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Privet Drive, Little Whinging was typical of most middle-class neighborhoods in England or the United States, Tony thought as he stood in front of number 4, flanked by Happy and a carefully chosen security team. Almost identical homes lined each side of the streets throughout the subdivision, their house and fence colors the only differences it seemed. The streetlight showed this particular house was no different from its neighbors, except possible having neater flowerbeds. A large, expensive sedan sat in the driveway, despite a perfectly good garage to put it in.
Tony snorted, He hadn't even met these Dursleys and he could already tell they were pretentious social climbers. He waiting until he received a nod from the goblin wardsmith before starting up the walkway to the front door, with two uniformed Aurors and a plainclothes detective from the Surrey Constables. a liaison to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The Black family solicitor and Tony's new solicitor, a Muggleborn named Ian Smythe, stood on the sidewalk watching.
As he approached the front step, Tony stopped for a moment, a sound catching his ear. He held up a hand for everyone to stop, until it came again: a small child crying. Tony followed the sound around the side of the garage to find a tiny child, wrapped only in an oversized shirt, huddled in a ball and sitting in front of a locked shed. The messy black hair identified the child and Tony felt his temper flare as he took in ihis son/i. Forcing the anger back, Tony knelt in front of the child, unable to believe a four-year-old could cry so quietly.
"Hey kiddo," Tony kept his voice soft, "how come you're outside so late?"
""m bad." The child never looked up.
"Harry?" Tony slowly reached out. "Can I pick you up?"
Luminous green eyes, iLily's eyes/i, Tony realized with a spike of grief, looked up at him, one bruised and both red rimmed. "Why?"
The look of confusion broke Tony's heart. "Because you are cold and I'd like to hold you, Harry."
"O—okay," Harry stared at him as Tony scooped him up gently. "Who's Harry?"
Tony was startled at how little the boy weighed and pulled Harry against his chest. "You are Harry – that's your name, son."
"'m Boy or Unca calls me Freak," Harry muttered as he kept his body tense, as if he didn't remember ever been held.
Tony turned towards the Aurors and detective, making sure they had heard the conversation as he carried Harry back to the front of the house. Harry went ridged, as if he was afraid they'd turn him over to his relatives.
Tony halted, his back towards the house. "I know your name is Harry, as I helped to pick it just for you. Your mummy wanted you named for her grandfather."
Harry relaxed a little. "You knowed my mummy?"
Eyes prickling, Tony took a deep breath. "Yes, I knew your mummy and your daddy very well." He shifted Harry so he could see his face. "Harry, I'm your other father, your Papa Tony. I'd like to take you with me, is that okay?"
Scrunching up his face, Harry seemed to study Tony, "Pa'to? You're my Pa'to?"
Tony hugged him against his chest. "Yes, bambino, your Pa'to."
Harry's hand gripped the front of his shirt. "I stay with you, Pa'to?"
"Yes, Harry, forever!"
"Okay!" Harry relaxed against him. "'m tired."
Tony walked out to the sidewalk, watching the Aurors as they approached the door. Knowing the sight of his relatives would likely upset the little boy, Tony jerked his head at Happy and slid into the car. Putting Harry in the car seat Happy had thought to bring, Tony wrapped Harry in a soft green blanket he'd grabbed from the plane, leaving him unbuckled for the moment. Tony took the bag on the floorboard, removing a small bag of carrots, a drink pouch, and some crackers, which he placed in the seat around Harry. Happy slid into the car on the opposite side as Tony pressed a kiss to Harry's still cold forehead.
"I need to go talk to your aunt for a moment, Harry. Happy will stay with you and help you warm up until I get back, okay?"
Harry looked at him with worried eyes. "B'careful Pa'to, Aunt 'tunia can hit hard."
"I will, kiddo." Tony schooled the fury he felt out of his voice.
Detective Bertoni was knocking on the door when Tony walked up, the two Aurors, Bones and Proudfoot, stood to one side of the door, wands in hand. A thumping sound was heard just before the porch light flickered on.
"Sounds like a thundering elephant," Bones remarked quietly.
The door was flung open to reveal a huge man in a dressing gown that had seen better days, his hair and mustache rumpled.
"Walrus," Tony offered as the man narrowed his eyes at the gathered group. .
"Who are you and what are you doing disturbing decent people in the middle of the night?" The walrus blustered.
Bertoni extended his badge and identification for Harry's uncle to examine. Tony watched as a thin, severe looking woman in rollers came down the stairs behind him and he couldn't help but stare. This woman was Lily's sister?
"What do you want?" Dursley's face was turning an interesting shade of red.
"We are here about your nephew, Mr. Dursley. Where is he?"
"Why do you what to know about the brat?" Dursley's face got even redder. "What's he done now?"
Bertoni gave the man an incredulous look. "Your nephew is four-years-old, Dursley – what could he possibly done wrong?"
Tony noticed Petunia edging closer, her eyes darting to the hallway behind them.
"He's a freak –"
Tony had had enough. "I suggest you not use that word again for Harry and tell us where he is, as it is almost midnight."
"And just who are you?" Petunia screeched, making them all wince.
Tony stared at her. "How in the world could iyou/i have been related to someone as beautiful and kind as Lily?"
"Where is Harry Potter, Mrs. Dursley?" Bertoni demanded.
Tony looked around and saw lights coming on in the nearby houses as their voices got louder and smiled grimly. He planned to break these people, might as well start now. He stepped closer when neither Dursley would admit where their nephew was.
"You fucking bitch! You locked a four-year-old out of your house for whatever trumped up reason and intended to leave him outside all night!"
Dursley balled his fists. "Bloody freak deserved—"
Tony punched him in the face and the walrus dropped like a rock.
"Oops." Tony shook out his hand. "I must have slipped."
Bertoni was staring at the woman. "I didn't see anything."
Smirking, Tony focused his attention on Petunia. "Now, where are Harry's things?"
He watched as her eyes darted again at the hallway, but didn't move and he pressed. "Do you know who I am?"
"Why should I care?" Petunia sniffed, looking down her nose at him.
"I am Tony Stark, Harry's father, and the man who is going to ruin you."
"I knew it!" Petunia screeched. "Lily was a slut and cheated on that highbrow freak of a husband of hers—"
The windows in the front door shattered and Petunia grabbed her throat as if she'd been bespelled. Reigning in his magic, Tony took a deep breath, his voice a growl. "I donated sperm so Lily and James could have Harry. Lily would never have cheated on my cousin." He turned his back on her and made eye contact with the law enforcement officers. "I need to get my son to a healer, so I will leave this isituation/i in your hands. Please check that cupboard under the stairs the bitch keeps looking at as I want anything that belongs to Harry and find out what company the walrus works for, so I can buy it and fire him."
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