Sebastian carefully poured the thick, amber potion from the cauldron into a glass, setting it before Tony on the sleek counter of his New York apartment. The brewing process had demanded precise magical guidance, often requiring a wand's touch. This was why potions couldn't be replicated by those without magic—no amount of ingredients could substitute for the mystical spark needed to craft a true potion.
"Luckily, we had enough materials. After two failed attempts, it finally worked. You can drink it now."
When the potion was merely a hope, Tony had been eager for its completion. But now, with the glass in front of him, he hesitated, blinking nervously at Sebastian.
"Well, ... Has this thing been tested?"
Sebastian's face remained blank as he reached to take the glass back.
Before he could, Tony grabbed his arm, flashing a sheepish grin. "I'm joking, I'll drink now."
Raising the glass to his lips, Tony caught a whiff of the blood cleansing potion, its scent reminiscent of apple juice. Still, he paused, reluctance flickering in his eyes.
"Sebastian, are you sure this thing is harmless? I mean some serious side effects or something."
"Stop muttering. If there was a problem, I wouldn't let you drink it. Hurry up and drink it."
Shrugging, Tony downed the potion in one bold gulp, his face contorting instantly. Gagging, he tried to spit it out, but Sebastian stepped forward, firmly covering Tony's mouth to ensure he swallowed it all.
Once the potion was down, Tony's features twisted in disgust. He bolted to the bar, grabbed a bottle of red wine—worth at least a hundred thousand dollars—and chugged it like mouthwash. Exhaling heavily, he slumped to the floor.
"Sebastian, the smell of this potion is horrific. It looks nice, smells fine, but tastes like a rotting corpse mixed with sweaty socks, garbage, and skunk spray. Are you sure this is a potion and not some prank to mess with me?"
"Magical potions rarely taste good, but one as bad as you describe is unusual, even for magic. I'd say you're just unlucky. The substitute ingredients we used differ from the original recipe. While the effect is nearly the same, the taste is, well, noticeably worse."
"As you said, this medicine can't completely solve the problem of palladium metal poisoning in my body, but it can minimize the spread of palladium metal poisoning and the discomfort it brings to me. I just don't know how long this magical medicine can last. If I need to drink it every day, then I think it's better to die."
"I won't make you drink it daily. Based on my calculations, you'll need it roughly every six months. But over time, your body will build resistance, which is inevitable. At most, this potion can buy you about five years. After that, it'll lose effectiveness. If you can't find a new element to replace palladium by then, you'll still be in trouble."
"But I've tried all the elements and couldn't find anything to replace palladium."
Sebastian leaned back, a sly half-smile on his face. "Since there's no element to replace palladium, why not try creating one yourself? Or maybe 'discover' is the better word. For someone like you, that's not impossible, is it? You're Tony Stark."
Tony glanced up at Sebastian, a grin breaking across his face as he exhaled. "Sebastian, I didn't know you worshiped me so much."
Sebastian's expression turned deadpan, unimpressed by Tony's teasing.
Noticing Sebastian's exasperation, Tony stood up, his smile widening. "Sebastian, my friend, don't be shy. Worshiping me isn't something to be ashamed of. Plenty of people do—you're just one of them. Oh, by the way, do you need my signature?"
"Tony, I think you should reflect on why you're so full of yourself. Let me help you out, or you might not sleep easy."
Petrificus Totalus!
Sebastian whipped out his wand, firing a white beam of light at Tony. Instantly, Tony froze in place, able to see and hear but unable to move a muscle.
Chuckling at Tony's predicament, Sebastian grabbed a pen from the apartment, scribbled Tony? Superstar across Tony's forehead, and added a note: Back to normal in ten minutes. With a playful grin, he turned to Tony. "Enjoy the timeout." Opening a portal, he stepped through and vanished.
Roughly ten minutes later, Tony's body snapped back to normal. He bolted to the bathroom, staring in the mirror at the words scrawled on his forehead. At first, he sighed in mock defeat, then shook his head with a laugh. Grabbing a towel and some water, he scrubbed the writing away and straightened up.
Facing his reflection, Tony tugged open his shirt, examining the gray lines of palladium poisoning now confined near the arc reactor on his chest. Sebastian's potion had worked—truly worked. For the next five years, he wouldn't have to fear a sudden collapse, robbed of tomorrow's sunrise.
Five years, though, wasn't long to find a new element. After a moment's thought, Tony resolved to stick with his original plan: entrust Stark Industries to Pepper and hand over his Iron Man armor to his best friend, Rhodey. With most of his energy devoted to researching and discovering a new element, he'd have little time to manage the company or the suit's demands. His plan would stay unchanged.
A new idea sparked in Tony's mind. If magic existed in this world, could he harness it as a new energy source for his arc reactor? It might bypass the need to find a new element altogether.
First, though, he'd need to strengthen his bond with Sebastian. If anyone could help him tap into magical energy, it was him. Five years seemed like a lifetime, but for the challenge Tony faced, it was barely enough.
------------------------------------------
A thunderous crash echoed below, followed by a pained roar.
Sebastian stood on a darkened rooftop, peering at the chaos unfolding on the street. Two massive figures—the Hulk, Bruce Banner, and his foe, Abomination—clashed with earth-shaking force. Sebastian knew better than to get caught in their brawl.
Seizing the moment, he transformed into a swirl of black smoke, soaring into the night sky toward his target. Earlier, at home, he'd caught news reports of the Hulk and Abomination's rampage on TV. Recognizing his chance, he'd made an excuse to leave, opened a portal, and arrived here.
Following traces left by U.S. soldiers, Sebastian infiltrated a research facility once overseen by Samuel Sterns, known as Mr. Blue before his transformation. The black smoke spiraled, coalescing into Sebastian's form as he materialized in the lab. Without hesitation, he raised his wand and fired, shattering the surveillance cameras with bursts of light.
Scanning the room, he saw no sign of Sterns. A shattered jar caught his eye, Bruce Banner's blood dripping from it, pooling on the floor in a shape vaguely resembling a human head. He must've discovered his mutation and fled, Sebastian thought.
Wasting no time, he pulled out his enchanted cloth bag and waved his wand. Blood samples, jars, research documents, and computer hard drives flew toward him, vanishing into the bag's expanded interior, courtesy of the Undetectable Extension Charm. The bag, now resembling a legendary storage artifact, held everything securely.
With the lab's contents secured, Sebastian heard approaching footsteps—likely the military, S.H.I.E.L.D., or even Hydra. They wouldn't hesitate to swarm the facility once they realized what had happened. Having obtained his prize, he had no reason to linger. He dissolved into black smoke once more, vanishing from the nearly empty lab.
This black smoke form was a specialized use of Apparition, transforming teleportation into a fluid, mist-like flight. Unlike standard Apparition, it allowed for attacks during movement, greatly enhancing a wizard's agility. In his previous life, Sebastian had witnessed a massive battle between the Order of the Phoenix and Death Eaters, both sides weaving through the air as black smoke and light mist, spells flashing in a chaotic dance. Having mastered Apparition by his sixth year, Sebastian had been a prodigy in that world.
Now, the black smoke streaked across the sky like a shadowy serpent. Relishing the familiar thrill of flight, Sebastian pushed aside memories of his past life. He glanced down at the street, where the Hulk had subdued Abomination, then descended swiftly to his home's rooftop.
As he reached for the rooftop door, a sudden, chilling surge of energy from the north stopped him cold. Trembling, he turned, staring into New York's chaotic night. Nothing was visible, yet the overwhelming force was unmistakable—a power so vast it shook him to his core.
Why can I feel it when no one else seems to? he wondered. Is this magic?
Instead of heading inside, Sebastian decided to seek answers at Kamar-Taj. If anyone knew the truth behind this mysterious energy, it was the Ancient One.
Arriving at Kamar-Taj through a portal, Sebastian found Wong guarding the sanctum. The Ancient One's serene presence lingered in the air, a reminder of her wisdom and strength, though she wasn't there. Approaching Wong, Sebastian felt a quiet respect for their shared mentor, a bond that could deepen with time.
"Wong, where's Master Ancient One?" he asked.
"Master Ancient One went to Mexico. She said she had matters to investigate there."
Mexico? Sebastian's mind raced. In an instant, he connected the dots. The energy he'd felt was likely tied to Odin casting Thor and his hammer, Mjolnir, to Earth.