Note: Okay, everyone - I know. I've been a baaaddd baaaddd author, not publishing when I promised... and making you wait nearly a month for the new chapter... and it is super short. Yes. I realize, and I apologize very much. So, I am going to say now that this fic is not on hiatus or abandoned - but there will be sporadic updates as I continue to wrestle with RL.

Thanks to everyone for sticking with me anyways. I hope you like this smidge of a chappie.

Also, thank you to Lekaiel for her photo manipulation fan art that is now the cover of the story!

Please enjoy and review!

Chapter Nine

Harry looked at the doors in front of him nervously. Door number one literally would change is life forever. His father was on the other side. His father. His living, breathing father who wanted to meet him. On the other hand, door number two was an exit that would lead Harry away from Tony's makeshift workshop into the bright world where he could be free from confrontation. Door number two was looking pretty snazzy right now.

Harry started to play with the silver charm bracelet on his wrist. Before leaving Britain, Balderdash had brought him to a wand maker who specialized in innovative Magick to conceal wands for those wizards who have to venture into the Muggle world. Harry's wand was now an innocuous charm, ready to be called for should it be needed. Harry could even cast weak 'wandless' magic when he had the bracelet on. Fidgeting with the bracelet, stroking the charms, gave him a slight surge of magic, his wand reminding him that, in the new adventure he was to take, he was not unarmed.

The boy felt a hand squeeze his shoulder and looked up to see Barnaby Balderdash III giving him an encouraging smile. Harry tried to smile back, but it turned more into a grimace. He did feel a little better though and took a breath, and he stopped playing with the bracelet. With all his Gryffindor courage, he left Balderdash and entered the door.

The workshop was full of machines and papers. It slightly reminded Harry of Mr. Weasley's shed, except he could tell that the bits and pieces were all fairly expensive. Not seeing anyone, he took a moment to explore the room, being careful not to touch anything but still inspecting what his father was working on. There were pieces of Tony's Iron Man suit that Harry assumed was in the middle of being repaired, but it seemed that most of the main table space was used to layout plans for a building. Harry was about to take a deeper look at the schematics, when he heard a throat clear behind him. He spun around and saw the man he now knew to be his father: Tony Stark.

They stared at each other for a long moment.

"Hello?" Harry said, his voice nearly cracking.

*HP*HP*HP*

Tony nervously fiddled with some of the tools on one of his work desks. He and Balderdash had decided that the meet-up would take place in Tony's workshop, away from the public eye and intimidating as his penthouse. Also, for Tony, it gave him a small sense of security that he was on his turf. When he went to bed last night, he was content and childless; yet today, one phone call turned his life around. Tony felt so insecure, his confidence shot. Being in a comfortable environment was helping to relieve those feelings.

Harry – his son – would be arriving any minute. Balderdash was fetching him from the hotel he had been stashed away in and would be bringing him to the workshop. The father and son would be meeting alone. Pepper had shot him a look when Tony announced that to Balderdash, but Tony shook his head at her concern. Tony was convinced that Harry was his son. He knew it in his gut – everything added up. Now, Tony wanted to meet him alone, so they could interact to each other without an audience.

"Sir, a Mr. Barnaby Balderdash III and Mr. Harrison Patterson have arrived on the floor," JARVIS announced.

Tony took a breath to calm his frayed nerves. He stood in the corner of the room and waited. Minutes passed, and Tony began to fidget with his phone, for nothing else but to keep his hands occupied. What was taking the boy so long? What if he decided he actually did not want to meet Tony? What if it was just a lark? What if he left? What if –

The door opened slowly, and through the entrance appeared a young man.

He was exactly as pictured, messy black hair, glasses, and a strong jaw: basically a bespectacled, younger Tony. Tony did frown at the shortness of his son. It was odd – Tony was tall and so was Lily before her death. The man decided to file it away for later investigation.

The boy began to explore the room, and Tony felt it was time to reveal himself. Standing up straight and bringing his cocksure self to the fore, he cleared his throat.

Tony smirked as Harry spun around and was about to say something witty, but then father and son locked eyes, and Tony froze.

Those emerald eyes.

Tony's breath was taken away as it hit him. This was his son, his flesh and blood, his mini-me with Emerald-Eyed Lily's dashing emerald eyes.

They stared at each other until Harry broke the silence.

"Hello?"

Tony broke from his spell and smiled to the boy who seemed so unsure, so lost.

"Hello."