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Chapter 172: The Feeling of Being a Father
🕑 Added 2025-05-29 13:32:16 +0000 UTCNew York, inside Rickard’s private biotech lab.
Noah and Professor Snape quietly appeared in Rickard’s office, startling the man.
However, the Imperius Curse was still in effect. Rickard quickly recognized them and didn’t overreact.
“You’re finally here. Any later, and the baby’s crying would’ve alerted the entire lab to what I’ve been up to,” Dr. Rickard muttered, opening a hidden door behind a bookshelf.
It was clear Snape hadn’t used the Imperius Curse too strongly—if he had, Rickard would be acting like a loyal puppy, not complaining.
After all, Snape was no Voldemort. He didn’t dare to push black magic too far.
As they slowly made their way underground, Noah glanced around. This was his first time here, but neither he nor Snape seemed too concerned.
Snape appeared nervous. Noah, on the other hand, looked a little excited.
“How’s the preparation for the birth?” Noah asked casually.
“Everything’s ready. While there’s no breast milk, I arranged for fresh milk from a Scottish ranch. Diapers, formula, baby clothes—all taken care of. I think we’re covered,” Snape replied, trying to stay calm.
Maybe small talk helped him manage the anxiety.
“Really? Sounds thorough. But I do have a question.” Noah rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“What is it?” Snape looked at him, wary.
“If you’re teaching at Hogwarts, do you plan on bringing her to class?”
“Well…”
“Honestly, I think it might be easier if you found a mother for her.”
“No. I’ll hire a professional caregiver.”
The moment “mother” came up, Snape’s expression changed. Clearly, he hadn’t considered that possibility at all.
Noah didn’t press. It wasn’t his business—he just offered a suggestion.
As they descended further into the basement, Noah began to hear movement from within.
He tensed, slipping a hand into his pocket and casting a quick glance at Snape.
Ever since the incident in Hungary, Noah had grown to respect mental magic like the Imperius Curse.
Who knew if Victor had broken free from it? But Alexander Corvinus—he wouldn’t be that easy to control.
And when it came to S.H.I.E.L.D., Noah always remained skeptical.
With Hydra infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D., trust was a rare thing. And Noah never underestimated technology’s hidden reach.
Thankfully, his caution turned out to be unnecessary.
There was only one person in the lab below—a man Noah knew well: Dr. Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, hunched over a monitor in frustration.
“Hank, what’s the situation?” Rickard called out.
“Damn it! Finally! I’m no geneticist, but with all my years in biology, I can tell this kid’s about to wake up!”
Dr. Pym looked up sharply, clearly stressed.
“Then why didn’t you just hit the activation switch? This is bionic tech—pressing the switch would let the system handle the delivery.”
“You told me to monitor the child’s vitals, not to operate the machine!” Pym grumbled. He glanced briefly at Snape and Noah, but returned to his work without fuss.
He'd learned not to fear them. Even Darren Cross, his former assistant, hadn’t been harmed—just had a few memories erased with surgical precision.
It hadn’t affected Cross’s behavior. He was still the same, minus the ability to recall certain classified events.
The only one truly under control was Dr. Rickard. Pym could see that clearly. And he had no desire to cross the people who wielded such terrifying magic.
Once Rickard rejoined them, the process became smoother. With Pym watching the instruments, things moved quickly.
To be honest, the fusion of magic and black tech was terrifying. They were building things in the 1990s that shouldn’t exist until decades later.
“No wonder Tony Stark ignored the laws of tech progression. He just imagined something and built it. Are all scientists in this world cursed with genius? Just to different degrees?”
While Noah pondered this, a baby’s loud cry echoed through the room.
Snape rushed over. The newborn was tiny, wrinkled, and a bit… well, ugly.
“Wow. A newborn baby. A brand-new life, Professor.”
Noah whistled softly, watching Snape hold the baby wrapped in a sterile white towel, his hands trembling.
He didn’t say anything bad—Noah knew enough to understand this was normal for newborns.
At least he didn’t have to deal with the “gory miracle of life” like his med student friends rotating through OB/GYN.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Snape asked, his voice trembling as he stared at the baby girl.
“Well, she might be beautiful in the future, but right now…”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Nothing! Really. No need to take it the wrong way. Look—she opened her eyes. Isn’t that beautiful?”
“Indeed. Very beautiful…”
Snape gazed at the almond-shaped green eyes of his daughter, momentarily lost in a daze.
Then the baby’s cries intensified, snapping him back to reality in a panic.
---
The next day, back at Hogwarts…
“Noah, you look awful. You sure you don’t want to come to the Room of Requirement?” Evan asked, eyeing Noah who lay in bed, unmoving.
“Nope. I was up all night. I’m wiped. You guys go ahead,” Noah mumbled, burying his head under the covers. “Close the curtains, please. Damn that Professor Snape…”
“Alright, we get it. Rest up—classes start tomorrow.” Kenn gave Evan a helpless pat before dragging Lance out of the room.
Noah had been through hell. Snape had no idea how to soothe a crying baby. Rickard and Pym, despite being fathers, were completely clueless too.
After all, hospitals had always handled that part for them.
Eventually, they rushed to a better hospital. Appointments and queues meant nothing when you had magic and money.
The doctors were baffled by the child’s origin and the absence of a mother, but Noah and the others smoothed things over with just the right spells—and cash.
They got a special care ward, and four grown men ended up camping there all night.
Noah escaped at sunrise, rushing back to Hogwarts. Snape, on the other hand, stayed behind, unwilling to leave his daughter’s side.
Noah didn’t have time for that.
---
In his system’s library dimension, Noah stretched and looked around.
There were too many books. As his strength grew, so did the library’s collection.
He was only at level four, yet he couldn’t even finish half the books here.
It was overwhelming—even with time running four times slower in this space. Between meditation and study, he still hadn’t made enough progress.
Sitting down, he summoned a book titled “Intermediate Elemental Magic” and began reading.
While his teacher, the Ancient One, had knowledge of elemental magic, it wasn’t her specialty. She was more proficient in space, soul, and time magic, thanks to the Time Stone.
Elemental magic was more of a footnote in her training.
Still, the book provided solid foundational theories—though much of it, Noah had already learned. He thirsted for more.
“Space magic is powerful, sure. But without the Sling Ring and enchanted pendants, my spellcasting feels limited. Still, I won’t abandon elemental magic.”
Noah made up his mind. Elemental magic might not be flashy now, but it had potential—and he wasn’t about to give it up.
---
