Rewrite the Stars

Summary: "Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." – Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land. FemHarry.

Just a warning: FemHarry, AU, Language, Clichés, Age Difference, Messed Time Line, More in the Future

Just so you know (Name): FemHarry's name is Charis Aster Potter. In Greek mythology, a Charis is one of the Charites or "Graces"; goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity and fertility. This name comes from an Ancient Greek word meaning "Grace", "Kindness" and "Life". Aster is an Ancient Greek word for "Star" while the meaning of the flower Aster can differ depending on the presentation, my favorites being "Elegance", "Patience" and "Daintiness". Also, the Ancient Greeks used to burn aster leaves to ward off both snakes and evil spirits.

I don't own anything related to Marvel or Harry Potter!

Chapter 19. Painfully Truth

T.S

As Dara O'Bhriain once said: Science knows it doesn't know everything. Otherwise, it'd stop. And Tony? Well, he was more than aware that he didn't know everything. He knew that there was more to this world, knew that there were things that not even science could possibly explain.

Honestly, he was more open-minded than what certain people liked to believe.

So – Magic?

Ok.

It was pretty cool, he could accept it. But that didn't stop him from wanting to learn how it worked, what kind of rules applied to it (Just because he accepted the existence of magic didn't mean that he won't at least try to find a way to understand the source behind its powers or even reproduce it. He won't have been Tony Stark if he ignored this kind of challenge)… What kind of energy was magic? Many considered dark matter to be connected to supernatural forces, was there any truth to such theory? What about wands? Were they really needed?

"And we lost him."

Whiskey-brown eyes blinked as Tony pulled himself away from his thoughts to see Charis and James staring at him with identical looks of amusement.

"I was merely thinking, " Tony said, arching his eyebrow.

Charis huffed, leaning back against the couch, "Don't think too much about it. You'll end up with a headache. Most times than not, magic and logic doesn't mix."

"What about magic and technology?" He asked, wishing that he had access to his lab so he could try to study one of the moving pictures that could be found around the house.

"Old technology is fine – At least for a month or two." Charis shrugged and added like the eloquent teenager she was, "After that, it goes boom like anything else made those days which comes in contact with magic."

He narrowed his eyes in thought.

What would be considered old technology to Charis? And why would magic destroy any kind of technology? Actually, what kind of technology were they talking about here? Electronics? If so, then maybe the energy that magic was made off was similar to EMP pulses…

"Well, we lost him again," James muttered, lips twitching up as his niece puffed her cheeks and elbowed his side.

"Say Tony, you don't really look surprised," Charis pointed out, making him blink once more and look at the raven-haired girl.

The engineer snorted, leaning back against his armchair, "I was already suspicious. Shifting pictures and clocks and flowers can't be normal. I knew that there was something different about this place."

The thirteen years old stared at him before she processed his words, eyes widening as she seemed to come to some kind of conclusion.

"Oh – Oh! So Healer Taylor wasn't a complete moron! Good to know."

"Charis," James gave her a look.

The small girl corrected herself, "A barmy idiot."

"Charis," James pinched the bridge of his nose with exasperation but Tony could see the fondness in his eyes.

"I hate to be mean, Uncle James," she crossed her arms, pursuing her lips with indignation, "but I was thinking it, you were thinking it – If there were more people in the know in the corridor with us then they would have been thinking the same thing."

The ice-blue eyed man didn't reply. It was clear that he agreed with his niece.

Turning her attention back to him, Charis started explaining, "There's something in the Wizarding World –"

Wizarding World, Tony thought a little dazzled. He hadn't thought that Charis and the strangely cheerfully doctor were the only ones that could use magic, not after the mention of a magical hospital of all things, but he also hadn't imagined that there were enough magical people to make up a whole World… A whole world hidden right under everyone's nose.

Holy shit, the genius laughed internally, wondering how the hell no one had learned about it. How hadn't the satellites caught something like wizards and magical hospitals on camera?

His little friend continued, "– called the International Statute of Magical Secrecy. It's a law first signed in 1689 and then established officially in 1692. The law was created to separate the Magical World from the Non-Magical one."

Wait –

"1692?" Tony interrupted her, "That's around the Salem Witch Trials."

Charis grimaced, "The American Trials, yes."

He stared, trying to remember what he knew about the whole event. There had been more than the Trials in Massachusetts?

His thoughts must have been all over his face because the green-eyed girl smiled sadly, "In Europe, several Trials happened between 1530 and 1675." Whiskey-brown eyes widened as he stared at Charis who wasn't finished yet, "Then there were the so called Trials during World War II…"

James closed his eyes at this.

Tony opened his mouth to ask but restrained himself from doing so. He didn't think he wanted to know what she meant with her last comment. Shaking his head, the brown-haired man took a moment before asking:

"Couldn't – Why didn't you people use magic to protect themselves?"

"Oh, but we did." Charis' lips twitched into a bitter smile, "Several methods were created and used to escape or hide. It worked for a while." She looked up for a second, "But well…"

Traitors, Tony thought bitterly, already guessing what she was thinking. Because of course there were traitors involved. What was history without some kind of greedy traitor betraying their own friends, family and neighbors to those that would use and kill them?

He shook his head, not wanting to start thinking about the information James had given to him about his company, about the man who betrayed his trust and sold him out.

"Anyway," Charis cleared her throat, "in simple terms, the International Statute of Secrecy says that we can't reveal magical to Muggles – I mean, Non-Magicals. The only exceptions to that rule are close relatives or spouses and children."

"Then comes Taylor and breaks the law without even blinking," James muttered.

"Yeah," she nodded, looking the long-haired man with a smile, "but look – I think that when he first came to see Tony, he must have noticed the magic in him and assumed that he was just a Squib from America."

"I did say that he was our distant cousin," James hummed.

Tony sputtered, chocking in his own spite as he waved his hands, "Wait just a minute – H-He noticed the what in who?!"

James snorted while Charis, the little troll, giggled and clapped when she noticed the expression on his face, "Congratulations, Tony, you've a little bit of magic within you."

He couldn't be blamed for sounding like a dying cat at that moment.

As interesting this whole magic business was, he couldn't really warp in his head on the possibility of him – Tony Stark – having magic.

"You don't need to look like that," James said. "Squibs may have magic but they can't use it."

Tony forced himself to relax and think, "It's dormant?"

"To a point," Charis said. "Uncle James and I learned that Squibs have passive magical skills, like seeing through illusions, being able to find magical buildings and using magical objects, and etc. We're still learning about it but it seems like those passive skills vary from one person to another."

James placed his arm around her shoulder, leaning back, "One thing we know for certain is that it's like a switch. After a Squib acknowledges the existence of magic, they can't miss it again."

Blinking, Tony looked back at the kitchen, eyes flickering around it until they landed on the flickering clock. He didn't know what to think when, much like before, it started to change before his very eyes, as if some kind of veil was lifted from his eyes, allowing him to see that in place of hours on the clock's face, there were a series of locations and status: Home, School, Hospital, Diagon Alley, Rosewood's Mews, Gringotts, Travelling, Mortal Peril and Injured. Each clock's golden hands, which had James' and Charis' name on it, was pointing at Home at the moment.

Oh...

Whiskey-brown eyes blinked as the genius contemplated how such thing had been created, hands itching to take the clock apart. James and Charis shared a look when they noticed his interest, the latter giggling a little.

"I can show you my schoolbooks if you want," Charis offered, making him look at her, "or we can just visit the library since now you can see the magical books." She made a pause thinking about it, "Oh, we can show you Rosewood's Mews now!"

"And what's that?" The engineer asked curiously, feeling like a child in a candy store. He wanted to see everything, to learn as much as he could about this new source of energy.

Charis grinned.

Rosewood's Mews, Tony learned the next morning, was supposedly the magical street where James' and Charis' house was located.

The moment his eyes landed on all the shops and houses, however, he disagreed with that description – That wasn't a street. It was a fucking dimensionally transcendental small village in the middle of London.

By Tesla… This – This was –

"A TARDIS," Tony muttered faintly, mind filled with one theory after the other. "This whole place is basically a fucking TARDIS."

This was a dream come true. Oh, how Tony wished to have access to his lab. He really wanted to learn how this was possible. Were they actually standing in a pocket dimension? Maybe another dimension altogether?

"Come on, Doctor," James grabbed his shoulder, "Charis wants to visit some of the shops."

Whiskey-brown eyes blinked at the other man, "I'm surprised you even know what I'm talking about, old man."

He was genuinely surprised. From everything that James had told him about his time as HYDRA's brainwashed pet assassin after Tony recognize him, he couldn't imagine the ice-blue eyed veteran having time or even being allowed to watch TV.

Instead of replying, James pointed something out; a old building that looked like one of those cinema theaters. Tony stared, noticing a group of kids and teenagers looking up at old TV shows and movies posters.

"An American wizard found a way to record a few shows and movies with magic somehow," he explained. James smiled one of his rare fond smiles that appeared on his stoic face whenever he was talking to or about his niece, "Charis and I go to the theater sometimes."

Charis, who had been looking through her handbag in search of her money pouch, looked up and chimed in, "I heard that Mr. Russell is trying to find another way to bring those movies and shows to us because his process is too long. Some of our neighbors said that his son is trying to make a telly that works around magic, but I don't know if that it's just a rumor…"

Tony rubbed his chin with a glint in his eyes.

It looked like he had another thing to add to his to-do list. He would definitely be busy when he got back to Malibu.

"Do you know him?" He asked.

The small girl scrunched her nose, "Who? Mr. Russell's son? Not really. I've seen him around but he goes to Ilvermorny." When she noticed the expression on his face, Charis explained, "It's the biggest magical school in North America. I think it's in Massachusetts."

Ilvermorny? What kind of name was that?

Charis grinned when he snorted, "If you think that is funny, then you should hear the name of my school."

"What's the name of your school?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Hogwarts," James said dryly.

The genius threw his head back, laughing. Pig warts?! What kind of people would think that such name was a good idea for a school?

He must have asked it out loud because both Charis and James rolled their eyes and said, "Wizards."

Minutes later Tony found himself standing in a elegant clothes shop owned by a kind old Desi man. Charis insisted in paying for all the suits, shirts and pants that he picked for himself, pointing out that he didn't exactly have money with him at the moment ("I'm paying you back later, kid." "Sure, Tony.")

After that, the trio merely walked around, the sun shinning brightly over their heads as they made their way from shop to shop, seeing what they had to offer. Tony was rather impressed with the plaza when they visited, grabbing a few things for Pepper, Rhodey and Happy from the eccentric-looking stalls. It was the least he could do for making them worry for so long.

"Well? What now?" He asked as they walked down the street.

Charis perked up, pointing to cute little shop that seemed to be made of ice and had polar bear and penguin decorations everywhere, "Ice-Cream!"

Tony hummed, wondering what kind of ice-cream wizards and witch ate, before shrugging, "Sure."

"I'll get it," James said as they stopped by a table with a bright colored umbrella in front of the ice-cream shop. "What do you two want?"

"Butterbeer," Charis beamed, sitting down.

James chuckled fondly, "Why don't you get something new, doll? You always ask for the Butterbeer flavored one."

The thirteen years old huffed, scrunching her nose in disgust, "And you always ask for peach and jalapeño."

Tony arched an eyebrow. It was strange but certainly not the strangest ice-cream flavor he had heard about... Let's just say that Pepper had some odd tastes and leave it at that.

"I'll get something new if you do as well," Charis offered her hand to her Uncle who shook it with a tilt of his lips.

"Deal," the long-haired veteran said before turning his attention toward Tony. "What do you want Tony?"

"Can't I take a look at the menu?" He asked, not wanting have a repeat of his experience with magical candy.

Those beans as well all the other kind of candy that Charis had given to him so far was fascinating, some were even delicious, but he really didn't want to end up with something like vomit flavored ice-cream.

James made a motion for the genius to follow him and they walked inside the shop. Some of the workers greeted the ice-blue eyed man cheerfully, asking about Charis before handing the menu to Tony.

The brown-haired billionaire stared on disbelief at some of the flavors sold at the shop. Hoping that some of the names weren't literal…

What the fuck? He thought, Dragon Blood? Cockroach Cluster?!

"I want one Cookies n' Cauldron Cakes, one Turmeric & Candied Ginger and…"

Tony looked up as the other man arched his eyebrow at him. Thinking about it, he picked one of the safest looking options in the menu.

"The Balsamic Blueberry Goat Cheese," the genius said, handing the menu back to the teenager boy behind the ice-cream display.

"One moment, sirs!" The boy said cheerfully, moving to get their orders.

There was a moment of silence as they waited before, who just couldn't handle the silence, asked the ice-blue eyed man about when Doctor (Healer – It was Healer) Taylor would be coming to see him again. The older man had informed them after his check up that he would be back but he never said when.

"He and Summers will more likely visit the house in a day or two," James replied, leaning against the counter and looking at Charis.

The small girl leaned back against her chair, noticing the two of them before smiling gently and waving her hand.

Tony waved back, thinking for a moment until he decided to ask, "Summers?"

"My Mind Healer," the other man looked at him from the corner of his eyes. "Charis called her," he shook his head fondly. "She's worried about the constant nightmares you have."

He didn't bothering asking what a Mind Healer was. Tony was smart enough to guess that it was the magical version of a psychologist. He was also smart enough to guess what kind of magic those people used to treat their patients.

"I don't need anyone looking into my head," the billionaire said, ignoring James' last comment.

His mind was his own. He refused to let anyone mess around with it.

James looked at him understanding although his stoic face never faltered. Sighing, he said, "It does help."

The whiskey-eyed engineer opened his mouth to snap at the other man but stopped himself. James had more reasons to avoid someone with the ability to look through his head than Tony did.

Dropping his shoulders slightly, he crossed his arms, "Fine. I'll see this Summers."

"Charis will be happy to hear that."

Tony huffed.

At least someone was going to be happy with it.

Healer Summers and Hurricane Taylor showed the next day, much to Tony's irritation. He had wanted to have some time before having to deal with someone looking through his head.

The two magicals were sitting in the living room with Charis, telling her about their jobs. They were trying to tempt her to work as an healer in the future. Apparently, the small girl had a talent for healing spells.

Usually, he would have taken their distraction as his chance to space; leaving the house before anyone noticed and only coming back late at night. But Charis looked so lost and confused as she tried and failed to explain that she didn't know what she wanted to do with her life after graduation, that Tony didn't have the heart to do such thing to her.

"Well, hello there!" He said, making the three magicals look at him.

Hurricane Taylor jumped to his feet, not wasting time to shake his hand with a dazzling smile that would have blinded anyone looking directly at it. Summers, a golden haired woman who reminded him a lot of Ana Jarvis, stood up calmly, walking in his direction with amusement.

"Mr. Stark!" Hurricane Taylor said, "I hope you're feeling well today? No dizziness? Have you been eating properly –"

"Jack," Summers cut him off. "I think you're making him dizzy." Her hazel eyes looked into his whiskey-brown as she said, "Good afternoon, Mr. Stark. I'm Alia Summers. Mr. Barnes', and now yours, Mind Healer."

Although, uncomfortable and not wanting to be there, Tony knew how to be polite.

"Tony Stark," he smiled charmingly, kissing the back of her hand. "But you already new that."

The woman chuckled, "My, aren't you charming? Just like Mr. Barnes."

The genius arched his eyebrows while Charis snickered.

"James? Charming?" He spoke slowly, "Are we talking about the same human shaped brick of ice?"

As much as he liked James and saw the man as a friend, Tony wasn't blind to the fact that if he wasn't in the same room as his niece then the ice-blue eyed veteran's face barely showed any kind of emotion.

"Hey!" Charis puffed her cheeks at him, angry at the description.

Tony resisted the urge of cooing, reaching out her cheek. It was ridiculous how adorable the little troll was.

Hurricane Taylor laughed while Healer Summers smiled, saying, "He can be charming when he wants to. Anyway, are you ready to start?"

"Now?" He pursued his lips slightly.

"The earliest we start, the better," the older woman said kindly.

Tony took a deep breath, nodding his head. He didn't like it but the genius knew that it would be better to do it now and be over with it.

Hurricane Taylor had stopped smiling, looking uncharacteristically serious. For a few moments he gazed intently at Tony, then he said, "I'll be waiting for two to be finished with your appointment before we talk about that interesting object on your chest Mr. Stark. I found a few things in your exams that worries me." He waited until Tony processed his words and nodded his head before smiling once more, "Well, why don't you show me your garden Miss Potter?! I would love to see what kind of flowers do you have!"

Charis didn't move, giving Tony a look. He grinned, waving his hand dismissively and getting a sweet smile in return. Nodding, she escorted Hurricane Taylor into the garden while the old wizard babbled about magical flowers and their use in medicine.

Summers made a motion to the couch, silently asking him to sit down. Tony did so, hoping that this appointment would actually help having a good night of sleep without any kind of interruption.

Later, when both Healers had already left, Tony would find that it did help; thanking Charis for having called Summers and feeling happy to know that he had people who cared about his well-being.

C.P

"OUCH!"

Harry's scream was followed by the familiar sound of gunfire and a loudly, terrified screech.

The small girl massaged the spot on the side of her head that had been hit by the old feathery disaster going by the name of Errol and glared, not feeling all sympathetic when she saw that the Great Grey Owl was laying against the kitchen counter with his legs in the air and two envelopes in his beak. There was a bullet role on the just above him and the only reason Harry knew that he was alive was because Errol was twitching slightly.

From her perch, Hedwig gave Errol a look, as if the Snowy Owl believed that he was an embarrassment to all owls out there. Knowing her familiar, that was exactly what she was thinking.

James started raising his gun once more and Harry waved her hands to stop him. She had no idea of what she said, still a little dizzy from her collision against Errol, but it must have been something along the lines of No! He belongs to the twins!.

From his seat, looking up a stack of papers that he had been writing on ever since

From his seat, looking up from behind the piles of books surrounding him, Tony arched his eyebrows.

Harry was rather relieved to see the glint of amusement into his whiskey-brown eyes, having noticed that he had been looking rather tired, albeit determined, after Healer Taylor spoke to him about his Arc Reactor during their last check-up.

She didn't know what they talked about, but it must have been something really serious because Tony had been working non-stop to create some kind of new element. At least that was what he tried to explain to her after she forced him out of his room so he could eat.

"They need a new owl," James pursued his lips, kneeling next to her and holding her face gently. He only let go after he was sure that she hadn't ended up with an concussion.

"Alright there, kid?"

"I'm fine," Harry smiled at Tony, seeing how concerned he was.

Her Great-Uncle helped her stand up and the thirteen years old approached Errol's limp form, shaking her head a little. Prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger, the green-eyed witch took the envelopes from him. One was for her and the other, surprisingly, was for James.

The ice-blue eyed man took the envelope with an arched eyebrow while Harry opened hers. Inside, she found a note written by George (At least she thought it was George. Even the twins' handwriting was similar).

Harrykins!

You won't believe what happened! DAD GOT US TICKETS FOR THE FINALS OF THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP!

Granted no one knows who will be playing yet, but we heard that the tickets are already selling like water in a desert so it's almost impossible to get one, much less to thirteen. Mom wrote a letter to Mr. Barnes to ask if you two want to come; we hope you'll. Ron invited Hermione so you and your terrifying bodyguard shall be our illustrious guests. You can even bring your new stray with you! We can't wait to meet this famous Tony that you have been writing about.

Hoping to hear from you soon,

Gred (and Forge).

Yep, it was George's handwriting.

"Do you want to go, doll?"

She blinked, snapping out of her thoughts and turning her head to look at her Great-Uncle. The dark haired man was tapping the letter clutched in his flesh hand, scanning whatever Mrs. Weasley had written there.

Harry shifted her weight from one foot to another, nipping her bottom lip.

Part of her really wanted to go; she had never gone in a event like this one and it sounded like fun. But another part of her, a cowardly part of her, knew that this would be the best opportunity for an confrontation between her and Ron and Hermione to happen and the small witch didn't want that…

Regardless, Harry needed to apologize to Mrs. Weasley for having avoided her after Second Year and maybe she also needed that confrontation with the other two members of the old Golden Trio.

Shaking her head, Harry decided to think about it later and smiled at her Great-Uncle, "I would love to, it sounds like fun!" She made a pause, looking at Tony, "Do you want to go, Tony?"

The billionaire blinked, "Go where?"

"The Quidditch World Cup's Finals!" She replied with excitement.

His face mirrored her excitement, having hear a lot about the magical sport from her.

"When will it happen?"

Harry's smile dropped.

She had no idea. What did she know was that by then, Tony would already be back in Malibu.

"August 25," James said, reaching out to ruffle her hair and getting a weak smile in return.

Tony pursued his lips, grumbling a little, "I need to check. But I'll do my best to come," he grinned at her, looking like he was already making plans to how he would be doing so.

Harry grinned back.

She hoped that he would be able to go with them.

"Is this World Cup any similar to the normal one?" Tony asked, reaching out to grab an apple from the basket across him.

The small witch tapped her chin in thought, "I don't know." She shrugged, "I don't even know how the Non-magical World Cup works."

"Well, for one, it happens every four years…" the genius started explaining how the World Cup worked: how they picked the country which would house it, how does one qualify to participate on it, etc.

Harry sat down to listen, nodding her head with a sweet smile as Tony spoke. He didn't seen to be the biggest football (Or soccer as the Americans called it) but he knew a lot about it.

"My mother loved the sport," He informed with a small, sad smile after Harry asked him about it. "It was never one of my favorites but I made sure to watch all games after she died. Go Italy!" He waved an imaginary flag.

"Your mum was Italian?" Harry said, always happy to learn more about her new friend.

Tony blinked, grinning at her, "Both my mother and Grandmother were. Actually, I'm too. I've a citizenship and everything."

"Wow!"

The brown-haired genius started talking once more, and while she did pay attention to his words, Harry also focused her attention on her Great-Uncle. His ice-blue eyes had clouded slightly and the expression on his face was completely blank.

She didn't need to be a genius to know that he was conflicted. He looked like that every time Tony mentioned his parents (Or rather, his mother. He barely spoke about his father and when he did, his voice always held a sign of bitterness).

Thinking about it, it didn't take long for Harry to understand that he was tired from hiding the truth from Tony. The man was his friend and it hiding something of this magnitude wasn't right. The whiskey-eyed engineer deserved to know what truly happened to his parents…

Harry was only worried about how he would react upon learning the truth.

"Charis."

She jumped slightly, turning her head to look at the dark haired man. Her Great-Uncle gave her one look and she knew.

James was tired from hiding. He had reached his limit and would probably tell Tony about his parents.

Today.

The small witch opened her mouth, not even knowing what she was going to say. Part of her wanted to reassure him that everything would be alright while another part of her wanted to stop him, tell him that this was a horrible idea. But Harry stayed in silence, forcing a smile.

James gave her another look, eyes softening as he knew exactly what she was thinking, and looked at the clock, "You better get ready before Black shows up."

Straightening her back, Harry blinked, "He's coming today?!"

Tony looked between them with interest. He hadn't been introduced to her godfather yet, mostly because the man had mysteriously disappeared after he returned from Afghanistan with James, but Harry had told him about Sirius.

James paused, looking over his shoulder. The small thirteen years old was so distracted that she didn't notice the lack of enthusiasm as he replied.

"Yes…" Her ice-blue eyed Great-Uncle deadpanned.

"Why didn't you tell me early?! I need to buy a few things for dinner!"

Without waiting for an answer, the raven-haired thirteen years old jumped a little, waving to Tony and running past her Great-Uncle and in direction of her room so she could grab her small handbag. She quickly found her red handbag and grabbed a pair of sneakers before starting to run again.

She only stopped when she was out of the house, looking back to stare at the door with apprehension.

Harry wasn't stupid.

James hadn't said anything but she knew that he wanted her out of the house so she left the house. She – Now Harry could only hope that everything would be fine. Her birthday was tomorrow and she really wanted Tony there with them…

T.S

Exhausted, Tony rubbed his eyes as he pushed himself away from the table, cursing under his breath.

There was something missing.

He didn't trust Hurricane Taylor all that much but Tony had to admit that the wizard knew what he was doing. Then again, he had to – One didn't live one hundred and thirty five years without learning a few tricks.

So, when the older man informed him in his last check-up, a little after his appointment with the blonde-haired Summers, that he should find a safe way to change his Arc Reactor because the palladium would end up killing him in a year or so then that was exactly what Tony would do.

He tried to not think about his death. He had no time to freak out about it – Tony had far too much to do and he couldn't die any time soon.

With that in mind, he had decided to find or at least create a new element that could be used for the new Arc Reactor he had already been planning to make. Unfortunately, the brown-haired genius couldn't think of anything. No matter how much he tried, he never got the result he wanted.

Maybe I could look through dad things when I get back to Malibu, Tony thought with a grimace.

As much as he hated to admit it, the brown-haired billionaire knew it won't hurt to look. There was a big possibility that he would fins something to help him stay alive. Hurricane Taylor had made it clear that while magic could delay the palladium poisoning, it won't be able to cure him.

Well, it didn't matter at the moment. Tony would have to wait until he had access to his lab before he could truly do anything.

"I wonder if Charis is back?" He muttered, collecting all his papers and walking out of the library.

The whiskey-eyed man made his way to his room, placing his papers over the blueprints he had made for his future suit of armors, which he also would be working on the moment he had access to his lab.

"I can't remember the last time I had so much work to do," he muttered petulantly. "It's in moments like this that I miss JARVIS more than anything. He would have been a great help."

Shaking his head, the genius dragged himself towards his bed when he noticed a flash of silvery light coming from his left. He paused, turning around to see something over the coffee table; something that definitely hadn't been there that morning.

The object was a bronze bowl with odd obsidian carvings around the edge; runes and symbols that Tony recognized from Charis' schoolbooks.

The silvery light he had seen early was coming from the contents of the bowl, and Tony wasn't too happy to admit that he couldn't tell whether the substance was made of liquid or gas. Honestly, he decided to not think about it all that much – The engineer knew that all he would gain from it was a headache.

The maybe-liquid-or-gas was bright and whitish silver, moving ceaselessly around the bowl much like water beneath wind or clouds that were separated and swirled smoothly alongside the summer breeze.

Tony's fingers twitched.

He wished he could touch it to try and find out what that substance was made off. But he had been warned enough times about the dangers of magic to be wary, so he took a step back.

The whiskey-eyed genius could wait until someone came to explain what it was.

In the end, however, there was no need to wait.

"It's a Pensieve," his head whipped around, blinking when he saw James standing behind him with his arms crossed.

"That doesn't explain anything," Tony informed him, arching his eyebrow.

Before the other man could reply, Summers entered the room. The older, blonde-haired woman was wearing her lime-green robes and looked a little tired. Hadn't she looked like she would curse him for just blinking his eyes then the billionaire would have asked when she had gotten there and why.

Having clearly heard his words, the Mind Healer started explaining, "A Pensieve is used to review memories – You can view any memory from a non-participant, third-person point of view. They're rather expensive and rare," Summers gave James a sharp look and continued, "so I do hope that by the time I come back for it, it'll be in perfect condition."

"We'll take care of it," James promised.

Hazel eyes narrowed with suspicion before Summers nodded with a stern look, as if to say you better.

"How does it work exactly?" Tony asked before he blinked, "Actually – Why do I even need this?"

He knew that this had nothing to do with his treatment. Summers' methods were more direct, involving pulling him into his own mindscape and helping him sort and deal with his experiences, speaking to and guiding him so they won't affect as negatively as they would have in normal circumstances.

"I won't know," Summer said. "Mr. Barnes didn't explain when he called me an hour go, asking if he could borrow my Pensieve…"

"I wanted to show you the truth," James said calmly.

Tony scowled, feeling a mix of curiosity and confusion. What truth? What did James want to show him? Did… Did it have anything to do with his past as HYDRA's pet assassin? If so, how was Tony connected to it?

He licked his lips, not like the feeling of dread filling his whole being. His day already hadn't been the best, why with all his problem in find a way to keep himself alive, but now he felt like it would get worse.

Honestly, Tony was pretty sure that he wasn't going to like whatever memory James wanted to show him…

"Think about it," Summers instructed James, taking her wand out of the inside of her lime-green robes and placed the tip near the veteran's temple.

When the golden haired woman pulled her arm back, a glistening strand of the same strange silvery-white substance that filled the Pensieve was clinging to the tip of her wand. Seeing this, Summers nodded to herself and added the strand to the bowl before touching some of the runes.

"There," she muttered as the runes glowed, looking at James as she walked in direction of the door. "I'll be in the kitchen. Miss Potter invited me for dinner."

"Bye, Mad Madam Mim," Tony couldn't stop himself.

Summers gave him a look. It was the same I want to be amused but I refuse to do it look that she kept giving him after they were introduced by James.

"See you later, Brain."

Tony snorted at the nickname. He had been really surprised when she first called him that. Summers didn't look like the type to watch cartoons or even know what they were.

James nodded, thanking the older witch. He waited until she left, closing the door behind her, before turning his head to look at Tony. The genius, for his part, was staring at the bowl with a thoughtful frown.

There was a moment of tense silence.

"So," Tony said, taking a deep breath. He didn't know if he wanted to learn whatever truth James wished to show him but he also didn't think he had a choice in the matter, "how does it work?"

"You touch the memory," the other man replied, running a hand through his shoulder length hair and trying it back. "Then you say Play for it to start, Pause to stop it and Replay to start the memory anew..."

There was another moment of silence.

"And what memory would that be?" The brown-eyed genius asked, approaching the bowl cautiously.

He couldn't see it but he certainly could feel those ice-blue eyes staring at the back of his head.

"One of my missions."

Tony would have asked more but the whole room gave an almighty lurch as the tips of his fingers brushed against the silvery-white substance. His body was thrown forward and pitched headfirst into the substance inside the bowl but instead of hitting the bottom, he found himself falling through something icy-cold and black; it was like being sucked into a dark whirlpool.

He barely noticed when his feet touched the ground, blinking his eyes rapidly as he stared at the frozen sight before him. In any other circumstances, he would have compared the whole experience to some kind of virtual reality, however all he could do at that very moment was think about the very, very familiar scene before him.

I know that car, Tony licked his lips, closing his eyes as his heart dropped and squeezed painfully. I know that road…

His… His day had just gone from bad to worst day of his life, hadn't it?

He wasn't called a genius for nothing; it didn't take him long to understand what James had wanted to show him – What mission the man thought he deserved to see.

Part of him wished that he could have gone on with his life without having to see this…

Shaking, Tony opened his eyes and whispered, "Play."

Unblinkingly, the brown-haired engineer watched as the Winter Soldier – as James Barnes – caught up to his parents' car, shooting the wheels and causing it to crash into the side of the road. Taking a deep breath before biting his hand to keep himself from sobbing like a child, he watched as the Winter Soldier – James, goddammit, it was James – slammed his father's head onto the steering wheel before warping his left hand around his mother's neck and strangling Maria Stark to death.

The memory paused upon reaching the end.

Tony stared at his mother's body, her once beautiful and expressive whiskey-brown eyes stared back; lifeless and dull. He sank his teeth further, ignoring it as his hand started to bleed and his own eyes burned with unshed tears.

For almost eighteen years, he had blamed Howard for his mother's death… But he had been wrong hadn't he? Howard hadn't driven drunk, he hadn't been the cause of his mother death… Howard had actually been more worried about her than about himself…

He –

"Replay," he whispered, watching as the whole thing started once more.

He –

"Replay."

Tony –

"Replay."

Tony felt empty, numb. Closing his eyes, he felt like he was falling, the kind of fall that had no end; he just kept falling and falling without ever reaching the bottom of the dark well he had found himself into. In a way, he just wanted to stay there, to keep falling and forget everything that he had seen – To forget that the man he had started to call his friend had taken his mother from her… Had taken both of his parents from him.

Opening his eyes, Tony found himself back into his room and the moment he raised his head, and brown-eyes locked with cold ice-blue, his blood boiled under his skin and he pounced.

Grabbing the front of James' shirt, Tony threw the other man against the wall. He couldn't see anything, could barely hear anything other than this annoying ringing that just made it even more difficult to think. His free hand was moving on its own, hitting the ice-blue eyed man with a force that Tony didn't know he had.

He couldn't stop. The brown-haired man had already been stressed before and now this – This memory had just transformed that very same stress, as well exhaustion, into rage.

Tony didn't know how he continued to hit James, but it got to the point that he couldn't continue, not with the way his hand was aching and shaking – Then again, his whole body was shaking.

He stopped, bloody and bruised fist hovering a inch from James' face. Tony staring into those unresponsive ice-blue eyes and gritted his teeth, wishing he could just keep going. But how could he when his target won't fight back or defend himself.

"U-Uncle Jam –"

Tony jumped slightly, noticing Charis' dainty form by the corner of his eyes. Her voice was enough to blow the metaphorical mist from his mind, making it possible for him to start to think of something that wasn't violence and revenge.

He wondered, for a moment, when she had gotten there.

"Stay right there, Charis," James cut her off, eyes never leaving Tony's face.

There was something left unsaid there, something that Charis heard and understood because the fourteen years old nipped her bottom lip and leaned against the closed door behind her, looking conflicted.

"You –" Tony growled, "Why don't you move?!"

"I won't have moved even if you were truly trying to kill me," Charis choked sob was ignored, although James sent her a gently look before going back to stare at Tony blankly. "I killed your parents' –" The genius had to stop himself from closing his eyes painfully at this. "I took you parents away from you – My death by your hands would have been nothing more than expected."

He opened his mouth but there were no words. Tony could feel the lump in his throat as a jolt of something went through him. It was difficult to discern what he was feeling much less decide between rage and despair.

The calm way James looked at him showed that there was no need for words, that he understood what he was and wasn't thinking. The blue-eyed man would have let Tony have his revenge if that was what the genius wanted, and won't have blinked if Tony decided to warp his hands around his neck and strangle the assassin.

It would have been poetic justice if he had done so.

But – But Tony couldn't do that, the mere thought of killing the other man made him sick of his stomach…

"Why?" Tony whispered, exhausted and emotionally drained. Just as fast as it had come, his rage had left him.

James blinked, "It was my mis –"

"No, I'm not talking about that," Tony spat, fingers tightening their hold on the other man's shirt. "You could have lied to me, could have kept it from me. So why did you show me the truth?! Why come to my rescue when I could learn the truth and use it against you?!"

The veteran had never spoken about the reason why he gone to Afghanistan to look for Tony. Oh, don't get him wrong. The billionaire had gotten a half-assed excuse from the man he grew to think of as a friend involving Howard but he had never truly believed it.

James tilted his head up slightly, looking at him blankly. Hadn't he know the other man for the past three weeks or so and seen his interactions with Charis, he would have missed those cold ice-blue eyes softened slightly.

"You deserved the truth," the assassin replied calmly. "And I didn't lie when I said I respected Howard far too much to let you die."

Tony flinched, finally recalling that this man, despite all lives he had taken (Including his parents'), had been brainwashed and controlled like a puppet, he was a prisoner of war for more than half a century until James met Charis and started to think for himself instead of mindless following orders as he was meant to.

"Would you have preferred if I had lied to you?" The long-haired man asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. "To hide it from you?"

Taken a back, Tony processed the question before throwing his head back and laughing sharply. He let go of James' shirt, taking a step back.

"Yes," the genius smiled, baring his teeth, "The truth is a fucking mess and it hurts like a bitch." Tony chocked, looking at James with dark brown eyes. "Are you seriously asking me that? Why won't I prefer a lie over the raw and painfully truth?"

"But…" Tony jumped at Charis' voice, having forgotten that the girl was in the room with them. The small witch looked from her Uncle and then back at him with sad and concerned green-eyes before she continued, "But it would have hurt you more had we tried to hide it."

His mouth closed with a click, muscles tensing as he stared at the two of them. Closing his eyes, Tony turned around and started walking from them.

He needed to think. He needed to leave before he did or said something that he would come to regret.

I had wanted to introduce Sirius and Tony but it'll happen next chapter together with Harry's Fourteenth birthday and our favorite engineer reunion with Honeybear, Pepper and Happy!

Anyway… Hope you liked it and please, don't forget to:

Review, Favorite or Follow and if you have questions/suggestions, just send me a PM.

-Cissnei.

TIMELINE!

July 26, 2009 – Tony learns about the existence of magic.

*Healer Taylor of the Department of Non-Magical Injuries of St. Mungos comes to check on Tony.

July 27, 2009 – Harry, James and Tony spends the day in Rosewood's Mews, looking at the shops

July 28, 2009 – Healer Taylor and Healer Summers comes to see Tony.

July 30, 2009 – James reveals the truth.

*Fred and George invites Harry to the World Cup.

CURIOSITY TIME!

Dimensional Transcendentalism: The state wherein an object's interior is bigger than its exterior, an effect made possible by transdimensional engineering. In Doctor Who, the First Doctor was the first to attempt to explain at how his TARDIS was bigger on the inside to Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright by saying the TARDIS box was just an entrance chamber to a fourth dimension and that a reversal of time acceleration occurs at the inner door. Therefore, all but the box was invisible to the outside world. Another account stated that the interior of the TARDIS existed "outside [humans'] world of size" altogether.