Summary: A flash of green light ends they're lives, and gives purpose to his. Forged through the hellish rigors of violent training and combat, one figure seeks to end the desolate death and destruction that plagues the wizarding world. It was fear that enslaved them and yet it will be fear that saves them. A symbol of hope for the innocent and a menacing wraith for the malevolent, evil will learn that ghost stories can come to life. It will learn to beware the Specter.
Disclaimer: Beginning with the obvious I do not own Harry Potter in any way, shape or form. Nor do I own Batman in any kind of way. However, I do think that everyone might enjoy seeing how Harry lives Bruce's life in a most magical way.
Authors Notes: If you haven't noticed, this story is ridiculously AU. This idea just sort of came to me and now I have to put words to paper. I would really appreciate some company on this journey and maybe advice if you're interested in betaing. So please don't hide those lovely thoughts in your head. Let me know how you honestly feel about this story. I've always felt that it is the author that provides the metaphorical clay of the story, but it is the reader who shapes it with their analysis, their emotion, and time invested in to the story. So don't hold back, because I sure as hell won't.
Beware the Specter
There has been many a ghost story told that begin in the same ominous manner. The haunting phrase "it was a dark and stormy night" has been terrifying those unfortunate souls that sit around the campfire, toasting marshmallows as far back as anyone can remember. However that is not how this ghost story begins. This one begins on a cool autumn afternoon. The warmth giving sun is setting on the horizon but the blowing wind alludes to a fast approaching winter. Leaves are scattered on the ground in a dazzling array of different colored leaves. Deep reds, golden yellows and vibrant oranges paint a beautiful picture of life on the ground. But the best part was not the color of the leaves, or the picture that they painted on the ground. The best part about autumn leaves is the delightful crunching sound that they make when you step on them. At least that is the answer you'd get if you asked young Harry Potter what the best part about autumn leaves were.
To Harry, stepping on leaves was the only reason that he did his yard chores without complaint. And as he walked back with his parents to the apparition point, Harry could barely contain the excitement he felt. He had just finished watching a Professional Quidditch match and he was all but bursting with joy.
"Dad!" Harry exclaimed, "Did you see how far down that dive went? I thought he was going to crash but he didn't. And he was going so fast too!"
James Potter chuckled. "Yes, it was very impressive. You know Harry, I used to do that too before I became an auror." Harry stopped skipping abruptly, his face a mask of shock.
"You played Quidditch too?" he asked.
"Not professionally like the people today, but I was captain of the Gryffindor Lions at Hogwarts. I was pretty spectacular if I do say so myself." Lily Potter rolled her eyes as James boasted about past Quidditch glory to her son.
"Will you show me how to fly like you, Dad? Please?" Harry begged.
James stopped walking and crouched down to look Harry in the eye.
"Harry, I promise to show you how to fly like a pro. How about we grab some brooms after breakfast tomorrow and make a day of it out on the pitch. How does that sound?"
Harry whooped in joy. Flying had been all he could think about for the past few months. The first time Harry had been up on a broom with his dad had been indescribable. It had seemed like everything good and wonderful about his world could be found when he was up in the air. The wind whipping and blowing around him, the aerodynamic maneuvers that James would perform with him on the broom and his favorite part the dive all created this feeling of what he now recognized as pure uninhibited freedom inside Harry. So now he was absolutely bursting with joy. This was shaping up to be the best birthday of his life. The sky turned an interesting shade of pink as the sun began to set.
"Oh James," Lily said latching onto James' arm, "Look. What does that sunset remind you of?"
James looked at the sky and then looked back at lily with nothing but love in his eyes. Entranced by her emerald green eyes and the golden glow that the sun gave her hair, he was reminded of their honeymoon, and of where they went and the memories they created there. One of said memories was currently zooming around on an imaginary broom in front of them, completely oblivious to his parents' brief wave of nostalgia.
"It reminds me of the summer we spent together in Rio. It was such a beautiful night."
Lily sighed, "Oh, the music, the dancing, the food…." She trailed off. James smirked mischievously.
"The way our hot sweaty bodies intertwined as we,"
"James!" she slapped him on the back of his head.
"Ow! Lily my love what hath I done to anger thee?" He said while his eyes watered from the force of his blow.
"Don't talk about that kind of stuff in front of Harry." She said.
"Don't talk about what in front of me?" Harry asked. He had caught the last bit of that conversation.
"But you said you love it when I talk dirty to you. You said it makes you all," Lily smacked him harder.
"James! What did I just say?" she yelled.
"Okay. Jeez, lady. I won't talk about sex in front of Harry." James laughed as Lily pounded on him this time.
"What's that?" Harry asked. James laughed harder at Harry's inquisitive expression. Lily's cheeks turned bright red in embarrassment.
"Harry, sweetie that is grown up stuff. Your father will tell you about it when you're older. Okay?"
"Okay. But is that when you and Dad make lots of weird noises when you go to your room?" James and Lily both got a deer in the headlights look at their son's words. Lily rounded on James and began to hit him repeatedly.
"I thought you said you had put up the silencing charms last week."
"I did!" he exclaimed, "Although, I may have forgotten to do it a few nights ago." He finished sheepishly. Lily just shook her head. She grabbed Harry's hand and started walking.
"Let's just get to the apparition point before this gets any worse." Lily huffed.
"Okay." James replied.
Newly 8 year old Harry wasn't sure if his dad was in trouble or not but he had no time to think about this because a strange hooded man was walking towards him. Harry clutched Lily's hand tighter when the man approached them. By this time, the sky had darkened and the moon was full giving the man an ominous look of menace.
"Mommy, who is that?" Harry asked pointing at him.
"Who's who, sweetie?" she looking at Harry in concern. James looked up squinting his eyes to try to see what Harry was talking about. This proved unnecessary when the suddenly pulled back his hood and both James and Lily gasped in shock at who it was.
"James, give me the key to the vault." He demanded
"Peter? What are you doing here?"
"Just give me the key to the vault James. I don't have time for pleasantries."
James took a step in front of Lily and Harry. "Peter, be reasonable. We were friends once and there's no need to,"
"Avada Kedavra." A green light washed over James before he had any time to react. Lily and Harry screamed.
" Lily, I know you know where the key is. Give me the key!"
"Please don't hurt Harry. Please, please, please." Peter's expression turned murderous.
"WHERE IS THE KEY!?" he screamed.
Lily turned to Harry, who by now was crying hysterically at watching his father be killed in front of him, and hugged him tightly.
"Look at me Harry," she said as the tears went down her face, staining it with make-up, "No matter what mommy and daddy will always love you okay? We love you so much." Her voice was distorted by the raw pain of losing her husband and the fear of her own looming death. Peter finally lost his patience and let out a scream of rage.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Lily Potter slumped over as her soul was ripped from the mortal world.
"No!" Harry screamed. He slumped to his knees beside his now lifeless parent, and looked into the eyes of their murderer and filled with rage at the sight of Peter's red eyes. There was a loud crack as Peter disapparated. Several seconds later, there were several loud cracking sounds announcing the arrival of the aurors. The only thing that they found however was an 8 year old boy grieving the loss of his parents.