They appeared in front of a large, arching door that despite being shut could be easily seen through. It was the door of a very impressive glasshouse in the middle of a park that appeared to be somewhat neglected beyond the glass walls of the building before them.
Baron raised his cane and tapped it against the glass panes, hoping that there would be someone inside to let them in. The night was coming on, and he didn't want Harry out late in an unfamiliar area, especially with the temperature dropping the way it was.
The door opened and a woman dressed in green looked around, then down at them, red hair falling over her shoulders.
"Oh, Selina is going to love you," she said, fixing her gaze on the Baron before moving onto Harry. "So, what's this about?"
"Please excuse the intrusion ma'am," the Baron said, "but I and my ward just arrived in the area and don't really know our way around. Would we be able to spend the night? I don't want Harry here out on the streets after dark."
"I completely agree," the woman said. "Gotham city is no place for a kid, not even in the day time. Come on in. Just don't damage the plants and we'll do fine."
"Of course, thank you," the living statue said, ushering Harry in first. "I'm Baron Humbert von Gikkingken and this is my ward Harry Potter."
"Pamela Isley," the woman answered. "Though frequently referred to as Poison Ivy," she added.
"That does not sound very flattering, if I may say so," the Baron said, pausing in his checking over Harry, a task he had begun the instant they were inside.
Pamela shrugged. "It's no big deal. As well as preferring plants to people generally, I am actually poisonous, so it's fitting," she explained.
"How did a human become poisonous?" the Baron asked.
"It's a long story."
"Bed time story?" Harry asked hopefully.
"We seem to have time, and you have a willing audience," Baron said.
Pamela sighed, picked up the child and the cat – bracing the former on her hip and settling the latter on her shoulder – and headed towards the back of the greenhouse where she lived.
"Alright," she said. "You see, a few years ago I was doing research into plant and animal biochemistry..."
The story did take a while, but Harry managed to stay awake the whole way through it, even after he'd been tucked into a bed, and the Baron was completely fascinated, asking educated questions about the sciences and about the social situation of Gotham.
When Harry fell asleep at last, Pamela started asking questions of the Baron.
~oOo~
Harry and Baron spent their days in the greenhouse learning about plants, plant care, and some science from Pamela – until she went out to steal some cash so that she could get some new things for the growing boy. Then she got caught and sent to Arkham Asylum once more, and two new women entered the greenhouse and Harry's life.
"Yoo-hoo!" a bubbly voice called as the door was pushed open. "Hello all you green stuff, Pam's been locked up again, so it's me an' Selina takin' care of you 'til she gets out."
Harry peered out from behind a giant leaf, where he'd hidden when the first yell sounded.
"Oh, what have we here? Aren't you just a cutie! I'm Harley, what's your name?" the woman asked.
"Harry. You got white on your face."
"It's on purpose Harry," the Baron said, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder. "See the costume that she's wearing?"
Harry nodded.
"Oh, Selina's going to love you," Harely said, grinning when she saw the Baron.
"So Miss Pamela said when we arrived here. I have yet to meet this famous Selina however. I am Baron Humbert von Gikkingken, and this is Harry Potter, my ward. Miss Pamela was allowing us to stay here, and has been teaching Harry a few things."
"Always good for an education is Pam," Harley agreed. "Always tryin' to convince people that they should be more earth-conscious. I'm more about havin' fun, but when Pam talks, I listen. All us girls do. So, how are Pam's precious plants?"
"We watered already today," Harry said proudly.
"And a true challenge it was to keep him dry and out of the mud," the Baron added.
Harley smiled. "Just the heat-lamps and the fertilizer then. After that's done, what do you say I ditch the make up and take you out to an amusement park?"
~oOo~
Selina visited the next day, or rather, was dragged in by Harley, in full catwoman regalia.
"Oh, purr," the new face said upon seeing the Baron. Her own black cat hopped down off her shoulder and circled the figurine. "You are handsome."
Baron shifted a little uncomfortably under the woman's gaze.
"Don't worry," Selina said, smiling, "I am romantically involved with someone else, and handsome as you are, I think I'm a little too tall. Now, where's this child I've been hearing about?"
Harry stepped out from where he had been hiding.
"Oh dear," Selina said, getting down on her knees to look more closely at the child. "You look like you need some new clothes, and a bath."
He did too. Baron was always crisply neat and clean, but Harry did need a bath, and his clothes were visibly too small for him, as well as visibly having had the hems let out twice already.
"Pam doesn't exactly have those kinds of facilities," Harley pointed out. "There's her pond, but there's so many plants in there, she's the only one who'd be comfortable washing there. An' I sure can't take the kid around to Mistah Jay's for a wash. He'd just as likely end up with green hair and a purple suit, and only Mistah Jay can really pull that look off."
Selina sighed. "My place it is then. I've got a nice big bath, as well as a sewing machine and some cloth. I'm sure we can fix him up."
Harley squealed and wrapped her arms around Selina's neck. "You're the best Selina!"
"Go fetch your bag Harry," the Baron instructed. "I'm sure Miss Selina would have an easier time of things if she can base new clothes off of your old ones."
Selina nodded, and Harry scampered off to get his bag, his book and his teddy.
~oOo~
New photos were added to Harry's book. Photos of him with Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn and Catwoman around him, and photos of Harry in the middle of Pamela Isley, Harlene Quinzel, and Selina Kyle. There were some pictures of Harry with the Riddler, Edward Nigma as well. Edward always wrote five new puzzles or riddles into Harry's book when a picture with him got put in. Some of those riddles held some good advice for later life as well, so Baron approved.
A month before Harry's third birthday, Selina took Harry with her to a party with the 'upstanding' elite of Gotham. A party where the guest list included the Mayor, Commissioner Gordon, and Bruce Wayne.
"What are you doing here Selina?" Bruce asked softly. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you of course."
Selina smiled. "I'm introducing Harry here to polite society. Pam, Harl, Eddie and me have been doing our best to help take care of the kid for this past year, keeping his nose clean and those sorts of things. I've been right motherly lately."
Bruce's eyes grew wide as he looked down at the small figure he'd barely noticed standing beside the woman he was in love with – but could never seem to hold onto.
"Bruce Wayne, I'd like you to meet Harry Potter. His guardian, the Baron Humbert von Gikkingken, decided that he'd rather hide in the shadows than meet people," Selina said, conducting introductions.
"If he has a guardian, why have you been -?"
"Just because someone has a guardian, Bruce, doesn't mean that they have a home or resources," Selina interrupted.
"You said Baron though," Bruce pointed out.
Selina sighed. "Honestly, if you met the guy, you'd understand," she explained. "But can we can the twenty questions? I brought Harry for a good time, not a quiz."
"Not a job?" Bruce asked.
Selina frowned tightly. "You see a mask on me anywhere?" she demanded in a hard whisper. "No, I just wanted to see you again, and it was my turn to watch Harry. Alright?"
Bruce had the decency to blush a little, even as he smiled sheepishly. "You wanted to see me?"
Selina smiled. "Always when the masks come off," she admitted. "Hell, even sometimes when the masks are on."
"You gonna kiss?" Harry asked. "Cuz if you are, then I'm gonna go find Baron."
Selina laughed and bent down to look Harry in the eye. "No, Harry, we weren't going to kiss. Mr Wayne might have been about to ask me to dance though."
"Actually, I was going to ask if you would all like to come back to Wayne Manor for the night. I'm sure Harry has a bed time, and I'd like to talk to you more Selina, and meet this Baron?"
"Well, let's go then!" Selina said, smiling widely, and waving at a corner of the room before heading to the door.
Bruce was surprised to see the two-foot-tall feline gentleman at the door when they reached it.
"Good evening. Harry, have you been good for Miss Kyle?" the cat said.
Harry nodded. "Yes Baron."
~oOo~
Harry and Baron stayed at Wayne Manor after that. Alfred took care of him diligently, and while Harry was a little sad about not getting to see Pamela, Harley, Selina or Edward any more, there was a lot of manor to explore, and Bruce didn't seem to mind what he got up to as long as he didn't get hurt – and Baron made sure that Harry didn't get hurt.
A photo of Bruce and Alfred got added to Harry's book, and then it was a party at an amusement park with all of Harry's friends in Gotham – out of costume of course. Bruce had approximately professional relationships with all of Harry's friends as long as there were no costumes involved beyond a formal monkey suit.
After the party, they all went back to Wayne Manor and had cake and gave Harry his gifts. Baron immediately put these into Harry's bag once the child had said thank-you for it. Alfred produced a polaroid camera, and Baron insisted that he be the one to take the picture. He took two of them, and fixed one straight into Harry's book.
The reason became apparent when Harry and the Baron disappeared as soon as they were standing beside each other again.
"I was going to ask Harry if he'd like to move in permanently," Bruce sighed.
Selina smiled. "You want a kid?" she asked. "With your line of work?"
"I do," Pamela declared firmly, then turned to Edward. "Feel like helping a girl out, green-stuff?"
Edward laughed. "How do I survive the experience?" he asked, slipping an arm around the other red-head's waist.
"I'll be happy to show you."
Harley sighed. "Mistah Jay isn't exactly daddy material, even if he is my puddin'."
"I've said it before and I'll say it again Harl, that man does not deserve your loyalty," Pamela stated. "Eddie, you'll help out Harl too, won't you?"
Edward laughed and pulled Harley into his other side. "Sure, if you like," he said. "I'm no playboy, but I get the feeling I'm only donating sperm to Pam."
"Clever boy," Pamela said.
Selina sighed and leant against Bruce. "Your offer still open?" she asked.
"You mean the one from just before you killed Max Shrek?" he asked. "Of course."
~oOo~