Chapter 2
Dorea looked at her father's three pupils who seemed to ogle her and at her own father who seemed rather uncomfortable while Alfred poured another cup of tea and announced that the doctor had arrived at their house.
This had been a rollercoaster that started three months ago when she decided it was time to go through her parents' things and she found her Muggle adoption certificate and a certificate of a blood adoption made at St. Mungo's.
She went to the hospital to look for answers and the doctor who spoke to her brought out her parents' records for her to see. This would be very illegal in the muggle world, but in the wizarding world and as the lady of the noble house she could see the medical records of any member of the family. It didn't matter if he was dead or alive.
Her father had azoospermia, or a zero sperm count. Her mother had been injured by a Death Eater and had to have an emergency hysterectomy. Because of that they had not been able to have children on their behalf.
On the night of August 3, 1980, they had arrived at the hospital with a newborn baby with blonde hair and light eyes, with a large magical nucleus. The hospital hadn't asked any questions, it wasn't unusual for pureblood couples who couldn't have children to get a newborn muggleborn and do a blood adoption. But James and Lily Potter had only asked for a partial adoption, not the full one that would completely replace the DNA of Dorea's biological parents.
Dorea was shocked and told the Weasleys. She surprisingly found great comfort in Mrs. Weasley's words.
-If they didn't do a complete adoption it must be because they wanted you to meet your biological parents, Dorea. I think it would be good for you to look them up.
So Dorea had started searching for her biological parents using a squib investigator that the goblins recommended. There was nothing to prevent bad blood between them, especially after robbing a dragon and a bank, like threatening to tell the truth about a goblin having betrayed a promise to a wizard. They knew the business would go down if she spoke, so now she was best friends with the goblins without having to say a single threatening word.
The investigator took her to a very expensive, very private and possibly very illegal American adoption agency. There she met the woman who carried out her adoption and said that her parents were specifically looking for a baby with certain characteristics born on July 31. That made Dorea feel bad.
She wasn't the prophecy girl, it was Neville. But... her parents had created another candidate to fill the position. She didn't know if it had been by accident, Dumbledore's order, or a desire to please. Or maybe to protect Neville
The result was the same
She had only been adopted because she met the conditions of the prophecy. One by chance, another by adoption.
-They had been in the process several times. – Said the woman from the agency. – I introduced them to several Muggle-borns, but they didn't want them. Even that day, there was another couple with them who could have adopted you. But they chose you.
-Do you know about magic?
-I am an eighth part Veela, without magic but still with beauty. They said they felt a bond with you, I felt it too, your magic was so compatible with theirs... And they adopted you over that other couple who also came from that Order of the Phoenix. They should speak more quietly if they don't want people to find out about their conversations.
-And who are my parents?
The woman reviewed the file.
-Your mother's name is Selina Kyle and she is a criminal known as Catwoman, an internationally known jewel thief. There is no name of a father on the birth certificate. And you were born in… Arkham Asilum, a psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane
That day she learned what Arkham was and a quick Google search told her everything she needed to know about her biological mother. White collar thief. Fast, agile and intelligent. A queen of escape. Her main heists happened in Gotham, but she had also stolen jewels all over the world. It seemed interesting that mother and daughter had robbed banks.
She was currently in Arkham, so Dorea began the procedures to see her.
Very long, complicated and frustrating procedures that were designed to prevent Arkham residents from receiving visitors. Still, a little money in the right pockets and a little patience paid off for her and three months later she managed to see her mother.
She seemed surprised to see her. At first she didn't recognize her. But when she did the woman smiled for a second.
-I would never have looked for you. - Had said. – Obviously you were adopted by people who could give you more than I could ever dream of. And better to be a normal person than the daughter of an internationally famous criminal. I may not be a very good person, but even I have a limit of what I consider correct.
She had been cold in that sense. But then the woman had worried about her. The part of Dorea that she trusted the most, her instinct, told her that her mother didn't want to use her to escape from her. That she had loved her in her own way and part of her love was leaving her. Even so, the Arkham guards made sure to tell her and stress to her that Selina Kyle would use any and all means to escape from her cell.
If only they knew she could create a portkey out of a single strand of hair and help her escape with it! Or appear!
Towards the end of the meeting Selina had looked at her with warm eyes.
-You were an accident that occurred when I was trying to steal a set of jewelry that belonged to the mother of Bruce Wayne, the biggest tycoon in the city. You are her daughter. They didn't believe me at the time, but DNA tests are very good now and you can confirm the truth.
-Again with that? – the psychologist who monitored the session sighed. – Selina, you must put aside your illusion of having had sex with the most important man in Gotham.
-Not just sex, darling. I'm sure he wanted to marry me. I was tempted to accept, but this cat has no owner. It's a shame you lost the blonde hair and blue eyes you were born with, Megan. But looking good, now you look like Martha Wayne, maybe Bruce will let you take the test
What Dorea hadn't expected when she went to Wayne Manor was a warm welcome from the butler and a positive same-day DNA test.
-Where are you staying?
-I have a room at the Mayflower Hotel on the street….
-Unacceptable. Alfred, prepare the green room in the south wing. Dorea will stay there as long as she is in town. – Bruce cut Dorea's words off quickly, surprising her.
-I don't want to be a bother. Really not.
-You British people are very polite. But he says this for your own good. – Damian sat next to her. He had a brother, a little brother. – You are the daughter of the richest man in the city, your life is now worth much more than this morning to each and every one of the criminals in Gotham. I wouldn't be surprised if they had already raided your room or something else.
-Oh my God. Kreacher is in my hotel room
-Kreacher? Have you brought a pet? – Jason seemed surprised, but Dorea glared at him.
-No, he is the butler of the Black family, the Dukes of Ravensmore. He is ninety-two years old and he won't let me come alone. – Dorea got up. – If I'm going to stay here for my own safety, Kreacher will also need accommodation.
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Kreacher was fine and no one had yet tried to enter Dorea's room. She sighed with relief as the old man advanced with a firmer step than many younger ones. He quickly packed Dorea's bags and in less than five minutes she was outside the hotel.
It seemed like she had been just in time, because an explosion was heard in the hotel just as they began to move through traffic. Dick got out of the car and Dorea turned around worried.
-Dick is a police officer, if there are problems he should be there. – Jason smiled at Dorea. - I work as a private detective.
-Where is the car with Tim and Bruce? Weren't they in front of us?
Dorea looked out the windshield without seeing the expensive car that she had to be a few meters in front of them and that had now disappeared.
-It's normal, in Gotham there is a lot of crime, so they have taken an alternative route. Especially considering that you are the most likely target. As Damian said, your life is worth much more now than it was this morning.
-I don't want anyone else to be in danger because of me. – Jason's look seemed strange at that moment.
-Has anyone been in danger because of you before?
-Lady Dorea had problems with a cult leader. He fell in love with her when she was eleven years old and that man's way of showing her love was by killing Lady Dorea. In the end Lady Dorea managed to kill him when she was seventeen years old. – Kreacher spoke quickly, remembering the alibi they had agreed upon and which was legally true. – Even so, Lady Dorea was about to die, her heart stopped for more than thirty seconds before they managed to resuscitate her.
-That must have been hard.
-Yes, but everything is fine now. I just wish all the cultists had been captured by now.
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Jason was finishing up quick research on him on the internet as Red Hood when Batman, Robin, Red Robin and Nightwing arrived.
-How about at the hotel?
-They were small-time thugs. – Robin sat in the chair and turned away from him, one of the few signs of childishness that he allowed himself. – They seemed opportunistic, but the question is who gave them the information and how much has been leaked. To whom has the information about my sister reached?
Nightwing went to the closet and picked up more weapons.
-Robin believes that those thugs were being used by a bigger fish. They would kidnap her and then the biggest fish would take her from the bullies and we would waste time chasing those mindundis while the real player had his hands on Dorea.
-That's smart. How did it occur to you?
-It's what I would have done. – Red Hood was grateful that his mask covered his grimace. He sometimes forgot who the current Robin had grown up with.
-Well, you should see what I have found out about Dorea.
-Is it something shady?
-Yes, but she is clean. Twenty years ago the leader of a cult in London had a drug-induced vision or hallucination in which he saw himself defeated by a child born at the death of the seventh month. He thought it was Dorea and went to her house, killed her adoptive parents and almost killed her if it weren't for an explosion. He was believed dead, but after Dorea turned eleven he began trying to kill her again. – Red Hood moved the police reports to the screen. – That guy had the police bought. But the incidents escalated until Dorea was seventeen years old. She had to spend a year running away from her until the man cornered her and she had to kill him to save her life. The bad thing is that they have not put all the members of the sect in jail and it seems that several of them have tried to reach her in the last three years.
Batman sat in his chair and looked at the screen before rubbing his eyes with his hand in a tired gesture.
-Alfred, I need you to investigate this. No wonder Dorea didn't tell us, she wouldn't want to scare us. –He went to the part of the file where the photos of the injuries were seen. Red Hood had already seen them and felt disgusted.
Stabs, burns, strangulation marks,… All in a developing, very young body. Someone had even engraved the phrase “I must not tell lies” on the back of his hand.
Everyone knew that Bruce would be blaming himself right now. For not being there. For not being able to protect her from her.
-Will we tell her who we are?
-Maybe in the future, but not at the moment. At the moment this is already too much for her.