Return to Britian
Harry sat on his bed, packing his suitcase. His time at Wayne Manor was coming to an end, and the start of the new school year at Hogwarts was just around the corner. He knew he needed to head back to Britain soon to get his school shopping done, and the thought of returning to the magical world filled him with a mix of excitement and apprehension.
As he folded his robes and placed them neatly in the suitcase, Harry's thoughts were spinning. Just that morning, he had received a message from Sirius through the enchanted mirror they used to communicate. Sirius had informed him that the Animagus potion was ready, and Harry's mind had been racing ever since, trying to imagine what his Animagus form would be.
Would he transform into a lion? Or perhaps an hawk? The possibilities seemed endless, and Harry couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.
Harry looked up just in time to see Jason walk past the door, sporting a fresh shiner on his eye. "Surprised Cass again, didn't you?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jason collapsed onto Harry's bed with a dramatic sigh. Harry quickly reached out and caught one of his books before it hit the floor, sending Jason an annoyed look.
"It's been two months!" Jason yelled, frustration evident in his voice. "And she still hasn't relaxed around any of us. She hasn't even talked!"
Harry sighed "Yeah, I know. Mum said we just have to be patient."
Jason groaned, rubbing his bruised eye. "I get it, but it's like she's a ghost or something."
Jason sighed and then turned to Harry with a hopeful expression. "Do you really have to go back to Britain? There's a magical school in Massachusetts—Ilvermuney or something."
"It's Ilvermorny," Harry corrected, shaking his head. "And no, I have to go back to Hogwarts. It's where I belong, and I need to finish what I started there."
Jason left the room with a sigh, and Harry followed after him, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. Over the course of his stay at Wayne Manor, Harry had noticed his family behaving oddly. There were too many unexplained events and coincidences that couldn't be ignored.
His father, Bruce, and Dick would often disappear together at night, only to reappear early in the morning, neither seeming to be aware of Harry's nocturnal vigilance—a habit he had developed during his years at the Dursleys and Hogwarts .
There was also the time he had sworn he saw Peter climbing a wall with his bare hands. It had been a brief moment, but when Harry doubled back to see if it was real, Peter was being held by one of the adults, as if nothing unusual had happened.
Harry's mind raced with questions as he followed Jason down the hallway. The pieces of the puzzle didn't quite fit, but he was determined to figure out what was going on.
"Hey, Jason," Harry called out, his tone casual but probing. "What's the deal with everyone around here? I've noticed some... strange things."
Jason paused, glancing over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "Strange things? What do you mean?"
Harry shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Just, you know, people disappearing at odd hours, and... other stuff. Like Peter climbing walls."
Jason's eyes widened for a split second before he composed himself. "Peter climbing walls? You're seeing things," he said with a forced chuckle.
Harry wasn't convinced.
As Harry and Jason walked down the hallway, they saw Peter running after a laughing Johnny Storm. Harry wasn't exactly sure about the relationship between them, but Jason had mentioned that their uncle Steve was Johnny and his sister Sue's grandfather. Jason had even claimed that Steve had been frozen for several decades before being thawed out, which sounded rather unbelievable to Harry.
Watching the two boys play, Harry's mind buzzed with questions. How had Steve ended up frozen in the first place? And how had he been thawed out? These were the kinds of mysteries that intrigued Harry, and he knew exactly who to turn to for answers.
Harry made a mental note to ask Hermione to do some digging on his family's friends when he returned to England. He didn't want to risk any of his family members walking in on him while he was conducting his research here.
Harry returned to his room to finish packing, his thoughts drifting back to the Gala he had been forced to attend a few days back. The event had been filled with Gotham's elite, the rich muggles of the city who had all been very interested in the newly found oldest Wayne child. Harry had not been too pleased with the curious looks and probing questions sent his way all evening.
Thankfully, the attention eventually shifted to Damian and Cassandra, giving Harry some much-needed space. The evening came to an amusing end when one of the wealthy women in attendance decided to pinch Cassandra's cheek. Cassandra, taking offense, had promptly flipped the woman over her shoulder and through a food table.
Jason had cackled like a mad man at the turn of events, while Pepper Potts, who had been overseeing the evening's proceedings, looked on in mounting horror.
Harry couldn't help but frown when he spotted Alfred carrying the infant down the stairs. Bruce and Toni had claimed that Damian was the result of a sperm donation Bruce had made years ago, long before meeting Toni. According to their story, Damian's mother had died at birth, and the hospital had reached out to Bruce about the situation.
Harry hadn't fully believed the story. Dick and Jason's reactions had suggested they were equally skeptical. There were too many unanswered questions, and the whole situation felt off.
Then there was Cassandra. She was introduced as the child of a family friend, but neither Bruce nor Toni would disclose whose child she actually was.
Harry shook his head and flicked his wand with a grin, and the suitcase snapped shut with a click. The past few weeks had brought more surprises than he could have ever anticipated. Among them was a note from Dumbledore, as well as one from the Ministry of Magic, informing him that the Statue of Secrecy had been dissolved since the Wizarding World had been forced into the open, and as a result, students were now allowed to use magic outside of school.
The letters emphasized that while magic could now be used more freely, the Ministry expected all students to act responsibly, especially in the presence of muggles.
Harry couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at the newfound freedom. No more sneaking around or worrying about getting caught for using magic outside of Hogwarts. The possibilities seemed endless.
Harry glanced out the window, taking in the view of Gotham. Recently, the city had learned of a hidden block within the itslef, teeming with witches and wizards. This magical enclave had put down the anti-Muggle wards once the riots had calmed, revealing themselves to the other Gothamites.
The news had spread quickly, and it wasn't long before several of Gotham's notorious villains attempted to stake a claim on the block. However, they soon found themselves hauling ass as far away as possible when the witches and wizards proved to be more than capable of keeping them out.
The Joker had apparently been sent into a coma after he didn’t get the hint, though no one knew if this was true
The second they had learned of this, many Muggles had also taken an interest in the area, trying to get a house within the magical block.
The magical community had their own new vigilante, a witch who had taken on the name Morganna Le Fay. She had made it her mission to patrol the block and keep criminals at bay.
There were even whispers that Morganna had almost clashed with Batman and Robin during one of her nightly patrols. It seemed that Gotham's Dark Knight and his trusty sidekick had crossed paths with the powerful witch, and while the details were scarce, the mere thought of such an encounter sent a thrill through Harry's mind. His father’s eye seemed to tick whenever she was mentioned though.
Harry levitated his trunk down the stairs, keeping an eye out for anyone who might be in the way. As he descended, Peter and the younger kids saw the floating suitcase and couldn't resist trying to jump on and latch onto it.
To Harry's suspicion, Peter seemed especially determined, managing to stick to the suitcase with an almost uncanny grip. Just as Harry was about to intervene, Steve appeared and gently pulled Peter off the suitcase.
"Peter, you need to let Harry finish packing," Steve said with a smile, setting the boy down.
Peter pouted but obediently stepped back, giving Harry a mischievous grin.
Alfred stepped into the room with Toni behind him "Master Harry, I'll help you take your suitcase to the car," he offered.
"Thanks, Alfred," Harry replied, grateful for the assistance.
As they began to move the suitcase, Toni entered the room and caught sight of Peter. She gave him a stern look, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Peter, how many times have I told you not to use your powers around Harry?" she scolded.
Peter pouted and mumbled an apology, "Sorry, Mom."
Steve, who had been observing the interaction, stepped to his teammate. "When are you planning to tell Harry the truth about our... vigilante activities?" he asked.
Toni sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I don't know how to break it to him," she admitted. "It's not exactly an easy conversation to have. And with Bruce being out more often at night with Dick, it's just been... complicated."
Toni sighed and knelt down to Peter's eye level, she reached out and tilted his chin so his eyes met hers. "Peter," she said softly, "I need you to listen to me."
Peter's eyes widened slightly "Yes, Mom?"
"I expect you to behave on the trip to Britain," Toni continued "Can you do that for me?"
Peter nodded slowly, his pout disappearing. "I promise, Mom. I'll be good."
Toni smiled, giving his chin a kiss to his forehead. "That's my boy. Thank you, Peter."
As the family prepared to leave Toni scooped up a pouting Tim, who immediately began to grumble.
"Mom, I'm too old to be held," Tim protested, crossing his arms.
Toni chuckled softly, adjusting her hold on him. "You can tell me that when you hit double digits, Timmy," she replied with a playful smile.
Harley approached him with a pout. "Do you really have to go, Harry?" he asked, his voice filled with sadness.
Harry knelt down and ruffled Harley's hair affectionately. "Yeah, I have to go to school, Harley," he said with a warm smile. "But I promise I'll be back for Christmas. And I'll write to you while I'm away."
Harley's expression brightened slightly at the promise. "You better write to me a lot!" he demanded, trying to sound stern but failing to hide his excitement.
Harry chuckled and nodded. "I will, I promise. We'll keep in touch, and before you know it, I'll be back here with all sorts of stories to tell."
The plane ride seemed to drag on, with Harry staring out the window, his mind drifting. He could hear the news playing on the in-flight screen, the anchor discussing the latest developments in the world.
"Several Magical Communities have joined NATO," the news anchor reported, Harry only half-listened, his thoughts elsewhere. However, the next segment caught his attention. The anchor began talking about magical creatures that had been confirmed to be real, showing images of dragons, krakens, yetis, ghosts, and unicorns.
Peter, Tim, and Harley were utterly captivated by the images on the screen. Their eyes widened in amazement as they watched footage of a Horntail soaring through the sky, a kraken emerging from the depths of the ocean, and a yeti trudging through the snow-covered mountains.
"Look at that!" Peter exclaimed, pointing at the screen. "A real dragon!"
Tim bounced up and down. "And a yeti! I can't believe it!"
"I want to see a unicorn!" Harley said with wide-eyed wonder.
Across from them, Bruce leaned over to Toni, a smirk. He showed her his Starkpad. The screen showed Vernon, Petunia, and Marge Dursley being dragged kicking and screaming out of their house by law enforcement, much to the curiosity of their neighbors who had gathered to watch the spectacle.
The scene shifted to Dudley being led out in handcuffs, looking bewildered and defeated. Apparently, the authorities had found illegal substances in his room, adding to the charges against the Dursley family.
Toni and Bruce exchanged satisfied smiles, both feeling a sense of justice being served. "Seems like karma finally caught up with them," Bruce remarked quietly.
Toni nodded in agreement. "It's about time. Harry deserves so much better than what they put him through." Toni paused for a minute "Bruce, have you ever thought about expanding the family more?" she asked.
Bruce looked at her curiously, raising an eyebrow. "Are you talking about having another kid?"
Toni nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "This would be around the time we agreed to have more kids after the triplets' birth."
Bruce leaned back in his seat, considering her words. "I remember.With everything that's happened, I guess I hadn't really thought about it lately."
Toni reached over and gently squeezed his hand. "I know things have been hectic, but I've been thinking about it more and more. I love our family, and with Harry with us now I thought it would be time to put another little Wayne in the world."
As Bruce leaned in to kiss Toni, Jason's voice rang out, "Hey, there are children present!"
Tim, Peter, and Harley immediately made disgusted noises as Bruce raised an eyebrow at their antics.
"Ready for another heathen?" he muttered, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Toni chuckled, glancing at Damian, who was dozing peacefully. "Well, Damian could use a playmate."
Bruce sighed, looking away for a moment as he considered the idea. "Yeah, I guess he could," he muttered.
Toni sighed softly as she brushed a finger against Damian's cheek. Taking care of him had made her realize just how much she missed those early days when all of her children were in diapers.
Damian's green eyes and black hair gave him a resemblance to Toni, almost as if he could be her own biological child. The only hint of his true heritage was the darker skin, a testament to Talia's lineage.
Toni glanced over to where the triplets were eagerly grilling Harry about the magical creatures they had seen on the news. Off to the side, Cassandra stood silently, observing everyone with her keen eyes. For the past two months, Toni had tried everything she could think of to get Cassandra to talk, but the girl remained resolutely silent. It was as if a barrier separated her from the rest of the family, and no matter how hard Toni tried, she couldn't break through it.
As the plane continued its journey, Toni's thoughts shifted to the reports from John and Kyle about the new Lantern Corp in the galaxy. She couldn't help but feel a sense of dread at the prospect. It was only a matter of time before she would be called to Oa, along with the other Lanterns, to be briefed by the Guardians.
The thought of being away from her kids and Bruce for any extended period filled her with unease.
As the plane began to descend hours later, Toni let out a weary sigh. The realization that her time with Harry was drawing to a close weighed heavily on her heart. For the foreseeable future, he would be back at Hogwarts, away from them.
She hated the thought that Harry had flat out refused to change schools, even with the looming threat of the Dark Lord being after him. Despite the danger, Harry's determination to remain at Hogwarts was unwavering. He believed it was where he belonged, where he could make the most difference.
As the family exited the plane, they made their way to the cars provided by the British Ministry of Magic. Several members of this 'Order of the Phoenix' that Toni had heard about from Constantine and Strange were waiting to escort them, Strange having been given an earful by both Toni and Bruce about the now-deceased Ancient One.
Toni carefully slid into the car, cradling a sleeping Damian in her arms. Harley quickly climbed into her lap, curling up contentedly. She glanced around the strangely roomy car, noting it far more spacious than it appeared from the outside.
Her attention was drawn to Jason, who had just entered the car and was settling into his seat. As he glanced toward the front, his eyes widened slightly, and a blush crept across his cheeks. Toni followed his gaze and couldn't help but smirk when she saw the cause of his reaction.
A pink-haired woman had gotten into the passenger seat, her vibrant hair drawing her attention.
The trip was short, and before they knew it, they had arrived at their destination. Tonks handed each of them a piece of paper to read, and as they did, a whole apartment building suddenly appeared before them. Harry couldn't help but grumble about the apartment as he led his family inside.
As they entered the building, Toni and Bruce could hear a woman screeching somewhere deeper in the house. A man’s voice, equally loud, yelled back at her to shut up. Moments later, the source of the commotion emerged. His hair was a mess, but his face lit up with joy as he spotted Harry.
"Harry!" he exclaimed, pulling the teen into a tight hug. Harry eagerly returned the embrace, a wide smile spreading across his face.
Turning to face the rest of the family, the man extended his hand with a welcoming grin. "Nice to finally meet you guys. I'm Sirius, Harry's Godfather."
Bruce shook Sirius's hand firmly. "We've heard a lot about you," Bruce replied. Both he and Toni exchanged a knowing glance, recalling the late nights spent researching Harry's connections in the magical world. "It's good to finally meet you."
A plump woman entered the room next, her face lighting up as she spotted Harry. She pulled him into a warm hug. "Harry, dear, a room has been set up for you already," she said, her voice filled with affection.
Turning to face the Waynes, she offered a kind smile. "We've prepared a couple of rooms for all of you as well if you'd like to spend the night here."
Toni and Bruce exchanged a glance "Thank you," Toni replied. "We appreciate it."
The red-haired woman led them through the cozy apartment, guiding them to their rooms. "I'm Molly Weasley," she introduced herself. "It's so wonderful to finally meet all of you. Harry has told us so much about his new family."
Across the apartment in his room, Harry sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes locked onto Sirius. "Sirius, what's the Ministry doing to prepare for the war?" Harry asked "And what about Dumbledore? What are they planning?"
Sirius sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "The Ministry is taking the threat seriously," he began. "They've increased security measures and are working to bolster the Auror department. But there's still a lot of bureaucracy and red tape to wade through. It's frustratingly slow, especially with that suit of armor revealing us to the muggles."
"And Dumbledore?" Harry pressed "What about the Order of the Phoenix?"
"We are doing everything we can," Sirius replied, before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red vial. He held it up, the liquid inside glinting in the dim light.
"Are you ready?" Sirius asked, his gaze unwavering.
Harry reached out and took the vial from Sirius "I'm ready," he said firmly.
With a nod from Sirius, Harry uncorked the vial and downed it.