Round Trip Magic
By: PhoenixJustice
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by J.K Rowling, Warner Bros, etc. Batman is owned by DC and many others that are not me. The Dresden Files are owned by Jim Butcher. All of these awesome things are unfortunately not owned by me, I only own this story and make no profit from this.
Warning: Rated T for language, violence, slash, 3rd person and 1st person POV, etc.
Pairings: Snarry (Snape/Harry), Batman/Joker, John Marcone/Harry Dresden, Ron/Hermione,
Setting: Post-TDK, Post-OOTP/Mid-HBP, Post-Changes.
Summary: A Teleportation Potion goes awry thanks to the force known as Neville Longbottom, sending many not a precise set of feet, as the potion was supposed to go, but through another dimension entirely. What would happen when the best and the worst of Gotham met up with the magical forces of another world?
A/N: For my good friend Annie's birthday. A sequel (of sorts) to my TDK/Dresden Files crossover fic, Mobster Tango. There will be both 3rd person and 1st person POV-the 1st person POV is all Harry Dresden, since it seems wrong to write in his pov in anything other than 1st. Enjoy!
: :: :
"You are going to-attempt-" a contemptuous look in Longbottom's direction. "to create a teleportation potion. The batch you are creating is the weakest; should any of you actually manage to make a halfway decent one, then it shall teleport you a total of five feet. The list of ingredients you need is on the blackboard," he waves his hand to the blackboard behind him. "Begin!"
Everyone started working diligently, even those that were normally not interested or intimidated by potions; after all, to be able to teleport would be really cool! Harry sets forth with an enthusiasm that he rarely ever showed in the Potions classroom. And more than anything, he needed the distraction.
After last year at the Ministry, where Voldemort appeared and Sirius nearly lost his life-having been barely saved by Professor Lupin-, Harry felt pressure more than ever to put a stop to Tom Riddle, the evil wizard known as Lord Voldemort, once and for all. He felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, nearly literally, and although he knew that his friends and loved ones were only trying to help, he was having a hard time.
So he decided to put his all into this-after all, who knew when a teleportation potion would come in handy. Especially if you were being trailed by Death Eaters or something. In fact most everyone around him seemed to be working their hardest on this, even those like Ron who cared for potions about as much as they cared for slugs.
About half an hour into their work, Harry looks up. Not for any particular reason or anything, he just happens to look up. His brows furrow as he sees Snape staring straight at him. The look of utter hatred was gone from his face, as was any other emotion he expected to see when Snape looked at him. Snape was...he wasn't sure what that look was, what it meant.
He looks down quickly, turning back to his cauldron, as he tried to figure out what the hell just happened.
: :: :
More time passed but finally everyone had finished working on their potions. Now all that was left was for Professor Snape to look them over, which was more agonizing than any other part of potion making. Mostly because it was Snape, sure, but it was also because of the fact that he was a Potions Master. Not only that, but one of the best period. So it was no wonder that everyone was nervous. Plus Snape was scary-that didn't help any.
He walks down the room, looking over each potion. For most of the Gryffindors he had a sneer ready or a sharp word or two (or ten, after seeing Neville's concoction); with the exception of Hermione-whose perfect potion only gets a "hmph" from Snape-and surprisingly, Harry. For all the time Harry had worked on it, he still didn't think he had the exact right consistency or color that he should have, but Snape doesn't say anything at all. He merely looks at it and walks on. Jaws could be heard dropping from everywhere.
He had much more praise for the Slytherin's-it was a double class today-as was to be expected. Draco Malfoy's potion, also not surprisingly, was praised the most out of anyone's. But to be fair to Draco, he had worked very hard and had become one of the best in the class, along with Hermione.
Now was the moment of truth-testing them.
Snape takes a ladle and walks past Harry, heading towards Draco's table. As he does, Harry notices an odd rumbling sound and glances around trying to figure out what it was. He glances at Ron who shakes his head. "Not my stomach this time, mate." The rumbling starts to get much louder and everyone, including Snape, turn to glance over at Neville's table.
"I thought I got it right this time." he says weakly.
Bam! The cauldron explodes loudly and quickly, pieces of it-and the potion-going everywhere. Snape is quick enough to wave his wand and have the cauldron pieces disappear, but is not fast enough to clear away all the potion in time. He gets soaked in it, as do most in his vicinity, which included Ron, Hermione, Draco and...
Harry looks down at himself. Oh, bollocks.
Pop!
: :: :
His eyes open, when had he closed them?, and he looks around. He appeared to be standing in some sort of alleyway. One which was rather dark and grimy, if truth be told and so narrow that the fire escapes and the like of buildings loomed overhead and left him unable to tell if it was daytime or nighttime. He pulls out his wand; he could be scolded later for wand use outside of school.
"Lumos!" The tip of the wand lights up, shooting a narrow beam of light outwards. It didn't light everything up, but now he could see much better than before. Shivering at a sudden breeze, he waves his wand over his potion soaked body, quickly drying it up. He starts to make his way out of the alleyway, pushing past some overturned boxes that smelled badly and halts as he finally makes his way out.
Standing there, though now dry, and with ladle still in hand, was a very pissed off Severus Snape.
"I am going to kill Longbottom." growled Snape.
: :: :
"Er..."
Snape's head whips around and his eyes narrow as he looks at Harry. Harry tries not to look Snape in the eyes-easier for the man to use his Legilimency, after all-and glances around. From the dark and dank alleyway he had left, he had come into a just as grimy and dark part of some town. Though the dark that he had entered was not like the darkness in which he could drive away with a flick of his lit up wand, no this dark was more...physical, if that made any sense. It felt as though it had seeped into the very foundations of the buildings and, more importantly, the city itself. It makes him shiver, wrapping his cloak up closer to him against a coldness that was not actually there.
"Potter. Where are the rest of your classmates?" Snape asks, shortly, once more looking away from him.
"I dunno." Harry replies, nonplussed. It was obvious that Neville's potion had failed horribly, but even so, it should have taken them outside the castle at most (and even that was probably giving too much credit.) Somehow the potion had taken them, at least himself and Snape that he knew of, out of the castle into a strange city which Harry had never seen in his life; and from the looks Snape was giving, it was apparent that he had never been here either.
Worry starts to creep at Harry; after all, more than just he and Snape had been doused in the potion. So where was Ron, Hermione and Malfoy?
After a few moments, Snape finally snaps "This way." and jerks his head to their north. Apparently Snape had figured something out. Or at least Harry hoped so. He hurries ahead, doing his best to keep up with Snape's longer stride-unfair that the man had such long legs. It was eerily silent as they walked, passing one derelict building after another. He wondered how on Earth someone could live here. If anyone did, that was. The silence continues and they catch sight of no one, although he believes he hears some smattering of talking as they pass by some of the buildings.
He looks over at Snape, not even really knowing why, just doing so and for the first time ever-he really looks at Severus Snape. The man had changed little since Harry had first arrived at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, though this didn't surprise the Boy-who-lived as they were wizards and therefor much longer lived than regular humans. His hair was quite long now, past his shoulders and was as black as could be. It still looked a little greasy, but Harry felt that he had to give the man a little slack-potion making was long, tedious and all the fumes were most definitely not good for hair (he had learned that the hard way.)
His eyes were just as black as his hair, but they were hard. Like polished stone, which reflected yourself back to you, never letting you in on what was really underneath the surface. Harry often wondered what had happened to the man to make him glare at the world so hatefully. Ever since the end of his fifth year, with his continued Legilimency lessons, he pondered on Snape a lot more. More than he realized, in fact. He didn't hate Snape like he did before; he felt like he was, slowly, starting to understand the man better. But they were not friends, nor anything close to.
The difference now was that, after spending more and more time together in his lessons, he did not see the flaming hatred that had been there before. Perhaps he was starting to understand that Harry was not his father, was not that young boy who had unfairingly targeted Severus Snape and, along with his friends, made the boy the target of ridicule. And really, it was something Snape needed to get over-even if his dad and Sirius and them hadn't been as nice as they could have been-after all, they were all so young. It wasn't good for anyone to hold a grudge for that long...
"Are you done staring at me, Potter? If you are, I suggest us making our way out of here."
Harry looks up startled-he hadn't realized he was staring that hard-and flushes. "Yes, sir."
Snape's nostrils flair and suddenly he looks away, confusing Harry. Things were more than confusing. A thought suddenly occurs to Harry.
"Is there a reason you haven't apparated away from here, sir?" Harry asks. After all, Snape could do it and could take Harry along too.
Snape continues looking ahead as he answers. "I tried." he said shortly. "It didn't work. I believe that Longbottom's potion is somehow interfering. That, or...someone else is interfering."
Harry gulps a little, moving unconsciously closer to Snape. He didn't like the feel of this place; he wanted to go back to Hogwarts, to hang out with his friends again, to hang out secretly with Draco again. That was another very weird thing. He wasn't sure what it was, but at the end of fifth year something seemed to happen to Draco and one day, a couple of days before they left, he comes across Harry in one of the hallways and they talk. It was all rather surreal, especially so when Draco does the same thing when they arrive back at the school for their Sixth Year.
Harry had been suspicious at first, but slowly warmed up and Draco had more than proved to be a trustful and...rather cool friend to have. The only ones who knew of his friendship with Draco, thus far, was Ron and Hermione (though Ron was most definitely not happy at first about it.)
"Thank Merlin!" exclaimed a voice suddenly. "I was afraid I was going to die without being able to comment on your atrocious fashion choices, Potter."
"D-Malfoy!" said Harry. Draco walks towards them, a small smirk on his handsome face. "And I was afraid I was going to miss it too." he adds sarcastically.
"Have you come across anyone else, Mister Malfoy?" Snape asks, cutting into their segue.
Draco shakes his head. "Afraid not, sir."
Snape looked like he was about to say something else, but gets cut short as they hear a couple of familiar voices shouting, followed by a loud and piercing scream. Harry's eyes widen.
"That was Ron and Hermione!" he rushes ahead, uncaring of the possible dangers.
"Potter-" started Snape.
Harry turns back. "Come on!" he exclaims impatiently. "Hurry!"
And wonder of wonders-they do.
: :: :
My name is Harry, and I'm a wizard.
I've been in "the game" for quite a few years now. I've fought things that would keep any sane person swimming in nightmares, fought the things that were darker than the darkness, fought things that seemed to have good intentions but of course did not. I've done things I've regretted and things that seemed right. I've been in love, am in love. Life doesn't always go the way you would wish it to, but for all that I've been through, I am...happy.
A shocking thought to me, but a true one. Especially shocking when the person who gave me said happiness is a person who is essentially my rival, my "nemesis"-the head mobster of Chicago, Gentleman Johnny Marcone. Yes, a man. The man thing through me off at first, but it was more because of who he is, what he does that I've had the most trouble trying to get around.
After our little, er "encounter" on his plane, things had never been the same between us. I had originally asked for his help-though he was last on my list of those who I wanted help from-to help get me to Gotham City safely. See, as a wizard, I have this effect on electronics post-World War II and if I'm not careful they fry up. So getting on an airplane...yeah it was risky. But with the help of a potion, said "distraction" by Marcone and a little luck, we made it to Gotham safely (I had went as consultant for Chicago PD-a small timer by the name of Victor Falcone had died in Gotham.)
Turned out little Victor had called up a big time demon and it didn't take so kindly to being summoned to do the bidding of a human. So...splat. After heading to Gotham, I ran into the infamous Batman and the-even more infamous?-Joker. I was shocked enough at what I had done with Marcone, but coming across the pair and seeing them kiss and in apparent love with, or at least had feelings for, each other had shocked me even more. I helped them fight the demon, and shortly after headed back to Chicago, much more confused than I had left it.
Why all that talk of Gotham you might ask? Well, sometime after that incident, things started happening in the city once more. More things than was usual, even for such a dark place as Gotham City. I did a little bit of investigative work and things seemed to be pointing at supernatural occurances. Some of it seemed malevolent, and some of it seemed...different than anything I had come across. The latter was something I only felt minutes earlier, heading out of Bruce Wayne's penthouse.
I walk away from the penthouse quickly, trying not to draw undue attention to myself, but with wearing a long, leather duster, carrying a large stick and taller than most of the average folk around...it didn't look like that was going to happen.
I take one of the back alleys, focusing most of my attention of the strong bursts of energy I had felt only moments ago, using my enhanced senses to lead me to it. A few minutes pass as I head through more and more back alleys, which were leading me to the area known as "The Narrows", where the worst of the worst of Gotham stayed at-whether they be murderers or insane or the like. I had been there once before and did not really want to go there again, but...you do what must be done.
As I start to come closer to the source of the strong energy I had been feeling, I hear some shouts ahead of me and I take off, running at full speed now, especially after I hear a piercing scream that causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up.
"Hurry!" I glance to my left and see a pair of people running just as fast as me (and with my long legs, that's saying something) and I recognize them immediately: Batman and the Joker.
"You don't have to tell me twice!"
: :: :
"Where the bloody hell is everyone else? And where are we?"
Hermione turns to look at her boyfriend-a term that still rather made her blush-and fights down a feeling of irritation; she hated when she didn't know something.
"I..." she looks around. "From the design of the buildings, I would gather that we are somewhere in America. As to the where exactly...I'm not sure." She fights back a shiver as a breeze passes through, pulling her cloak closer to her. The potion they had been drenched in had since dried and had left surprisingly little residue left over.
Ron moves closer to her and she smiles shyly as he wraps an arm around her, keeping her close and trying to warm her. She didn't like the look of where they were-it had a feeling of wrongness about it that she couldn't quite place. But regardless, it felt...she hesitated to say evil but there was a darkness about it that she had not felt before. It was not the same kind of darkness that surrounded itself around Lord Voldemort and his followers; it was something else entirely.
Like it had invaded the very foundation of the buildings, no the land itself.
After a few moments of debating, Hermione gets out her wand and starts to mutter a complicated spell, one which would allow her to follow the trace, the magical signature, of someone she knew. She chose Harry, as he was her and Ron's best friend and they knew him best. And after all, they had no idea if anyone else had showed up around where they did. It was possible that Harry hadn't either but...
"There!" she exclaims, pointing ahead. "He's down that way!"
Excited, they start to make their way down towards where she felt Harry's magical signature, but after only a few steps, they stop dead in their tracks. She holds back a gasp and Ron stiffens, as the shadows seem to move, to come to life on their own. They both stood frozen as it makes its way towards them, shifting around, turning and twisting until a being neither of them had ever seen or heard of in their lives stood staring at them.
She hears shouts and belatedly realizes that its coming from both her and Ron.
The creature rears its head up, letting out a ear-splitting scream, before rearing back and running towards them. Words fail her, thoughts. She barely remembers that she has her wand with her, grabbing it, but the hastily muttered spell fizzles before it even gets close to the creature. Whether from her nerves or because of it, she wasn't sure.
She was only sure of the fear she felt.
Ron's hand tightens on her and her eyes close.
"Fuego!"
: :: :
He feared for his friends, he feared for himself, he even feared for his teacher who had never showed him the same sort in return. He glances up at Snape and sees the man's lips pursed, his face paler than usual. Well...huh. Snape actually looked worried, and Harry was pretty sure that the man was not fearing for himself.
As if feeling the eyes of someone else on him, Snape's face turns and looks directly into his. Their eyes meet and Harry feels a jolt of something. He felt like he was getting pulled into the dark gaze, sucked down towards the soul behind it. He manages to break their gaze, panting a little heavier than he had moments ago, not noticing the odd look that Draco gave them both.
They finally come to an entrance way, in the direction where they had first heard Ron, Hermione and the blood-curdling scream. Coming out of it, they halt as they come across a shadowy thing which the likes of them had never seen before in their lives. It was terrifying.
"Fuego!"
A jet of flame bursts through from their left and blasts into the shadow creature. It lets out a bellow of pain, turning to see what had hit it and as it does, Harry can see Ron and Hermione shaking in fear behind it. He starts to go towards them when a hand grabs onto his arm; it was Snape.
"Just wait." he says quietly.
"Wait?" Harry says in disbelief. "My friends are-"
"Look, Potter." Snape nods his head up in Ron and Hermione's direction.
A pair of men, one dressed in all black and shaped rather like a bat and one dressed like a clown come up, the clown holding a pair of knives in each hand and the bat holding a pair of two sharp...things that Harry couldn't name. They move quickly, moving past each other and throwing the sharpened items at the shadow. Unfortunately they go through the shadow. The pair move quickly on either side of it as it attempts to hit them with a large arm. Ron and Hermione seem to find their footing and quickly try and get out of the way.
As they do, the shadow turns to them and leaps at them. Harry and the others quickly get out their wands, but someone was quicker; another jet of flame comes barreling towards the shadow, slightly larger this time and hits it squarely in the chest, causing it to stagger back and fall.
"We've got to get it to become completely corporeal before your knives and other weapons will work against it. Only magic will get through right now. So...cue said wizard." said a voice.
They all turn as someone comes from the left and they see quite a tall man, wearing a long, mantled duster and carrying a large staff in his right hand. Harry could hear the jangling of something on his left wrist. The man looks over at them.
"Harry Dresden." He says.
Wow, another wizard named Harry. Well, not like Harry was an uncommon name or anything, but still...an interesting twist.
"Draco Malfoy. Glad I can make your day with my presence." Draco smirks.
"Severus Snape." Snape says shortly.
"Harry Potter." Harry says.
The man's eyebrows raise up high and he gives them a look.
"You're being totally serious, aren't you? Of course you are," he says, answering his own question. "It shouldn't surprise me by now that things like this keep happening."
"Um..." Hermione says timidly. "It's stirring."
They all turn back to the shadow; it starts to dim then grow brighter, grow taller then shorter. The shadows start turning around it very quickly and finally they disappate and in the shadow's place was a tall, hunching creature with large and long horns, a dark body, tail and eyes as red as blood. It lets out a scream, unfurling giant wings at them.
"Now it's time for you to get the hell out of my," The clown glances at the bat. "My and Batsy's city. We can't play if you lot keep coming in and ruining all our fun." The bat remains silent, but follows the clown, both of them rushing in and attacking the thing's massive legs. It lets out a screech of pain, swiping at them both. The bat manages to dodge to the side, but the clown gets knocked into the side of one of the buildings.
"Joker!" exclaims the bat, rushing over to the clown.
"Now! While it's all distracted with Batman and Joker," says Harry Dresden. He drops his staff and pulls out a smaller wooden rod, pointing it towards the creature. "You all have your wands right?" Quick nods from everyone. "Then hurry up and cast the strongest thing you can!"
Almost as soon as soon as Dresden stops speaking, the creature reaches out an inhumanly quick claw and slams into the wizard, knocking him back down the street. Draco, Ron and Hermione both let out the same spell; a large stream of blue smacks into the creature. Harry moves to let out his own spell but the creature's barbed tail comes in his direction. He hurriedly creates a shield charm but it smashes through it like it wasn't even there. His eyes widen.
"Potter!"
He falls to the ground with a sudden thud and looks up in shock as he sees Severus Snape on top of him, grimacing in pain. Did he...?
"Did you...are you okay?" Harry whispers hoarsely. Blood drips down from Snape's back but he looks at Harry with, not a look of pain, but of something hotter, something which Harry had never seen before in the man's eyes. He gasps.
Snape leans in and kisses him fiercely.
His eyes widen, but he finds himself kissing back just as fiercely. Finally the unsure feelings, the confusion, everything...it finally made sense to him.
"Oh gross." he distantly hears Ron say.
"Ronald!" scolds Hermione. "Now's not the time!"
"More like about time!" Draco says. "Took you long enough to figure things out, Potter!"
"A little help here!" says Dresden, panting. Harry and Snape break apart, both of them breathing hard. Snape looked unsure, something Harry could not remember ever seeing on the man's face. He touches the man's face and Snape lets out a shaky breath. Harry smiles. Seeing the look on Harry's face seemed to set resolve in the older wizard. He closes his eyes briefly and stands, not letting the pain on his face show. He helps Harry stand; they look at each other for a moment then turn back to the danger at hand.
Dresden was currently running, distracting the creature so Batman and Joker could get close and strike at it. Meanwhile, Ron, Hermione, and Draco were taking different positions and striking at the thing with the same blue spell they had been.
"It's not enough!" Dresden exclaims. "We need to combine our magics-hit it all at the same time!" Everyone nods. "On my count-one...two...three!"
They all scream out, letting loose with their spells; Dresden with his fire, Harry and his friends with a blast of arctic blue and Snape with a blast of green-the killing curse. The killing curse hits moments before the others, but shockingly the creature does not die. It is not until seconds later when the others spells hit that the creature glows blindingly white and explodes, nasty parts going everywhere.
"Eww."
"I wonder what that creature was. It's wing span suggested-"
"If I can't get this stuff out of my hair, I'm suing!"
"This is the last time I invite you to Gotham, Dresden! What if you blew up my secret bunker of weapons!"
"You have a secret bunker?"
"Er...no. No, Batsy you have it all wrong! I'm not cheating on you by fighting anyone else, I swear!"
"Why does this crap keep happening to me?"
"Er...Potter. About before..."
Harry turns away from the others and looks at Snape.
"Don't say you're sorry," Harry interrupts. "I'm not."
Snape looks at him seriously. "Do you understand the implication of what happened? Of what it could mean for you? For both of us?"
"Yes." He grabs Snape's arm and pulls him closer. "I know there are risks involved. But I...I want more. I c-care about you."
Snape smirks, leaning his head down. "Being selfish, are we?"
Harry nods. "Totally."
Snape's smirk widens. "Well, so long as we're clear."
He kisses him.
"Er..glad your happy mate, even if I'm scarred for life by it," says Ron. "But I think the pressing question is...how the hell do we get back home?"
: :: :
THE END
: :: :
: :: :
OMAKE
: :: :
"...you have an inter-dimensional transporter." Draco says flatly. "In your basement."
Batman shrugs slightly. "I was trying to teleport something small that would not effect the balance of either the world I live in or the world of the object but apparently I fired it just as something went wrong in your world. I couldn't have teleported you without whatever happened to you."
"Longbottom." growls Snape. "Did I mention I am going to kill him?"
: :: :
A/N: Took awhile to finish this, but I think I pulled things off the way I wanted them to go. A little better in some ways. Either way, had fun working on this. I like a good challenge, and this is most definitely not the biggest crossover I've ever attempted-that'd be my fic Inevitable Result which is a Heroes/TDK/Smallville/Iron Man crossover, and I made THAT work damnit! lol. I had originally planned to do just one crossover with Harry Potter, but I soon got another idea and it ended out working better this way, so I'm glad with the way it turned out.
I hope you all enjoyed this!
Let me know what you thought!
-PhoenixJustice