This is based off the myth of Medusa with Zatanna taking her place.
Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.
Zatanna's Curse
Prologue:
...1000 years ago...
Zatanna, Daughter of Giovanni and Sindella, was a beautiful young maiden sought after by many suitors. Her long black hair hung around her shoulders like the blanket of night. Her sky-blue eyes were said to be windows into the heavens. Her complexion was an even tan as if it was kissed by the God of the Sun. Her mother was said to have been a catalyst for Aphrodite to have a mortal child of beauty. Zatanna was a priestess of love and peace in Greece.
"Klarion! No!"
Zatanna pushed him away as he squeezed her arms to hold her still.
"But, why, Zatanna?" he said with an evil glint in his eyes.
"I intend to wait 'til marriage and I will not desecrate Athena's Virgin Temple!" Zatanna exclaimed, pulling herself away from him.
Zatanna lifted the front of her *peplos up and ran away from him. Klarion chased after her and threw her to a wall. Zatanna gasped at the impact and Klarion pinned her to the wall. She struggled against him and cried out for help.
"You dare desecrate my temple?!"
Klarion let Zatanna go and looked into the light. It was so blinding that he turned to ash. Zatanna fell to her knees and bowed.
"N-No, G-Great Athena, I would never!" she pleaded "Klarion w-was the-the one t-to try a-and fail to se-seduce m-me!"
"You shall be punished,"
"Please, Mighty Athena, forgive me for Klarion's sin against you," Zatanna pleaded, her shoulders shaking as she cried.
"Look up and receive your punishment with dignity,"
Zatanna sat up, her hands on her knees and facing downwards. She moved her hair from in her face and looked into the light with tears running down her cheeks. She screamed as she was punished, her soft black hair weaving together to form scaly serpents with red eyes and her eyes burned as they took the slit-like pupils of a snake.
Zatanna's ears was filled with hissing as she stumbled to her feet and looked into the mirror that hung from the wall. She screamed and stumbled back at her new appearance.
"Athena! Please tell me how I can reverse this!" she cried.
"You must find the one mortal man who will be immune to your gaze and he will undo your curse. You have until midnight in exactly 1000 years to do so,"
Zatanna ran from the temple, covering her face with her hands as she cried. People screamed at the mere sight of the black snakes for hair she had. She ran around the coast and into the underground tunnels that wound under the island.
For years people would hear the legend of the gorgon and try to capture or slay her. She'd wait for centuries for the one mortal man who would free her...
...1000 years later...
The ship pulled into port in Greece and a young man came walking down the gang plank. He held onto his backpack strap as he joined his college class and the history professor took attendance.
"Barbara Gordon?"
"Here!"
"Derek Powers?"
"Over here,"
"Bette Kane?"
"Right here!"
"Dick Grayson?"
The young man looked at his professor.
"Here," he said.
Dick looked in the direction of the Caves of Gorgon as the teacher continued calling out names. For a split second, he saw a woman standing by the beach wearing a peplos. She turned and ran into the Caves of Gorgon and Dick was jolted back to reality by the professor calling to him they were leaving.
*Peplos: a garment worn by the women of Ancient Greece. You can look them up on Wikipedia for details.