GotSIS Ch.30: Iron and Magic - Part I

12th December 2008

The Triskelion, Washington DC

“Harry,” Coulson’s voice cut through the silence of the small office, and Harry looked up from the book he was writing in. “Wrap your work up for now. Director Fury needs you for something important. Nothing worrying— but more of a delicate case.”

Harry waved his hand, and the books all snapped shut, disappearing in a cascade of golden sparks from Coulson’s desk. “What’s this delicate case?”

“Tony Stark,” Coulson answered, and Harry raised an eyebrow at him.

“I do not take missions unless they’re alien or magical, Phil. The last time, I agreed because there was an index candidate with super-strength. Stark is neither magical nor does he have actual powers. He is a man in a machine— and last I checked, a good one at that. Recently, he’s been a bit controversial, but that doesn’t change that he’s a hero.”

“He is. No one is denying that. But he is also dying. Palladium poisoning,” Coulson said. 

“Give him an antidote, then. Or remove the poison, whatever.”

Coulson shook his head. “You don’t understand. Palladium is the material he uses to power his arc reactor— it is radioactive. It also happens to be running his heart and keeping shrapnel from tearing it to pieces.”

Harry frowned. “Radioactive. Isn’t that the stuff that causes cancer and all? Or the kind of problems that happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki?”

“Along the tracks, yes. Currently, the poisoning is a little different than the usual cases. It is killing him for one and intoxicating him at the same time. He is essentially drunk and high on all the toxins in his blood while having poison racing through his veins. It is driving his mind off a cliff.”

“Hence the recent behavior.” Harry mused. “I had wondered if the fame had just gone to his head. And well, Stark’s always been more than a bit of a party boy even before he became Iron Man.”

“He is. But this time it is because he’s dying. Surprisingly, he has already prepared for it and thought of many things beforehand. He made Pepper Potts the CEO of Stark Industries, did a good bit of charity work, updated his will, and even willingly gave access of his Iron Man suits to Colonel James Rhodes.”

Harry frowned. “Isn’t that the guy who fought him yesterday night at his party?”

“Yes. And his best friend for nearly twenty years.” Coulson nodded. “He has set his affairs in order and is now trying to live his life to the maximum, which, with him being him, is massively irresponsible.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “If I knew that I had a timer on my life in the way he has, I would do that too. Probably.”

“Yeah, but would you put on a super-powered suit that can tear holes through buildings, and use it for fun in the midst of a civilian crowd?”

“That… I won’t.” Harry admitted. “But in his defense, no one was hurt and even drunk— real drunk and whatever the palladium’s doing, he nailed all the shots. Videos are all over the internet.” Harry gave a snort. “And the news. Epic party ends in a Stark disaster. Far as headlines go, it is one of the better ones.”

Coulson’s lips twitched. “They have a way with words, I’ll admit. Especially Miss Everheart. She’s a friend of Tony Stark, and since last year, the only reporter to get a special interview with him. More than one, in fact.”

“I see,” Harry said, before frowning. “So, I guess you want me to cure him? Remove the poison and get him back on his feet so he can go back to properly being Iron Man?”

“No. Director Fury wants Stark to figure out his own cure. He has explicitly told me to forbid you from curing him completely.” Coulson let out a sigh as Harry narrowed his eyes. “If you just cure him, it won’t solve the problem he has. It’d be a temporary fix. You would have to go again and again, every few weeks, to cure Stark. And the more time Palladium’s in his body, the faster it begins to spread.” 

“Which means there will come a point where he’ll need me to purge him every day or two. Not immediately, but probably in a couple of years or so.” Harry deduced. “And he might not get back to being Iron Man.”

Coulson nodded. “Exactly.”

“But if he could have found a cure, he would have, Phil. Tony Stark doesn’t seem like a person who’d give up if he fails a few times. He would’ve tried all he could. I would have.”

“Harry, this is the man who made a miniaturized nuclear reactor and the greatest weapon the world has ever seen, the last time his life was on the line. And he did it in a cave with nothing but his own wits and intelligence.” Coulson said. “Believe me, if pushed properly, he will figure out a replacement for Palladium that won’t kill him. He just needs enough motivation.”

“Great, then what do you need me for?”

“We need you to make him believe, Harry,” he whispered. “Stark thinks that he has exhausted all avenues there are to solve his problems— ideally, he wouldn’t be wrong. He has run simulations on all the elements on the periodic table. He has tested every material in the world there is.”

“And?”

“He thinks that it is impossible. He thinks that he has done all there is to do and has failed.” Coulson stared at him imploringly. “He has explored every avenue in his box. You’ve to show and remind him that there is a world outside that box. And what better way to do it than rip everything he thinks he knows and throw it out of the window?”

Harry’s eyebrows rose. “You want me to show him magic and show him that there is more to the world than he knows, so that he can, what? Try again?” He scoffed. “From the way you put it, the man doesn’t have all that time to live, and you don’t want me to cure him.”

“No, we will give him the direction he has to try. We’d give the solution, but whatever we have is incomplete. Director Fury didn’t elaborate on what it is, but all in all, the idea needs Tony Stark’s genius to be completed. Genius, which he has to be convinced to apply now that he has given up. He needs a push so that he doesn’t resist our solution— or more appropriately, his father’s work outright.”

“And magic would do that?” Harry frowned. “That’s a stretch and even you know it.”

“It doesn’t need to convince him entirely. Just rock his world enough that he tags with our idea and begins work on it.” Coulson shrugged. “And I believe it is not the only agenda that Director Fury has.”

“Oh?”

“Tony Stark— Iron Man is one of the leading candidates for the Avengers. And the only other person to whom the initiative has been pitched other than you. The two of you getting acquainted would be a good thing. Not only for the initiative but for you two as well.”

“Right. So, to be clear, I don’t heal him, just show him some magic and talk to him?” Harry questioned. “And maybe help him if he needs it?”

“Essentially.” Coulson nodded. “Before that, you need to help me get a few things from storage and take them to his house in Malibu. Director Fury is currently picking up Stark and bringing him back home as we speak. And we better get there fast.”

“Well, fortunately for you, you have a wizard on your side.” Harry snorted. “Let’s get the things and show me where we have to go. I’ll just open a portal there.”

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12th December 2008

Randy’s Donuts, Inglewood

Tony stared through the shade of his sunglasses, his eyes fixed on the man who sat across him, glaring at him with his single eye. Tony felt his head start to throb again as he met the man’s gaze unflinchingly.

A part of him wondered if this was all just an illusion— Jarvis had predicted episodes of hallucinations once the palladium poisoning got worse. Maybe it already had, which meant he only had a few days to live.

“I told you, I don’t wanna join your super-secret boy band.” He declared as his patience ran out. 

“No, no, no.” Fury chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. “See, I remember that you do everything yourself. How’s that working out for you?”

Tony looked down and saw a similar cup in his hand, wondering how he had been given his order without being asked for it. He looked around for a second. The coffee shop was empty. No employees.

“It’s… it’s…” He paused as he noticed the eye and the eyepatch. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot. Do I look at the patch or the eye?” He lowered his sunglasses, blinking as the view barely changed, except for the man’s smirk. “Honestly, I’m a bit hungover. I’m not sure if you’re real or if I’m having a hallucination.”

Fury leaned forward, staring right into his eyes with his single eye. “I am very real. I am the realest person you’re ever gonna meet.”

Tony turned away, his eyes darting around the shop. 

“Just my luck,” he murmured. “Where’s the staff here?”

He felt his blood chill as a finger touched his neck. “That’s not looking so good.”

“I’ve been worse.” Tony shrugged off the finger, twitching as he heard footsteps. 

“We’ve secured the perimeter,” a familiar voice floated down, and he turned, feeling his mind stagger as Natalie appeared dressed in a black combat uniform with a SHIELD logo. “But I don’t think we should hold it for much longer.”

His mind comprehended again.

He could be having an illusion— it was very much a possibility. Why else would the director of SHIELD be here to talk in person? With his assistant, who had turned into a super-secret spy agent. 

A super hot super secret spy agent, a part of his mind said, but he told it to shut up.

On the other hand, she had appeared out of nowhere with perfect credentials, a perfect figure that he’d like, just days after he had realized that he was dying. It reeked of SHIELD’s work. The smoothness, the flawless execution, the undercover employee to get close to him— it was quintessential SHIELD.

“You’re fired,” He said, feeling his speech slur. Maybe he was far too drunk and thus, this was all an illusion. 

“That’s not up to you,” Natalie said, sliding into the seat next to Fury, and Tony felt his headache increase.

“Tony, I want you to meet Agent Romanoff,” Fury said.

“I’m a SHIELD Shadow,” Natalie explained. “Once we knew you were ill, I was tasked to you by Director Fury.”

Tony felt irritation swell in his chest as his head throbbed harder. “I suggest you apologize.”

“You’ve been very busy,” Fury growled, cutting in. “Made your girl your CEO. You’re giving away all your stuff. You let your friend fly away with your suit! Now if I didn’t know better—”

“You don’t know better. I didn’t give it to him. He took it.”

Fury’s glare intensified. “He took it? You’re Iron Man, and he just took it? He walked in there, kicked your ass and took your suit?” He turned to Natalie. “Is that possible?”

“Well, according to Mr. Stark’s database security guidelines, there are redundancies to prevent unauthorized usage,” Natalie said in the smooth, calm tone he had grown accustomed to. 

Tony felt his mind go numb. A part of him regretted that he was suffering from Palladium poisoning. Had he not been, he could’ve thought of a way out of this. Out of them strong-arming him. But world be damned, he wasn’t giving SHIELD his suits. Or any of the experimental Stark Weapons that he had taken and stowed away in a secure vault.

So, he needed to negotiate. And if— when it failed, needed to call Happy and Pepper. Probably Rhodey, too. They may have fought last night, but he would still listen. More to the point, he was in his suit right now. He could fly away, faster than any jet Fury could put on him and get back to his home in— he calculated mentally. Four and a half minutes top. 

He could get down there and activate the final stand protocol— one that deleted and destroyed all he had.

Tony smiled a smile that he had learned in boardrooms. “What do you want from me?”

“What do we want from you?” Fury burst, his finger jabbing him in the suit. “What do you want from me? You have become a problem. A problem that I have to deal with.” As Fury’s voice rose, so did his headache. “Contrary to your belief, you are not the center of my Universe. I have bigger problems than you in the southwest region to deal with.”

As Tony began to tune the shouting out, Fury snapped his fingers. 

“Hit him.”

Belatedly, he realized that Natalie had slid out of her booth sometime while Fury was yelling at him, and before he could react, he felt a stinging pain in his neck. 

He clenched his fist. If they were going to knock him out and kidnap him, he knew Jarvis would lock up the armor the moment he passed out and take off.

But he would be vulnerable. Still, he needed a distraction.

“Oh, god. Are you going to steal my kidney and sell it?” He winced as Natalie forcibly tilted his head away, exposing the other side of his neck. “Could you not do anything awful for like five seconds?”

Suddenly, his head cleared, and the throbbing headache vanished. The slight blurriness in his vision disappeared, and the world seemed to snap back into focus.

He realized Natalie was now sitting next to him, as calm as ever, putting away the syringe.

Tony turned to Fury. “What’d she just do to me?”

“What did we just do for you?” Fury corrected. “That’s Lithium dioxide. It is going to take the edge off. We’re trying to get you back to work.”

“Give me a couple of boxes and I’ll be light as rain,” Tony muttered, realizing that he felt clearer than he had in the past week. 

“It’s not a cure. It just abates the symptoms,” Natalie informed.

Fury nodded. “Doesn’t look like it is going to be an easy fix.”

“Trust me, I know. I’m good at this stuff,” Tony said, his answers coming clearer now. “I’ve been looking for a suitable replacement for palladium. I’ve tried every combination, every permutation, of every known element.”

“Maybe you think you have,” Fury said cryptically, and Tony scoffed. “But I am telling you that you haven’t.”

“Surprise me, Captain Hook.” 

Fury smirked. “Oh, I intend to. More than you can know.”

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12th December 2008

Tony Stark’s Mansion, Malibu

Harry stepped into a cast, deserted room, his boot scraping across the cracked tiles as the December chill bit into his skin. The house, as humongous as it was, seemed dark and abandoned, like a terrible disaster had struck it before they came. Furniture lay torn and askew, while huge holes littered the walls and the floor like a rampaging giant had passed through them. 

“Now that I see the place, it seems like Stark and Rhodes had quite the brawl.” Harry flicked his fingers, and a huge, metal suitcase levitated into the room, settling upon the broken tiles.

Coulson followed the boxes in, grimacing at the place, before glancing back as the portal collapsed.

“Director Fury is on the patio, and Stark should join us shortly,” Coulson said, straightening his suit slightly. “Let’s go, shall we?” He bent down and picked a handle, glancing at Harry, who raised an eyebrow. “Help me with this?”

“I can just do this.” He waved his hand, and the suitcase rose a foot in the air, following behind him like an obedient puppy.

Fury lounged on a deck chair that overlooked the sea, a tall glass of water in his hand. He turned as Harry and Coulson approached, but Harry paid little heed to him, his eyes spotting the pretty red-headed woman who was standing to the side.

His heart nearly skipped a beat as she turned, her pale green eyes scanning him, and latching onto the suitcase that trailed behind him. His gut wrenched as he felt a painful tug at his heart at the faint resemblance to Ginny as she tensed, her eyes narrowing.

‘Natasha Romanoff, daughter of Ivan.’ The Soul Stone whispered in Harry’s ear, breaking him out of his sinking feelings.

Whoever she was, this woman was a lot different than Ginny, bar a superficial resemblance. 

Ginny had been athletic and slim, with orangish-red hair and a pleasant smile. This woman had a figure that resembled closer to a supermodel than an athlete. With blood-red hair, her features seemed to be crafted of porcelain perfection as her beautiful eyes scanned him contemplatively. 

The next second, the contemplative look vanished, and she gave him a slight smile, which curved like the tips of a dagger, and Harry felt his stomach drop.

“Mr. Potter, meet Agent Natasha Romanoff,” Coulson said. “She has been a SHIELD shadow for Tony Stark. Natasha, this is Harry Potter, our special consultant.”

“Consultant?” Natasha stalked forward toward him, with a near inhuman grace, smiling at him as she shook his hand with a delicate grip. “What does he specialize in?” 

“I’m a man of many talents,” Harry said evasively, as he felt a weird twist in his gut. Something about this woman screamed danger to him— somehow, she was the most dangerous agent in the room. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Romanoff.”

“Please. Call me Nat.” Her smile turned almost seductive. 

“Harry,” he replied almost instantly as butterflies fluttered in his stomach before their wings turned razor-edged.

Before he could say or do any more, Stark strutted in, his eyes going from the box on the floor to Coulson and Harry before he turned to Fury.

“Well, I see you have a party here already. By all means, welcome to my house.” He strode past Harry, sitting on the deck chair next to Fury. “So, what’s the surprise you have, oh, captain, my captain?”

Harry frowned at the phrase, but Fury seemed to breeze past it as he leaned forward.“That thing in your chest is based on unfinished technology.”

“No, it has been finished,” Stark declared. “It was never particularly effective until I miniaturized it and put it in my chest.”

Fury gave him a sidelong look. “No, Howard said it was a stepping stone to something greater. He was going to kick off an energy race that was going to dwarf the arms race. He was onto something big. Something so big that it was going to make the Nuclear reactor look like a fucking triple-A battery.”

Harry’s eyebrows rose slightly at that while Stark snorted derisively. “Right. Just him or was Anton Vanko on it too?”

“Anton Vanko is the other side of the coin,” Fury replied. “Anton saw it as a way to get rich. When your father found out, he had him deported. When the Russians found out he couldn’t deliver, they shipped his ass off to Siberia and he spent the next twenty years in a Vodka-fueled rage. Not quite the environment you want to raise a kid in… The son you had the misfortune of crossing paths with in Monaco.”

Stark narrowed his eyes before nodding. “You said I haven’t tried everything. What haven’t I tried? Mind you, I’m still waiting for your so-called surprise. Though, if that’s in the big box with my father’s name on it, you can take it and chuck it right out there into the ocean.”

Fury grinned, glancing at Harry. “Tony, I’d like you to meet a very special person. Harry Potter.”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Stark.” Harry slowly stepped forward, inclining his head. 

“Yeah, ease up, James Bond,” Stark muttered, and Fury chuckled, a voice Harry thought he’d never hear. 

“Harry, why don’t you surprise Tony here with a little of what you can do?” Fury said, his eye almost glaring at Stark.

Harry sighed, waving his hand in an elaborate motion as he poured magic into the spell. Almost like Dumbledore had done at Slughorn’s house an age ago, the room flew back together. The broken glass and tiles reformed while the furniture flew back into place, getting repaired magically. In seconds, the holes in the walls and floor sealed up, the plaster and bricks snapping back into place.

Within seconds, the room was once again pristine, bearing no signs of the fight between Stark and his friend last night. He turned on his heel, clasping his hands behind his back, to face Stark.

Stark blinked at him owlishly, pinching himself. Harry’s eyes flicked to Natasha, who seemed to stare impassively at the repaired room, only the barest hints of surprise in her eyes.

“What just happened?” Stark asked. “I could’ve sworn this whole place was trashed a second ago.”

“And I fixed it,” Harry said. “You’re welcome.”

“How? One moment— it was this and the other— it flew back together. Then it just righted itself. How? What?”

Harry grinned. “Magic.”

“Right,” Stark said derisively. “What is this really? A hard-light illusion? Or was that injection full of some hallucinogen?” Stark turned accusingly toward Fury. “What did you put in me?”

“Lithium dioxide. And what he says is true. Magic, Tony, is very much real. Surprise you enough?”

Tony looked around the room again before staring at Harry, who gave him a smirk. 

“Is he for real?”

“Yes, I am,” Fury said instead of Harry. “I told you. I am the realest person you’ll ever meet. Howard said that you were the only person with the means and knowledge to finish what he started. Are you that person? Cause if you are, you can solve the riddle of your heart. And if you say it is impossible, I am going to have Potter drop you on the Everest before you can finish that sentence.”

Tony shot an uncomprehending look at Harry before turning back to Fury, who was checking his watch.

“Now, I’ve got a two o'clock.” Fury stood up. “Okay, you good, right? You got this?”

“Wait, wait, wait. I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do.”

“I’ve left you with all of your father’s research. Natasha will remain at Stark Industries as a floater, with her cover intact. You remember Agent Coulson, right? He and Potter will stay with you. Potter will help you in any way he can.” He began to walk away as Stark sputtered. At the door, he turned. “Oh, and Tony? I have got my eye on you.”

Saying so, Fury strode away with Natasha, leaving the rest of them standing there.

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12th December 2008

Tony Stark’s Malibu Mansion

The clink of the big metal suitcase rang through the lab as Harry set it down on a table, the words PROPERTY OF H.STARK gleaming in big, bold letters on top of it.

“So, James Bond,” Stark said. “Do you do something other than— what was it? Magic?” 

“I can fight,” Harry replied blandly at Stark’s still-skeptical tone. “Which was what I thought my consultancy for SHIELD would be, but here I am.”

“Right. What about Nuclear physics? Core thermal–hydraulics, nuclear reactor kinetics… nuclear chemistry?” He asked, seeing Harry’s blank look. “Normal chemistry?”

“I didn’t know half the names you just said, mate,” Harry said. “I do not have a lot of idea about science. I honestly only studied it till Primary School. I specialize in what I said I do. Magic. Sorcery. Whatever you want to call it.”

“Right. Right. Of course, magic. Just… how magical is this magic?” Stark asked. “I mean, I saw you put a room back together and then levitate this.” He waved at the suitcase in front of them. “But really, what is it that you’re doing here?”

Harry let out a long sigh. “It… well, I’m guessing like most people, you are thinking of magic as the stuff magicians pull. Sleight of hand, rabbit out of a hat, making girls disappear— all that stuff. Either that or something arcane, not at all understandable, and logic-defying.”

“Can you pull a rabbit out of a hat?” Tony asked. 

“Well, I don’t have a hat but…” Harry picked a weird round device, transfiguring it into a rabbit with a touch of his finger. “Tada.”

Stark blinked, poking the animal, who squeaked in protest. “That’s real. God, that’s an actual living, breathing rabbit.”

“Yes and no.” Harry undid the transfiguration, and Stark looked aghast. “In a way, it’d pass for a living rabbit. But it isn’t actually living. It is a fair imitation. But despite all its power, even magic cannot create life. It can enable it, support it, upgrade it, or even degrade it. But it cannot create it. At least not independently. For all intents and purposes, that rabbit was a very well-made robot.”

“But you turned metal into… into a rabbit. A rabbit, which I’m sure was lighter than that actual piece. Forgive me, but you just broke some rules of physics there, Harry.”

“If I start explaining magic to you, we’d be here all day without anything happening.” Harry rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you start the work on saving your life? We can talk whenever you need a break or as you work. After all, you are still dying.”

“Yeah, yeah. That’d be better.”

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AND… DONE! Hope you all liked the chapter!

So, yes, Harry and Tony finally meet, and we’re deep into Iron Man 2’s plot. The coming chapters will move faster now as we enter into the mainstream MCU. Also, things will slowly begin to change now that Harry has actively stepped into the MCU.

Not much else to say, but from the recent Poll I posted, it seems GotSIS will be getting an additional update in the coming week or so. (I might try and update RoLP in between if Muse favors me) But the next update will likely be GotSIS Ch.31. Well, unless people drastically vote for Black Dawn today, and I have to give a Black Dawn double update. Not that I would mind. Both are fun for me to write, especially with both stories entering their mainstream now.

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Stay Happy! Stay Safe! Keep Smiling! Keep Reading!

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