AN-Thank you for all the amazing reviews!

This chapter is a little scattered, as I'm getting to the end of what I have fully plotted out, but a lot happens and there's drama (and teenage angst)...and Tony being Tony. Watch out for the cliff hanger at the end!

Disclaimer-I still own nothing. No copyright infringement is intended nor implied. No profit of any kind is being made on this work.

Chapter Seven

The wand was cool in his hands, the wood rougher than he was used to. It wasn't his wand, but it was a wand.

He was one step closer to getting to Harry. Sirius looked down at the man lying…asleep, in the middle of Rome's Wizarding District, and felt a moment of pity before he squashed it down. The man would wake up, with a headache and missing a wand, but he would be okay.

And Sirius would be long gone.

The fugitive took a deep breath, and centered himself. Already the wand in his hand was fighting him, the piece of wood only vaguely similar to his own ebony and hippogriph, but it would suit his purposes. A quick half turn and he was gone, leaving nothing behind but an empty street.

He reappeared, disoriented and shaken, in the middle of a crowded street and panicked. He hadn't expected to be seen, and there were dozens of eyes on him, so he bolted. His feet took him through pedestrians, and around cars that seemed to be at a standstill, ignoring the honking and screams that followed his daredevil dive into a shadowed alley. Ducking behind a dumpster, not even registered the smell, Sirius kicked the borrowed wand underneath a pile of trash, and forced his body into the well-known shape of Padfoot. The dog shook himself, settling the magic more securely around his form, and giving a doggy smile at the two police offers that walked into the alleyway with their weapons drawn. One of them gave him a smile and a quick pat, before coughing and regaining his stern demeanor after a dark look from his partner.

Well, the Ministry would know he was in America soon now, but it didn't matter.

He was one step closer to Harry.

Harry stared at the small screen in his hands. Mr. Stark (Call me Tony, kid, Mr. Stark was my father, and I'm not that old yet!) smiled at him from across the table.

"Go ahead, try it out!" Tony encouraged. He tucked his hands into his jean pockets and leaned back. Harry frowned down at it, and gave it an experimental poke.

The screen stayed black.

Harry poked it again, but the screen stubbornly refused to respond to him. Harry looked up at him, biting his bottom lip.

Tony smirked at him, "Okay, now I believe you're Steve's kid." The billionaire engineer reached across the table and snagged the tablet out of Harry's hand, pressing a button at the bottom of the screen before he slid it back across the table.

It was brightly lit, a picture of Thor and Steve looked at a sleeping Harry replacing the blank screen. Harry blushed. He didn't remember that picture, but by the scattered bits of Monopoly he could see edging the bottom of the screen, he knew when it was taken. That didn't make it any less embarrassing though.

"How did you?" Harry asked, turning the screen over and over in his hands, and Tony sighed.

"Yeah, just like your dad." Tony stood and walked around the table, dragging his chair behind him, until he could sit next to Harry with his arms over the back and point at the buttons of the front of the tablet. "That bottom one wakes the screen up, so you can see. The one, no, not that one the other one, on the side is your power button, and the ones right below it are volume."

Harry listened with half an ear as Tony explained, wondering to himself if it was worth listening to. It wasn't like this was anything that he could take back to Hogwarts, and he would probably forget it all by the time he got back from the year.

"Hey, kid, are you listening to me?" Tony thumped him carefully on the forehead and Harry blinked. "I can tell you're spacing out, Steve does the same thing when he's trying not to listen to me babble."

Harry blinked. "Sorry, just wondering if this is worth it." It wasn't what Harry had meant to say, but he had never had really good control over his mouth.

"If this is….if this is worth it," Tony's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, and Harry bit back a giggle. For a man who seemed to think that technology was the best thing since sliced bread, hearing that it might not be worth it to learn was like hitting him over the head with a brick.

Or Harry thought so, anyway.

"What do you mean if this is worth it?" Tony finally spat out, and Harry laughed.

"Technology doesn't work around large amounts of magic." Harry pushed himself to his feet, and grimaced as he used his left arm too much and it gave the customary twinge.

That was beginning to get on his nerves.

"You're losing me, kid." Tony stood with him, pacing next to him as they headed back towards the elevator at the end of the common room. All Harry wanted to do, now, was crawl back into bed and go back to sleep. Maybe when he woke up, it would stop hurting and he would be able to get back to his life. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Harry blinked, hitting the button for Steve's floor, and wincing as the doors closed around them. He didn't like enclosed spaces, not since his slide down the tunnel of fun into the Chamber of Secrets. "It won't work at Hogwarts, and I doubt the Dursley's will let me use any of it when I'm back with them." Harry shrugged, "so I don't know if it's worth it."

"God, why do I always have to deal with this stuff?" Tony muttered under his breath, before he reached out and hit the 'stop' button. The elevator jerked, and Harry bit back a curse as he was jolted and almost fell.

"Did you have to do that?" He snapped, his heart thudding in his chest as he tried to keep himself on his feet. Tony just leaned against the wall and stared at him.

"You need to talk to Steve and Thor," Tony said finally, when Harry got his heart rate under control and felt like he wasn't going to throw up if he looked at the walls one more time. "Soon."

"Why?"

"Kid," Tony raked a hand back through his hair, and stared at him. It was one of the first times Harry could remember seeing Tony this serious, normally the man was like a four year old hyped up on sugar. It was unnerving. "I know you haven't fully accepted this whole thing, and I don't blame you. It's gotta be tough, learning everything you thought about your family is a lie. But, I can tell you this…"

Harry swallowed heavily, he had a feeling he wasn't going to like what was going to come next.

"Now that Steve and Thor have you? I don't see them letting you go." Tony finished, before pressing the button and sending the elevator into movement again.

Harry sighed. He'd been afraid of that.

"Are you getting off?" Harry motioned towards the door that was now open but Tony shook his head.

"Sorry kid, this is a discussion you need to have by yourself. I'm heading to the lab."

The doors slid closed behind him, and Harry sighed. The living room was empty, and the Boy Who Lived flopped down on the couch with a grunt.

He liked it here, he didn't like that he did, but he did.

But that didn't mean he didn't want to go back to Hogwarts.

Hogwarts was home, the only home he'd ever known. Even if he hadn't left his friends on the…best of terms, but that didn't mean he never wanted to see them again.

But from what he knew about Steve and Thor? His…parents? They weren't the type to let go easily and having Harry away for eight months out of the year would probably be a bit too much.

Harry had no idea what he was going to do.

The doors dinged open behind him again, and he craned his neck to look over the back of the couch. Steve was standing there, breathing heavy, and sweating. Harry wrinkled his nose. He didn't get the appeal of working out like Steve seemed to enjoy, but then again, he had never had the chance. It wasn't like Hogwarts and the Dursleys were the greatest advocates of physical fitness.

"Hey buddy," Steve said brightly, and Harry only rolled his eyes a little bit at the customary feel of the blond raking his eyes over Harry from head to toe to make sure that he was alright. It had quickly become commonplace since Harry stepped foot into the tower, and it wasn't even worth fighting over anymore. "I thought you were spending the day with Tony in his lab?"

Steve sank onto the couch beside him, and Harry shook his head. "Yeah, I don't think it went as well as he thought it would." Harry felt the frustration flowing back over him, "Why are there so many buttons?"

Steve laughed. "I don't know, Harry, I asked the same question." Steve's sharp blue eyes stared at the side of Harry's head, and Harry fought the urge to squirm. "But I don't think that's what brought you out of his lair so soon. Tony never gives up some something unless he has a very good reason to. What's going on in that head of yours?" His hand came out to ruffle Harry's hair, but the Boy Who Lived moved out of the way on instinct. Steve let his hand drop without comment, but Harry could tell he was disappointed.

"I was just thinking," Harry started, turning himself on the couch and pulling his knees up to his chest so he could look at Steve head on, "What's going to happen when term starts? I haven't gotten my letter or school list."

Harry couldn't bring himself to ask if he was going back, he didn't want to hear the answer, but Steve read between the lines anyway. He sighed, and fixed Harry with a blue eyed stare.

"Harry…." Steve raked a hand back through his sweaty hair, grimacing at the wet strands. "That's…complicated buddy."

"So, Tony was right." Harry said quietly. Steve gave him a sharp look.

"Tony was right about what?" the captain asked quietly, but with steel behind the words. Harry blinked. The Boy who Lived had the feeling that he had just stepped into something.

"You're not going to let me go back to Hogwarts."

Steve said nothing, just leaned forward and hung his hands between his knees, staring at the TV that was on but muted.

"You're not going to say anything? You don't think I deserve an answer?" Harry asked fiercely. He wasn't yelling, though everything in him wanted to, but he had to know. He was tired of people making decisions for him all the time. It was his life, didn't he deserve to have some kind of input?

"Harry, it's not that simple. Thor and I haven't decided, and we're not going to without talking to you first," he sighed and sat back up, "but there are things going on that you don't understand right now."

"Then explain them to me!" Harry shot back. "I can't understand if no one tells me anything!"

"Harry, I can't right now, but I promise you buddy I will when I can." Steve tried again, even giving Harry a weak smile, but Harry just shook his head.

"No one ever tells me anything. It's my life, it should be my decision." Harry left the room without waiting for a reply, leaving Steve staring at the floor in silence.

Steve felt eyes on the back of his head, and turned slowly to stare at the elevator. Natasha stared back at him, hair pulled back in a simple ponytail, dressed in sweats.

"How much did you hear?" He asked, resigned. He had tried to keep the spies away from Harry as long as he could. He trusted them, both of them, but he didn't want to push too much onto his son too quickly.

At least, that's what he told himself.

"All of it. Don't worry," She padded across the floor and sank onto the couch next to him, taking up a pose eerily similar to what Harry had taken moments before. "I'm not going to tell S.H.I.E.L.D about him being here already."

Steve blinked. "You're not?"

Natasha shook her head slowly. "No. I'm not. You'll tell Fury when you're ready, and Harry doesn't need that on his head right now." She smiled, "Though I hope you'll formally introduce Clint and I to him soon, Clint is anxious to have someone new to play games with."

Steve couldn't help himself, he snorted. "I bet he does, Tony won't play with him anymore, after the twelfth time he cheated." Natasha didn't deny it, and Steve filed that away. If Clint was cheating and Natasha knew, it was likely she cheated as well.

That or she just loved screwing with all of them. Either or, it was a tossup.

"Why are you here, Natasha? I thought you were still in Budapest."

She flinched at the word, but regained her calm quickly. Steve was surprised that she had let him see that much. "We finished up sooner than we thought, clearing out the last of Coulson's safe houses. Clint stayed behind, he needed a few days."

Steve nodded and climbed to his feet. The lack of shower was getting to him. "'Tasha, I'm going to…" He trailed off, eyes drawn to the TV that he had been ignoring. "Jarvis, volume up please."

On screen, a reporter was standing in what seemed like the center of Times Square

His voice was cold, and Natasha jumped silently to her feet, daggers held in her hands, though there were no obvious places for her to be hiding them. "Steve, what is it?"

"I need you to stay here with Harry, Natasha. Don't let anyone on or off this floor until I'm back." Steve crossed the floor and picked up the shield where it lay propped against the wall, sliding it onto his back and heading towards the elevator. He didn't have his uniform, but that didn't matter.

"Steve! What is going on." Natasha slid in front of him on socked feet, and it wasn't a question. He glared at her, trying to breath through the rage that was flooding his body. He had never been this angry, not even when Zola was trying to destroy everything he held dear.

"Sirius Black is in New York, Widow," He said, and her back straightened. "He tried to kill Harry once, I'm not letting it happen again. I need you to protect my son."

She nodded once, and got out of his way.

"You have my word, Captain. I'll keep him safe."

"Minister, I'm not sure I am comfortable with these proceedings." Amelia Bones leaned back in her chair and fixed her superior with a glare. The small man fidgeted but didn't back down like he normally would.

"Whether you are comfortable or not with the situation is not the matter under discussion here, Auror Bones." Fudge snapped, and Amelia straightened. It had been a long time since someone called her an Auror, and she didn't appreciate the demotion, even if it was only verbal.

"It is my concern, Minister, when the situation at hand goes against Ministry Law." She said very clearly. When this came back and bit them all, and she knew it would, she wanted it on record that she was against this farce and tried to stop it. Amelia couldn't refuse the Minister, no matter how idiotic he was being. "Headmaster Dumbledore is on record as Harry Potter's Magical Guardian, and as such as the right to decide where his placement lies."

The Minister smiled, and it wasn't a nice smile. "That is true, my dear Amelia. However, according to the Muggle Government, Mr. Potter's guardians are the Dursleys, and as he is not in the Magical World or considered a full citizen until he is of age…."

The minister trailed off and Amelia cursed.

"That is positively archaic, Cornelius. Mr. Potter deserves every bit of protection we can give him, and if you remember, Sirius Black already found his relatives once." She said as calmly as she could, but her hands shook where she hid them under the table. Fudge just waved a hand.

"That's what makes it perfect, my dear Amelia," some of the Minister's jovial attitude was coming back as he smelled her blood in the air. He knew she was beaten, "No one, especially not Sirius Black, would think to look there again! It's a foolproof plan to keep our savior safe." He climbed to his feet, sticking his top hat on to his head and smiling at her. "I'll expect your best Aurors in my office in the next ten minutes." He moved towards the door as she stared after him.

As he pulled it open, he stared back at her over his shoulder. "And Amelia? Don't try to tell Albus about this, this is none of his concern."

The door shut with a snap, leaving Amelia with no other choice than to do as she was told. She didn't have time to contact Albus and get him to stop this whole charade, and she thought, almost frightened, that Fudge was waiting for her to do exactly that.

Thor leaned his head against the elevator wall behind him, the cell phone that the Son of Stark had shoved in his hand as they left the tower before ringing merrily away. He ignored it, as he had done since he landed on the plane.

In retrospect, giving the number to Jane hadn't been the wisest course of action. She had been quite upset that she hadn't let him know the minute he arrived back on Midgard, screaming that two years was not acceptable behavior.

Telling her about Steven and Harry had been even less wise.

Loki snorted as the phone cut off, only to immediately start ringing again. Thor scowled at him, but otherwise ignored it.

He was too weary to do anything else.

"You must decide between them, brother," Loki said softly. "If only for Harry's sake."

Thor nodded, rubbed a hand over his face. He knew that, he had known that since discovering the ones he loved were not dead as he thought, but that didn't make things any easier. "I know, Loki, I know."

The elevator slowed as they reached the 87th floor, the floor set aside for Steven, and then Harry and Thor and Loki by default, and both Asgardians stepped off, expecting time to wind down before tackling what they had learned with the other members of their rapidly expanding family.

It wasn't to be. Loki nearly tripped over the downed Black Widow as he stepped into the hall, and immediately went on the defensive. Mjolnir was in Thor's hand before he consciously thought, and he swung the hammer once.

"She lives, but barely." Loki said, looking up from where he crouched next to the Widow's head. His hand glowed green with power as he hovered it over her, "who ever came here did not mean to leave her alive."

Thor growled and headed further into the apartment, eyes scanning the overturned furniture and the scorch marks on the wall. "Jarvis!" The Prince called, his voice coming out in a low growl.

There was no answer.

"There is magic involved here, Thor." Loki came up behind him, the Widow groggily leaning on him as she tried to clear her head. It was the most weakness that Thor had ever seen her show, and that she showed it around someone she should have thought was an enemy made his heart sing. Perhaps Loki would be accepted here, sooner rather than later.

"Harry," The Widow gasped out, her face ashen as she tried to stand from where she leaned o~ Loki, "they were after Harry."

Thor didn't remember moving, until he was standing in his son's room, staring at the broken door and the clear signs of a struggle. Thunder began to roll outside, rain pouring down from what used to be a clear night sky. Lightening lit up the room as the God of Thunder let his anger rage.

They had taken his child. Again.

"Who dared?" Thor asked quietly, muscles in his arms flexing as he fought to keep control, "Who. Dared."

"Wizards," Natasha coughed, leaning on the doorway, "said they were returning him to his family." Color was rapidly returning to her face, and murder was in her eyes. The Black Widow wanted revenge. "I promised Steve I would keep him safe. I failed."

She offered no excuse, but Thor waved it away anyway. She had fought to the end, almost at the cost of her own life. He couldn't ask for more.

The mere thought of his son being back in the hands of those monsters made the thunder crash louder. The sound of lightening impacting with a building could be heard in the distance, but Thor didn't care.

No one was taking his son away again.

"Thor," Loki called from behind him, and Thor half turned. He was met with the sight of his brother in full battle gear, helmet under his arm and staff in hand. "I shall find Harry, you must find your Captain."

Thor hesitated, hovering between the need to ride to his child's rescue and informing Steven.

"I will find him, Thor." Loki stared at him, and Thor nodded.

"We will follow as soon as I have found Steven."

Loki donned his helmet, and closed his eyes. Thor felt the familiar energy of Loki working a trick, and wasn't surprised when the younger god faded from view. Natasha, other than a slight widening of her eyes, did not react.

"I'm coming with you." The Black Widow said quietly, and Thor just nodded. He couldn't waste any more time with petty matters.

"Then you best be able to keep up."

Harry pulled against the grip of the wizard holding his arm, to no avail. The man didn't even glance down at him, just tightened his hand and pulled Harry along faster. Stark Tower was rapidly disappearing into the darkness behind them, and Harry had never thought that he would be sorry to leave it behind.

"Stop squirming, Mr. Potter. You'll be home with your family soon enough. I'm sorry it took so long to find you, lad." The fat man that seemed to be in charge, Harry hadn't caught his name, smiled down at him. Harry didn't smile back, and continued to pull away.

Harry was cold, and his feet hurt, and he just wanted to be somewhere where he could sleep.

That place was back in Stark Tower, and as far away from the Dursley family as he could possibly get.

"I don't want to go back there!" The mere thought of going back to the Dursleys made his heart begin to race. They weren't going to be happy with any of this, especially not him being returned by more wizards. The man just shook his head, that same sickly smile on his face.

"Nonsense, my boy, none of this is your fault and they are quiet excited to have you home."

Harry blanched. "You…you talked to them?" He asked shakily. "They want me back?"

If they wanted him back, he doubly didn't want to go. Nothing good ever came of the Dursleys wanting him around.

"Of course they do, Mr. Potter! They are quite worried about you! I'm not sure what horrible lies those muggles told you, but your family does still love you and want you back."

The man holding him grunted, and pulled him along even faster. Harry didn't know why they weren't apparating, but assumed it was to keep from being seen.

Harry began to hope that Steve and Thor would find him, soon, and that was something that he had never thought he would think.

"You have erred greatly, mortals."

Harry couldn't help the relieved smile at the voice. The strange little entourage stopped, in the back of a dark alley off the streets of Manhattan, and stared at the man standing in front of them. Harry didn't recognize the outfit he was wearing but he recognized the man.

"Uncle Loki."

Loki bared his teeth at the Wizards surrounding Harry and pointed his scepter.

"I shall give you one warning, release him."