On that fateful Halloween night, Lily and James survived while Voldemort apparently 'marked' Harry Potter as his equal.
Aria Potter, twin sister of the boy-who-lived was proclaimed a squib, abandoned by her family and given to the care of the Dursl...
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Tony carried Aria to the private jet on his hip, and chuckled at the girl's look of wonder at the huge aircraft in front of her. "Have you ever been on a plane Kiddo?" The girl shook her head, the most she'd communicated with him in the four hours and a half they'd known each other.
"Well it sometimes hurts your ears but that's actually the best part because it gives us an excuse to eat lots of candy! I bought some English sweets for you to have, something called a Chewit? But I also brought some American candy if you wanna try that?" The toddler tilted her head a bit, looking both unsure but also curious at the man and his way of speaking.
Holding Aria in his arms, he literally and metaphorically, held his life in his arms, too. It was at the same time frightening as well as a feeling of great gratification. Though he was unable to say what in heaven's name possessed him to do something like this, it just felt like the right thing to do.
Tony knew it would be difficult, and he knew that, when Pepper found out, there would be a ton of lectures and fights and whatnot.
Tony also knew that he wasn't the most responsible person in the world. And that being a parent isn't the easiest thing on the planet. But everything would be fine. It felt like it.
They boarded the jet and Tony was thankful when the clothes he'd asked to be brought for his daughter were straight away handed to him, they would still probably be too big though but that was alright.
The adoption had been successful. Now Tony was going back to America with his daughter, Aria Stark.
The man knew that he'd made the best decision in his life just by looking at the sweetest smile adorning his daughter's features.
"They're going to love her." He chuckled, taking a seat.
"Indeed they are, sir." Jarvis replied, his AI voice oddly playful.
Somewhere, in a certain airport,
Sirius Orion Black was getting ready to catch the first plane to New York.
His best friends might have betrayed him and threw away his goddaughter, but he was going to find her. No matter the cost.
But first, he had to find the man with the name of Tony Stark.
With the speed of his jet, they arrived at New York way earlier than expected.
And naturally, as soon as they got off the plane, a very angry looking Pepper started storming toward him. "Uh Happy, can you take floating-baby here and get her to the penthouse, it's pretty cold out here." Tony nervously rambled, passing Aria over to his trusted assistant and driver.
"Where. The. Hell. Have. You. Been?!" The redhead shouted emphasizing each word.
"Pepper, I can explain." Tony said as he immediately held out his hands in an 'I mean no harm' gesture.
"Oh well, that makes everything all better, doesn't it? You vanish in the middle of a meeting recess in England, an entire day passes without you answering or replying my calls or messages! And then I call the hotel, and they tell me that you haven't even checked in? What the hell, Tony?" Pepper demanded as her voice grew louder the madder she got.
"Shh...Pepper, not so loud." Tony whispered, looking back over his shoulder hoping Aria wouldn't be woken up.
"I'll get as loud as I want! Did you forget what this could mean for Stark Industries? This is a very big deal, and I wish you would take it more seriously!" She raged.
"I had more important things to do!" Tony cried out and defended himself. He was not sorry one but for taking Aria in. And no one, not even Pepper, as much as he respected and cared for her, was going to make him feel bad about it.
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Pepper challenged, hand on her hip.
"I adopted her?" Tony meant to state it, but it came out more as a question, as he pointed to behind him, where Happy was holding Aria in his arms.
"What?" Pepper hissed. "Tony, you can't do that!"
Tony straightened his shoulders, and regained his famous arrogant confidence. "Oh yeah? And why cant I? According to my lawyers, Aria will be recognized as mine by the whole world at the end of the week. And before you say anything Pepper...the kid needs this. She was abandoned in the middle of the street, she had a fresh scar on her forehead, no medical records and she was floating."
Pepper frowned and crossed her arms. "I know you want to do good Tony, but I don't think adoption is the best option...for you."
"Oh? And what was I supposed to do?" Tony challenged.
"Give her to the proper authorities." Pepper replied.
Tony scoffed. "Her parents are either dead or abandoned her, she had no last name, she's obviously got some sort of powers and she's barely two years old...I don't want to imagine what would happen to her if she was placed in the system." Then Tony looked at Pepper with very sincere and serious eyes. "Aria needs me to take care of her...I know it. It feels right."
Pepper closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Tony...I know you thought that was the right thing to do-"
"Because it is!" Tony protested.
"-but Aria is an actual person-"
"I know that!"
"-not some invention or toy that, if you get bored with later, you can just return or give away." Seeing that Tony was going to say something else, Pepper glared at him and he kept quiet, letting her continue. "Aria is a real person, and if what you say is true, then she's going to have a lot of baggage. You're a man of science, and emotions aren't you're forte."
"Maybe not, but I can be there for her. The kid needs me...me, Anthony stark...not billionaire-big spender-playboy Tony...and not Iron man. I'm not backing out. You're either on my side or against me." Tony had said in the most serious tone that Pepper had ever heard him speak.
All she could do was nod. "Alright, Tony...I'll support you."
A charming smile took over the man's features and he was quick to wrap his arms around the redhead, catching her in a tight hug.
"Well then, aren't you gonna introduce me to baby Stark?" She playfully asked, and soon the couple were making their way over to Happy. It was never too soon to be a mother anyway.
Pepper did wonder how the avengers were going to react to the new addition to their family. Especially considering the fact that they all lived in the penthouse with Tony.
