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It shouldn't have surprised Tony when Harry had a nightmare that night. Harry had been quiet since the encounter in Diagon Alley, almost like he felt he'd done something wrong instead of being the victim. It gave Tony even more insight into what Harry had gone through in Petunia's house. It was also telling that Harry reached badly to being touched when he had a nightmare, to the point of throwing himself off the bed and scuttling into the corner.
Sitting beside Harry, feeling completely out of his depth, Tony spoke softly to his son until Harry recognized him and thrown himself in Tony's arms.
"Pa'to! The bad man hurt Mummy with the green light!" his son sobbed as Tony rocked him back and forth as he held Harry tight.
It was gut-wrenching when Tony realized Harry remembered that night and all he could do was try and comfort him. Both of them cried over their shared grief and Tony sat the rest of the night, holding Harry as he finally slept. The regrets Tony felt over the decisions made four years before haunted him, as no doubt Sirius was haunted by his actions after Pettigrew's betrayal. All they could do was move forward, putting Harry's wellbeing and protection as their primary goal.
Tony went over the facts he knew, the assumption based on credible information, and a plan of action began to form. If Tom Riddle, which Rockjaw confirmed was the bastard's true name, had created Horcruxes, then he had to still be tethered to earth in some form. He would up the money he'd set aside for the goblin team to locate and destroy the foul things, to fine what ever form was left of Riddle and destroy it as well. Dumbledore had taken a blow at the trial, especially with the loss of the Elder Wand, but Tony could help but feel the old wizard had other schemes in play. He certainly remember the vigilante group Dumbledore has during the first war against the Dark Asshole and there had to be a reason Harry was left at Petunia's when her hate of magic was well known amoung Lily's friends. The investigators might be able to help discover a reason behind Dumbledore's manipulation.
He also knew Sirius would need to heal and gain back his strength, but Tony wanted Sirius to come back to Malibu with them at the end of the week. It just made sense to get both Harry and Sirius out of the UK and out of Dumbledore's sphere of influence. It also put someone Tony absolutely trusted to care for Harry when he had to travel, as well as. It was convincing Lord Black to allow his heirs to leave that Tony was going to have to negotiate. Perhaps a permanent Portkey to Malibu, so Arcturus could visit at his leisure.
"Master Tony?" Taffy's voice was a whisper. "Does yous want Taffy to start breakfasts?"
Tony jumped causing Harry to stir against his shoulder. "Yes, please, Taffy – with lots of coffee!"
Gently waking Harry up, Tony carried his son into the bathroom. He stripping them both down and took a quick shower with Harry's face in his neck. It might not have been the most thorough shower he'd every taken, but it was nice to hear a quiet giggle when Tony asked Harry if he needed a shave while he was touching up his goatee. Dressing them both in sweatpants and sweaters, Tony carried Harry out of the bedroom, both still a bit sleepy-eyed.
Happy was already enjoying steak and eggs when Tony dropped into his chair with Harry in his lap. He immediately grabbed the cup of coffee which instantly appeared at his elbow and drank half of it in one gulp.
"Rough night, boss?" Happy observed as he watched the pair.
"A nightmare, Hap," Tony paused to inhale the rest of his cup. "Kid just can't get a break, you know."
Happy nodded as Tony turned Harry around to sit in his lap, a disgruntled pout on his face. Tony saw Happy hide his grin behind his cup as Harry rubbed his eyes.
"Okay, bambino, would you like some fruit? Maybe some gruel? How about frogs eyes?"
Harry shot him a look. "Ew, Papa! Just some toast and fruit, please."
"I think you need a scrambled egg as well, kiddo, to give you some muscles," Tony said finishing off his second cup of coffee.
Two identical plates appeared in front of him and Tony sighed, much to Happy's amusement. Both he and Harry had the same displeased look on their faces.
"Well, son. I guess we should eat after Taffy went to all this trouble."
Harry nodded and took his fork from Tony as he leaned forward as he scooped up some eggs. Making sure Harry's spoon actually made it to his mouth, Tony made quick work of his own eggs, ignored the toast, and grabbed a handful of blueberries. He popped them into his mouth and washed them down with more coffee, finally starting to feel human. Harry ate slower, dumping a spoonful of eggs on a toast soldier (something Happy showed him a few days before) and chomping on it.
"What's on the agenda today, boss?" Happy pushed his plate and cup away, watching them immediately disappear.
Watching his plate pop away, Tony grabbed his cup. "We need to go by the American Embassy to pick-up Harry's paperwork and we also have an appointment this afternoon with representative from MACUSA to discuss some of the irregularities going on with the British Ministry."
Happy nodded and checked his watch. "I'll go fuel the car and be back by noon. Do you or the kid need anything?"
"No, thanks, Hap."
Harry gave him a little wave as Happy pushed back from the table and head out the door. Tony knew the Taz and Max were here and there was another house-elf who went everywhere with Happy. Tony would not have Happy put at risk.
"Papa! Look!" Harry exclaimed, sliding off his lap.
Looking up from his phone, Tony saw a regal black owl fly into the room from the spare room and land on the back of one of the chairs. It stuck it's leg out towards tony, hopping to the side when Harry reached toward it. Tony's wand slid into his hand and he remembered the general detention spell James had taught him when he was fourteen and apprehensive about being enrolled in MIT. He hadn't felt safe in the dorms until he and Rhodey had become his roommate.
The message seemed to be innocuous and Tony leaned forward to remove it from the bird. "Taffy!" he called as he read the note.
"Yes, Master Tony?" Taffy popped in, wiggling her fingers at Harry.
"Sirius and Lord Black will be joining us for dinner tonight and I believe Sirius will be staying with us."
"Master Sirius!" Taffy clapped her hands in delight. "Taffy be making all his favorites!"
"Can we have treacle tart for pudding, Taffy?" Harry asked hopefully.
Tony hid a smile as Taffy gave him a look and he nodded. Harry's latest favorite thing in the world was treacle and Tony had no problem indulging the little boy.
They spent the rest of the morning doing paperwork – Tony going through several of the new designs he wanted to work on for the technology division of Stark Industries and Harry doing some easy reading and math worksheets Tony had ordered for him. He suspected Harry was very intelligent and wanted to get an idea where he might be placed if he were in an American school. While Tony had no intention of sending Harry to school at least for a while – Harry's emotional abuse would take time to heal – he wanted to see if he were ahead or behind where he should be.
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"Mr. Stark, it's delightful to meet you." The American Ambassador to Great Britain greeted Tony and Harry as they were ushered into his office at the Embassy in London.
"Ambassador Crowe, it is a pleasure to meet you," Tony wanted to roll his eyes – he didn't need the ambassador himself to pick-up a visa. "This adorable young man is my son, Harry."
Crowe bent down slightly to greet Harry who gave him a hesitant smile. "And this is the young man who needs a visa?"
"My son, Harry, Ambassador," Tony said proudly. "we've been approved for an entry visa while we are waiting for his American citizenship to come through."
Ambassador Crowe straightened and reached behind him to pick up a large envelope form his desk. "I believe all the appropriate paperwork is here, Mr. Stark."
Harry looked up at him and Tony gave him a nod. Stepping forward, Harry took the envelope with both hands, holding it carefully. "Thank you, sir!" he chirped.
"And now, I believe you have another appointment with the security guys upstairs." The Ambassador guided them out of his office. "Good luck and safe travels."
Tony wanted to roll his eyes at the typical politician brush off, even though he was relieved. The embassy immigration officer would have been sufficient to give them the paperwork, but, no, the ambassador had to step in when he found out it was Tony Stark. Taking Harry's hand, Tony sighed as they followed an aide up the sweeping staircase to a door in a hallway. Tony double check his wand, Happy having stayed outside with the car. Tony hadn't thought they would need protection within an embassy.
The aide left them after knocking on the door and Tony tugged Harry against his side as a large man, impeccably dressed in a dark gray suit, appeared in the doorway.
"Mr. Stark, I presume?" The man seemed to only have eyes for Harry, putting Tony on edge.
"Yes," Tony snapped as he looked the man up and down. "I believe we have an appointment—"
"Of course, I'm—"
"Iggy!" Another voice, tight will embarrassment, sounded just behind the man. "At least let them in the door!"
With a muttered apology, "Iggy" stepped to one-side and allowed them into a large room with a conference table at one end and several desks at the other. A seating area in front of a fireplace which seemed overlarge for the room. There was a tea tray sitting on the low table in front of the couch and large windows at the far end of the room let in natural light. There was nothing else in the room which would indicate what it was used for and it made Tony nervous.
Harry half hid behind Tony's leg as he looked at the two men disapprovingly. The second man was tall, with dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and a small goatee. He was dressed in a good quality black suit, with what appeared to be a red leather over-robe.
"I apologize, Mr. Stark," The second man stood near on of the chairs in the sitting area. "Iggy's a bit starstruck, I'm afraid. I am Auror Captain Robert Graves"
Tony shot the other man a suspicious look, as he was still staring at Harry. "I'm afraid I find it a bit perverse to have someone staring at my son like that."
Iggy had the decency to blush. "I—"
"Because if this is about the whole Boy-Who-Lived crap, then I an truly disappointed. One of the prime reasons I want Harry to grow up in America is to get him away for all that—"
"No!" Iggy interrupted him. "It's not that—"
Graves cleared his throat.
"Well, mostly not be cause of that! I'm Iggy Potter – I mean Auror Ignotus Potter and Harry is my cousin."
Tony frowned as his mind paged through information. "A descendent of Abraham Potter?"
"Yes," Iggy said as Harry peaked out from behind Tony's leg. "I actually met James several years ago at an Auror conference here in London. He and his partner had the reputation of being rather formidable and were taking about the terrorist tactics they were dealing with."
"You knew my other daddy?" Harry stepped forward, never letting go of Tony's hand.
Iggy knelt down in front of Harry and held out his hand. Harry stuck the enveloped under his arm before hesitantly shaking Iggy's hand. "When I met him, I was delighted to find out we were actually distant cousins on the Potter side, as we're both from the Peverell line."
"I have a Peverell ring!" Harry showed him excitedly and Iggy admired it dutifully.
"Gentlemen, could we move this to where we'd be more comfortable."
Tony admired the scowl Graves threw at his Junior G-man and led Harry over to the couch. Lifting him up onto the couch, Tony sat next to Harry who continued to clutch the envelope with his paperwork. Tony accepted a cup of tea for himself and then one for Harry, leaving them on the table. A glance at Harry saw him eyeing one of the shortbread cookies, er, biscuits and Tony put one on a plate, handing it to Harry.
"Thank you for coming today, Mr. Stark," Graves left his tea on the table and leaned forward. "I'm not sure how much you know concerning the Potters and—"
"I'll stop you there," Tony interrupted swiftly. "James Potter was my cousin on the Black side and I spent summers with him when I was a kid so I could be tutored in magic."
"You're a wizard?" Iggy exclaimed, almost spilling his tea. "You are not registered with MACUSA!"
Tony smirked. "No, I'm not and I'd rather it not become public knowledge to anyone."
Graves threw his head back and laughed. "Yes, I can imagine if the media got a hold of the information that Tony Stark was a wizard!"
Harry glared at the man and moved closer to Tony. Tony cupped the back of his head as he narrowed his eyes at the Auror captain.
"I am taking my son back to California in three days and I am hoping you can give us a briefing on what we need to know. I never practiced magic in the states—"
Iggy snorted into his tea.
"—as my father didn't know about magic and wouldn't have approved." Tony scowled. "Harry has already had instances of accidental magic and I don't want someone showing up every time it happens. So, I need my home in Malibu registered as a magical house—"
"Better be registered as Harry Potter's primary place of residence and we'll need to help with the warding."
"Stark," Harry interjected.
Graves looked at him, confused. "Pardon?"
"My name is Harry Stark, sir." Harry told him fiercely.
Tony smiled; his kid was feisty. "Technically, Harry has several names he could use – Potter, Black, or Stark, but he will be using Stark informally. And Sirius Black should be accompanying us back to Malibu."
Iggy's eyes went impossibly wide. "Seriously?"
"No," Tony snarked. "Sirius."
Graves wiped a hand over his face. "Okay, glad I work out of New York." He sighed. "Let me get this straight, we have a world-famous billionaire, the boy-who-lived who is actually the heir to three—"
"Five," Tony interjected.
"FIVE lordships, and an Azkaban-addled former Auror, the wizarding equivalent to Stark, all in one house!"
"The Gringotts' warders have already layered it with wards and other protective fields," Tony bit out, irritated by the attitude. "I will put it under a Fidelius if I need to, only that didn't work out well for Lily and James!"
"Says the man who hacked the Pentagon at thirteen!"
Tony stood and lifted Harry up, fuming. He'd known the mistakes of his ill-spent youth would come back to him, but he never thought like this. These were the representatives of the American wizarding law enforcement? And he'd thought the British were bad.
"I requested a meeting with people I thought could help me protect my son against Voldemort and Dumbledore," Tony bit out between clenched teeth and he could feel Harry's magic swirl as he responded to Tony's anger. "But you people are as bad as Dumbledore, and his fucking "greater good" bullshit! None of you seem to understand that both Sirius and I have the resources to take Harry and, disappear off the face of the earth—"
"Mr. Stark," Graves quietly interjected. "I owe you an apology. I was not briefed on the content of your request, I was only told Tony Stark was demanding contact with MACUSA, and I made wrong assumptions." Graves managed to look embarrassed.
"Lord Carb'nell." Harry spat; one arm hooked around Tony's neck.
Tony snickered at the fierce look on his son's face and hugged him, as Graves' words sunk into his brain. "It's okay, bambino, I think we got off on the wrong foot. Maybe we should give them another chance."
Reseating himself, Tony turned Harry in his lap and wrapped an arm around his waist, so they both faced the Aurors. "All right, if you have any other intrusive questions you need to get out of the way, ask them now and keep them appropriate." Tony was trying to reign in his anger as Harry clenched his free hand.
"The little one is biologically—" Iggy began until Graves threw him a sharp look.
Tony took a deep breath. "James was infertile, so we used a fertility potion utilizing my sperm. He is my biological son as much as James'."
Graves nodded. "And Dumbledore?"
Sighing, Tony shifted Harry around so his head rested on Tony's shoulder and pressed a kiss to his temple, encouraging Harry to relax. "Dumbledore illegally took Harry from the cottage that night, placed several bonds on his core, and left him on a muggle doorstep in the middle of the night without so much as a Warming Charm, where he was abused by magic hating relatives. The goblins and my solicitors are attempting to retrieve money and heirlooms removed from the Potter vaults with authorization."
"And I understand the Grand Poobah wasn't in good humor after you attended the Wizengamot session – something about his wand," Graves commented. "You do know about Dumbledore and Grindelwald, correct?"
"I am not familiar," Tony answered evenly, moving the now sleeping Harry to his shoulder.
Graves, his lips set in a grim line, "They were best friends and lovers starting when they were teenagers, with ideas not unlike Hitler or your Voldemort. The Peverell wand was "won" by Dumbledore in a duel that no one else witnessed and there were some nasty rumors after Grindelwald was locked in his own personal tower as a prison."
Tony connected the dots. "You're related to Perceval Graves?"
"I am," Graves acknowledged, "and have no love for Dumbledore."
Tony nodded and sighed in relief. "Will you help us, help me keep Harry safe from the fanatics on both sides?"
Graves exchanged a look at Iggy and both looked at Tony, before their eyes then dropping to the tiny child he held. There was an assessing quality to Graves.
"We will do everything in our power to help, Mr. Stark." Iggy had a determined look.
"Please, call me Tony."
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