Chapter 5
The next morning Harry goes to hunt down the Hufflepuffs that helped him, but Cedric finds him first.
"Harry! You seem happier. I guess the Prophet was true?" Cedric asks as he walks up.
"My dad was found and he's back home. All thanks to you guys. Thank you again, so much, for your help."
"We didn't do it for you, kid. We did it to shut this one up." One of the other Hufflepuffs says as he walks up. Harry raises an eyebrow in confusion.
"Do you know about wizarding soulmates?" The other asks.
"Of course. How else do you think I ended up being a Stark-Potter. In the muggle world I'm Potter-Stark." Harry answers.
"Mom or dad?" The first boy asks.
"James." Harry answers with a shrug.
"My dad was a carrier too. I have no female influence in my life."
"And it shows." Cedirc and the second boy say in unison, making Harry laugh.
"Look, what we mean to say is-"
"Cedric is my soulmate. I know."
"And so does he. Are you a one or two soulmate?"
"Can you two scram?" Cedric almost begs of his friends. Said friends walk off laughing. "Sorry about them."
"It's fine. Ron and I had to explain soulmates to Hermione the other day. It was...interesting to say the least. She didn't believe that men could be carriers until Ron actually used the library to prove her wrong."
"How did you three end up friends again?"
"Somethings you just can't do together and not end up friends. Battling a mountain troll is one of them."
"That troll on Halloween-"
"Ron and I accidently locked it in with Hermione, so we then had to save Hermione from it."
"Three first years fought and won against a mountain troll?" Cedric asks in shock.
"And a baby survived the killing curse."
"You are going to be the death of me."
"Probably." Harry agrees with a shrug.
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When Harry gets home that summer he looks at his dad pointedly.
"Okay, in my defense, I had known Obi my whole life."
"So did I, but I kept telling you something was off about him."
"And you were right! See, lesson learned: my son has better instincts than I do." Tony says. Harry sighs and rolls his eyes. Rolls his eyes in a way that is so much like Lily it hurts. "Right. Well, how did your finals go?"
Harry smiles proudly as he digs around in his backpack and brings out his report card.
"All Es? Well done, Raven! I bet they would have been Os if I hadn't been kidnapped."
"That's what Professor McGonagall said."
"Oh well, next year. You did great, Harry. This calls for a celebration!" Tony says, smiling down at the report card.
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Tony makes sure Harry is tucked away when he brings out a red leather bound photo album.
"J, scan this in."
"Done, sir." JARVIS says after quickly scanning the report card into his archives.
Tony then opens the photo album. The first page has Harry's Hogwarts letter followed by his inheritance test on the second page and a picture of Harry as he tries to find a wand, taken by Happy. On the fourth page is a candid picture from JARVIS of when Harry told Tony about Cedric. Tony flips to the fifth pages and adds Harry's first finals report card to the album with a smile.
If his son thought that he wouldn't show off everything about these seven year then he had officially lost it.
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During Ron and Hermione's stay they went all over Malibu as tourists as well as experimented in Tony's lab with him. Ron loved it almost as much as Harry did, having several idea the other two hadn't even though of. While Hermione tried to tell him it wasn't possible the two Starks just took it as a challenge. Ron laughed at Hermione's flabbergasted face as they worked determinedly, even if Tony got hurt from it; he wouldn't let Harry try it no matter how much he begged...as far as he knew.
"So, Harry hasn't told me much about what was left of his school year, so I'll leave it up to you two to tell the story with him together." Tony says over dinner in the middle of the kids' stay.
That is when he finds out just how true James' words rang true within his last words to him.
"So let me get this straight: a highly powerful and dangerous object that anyone could want was placed inside of a school full of children and was guarded by a Cerberus and traps that three first years easily got through. No offense meant to you three, but if you three can get passed them then a fully trained wizard definitely can! And did none of you notice how the challenges fit specifically to you as Harry's friends?" Tony asks. The three twelve year olds all share looks. Tony sighs tiredly.
"You three are friends with this Neville Longbottom boy, correct?"
"I mean, we're not best mates, but we're friendly, yeah." Ron says.
"You don't get into fights for just friendly, Ron." Tony says and Ron flushes.
"He's one of Ron's soulmates and he's in denial." Hermione says.
"Fred's one of yours!" Ron snaps.
"That was George, Ron." Harry says tiredly.
"How the hell can you tell them apart?"
"Because Harry and I pay attention." Hermione says and Tony snorts.
"I've seen the buggers. You only know because of the magical bond between each other, Hermione." Tony says, calling her out. "Harry can tell because of the eye for detail he got from James. Now, as I was saying, you're all friends with Neville?"
"Yes." The three say in unison.
"And, Ron, didn't you say Neville was top of the class in Herbology?" Tony asks. Harry and Hermione smirk at their friend.
"Oh, shove off." Ron snaps, making them laugh.
"Neville's top of Herbology with Hermione in second, me in third, and Malfoy in fourth. Malfoy and me missing the upper spot by one point." Harry says. Tony nods at his son's explanation. Did he need to know the class placement, no. Does he love when his son goes into such detail with him, abso-fucking-lutley.
"And the first challenge to get passed to get to the stone was..."
"Devil Snare." Hermione says, flopping back into her seat.
"Which Neville could have gotten us passed without a problem." Ron agrees.
"The second challenge was flying and Harry just so coincidentally happens to be the youngest Seeker in a century. The third is a giant chess set. Geez, it's a good thing the chess master, Ronald Weasley, is there to get them across to the other side. The fourth is a giant mountain troll, you three already proved yourselves against one of those-"
"Yeah, hos did you learn to do Howlers, by the way?" Harry asks, remembering the Howler that had been delivered to Professor McGonagall during breakfast shortly after Tony had been notified of the incident.
"Andy and Ted helped. Moving on. The sixth challenge was logic, correct? If only you had someone who was logical and even enjoyed doing those puzzles in her free time. Oh wait!" Tony says, looking pointedly at Hermione and she blushes.
"You think Dumbledore set it all up in the first place?" Ron clarifies.
"I think old Dumbles had theories. As any good scientist knows-"
"If you have a theory you need to test it." Harry finishes for his dad.
"Correct. Dumbledore had his theories but waited until Harry got to Hogwarts. Why then? Why not before?" Tony challenges. None of them have an answer for him. "And then there's the trouble with Harry's vaults."
"What happened with Harry's vaults?" Ron demands, a protective tone in his voice that Tony highly approved of. Harry, with the occasional help from Tony and Happy who had arrived with their ordered dessert, relayed the tale of Harry's first trip to Gringotts to his two friends.
"How do you casually forget to mention to us that someone was stealing all of your money, Harry?" Hermione demands. Harry shrugs.
"After we left it was never a problem again."
"For you." Happy grumbles. Harry looks at the bodyguard in confusion.
"The Dursleys have been showing up each holiday time since then, Raven. You've just continuously missed them. Hell, I've missed them the last two times!"
"Three times. They showed up while you were missing." Happy says. "They showed up while you were on the platform, then while you and your dad were having your day out just before Christmas, and again while you were in school and Tony was missing. They've been a pain in my ass. I fully expect them to show up anytime now since it's the summer holidays."
"If they're here for money, wouldn't spending money to badger you for money and then fail just waste more money?" Ron asks in confusion.
"Yep." Tony and Happy say in unison.
"What if they show up while we're here?" Hermione asks.
"Then the three of you are going into my lab and going to let Happy and me handle it."
"They're just a couple of muggles what can-"
"Hitler." Hermione and Harry say in unison.
"Right." Ron says, paling and shutting up.
"Look, you don't know what condition my Raven was in when I got him. The Dursleys only had you for a week, Harry, and you were in a highly neglected state. You ended up in the hospital for days to overcome what they did to you."
"It was that bad?" Harry asks, eyes his dad.
"All you can remember is love and happiness and care and I thank God for that everyday, but there was a short time in your life when that wasn't around."
"Oh." Harry says as Hermione rubs her face roughly. "What?"
"I can't get the image out of my head of...what if Tony hadn't taken you in?"
"Stop that thought right now!" Tony demands, hating the picture she was painting.
"Sorry." Hermione mumbles. Tony waves it off and sighs.
"Look, in the letter your carrier left for me he said that he didn't trust Dumbledore. After hearing all this it's clear that James was right and Lily was clearly charmed in some way to trust him completely and have the ability to ignore all of James' concerns so that she got the final say." Tony says.
"If James was the carrier wouldn't he be the mother and Lily the mom?"
"I'm not completely sure. I'll make sure to ask Neville when we get back to school. I know he's a carrier too." Harry snarks back. Ron blushes and glares at his best friend while Happy, Tony, and Hermione all laugh. Ron turns to Hermione with betrayal all over his face.
"You know Harry's sensitive about his father and mother. You did that to yourself." Hermione says, laughter in her voice. Harry looks proud of his response while Tony looks at his son with pride in his eyes.
A week later Tony is hugging his son tightly as the three pre-teens are about to head off to the Burrow, escorted by Andromeda and Arthur.
"I will see you in two weeks to do your school shopping."
"Promise?"
"I swear on our suit that I will meet you at Florean Flortescue's for a cone before going to the bank." Tony says. Harry hugs him tighter.
"Be safe."
"Aren't I always?"
"That bookshelf looks awfully singed." Andromeda says pointedly. Tony rolls his eyes.
"Go on you five. I'll see you soon." Tony says and they disappear.
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A week after the three kids left Tony is in his lab with Pepper when there's a loud beeping noise.
"Sir, the very large man and boney woman is back." JARVIS says.
"Again?" Pepper complains. She had been there all three times when the had been there.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun." Tony says in a dark voice as he goes up the stairs.
"Tony, don't do anything to get arrested. We may be able to afford bail, but you know what Harry will think and he will definitely never let you regret it."
"I won't hurt them unless they swing first. Just in case, you recording this, J?"
"Always, sir."
"Will never not find that creepy." Pepper mumbles, shaking her head.
Tony ignores her and opens his front door.
"You were bellowing?" Tony asks tiredly to the man.
"I demand that you return what you stole from us!"
"You mean, you want back what you stole from my son."
"Your son." Petunia scoffs.
"Some wizards have the ability to carry babies. James Potter was one of those wizards. I had a sexual relationship with James Potter. A three year relationship and nine months later and out pops my beautiful son. Now, imagine our surprise when we find out that someone had illegal access to his vaults as well as thousands of missing galleons the first time we go to get his school supplies."
"Galle-what the ruddy hell is a galleon?"
"Wizarding money." Petunia spits.
"I am the father of a wizard. I am well aware of what is going on in my son's life as well as the language and culture and anything else that I can know to make sure Harry is loved and cared for. That includes getting the money that was taken from him returned. Now, you are wasting your own money and both of our time with these little trips so why don't you knock it off, accept defeat, and get the hell off my property."
"I would love to-"
"JARVIS!"
"Right away sir. Repelling mode activated." JARVIS says. Both man and wife scurry off. Tony slams the door as they do.
"What's repelling mode?" Pepper asks.
"No clue, but it's always worked." Tony says, making the red head laugh.