It Only Takes a Second

- LXXII -

(A/N: Hi everybody! Once again, I just wanted to pop in and ask that you PLEASE do not spoil anything about Spiderman: No Way Home. Nobody likes spoilers, and I know that it's been a pretty common issue with theatres selling out. So I just ask we keep the comments spoiler free! Thanks! Enjoy the FINAL CHAPTER before the epilogue(s)!!)

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By New Year's Eve, it was official. Harry was now officially Harry James Potter-Stark.

He had surprised Pepper and Tony by telling them that he wanted to accept the last name Stark. They knew how important the last name 'Potter' was to him, as he was the only member of the bloodline still alive.

But Harry had been adamant about taking the last name of his new parents. It gave the idea of adoption some permanence. While the title 'son' could be used, whether legal or not, having the same last name (or future last name) of his parents was important to him.

"About done in here, kiddo?" Tony popped his head into the kitchen at Lily's, where Harry was finishing up some baking. He had let the rest of his staff go early, in order to make it home safely before things got too crazy.

It was New Year's Eve, and people had been camped out in Time Square since noon of the previous day. Harry admired their commitment-- he didn't think he could last even three hours out in the chilled New York air.

"Almost, I just need to clean up," Harry nodded, smiling as his dad eyeballed some of the cookies that were cooling on a rack on the counter.

"Just one," he told his dad, watching as the billionaire eagerly snatched a cookie and took a big bite.

Peering outside the kitchen door, Harry waved his hand lazily at the mess on the counter, watching with satisfaction as it all began to clean itself up.

"Alright, I think that's everything," he announced, more to himself than anyone else as he glanced around the kitchen once more to double check everything. The shop would be closed for the next two days, and he wanted to make sure that everything was unplugged and turned off.

"Come on Lucy!" Harry called to the golden retriever, who had been given the afternoon 'off-duty' as he baked. She met him at his side, ready to work once more.

Tony handed him his coat, and they made their way out of the kitchen and into the lobby where Steve and Bucky were waiting. They had decided to come help out around the shop today, and Harry was glad that they had-- it had been packed, and there were tons of orders that had needed to be picked up.

Clint and Natasha had wanted to help out, but Fury had called them in for a meeting, so that had taken a raincheck. Bruce had decided to stay back and get some work done in the lab that morning so that he could enjoy the small party that Tony was hosting that evening. He had invited Caroline, and the team could tell how nervous he was to have her around, even though she had already met everyone.

"Ready?" Steve raised his eyebrows and smiled, rising to his feet.

"I think so-- oh!" Harry exclaimed, remembering something. He quickly darted behind the counter and retrieved a box that he had specially marked to be saved.

"For the party tonight," he held it up with a grin.

"Good. I feel like we've been cheated recently, with you selling all of your baking instead of giving it to us," Bucky mock-pouted.

"I, for one, should probably be grateful for that. We don't all have super-human metabolisms," Tony patted his stomach heartily, earning a laugh from the others.

"What time is Peter coming over later?" Bucky asked after the four of them (plus Lucy), had locked up and made their way outside.

"He's coming over around 6, so that should give me a time to throw together a few snack items for the evening and then get cleaned up," Harry replied, thinking ahead to all that needed to be done before the party that evening.