June 21, 2017
"How does Sirius expect us to find one man in a city this big? We've hardly been to London outside of Diagon and Kings Cross, let alone New York!" An amused grin pulls at Lissy's lips as she looks over her brother's shoulder, studying the muggle map of New York City. Harry's rant somehow eases some of the anxiety that has been rampant in her chest from the moment their godfather broke them out of Durskaban.
"Life would be so much easier if all maps functioned like the Marauder's Map. Then we could just find his name." She leans on her twin for a moment before straightening and looking around the magazine stand once more. Aunt Petunia's magazine collection had always been off limits to her, though sewing patterns and gardening tips didn't really interest Lissy anyhow.
It's as she's scanning the dozens of bright and colorful articles that her eyes catch on the exact man they were looking to find. She starts, hand reaching out to grip Harry's shoulder tightly. She turns him in the direction of the magazine, reaching out with her other hand to snag it off of the shelf.
"Well, I think I found him." The two knock their heads together as they lean over the cover that depicts a man in some sort of metal suit flying through the sky. Behind him is a tall building, probably taller than the highest tower at Hogwarts, with a large, blue 'A' on the front of it.
"I'll pay for the map and gossip rag, you figure out how to hail a cab." Harry disappears from her side, leaving Lissy staring at the red and gold man. Her thoughts, that having been racing nonstop for the last 24 hours, are suddenly at a stand still. Sirius hadn't been pulling some elaborate prank, some robot man really is their father.
Sperm donor , she mentally corrects herself, forcing her attention back to the task at hand. James Potter died for them. He is their father.
She shoves the issue of 'People' into her school bag and spins on the ball of her foot. Now to get one of these yellow cars to drive two thirteen year olds to Tony Stark's tower-house. Easy as blasting Malfoy across a corridor for touching her.
Apparently, it was that easy. Nobody questioned the two skinny kids traveling alone, nor their odd location. Standing outside of 'Avengers Tower' and gripping Harry's hand as tightly as possible, entering the building seems much harder.
"Do we really need him?" Harry's mumbled question matches her own thoughts. One of them has to be strong, though. Lissy may not be a Gryffindor, but that doesn't mean she can't be brave.
She pushes her shoulders back and tugs her brother even closer. "Unfortunately, yes. If we can get him to sign the papers and provide us with new documents, then we can get Siri and get the hell out of England for good."
Harry sighs and they stand there for a few more moments. When neither of them seem as if they're going to move, he suddenly pulls Lissy forward. "Fine, but let's be quick about it. I don't want to leave Sirius on his own for too long."
"Merlin knows what he's done since we left. I still don't understand why he wouldn't come with us. He can literally turn into a dog, he could have ridden a plane as a dog too." She feels a bit sick at the mention of the plane, causing her brother to snicker at the green tinge to her complexion. Lissy swats his arm lightly, scowling. "Shut it. Not all of us enjoy risking our lives in the air as much as you do. I prefer fighting basilisks on the ground. You and your dementors can keep the skies."
Harry fully laughs then as they enter the lobby. "You watch Neville fall off his broom one time and now you're scarred for life."
"I get injured enough as is, I will not add falling from fifty feet up in the air to the list." She shudders at the memory of Harry falling even further than that, as if he was a bird dropping right out of the sky. She pulls her twin toward the receptionist before anymore can be said.
"Welcome to Avengers Tower, how may I help you?" The blonde lady that sits behind the desk doesn't even spare them a glance, continuing to click around on her computer. Her computer looks much newer and more expensive than the last one Dudley received, which is saying something considering how much Uncle Vernon complained about its cost.
"We're here to see Tony Stark." Harry steps slightly in front of Lissy as he's always been apt to do. It used to make her upset, she could protect herself just fine. Now though, she's just thankful that he's able to offer her coverage from anyone looking too closely at the bruises adorning her face and neck. Though, that only means that when the woman finally looks up, her eyes are immediately drawn to the black eye and busted lip that Harry's sporting.
"Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist seems to recover quickly, schooling her features and quirking a brow.
Harry glances back at Lissy, question on what to do next apparent on his face. She takes a breath and steps forward, face blank.
"No. We weren't aware we needed to make one. How can we go about that?" She keeps her tone polite, but there's still an edge to it. Very few people deserve Lissy's kindness. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Morag, and Luna being the only ones amongst that group. Perhaps Sirius now, too. He did get her and Harry away from their relatives. And he tried to avenge their parents. Yes, Sirius deserves her kindness too, but that is it .
The blonde turns back to her computer screen, biting her red painted lips almost nervously. "Let's see… The next available appointment I have is for 9:00 AM on Tuesday," They could do that, it's Sunday so that's not a horrible wait. Lissy starts to nod but abruptly stops as the woman continues, "November 17."
"What?!" Harry yelps beside her, eyes wide. "But it's June !"
"Yes, well, Mister Stark is a busy man, as I'm sure you know. That is the next opening on his schedule." The receptionist almost looks apologetic.
Lissy can feel the moment Harry's indignation turns to anger, his magic beginning to spark between them. She shoves him slightly behind her as she places her hands on the desk. She's sure that the image she portrays isn't as fierce as she'd like, as the desk is nearly level with her shoulders, but still.
"Look, ma'am. I understand that Mister Stark is busy. But all we need is for him to sign some papers and then we'll be on our way. I'd really like this to be done without any issues." Lissy tries to tamp down her own magic, feeling the beginning of static in her curly auburn hair. All they need now is to break the Statue of Secrecy on top of everything else.
"I'm sorry, but he's simply not available until November." The woman leans back slightly, looking at the twins warily. "If you'd like to make an appointment, I can certainly help you do so, but otherwise-"
"No! Call Tony Sparks or whoever he is and tell him to come down from his bloody tower and sign our damn papers!" Harry's temper spikes before Lissy is able to do anymore damage control. She almost groans at her brother's outburst, but manages to resist, barely. "Tell him that his bloody fucking kids are in his bloody fucking lobby and he can come down here or I'm going to fly up there to him."
Lissy does groan when the flowers in the vase on the desk catch fire. Of course Harry would have a burst of accidental magic right now. Why wouldn't he? Obviously their day hasn't been exciting enough.
"Calm down, Harry James! You're going to have us both arrested and our wands snapped." Lissy whips around and pokes her brother in the chest as she hisses the warning. Slowly she turns back to the receptionist with a forced smile, willing the flowers to stop burning. "I'm sorry for my brother's outburst. He's rather stressed at the moment. What he meant is-"
"Back up and show me your hands!" Both Potters snap their heads to the side in tandem. Lissy involuntarily backs up a step as a large man, with muscle rather than fat like Uncle Vernon, comes storming toward them from the open doors of a lift. Her breath catches as he yells, a spark of fear igniting inside of her.
They just escaped the Dursleys. She can't let someone hurt her and Harry again. She won't. Just as the man reaches out for Harry, just as her brother flinches away, Lissy's own magic bursts from her chest, throwing the man backwards. Harry and the receptionist both look at her with wide eyes, one with concern and one with fear. She stumbles back a few more steps.
"I-I-I," She can't get the words out, gaze stuck on the man as he grunts, getting back to his feet from where he collided with a group of chairs. Her eyes flick from him to Harry and back again.
"Hey, Lis, calm down. Take a breath. It's okay." Harry reaches out for her but she shakes her head fervently. He can't touch her, not yet. Not when her magic is still prickling her skin and her hair is standing on end and that man who yells like Uncle Vernon is coming back towards them. Her brother watches her for another moment before nodding and turning back to the newcomer. His rage is almost tangible as his magic fills the air, covering her in a blanket of comfort and safety.
Harry won't let anyone touch her. Not when they're an ocean away from the ministry and free to use magic. Well, they might not get in trouble for underage magic use, but MACUSA probably won't take kindly to them showing a bunch of muggles their wands.
"Oi! Meathead! Pick on someone your own size, eh?"
The man turns his attention to Harry, allowing Lissy to catch her breath and calm down. She's not in Surrey. Uncle Vernon isn't here. Dudley isn't here. It's just some other muggle that Harry will tear to pieces before he allows them to touch her. In and out. In. Out.
She looks up as the lift doors open again. This time, the man who walks out is much more relaxed. He wears jeans and a tee shirt, hands casually stuck in his pockets. His entire being screams that he's important and he knows it. He has no worries in the world.
He has Harry's hair. He has Lissy's eyes.
-
Tony is having a good day. No aliens. No killer robots. No nagging directors of secret government organizations knocking on his door. Just him, his tools, and AC/DC blaring through his lab. Of course, just like all of his good days, that all comes to an abrupt end.
"Boss, there's an issue in the lobby." His music pauses as FRIDAY speaks, the lab filled with the sound of him welding instead.
A drawn out groan leaves his lips as he stops what he's doing and flips his mask up. "Have Happy handle it."
"Mister Hogan is already downstairs, boss. He has been thrown across the room."
"Thrown across the- Fri, show me the security footage." A holographic screen appears before him, showcasing the lobby. Tony watches as Happy advances on two kids, young kids, maybe 10 or 11 at most. Just as he reaches the boy, he suddenly goes flying across the room. Tony is on his feet and heading toward the elevator before Happy can even get up.
What sort of kids just showed up at his tower? Wonder Twins 2.0?
He cringes at the thought of another Wanda and Pietro. Those kids (do nineteen year olds still qualify as kids?) are enough to handle. Let alone children that are able to throw a grown man.
The elevator shoots to the ground floor, Tony having overridden the settings to keep it from making any stops. He just knows that Pepper would have several words to say to him if she saw how fast the lift could actually go. She'd have Public Safety over in a heartbeat. As if they would do anything more than tell him the 'dangers' of an elevator moving at such high speeds. Tony designed it, of course he put safety measures in place.
Rolling his eyes at the thought, he steps out as the doors open, walking slowly onto the scene. Happy is advancing on the boy again. Mouthy little thing, that one is.
"What? You look like a troll so now you have to act like one, too? Take joy in pounding on people smaller than you?" The dark haired kid is almost bouncing in his worn sneakers, green eyes looking as if they're glowing.
"Shut up, kid. Take your friend and leave. We don't let arsonists in here." Happy's voice was gruff, not a good sign for the two troublemakers in Tony's lobby.
"Nah, you only let in dumb blondes and dumber giants, right?" The kid twitches as he dodges Happy's hand, still remaining firmly in front of the little girl behind him. Tony's bodyguard lets out a sound of frustration. Time for backup .
"Cool it Haps, Oliver Twist." Tony nods to each in turn as he finally steps up between them. "What's got your panties in a twist?"
The red headed girl, who looked absolutely terrified of Happy only moments ago, steps forward with a blank face. A blank face with a nasty bruise covering her right cheek. It's not hard to let his eyes trail down to the purple hand print encircling her neck. What the hell? She pulls a packet from her messenger bag, flipping through it before holding it out to Tony.
"Nice to meet you, Mister Stark. My brother and I would like your autograph."
Tony stares at the kid for a moment, disbelief coursing through him. "You kids set my lobby on fire and assaulted my bodyguard for an autograph?"
The girl's face stays unnervingly blank, her voice deadpan. "Yes."
The stare off continues for several seconds before Tony scoffs and snatches the papers from her hand. "Don't let anyone tell you that you don't have guts, kid."
Patting his pocket for a pen, Tony finally looks at what the girl gave him, a small post-it marking where they want his signature. A contract that wants his signature. He glances between the papers and the girl several times. She never does more than stare at him impatiently. Something about her glare is familiar, it almost makes his skin crawl.
Huffing a sigh, Tony turns back to the contract. Damn kids thinking they could outstart him. It's almost comical.
Well, it's almost comical until his eyes land on the phrase ' termination of parental rights .'
"What the fuck ?"