Author: Black Dragon on the Rocks/animealam

Rating: T

Pairing: Mentions of one sided Steve/Peggy, Past Tony/Pepper, Clint/Laura (mentioned)

Summary: Steve Rogers had many secrets, some of which a few people from his past found out. Like the fact he was no where near 24 when he enlisted, or that he was a wizard. A powerful and well trained one.

There was, however one secret he protected above all else, he was a Time Traveller born in the year 2000. A future where, as far as he knew, there were no wizards anymore.Depressed and overwhelmed by his loses and finding himself back to a future where he had no one, Steve sought a permanent way out, only... it did not work quite like he was expecting. Instead of the teenager he was, he ended a four year old.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers or Harry Potter, I'm just borrowing them. They belong to their respective owners.

Warnings: Suicide Themes, Triggers for suicide, Time Travel, Dimension Travel, Younger Steve, DeAged Steve, DeAged Harry, DeAged Hermione, Wizard Steve, Parent Tony, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Abuse, Abusive Dursleys, Bad Ginevra, Violence.

Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Jarvis, Thor, Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Pepper, Happy, Rhodey, Original Characters, mentions of Bucky, mentions of Peggy Carter, mentions of Howard Stark, mentions of Colonel Phillips, mentions of the Howling Commandos, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger.

Timeline: Pre Avengers, Captain America: The First Avenger, Avengers, Post Avengers, Pre Iron Man 3, Harry Potter Post TDH. I'm using the MCU timeline as a reference.

Author's Note: Thanks everyone for your comments, and patience.

I haven't written as much as I had hoped on any of my stories as Real Life has been keeping my attention occupied, as well as Present Time (my ancient InuYasha fic). I'm trying to get back to writing Harry Potter/Avengers fics, so I'm revisiting my posted stories. This chapter—as well as several others for SAS—were already written before I even posted chapter 1, but I wasn't very happy with them, so it took a while to go over them.

Now, to answer some questions. All humans with magic (witches, wizards, and werewolves) were killed by the Tesseract in 1944. Vampires weren't because they're already dead. As to Teddy, he doesn't exist in this Dimension, because werewolf Remus never existed, and neither did Tonks (the Blacks were wiped out with everyone else, and no muggle borns had been born since then until Steve). The same with Fleur, while her mother was veela (and they did survive, same as goblins, house elves, centaurs, phoenixes, etc.) her father was a wizard so he was never born. I hope that explains things.

As to how Harry came to be there, well, while I've already written an explanation to it but it won't come until much later chapters. The warnings should give you an idea. Anyway, Steve is still hogging the story, as a few things need to be established before I can bring Harry in... although if you squint, you might have already come across a mention of him.

Now, as to the how Wizard Kind ended extinct, it was simple. Grindelwald got desperate, as Steve wounded him badly, and nearly defeated him. He could not have that, so he cast an Avada Kedavra at the Tesseract suspecting it would amplify the curse, which it did (a theory of mine I explore a bit more in other yet to be posted stories) but he did not take into consideration he had no way to control who was to be affected by the curse, thus he committed both genocide and suicide.

Total size without notes: 4,201

Keys:

"Speaking aloud."

'Thoughts'

Magic (Spells, Potions, Items)

«Language»Foreign language. «/Language»

Chapter 04

The full sized adults made short work of packing all Steve had, while the now boy went to the bathroom to change; with the door open, much to his displeasure, but after what had just happened all three had placed him on suicide watch. With his failed attempt at reuniting with his loved ones, Steve had kissed his privacy goodbye, and knew he was not going to be left alone for the foreseeable future.

The billionaire thought it had been a good idea to make Steve leave the door open later, as the boy was taking a few minutes longer than they thought should be normal for a kid to get dressed. A bit concerned for the mini Cap, Tony went in to check why it was taking him so long to change.

Frankly, he did not like the feelings he was getting from the now little boy through that weird connection the bright flash of light created. There was frustration, self loathing, then despair... lots of it, and Tony could not deny he was getting worried. He found Steve actually hiding in the bathtub, behind the shower curtain. The now little boy was crying disconsolately, but silently. The picture of utter misery.

It really hit Tony then that Steve was emotionally a four year old, not just physically, with the emotional traumas of a sixteen year old who had been abused, and had actually fought in a horrible war. The child was even more fucked up now than he had been before the potion, but he would help him get better. Tony would do everything he could to make things better, because the poor boy deserved it.

"Steve," Tony called rather gently, but the miserable looking child did not look up and only sniffled loudly. "Steve, Buddy," he called again, and this time he did get the boy to look at him. "You don't mind if I call you Buddy, do you?" Steve just shrugged a shoulder.

"What's the problem?" He asked and the water works went up a notch, which alarmed him. Tony had never been good with crying people. "Please, Steve tell me, so I can make it better. You can see I'm trying to help you, so tell me what's wrong," he sort of babbled.

"Ican'tdressmyselfanymore," he mumbled humiliated, more tears flowing down his cheeks.

Steve could put on the underwear, and jeans because he only had to pull them on. They had elastic waists, and the socks were also elastic. But he could not button the shirt, his fingers had trouble with them, and he also could not tie the sneakers' laces.

Frankly with the way his fingers had trouble with simple buttons, it was a miracle he had been able to remove the safety of his gun. It hit him hard just how vulnerable he made himself. Because Steve had been able to dress himself perfectly, he had done it for years, and could even put on a tie making the knot from scratch, although it had been Bucky who taught him how to do that.

But now, after he took the potion which left him a vulnerable little kid, he could not do that anymore; even when Steve still technically knew how, his little fingers did not cooperate with him. The fact his first impulse had been to hide and cry about it, which to his utter mortification he was doing, only made things worse.

"Huh? You really need to decode that for me, Buddy, because while I'm a genius, I'm not yet fluent in mumblelesse," he said and got a snort in response, which was progress.

"You're gonna laugh at me," he said dejectedly.

"I won't." Steve looked at him dubiously, tears still running down his rather gaunt cheeks. "I promise I won't laugh at you, really, cross my heart," he said and got another snort.

Steve sighed, might as well tell him, he would find out sooner rather than later anyway. "I can't dress myself anymore... I can't do buttons, or shoe laces. I know HOW, but my fingers..." He raised his little hands before him to show them to the older man, as more tears flowed down his cheeks, and he sniffled. "They... They forgot."

Tony stared, but did not laugh. Shit, that would do some serious harm to one's self esteem, specially on a kid who was already having major issues. At least Steve was not throwing a tantrum, because Tony knew he would have probably have had the mother of all tantrums if it happened to him.

"Hey J, do a search and tell me at what age kids are normally able to do buttons and shoe laces." He knew JARVIS would have an answer in a few moments. Hopefully it was normal for four years olds to be unable to button things up. He placed his phone on speaker so Steve could hear JARVIS' answer.

"Right away, Sir." In no time he had searched parent forums, plus several websites dedicated to assist parents with child rearing. He actually saved the links, and created a user on all of them, suspecting he was going to need them to assist with the caring and rearing of the now young Mister Stark. "The consensus is four year old children are able to start learning how to button up shirts with varying rates of success.

"It does depend on the child, as at that age they are still perfecting their motor skills. Some parenting websites, as well as forums report six years olds still having trouble buttoning shirts, and it is not yet considered a problem. Shoe laces are a problem for five year olds to tackle, although the success rate is not quite on their favor at that point in time.

"I would suggest slip on shoes, or sneakers with velcro ties for footwear. As to tops, t-shirts would be easy for young Mr Stark to wear for the foreseeable future. He should be able to dress himself with no trouble using those items."

The both of them had startled at hearing JARVIS calling Steve a Stark, but it brought home the fact Tony had indeed adopted Steve. They had become family, although they still had to make it official, mini Cap's magically modified DNA would most likely confirm it to anyone who doubted it.

"See, nothing's wrong with you, just some stuff you have to re-learn, Buddy. I'll make sure you have clothes and shoes you can easily slip on in the mean time, and give you plenty of chances to practice, how about that?" He said rather gently, and pleased they, well JARVIS really, had found a way to solve the problem and reassure the mini Cap.

"Okay," Steve agreed with a dejected sigh. He really made a mess of himself, but at least Tony was being shockingly nice and helpful. He stood up.

"Now, let me button up your shirt, and tie your shoe laces so we can leave," he said, and was surprised when Steve simply raised his arms to be picked up. The kid froze then, realizing what he just did.

"I'm sorry," he said shocked by his behavior, and lowering his arms. Steve had not even thought about it, just did it. "I shouldn't have..."

"No, Steve, it's all right," Tony said recovering from his surprise. "Actually, it's better than all right," he picked the kid up and sat him on the sink's counter. "You're behaving like a child your current age does, which is great because you'll blend in better, and it'll allow you to enjoy this second childhood if you let it."

"But... I'm being presumptuous," he protested as Tony clumsily buttoned up his shirt.

"Nonsense!" He waved the protest off. "You're my son now, and it's expected of me to do these things for you, because I sure as hell won't be hiring any nannies. I didn't like it, and I suspect you won't like it either.

"Also, before you protest," he said when he saw the little boy open his mouth. "I don't mind doing things for you. Although I can admit it's going to take some getting used to for the both of us, but I'm sure we can make it work."

Once the shirt buttons were done, Tony continued with the shoes, awkwardly tying the laces of each, after he checked to make sure they actually fit the kid's feet. They looked awfully small, but they were, to his surprise, a bit big for Steve's little feet. He had really been a tiny little thing as a kid, and so different from the tower of muscle the Super Soldier Serum created.

When he was done, Tony had the boy use paper tissues to blow his nose. Much like he had seen parents do once or twice. After wetting a hand towel with warm water from the faucet, Tony gently cleaned Steve's face of tears, snot, and the dips from his meal—the now boy had tried to eat neatly, but he had not succedeed. They were both completely unaware of the two men outside practically gaping at them.

Bruce stared, eyes wide with shock, not quite able to believe what he was seeing and hearing. Besides him Happy was actually gaping. "My God! Who would have thought Tony was a natural at parenting?"

"Not me, I can assure you of that." It really was strange to see a man who swore he did not like children, and had next to no contact with them, actually behave quite paternal. "He always told us vehemently he did not do kids."

They decided Happy would drive Steve's bike to the tower, while both Bruce and Tony would go in the car with the kid. JARVIS would fly the Iron Man suit back to the tower. It was in the car when Tony told his science bro about the Time Travel, which only confirmed what Bruce was already suspecting because of the SGPL. There was no way Steve would have been able to create something like that in the early thirties.

Time Travel did leave the physicist in him with several questions about it. Steve promised he would tell them what he knew—which was admittedly not as much as some Unspeakables had, but it was more than the common witch and wizard ever did—later. They thankfully agreed to it.

The three of them were quiet for a while. Tony was busy concentrating on driving at decent speeds, since he had a child on board. He rarely drove under the speed limit if he could help it. For his part, Bruce's mind was busy going over which theories would apply to Time Travel, and how was it the magicals were able to achieve it back in the forties, or probably even much earlier.

Steve just stared thoughtfully out of the window. He was strapped to a rather comfortable car seat, that could not be denied, and he had a good view out of the window. It still did not take from the fact he was actually small enough to require one, and would keep needing one for at least three, or even four years. Never mind he would have to ride on the back seat for even longer.

He did not like being a kid, and having to grow up again, because it really had been awful back then. Tony had promised to take care of him, and things were okay so far, but Steve could not help but worry. He really had had awful luck with the foster parents until he met Barty. He supposed there was not much to do about it but wait and see how things went.

Steve directed his attention to other things, because remembering about his previous foster parents was just... too depressing. So he began thinking about how to explain how Tony found out he had a child. Because he knew that was going to be a very frequently asked question by just about everyone and their cousin.

"Do you have a way to explain how you found out about me being your kid, Tony?" Steve asked turning to look at the rear view mirror.

"No," he admitted after being silent for a few moments. "I admit I didn't think that far yet. Any suggestions, Brucie?" He asked his science bro.

"Frankly, I haven't thought about it either." He had been lost in the physics of Time Travel. "But I can see we have to come up with something, because people are going to be asking about it." And he not just meant the press, but S.H.I.E.L.D.

After what was said in the helicarrier about them keeping tabs on all enhanced people—whether it was because of their bodies, or through their tech—he was certain they would investigate the fact Tony Stark had actually reproduced. He did not like it, and Bruce was certain Tony did not like it either.

"I have a plan," he began only to be interrupted.

"Of course you do, you were the Star Spangled Man with a Plan after all," Tony said, and watched the little kid glare at him on the rear view mirror. Steve actually growled at that as well, and man, but he looked adorable.

"I'm serious," he said glaring daggers at the back of the billionaire's head.

"We know you are, Steve," Bruce said placatingly, while Tony added.

"I just couldn't resist, so, what did you come up with, Buddy?" He was curious.

Teasing aside, Steve Rogers was known as a Master Tactitian and Strategist. The fact he had actually been a kid in his mid teens at the time made it even more impressive a feat. Besides, it had not just been the muscles, strenght, speed, and enhanced senses. Proof of it was the fact that even as a four year old, he was already thinking ahead.

"It's a bit farfetched, I admit, but believable because I know kids who've done it," he began. "You mentioned the fella who was supposedly my Godfather died a couple of weeks before the invasion, right?"

"Yeah, JARVIS found out West Garner—that was his name by the way—killed himself in a crash while Driving Under the Influence, meaning he was practically driving dead drunk, at high speed," Tony confirmed.

"Okay, I was thinking we could say I was in the car with him..."

"Steve," Bruce began.

"Just hear me out, Bruce. We all know that sort of things happens more often than anyone would like. Anyway, we can say I survived the crash with only some bumps and bruises," he went on. "That's also something that occasionally happens," he chose to point out. "So I was scared, and hadn't been in a car seat. Instead of staying put, I ran away..."

"I don't think I like how this is sounding," Tony said slowly.

Steve chose to ignore the comment and went on. "We can say a family saw me, and picked me up. Frank and Melissa Mason..."

"Steve, those people are beasts!" Bruce protested.

He had seen the news about the couple. How they had killed nine children, and a tenth, who was their latest foster child was missing. There was an eleventh kid, a teenager, who had been missing as well. The couple told the social worker the teenager ran away, the police was now seriously doubting it.

"Believe me, Bruce, I know better than anyone how bad those animals are." His voice was so full of loathing, it was a shock for the other two men. "The police's looking for me, after all," Bruce gasped in shock. "I was their last foster kid.

"I barely escaped them alive, and once in the past, I never expected to make it back, but since I did, I'm not going to let them get away with nearly beating me to death," both men gasped at his words. "I was the one who called 911, although I didn't known about most of the other kids.

"I did know about the one before me. His name was Harry, and he supposedly ran away the day before I was sent to the Masons. After the bodies were found, I'm not sure if I believe he actually managed to escape them alive.

"Those beasts called Harry all sorts of names, heathen, unnatural, abomination, and the spawn of the devil, amongst them. They called me that too. So they might have actually killed him in their efforts to 'save' his soul."

"I'm so sorry you had to live through that, Steve, I really am," Bruce said more than a bit shocked. Why wasn't Steve a psychopath? How was he able to still have such a good heart? The kind of abuse those people had confessed to subject their charges to was horrific.

"It's all right, Bruce. I made it alive. Anyway, we can say the Mason's took me out of the streets. It's something they did with the homeless kids they found. They offered food, shelter, and clothes, while keeping them out of CPS's sights. When I was there, they picked at least five other kids," He paused for a moment as he shuddered, "I think the bodies they found belong to some of the homeless kids.

"I know at least four of those kids they picked up did escape, but I'm not sure about Perry. He was seven, and it was his first time out on the streets... I tried to protect him, but..." And he trailed off. "Anyway, I don't think they would've gotten away with so many foster ones being missing.

"Useless as they can be most of the time, I know Social Services would have had to investigate." Yes kids in foster homes ran away, but eleven of them in the period of three years? Even those people would have found it suspicious. "We can say I stayed with them until the invasion, and escaped when they were distracted punishing the 'older Steve'."

"I don't know, kid. If we use that, the police's going to want to talk to you. I... don't want you exposed to that," Tony said getting protective. It would not be easy for the boy.

"I know, and I'm quite willing to testify against them," he said resolutely. "They have to pay, Tony. One way or another, those beasts have to pay for all they've done. If I have to testify against them, then so be it."

"It'll be your word against theirs, Steve. They'll deny knowing you," Bruce warned the child.

"Of course they will, but I've ways to prove it, Bruce. You're forgetting I'm actually the one whom they almost killed. I've been in that house, I lived there for nearly a month. I know those zealot's habits, where everything's stored—including where they hide their... Tools, the ones they use to punish their charges—I know first hand how they punished the kids.

"They can deny knowing me all they want, but no one, except a person who's actually lived with them would know about those things. Besides, there's no way to prove I'm the missing Steven Grant Rogers Cahill. Specially not after the Blood Adoption Potion."

Normally Steve was not one for revenge, or for holding grudges for long. But he really could not forgive what those crazy people did to him, and to so many others. It was important to ensure the couple would not be getting out of prison, ever.

"You do have a point, Steve. I just wish you weren't so willing to go through that," Tony said with a sigh turning to look at his now son. They were waiting for the green light at an intersection, so he could do it. "It's going to be a traumatic experience."

"I know, but I don't want them to ever get out of prison, and I'm sure my testimony would more than ensure that... It's something I HAVE to do. I need to know they'll never treat another kid like they did me, and all those others before me," he told them vehemently.

"We'll see then, Steve," Tony said with a sigh. He understood only too well where all that was coming from, he just wished the kid did not have to go through something like that. "Let me ensure the right to keep you, then we'll see about going to the police, Okay?"

"Okay," he agreed, a bit reluctant though.

"So you, supposedly lived with them, and escaped during the invasion?" Bruce asked just to get the rest of Steve's plan.

"Yeah, I could say the 'other' Steve," and he made air quotes, "told me to run away as soon as I could, and I did."

Then he told them the rest of his plan. Steve would have then wandered the streets of New York for a long time until he finally reached Stark Tower. He would tell whoever asked his Ma, Joanna Devlin, had told him who his father was. His Godfather was supposed to deliver him to his biological father, but he did not, and then he crashed. So when he found himself alone again he went to find him.

Bruce and Tony argued he was too small to have survived alone on the streets for two months. But Steve countered he was smart enough to do it, and he actually knew a few kids who were not as smart who had managed it at that age. The had help from older street kids, but still they did it. It was not an easy life, but it was possible.

Steve even knew how hard it was, because at several points in his life—starting when he was six—he had run away and lived on the streets, even as sickly as he was. The longest time had been six months, and Steve only went back into the system because winter was coming. He knew he would not have survived it out on the streets on his own.

"You should leave me a block or two away from the tower, and I'll make my way there..."

"No," Tony said firmly. "Absolutely not. You're not walking New York City's streets on your own, specially not at night."

"It's too dangerous, Steve. Don't take it wrong, but you're now a tiny little thing, anyone could simply pick you up," Bruce said agreeing with Tony.

"I might be pint sized at the moment," he admitted. "But you forget I'm a fully trained wizard, and a Master of Combat to booth. My body shrunk, but my magical core didn't. I can defend myself just fine without having to use physical force." They still looked at him dubiously. "Look, there's a spell known as a Notice-Me-Not Charm, if I cast it on myself no one will notice me. I'll be quite safe, believe me," and he cast the spell on himself then.

Tony and Bruce knew Steve was still there, but every time they tried to look at him through the mirror their eyes wandered away from the car seat. They could not fix their eyes on him. "Okay, you proved your point," Tony said grudgingly.

Then made a mental note to pick the kid's brain for a way to reproduce what he just did, but with technnology. That could be one very interesting advantage. Natashalie would literally kill to be able to do that. Unfortunately, so would the cyclops, and just about everyone else in the government and the spy business.

"So you walk to the tower and then what?" Tony prompted.

"I'll go into the lobby, and act the part of the lost kid looking for his father," he told them, then went on telling the rest of what he planned.

It was already past seven, so there was no one manning the desks at Stark Tower, only JARVIS, as he was constantly monitoring the tower's security. So Steve would tell him the story, and it would be recorded by the security cameras. After hearing the whole tale, the AI would in turn inform Tony and Bruce.

The two of them would come to the lobby, see Steve was indeed alone, and then take him up to one of the labs. Bruce would then do a DNA paternity test to confirm if what the boy told them was true. Since it was, they allowed him to spend the night at the tower.

JARVIS would have, of course, investigated his claims about Joana Devlin's death, as well as that of her foreman. For reasons only she knew, Joana Devlin had never registered her son. After hearing he was completely alone, Tony would then supposedly have the night to think things over, and come morning he had decided to keep his kid.

The next morning Tony would call his lawyers, set them to work on legally recognizing Steve as his son, and becoming his guardian. Having Steve's arrival on the security cameras would actually make things move faster, and help allay whatever doubts the authorities had. It would also cover their bases with S.H.I.E.L.D. because they all knew the spying agency would look into it as well.

"Okay, Buddy, we'll do it your way," Tony agreed reluctantly.