Chapter 15
"Alright kid, I'll leave you to it. If you need anything, I'll be right here," Tony told Peter with one last squeeze on his shoulder. Peter took one last deep breath, before ducking into the room.
*
"Hey Harry," Peter murmured softly, holding on to the door until it shut as quietly as possible. "How are you doing?"
His voice was shaky as he took another deep breath and stepped towards Harry. The raven-haired boy lying in the bed looked up at the soft, non-threatening voice, and gave Peter a look of sadness and slight panic.
"Peter, I'm so so-" he began, his mind filling in the gaps from the night before. Blood spilling on the tile. Dropping to the cool floor, enjoying the pleasant numbness. Peter crying and Tony calling his name. The pain and white of the hospital.
"Hey, it's okay. Don't get upset please, or else Mister Stark is going to make me leave. I just needed to see you," Peter hushed, taking the seat next to Harry's bed.
"I'm really sorry," Harry whispered, tears building in his eyes. He had hoped that maybe he and Peter could be friends, and was excited to have met someone his age in New York, but he just had to go and fuck everything up. Again. This was probably the reason Ron and Hermione quit talking to him, and everyone in the wizarding world only used him in order to fulfill the prophecy.
Now that he had, they were done with him. Especially since so many lives had been claimed in the process.
"It's not your fault Harry," Peter soothed, tentatively reaching out and placing a light hand on Harry's bicep to comfort him.
"I didn't mean for you to find me like that, I just-"
"Meant for us to find you dead?" Peter snapped, but instantly softened his tone as he noticed Harry flinch away from him. He sighed, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry. I'm just... I'm really glad I found you when I did. I'm really glad you're still here, with us. So is Mister Stark, and the rest of the team. They haven't left the waiting room since you've been here. Please don't be sorry for what you did; I know you regret it deep down, even if you still feel like this was the right choice."
Peter paused for a moment, searching for answers in Harry's eyes.
"You don't think this was the right choice, do you?" He asked, finding the pain and regret deep in Harry's expression. A silent head shake gave Peter the answer he had been expecting.
"Hey, it's alright," Peter gave Harry's shoulder a light squeeze as tears began to spill down his face. Harry tried to hide them from Peter, but the superhero's quick reflexes and enhanced senses had already caught them.
"Can I hug you?" Peter asked, knowing that if he just lunged towards Harry, he would frighten him more. And that was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment- or ever, for that matter.
"Pl-please," Harry choked, his voice barely audible. But it was all that Peter needed before he was carefully wrapping his arms around Harry's midsection, burying his face in Harry's shoulder in attempt to stifle his own tears.
Both boys lost track of how long they sat there, tangled in each other's tight embrace. Neither would admit it, but the hug did both of them the same amount of good. Peter was able to hear and feel Harry's heart steadily thumping, reassuring him once more that his new friend was going to be alright.
Harry was able to smell Peter's cologne and could feel his gentle, yet firm embrace around his midsection, reassuring him that he was still there. He was still alive.
A soft knock at the door is what finally ended the hug. Peter carefully let go of Harry, and sat back down in the chair, right as Tony's face appeared.
"How's it going?" He questioned, a kind expression on his face as he looked fondly upon the two kids.
"Good," Peter replied shyly, blushing at the realization of how long their hug had lasted. But in all honesty, he didn't care. Harry was okay. Alive, and breathing.
"Harry, how are you feeling?" Tony stepped inside the room, holding the door behind him so that it didn't slam shut and startle the easily frightened child.
"I'm alright, thank you," Harry responded quietly, and Peter noticed he was blushing as well.
"That's good kid, and I'm glad you and Peter could have some time to chat. Pete, your hot aunt is on the phone, wants to talk to you," Tony teased with a wink, and Peter made a mock- gagging motion to Harry.
"You're engaged Mister Stark," he reminded playfully, standing up.
"Shh, don't tell Pepper," Tony's eyes widened as if he had just remembered, but both boys knew that he was just joking. Tony had eyes for Pepper, and only for Pepper. The 'hot aunt' joke was just that. A joke.
"Better hurry up though, she seemed pretty anxious to talk to you. Something about wanting to make sure I wasn't holding you hostage and making sure I made you take breaks to eat while you're in the lab," Tony teased, clapping on hand on Peter's shoulder as he passed and giving him a proud smile. He had known that seeing Harry wasn't going to be easy for Peter, but they had both handled it perfectly.
As soon as Peter was gone, Tony walked over and plopped down dramatically in the chair.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked, a small smirk pulling at his lips as Tony let out an overly dramatic sigh.
"I have a predicament, kid," Tony turned and rested his head on his hand.
"Go on," Harry smirked. He wasn't sure what made Tony pull a full 180 from his previous, somber mood earlier, but he liked when Tony was like this. He wasn't tiptoeing around him, and Harry liked that.
"So Pepper mentioned possibly moving you up to your room tonight, and having a movie night, ordering pizza, and just kind of hanging around the penthouse with the entire team," Tony paused for dramatic emphasis, and Harry couldn't help but giggle.
"But," Tony began again, a smile spreading across his face, "I told her that that sounded like something you would absolutely hate doing! I said 'Pepper, you know Harry hates movies, pizza and the cuddling on the couch with everyone, why would you even suggest that?'"
"You're so stupid," Harry laughed, before suddenly growing serious once again.
"What's wrong? Are you in pain? Should I get Bruce or Clint?" Tony searched Harry's face for any indicators that he was hurting.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm really sorry, I won't say it again," Harry began apologizing profusely, and Tony's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the kid in confusion.
"What's going on? What are you apologizing for?" He reached out to cup Harry's chin lightly so that he could make eye contact, but Harry flinched away violently.
"No, no, no, no!" Harry shrieked, voice growing higher and louder with each 'no', and Tony immediately let go of him and held up his hands in surrender.
"Shh, hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. What happened, kid? Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I promise I won't call you that again," Harry began apologizing again.
"Harry," Tony spoke gently, and Harry was immediately quiet. "What are you apologizing for?"
"I- I called you stupid. I didn't mean it, I swear. You're one of the smartest people I know and-"
"Harry," Tony spoke again, making Harry stop once more. "You don't have to apologize. I knew you were joking, and I didn't take any offense to it."
He let out a small bark of laughter and sighed, shaking his head with a smile on his face.
"Besides, both Pepper and Natasha tell me I'm a fucking idiot at least four times a day, and Bruce and Clint tell me around twice a day. Shmaptain Shmerica out there tells me I'm an idiot about once a week- he's too polite to say fuck I guess- but he always gives me looks that do the talking for him."
Harry paused for a moment, contemplating whether he should joke with Tony, or just remain silent and wait for the older man to continue.
"What does Friday say?" Harry teased with a ornery smile.
"Oh, Friday knows I'm an idiot. I made her, after all," Tony's face lit up with a grin, excited that Harry was joking with him.
"Don't disrespect Friday," Harry widened his eyes in mock shock, moving closer to Tony to whisper. "She's always listening."
"Harry is correct, boss. I am always listening," Friday spoke, and Harry could have sworn he heard a hint of humor in her voice.
"Watch it," Tony barked, but his voice held no bite or anger. "So, what do you say? Want to move upstairs?"
"I'd really like that, thank you," Harry smiled shyly.
"Okay, but I'm going to need to get Bruce to clear you. Do you think you can handle him coming in here right now?" Tony's expression grew serious again.
"Why wouldn't I be able to handle Bruce coming in?" Harry asked, a look of confusion crossing his face, and Tony felt the pit of his stomach knot. Harry didn't remember thinking Bruce was his uncle.
He wasn't sure if he should tell Harry or not. But ultimately, he decide, it would be better to be completely honest with Harry about everything.
"Harry..." he began, clearing his throat, trying to think of the softest way to phrase it. "When you woke up, Bruce was in the process of stitching you up and you... you thought he was your uncle."
"I what?" Harry breathed, eyes widening in horror. "I- I need to apologize to him! That really must have hurt his feelings! I didn't mean too, I was just really out of it and-"
"He knows that, kid. He didn't blame you for anything, and while he felt bad for causing you pain, he knew that you were out of it and that you do trust him."
Harry nodded, looking up at Tony with upset eyes, and Tony's heart broke a little bit for the constant emotional pain the kid seemed to be in.
"I'll go get Bruce, we'll get you check out, and you'll be snuggled up in blankets between Pepper and I on the couch in no time," Tony gave him a soft smile before standing up and disappearing momentarily.
When Tony returned, he was accompanied by Bruce, who entered tentatively.
"Hey Harry, how're you feeling?" Bruce asked with a careful smile. He could feel the Other Guy's anger at the fact that the kid in front of them had been hurt so bad. But he knew that he couldn't let any trace of Hulk show, or else all trust they had ever had with Harry would be thrown out.
"Hi," Harry murmured quietly, embarrassment making his face flush pink. "I'm alright. I'm really sorry about whatever I did earlier. I didn't mean it."
"Harry," Bruce sighed, coming over and kneeling down by Harry's side, "I was never mad. It's not your fault, and I'm sorry if I caused you any harm or panic."
Tony watched as the two people talked softly, and once apologies and reassurances from both were out of the way and Bruce had cleared Harry to go up to the penthouse- very limited activity and absolutely no lifting over five pounds- he found himself once again helping Harry into the elevator and upstairs.
"Peter is planning on staying for the rest of the weekend, if that's alright with you. If you're not comfortable with that though, I'm sure his aunt won't have any issues with him going home early," Tony told Harry as they rode the elevator to the top of the tower.
"No! I like Peter being here!" Harry exclaimed, a little too quickly and a bit louder than he had intended. Tony just chuckled, though, and shook his head.
"I'm glad you two like one another. Although, that's awfully dangerous with both of your brilliant minds in one room together- Peter's got a knack for trouble, you know."
"That's always what my teachers at school told me," Harry replied with a small chuckle, thinking sadly about the grandmother- like figure he found in Professor McGonagall.
"You never really talk about your school- did you like it? I think you mentioned you went to a private school, is that right?" Tony questioned, and Harry grew silent. He hadn't meant to mention anything that would raise any questions.
Wracking his brain for anything to distract Tony from the current topic at hand, Harry quickly landed upon one that made his heart race.
"Tony, what's going to happen with my unc- with Vernon on the run?" Harry asked, remembering what Dumbledore had told him first year.
'The fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.' (-J.K Rowling, The Philosopher's Stone)
Harry decided he would no longer hide the monster behind the doting title of 'uncle.' His name was Vernon Dursley, and he had done horrendous things. He didn't deserve a title that was normally reserved for love.
Tony sighed and looked at Harry sadly, but there was a fire blazing in his eyes.
"Honestly kid, I'm not sure. But I can promise you, there is no way in hell that any of us are letting that sick bastard lay a finger on you ever again. They've got police forces throughout the entire state searching for him, and I've made it my personal mission to make sure that if anyone that even remotely resembles that monster enters this building, they will be thoroughly IDed, searched, and may even earn a visit from their worst nightmare."
"Their worst nightmare?" Harry raised an eyebrow at Tony.
"Yes. Pepper and I," Tony stated, as if it had been obvious. "But especially Pepper."
Harry giggled, and Tony's mouth curled into a smile at the sound. He loved Harry's laugh, and he hated how few and far between they were.
"Thank you," Harry blurted suddenly. "I don't think I say that enough. Thank you for everything you're doing for me. I can't even begin to wrap my mind around why you would want me here, with all this baggage and how messed up I am, but I'm very thankful that you all have opened up your home and hearts to me. It means more than you will ever know."
Tony placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Trust me when I say, yes, you have thanked us plenty, but also, I cannot think of a single reason we wouldn't want you here, Harry. Baggage and all. Everyone comes with their own story; goes through their own shit. Some more than others, yes, but that's what makes everyone an individual. And in case you haven't noticed, we've kinda got a team of messed up misfits here, so you fit right in."
If it had been anyone other than Tony saying that, Harry might have been offended, but when those words came out of Tony's mouth, Harry felt like finally he belonged somewhere. His first few years at Hogwarts had been great, yes, but he hadn't felt like he actually belonged. It was just as though they were using him to fulfill the prophecy and kill Voldemort, and once he did that, he was exiled just like that.
Here, though- here was home. All they knew of him was the messed up part of his life, and they still wanted him. They didn't even know the side of Harry that his 'friends' at Hogwarts had known, and Harry couldn't wait to show them once all of this mess was done and over.
Tony helped guide him out of the elevator and to his room to change into a comfortable pair of pajamas, before they headed back out into the living room.
Pepper was standing at the island in the kitchen, microwaving bags of buttered popcorn (and a few bags of kettle corn for Bucky and Steve), while the rest of the team had staked out their spots on the floor near or on the sofa.
"Harry!" Peter exclaimed, waving excitedly at his new friend. Harry was still blown away by how much energy the kid seemed to have at all times of the day.
"Don't let him fool you," Clint said, suddenly appearing besides Harry on the side opposite of Tony. "Kid's a bitch when he's tired."
"Noted," Harry giggled, watching as Peter frowned and stuck out his bottom lip in a pout.
"Not fair!" He cried, crossing his arms in a mock-fit but even he couldn't hold back the smile that was toying at his mouth.
"Sorry kid, but I agree with bird brain on this one," Tony laughed, walking over to the island with Pepper and throwing a piece of popcorn into the air and catching it in his mouth. Harry gave him an amused look while Peter began sarcastically applauding, and Tony bowed jokingly.
"Thank you, I'll be here all night," he teased, standing up with a goofy grin as Pepper rolled her eyes at him.
The playful banter went on for a few more minutes before everyone began settling into their spots on the sofa. Tony was surprised, but not upset, when Peter had offered Harry a spot next to him, and Harry had actually accepted. The two were now huddled close (which was normal for Peter, as he was constantly cuddling one of the team members) under a wool blanket, silently watching the movie that was playing on the large screen.
About halfway through the movie, however, there was a loud thunk that echoed through the penthouse. Nobody thought anything of it, until the noise rang out again. And again. And once more.
"Friday, pause the movie and turn the lights on slowly," Tony instructed, and the movie immediately paused, the lights turning on slowly so that everyone (mostly Peter's sensitive eyes) could get used to the light.
"Do you think something fell?" Bucky asked, his arm slung protectively around Steve.
"I don't know. It kept happening though, which makes me doubt it," Tony replied with a frown.
"Nothing exploded, did it?" Pepper asked, biting her lip with worry. It wouldn't have been the first time for something in the lab to spontaneously combust.
"There's nothing in the lab right now that would just randomly explode," Bruce replied, though Pepper didn't miss the 'right now' part.
"Then what could that have-?"
"WHAT THE FUCK?" Peter cried.
"Peter!" Tony scolded, but Harry couldn't care less about anything that was going on as he leapt up from the couch with excitement.
"Hedwig!" He cried, ignoring the confused looks he got from everyone else.
"Harry, what is a Hedwig?" Tony asked, but his question was quickly answered when Harry opened the doors to the terrace and a snowy owl flew in and landed on his shoulder.
"Okay, what the hell is going on? How come I can never get birds to do that for me?" Clint turned to Natasha, a look of genuine hurt on his face, and she elbowed him with an eye roll.
"You really are a bird brain, you know that?" She told him, and from where Harry was standing, Hedwig let out an offended screech. Natasha held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I take it back."
Everyone laughed, but nobody really understood what was going on.
"Harry, why is there an owl in the tower, and more importantly, why is it biting your ear?" Tony asked in a confused, but still very gentle tone as he watched Hedwig fondly nip at Harry's ear. He saw how excited Harry had gotten when the snowy owl had appeared, and the he didn't want to upset the kid.
"This is Hedwig. She's my... she's mine," Harry replied, scratching behind the bird's wings. The owl gave his bandaged arm a soft nudge, and cocked her head as if asking what happened. Communicating.
"It's okay Hedwig. I'm alright- just did something a bit thick, but I'll be alright," he cooed quietly.
"She's yours?" Tony was growing more and more confused by the moment. "Did she fly here all the way from England?"
"She always knows where I'm at," Harry bit his lip as he attempted to explain.
"Harry, what's that around her ankle?" Clint asked, taking a step closer to Harry and Hedwig, extending his hand to let the beautiful, white owl smell him before he attempted to pet her.
"Oh! She brought me..." Harry trailed off, realizing that this wasn't normal. While they were superheroes, everyone here was still a muggle. It wasn't normal for an owl to fly all the way across the Atlantic. It wasn't normal for an owl to be inside, interacting fondly with a human. And it definitely wasn't normal for an owl to be delivering a letters to him.
He sighed, realizing that it was time to come clean. There was no way he could come up with a believable lie that explained everything that Hedwig was doing.
"You okay kid?" Clint asked, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Alright. What I'm about to tell you might take a bit of explaining to understand, but its important that you don't tell anyone, because I could get into a lot of trouble back in England if they find out I told you," Harry began, making his way back over to the living room and taking a seat in an armchair that faced everyone.
"Harry, it's okay. Whatever you is, you can tell us," Pepper spoke softly, grabbing Tony's hand as he sat on the arm of the couch beside her.
"I'm really sorry, to everyone," Harry started. "I haven't been completely honest with you all, and I feel horrible. But you see, what I'm about to tell you is the reason my aunt and... Petunia and Vernon- didn't like me. They called me a freak, and punished me for something I had no control over."
He took a deep breath, unable to believe that he was really about to tell eight people- eight muggles- that he was a wizard.
"Kid, whatever it is, we'll support you. This is obviously a big part of your life, and we want you to know that you can share it with us," Tony spoke, his tone gentle and encouraging. Murmurs of agreement echoed throughout the room, and then everyone was silent as eight pairs of eyes fell upon him in anticipation.
"I'm... I have... I'm a wizard," Harry blurted. Nobody spoke. Nobody moved. Nobody did anything that would possibly indicate how they felt about this declaration, so Harry just continued, knowing that if he didn't do it now, he would probably never be able to.
"On my eleventh birthday, the gamekeeper for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is the 'boarding school' I mentioned I attended, came and told me that I was a wizard. Apparently, my parents had both been wizards, and had been murdered by Voldemort, who was a leader of a dark magic movement. He thought that only pureblood wizards- so people born from two magical parents- were superior to those that were born from parents where one or both were muggles- or non magical people, like yourselves.
"Voldemort murdered them on Halloween, when I was just over a year old. He tried to kill me too, but the curse failed and rebounded on him. That's where I got this scar," he lifted his messy hair to reveal the lightning bolt scar.
"Voldemort didn't die like most people had thought, though. He was just bodiless, and for ten years, he waited to try to regain power again. He had to rebuild his support group, after a bunch of them were arrested and sent to Azkaban, the wizarding prison. So, since I was an orphan, the headmaster of Hogwarts and also the leader of The Order of the Phoenix, which is the name of the light side-- yes, kind of like Star Wars," Harry said as Peter's face lit up at the familiar term.
"Dumbledore left me on the Dursley's doorstep, not knowing that despite the blood ward that protected me there, I wasn't truly safe. I lived there for ten years before it was confirmed that I, like my parents, was a wizard. They called me a freak, and tried to beat the magic out of me. I know that they hated me even before they knew I was a wizard, but I just think... maybe this justified it. I am a freak. I am different."
"Harry, you are not-" Tony began, but Harry held up his hand.
"Please," he said. "Please just let me finish. If I don't do this now, then I don't think I'll be able to ever again."
Tony gave a small nod, and motioned for him to continue.
"When Hagrid, the game keeper, told me I was a wizard, everything changed. Suddenly, I went from living in the cupboard under the stairs and being called freak, among other things, to being called 'The Boy Who Lived' and living in a literal castle. Everything seemed great until the end of my first year. I had friends, I was doing reasonably well in most of my classes- except for potions, and that wasn't because I didn't understand, it was just my professor wasn't my biggest fan. But I faced Voldemort at the end of my first year after he possessed the body of one of my teachers in attempt to find a stone that would help him become human again and live forever. I beat him again, but nobody believed me other than Ron and Hermione, who were my best friends, and my professors.
"Then second year, there was this diary that I later learned was a Horcrux, which means it was one of the seven pieces of Voldemort's soul that he had divided up in attempt to live forever and be invincible. I, being a bit thick, began writing in this diary and it turned out I was communicating with Voldemort. There's more to that story, but I'll get to that more at a later time.
"Third year was when I met my godfather. He had been thrown in Azkaban after being framed for murder by one of him and my dad's old best friends, who was actually a spy and Voldemort's right hand man- and I mean that literally. He literally gave Voldemort his hand. Anyways, Sirius, my godfather, had asked me to come live with him and I had been really excited, but since he was still in hiding, I wasn't able to stay there all summer, so I stayed with Ron's family for a while. The Dursley's were unbearable that summer.
"Fourth year, a Death Eater- which is one of Voldemort's followers- disguised himself as a teacher using a potion, and entered my name into a tournament that I legally had to participate in, despite not being of the legal age. We performed these dangerous tasks, such as facing dragons, fighting mermaid and diving into the bottom of a lake, and entering a giant maze in order to win the Triwizard Cup. Except, the cup was a portkey and transported Cedric, who was a fellow student and friend of mine, and me to a graveyard where they... they murdered Cedric..."
Harry's voice cracked as he choked back tears. He didn't notice Clint lean over to Natasha and whisper, "what the hell kind of school is this?"
"They murdered Cedric, and tortured me. They used my blood to bring Voldemort back to life, with a body and more powerful than ever. I managed to escape, thanks to- this is going to sound way bizarre- my parent's ghosts, and I took Cedric's body back. Nobody believed me when I said Voldemort was back, and all just passed it off as either a complete lie or shock from seeing Cedric die.
"After that, during my fifth year, things around Hogwarts changed. Dumbledore was murdered and replaced by a ministry official named Umbridge, and she refused to believe that Voldemort was back. Every time I said something, she would make me write 'I must not tell lies' with a quill that used my blood and scratched it into the back of my hand- that's what those scars are. I've just burnt my hands so many times you can't read the words anymore.
"Dumbledore had explained Horcruxes to Ron, Hermione and I, so we left after Christmas holiday and destroyed five Horcruxes. At the end of fifth year, there was a battle. Voldemort's snake was a Horcrux, and she was killed by this kid named Neville. There was a lot of other small details, but I'll explain those later if you wish to know them. But, after a long battle I finally killed Voldemort.
"Except, I lost everyone I had ever considered family. Ron's brother, Fred, was murdered, and Ron and Hermione haven't spoken to me since. My potions professor, Snape, also died after Voldemort figured out that he was a spy for Dumbledore. Sirius and Remus, his boyfriend and one of dad's best friends, were both murdered. They were going to adopt me this summer, but they never got the chance.
"I've lost everyone I've ever loved, which is why I tried so hard to push you all away, and I don't understand why you want me. All I am is trouble. I'm dangerous. Hedwig is really the only connection to the wizarding world that didn't just use me fulfill the prophecy to kill Voldemort, and then completely banish me."
Harry finished, taking a deep breath and looking up at the rest of people in the room that were completely silent.
"Well?" He asked, looking at Tony. "Please say something."
Tony opened his mouth slightly before closing it again and swallowing.
"Do you hate me?" Harry asked, voice cracking with emotion.
"Absolutely not. Harry, nothing could make me hate you. In fact, I'm trying to think of the best way to help you with your magic. While you just dumped a shit ton of information on me that we will definitely need to discuss further at a later date, I'm proud of you for everything you've done."
"Really?" Harry breathed, heart swelling with an unfamiliar feeling: hope.
"Absolutely. In fact, I want to help you so bad, and make you feel comfortable with your gift, that I'm going to do something that I never thought I would ever do."
"And what's that?" Pepper asked, turning to Tony with an intrigued look on her face.
"I'm calling Loki."