The Temporary Spouse (Harry Potter X Tony Stark)

Interlude: A Shot At Freedom

WARNING: This interlude has a lot of triggering content because the antagonist Chester Coil is a horrible human being who is possessive and deluded enough to think he owns Kendis. Chester is going to deadname, misgender, and be overall inappropriate with Kendis. You will also get a sneak peek into Kendis and Chester's previous violent confrontation. If this update is triggering to you at all please skip it and wait until the next update.

Now on to the regular author note. This update is short and I'm sorry about that. It's spooky season and I'm author who writes spooky shit so I'm busy right now. I want to take a moment to once again thank everyone who has left a comment (even if it's just an emoji), bookmarked, and left a kudos on this fic. It means so much to me that you are enjoying reading this fic.

I also want to make an announcement that after trying the week by week update schedule, I'm going to have to go back to bi-monthly updates! Sorry about that, but my schedule is jam packed at the moment. I also want to point out the for this fic that I created (because I'm a delulu dork) and there you might get early updates, extras I don't post on this archive, author commentary, and behind-the-scenes stuff. I suggest you check it out!

Featured Charities:
This chapter's featured charity is . It's a UK-based LGBTQ+ charity that specializes in helping abuse survivors and giving them very much-needed resources. Abuse is something that goes on a lot in the overall LGBTQ+ community and trans women (especially of color) are four times more likely to be abused than the rest of the community.

This chapter's is a fundraiser by Kenna—a trans woman who immigrated to the U.K. and escaped her abusive and toxic family. Kenna needs help funds to survive and she needs your help. Donate if you can and share if you can't!

----

It had been a long decade since they had last seen Harry Potter. Each day, each year, seemed to drag on and was colorless. Yet, the one thing he had going for him was patience. He knew if he waited long enough, one day he would see Harry again.

He pulled his legs up to his chest and shivered in the relentless cold of his prison cell. Azkahan was always cold, and no one cared enough that the prisoners died of exposure. The guards only cared about keeping them in the cells and checking them off a manifest as if they were inventorying objects and not people.

The man closed his eyes, and behind his eyelids, he could almost picture him. The details had faded a bit because of how much time had passed, but he would always remember Harry Potter. He had been beautiful; sublime the last time he had seen him.

His green eyes had been bright and almost glowing in the gloom of that cramped little apartment. Harry's eyes had shimmered with tears, and it had made him want to kiss them away. In his cell, the man wondered what Harry's tears tasted like.

Even in his pain, Harry Potter was mesmerizing. It had been 9 years, 10 months, and 24 days, and the only thing the man had left was the memory of his love.

He thought of the light brown skin, the messy, dark hair that fell in their faces, the full lips, and the scar. The scar that was a trophy of Harry's triumph over the greatest wizard who ever lived.

The sound of jingling keys ripped the man from his reverie. Even with the screams of the other prisoners, he could still hear the heavy footsteps of the approaching guards. The man was just grateful that the dementors had been destroyed during the war, and he would not be subjected to their tender mercies.

This time, the guard didn't carry a tray of food, and it was much too early for a cell inspection.

The guard slipped the keys into the lock and opened the cell doors.

"It's your lucky day, Coil."

Honey blonde hair, long and matted, fell around Chester Coil's face. Standing there, he was far from the impeccably groomed man he used to be. He had a messy, scraggly beard, and his clothing was only rags.

"What?" Chester croaked, his eyes going wide.

"Your appeal has been approved," the Guard told him. "Come on, your ride is here."

Chester just stared at him, but the Guard grabbed his arm and yanked him through the cell. He duly followed the guard down the hallway. The screams of the inmates seemed to get even louder as Chester passed.

It all happened in a blur but with a swish of a quail, his silver lime wood, basilisk core wand was in his hand again. His shaking fingers traced down the line of his precious wand. A wand Chester had only the slim hope of seeing again.

A while later, Chester stepped off the boat and onto the shore. He closed his eyes and sucked in the fresh air.

It had been a decade since he had last seen his beloved Harry. Ten years since he'd had his fingers around his neck.

"I will see you soon, my love," Chester whispered. Harry would be punished for his disobedience, and it would only be a matter of time until he learned to finally accept his place.

With a small, happy smile and a wave of his wand, Chester Coil disappeared.

---

Welp! That was your first introduction to Chester Coil and as I warned at the beginning: he is a nasty piece of work. Now, how will Chester's early release from Azkaban will affect Kendis? Well, you are going to have to wait until the next chapter. And yes, the update will be a full chapter!

The next update will drop on October 10th and that will be the last chapter that you will get week-to-week updates! I'll see you then!