Second Time, Different Audiences
August 24th 2001
Having a full body length mirror brought to the room was a great idea. This way, he could see himself wearing the suit dashingly from up to bottom. The old man wore a three piece charcoal suit paired with a ruby red tie.
“So, what do you think?” Howard asked, fixing his tie before smoothing the lapel of his suit.
When he didn’t get an answer from the other occupant, he turned around and pulled an eyebrow up at his sole audience.
“You looked excellent, mister Stark,” Harry stood up from the couch he was sitting on while waiting for his adopted dad. He has the exact same suit but in black with a golden-colored tie.
“Well, I have to,” he grinned, smoothing the Red rose and baby breath on his suit pocket. “After all I’m going to be in the second most important wedding picture in my life.”
The wizard cocked an eyebrow and put both of his hands on his black pocket pants. “Really?”
“Of course, son,” the billionaire (no longer millionaire) clasped his hand upon Harry’s shoulder. “It’s a wedding photo taken with a magical camera. For science, I need to dress up.”
“I’m rather hurt,” Harry said dryly. “I thought you looked nice because it’s my wedding day.”
“Your second wedding day,” Howard put his hands on his hips. “But with magic camera.”
Even if he said that, it was one of seventh most important and happiest day in Howard’s life. First, of course, was the day he launched Stark Industries. The second was the day he realized he was falling in love with the most beautiful girl he had ever met. The third was the day Tony said his first word, which was ‘bewbewwy’ (his favorite fruit and the cutest thing he has ever said). The fourth was when he celebrated Christmas together with his close friends and family.
It was the only Christmas where he had his wife and sons with his good friends, Peggy (‘no rest for the wicked, Howard’), Edwin and his wife and Bucky there. Even Teddy and Andromeda, his sons’ link to the magic world were there. Overall, it was a wonderful holiday.
The fifth was definitely waking up in the hospital room after that horrible Humvee ride and the worst hotel service ever in Afghanistan. The sixth was when he finally got to pass the reign of the company to his heir and retired.
And now, the seventh was now. Harry’s second wedding day, where they got to celebrate with people who knew the Starks as Harry’s true family.
After Howard finished buttoning his cufflinks, he walked out of the room to the hallway with his son behind him. They were heading towards the back door where it would led them to the mansion’s garden. Harry stopped him before he opened the door with a hand clasped on his arm.
“Before we go out there, I just wanted to say,” he curled up his lips. “Thank you. For making this all happen.”
“This,” the billionaire opened his arms,” Is all Maria and Andromeda. I’m just voicing the idea.”
“I’m still thankful for it, Howard,” the wizard patted his arm slowly. “It was a pleasant surprise.”
The sincerity behind his son’s expression warmed his heart but at the same time, it made him felt like ants crawling all over his arms. Howard loved his family but it would never become easier when people showed their gratefulness genuinely at him, especially from his family. He always felt embarrassed and slightly uncomfortable.
He cleared his throat. “So, I guess we should hurry up. After all, it’s rare for a groom to get married twice to the same bride just a week apart.”
A week ago…
“I never think that a wedding could be so..” he twirled his wife on the dance floor. When she came back into his embrace, he continued,” dull.”
That comment gave him a light slap on his hand. “Howie, be nice.”
He chuckled then looked around the dance floor at the other guests dancing to the band.
It was a long hard battle to discuss about where to do the wedding reception. The happy couple wanted a simple wedding but as Harry’s parents, he and Maria wanted it to be in a castle, in Italy or somewhere grand. Sue him, he wanted his son to have the best wedding party possible.
But in the end, they conceded to the lovebirds’ decision. They compromised to do the wedding and reception in one of the Stark’s hotel in DC. It’s closer to Hill’s office for her co-workers to attend the party.
This meant that most of the guests were SHIELD people. And since Harry’s adoption wasn’t a common knowledge, Howard and Maria were just wedding guests, honorable ones at that, along with Tony. Peggy, Teddy and Andromeda were also somewhere in the crowd. Even Bucky was here somewhere.
Since SHIELD was free from HYDRA clutches, Bucky has been able to come out of the shadows. He didn’t shouted his name so that everybody could hear, but with Tony’s AI, JARVIS or Just A Rather Very Intelligent System (Howard smiled fondly when his son introduced the AI to him) Bucky has been able to live somewhat freely.
The ex-soldier was given a new name (James B Evans) and credit card and the whole thing. Furthermore, JARVIS was able to monitor him and changed his face on every face recognition in the world. And since Bucky always used a voice changer and never opened his mask in front of any SHIELD’S operatives, except Peggy, he could come to the wedding and reception freely As Harry’s cousin.
And since Tony invited his best friend, Rhodey, whom with Tony’s pull managed to get a time off, basically they were the only people from Harry’s side of the marriage to come to the party. It’s a fourth of the number of SHIELD agents crawling in the party.
Even though his daughter in law was an orphan, she had quite a lot of co-workers and several close friends.
The loud laughter from the other side of the ballroom prompted him out of his musings. The laughter was coming from his youngest son, who was talking to Rhodey, Agent Barton, and Agent Coulson. The older agent seemed to relax, probably since he was surrounded by friends.
Looking at Phil Coulson, he was reminded by Marian Kowalski-Coulson, the agent’s mother whom was the liaison between Peggy and Howard to the American magical community. They have the same bland smile and both were a badass whose making an art at being underestimated.
He was Hill’s best friend and he was a squib or people who came from magical community but didn’t have magic of their own. And since most of his family were all working for the MACUSA, he decided not to let his status as a squib from hindering him to serve his country. Thus, he joined the US Army Ranger and later was recruited by SHIELD all those years ago with his friend, Marcus Johnson or more well-known as Nick Fury.
“Howie, do you mind if we sit down?” Maria pressed her cheek against his chest. “I could use a glass of refreshment.”
“Sure, darling,” He kissed her on the top of her head. “Let’s find a table.”
While enjoying their drinks, they were visited by Andromeda whom immediately taken a seat next to Maria and began talking. They weren’t close to begin with but also not distant. But with Howard’s being MIA, they grew close and became quite the friends.
With Harry part-timing at the wizarding hospital and Tony handling SI, Maria was a bit lonely at home. She has Howard and her charities to organize, but there’s no doubt she missed Anna. Her wife missed a female companion. Since Teddy himself was working as an auror at MACUSA, so did Andromeda.
That’s why, Howard encouraged Maria to meet up more with Andromeda for lunch or tea several times a week rather than the occasional once a week meeting. His encouragement paid off as both women seemed to look happier with their budding friendship that filled with smiles and laughter.
“I’m going to take another drink. Do you ladies want anything?” Howard started to stand up.
“No for me,” Teddy’s grandmother, whose much younger than him but already a grandmother (the irony) said.
“No darling, but promise me only one more drink, okay?” She hooked her fingers through his hand.
“Whatever my Queen commands,” he pulled her hand up and kissed the back of it gently while looking at her beautiful eyes. “I shall obey.”
“Oh you,” she giggled. Next to her, Andromeda politely covered her lips to hide her snickering. He just winked and strolled away.
After ordering his drink on the open bar, he faced the dance floor once more as the slow song began to end. He watched Harry and his wife slow danced. Her hands around his neck and their foreheads touching together. With the serum, he could see through the dim lights that they looked so in love and comfortable in each other’s arms.
“Here’s your drink, Mr. Stark.”
The former CEO took the glass and threw a grateful smile at the bartender just as the song ended. He looked back to the dance floor and saw Hill was taken by her best friend and after kissing her sweetly on the lips, Harry slipped away. He started to walk towards Howard whom was taking a sip of his drink.
“One club soda, please,” Harry ordered after taking a spot beside the billionaire.
“So, how is married life?”
“It’s only been 5 hours, Howard.”
There was a slight pause before Harry began to talk.
“My first marriage was spontaneous. The baby was all that we could think about. I thought that after Tony was born, we could start fresh. Getting to know better as we raise our son. Mia and I… We never really got to that part,” the wizard talked softly with a sad look on his face. “I wish I could give her that. I wish I could feel that for her. She’s… the mother of my son and I…”
He pulled his glasses off of his face and looked up. Howard pretended not to see the slight wetness under his son’s eyes.
“I hope…” Harry smiled through watery eyes and said in conviction. “I know that she would have given her blessings for me and Aria. (Hill) She was always kind, Tony’s mother. My first friend in the States.”
“To Mia Potter,” Howard raised his glass.
“To Mia,” Harry agreed quietly.
After a few quiet moment, the man dubbed ‘the boy who lived’ said,”Have I ever told you Aria’s reaction when I told her about you, mom, Tony and the wizarding world?”
“Well, knowing Hill after you brought her to the monthly bbq, I said she was surprised but not that surprised. Do you understand what I mean?”
His son chuckled, taking another sip of his club soda. “True. She was surprised but she took it well. Aria told me that she discovered that the world is stranger than it seems since she worked for SHIELD. So, she wasn’t surprise that she fell in love with me.” He laughed softly. “She’s more surprise that I’m Tony’s biological father. More than that I was a widower with a 22 year old son.”
“Well, he is a genius just like his old man,” Howard smirked. “But he loves to help people just like you and Maria.”
“Hm… That’s…”
Before he could voiced his opinion, someone accidentally knocked his drink all over Harry’s suit. Thank science, the agent (Howard assumed he was an agent because he saw him talking to agent Barton before) only spilled a little of his drink.
After apologizing, the man scurried away under Howard’s intense gaze. The bartender passed some tissues to Harry. He started wiping his shirt when Howard said,”With a snap of your finger, you could have just cleaned up your suit.”
“Yes, but not when there are…” the healer whispered. “Mu… No-maj around.”
“Hm,” Howard smiled to himself as an idea appeared in his mind.
Since Hill has had the ceremony and party filled with her guests, Howard thought it would be fair to have another ceremony with Harry’s friends and guests to witness their happiness.
“Yes, I guess we should go out now,” Harry agreed.
Howard opened the door to let the two of them walk out to the garden. The place has been filled with at least 30 beautifully decorated chairs and guests sitting on them. A big light cloud was hanging above them acting as an umbrella, courtesy of Teddy, Harry’s godson. The guests were mostly wizards and witches that came from England and a few from America, like the president and the director of MACUSA, along with a couple of people from Ilvermony and St. Agnes.
Harry grinned and waved at his friends whom were cheering for him from their seats. Tony woohoo-ed from where he was standing near the altar under the gazebo. He was the best man for two times.
Both fathers shook their heads at their son’s antics. One sat on the front chair with his wife and the other took his place next to his son.
The older Stark could hear Mr. Weasley senior asking Harry if he was sure he didn’t want the American wizarding president to officiate his bond in the wizarding tradition.
“Ron was the brother I never have, Mr. Weasley and you always treated me just like a son,” he answered with a smile. “I want you to officiate me and my wife.”
There was a mix of sadness and pride in the man’s face as he nodded and gave Harry a crushing hug. Not long after, the door opened once more and the music started.
All guests looked towards the door and saw the bride in simple white dress walking down the arrangement of rose petals that has been scattered like a long red carpet from the door towards the gazebo.
Holding the bride’s arm was agent Phil J Coulson, who was surprised to find out that Harry James Evans was Harry James Potter and that Tony was Harry’s son from his first marriage.
When they finally reached the gazebo, Phil kissed his best friend’s cheek (the only SHIELD agent present in this second wedding) before taking a seat on the front row.
“Dearly beloved…”
Howard stopped listening when Mr. Weasley began his speech, and just watched his son with his partner. Behind that pair of glasses, Howard swore he saw his eyes sparkling with love and happiness. The smile pasted on his face wasn’t the widest he ever produced, but it was the most affectionate he had ever seen.
He felt Maria’s hand tightened around his arm. “I’m glad you talked me into planning this wedding. They both look radiant.”
Howard couldn’t help the smile from growing upon his face. “It was an awesome idea.”
***