Prologue

Toni didn't know where she was.

She couldn't feel much aside from the soft bedsheets. Even the sounds around her were muffled and each time she tried to move, she felt a deep hurt in each one of her muscles.

Even breathing was hard.

Well, that was sort of expected after using the Infinity Stones and snapping her fingers without a care in the world. The thing is, she had always known she would die. From the moment she had been taken by the Ten Rings, she had been deeply aware of her own mortality and had never dwelled much on it.

But...there was the issue of her dear Morgan. And Peter of course.

She had barely seen him during the fight and didn't even have the time to tell him how much he meant to her, how much she loved him and how she had done the impossible to get him back. She had discovered time travel and had crafted a glove on par with the Dwarves just to make sure he would have a great future. She just hoped he would never learn that he was the reason that she had changed her mind when Steve and Natasha had come to her, because he would never forgive himself and he would get even more involved in his super hero gig and he would never be happy and...

"Well, Toni, just take a deep breath and snap out of it !," she almost screamed to herself before hearing voices around her. Voices she definitely did not recognize.

She immediately tensed and started listening in order to garner information, while also trying not to have another panic attack at the prospect of having to fight after having dealt with Thanos once and for all.

"Stop pacing Sirius, she might hear you and wake up !," whispered a small voice.

"Oh don't be scared Reggie, I hope the bitch is dead !," answered him a more mature voice, full of spite.

Huh. Many people had hated her, but none had that much of hatred towards her. Even Wanda would be considered as her best friend if she was to compare. Her reasoning to stay silent had been the right choice - even though the name were somehow familiar.

"Boys, your mother is difficult and might punish you...physically for the spell you "mistakenly" hit her with," followed a deep voice. "But you are right Sirius, maybe it would be...better if she just passed on."

"Father !," exclaimed both voices for different reasons. The younger one was definitely scandalized while the other one, Sirius she guessed, was openly laughing.

She didn't know why, but Toni was disturbed by their names and their speech pattern. For some reason, it was familiar but she couldn't just explain it. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked around her, meeting two frightened children who had definitely stopped talking once she had awoken and a cold an aloof adult, who shared the same eye color as the other ones. She could easily guess they were related, and for some reason, they thought she was their mother. She had definitely met and heard worse from lunatics, so it wouldn't be far-fetched to imagine that these people could have delusions about the famous Antonia Stark.

The three strangers were definitely tense and wary of her. Well good, at least, she could make sure to get answers.

"Who are you ? Where am I ?," she asked, raising an eyebrow and trying to hide the panic in her voice. From their facial expression, they hadn't missed it at all.

She tried to pinpoint a mirror when she finally saw one to her left. Without further ado, she stood up and went to look at herself, just to check what was going on. At least, she was reassured to see that she was still as beautiful as ever, even though her eyes were definitely bluer that they used to be.

"You look younger Mother," said the younger child before putting his hand in front of his mouth, looking scared of her reaction.

"You are mistaken, I am definitely not your Mother," she started as softly as she could, not wanting to hurt the kid if she was more assertive. "Can you just answer my question please ?"

The taller one advanced, holding his brother's arm, as if protecting him from her. It didn't take long to understand he thought she would physically attack them, which...yes, that was not normal. People had said horrible things about here - but none had ever doubted her tender heart towards children.

"I am Sirius Black, Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, your first born son. Here is Regulus, your second born," he said, looking at her in defiance, waiting for her to strike. "You were always cruel Mother, but at least, you never pretended Regulus wasn't your son since he got sorted into Slytherin."

Cruel ? Her, cruel ? Never had anyone ever...

Wait.

Rewind.

She didn't just hear him...say that. Did she ?

Sirius and Regulus Black.

House Black.

Slytherin.

No.

No. No. No.

Of course, this would happen to her when she would finally be able to rest after fifteen years of fighting for her planet. Now, she was in the Wizarding World with a War in the horizon while being an abusive mother with her family hating her.

She couldn't tell them she was Toni Stark from another dimension - they were wizards (oh, how she despised magic !) and would believe she somehow...possessed her and body snatched her or something.

Think Stark, think.

Amnesia it is.

But she couldn't stay with them. Aside from the fact that she hated everything remotely close to magic, she was practically sure Walburga (sue her ; she was a fan of the franchise and even financed every movie of the saga) had never went outside her little bubble and would have no sort of qualifications in the "muggle" world. Worse than that, she publicly showed her displeasure and hatred towards them. And let's say that Toni was born from a German Jewish father and an Italian mother who had each ran away from their own country to escape a totalitarian regime. She could never accept bigots and racists...which her family wouldn't understand. At least, she could pretend to need a few weeks away from them to rediscover herself and at least she would be able to get the necessary requirements to join a university and...just revolutionize the scientific world.

There was no world of dimension where Toni Stark couldn't tinker in her lab. It was just a given that Walburga Black would do the same.

"Come here child," she said, trying to be soft. She was aware of how much the eldest Black had hated his mother from what she had read in the books and from her own discussions with Rowling (and how much they would be useful now !).

Sirius walked up to her, acting brave just like the House he belonged to. It didn't stop him from flinching when she got him to sit next to her.

Well, she could have lived without the heartbroken look he gave her when she hug him. It was clear from his face that he wouldn't just fall for it, but her gesture had shocked him enough to actually answer a few of her questions and so she could get a few answers.

"Well, Sirius was it ?," she started. "Would you please help me with...well everything actually ?," she started wondering about what exactly she would need. "My name ? Where we are ? Am I married ? Please tell me I am, I don't think I could raise two children alone."

Of course she knew she was married, but she could at least be convincing.

And oh, occlumency was definitely something she needed to learn if she was to stay in this world. She was not stupid enough to believe the Stones had just...taken a bet and had followed suit to send her in some sort of mythical dimension from her favorite saga.

"Father is right here...Mother," he said, disbelieving what he was seeing and listening. "Are you sure you want...my help ? Not Kreacher and or Regulus ? I could call Narcissa or Bellatrix for you - you always said how much you preferred them over me and..."

She stopped him from his speech by putting her hand on his mouth to shut him up. His scared eyes pushed her to lightly kiss him on his forehead, conveying her affection for him. She didn't actually know him, but her body somehow did and was pushing her to show him tenderness - something the original Walburga would have never done.

"You don't love me ? That's it ?," she asked, a small smile on her lips.

"It's you that doesn't love me !," he spit at her, acting blazingly even though he was obviously scared of her behavior and how she would react.

The other child, she guessed he was Regulus (heart soaring, heart breaking when she remembered his demise - which won't happen as long as she's with them) jumped in fright and pleaded with her. "Do not punish him Mother, he didn't know he was speaking out of place, please !"

"Why would I punish you ? Have I done that before ?," she asked, not wanting to believe her "sons" would actually have memories of her "face" physically abusing them. "Did I ever...physically hurt you ?"

Both of them looked at each other and threw a glance at their father, expecting some sort of help. Meanwhile, Orion was still gobsmacked at what he was seeing. Yes, he recognized Walburga. He knew after all - he had known her from the moment he was born. But never had she looked so rayonnant when waking up...never had she looked so young even... He could barely speak or focus aside from gazing at his wife for the first time since they got married.

"You torture us constantly ! Especially me !," screamed Sirius once again, feeling more courageous after she hadn't punished him. "You throw the Cruciatius at me ever since I was sorted into Gryffindor !"

The glasses and windows around them started breaking - all of them thinking it was from Sirius' outburst. When they looked at Walburga once again, wanting to see how she would discipline him, they were met with the most frightening vision ever.

Tears.

Never, ever, had Walburga cried. Not even when she was giving birth. Not even when people died. She. Never. Cried.

But now, she was positively weeping on the bed while holding her heart like she had trouble breathing. At once, Orion jumped from his seat and prompted the children to leave. It was one thing to think it was some sort of elaborate prank to punish the children, it was another to actually see how serious she was about not remembering anything. She couldn't even control her magic, which could be dangerous for everyone in the house, including her.

Everything stopped at once when Walburga passed out on the bed, blood seeping out of her nose.