CHAPTER TWO
STARK, ROGERS, AND BARNES

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New York City, Stark Home

"I'm afraid it's time to wake up, Sir."

The voice of a house-elf pulled Tony out of his pleasant sleep as he started rocking from side to side due to the elf's gentle shaking. He groaned as he turned in his bed almost falling when he opened his eyes to a big pair of green ones staring right back at him.

He flinched back slightly before shaking his head and yawning, "What time is it, Jarvis?" he asked.

"Ten A.M, I believe, Sir," he informed and Tony let out another groan before pushing the covers off and reluctantly sitting up.

"Breakfast?"

"It's ready when you are, Sir. Though, and I quote straight from the mouth of your father, 'If Anthony doesn't get his butt out of bed he'll be waking up to a bucket of ice-cold water!' I suggest, Sir, you take a quick shower before hurrying down for breakfast," Jarvis monotonely advised.

Tony silently agreed and nodded before standing up and dragging himself into the bathroom. Under advisement, he took a quick shower, washed his hair, brushed his teeth, and got dressed for the day. He walked back into his room to find a pair of black jeans and a blue sweater laid out for him on his bed.

He jogged down the hallway before sliding down the staircase's banister much to his father's annoyance.

"Morning Mom, Dad," he greeted then plopped down in his usual seat his breakfast already waiting for him.

"Anthony," Howard sighed, "at least slow down long enough to taste the food."

Tony ignored him per usual and scoffed his food down along with his glass of orange juice before being handed a napkin from Jarvis. He tapped his mouth with it if not silently mocking his father's properness. That was until the family hawk flew in and dropped a red wax sealed letter in his lap.

"Finally!" he whisper, exclaimed in excitement. The letter he had been waiting for, for over a year had finally come and he was beyond thrilled as he tried his best not to jump up from his seat and do a happy dance right there and then.

"What is it?" Howard asked as he carried on reading the newspaper in his hands, not paying the least bit attention to how his son's eyes had lit up like it was Christmas morning or how he was grinning like he'd just gotten the new Nimbus 2000.

Tony quickly straightened up and opened his mouth to reply, but Jarvis quickly shot him a warning look and he instantly deflated. The remark playing on the tip of his tongue disappearing as he let out a small sigh.

"My Hogwarts letter arrived," he plainly said.

Howard folded the newspaper up and Tony caught a glimpse of a faint smile on his father's lips while his mother grinned widely like he'd just told them he got into the Ministry of Magic.

"Oh, sweetheart," Maria smiled, "we'll go this weekend to get everything you need," she offered and Tony nodded and grinned.

Tony still had no clue why he was being sent to Hogwarts instead of Ilvermorny, it was further away than Ilvermorny was and it was also meant for the British witches and wizards, not the American ones. It wasn't really a rule or anything it was just how it was. It might have been because of his father's job that kept him in Britain most of the time anyway, but he couldn't really find it in himself to care too much since his best friend would be attending Hogwarts too.

After breakfast, Tony took the first chance he got to escape his parents and run up to his room. He sat down at his writing desk and dipped his favorite quill in ink before starting a letter to his best friend.

Dear Steve,

I can't believe it! My letter! It finally came!
Did you get yours yet? If you did,
I guess I'll see you on the train on September 1st.
You wanna come play some quidditch this weekend?
I'm getting bored all by myself.

Tony

Tony slid the letter into an envelope before securely tying it to the family owl, Iron. He stroked its head softly before watching it fly out the window and into the sky over countless of tall skyscrapers that littered the city.

"Sir?"

Tony turned in his seat to see Jarvis standing by the door his hands neatly locked together in front of him.

"What is it, Jarvis?" he asked and the house-elf stepped forward.

"Master Howard wishes for me to write back to your Hogwarts letter that you received it and will be attending this year," Jarvis explained and Tony rolled his eyes. Of course, he did.

"Sure, whatever," Tony got up from his seat and tossed the letter to Jarvis, "I'm going out. If anyone asks I went to play quidditch or I'm with Steve." Jarvis obediently nodded as Tony walked out of the room.

The house-elf had learned a long time ago not to question his young master if not to anger him or worse upset his father Howard Stark. It was easier for both sides if he just continued to lie to the other in hopes of keeping the peace in the House of Stark.

Brooklyn, Rogers Home

"It's not that hard, punk!"

Steve looked down at the ground before looking up again at his childhood friend Bucky. He sent the boy a glare before kicking off the ground and speeding past him, Bucky watched as Steve threw the quaffle in the small circle they had deemed as a hoop.

"Says the guy who's been playing quidditch before he could walk," Steve remarked and Bucky grinned as he swooped down and caught the quaffle a second before it hit the ground.

"Well, whose fault is that?" he asked and flew circles around Steve.

"Yours!"

Bucky chuckled before rocketing up and throwing the quaffle into the hoop, he looked back with a grin, and Steve scowled though it only lasted a second until he was smiling again.

"You're a jerk!" Steve muttered as he stole the quaffle back from his friend.

"Boys! It's lunchtime!" Steve's mother, Sarah called as she poked her head out of the back door.

"Coming!"

"Be there now, Mom!"

The two called down before descending back to the ground and easily hopping off their broomsticks and onto the grass. Steve and Bucky playfully shoved each other as they ran toward the house but quickly stopped when an owl swooped toward them and threw three letters at the boys.

Steve quickly grabbed two of the letters while Bucky grabbed the last one their faces lighting up instantly as grins took over.

"Mom! Mom!" Steve excitedly yelled and ran into the house with Bucky hot on his heels.

"What is it, darling?" Sarah asked rounding the kitchen corner with her brow furrowed in worry, "everything alright?"

"We just received our Hogwarts letters!" Bucky exclaimed before Steve had the chance to.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Sarah smiled, "we'll go this weekend to get all your supplies. You need a uniform and your books, oh, and your wand..." she started listing off before stopping and looking at Bucky. "You'll be coming too, won't you James?"

Bucky shared a look with Steve before nodding and grinning, "I just have to clear it with my mother, but it should be fine."

"Good," Sarah nodded. "I am so proud of you two, getting into Hogwarts. I can't believe how grown-up you've gotten," she cooed at them before wrapping her arms around them in a motherly hug.

"Thanks, Mrs. Rogers."

"Mom, we just got accepted we haven't graduated," Steve chuckled but hugged his mother back nonetheless. She then noticed the second letter in her son's hand and pulled away from the two with a curious look.

"Who's that from?"

Steve looked down, he hadn't really paid much attention to the second letter when he saw his Hogwarts letter.

"Tony," Steve smiled, he ripped the letter open and quickly read over it. "He said he just received his Hogwarts letter too and he wants to know if we want to go over and play quidditch this weekend."

Bucky doubted it said 'we' but nodded in a silent reply nevertheless. He and Steve were as close as can be, basically brothers in everything except blood. Steve and Tony were also pretty close, but Bucky and Tony not so much. They tolerated each other, but nothing really beyond that. They were civil, friendly even, probably the only real reason was because and for Steve.

"Alright," Sarah said, "why don't you ask Tony if he wants to come with us when we go to Diagon Alley?"

Steve nodded and smiled at his mother before grabbing Bucky by the wrist and dragging him upstairs to his room. Bucky plopped down on the bed and Steve slid into his desk chair.

Dear Tony,

Yes, I just received it! So did Bucky, this is great we'll all be together!
Mom wants to know if you want to come with us
when we go shopping in Diagon Alley for the school supplies, let me know?
And yeah, maybe we can team up against Bucky this weekend.

Steve

Steve folded the letter up and tucked it into a cream-colored envelope before tying it to the foot of his mother's owl, Crissy. He then spun around in his chair to face Bucky with the biggest grin ever and without a second thought, Bucky matched his expression.

"This is going to be so much fun!"

"Yeah, I can't wait!"