They settled outside on a wooden bench near the makeshift lab. The sun dipped lower in the sky, sparing them the worst of the New Mexico heat. Tony Stark, usually so confident in his grasp on reality, struggled to wrap his head around the man beside him—Thor, the literal god of thunder. Sure, magic existed; Sirius had proven that much. But Norse mythology? This was another level.
Sirius, meanwhile, was staring at Thor like he'd stumbled into a dream. "So let me get this straight," he began, gesturing dramatically with his hand. "You're actually Thor, son of Odin, wielder of Mjolnir? As in, the Thor?"
Thor inclined his head with a calm dignity. "Aye. I am Thor Odinson."
Sirius let out a low whistle. "And you have… daddy issues?"
Thor sighed, a look of mild annoyance crossing his features. "It is… complicated."
Sirius grinned mischievously. "Don't worry, mate. We've all been there." He leaned back, eyes glinting. "So you're saying Loki exists too?"
Thor smile. "He does. My brother"
Sirius's eyes widened in awe. "James and I worshipped Loki when we were kids. He's the ultimate prankster. The Marauders practically modeled half our pranks on that guy's myth."
Tony snorted, raising an eyebrow at Sirius. "Worshipped? You would pick the god of mischief."
Sirius smirked. "What can I say? We had style."
Jane watched the exchange, still reeling from everything that had happened. She didn't know why she was telling Tony Stark—of all people—about her research. Maybe it was because he actually seemed like he could help.
Tony met her eyes and, after a pause, gave her a small, serious nod. "Alright, Jane. I'll help you."
Everyone except Sirius and Thor looked shocked.
Thor beamed, clearly grateful. "You have my thanks, Son of Stark! It means much to me that you would aid in this."
Sirius leaned closer to Tony. "You know, we should probably call Amelia Bones and Mad-Eye Moody. If what Thor says is true about that hammer and all this magic, we'd be better off hiding it from Muggles"
Tony was already speaking to Jarvis, his voice calm and steady. "Jarvis? You heard the man. Let's get a secure perimeter around the hammer. Nobody in or out without clearance."
Jarvis's voice responded crisply from Tony's phone speaker. "Already on it, sir. Coordinating with local law enforcement and quietly discouraging press. We'll keep the hammer under wraps."
Jane's jaw dropped. "Jarvis—?"
Darcy's eyes sparkled with mischief. "You've got an AI assistant named Jarvis? So jealous."
Tony chuckled, shooting her a grin. "He's more reliable than half the people I know."
Sirius laughed, slapping his knee. "Well, at least you've got something to rely on, Tony"
Darcy rolled her eyes and muttered, "Only Tony Stark would have a talking computer."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "It's called being prepared, Lewis."
Jane crossed her arms, her jaw set with defiance. "I won't let you take my research, Stark. I've worked too hard on this."
Tony sighed, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Whoa, whoa—easy there, Foster. I'm not here to steal your work." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a slim folder. "I had Jarvis draft up a contract on the way here."
He flipped the folder open and held it out to her. "See? I'm offering to help, not hijack your life's work. Funding, resources, access to equipment—on your terms. You retain all rights to your research. I just want to make sure we're all on the same page."
Jane blinked at the neatly printed document, completely floored. Erik leaned in to get a closer look, while Darcy's eyes widened. "Wait—do you just… carry contracts around with you?"
Tony shrugged, smirking. "I like to be prepared."
Sirius burst into laughter, shaking his head in disbelief. "Merlin's beard—you remind me of my grandfather."
Tony arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "Your grandfather, huh? Who was he?"
Sirius let out a wistful sigh. "Arcturus Black—obsessed with contracts, blood pacts, and making sure everything had a proper seal. Every time he threw a party, it came with a ten-page invitation and half a dozen disclaimers."
Tony chuckled. "Sounds like my kind of guy."
Before they could continue, Thor, who had been observing the exchange with a puzzled expression, finally spoke up. "Sirius—earlier, you spoke of magic. What did you mean by that?"
Sirius's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Oh, you're in for a treat, mate." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his wand with a flourish. "Watch this."
With a flick of his wrist, he aimed at a nearby rock. It transforms into a squeaking, very confused mouse.
Jane yelped, stumbling backward and clutching her chest. Erik's eyes widened in horror, and Darcy let out a shriek.
Meanwhile, Thor's face lit up with delight. "By Odin's beard—real magic!" He clapped Sirius on the back, nearly knocking the wizard off his feet. "You are wizards! Midgardian wizards!"
Sirius beamed. "That's right, mate!"
Tony rolled his eyes fondly, tucking the contract folder back into his jacket. "Welcome to Earth, big guy—where the impossible is just another Tuesday."
Thor beamed. "I do not know what that means," he admitted with a laugh, "but I am pleased!" His smile faded slightly, though, as he studied Sirius with a furrowed brow. "But tell me—how have your wizards hidden themselves all this time? I remember stories—tales of the Aesir's allies who wielded magic, hunted nearly to extinction. I have seen few of your kind in all my travels." He does remember meeting few of them here in this realm, Loki who sneaked out did mention about meeting a community of Wizards and Witches.
Sirius nodded somberly. "That's no surprise. Wizards and witches have hidden themselves for centuries. After centuries of persecution—burnings, hunts, and worse—they went underground. We created the Statute of Secrecy, a magical barrier that hides our world from Muggles—non-magical people," he added, glancing at the others.
Jane, still a bit pale, stared at Sirius with wide eyes. Darcy muttered something about needing a vacation, while Erik shook his head in disbelief.
Tony, ever the pragmatist, raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Hey—easy, easy. He's telling the truth, but it's not like he's going to zap anyone unless they really deserve it. Relax, guys."
Jane frowned. "I—I'm not sure I can relax after seeing a rock turn into a mouse."
Tony gave her an apologetic smile. "Yeah, fair. Let's take it one step at a time, okay?" He can totally understand her feelings on this matter.
Thor listened intently, then his brow furrowed again. "The last time my brother Loki visited Midgard was during the Goblin Wars. He claimed he was helping to end the conflict."
Sirius blink. "He was? The Goblin Rebellions were some of the bloodiest times in our history. Goblins are proud, fierce creatures—clever, too. They felt oppressed by wizards, and rightfully so in many cases. When they rose up, it was chaos—whole wizarding communities burned, and even Hogwarts was nearly taken. Loki's presence probably didn't help."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Goblins. Wars. Magic. Man, this is sounding like a lot of paperwork."
Sirius shrugged. "You get used to it. Besides—most goblins are pretty reasonable now. As long as you pay your debts and don't insult them."
Darcy looked at Tony. "Seriously, this is your normal Tuesday?"
Tony smirked. "Welcome to the Stark experience, kiddo."
Thor's eyes sparkled with curiosity and a hint of respect as he glanced between Sirius and Tony. "It seems Midgard is far more complicated than I ever realized."
Sirius grinned. "That's one way of putting it."