorists delivered the material to build the two machines, but Tony had been working tirelessly ever since. And boy, did the man liked to talk… one-sided conversation where he didn't realize or care if anyone was listening or not. He had told them that he was working on something called an 'arc reactor' which would supply energy to an electromagnet, preventing embedded shrapnel from reaching his heart. It was something which would help him in staying alive… and that's where her knowledge ended.

Surprisingly, Draco was in awe of the man. Not only he understood about the technology Tony explained from time to time, but it had become a routine for her to see the two of them working together. She had known Draco was smart, he had been the second to top the N.E.W.T.s after Hermione after all, but how easily he grasped the facts made her envious of his intelligence. Despite the situation they were in, the two men were not only determined to get out of here alive but were giving all they had, to built the machine and Dorea had never felt more useless.

Not for the first time, her thoughts went back to her little boy and how heartbroken he would be if she died. Dorea did not doubt that Ron and Hermione would take care of him like their own, but she was his mum! She wanted to be there when he would turn 11 and receive his letter or be with him at the train station when he went to Hogwarts. She didn't wanna miss seeing the excited gleam in his eyes when he would be selected in the Quidditch team or any of his achievements. Just thinking about it was enough to send a wave of pain through her and she wanted nothing more than to blast these doors that were keeping her locked and kill the people who were keeping her away from her baby boy.

And that made her realise the extent of the importance of magic in her life. She obviously knew everyone she loved, because she was who she was… because of magic and despite hating it for making her lose her family, she knew it had also given her every happy memory that she had. She wouldn't have her friends, her extended family and her little boy if it hadn't been for magic in her life. Everyone in the wizarding world knew that her magic was different than anyone else, the only reason they 'respected' her or were scared of her. She had never really given it much thought though. She had accepted what it was – maybe because her focus had never been on herself, but here, she couldn't help but question why? Why did they still treat her like a celebrity? Why was she important? She had never been brainy or intellectual like Hermione or the two men working in front of her, but she had always prided herself in the knowledge that she was powerful… more powerful than any of the people she knew.

They had put her in line with Merlin, for heaven's sake!

But did she really deserve it all when she couldn't even get out of here? When she could be so easily subdued? When she couldn't help the two men working day and night in any way? Sure, she cooked their meals which were shitty at best and served as an extra hand whenever they needed, but that was about it. She hadn't realised it before but seeing Phineas affected her more than it should've. She had tried to use her magic, summon the energy to break the bracelet on her hand, but to her disappointment, it didn't work. As the days passed, her hopelessness increased and any chances of seeing Teddy lessened every day.

She tried to keep herself busy, but really, how could she? There was nothing to do! So, she quietly observed their work… mostly Tony's work. After days or possibly weeks, she finally saw with her own eyes why these men took Tony Stark. He was unquestionably, one of the smartest men on the planet. Which was why both she and Draco were bewildered when the man in question didn't ask them anything about their revelation. In fact, he had been behaving as if they hadn't had the particular conversation about witches, wizards and a whole new world.

None of them understood how a man such as Stark could wave off their whole exchange, but chalked it up to the fact that maybe, he still thought of them as mental. With nothing to do, they too had dropped the issue for now, especially since the man was working on something entirely different.

Dorea looked at the sketch designed on a piece of paper with a frown. Tony had drawn it himself. It looked like the missile, but the second paper, which seemed like half of the first one, made it look like something else.

He had explained animatedly that he was building a metal armour, but she still couldn't help but ask, "How will it work?"

After days without speaking much, her voice came out hoarse and it startled the two men so much that Tony dropped the hammer on the floor and stared at her wide-eyed. The bright blue circle in his chest shone brightly, once again reminding her that despite being on death's door, he hadn't given up. They weren't sure how long this arc reactor would be able to keep him alive, but Tony was positive that he would be back home by the time he would need to worry about it.

Both men were covered in sweat and grease, but it was Tony who blinked a couple of times as if coming out of a trance, while Draco dropped his hammer and slumped on the nearest cot tiredly.

Without the clank, clank of metal that had filled the cave, there was nothing but silence and she wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

"What?" asked Tony.

"Uh… this metal suit? How will it work?" She asked slowly, uncertainly, unsure how he will react. He was a genius after all and she didn't want him to think that she was undervaluing him.

He glanced from her to the sketches in her hand before nodding. "It's a suit. A bulletproof suit. More like a weapon. Even though I've been building weapons for years now, but this is unlike anything I've built and it will be powered by the arc reactor." He tapped the reactor on his chest for emphasis.

She bit her lip before asking, "A weapon. So… it will be able to fire or blast anything you would want?"

Tony almost smiled before replying, "It will have a repulsor beam that will repeal the opponents away and we'll be able to leave."

There was so much enthusiasm and confidence in the way he said the words, that it made her smile involuntarily.

"Now that your curiosity is satisfied, Potter, can we go back to work?" Draco asked, making her glower at him.

"No one stopped you in the first place, Malfoy! Don't blame your lazy tendencies on me!" She snapped back.

"Lazy tendencies?!" He spluttered. "Let me tell you that we're slaving all day while you sit on your ass all day, Potter!"

Dorea gritted her teeth, but instead of replying verbally, she picked the first thing she got her hands on, which turned out to be Tony's clay pot of food and threw it at him.

There was a high-pitched yelp as Draco jumped to the side and landed on his ass. Both men stared at her wide-eyed until Draco opened his mouth and screeched melodramatically, "I've always known you wanted to kill me, Potter, and now you have the perfect opportunity! There's no one to stop you anymore! No one realizes how barmy you are!"

Tony's Pov

Meanwhile, Tony watched the exchange utterly bemused. They had been locked here for what? Months now? Or was it years? He certainly had lost all sense of time! At least these terrorists should provide him with a watch! Maybe that's what he would ask for the next time they sent Yinsen for the list.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand, it had been months and he still couldn't understand how these two worked together! It seemed like they couldn't go an hour without bickering. They said they were partners, no less in the British government – working together for 7 years and had known each other since they were kids, but how were they paired together if they wanted to kill each other every time they looked at the other? And how did they get their work done? He hadn't even realised he had said it out loud until two heads snapped towards him.

The two exchanged a look silently, again making him confused because how did that work exactly? Either you liked someone or you don't? Wasn't this how the world worked? One moment, they were about to kill the other, in the next, they were sharing secret glances like they do in those spy movies! Dorea had been anxious when he was… sick, put herself in between him and the terrorists when he wasn't awake, and it was obvious by the way Draco taunted her from time to time about 'how skinny she was if she didn't eat' that cared about her too, but he still couldn't understand the dynamics.

And that was something! He had never been good at understanding behaviour, but he had studied human psychology and criminal psychology in detail because he was bored. It made him capable of dealing with sharks out there! There was a reason Stark Industries was on top and it all came down to interactions with world leaders apart from his intelligence! Yes, Pepper dealt with everything, but he was still the CEO!

There was nothing he couldn't understand because Hello!

Genius!

And he wasn't going to talk about their 'little fantasy world' because it didn't make any sense! He was one of the few people who were aware of how this world worked and its secrets. It was a different issue that he had never been interested to find out what didn't concern him. But how could the world not know about a hidden society of wizards and witches if they co-survived with humans? That was another thing. Were these even humans? Were these two aliens? He had always wanted to meet aliens! Ever since he was 4 and had heard his father talking to some scientist about the possibility of another life! These two looked like humans but what did he know? Seemingly, even the Queen… he had got to find out what red-head was about to say!

He had never given it much thought though… because of magic? Witches and wizards? Wizarding world? Really? Were they a part of a children's movie?

He shouldn't even consider it because it was all nonsense! But still, a part of him… a very small one hidden somewhere was screaming that these two weren't stupid. Draco was too smart… not like him, of course! He didn't think there were many people like him. Well… that was a lie. He didn't think there was anyone like him and maybe he was being biased, but he wasn't wrong. He hadn't met anyone like him in his whole life! Maybe one or two came close, but still, they couldn't keep up with him. He was really one of a kind, wasn't he? Okay! Off the topic, so Draco was smart enough, maybe above average than Dorea to sprout shit as she did!

So, there must be a reason they were saying that the machine would destroy their world. He had studied the machine and it was something he hadn't come across before. And there wasn't much he didn't know about! And then there were 'the runes' printed in Latin.

She had said that 'magic was about channelling your energy through will' and 'the bracelet was binding their magic'.

And even he had to admit that it was all bizarre.

He wasn't ashamed to admit that he had been scared when she first told him that she was a witch and the Phineas guy was a look-alike of her godfather and they were all a family! Not a happy one, but still a family. The hidden world, a war no one knew about and people who were all related to each other. But the more he worked with Draco, he realised that the man wasn't crazy. He had not much to go on about the girl because she didn't speak! How can someone stay that quiet? He would go insane if he was asked not to speak for a month! A month! But then again, his mind held information more than a computer could, so it should be explainable… but still!

It was all too much!

But… he had always been curious, which, well… he was a scientist and an engineer so again – self-explanatory!

Which was why he was working on this instrument! It would essentially pick up sound waves or energy vibrations in the air which would let him know if they were telling the truth or not! The little concern he has was about the bracelet, but he'll find a way to work around it. After all, he wasn't sure how safe these two were and he wouldn't risk more than he already had.

EN: So, this was my first attempt at writing Tony's Pov. It wasn't easy and I'm not sure if I succeeded in portraying his character. His mind seems like a complicated place, but what the hell, yea? Do let me know if you liked it?

Just 3 more chapters to go. I might add an epilogue, but that's undecided yet. I also have a whole series in mind, still unsure if I'll continue, though.

Positive Criticism is always appreciated unless it is rude or insulting. Have a nice day everyone.

Next update: September 3rd, 2020

April 26th, 2020