Chapter One: Darkness of Birth Ficception:

Tony winced as the doctor finished stitching him up, glaring in immense hatred at the man across the room who was gazing at a small infant with adoration in his eyes. He was whispering something incoherently to the infant, but Tony couldn't make it out. His genius brain was still in a fog, trying to clear from all the medications that had kept him in a docile, coma-like state, while the infant had gestated in him.

He winced as he felt another needle go into his arm, drawing out some blood, glaring at the doctor who held him down. He even growled a bit.

"Oh, calm down Anthony," Howard scolded. "You are going to wake Grant."

Tony grimaced as he heard the name. Of course he would name the child after his long-lost friend and obsession. For years, Tony had wanted his father's love, trying everything to gain it, from building a hover car then to graduating MIT while simultaneously studying at Salem Institute for Magic Users.

He had always wondered if Howard had hated his gifts he had inherited from his mother, technology and magic didn't always work together until Tony had figured out away around it; he had figured it out so he could spend time with his dad, but of course that never happened. Howard always figured out a way to stay away whether it was to do his CEO stuff or to look for the long lost Cap. Never did Howard make time for him. How in the hell would he do it for this new kid, Grant. Tony sure as hell didn't want anything to do with him.

"Why?" Tony rasped out. Month after month they had kept him drugged, kept him prisoner, and impregnated him. "Why me? And who is the other donor?"

Howard smiled at his son for the first time. "All these questions, I'll do my best to answer your curious mind. Why? Because Tony, you have the advanced genetics that we needed. We tried artificial wombs with your genetic material along with the donor material. It never took, it always failed. I even tried."

Howard lifted his shirt, showing a scar on his abdomen.

"It just wouldn't take. I mean, I figured my genetic material with Steven Rogers would work, but . . . sometimes when you experiment, things just don't go the way you plan. Then I remembered your mother having you tested a long time ago when we had you tested for the magical gene. You are what are called a magical carrier in you and your mother's world."

Tony sighed. He had walked away from the wizarding world. There were too many regulations and strange customs. He was never going to fit in there and had decided to embrace his no-mag heritage instead. His magic was still intact, however barely used, and his wand was always tucked away on his forearm, though his father removed it during the abduction. He would have to find it, and soon. There was no way he wanted to feel this vulnerable again.

He stared at his father as he continued.

"Tony, you have always been my greatest creation, a brilliant mind with talents beyond all beliefs, even if you squander them away and get drunk at every pass. You made it so easy to capture you . . . always getting high and getting drunk Hell, your behavior made your absence from Columbia so much more believable," Howard smiled at the infant in his arms, muttering inaudible things to the small baby.

"Your genetic material with Steven's made for a perfect match. And with your magical carrier gene, made this little miracle possible. Grant probably surpassed you as the greatest creation. With some testing a little later on in life, we can probably take his genetic material and rework the super serum formula."

Tony sighed. He watched as his father, no Howard, had walked out of the room with the infant in his arms. Tony had never wanted to be a father, and he felt a twinge of sympathy for the baby in Howard's arms, for this kid would be nothing more than a tool as well.

Tony shuddered, closing his eyes.

His father had violated him in the worse way. He may have been drugged, but he remembered his father "obtaining" the material. Even drugged up, his eidetic memory made it possible for him to remember almost everything. Damn if he didn't already hate the man. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing away the memories and refusing to show weakness. He was Tony Stark for fuck's sake.

He moved gingerly, not wanting to pull any of the stitches he acquired along his side, from where they had pulled the infant out. There where lingering questions on what exactly Howard expected from Tony, what roles he had to play. He had only just turned nineteen, finishing his MBA and masters in engineering now. He was sure that he would have to catch up on the work, not that it would take him long.

Howard had assured him he still was paying his tuition, and that he had filed for Tony to be on sabbatical for the semester due to "family reasons."

Tony scoffed. At least the man didn't cut him off financially. Even though, Tony was sure, that he could build his own company from the ground up and surpass Stark Industries if he wanted too.

Tony laid back, allowing the healing magic in his blood to take over. Magicals did have advanced healing abilities naturally, he did overall heal faster from hangovers and common household injuries than no-mags.

Alright Tony, think, what is your next move.

He sure as hell didn't want anything to do with the child, even though he was half genetically his. Chances were that he would fuck it up, even if he did want him.

Two months later.

Tony held little Grant close to him, trying to shush him so Howard wouldn't walk into the room. He was getting ready for their trip, and Tony didn't want Howard finding out what he was up to in his own home.

Tony still had wanted nothing to do with the kid, but he also didn't want Howard to win in his sick game, so he made plans and nurtured Grant better than his father did, mostly just to stick it to Howard. Grant instinctually reached for Tony whenever he they had been apart, something that bothered Howard to no end. But Tony knew that things wouldn't last.

Howard had already started drawing Grant's blood, testing him for abilities. A two month old.

Tony had to admit, the kid was cute, how could he not be, even though he was wailing at the top of his lungs. He had blue eyes, with flecks of green in them, however had inherited Tony's dark hair. Maria had commented that Grant looked a lot like Tony had. She didn't even question Howard when he said that Grant was Tony's kid from some woman he had met in a bar and that Howard had paid off.

Thanks Mom.

Howard had also handed most of the child rearing to Tony, which had bothered him, but at least Grant would not have Howard as his parental figure for much longer. No, Tony had plans to hide the child away. There was no way that Tony would allow another child be hurt by his father.

But tonight was the night. Howard had to fly somewhere and Maria was instant on going with on a mini shopping vacation for herself and her newly acquired grandchild.

Maria did spoil Grant, giving the child everything that Tony didn't buy him. He wasn't going to get attached.

He watched as his parents left the house, flipping his father the bird one last time, hearing his mother chastise him. If everything worked, Grant Steven Stark would be safely hidden where Howard would no longer have access to him, and Tony and Grant would be free. He looked at the small bruise on Grant's arm feeling some sympathy for him.

"Don't worry buddy, I will take care of you," Tony vowed.

He walked a quarter of the mile down the road, before getting into an old beater of a car, driving himself to the airport. He was able to procure a private jet without difficulties, money talked, and cash made things move even more.

Tony landed safely at the small regional airport in the UK, making his way quickly with Grant through the country side. Tony hadn't been back in the magical world in quite awhile, but had gotten directions from Lily.

Tony and Lily had met when he had participated in some school event to promote international cooperation between schools. He had just really wanted to get away from his dad, and well, going to Scotland to live in a castle that no no-mag could find seemed like the most logical thing to do.

He made some great friends that year. 16 seemed so far away, even though it was only 3 years ago. James was literally his distant cousin through their mothers, and his friends were awesome. Lily was prim and proper on the outside, but had a quick wit and a sharp mind.

He knew he was getting close because the GPS in his car started blinking in and out. He also knew he was doing the right thing.

He pulled up to a small cottage, pulling the small infant into his arms. There was a kissing gate and a stone path cutting its way through a beautifully manicured lawn. Lilies were lining the walk way up, which was of course, his best friend's favorite flower. The cottage was stone with maroon shutters and a matching maroon door. On the door, a griffin knocker was in place.

"How very Gryffindor," Tony muttered. "Not that it matters at all Grant, you will be raised by these lovely people and will be in that house."

Tony held his breath, closing his eyes. Leaving Grant with Lily and James would be the best choice. They weren't on the grid, or in any electronic system. There was no way that Howard could get his hands on Grant to continue to test on him.

He knocked on the door, hearing Lily yell to James to open up the door. Tony held his breath, hoping that Lily and James would do this for him.

The door opened, and James took one look at his distant cousin. "You look like shit," James paused, "The baby is cute though, yours?"

"I'm hoping he will be yours," Tony rushed out.

"Well, you better get inside, Lily would hate it if you and sprog caught a cold, since your delicate Malibu arse can't take a little bit of cold."

"Thanks man."

Tony followed James into the house, settling in to tell him about his father's violation against him, the subsequent pregnancy, and need to protect Grant at all costs. James and Lily listened, gasping in all the right places, looking at the two of them.

They seemed to communicate silently, something that Tony personally found a little weird, probably some married magic he didn't understand.

"Tony, are you sure about this? Magical adoptions aren't something that can be easily broken," James spoke up. They had just heard from the doctor, and he had been declared infertile. They had planned on donor sperm and James infusing his magic into the fetus, and that would definitely be an option to expand. But it seemed as if Tony just wanted to give them an already magical child, who was already tied to James by blood.

It would be simpler process in the short run.

"Look, I am not father material, my father is not father material," Tony stated. It was a matter of fact. "This is the only thing I can do to make sure the kid has a decent shot at life."

"He's your son," Lily pointed out.

"He was a science experiment, basically forced into me. Look if you don't want to help . . ."

"Tony we want to do this for you, but, you are a little attached to him."

"I'm doing the right thing for him," He replied. It hurt a little, Tony could admit that to himself. His son, but not really his son. He was confused, but knew, just knew he had to do the right thing, and this was the right thing.

He sighed.

"What is his name? What is his birthday?" James wanted to know.

"Grant, but please change it. I have no clue what his birthday is, I was too drugged up to recall. Close to the end of July, maybe early August. I also set up a trust vault for him for you to use for his care at Gringotts."

"We don't need your money, we are well of through our own inheritance," James reminded him.

"Then keep it for him, a gift or something from the fun loving Uncle he never sees. Vow to keep him safe," Tony begged. "Keep him away from all from that would harm him."

"We promise."

Tony pulled out the adoption ritual and vows, the ritual that would effectively add James and Lily as his parents. He couldn't genetically wipe out his and Steven Rogers contribution, but at least in the wizarding world, the kid would be recognized as James and Lily's son.

"What are you going to name him?" Tony asked so they could complete the ritual.

"Harrison James Potter," Lily stated. They were planning on using that name for their first born to honor their father's. "Harry for short."

The ritual was completed.

Tony let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding.

It was finished.

He turned to leave, seeing the newly christened Harry reach out for him, but he didn't reach back this time. He had parents now to protect him. He walked out the door silently and made his way back to Columbia.

He got the call that night that Howard and Maria had died on their way to the airport.

He cried for his mom, and laughed hysterically that his old man had died in an automobile accident of all things. That fucker deserved to die a slow painful death.

Tony was officially free.

AN: This story is written with permission from njchrispatrick. This is a ficception of Darkness of Birth. If you haven't read it, read it. There will be lots of divergence from the path of his, and sporadic updates, but stick with me. Reviews rock my socks.