The Beginning to an End
CHAPTER 14: THE BEGINNING TO AN END
Luna met Harry Stark for the first time surprisingly through her old Potions Professor Severus Snape.
Harry Stark, son of the richest man in America, was one of her daughter's best friends who seemingly was a wizard. The boy was always gone when she comes to fetch her daughter from school. She wanted to meet and thank the boy who made her young daughter come out of her shell, so to speak. She was glad Selene didn't turn out like her- bullied and alone.
Fate really was amazing. She was just walking back from work when she felt a bit hungry and decided to buy herself a sandwich at a cafe down the street.
Coincidentally, her old professor, whom she was one of the few who knew was alive and had met a few times over the years, was also there. He was sat on the farthest table of the cafe, just as she would imagine.
They made eye contact and Luna sent him a smile before coming over to greet the man who constantly protected her from bullies when she was younger.
They had started a conversation. Apparently, the dour ex-professor was back to teaching. Only now, he had one student. A five-year-old, at that.
And the boy was with him, he said, who just went to the toilet.
"He reminds me so much of another." Severus shared.
Before Luna could respond, her jaw dropped as bright green glow captured her attention. Impossible. Harry Potter was dead. There was a body.
But she also cannot deny the fact that the glow was exactly like Harry's. She knew deep inside it was him. She just didn't know how it happened. And perhaps they might never. Maybe it was fate.
"Uncle Sev?" Harry called out.
Severus, who was looking thoughtfully at Luna, snapped out of his trance and looked over to his student he now considered a nephew.
"Harry, I want you to meet Luna Scamander, an old student of mine and a good friend." Severus introduced.
Harry's eyes widened and a bright grin crept to his face. "You're Selene's mum!"
Luna smiled at the boy. Emerald eyes. She needed no more proof. This was Harry Potter. Or Harry Stark now, clearly.
"Yes, you must be Harry Stark. Selene has mentioned you about a thousand times."
Harry smirked, so much like the professor. If she only met Tony she would clearly rethink her claim.
"And Selene mentioned you a zillion times! Is she here?!" The boy practically bounced on his place.
Severus snorted but kept his cool, "Harry." He warned, at which the boy immediately calmed down.
"Sorry, Uncle Sev." He smiled sheepishly before turning back to Luna. "It's nice to finally meet you, Ms. Scamander. Tell Selene I said hello."
"Of course, Harry. It's a pleasure. Thank you for being such a good friend to Selene." She shook the little boy's outstretched hand and ruffled his already messy hair. Just like Harry Potter.
Luna turned to Severus, clearly wishing to discuss something yet not wanting to do it in front of the boy. The man nodded in understanding and ordered Harry to behave and eat while he talks to Luna. He casts a wandless muffliato spell.
"It's him, isn't it?" Severus questioned. He had his strong suspicions the moment he met the boy but couldn't be too sure as he had no way to find out. An inheritance test won't be able to tell anything since goblin magic had declared Harry Potter dead. His will was accessed. The remaining Potter fortune was passed on to his godson Teddy Lupin. The Black fortune, surprisingly, to Draco Malfoy.
Severus knew about Luna Lovegood, now Scamander's ability to see a witch or wizard's version of a soul, and he also knew Luna can identify Harry. She once told her Harry had a unique color. She never told him what, though.
"I have no idea how it is possible, Professor. But yes, I believe so."
"For whatever the reason was, I'm glad it came to this." Severus pondered. "I wasn't able to help Harry Potter and that will always be one of my greatest regrets. I won't fail him again, even if he's now Harry Stark."
"He will need all the help he can get," Luna pondered.
"What do you mean?"
"There is a strong pull, Professor. Much like yours before Voldemort's death. A destiny? I don't know but it feels like it."
Harry Stark had the best family in the world. He might not know his biological ones, and he might not have a mum, but he was happy.
He had the best daddy who loves him very much. He had uncles and aunts who would do anything to make him happy. He had two best friends who will stick by him through thick and thin.
He couldn't imagine what his life would have been if Ms. Robins didn't make him come out of the cupboard and meet Mr. Stark.
He didn't want to think about what if his daddy didn't adopt him.
Would he still be at the orphanage? Would he still hide inside the cupboard? When his magic shows, would he be feared? Who would have taught him? Was there a school for magicals in England?
He was very thankful for his daddy. Harry knew if he hadn't been adopted he would have had a difficult life. He didn't know how he knew, he just did. Like it was familiar to him.
There were nights he would wake up feeling very sad. He couldn't remember why. But there was always something at the back of his mind. Like reading a book on a different language. He could see it sometimes but he couldn't understand.
Tonight was like those nights. He can usually fall back asleep on his own especially if he thinks about all the adventures he had for the day and imagine the new adventures he'll have for the next day.
Tonight he couldn't.
He hopped out of bed and tiptoed directly to his father's room. He noticed his lights were still on. He must still be awake.
The boy knocked on the door twice and slowly opened the door. He poked his head inside and called out,
"Daddy? You here?"
"In the bathroom, Harry!" Responded Tony. "I'll be out in a minute."
Harry climbed into his father's bed and snuggled on his pillow. He breathed in the scent and instantly relaxed.
"Hey, bud. A nightmare?" Tony asked as he slipped into the bed next to Harry. He opened his arms and the boy immediately crawled into his chest.
"No. Couldn't sleep," Harry mumbled, voice muffled on his shirt.
"Do you want me to sing you your song?" The boy nodded.
"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true."
Tony kissed his son's forehead and rested his head over his hair.
"Daddy?" Harry whispered.
"Yes, Harry?"
"Thank you," for the song. For adopting me. For giving me a family. For saving me. For protecting me. For loving me.
Harry might have not said the words but Tony heard him. He heard him clearly.
"Always, baby. Always." Tony whispered back, voice so quiet but heart so loud.
Harry's breathing evened, signaling the boy was fast asleep.
"I'll always protect you."
He had one goal: a universe without suffering.
The thing is, he did not consider the factor of human emotion.
Thanos wanted to free the universe from the constant war on power and resources. And he only knew one way to ensure it, remove half the population. There will be no more scarcity. No more need for conflict. No more suffering.
He looked at the earth as an example.
Humans fight so many wars. A conflict on land, a disagreement on principles, a fight for money and power, even murder for food and pleasure.
But he did not see the love and happiness. He only saw what he wanted to see. At every war there is sacrifice. There is redemption. There is someone out there to fight for, to protect.
There is balance. There will always be opposites. In every death, there is new life. Disrupting the balance will tip off the scale.
And Thanos could not understand that. He had a goal and he's going to make sure he achieves it.
Fate looked at Death. "It's starting."