Chapter 29

"Hello dear. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Maria in the portrait beamed at him.

"Mom, what's happening here?" Tony questioned, his gaze unwaveringly fixed on the portrait.

"Have you ever heard about moving portraits in the wizarding world?" Maria asked.

"I haven't come across them yet. This is my first time," Tony replied. He wasn't sure what to make of seeing his mother right in front of him. "Mom, can you tell me what's going on?"

"Well, it's a bit tricky to explain. In your father's own words, I'm like an intelligent video recording now. But if you want all the fine details, you might want to dive into a book. You're sharp enough to get it, I'm sure," Maria explained with her usual warm smile.

Tony pulled a stool from the side and took a seat. Then, he inquired, "What about Dad? Why aren't you two together?"

Maria's smile briefly dimmed. She carefully set her cup down and reached for a photo frame on the table. She turned it around to show Tony, saying, "Look, he's right here with us. We've been watching over you, Tony."

Tony stared at the portrait for a moment, then broke the silence with a curious question, "So, only wizards can become magical portraits?"

Maria nodded, her smile returning. "Impressive, Tony. You caught onto the key point right away. Your father also left you a bunch of recordings. I'm curious how many you've actually seen. He started recording them right after you were born. From what I've seen, there must be over 30 tapes."

Tony was taken aback. After his parents' passed away, he had scoured his home for anything they might have left behind, but he hadn't come across the dozens of tapes his mom mentioned.

"But I haven't come across a single one of them, Mom," Tony said, a mix of confusion and disappointment in his voice. "I've searched every corner of the house. Are you sure they exist?"

Maria suddenly stood up, a look of alarm on her face. "What do you mean? They were here, in this home. How on earth could they disappear?"

"Excuse me, Sir, but Obadiah Stane is here for a visit," JARVIS's voice interrupted Tony and Maria mid-conversation.

Tony furrowed his brow. "What's he doing here now?" He was about to tell JARVIS to turn him away when the AI spoke up again, "Sir, Mr. Stane has level one clearance and is already on his way down the stairs."

Tony exchanged a helpless glance with Maria's portrait. "Well, Mom, I guess we'll have to talk later."

Maria adjusted in her seat and whispered, "Tony, hide your wand. I'll make myself look like a 'normal' portrait."

Tony glanced down at his t-shirt, then at the wand in his hand. He looked around and quickly stashed it into a gap in the table. As he turned around, he caught a disapproving look on his usually gentle mother. But by then, Obadiah had already arrived at the door, so Tony could only put on a smile and approach him.

"Tony! Good to see you! Why didn't you attend the charity gala last night? I was worried something might have happened to you." Upon seeing Tony, Obadiah opened his arms wide. The two shared a brief embrace, and Tony responded, "I got tied up with something, you know. With Stark Industries shifting away from weapon production, I've got to figure out a new direction for the company."

Obadiah stiffened for a moment but quickly regained his smile. "So, you're seriously thinking about shutting it down?"

"I won't go back on my word." Tony turned away from Obadiah, casually picked up Maria's portrait, and placed it elsewhere. He then began tinkering with the parts on the table. "Uncle Obadiah, the weapons department has already been shut down, right? My words should still carry weight, shouldn't they?"

"You do, but we need a bit of time," Obadiah replied.

"I own more than 40% of Stark Industries, which makes me the largest shareholder in the company. I want this to stop right away!" Tony said firmly. "I'm not going to let the company continue profiting from the destruction and suffering caused by weapons. We need to focus on developing technologies that benefit humanity."

Obadiah's smile faded slightly, replaced by a more serious expression. "Tony, I understand your sentiment, but shutting down the weapons division completely is a drastic move. We have contracts and obligations to fulfill."

"Contracts and obligations that I intend to honor," Tony replied firmly. "But we can fulfill them in a responsible way. We can transition to other areas of technology, invest in renewable energy, healthcare, or infrastructure. There are plenty of opportunities for Stark Industries to make a positive impact."

"Alright, alright, we'll do it your way," Obadiah said with a chuckle as he met Tony's gaze. "You're a handful kid, you know that? Just focus on your work, and let me handle the board."

With that, Obadiah gave Tony's shoulder a reassuring pat, turned on his heels, and made his exit.

"Sir, Mr. Stane has already left," Jarvis' voice chimed in. Tony quickly spun around toward his mother's portrait, retrieved the wand from the gap, and wiped it clean twice with his hand. "Check out my wand, Mom!"

However, instead of the praise he expected, he got a stern scolding for handling his wand carelessly. It was then that he finally understood why his dad always behaved like a perfect angel around his mother.

The next morning, Tony took Maria's portrait to The Enchantress and proudly displayed it to Jamie, much to her annoyance.

With Maria's approval, Jamie worked her magic and customized a landscape painting that connected with Maria's portrait. This allowed Maria to visit through the two portraits, a gesture she deeply appreciated. After all, she had grown weary of being stuck in the same room for over twenty years.

Once the portrait customization was finished,  Jamie promptly sent Tony back to his home. With Maria's presence, Tony faced no hindrance in pursuing his magical studies from the comfort of his home. And in case any issues cropped up, he could directly Floo over to Jamie's home.

After a thoughtful discussion with Maria, Tony decided to dedicate his daylight hours to the study of magic and reserve his evenings for inventing and technological pursuits. He knew that magic and technology could complement each other, and he wanted to explore the possibilities of combining the two.

Time flew by, and before he knew it, a whole week had passed. Tony's spellcasting skills had reached the level of a fourth-year student, and he had also made solid progress in Transfiguration, achieving a third-year level. The only subject left was potions class, where he was still grappling with the first-year's boils potion. It wasn't that he couldn't do it; it was just that whenever he laid eyes on the potion ingredients, he threw in the towel and swore he'd never touch a potion bottle again unless it was a life-or-death situation.

"I'm ready, Yinsen!" Tony stood on a circular platform in the middle of his workshop and flashed a thumbs-up to his partner, Yinsen, who was observing from a safe distance. "Let's get this show on the road!"

Yinsen carefully inspected the data on the screen before pressing the red icon in the center. Mechanical arms surrounding Tony began to move methodically, each piece of armor wrapping around him with automated precision, encasing him in a gleaming silver suit. The screws tightened themselves at the joints, and with the helmet securely in place, a cool blue light radiated from Tony's chest. Soon, the eyes on the helmet glowed to life.

"Tony, can you hear me? How does it feel?" Yinsen inquired nervously through the microphone positioned in front of the computer.

"Everything seems normal. Heart rate and body temperature stable. Jarvis, run a systems check," Tony replied, his voice resonating with a metallic tone.

"Running systems check," Jarvis responded. "All systems are online and functioning optimally."

Tony took a few steps, testing the suit's mobility. He flexed his fingers, feeling the suit respond seamlessly to his movements. "Yinsen, this is incredible. The suit feels like an extension of my own body."

Yinsen smiled with relief. "I'm glad to hear that, Tony. It's been a long journey, but we've finally made it. This suit has the potential to revolutionize not only your life but also the world."

Tony looked at himself in the reflective surface of the armor. The sight of the Iron Man suit filled him with a sense of power and purpose. "You're right, Yinsen. With this suit, I can protect people, make a difference. No more weapons. From now on, I'll use my skills and resources for the greater good."

Yinsen nodded approvingly. "I believe in you, Tony. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility."

Tony smirked beneath the helmet. "Sounds like something my dad used to say. I'm going to give this a test run." He took a step forward, and with a loud noise, he tumbled to the ground right in front of Yinsen, still encased within the armored suit.