Tom Stark-Malfoy

"Here we are Tom. Stark tower. You'll be living with me in the penthouse for a few days before he head to my house in Malibu."

Oh, so this isn't his house, that's good to know. We drove passed what was supposed to be the front entrance crowded with people, I thought he said we were here? I relax for a moment before paralysis overtakes. There are moving doors again! Is he a wizard? but. . . there is a mechanical sound. The car enters a. . . what do muggles call them again? Oh right, a parking lot. . . garage.

We slow down to a stop and I jolt in my seat, startled as the car door . . . breathes open. There was an air-like sound, similar to the sound effects from one of the cartoons the muggle children watched about astronauts.

"Any news Jarvis?"

My head snaps towards the man, I forgot his name again, and I look up but see no one. 'Is he talking to someone on his phone?' was my first guess until I heard a voice come from the ceiling.

[Over the last three hours, there has been an increase in people crowding the reception area sir., majority of which are reporters wishing to meet you.]

"What are they asking about? The fight yesterday?"

[That is correct]

"Alright, uh- tell them I'll be giving a speech in the conference hall."

[When shall it be held sir?]

"Now."

[Understood.]

My eyes dart across the room during their small conversation but there really is no one.

"An enchanted ceiling?"

I felt the man's eyes, a cross between disbelief and amus.e.m.e.nt, fall on me. What? So it's not an enchanted ceiling. . an invisible house elf then?

"Well then kiddo, are you ready? Let's go."

If he won't listen to my answer why bother asking? He really moves at his own pace.

In a moment I was swept up from my seat and carried at abdomen level. But... the way I'm being held is uncomfortable. For one his left arm is the only thing supporting me, going bellow by underarms across my c.h.e.s.t. The pressure of my weight combined with the force to lift me up hurts. It feels as though my ribs are being tightly constrained, making it difficult to breathe.

I really want to cry, it hurts so much! I could only shut my eyes and concentrate on breathing as I felt the ground lift us up. Wha!

I look around us and after a few moments realized we were in an elevator. I- I really can't breathe. The doors slide open and the man struts inside.

"What are you doing here? Your supposed to be at your new years celebration in 40 minutes. and the venue is an hour away. Your suit has already been sent to your room."

I craned my neck upwards to find a red head looking like she had just seen a disabled dog do a triple back flip.

"Heyyyyy, Pepper."

"Why are you holding him like that?!"

It didn't take longer than a second before I was swept up from my very uncomfortable position and placed into a more comfortable one. I could breathe!

"What's wrong with how I carried him? He didn't protest."

"Look at him, he looks blue! Its alright baby, I got you."

I found it amusing how the redhead cooed at me with Tony standing at the side bursting with inner turmoil. His jealousy over an infant is laughable! How are you an a.d.u.l.t?

"So who's this little guy?"

"Meet Tom Stark." A proud grin made its way across Tony's face.

"What?"

The redheads face turns serious with her features getting stiff and dark. *smirk* These muggles are so amusing.

"Tony. If you got a girl pregnant and didn't- "

"What? No, no. I know how crazy it sounds, but up 'til date no one has approached me proclaiming to b.a.r.e my child. Meet my adoptive son. Tom Stark."

I watched at surprise washed over her previously heated glare.

"Oh? . . oh!. . ." Pepper look down at me still looking surprise but now with a little confusion and calm mixed in.

"Nice to meet you Tom. As for you, you better start explaining so I could make the right calls before the paparazzi start making their own explanations."

"Capable as ever. But there's no need, I'll speak to them myself. Now come here little Tony, up in daddy's arms."

Large hands lift me up but before he should put me into another uncomfortable position, I shift myself before nestling in his arms. It should disturb me how normal it feels for me as a grown man to get used to being carried, but at the moment I'm an infant with all infant tendencies so it should be fine.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing? Let me come with you."

"Who ever said you were ever leaving my side?"

Tony steps into the elevator once more (this time with pepper) and we were accompanied by elevator music the entire ride.

My eyelids are getting heavy. *yawn* W-wha?! did I yawn? Malfoy's do not yawn. It's the music, it makes me drowsy. I also feel a little hungry but. . . there's a muggle standing beside us.

"M-."

"?" Pepper curiously looks at me.

"Mi- . Miw." (Milk) I let in a sudden breath and could feel the heat rising up my cheeks. Merlin! How humiliating could this be?! Mimiw? really Draco? My vision slowly turns blurry and I unintentionally let out hiccups.

"Did you feed the baby?"

"Well he- umm-."

*hic*

"Tony."

"Well I just got him from the orphanage and it has only been an hour or so."

"*sigh* We're stopping by the kitchen, do you have a baby bottle at least?"

"I was- just about to do that, but some things happened so I haven't really been able to do it."

"You're giving him to me now. We'll meet up with you later after you finish your speech and he gets fed."

There was a small *ting* as the elevator comes into a stop and opens before a large hall filled with people holding cameras and shot stout black sticks with a small black ball at its tip. Pepper professionally scoops me up into her arms and pushes Tony out of the elevator in one fluid motion, before taking one of my arms and waving it goodbye.

The doors shut close before I could see Tony's reaction. I was also quite thankful since the camera flashes were blinding me.

Time seemed to pass by in a flash. After I was fed, I could no longer stay awake and fell asleep.

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That night, I felt like I had a dream. One that made me fear. I felt anger and sadness, maybe frustration? At one point I think I saw my father, and yet I didn't recognize him.

The eyes that once looked at me with pride, shunned me. I think I saw my mother as well and she said something to me. It was a long speech but I could only remember two words, 'Your fault.'. Something happened after that, but I couldn't remember. I just remember looking at my hands and feeling fear. My legs couldn't stop shaking, I felt week and out of breath.

I woke up with tears in my eyes, without blinking I quickly scanned the fully furnished children's room. I don't know what I was looking for but I felt relieved at not having seen it until.

[Good morning young master]

Winnie? I looked around for the house elf that served my family after that disgrace Dobby was fired. But it was a different voice, for one it was male and not at all elf-like. For some reason it sounded familiar, just like yesterday. I wonder why-? . . .

Of course! He sounds British! That explains the familiarity. As I recall his name is-

"Jawvish?"

[Is there anything you need young master?]

. . . why did I call his name? I didn't even need him to do anything for me. In fact his presence is completely unwanted, at least in the orphanage there were times when I could practice magic since no one was around after they thought I went to sleep. Now there is this Jarvis, could he be a sentient building? I haven't heard of sentient objects aside from the sorting hat. But. . . No. He spoke around the muggle woman Pepper.

"Nothin', you can weturn to. . . whatevew it is you do."

[Yes, young master.]

Could it be. . . Americans are loose between muggle and wizard relations?

Wait, I should think this through before making assumptions.

Is Tony a wizard? He acts normal and pretty familiar with a voice coming from the ceiling. ! I got it! Jarvis could be a muggle speaking over a muggle communication device that broadcasts his voice across rooms. He might know what happens by observing people through hidden cameras in videos.

Then that means. . . I can't practice magic?! Back in the orphanage I was able to practice trying to activate my magic without worry because there were times when no one would be around after they think I went to sleep. But how could it be that now I am being monitored 24/7?

But. . . there are some spells I could practice without anything seeming out of the ordinary. Its mostly mind-magic though

I have a conjecture that I can't harness the power needed to do magic as I am still an infant. However, my power will return to how it once was as I get older, right? Surely it can't be that something happened to my magic core during the ritual. . . Though it was excruciatingly powerful. . . and I didn't have a body then.

I felt cold sweat run down my temple and couldn't erase the nagging feeling that something was wrong.

No.

I have definitely recovered from then, it also wouldn't hurt to try again.

I close my eyes and focus on the magic within me. It's there! It's warm and doesn't flicker (as it would if it were sick)! I can't believe it has returned, but why so suddenly? . . . Well that doesn't matter, what matters is, I have magic again! I could almost feel my fingertips trembling with excitement, but I cant let emotions run my mind.

I calm down and focus on a single point at the center of the body-of-water like magic and start moving it, creating ripples as it rises and falls. It's almost enough to fill a small pond! Brilliant! This amount is just like what I had during my first year at Hogwarts!

Just like this, I let it overflow and course through my veins, directing it to my fingertips, slowly.

I open my eyes and focus on the plastic stars hanging above me, revolving around a quarter moon as it plays a light tune. I raise my hand and draw an M in the air as I whisper.

"Arresto Momentum"

I watch intently as it comes into a stop and let out a smile. I wasn't prepared for the stinging pain that struck my arm immediately afterwards. i-it h-hurts.

I clutch my arm to my c.h.e.s.t as my face becomes twisted with pain. It won't go away.

I close my eyes once more and search for the familiar feeling I've yet to successfully execute.

"Occulumency"

A shield comes up, stronger than those I expected but is still incomplete. It slightly numbs the pain, but the main effect is to help me focus on what I need to do. I draw magic once more, but this time thread thin, and let it examine the state of my arm. There I find a large blockage of magic, a sign of magic backlash.

Tying the thread of magic around the blockage, I push the magic out of my arm portion by portion until there is only a small amount left that my body would be able to fix on its own. A trickle of a warm metallic scented liquid fell to my lips and chin. My mind pulsating due to over-exertion. I feel exhausted. This is the first time I used so much magic and focus since I was reborn.

My vision turns black as I'm greeted by the temptation of sleep which didn't lessen the annoyance I felt by the amount of time infants spend sleeping. It is very inconvenient.

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4 months pass by in this fashion. Eating, practicing my speech and magic, lately I have been studying muggle subjects. Surprisingly there are a few interesting ones, the most intriguing one is chemistry. However, after reading a few articles on nuclear chemistry, Jarvis denied me access stating that I first have to finish my primary lessons. (Stating that me reading on advance subjects would hinder me from learning the basics)

This is absolutely absurd, firstly, I wasn't even 2 years old! As I recall my mother said I had my first tutor at the age of three and official studies start at the age of 11. And secondly, I refuse to wait that long just so I could study something.

Thankfully, I was able to persuade him into letting me learn these 'primary and secondary lessons' at once. But, as one problem is resolved, another arose. I just learned that 'primary and secondary lessons' usually consist of 12 years of studying. I found this ridiculous as I wouldn't even be able to graduate before going to Hogwarts.

And so begins my plan to complete these primary lessons 'fast track'. I found out that one can skip grades even without enrolling into an outside institution- which will work favorably in my part as I would preferably not want to study with children twice or thrice my size.

By cramming lessons in science, and history, and winging other subjects like English, and math(which I have already been taught pre-Hogwarts and in arithmancy), I'm aiming to take the muggle ITBS test 3 months from now which would let me pass by the first 4 years. and another 3 months after to finish the last two years of my 'primary schooling'.

Finally, at every chance I was alone (which wasn't much) and at night before going to sleep, I practice magic. Since the last incident, my magic has never backlashed and become more cooperative than even before I was reborn. Though it is a shame I still could not practice stronger spells as they are quite flashy (and my magic isn't strong enough). But I have an inkling there is more to it, maybe its because I feel the need of a wand or a medium of sort to control my magic?

It is now April 1, with Tony nowhere to be found, and Pepper too busy taking care of Tony's work - though I did hear something about Germany. It is times like these that I despise the most.

[It is now 12:00 noon, Tom, it is feeding time.]

. . . Because it is days like this that *Jarvis* takes care of me. I sneer at the Ironman suit replica that approached me with a warm milk bottle in one hand. It disturbs me what great lengths muggles go through to take care of a baby while sitting behind a microphone observing the whole building.

I am starting to doubt the sanity (and humanity) of this existence known as Jarvis, though I have to agree he is less troublesome than most muggles and therefore, I don't have much complaints.

Metallic arms lift me from the couch and proceed to feed me the milk. There are a few times when Jarvis caught me doing magic and speaking in a m.a.t.u.r.e manner but either he didn't tell Tony or he just doesn't bother. . . However, I did tell him the first time not to say anything to Tony... Could it be, he followed my order?

As soon as I finished my bottle, and was placed back on couch. I lifted my head to face the red and gold man.

"Jarvis, give me my review material on math, science, and history."

[It is, "please give me" Tom]

*urgh* I sneer at metal face. . ever since Pepper heard me speaking to Jarvis 'rudely' in August, He started correcting me and wouldn't do as I say until I answer him properly. He also started calling me just 'Tom'.

But I guess it isn't that bad, I've already gone through 17 years of my life practicing pureblood etiquette with the following 4 years after that in hell. When I look at it that way, being polite isn't hard.

"Would you please hand me my review material?"

[Of course]

Though I would never admit it out loud, I am not a genius like that Granger mud blood. I maintained my rank as the top in slytherin out of pure effort to not disappoint my father. And so I doubt I would be able to skip grades once unfamiliar subjects are presented to me (this would most probably appear after elementary). I'd have to designate enough time to secondary school (6 years) before I get to do and learn what I want to (giving me approximately 3 1/2 years of freedom, before Hogwarts).

~~~Tony P.O.V.~~~

I just arrived at the Gorani Insurance Headquarters with a very irate Pepper on the other end of the phone.

"So... you captured all the art thieves, recovered all the paintings, and the police were able to capture the helicopter pilot?"

"That's right"

"And how did any of this help you to make the meeting on time?"

"Your caught on the un-heroic details, and I'm at the meeting site now. Talk soon!"

"*sigh* just remember to contact your son soon. He needs you Tony, he won't get close to anyone else. And I worry, he sleeps too much."

"Got it."

I ended the call just as I entered the building. He won't get close to anyone? But he talks a lot around me. I'm sure everything's fine.