The Light That Leads You Home – Twelve (compelte) – DizzyDrea

~0~

Breakfast had been a surreal affair. Meeting Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy would never not be weird, but to learn that he wasn’t a Death Eater anymore had been shocking. Petunia Evans had been a pleasant surprise, and the two of them seemed to hit it off well. It helped that she was mostly Muggle, so she understood his struggles as he entered the wizarding world.

The last straw for him had been meeting Remus Lupin and finding out that the man wasn’t actually a werewolf but a shifter. At that point, Sirius, Mary, and Remus had launched into the story of how she came to care for them over a summer when they were young, and suddenly, Tony was seeing Mary Poppins in a whole new light.

For as much fun as breakfast had been, he’d been glad to see it end. When he’d muttered about needing some piano time, a tiny house elf calling herself Maisy had appeared beside him, taken his hand, and led him to a beautiful conservatory with the grandest of grand pianos sitting in the middle under a truly outrageous gilt chandelier dripping with crystals.

He’d murmured a sincere thank you, which had made Maisy blush to the roots of her hair before she disappeared. Tony had shrugged at that point and sat down to play.

An hour later, he was feeling drunk on the music he was making at the piano when Gibbs wandered in and stood by the windows overlooking the garden out back. When he’d finished the piece he’d been playing, he lifted his hands from the keys and took a deep breath.

“Just stay there for a minute,” Gibbs murmured. He walked over and leaned against the piano, giving Tony a critical once-over. “Magical pianos can take a lot out of you if you don’t modulate your magic.”

“Yeah, I feel like I’ve just run a 10K,” Tony said, huffing out a surprised breath. “It felt good, though. The best I’ve ever felt while playing.”

Gibbs just smiled and sipped at the coffee he’d brought with him.

“So, you know about magic, huh?” Tony asked, going for direct. Gibbs nodded curtly; Tony huffed. “Can we not do the functional mute routine? I’m about at my limit on surprises, so let’s pretend you can have a conversation like a real boy.”

Gibbs huffed a laugh. “I’m Veela, Tony. Well, half Veela, anyway.”

“Holy shit,” Tony said. “That’s a thing?”

“It’s a thing,” Gibbs said. “My father’s a wizard, and my mother was a full-blooded Veela. They met in Europe during World War II.”

“Wait, your dad served in the military,” Tony said. “How’s that work if he’s a wizard?”

“Same way it works if he’s not,” Gibbs said. “He joined up as part of the ICW reserves. Wizards like to keep a hand in, considering human wars don’t always stay confined to the humans.”

“I bet there were a lot of wizards that joined up during the war,” Tony said, nodding.

Gibbs nodded. “Hitler was a nightmare. What most people don’t know is that he hated wizarding kind almost as much as he hated the Jews. He saw wizards as inhuman, particularly the species that are sapient but non-human.”

“Like Veela,” Tony said. “And probably Dverger and house elves, just to name a few. There have to be more, right?”

“Werewolves, Centaurs, the Mers,” Gibbs said. “Most creatures of the fairy tale world exist in some form or another in the magical world.”

Tony nodded. That made a lot of sense. Those stories had to come from somewhere, and considering how many wizards and witches lived in the Muggle world, it made sense that they brought their knowledge with them.

“So, how does working at NCIS work with you being Veela?” he asked. “I mean, it certainly explains why women tend to fall all over themselves where you’re concerned.”

Gibbs made a face. “Officially, I’m a liaison between the ICW and the US Defense Department. It’s why I get called in for so many different operations, and why we get thrown some of the cases we’ve worked over the years.”

“Makes sense,” Tony said. “You ever go home to visit?”

“When I can,” Gibbs said. He stared down into his coffee cup, then looked up and met Tony’s eyes. “My parents were mates, but she chose to leave the Veela enclave in France to come to the States to live with him. She died when I was young, and almost took him with her. When I met Shannon, I thought about just ignoring what we were to each other.”

“Because of what it almost cost your father,” Tony said, nodding. “I can see that. She was your mate, right?”

Gibbs nodded curtly. “In the end, I couldn’t walk away from her. When we had Kelly, I thought our lives were complete.”

“And then they died,” Tony said quietly. “I’m sorry for your loss, Boss. I don’t know if I’ve ever said that before.”

“Thanks,” Gibbs said tightly. “Losing Shannon almost killed me. I’m just grateful that I still have Kelly—”

“Wait, the reports I saw said that Kelly was killed along with your wife,” Tony said. He gave Gibbs an apologetic look because he wasn’t supposed to know about any of that, officially. “Sorry. That was probably a gross invasion of your privacy.”

“You think I didn’t know you’d looked into me?” Gibbs asked. “I’d be disappointed in you if you hadn’t. No way I’d have hired you for my team if you’d just taken me at face value.”

“Well, after Danny… I wasn’t going to work with anyone else unless I knew everything there was to know about them,” Tony said. It still stung that his partner was dirty, and he hadn’t had any idea until he’d almost gotten burned by it.

“I get it,” Gibbs said.

“So, Kelly’s still alive,” Tony said. “How come no one’s met her?”

“She lives in the enclave with her aunts,” Gibbs said. “Some weird quirk of DNA that I’ll never understand. Basically, even though she’s only a quarter Veela, she got the full Veela inheritance, furious feathers and fire included. Her childhood was rough as a result, and losing her mother made it even more difficult.”

“So, you had to send her to live with your mother’s family so she could learn how to control her Veela side,” Tony said. “Do you get to see her very often?”

“A few times a year,” Gibbs said. “We write letters all the time and talk via floo when we can. It’s not enough, but she’s safer where she is.”

Tony had nothing to say to that, so he just nodded and turned his attention back to the keys. He fingered them but didn’t put any effort into playing a tune.

“You and Bishop seem close,” Gibbs said.

“We’re soulmates, as it turns out,” Tony said. He glanced up at Gibbs, but returned his focus back to the keys. “We haven’t made any plans, but I can’t imagine walking away from her at this point, so I guess we’re stuck with each other.”

“You gonna leave NCIS?” Gibbs asked.

“Don’t know,” Tony said with a shrug. He glanced at Gibbs again. “Do I need to?”

“Not on my account,” Gibbs said firmly. “I’d take you both in a heartbeat.”

“What about Rule 12?” Tony asked.

“That’s my rule,” Gibbs said. “Don’t think it applies to soulmates. Might need a new rule for that, actually.”

Tony snorted. “Well, if you come up with one, let me know. I’ll add it to the list.”

“I talked to Lord Black yesterday,” Gibbs said. “Told him I consider you a son.”

Tony mashed the keys inelegantly as he shot Gibbs a surprised look. “You do? You’ve never said.”

“Probably should have a long time ago,” Gibbs said. “The thing about magic is that you can adopt someone, no matter their age, and it’s as if they were born yours. I’d be honored to adopt you, Tony. You’re everything I could have wanted in a son.”

“This doesn’t have anything to do with inheritances or anything, does it?” Tony asked.

“This has to do with how important you are to me,” Gibbs said. The mug of coffee vanished in a wisp of magic as Gibbs focused on him. “You’d potentially inherit some Veela traits if you accept, but there’s no guarantee since I’m half human.”

“What could I get?” Tony asked, intrigued by the idea.

Gibbs held his hand out, and a ball of blue fire sprang to life in his palm. “Veel fire, for one thing. The allure is possible, but I’ve never heard of that happening during a ritual adoption.”

“The fire would be handy,” Tony said. “Are we talking magical adoption, or blood adoption here?”

“You’ve been doing your homework,” Gibbs said approvingly. “That would be up to you. A blood adoption wouldn’t negate your other family relations, if that’s your concern. I’d become a third parent, essentially.”

“Hmmm,” Tony hummed. “I’ll have to think about it, and maybe talk to Ellie, because it’s not just me you’d be getting.”

“That’s fine, Tony,” Gibbs said. He moved in close and hooked his hand around Tony’s neck. “Take all the time you need. The offer’s open for however long it takes. Just know you’re one of the most important people in the world to me. I don’t take that lightly, or for granted.”

“Yeah, okay,” Tony said with a nod.

Gibbs seemed to understand that he was about at his limit, because he tapped the back of Tony’s head lightly, then caressed it before he walked out of the room. “Go take a nap. You could use it.”

Tony huffed. Typical Gibbs. He’d probably run out of words for the whole year during that conversation. He yawned and stretched. Maybe a nap was a good idea. Lunch wasn’t for a little while yet, so he wouldn’t be missing anything if he stole up to his room and rested for a bit.

Decision made, he dropped the fallboard over the keys and headed upstairs.

~0~

Days later, Tony was finally feeling comfortable at Blackwell Manor. He’d spent time with everyone in the house, though he seemed to gravitate to Sirius the most. The afternoon they’d spent teaching him how to fly a broom had been the most fun he’d had in the magical world so far. He wasn’t quite ready for Quidditch, but according to his cousin, he was a natural on a broom.

Lord Black had invited him to his office for a conversation, which made Tony nervous. He didn’t think the man wanted to talk about anything terrible, but in his experience, weighty conversations tended to end terribly. Fortunately, he’d also invited Ellie, so at least he wouldn’t be alone.

Instead of sitting in the visitor’s chairs in front of the desk, Lord Black had invited them to sit in the settee in front of the fireplace. Sirius had joined them and took a wingback chair across from his grandfather.

“Relax, Tony,” Sirius said as he settled back with a cup of tea. “I promise Grandfather doesn’t bite.”

Tea was something Tony was definitely struggling with. He wasn’t a big fan, even though his mother had been fond of it and drank it every day. He was more of a coffee drinker; thankfully, the house elf who’d delivered refreshments for them had included a pot of coffee for him and Ellie.

Lord Black huffed. “Do be serious, young man.”

“I’m Sirius all the time,” he said airily, winking at Tony, who practically choked on his coffee as he processed the joke.

“Was there something in particular you wanted to discuss with me?” Tony asked once he’d recovered.

“In part,” Lord Black said. “Primarily, I wanted to find out how you’re adjusting to life in the magical world. This had to have been a shock for you to find out you have magic as an adult.”

“I can’t say it’s been a picnic,” Tony said, shrugging. “I’m pretty good at picking up new skills, which is serving me as it relates to magic. It’s just… a lot.”

“I’d imagine,” Lord Black said. “Have you given any thought to further education, now that you have a good foundation?”

“Not really,” Tony said. “I’m not sure I need much beyond the basics for the work I do, though I’m sure Gibbs would dispute that.”

“The ICW will likely want to assess you for any skills or latent talents you may have since your soulmate is a War Mage,” Sirius said. “Particularly if she goes into the reserves. They’d want to partner you both up if you were ever recalled back into the field.”

The idea of Ellie running off to do the ICW’s bidding without him was distinctly uncomfortable. “I hadn’t thought of it that way. I get the feeling our soulmate bond, whatever it becomes, wouldn’t allow for her to run off without me, so that’s something to consider.”

“Well, if you do decide to take further tuition, you need only ask,” Lord Black said, a pleased smile on his face. “I would be more than happy to help you secure a suitable opportunity.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly—”

“You most certainly can, young man,” his great-uncle said, before he could finish getting the denial out of his mouth. When he opened his mouth to reply, Lord Black held up a hand. “I know I don’t owe you this, and I also know that you have a trust fund given to you by your mother’s family. But, as the Patriarch of your maternal house, it is also my responsibility to see that you are allowed to pursue further education should you desire it. I have connections, as do other members of the family, that might serve you in that regard.”

“I see,” Tony said. He hated the idea of depending on others for help, but in this case, their intentions were good, and frankly, he wouldn’t have the first clue how higher education worked in the magical world. “In that case, I’ll think about it and discuss it with Ellie.”

“That’s all I ask, my boy,” Lord Black said. “Now, I have one more thing I wish to discuss with you.”

“Alright,” Tony said, taking a deep breath. “Lay it on me.”

Lord Black just chuckled. “Such colorful language. I don’t know that I’ll ever get used to how you young people speak.”

“My apologies, Lord Black,” Tony said. He sat up a little straighter and schooled his expression into something more appropriate.

Lord Black just waved him off. “No apology needed. You are a product of the world you grew up in just as I am. One need not apologize for that. And please, call me Uncle Arcturus, if you’d like.”

“Thank you, L—Uncle Arcturus,” Tony said. It was a bit of an uncomfortable fit, but he’d get used to it. Eventually.

“Now, as I was saying, I would like to offer you something that should have been my sister’s, had she been blessed with magic,” his uncle said. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a ring. “My sister’s firstborn son would have been offered the Barony of Wilton. It’s a minor title, with no land or other responsibilities. The ring, however, is a lordship ring, and as such has personal protections built in, including a portkey to a safe place should you need it.”

“Wow,” Tony said as he took the ring. It was made of shiny silver metal, with a crest engraved on the top and accented by what looked like black diamonds. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Of course not, young man,” Uncle Arcturus said. “Nevertheless, it’s yours, whether you take up the title or not. As my sister’s descendant, it falls to you and your offspring. You may take up the title or hold it for a son.”

Tony looked at Ellie, who was staring at the ring as if she’d never seen such a thing before. Having grown up in the US, she probably hadn’t. “It’s beautiful.”

“There is also a lady’s ring that would be yours, my dear, if Tony decides to take up the title,” his uncle said.

“How would you feel about being a baroness?” Tony asked her.

“As long as I don’t have to drown myself in protocol, I’d be happy to be your baroness,” she said.

“There are educational orbs that can teach you everything you need to know about noble protocols, at any rate,” Uncle Arcturus said. “I would be happy to share our family orbs with you both on this—or any other—subject.”

“The emergency portkey is easily the best feature of the lordship ring,” Sirius said. “But it’s also got some other features, including the ability to detect potions and spells that could harm you. You’d also feel more connected to the family magic, which might help you as you mature and pursue further education.”

Tony hummed. “Sounds like there are a lot of perks. I’ll have to think about it. I’ll let you know what I decide.”

“No need for that,” his uncle said. “I’ll know the moment you put it on and assume the title.”

“Magic is so weird,” Tony huffed.

“I’d imagine it does feel strange for someone who’s only known magic as a mythical force written about in books,” Uncle Arcturus said. “You will find as time goes on that you are part of something larger than yourself. Your magic connects you to your family, yes, but it also connects you to a far-reaching community of people just like you. You belong among us, and one day I hope you come to accept that.”

Tony could feel the emotion welling up inside of him, and for once, he didn’t try to push it aside or quash it. He just let it roll over and through him. Ellie leaned into his side, laying her head on his shoulder in a gesture of comfort that felt so good it nearly took his breath away.

“I’ve been on my own for a long time,” Tony said quietly. “It’ll take me some time to get used to the idea that I’m not alone anymore.”

“Take all the time you need, my boy,” his uncle said. “And if you should ever need anything at all, you need only ask.”

“I—Thank you, Uncle Arcturus,” Tony said. He stood up abruptly and cleared his throat. “If you’ll excuse me?”

He didn’t even wait for a reply, just bailed out of the room before he ended up in a puddle of tears. Just outside the door to his uncle’s office he stopped and leaned against the wall, taking a few deep breaths to try to calm himself. Ellie emerged from the office and calmly waited for him to acknowledge her.

“Come here,” he said, opening his arms for her. She slid into his embrace as though that’s where she’d been all her life. “I’m okay, really. It’s just… a lot.”

“I know,” she said. She smiled up at him. “They know it too. We’ll just take it slowly from here on out.”

“No more surprises?” he asked hopefully.

She snorted. “Do you really believe that’s possible?”

“So, what you’re saying is I need to get used to riding on the crazy train, huh?” he said. “I suppose I could get used to it, as long as I have you beside me to translate the crazy.”

“No place else I’d rather be,” she said, smiling up at him.

“Me, too,” he replied.

And this time, he really meant it.

~Finis

Cast (from top left):
Patrick Stewart, Aiden Turner, Michael Weatherly, Colin Firth, Callum Blue, Emily Wickersham, Rege-Jean Page, Mark Harmon