Chapter Text
Dearest Tony,
This past year has been incredibly hard for us, with James’ pregnancy and being sent into hiding as soon as it was confirmed the baby would be born in July. We have missed you so much and love you just as much today as the day you left. We treasure the gift you gave us as well, our little Harry, and, as soon as this bloody war is over, we are coming to find you!
We are getting ahead of ourselves though, and are writing this in case the worst happens before we can find you. We need to tell you all about the Wizarding world and just how it happened that James gave birth to our little miracle.
You were still with us, when one of the central figures in our world, Albus Dumbledore, came to us and asked us if Lily was pregnant. At the time, as you know, it was a possibility and he told us a famous Seer had prophesied that a baby born in July would have the power to vanquish the Dark Lord Tom Riddle. The madman who called himself Voldemort, was targeting those without magic and magicals with non-magical families. I know there were times when we used magic around you, Tony, and you are intelligent enough to have figured it out, but never questioned it – but, man of science, magic does exist!
At the time, we were told the safest thing for us to do is go into hiding. We wanted to take you into hiding with us, Tony, but then you packed and left. Your self-esteem sucks, love!
The reason we were sent into hiding was due to a so-called prophecy, which Dumbledore has taken as written in stone:
“The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...”
Neither one of us believes in this, but James and I can’t put our family in unnecessary danger, as Voldemort is aware of this mess of a prophecy – and according to Dumbledore, believes it. We are as secure as we can be here and are using Sirius as a decoy. If anything happens to us, blame Peter Pettigrew, who is the person who holds our fate in his hand.
If anything happens to us, our wills name you clearly as Harry’s sire and gives you unquestionable custody of our son. Please love this little boy as you loved us and let him know he was conceived in love, just as James and I loved you. Do not let Albus Dumbledore take him from you – allow Sirius to protect you and seek out the goblins, they have all the proof you will need.
All our love always, Lily and James
Tony hadn’t realize he was crying until a silent tear dropped onto the edge of the thick parchment in his hand. He quickly wiped it off, not wanting to damage the letter. Running a hand down his face, Tony wiped his fingers on his jeans before picking up his cup of coffee from the breakfast bar. He downed the rest of the cup before wrinkling his nose in disgust at the cold bitterness.
“Dad?”
His heart spasmed and Tony could feel his face split into a wide grin when he heard the name. Turning, he saw Harry walking towards him in his pajamas, his hair sticking up and his eyes still sleepy behind his glasses. Tony thought he was the cutest kid he’d ever seen.
“Good morning, son,” Tony said, still grinning wildly. “How did you sleep?”
Harry blinked a couple times as he stopped just short of the stool Tony sat on. “Good, I think. How did I get into these?” He pulled at his bottoms.
Tony reached out and took Harry’s hand, drawing him close enough to give him a hug. “Ian cast a spell and switched your clothes last night.”
Harry lost the stiffness as Tony continued to hold him close, relaxing enough to drop his head to Tony’s shoulder. “Okay.”
“No nightmares?”
His son’s head popped up. “How—”
Tony snorted. “I was kidnapped and held captive in a cave for three months a few years ago, kiddo – and I still have nightmares.”
Harry’s eyes widened and took on a bit of a wild look. “January – like three years ago?”
Leaning down, Tony immediately lifted Harry up and into his lap. “What happened, bambino?”
Harry buried his face in Tony’s neck and inhaled deeply, tickling his skin and Tony pulled him closer. He ran his free hand down Harry’s back as he waited for him to speak, savoring the feeling of warmth settling into his chest. It truly felt like he was whole for the first time in a long time, filling a void in his heart which had been empty since his mother had been killed.
“I woke in my cupboard one night with terrible pains in my chest and couldn’t seem to move. My uncle figured I was faking and hauled me out, gave me a belting so I knew what pain was. I don’t think I was able to do anything for almost a week.”
Tony winced and made a mental note to ask Harry’s attorneys whether charges had been pressed against the assholes who abused his child. “The terrorists were using illegally obtained Stark weapons, including a bomb which almost killed me. It tore through the ballistic vest I was wearing and filled my chest with shrapnel – little pieces of metal. I made a device which keeps the pieces from moving towards my heart.”
Gasping, Harry looked up. “I could have lost you before I knew you were there!”
“You didn’t, though, son, and now we have the time to get to know each other and live the rest of our lives as a family.” Tony nudged the open letter towards Harry. “It’s what your mom and dad wanted and I think we should honor that.”
Reaching to take the letter with a trembling hand, Harry’s eye searched his face. “You’d really let me read it?”
“Of course, kiddo,” Tony responded, smirking. “Nothing too embarrassing in it, really!”
Harry snuggled closer, bringing the letter up and started reading through it. Tony didn’t comment as tears began to trickle down Harry’s face, just tightening his embrace. The hand holding the parchment was steady and his other hand curled around Tony’s fingers. Tony closed his eyes, feeling the emotion Harry was experiencing in his chest, like an echo of his own feelings: love, want, and sorrow.
“You really loved them,” Harry whispered, placing the letter gently onto the table.
Tony brought their hands up to his chest. “I loved you mum and dad very much, Harry, just as I now love you.”
“I thought—” Harry snapped his mouth shut even as he leaned against Tony.
“You thought I had a one-night stand with your dad and never looked back.”
Harry looked up at him from under his fringe. “Well, you do have a bit of a reputation as a playboy.”
Laughing, Tony pressed a kiss to Harry’s temple. “That I do, squirt! I was a bit wild before I met Lily and James and was worse when I came back from England. Not anymore, though, as I’m sure Pepper would cas—hurt me if I cheated on her.”
Harry smiled and closed his eyes. “You know I’m too big to sit on your lap.”
“I think you fit just fine, kiddo. You can have a growth spurt in a year or so, right now I’m making up for lost time.”
“Sir, Barrister Selwyn is on his way up.”
“Thank you, J.” Tony kept Harry in his lap, despite him trying to wiggle off. “We have appointments today, but you need to eat breakfast first. What would you like to eat?”
Drawing back, Harry looked at his father questioningly. “You actually cook?”
Tony snorted at the look. “Damn, you look just like James when you do that! And yes, your mom taught me.”
Quirking an eyebrow, Harry eyed him again. “So, if my dad gave birth to me, isn’t he actually my mum? Or are you going by some other fancy name like sire or pater or something?”
“But you get that sass from me!” Tony crowed. “Seriously? Your mom will always be Lily – no matter what James did. You can call us Dad One and Dad Two!”
A snort let them know they weren’t alone and Tony looked up to see approval in Ian Selwyn’s eyes. He smiled happily.