A few days later, The sunlight filtered through the Stark Tower penthouse windows, far too bright for Tony Stark's throbbing head.
His eyes cracked open, the taste of stale liquor and regret thick on his tongue. The memories of the previous night were foggy, a jumbled blur of flashing lights, clinking glasses, and… something about a watermelon helmet?
Groaning, Tony sat up on the couch and immediately regretted it. "Well, I royally screwed that one up."
A notification pinged on his tablet. Tony grabs his tablet once his eyes were open, JARVIS had compiled a neat little media report—video clips, tweets, gossip headlines—all detailing the disaster that had been "Stark's Late-Night Bash."
Front and center: Justin Hammer's smug face.
Tony clenched his jaw as he read what he apparently said about Hammer's tech. Something about "glorified Nerf guns" and "garage sale fireworks." It was funny—but now Hammer was running to the press, playing the offended victim.
Tony groans. "And I handed it to him on a silver platter."
The elevator doors opened with a ding, and in stormed Pepper Potts. And she was pissed off. "What were you thinking?! Do you know how many reporters called me this morning? Dozens! And that idiot Hammer is getting sympathy points now."
Tony tried to sit up straighter but slouched back in defeat. "I messed up, I know. But I didn't hurt anyone."
"Except yourself. Again."
She pointed to the tablet he was holding. "You're spiraling, Tony. And I'm trying to hold the company together, while also keeping people from asking why a teenager has been living in your tower. I can't do this alone."
He winced. She was right. He'd picked up half her workload, but with the poison crawling through his veins and his constant research for a cure, he was stretched too thin.
And yet, the worst part?
Harry had seen none of this.
JARVIS had informed him earlier that Harry was out with Happy—ice cream in hand, grinning as he played with other children in the park. Like a normal kid. Like a kid who deserved better.
Tony let out a long sigh. "Good. He wasn't here. I don't want him seeing me like this."
Pepper sighs. "He looks up to you, Tony. Don't let him see you fall."
He rubbed his face and pushed the tablet aside. "Yeah... No more getting drunk at parties or in general around my brother"
"Then stop throwing parties and start acting like you want to live."
There was a beat of silence.
Tony crack a smile despite the pain in his head. "If I make it out of this… remind me to take you out to dinner."
Pepper rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched in the smallest smile before she turned on her heel and left.
Tony stood up, cracked his knuckles, and walked toward the lab.
There was no more time to waste.
---
The soft hum of laughter filled the park, children running across the green, a few kites fluttering above while the sun lazily soaked the city in golden warmth.
Harry Potter sat on a bench beside Happy Hogan, holding a half-melted ice cream cone and giggling at a passing dog wearing sunglasses.
"Do you think Tony would let me get a dog?"
"You'd probably have to run it through Pepper first."
"She's the real boss, huh?"
"Definitely. She put boss on leash"
Harry giggles. "She does" No doubt.
Happy chuckled and took a sip of his coffee.
As Harry enjoyed his second scoop, he noticed a familiar face walking by the edge of the fountain path. Tall, white coat and dressed refined clothes with a dark scarf loosely around his neck—it was Doctor Stephen Strange. Harry remembers meeting him at Stark's Expo.
Harry's eyes widened a little. The man looked less stern than when they'd first met at Stark Expo, more relaxed as he glanced at the park's trees. He was talking quietly into a phone, then slipped it into his pocket.
Harry stood up and hesitantly approached. He didn't knew why. "Um, Doctor Strange?"
Stephen turned, his expression warming with recognition. "Ah. The Stark apprentice."
"You remember me?"
"Hard to forget a kid who literally bumped into me looking like a lost puppy, But yes. Harry, wasn't it?"
Harry nodded.
"Out enjoying the normal life?" To Stephen, He thinks Harry is rich kid, and well a theory this kid could be related to Stark. Like they do look similar in a way. But, It wasn't his business.
"Trying to. It's been… weird, but better. I didn't expect to see you again." It's the truth, So many things have changed.
"I just came from a surgery. Thought I'd get some fresh air before going back in." There was a pause as Stephen looked out toward the sun-drenched field. "Never take the peaceful moments for granted, Harry. They don't last forever. But they matter." Day's ago, he lost a patient, never he felt like a failure he thought he could save him but it was too late by the time, Stephen reached the conclusion what was happening.
Harry absorbed that with a quiet nod. He didn't fully understand, but it felt important.
"You're not like other doctors." Harry did some research on him with Jarvis helped. It was odd how Tony told him what kind of man this doctor is, And yet standing Infront of him, Harry sees a different side.
Stephen smirk. "I get that a lot." Wow, Stephen reminds Harry of Tony in a way, Both have this persona they made up for the world to see while hiding their real self. His phone buzzed again. Stephen checked it and sighed. "Duty calls." He turned, but paused to look over his shoulder. "Stay curious, kid. You never know what roads that'll open."
"Thanks"
And just like that, the Sorcerer-to-be disappeared into the crowd.
Harry returned to the bench, feeling oddly thoughtful. Happy raised a brow. "Who was that?"
Harry takes a seat and looks at his melt ice cream. "Someone interesting."
Happy handed him a napkin for the melting ice cream. "Come on, let's find you another cone before this one turns to soup."
They walked off toward the cart, the moment light, peaceful—one of the few days Harry could feel like just a kid.