Reunions and Plans
Dumbledore knocked gently on Harry's door. "Come in," Harry called out, looking up from the letter he was writing to Wanda.
"Harry, my boy, there is a couple that wants to meet you," Dumbledore said, stepping into the room.
Harry's heart skipped a beat. "It's them, isn't it? My birth parents," he said, though it wasn't a question.
Dumbledore nodded, and Harry felt a lump form in his throat as he stood up. He followed the Headmaster to the fireplace, his mouth suddenly dry as he called out, "Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts." They stepped into the green flames and emerged in Dumbledore's office.
Harry paused as he saw the two figures standing by the window. Toni was the first to notice them, her green eyes locking with Harry's. Bruce turned next, his gaze fixed on the teen behind Dumbledore. The resemblance was undeniable.
"I shall leave you three alone," Dumbledore said, closing the door behind him. Harry almost instinctively wanted to call him back, but the door shut before he could finish the thought.
The three of them stood there, staring at each other for a few seconds. Toni was the first to break the silence, letting out a sob as she rushed forward and pulled Harry into a tight hug. Harry could feel her tears soaking his shirt as she sobbed into his shoulder.
"Toni, you're going to suffocate him," Bruce said gently,
"I can't help it!" Toni replied, pulling her son even closer.
Bruce couldn't contain himself any longer and joined the hug, wrapping his arms around both Toni and Harry.
Toni and Bruce reluctantly pulled back after a few minutes, Toni cupping Harry's cheeks as she looked into his eyes. "You have to tell us everything. How do you like the school? What are your friends like? What's your favorite subject? I can't wait for you to meet your brothers," Toni rambled on, her excitement bubbling over.
Bruce noticed Harry looking slightly overwhelmed by the barrage of questions. "Why don't you give us a tour of the school?" Bruce suggested gently.
Harry nodded in relief at the suggestion. "Sure, I can do that," he said, leading them out of the door.
As they walked through the corridors of Hogwarts, Harry pointed out various classrooms and notable spots. "This is the Great Hall," he said, gesturing to the large room. "We have our meals here, and it's where the Sorting Ceremony takes place."
Toni looked around in awe, taking in the enchanted ceiling. "It's incredible," Toni muttered..
Harry smiled, feeling a bit more at ease. "Yeah, it is. And over here is the library. Hermione practically lives in there," he added with a chuckle.
Toni smiled warmly. "It sounds like I’d like her."
Harry led them to the Ravenclaw common room next. "This is where my house hang out and relax. It's really cozy."
Bruce looked around, impressed. "And what are the Houses?"
Harry explained, "There are four Houses. Gryffindor, the Brave and Courageous, which is where Ron and Hermione are. Hufflepuff, the Hard Working and Loyal. Slytherin, the Cunning and Ambitious. And my house, Ravenclaw, the Witty and Clever."
Toni and Bruce listened intently, asking questions and showing genuine interest in everything he said. By the time they finished the tour, Harry felt a bit more comfortable with his parents.
Toni looked at Harry with a warm smile. "Harry, would you like to go on a trip to London? I know a store where we can get some good clothes for you."
Harry glanced down at his clothes, suddenly very aware that he was wearing Dudley's old, baggy hand-me-downs. He hadn't really considered going back to the Muggle world, so he hadn't bothered buying any Muggle clothes. But now, with the Wizarding World out in the open, it seemed like a good idea. He nodded, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Yeah, that sounds good."
Toni took his hand gently. "We don't have to be back in the States for a while. Alfred is watching the boys, and I have a friend watching over our 'business' in the city," she explained.
Bruce groaned. "Please tell me it's not Guy."
Since Toni had gotten her Green Lantern Ring, Bruce had to deal with the other Green Lanterns popping in every now and then. He liked John the most, with Kyle being a close second. Surprisingly, he had formed a friendship with Hal, but he could not stand the ginger Green Lantern known as Guy Gardner. Knocking Guy out in front of the League, Avengers, and X-Men that one time was proof enough.
Toni grinned, placing a hand on Bruce's chest. "I'm not that cruel yet. It's Hal."
Bruce sighed in relief as Toni led Harry away. "I'm going to have to do damage control. Maybe Clark will check in on the city," he muttered to himself.
Over the course of several hours, Bruce watched in amusement as Toni took them through several stores, picking out clothes for Harry. They only broke for lunch when Toni felt a ring on her phone. She told Bruce and Harry to find a table as she walked off to answer it.
"Hello?".
Dick's voice immediately came through the line. "Does Dad know Uncle Hal took his suit and is running around the city declaring himself Bat Lantern?"
Toni had to stifle a groan. Bruce was going to kill them both. "I'll deal with it when we get back," she said, pinching her nose.
There was a pause for a few seconds before Dick spoke again, his tone more serious. "You found him, didn't you? Harry."
Toni gripped her phone tightly,. "Yeah, baby, we did," she said softly. "Next time we're over here, we'll bring you and everyone else to meet him, I promise."
Just then, Harley barged in, his voice full of excitement. "Mama! I miss you! When are you and Daddy coming back?"
Toni's heart melted at the sound of her second youngest's voice. "I miss you too, sweetheart. We'll be back soon, I promise."
Harley continued, "Okay, but hurry! I want to show you something I made!"
Toni smiled. "I can't wait to see it, Harley. We'll be home before you know it."
She hung up the phone and took a deep breath before heading back to the table where Bruce and Harry were waiting. As she approached, she saw Bruce and Harry chatting and laughing, a sight that filled her heart with joy.
"Everything okay?" Bruce asked as she sat down.
Toni nodded, a smile on her face. "Yeah, just a little situation back home. But it's all under control."
Harry looked at the menu, not recognizing most of the items listed. He felt a bit overwhelmed by the unfamiliar choices, so he decided to go with what seemed to be the safest option: a toastie and chips. As he glanced around the restaurant, he couldn't help but notice that the plates and cups were the type Aunt Petunia would have murdered someone over to get in her kitchen.
Toni turned to him with a warm smile. "So, Harry, what's your favorite subject at school?"
Harry thought for a moment before answering. "I really like Defense Against the Dark Arts. It's challenging, but it's also really interesting. And Professor Flitwick's Charms class is great too. He's a fantastic teacher."
Toni's eyes lit up with interest. "That sounds fascinating! What kind of things do you learn in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
Harry smiled, feeling more at ease. "We learn how to defend ourselves against dark creatures and curses. It's a lot of practical magic, which I enjoy. And in Charms, we learn all sorts of useful spells. Professor Flitwick makes it really fun."
As they continued their meal, Toni turned to Harry with a smile. "We heard you're quite the bookworm."
Harry nodded, feeling a bit shy. "Yeah, I love reading. It's one of my favorite things to do."
Toni's smile widened. "That's wonderful! Jason would love that. He always makes me read him Jane Austen or Shakespeare books. He's really into classic literature."
Harry's eyes lit up with interest. "Really? That's amazing. I haven't read much Jane Austen, but I do enjoy Shakespeare."
Toni nodded. "Jason has a real passion for it. So, what's your favorite series?"
Harry thought for a moment before answering. "I think my favorite series is the 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' series. It's fascinating to learn about all the magical creatures."
A few minutes of silence later, Harry looked up at his parents with a curious expression. "I've read up on Gotham and the vigilantes running around the city," he began.
Toni and Bruce exchanged a look over Harry's head before Toni nodded. "Oh? What did you find out?" she asked, her tone light but curious.
Harry hesitated for a moment before asking, "Is Iron Lantern really your bodyguard?"
Toni smiled softly, glancing at Bruce before turning back to Harry. "Iron Lantern was… well yes she’s my bodyguard."
Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That's amazing!"
Bruce and Toni exchanged another look, both of them unsure of when or how to tell their newfound son the full truth about how his disappearance had been part of why Bruce became Batman and how Toni eventually became Iron Maiden.
Bruce smiled, nodding. "She’s quite the hero. She's done a lot to protect Gotham and beyond."
As they continued their meal, Toni and Bruce began to tell Harry about his siblings. Toni's eyes sparkled with excitement as she spoke.
"You have five brothers," Toni began. "Dick, Jason, Tim, Peter, and Harley."
Bruce chuckled, adding, "Dick is a huge acrobatic fan. We've had to get him down from chandeliers more times than I can count. He's always climbing and flipping around."(He didn’t mention how two weeks ago Dick had taken out two of Penguin’s guards by flipping over them and knocking them both out by slamming their heads together.)
Toni nodded, smiling. "Jason is a big bookworm, just like you. He loves Shakespeare and Jane Austen and always begs us or Alfred to read to him. He's got such a passion for literature." (Toni didn’t mention how he was training to join his older brother and father out on patrol, preferring a more brutal take down compared to his father and brother)
Harry's eyes lit up with interest. "Really? That's amazing. I can't wait to meet him."
Bruce continued, "Tim is our little genius. He's always trying to take things apart to see how they work. We have to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't dismantle something important." (Neither mentioned how Tim had solved a simple case Bruce had been working on while half asleep after only glancing at it for several seconds)
Toni laughed softly. "And then there's Peter and Harley. They're the troublemakers. One will be the lookout while the other does something to their sibling's stuff. They're always up to some kind of mischief." (She didn’t mention how Peter had suddenly started sticking to things and after running a few tests they learned his DNA had mutated to the point where he had spider like abilities and last week Toni had to quickly pull him off the wall when a visitor had walked in)
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the city, Toni, Bruce, and Harry reluctantly headed back to Hogwarts.
Toni squeezed Harry's hand as they walked. "We'll be back in two days with your brothers and Alfred. I promise they'll love you, and Alfred has been wanting to meet you for so long."
Harry smiled, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. "I can't wait to meet them."
Bruce nodded "Before school starts, we'll take you back to the States to set up your room and everything. You'll get to meet your aunts and uncles who agreed to stay behind and watch over everything while we're here."
“That sounds amazing. I can't wait to see everything and meet everyone."
Toni wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders. "It's going to be great, Harry. Our family is finally complete with you."
"We'll see you soon, Harry," Toni said, giving him one last hug before they reluctantly parted ways.
Bruce placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Take care, son. We'll be back before you know it."
Harry nodded, feeling a sense of hope and excitement for the future. As he watched his parents leave, he couldn't help but feel that his life was finally starting to come together. He had a family who loved him.
When Harry got back to his room in Grimmauld Place, he noticed a letter on his desk with the Hogwarts stamp. Curious, he picked it up and opened it. As he unfolded the parchment, a shiny badge fell out, clinking softly on the desk. The badge had an eagle and a giant "P" on it.
Harry's eyes widened as he read the letter from Professor Flitwick:
Dear Mr. Potter,
I am pleased to inform you that you have been chosen to be the male Ravenclaw Prefect for this year. Your dedication, hard work, and exemplary behavior have not gone unnoticed, and we believe you will be an excellent role model for your fellow students.
Congratulations, Harry. I look forward to seeing you continue to excel in your new role.
Best regards,
Professor Filius Flitwick
Excited to share his news, Harry grabbed the letter and badge and headed downstairs to find Remus and Sirius. As he entered the living room, he saw Ron and Hermione already there, both wearing proud smiles and holding their own Prefect badges.
"Harry! Look!" Hermione exclaimed, holding up her badge. "Ron and I were chosen to be Prefects!"
Harry grinned, holding up his own badge. "Me too! I'm the Ravenclaw Prefect!"
Before he could say anything else, George let out a dramatic, fake wail and collapsed on Harry's shoulder. "Oh no, Harry! You were supposed to be the fun one between the trio! Now you're all Prefects! What will become of us?"
Fred joined in, shaking his head in mock despair. "It's a tragedy, really. Our dear Harry, lost to the world of responsibility and rules."
Harry laughed, gently pushing George off his shoulder. "Don't worry, George. I'll still be fun. I promise."
Sirius and Remus entered the room, curious about the commotion. "What's all this about?" Sirius asked, looking at the badges in their hands.
Harry beamed, holding up his letter and badge. "I was chosen to be the male Ravenclaw Prefect this year!"
Remus's face lit up. "That's fantastic, Harry! Congratulations!"
Sirius grinned, ruffling Harry's hair. "Well done, kiddo. We're proud of you."
Dumbledore sat in a dimly lit room, surrounded by several powerful magic users. He noted the presence of Stephen Strange, the new Sorcerer Supreme, John Constantine, Zatanna, a blonde woman named Clea, Amanda Sefton, Doctor Druid, and Agatha Harkness.
Agatha Harkness glanced at Dumbledore, slightly wary. "Why did you call us here, Dumbledore?" she asked.
Dumbledore leaned forward, his eyes serious. "Tell me, what do any of you know about Horcruxes?"
The room fell silent as the question hung in the air. Stephen Strange was the first to speak. "Horcruxes are dark magical objects created by splitting one's soul and embedding a fragment of it into an object. It's a form of immortality, but at a terrible cost."
Constantine nodded. "Yeah, it's some of the darkest magic out there. It’s forbidden to speak of them in most places."
Zatanna's eyes widened in realization. "Are you saying that Voldemort has created Horcruxes?"
Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "Yes, I believe he has. This is why he has been able to return from the dead. We need to find and destroy these Horcruxes to truly defeat him."
Clea leaned forward. "Do you have any idea how many Horcruxes he might have created?"
Dumbledore sighed. "I suspect he has created multiple Horcruxes, but I do not know the exact number. That is why I have called you all here. We need to pool our knowledge and resources to locate and destroy them."
Amanda Sefton spoke up. "I'll do whatever it takes to help. This kind of dark magic cannot be allowed to persist."
Doctor Druid nodded in agreement. "Indeed. We must work together to put an end this abomination once and for all."
Agatha Harkness leaned back in her chair, her eyes thoughtful. "It's going to be a difficult and dangerous task, but I do enjoy a challenge."
Dumbledore reached into his robes and carefully pulled out a small, tattered book. The cover was blackened and scorched, and the pages were charred at the edges. He placed it on the table in front of him, and the others leaned in to get a closer look.
"This," Dumbledore began, "is the destroyed diary of Tom Riddle. I believe it was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes."
Strange examined the diary closely. "How did you come to possess this?"
Dumbledore sighed. "It was brought to me by Harry Potter. He encountered it during his second year at Hogwarts. The diary had the ability to possess and control those who wrote in it. I managed to destroy it using a basilisk fang."
Constantine whistled softly. "A basilisk fang, huh? That's some serious venom. Perfect for destroying dark magic."
Zatanna nodded in agreement.
Clea looked thoughtful. "If this was one of the Horcruxes, it means we have a starting point. We need to find the others and destroy them in a similar manner."
"We should also consider what objects Voldemort might have chosen for his other Horcruxes. They would likely be items of great significance to him."
Druid scowls at the diary "We need to be thorough in our search. Each Horcrux we destroy brings us one step closer to defeating that monster for good."