Summary: The Justice League investigates and starts finding various threads leading to wizarding society. Including Hermione Granger.
AN: This is where the Prelude (first chapter) left off.
...ooO Startling Revelations Ooo...
Batman's face was stony and pale as he came to. He looked into the concerned faces of his comrades but his eyes turned to the Martian Hunter.
"Did you see it?"
Jonzz nodded. "Most of it. I do not see any need to reveal all the details. After all it is a private matter."
Batman inhaled deeply and tried to focus, but he couldn't. All he could think of was the innocence they had created in the midst of malice. Given all he'd heard, he could not even be angry with Hermione if she had terminated. She was going to organize and lead a war faction against wand-using version of Nazis, a sanctioned feud. The strain of such a responsibility was not at all compatible with pregnancy and motherhood.
A war. A hidden war.
He stared looked around at the others who were entering the medbay. "There is a war brewing in Britain. A magical war."
Everyone stiffened.
"I'll get Zatanna." Flash offered and zipped off.
"Do you have any intel?" Green Lantern inquired.
Batman nodded. "Lots. How accurate and complete is something else altogether. We'll need to fill in a lot of the blanks from other sources."
"Let's go to a conference room." Wonder Woman suggested. "After Batman eats something, he can join us in an hour."
Batman considered the offer and nodded. "See what you can pull up on these names. Hermione Granger. Harry Potter. Lucius Malfoy." And then he continued to rattle off a list of names he remembered. "They should all be residents of U.K."
---
One hour later, when he joined them in the conference room, he could see they were clearly stumped.
"What did you find?" He asked as he slid into his usual chair.
"Nothing in some cases." Superman was bemused. "In others the records end when they turn eleven."
Batman nodded. "That fits. What did you find?"
Wonder Woman tapped at her console. "The usual records: schooling, health, etc. for Hermione Jane Granger until she turned eleven when everything stopped. The same for Harold James Potter. Only in his case, there were no records for the first year of life. His mother Lily Evans had the usual records until she turned eleven and vanished from the databases. There are no records of her marriage to James Potter who apparently has almost no history at all. There are no records of Lily Evans Potter visiting any U.K. hospital for pre-natal check-ups or giving birth. No post-natal check-ups or vaccinations either, until after he turned a year old and was under the custody of his maternal aunt, Petunia Dursley. The death certificates issued for Lily and James Potter indicate both died in a car accident though both never had a driver's license and none of the details fit a car accident report in the police databases. There are gaps all over the place! According to the files, Granger and Potter should be twenty-seven and twenty-six respectively but there are no traces of them anywhere! No tax, banking, investments, credit, employment, or medical records. Anywhere. And the other names you mentioned? Nothing. It is like Hermione Granger and Harold Potter died when they turned eleven!"
"Did you say Harry Potter?"
Everyone turned to the doorway. Zatanna Zatarra and Dr. Fate had just joined them.
Batman's eyes narrowed. "You know about them." He growled.
Zatanna sighed. "I am geas bound not to speak about them to Anyone. But I can introduce you to someone who can. It will take some time for him to get back to me because higher-ups will need to okay any decision made."
Superman frowned. "What are you talking about? Who is 'them'?"
Batman smiled sardonically. "'Them' is an entire society of wand-using mages that practically live next to us, but hidden. A society filled with rampant prejudice and violence that has a tendency to erase all evidence of it by wiping the memories of anyone who stumbles onto it. They are organized and their governments, called Ministries, are sort-of recognized by the non-magical governments though they act completely independent. Every few decades a Dark Lord rises and goes on a killing spree. Just like he did in the U.K. thirty years, then ten years ago."
Eyes widened in recognition. "No one explained why the wave of terrorist actions in the early eighties stopped. Or why the violence in the nineties began and stopped." Superman mused.
Batman's thin lips quirked in a faint smile. "I don't know about the first one but the one in the nineties was stopped by Hermione Granger and Harry Potter."
Eyes widened.
"Hera save us. They must have been just teenagers!" Wonder Woman breathed.
"Yes. I don't know the full details but it made them both very disliked by those comfortable with status quo. Now the violence is brewing again and threatening to spill over into our world. Only this time Granger and Potter have decided to raise the stakes and take the war to the Nazi-sympathizers." He tapped his console. "Part of this is personal. They kidnapped Bruce Wayne for one of their schemes. But it is only time before they try for other high-profile targets."
He looked around the table and saw the nods of agreement.
"So here is the plan…"
...ooOoo...
Batman stared at the myriad mass of data being displayed on the over-sized monitors of the supercomputer in the Cave. The Justice League was progressing nicely in their investigations of the wizarding society but Batman was desperate to locate Hermione. Desperate enough to involve his protégé, Robin.
Tim Drake was a mastermind at electronics. When given his most recent assignment, he had stilled his curiosity and used various programs to extrapolate Hermione Granger from class photos before melding the data with the physical and psych profile Batman had built from his memory. Then he sent several bots to scan and search images recorded from every security system he could access and a few others.
It generated several hits over the following four months. Most of the hits turned out to be dead ends. Except for one in Inverness, Scotland.
The Dark Knight's attention was completely captured by the frame shot of a short female form swathed in a dark blue cloak with a mass of brown curls spilling down her back. She was walking up the steps to enter an older building with a discreet metal plate near the doorway. A.J. Watkins and Associates.
"What have you found out?" He spoke carefully as he pushed his cowl back.
"A.J. Watkins and Associates is a law firm. Very private and exclusive. They don't put all of their files on networked computers." Robin reported. "I managed to find one thing from one of the P.A.s day-planner on the common server. Hermione Granger is a personal client of Alexander Jason Watkins. She meets him at least once a month. The next meeting is next Thursday."
Batman inhaled deeply. "Make arrangements to have the next two weeks free. We are flying to Scotland."
Robin blinked. "Okay. Do you want me to bring anything in particular?"
"Heavy duty EMP hardened gear for full audio-video surveillance. We are going to be at that meeting."
...ooOoo...
Diana adjusted her ear-piece as she watched Batman and Robin set up the electronic surveillance in the office space leased for one month by an NGO who never realized their name was being used by Batman. She had been surprised when Batman asked Jonzz to complete his surveillance team. Probably because Jonnz knew more about the situation than the JLA. Batman was not much of a team player but now he was holding onto his cards much tighter than usual.
"Did you triple the redundancy?" Batman spoke softly, absently.
"Yes. But I don't see why. These babies are qualified for nuclear warfare." Robin patted the monitors giving four views of an unoccupied private office. "We can see and hear everything." He glanced at a different screen. One displaying a tap into a hallway security camera. "She's here! I didn't see any car stop to drop her off though."
"She wouldn't need it." Batman murmured. "They can teleport by mystic methods. They call it portkey."
The small form, completely enshrouded in her old-fashioned blue cloak, greeted the security guard politely before speaking to the smartly dressed receptionist who quickly stood up and walked around to escort her to A.J. Watkins office. It too was bugged.
---
"Is there anything you'd like Miss Granger? Mr. Watkins is running a little late."
"Tea would be wonderful Anita. Rosehip. And any of those shortbreads from last time. You must tell me where you buy them."
"Oh, there is a bakery just around the corner. I can pick up a box for you before you leave. Bethany Timmins runs it; she is Michael Corner's aunt. I believe her youngest son is currently in his second year."
"Ravenclaw?"
"Actually, Hufflepuff, like my sister." Anita answered with a laugh.
Hermione smiled slowly. "Hufflepuff is a good House. Loyal and true."
Anita bowed her head. "Is there anything else you need?"
Hermione thought briefly. "George Weasley will be joining me today. Please show him in as soon as he arrives."
Anita nodded and left. A few minutes later, she returned with a tea tray, interrupting Hermione's perusal of the art prints.
"Sit down and relax Miss Granger. It is not good for you to stay on your feet when you don't need to." Anita scolded as she prepared a cup of tea. "One sugar and a splash of lemon. Just as you like it." Then the door opened and a much older man with thinning grey hair entered. He was dressed in a plain brown suit. "Mr. Watkins!"
"Hermione's Rosehip tea will be fine Anita. Two sugars."
Anita prepared the second cup and left the office, closing the door behind her.
"How are you feeling Hermione?"
"Headachy." Hermione replied honestly.
"Remove your cloak and sit down then. And get your feet up." A.J. Watkins sounded more like a father than a lawyer.
---
Bemused, the JLA watched as Hermione obeyed, undoing the clasps of her cloak down her front, then shrugging it off to reveal the leaf-green dress she wore underneath. It had three-quarter length sleeves, a small bodice with a deep neck and high empire waist trimmed in pale cream. The skirt was voluminous and full flowing past her knees to mid-calf. She wore ballet style slippers that laced up her calves with ribbons. Heavy gold bangles glinted at her wrists as she raised a hand to push back strands of hair behind one ear. As she turned, the surveillance team saw what made Anita and A.J. Watkins fuss over her. She was pregnant, more than five months along.
Batman inhaled sharply and leaned closer to study her features, the sweep of lashes, the curve of her cheek in profile, the faint Mona Lisa smile.
---
After eating a shortbread cookie and drinking half a cup of tea, she got down to business.
"I am ready to begin, Alex."
Alex Watkins nodded and produced a wand. Then swiftly he cast a spell that expanded in a bubble that blinded the video feed and shorted transmission for a few seconds before the system compensated.
"Is it secure?" Her tone became more brisk, clipped.
"As much as I can be certain of. I test my precautions against the latest generations of surveillance gear just last month. Of course the military will generally be a few generations ahead of the civilian market."
Hermione nodded, tapping her armrest. "Expected. If there are those using those systems on us, they already know about us. If they do, there is nothing we can really do about it. Besides, these precautions are for those who might be Imperioed or bribed or threatened."
The lawyer nodded in agreement. "I managed to find suitable foster homes for the last group of children you sent to me. One couple was willing to take in the Flint siblings. Baby Carrow and Baby McNair have been adopted. Both couples are Muggles with relatives who attended Hogwarts and Beaubaxtons. We have some interest in Toddler Malfoy. An American couple who attended Salem. They are visiting relatives in Scotland."
Hermione sipped her tea. "Good. I want Draco's son out of Europe. Away from the prejudice and hate and racism. He deserves a chance to grow up as a decent human being. Not fed bigotry along with his pudding. Daphne was neutral, but Astoria is as bigoted as they come. Even with Draco out of the picture she'll still ruin the boy." She took a bite from a cookie. "I'll ask Minerva to have his file sent to Salem. I don't want him in Europe until he forms an identity of his own."
The elderly gentleman eyed her shrewdly. "You are spending a lot of time and money giving the children of your enemies a good start in life."
"They are just children Alex. Evil is not born, it is taught, learned, imitated. Of course, if they step over the line I will come down on them like Nemesis herself." Then she produced a small box from a pocket. A tap of her wand expanded it. Deftly she opened the hidden catches and pulled out a wad of files and passed them to the lawyer. "These are the latest cases. The children are older, the bad habits are more ingrained in them. Right now Harry and Luna are keeping an eye on them in London. I was thinking of something more along the lines of Boot Camp. It might be necessary to break them before rebuilding them into less prejudiced thinking beings. I am willing to finance building or modifying such an enterprise. Outside of Europe of course. Canada by preference."
"I might have something in my files that might interest you. It might take me a while to find it thought." He warned.
"Feel free. If you see George Weasley, please send him in."
"All right. The closed files are in the right most pile." He added just before leaving the office.
Hermione picked up the top most file and began perusing it. Before she even finished two pages, a tall redhead with messy hair and a missing ear joined her.
He bent over her shoulder and brushed a kiss over her cheek. She smiled up at him.
"Hello George." She held up the plate of shortbread. "Cookie?"
"Don't mind if I do." George Weasley grabbed the treat and consumed it rapidly before repeating the process. He slowed down after his third to talk. "I just met with Zabini. He wants to have dinner with you."
Hermione smiled, slow and satisfied. "Perfect. He's interested."
"I don't know why you're interested in him." George grumbled.
"He is a Slytherin and a key player in the neutral factions. If he joins us, the rest will follow. The dark factions will begin to collapse since they are counting on that neutrality."
"But I don't understand why he's willing to talk with you. He completely blew Harry off."
"Harry is rather rude when dealing with Slytherins. It takes a deft touch, a woman's touch to deal with prideful wizards."
George eyed her sharply. "He wants to date you."
"He asked me out years ago." Hermione freely admitted.
"And if he asks you now?" George wanted to know.
Hermione blinked, taken aback by the line of thought. "I don't think he wants to date me. He is just interested in what I can give him."
"What?"
"Revenge."
George was intrigued. "Really? A Gryffindor Lioness aiding a Slytherin Snake in his quest for vengeance? My my, what is the world coming to."
Hermione blinked her eyes blandly. "I was already planning to break into the Vatican. I just thought Zabini would want in."
"Whatever for?"
"The Zabinis hates the Roman Catholic Church. They reneged on a contract a few centuries back. The Zabinis never forgot. My little trip will give him the chance to take what was promised to his ancestor. Of course if it humiliates the Church in the process it will not hurt."
"Oh really, dear Hermione? And why would the Church be in need of humility?"
"Three centuries back a clergyman stole Prewitt family treasures, claiming them to be holy relics. The fool didn't recognize they were merely enchanted creations. The Church never bothered to return them. If you lay your hands on them you would have definite cause to petition the Wizengamot to reopen the Prewitt seat. We can definitely use an ally."
George did not chase after the shiny bright distraction. "And what are You after?" He wanted to know.
"Oh, this had that. The Church has a nasty habit of claiming things that do not belong to them." Hermione replied evasively.
"No really. You wouldn't be planning a break-and-enter without a bloody good reason."
Hermione studied him hard. "Do you remember Umbridge? Her blood quills?"
George gave a low whistle. "Umbitch? What in Merlin's name does she have to do with stealing from the Pope?"
"In our fifth year she used Blood Quills to torture the students. All of us assumed she had gotten the Quills from the Ministry. We were wrong."
George leaned forward in his chair. "What do you mean?"
"Harry has been having some bad delayed reaction. There is some fresh muscle and nerve damage in his scarred hand. We thought the Murtlap essence healed it completely." Her voice turned grim. "We were wrong. There are still some spell energy traces that are becoming active again. He has noticed some growing stiffness. Harry was a Seeker, George; he has fast hands and he knows when his reaction time is slowing."
"Lee didn't say anything about his scarred hand stiffening to me." George mused. His eyes sharpened. "Has he seen a Healer?"
"Of course. And I examined him myself. Unfortunately there is very little on Blood Quill treatments, it is a minor piece of Dark Arts, not considered important for study. Back then, we didn't realize the Quills leave a lingering trace that requires a Master Healer to remove. If Minerva hadn't warned us not to, we would have gone to Poppy, but that's in the past. Right now, none of us are sure how the Blood Quill damage will progress. In the old case files Padma found it was always treated within a month. I don't want to go to a Dark Arts specialist; there is too much risk he or she will be allied to Malfoy."
"And what does Harry's detention torture sessions have to do with the Vatican?"
Hermione ignored his question and continued. "I didn't realize until I did some digging in the Ministry. They destroy Dark objects, especially something minor like Blood Quills. The Department of Mysteries is only interested in the really dangerous relics. So where did Umbridge get the Blood Quills? Three guesses on who created and sanctioned the use of Blood Quills?"
---
The eavesdropping JLA members felt a sinking feeling in the pit of their stomachs.
---
"The Vatican?" George spoke in a thin angry voice.
"Correct. It seems as though Dolores Umbridge has a second cousin, a fairly high-level clergyman in Rome. He will need to be taught a lesson."
George made an indistinct furious sound. "No wonder the bitch was so fond of her Ministry decrees and her title! High Inquisitor indeed."
Hermione ignored the quip. "We need the original notes on Blood Quill creation. If we can give the Vatican a black eye at the same time, so much the better."
George studied her hard before throwing his hands in the air.
"Oh what the heck! In for a penny in for a pound. I'm in."
She smiled. "Wonderful. I'll let Luna know."
She produced a small cloth covered volume and flipped the pages before pulling an old-fashioned fountain pen from the spine to write in it. She closed it and slipped the pen back into the holding place built into the spine. Then she put it away.
"What would happen if I tried to open that?" George inquired idly.
Hermione blinked mildly. "You'd lose your fingers."
George sat up straighter. "Serious?"
"Oh yes. I've charm-locked my personal communication journal to hex the fingers off anyone trying to snoop. And the fingers can't be reattached until the spell energies have dissipated. Since the Ministry in its infinite wisdom has made it illegal to purge magic they'll have to wait until it dissipates naturally, go to an unlicensed Healer, hire a curse breaker, or find someone who knows the counter key. Me."
"You don't pull your punches, do you?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"I've pulled my punches long enough. Anyone I hit will get what is coming to them."
George nodded. "Do you think you can modify your charm for something less… disfiguring? Perhaps stinging hexes that increase in intensity and duration? There will definitely be a market for a product like this."
Hermione thought hard. "Thirty percent of the raw profit."
"WHAT!"
"Take it or leave it. I can just as easily go to Scriveners."
George grumbled but gave in. "I'll have to talk to Lee though. He does the books."
Hermione nodded and folded her hands over the mound over her lap.
George studied her intently. "Do you love him?"
Hermione was confused by the abrupt change in topic. "Love who?"
"The father." He jerked his chin at her pregnancy bulge.
She frowned. "Why do you want to know?"
"It is the only reason I can see why you are doing something as crazy as having the kid. So do you love him?"
Hermione shook her head. "Love him? No. I didn't know him well enough for that."
"Then why?"
Hermione visibly struggled to gather her thoughts before responding. "He is the best of the Muggles I've met. Not that I've met many since I got my letter. It is…" She stopped and corrected herself. "He was not afraid or angry of the dangerous situation he was in, or jealous and bigoted when he found out about magic. He was pragmatic and logical. He listened. He made me slow down, stop and reconsider." She hesitated. "He made me laugh. He made me feel beautiful, desirable, wanted." Her eyes glimmered. "When he looked he saw Hermione – not a brain, a fixer, a researcher, a lobbyist, a teacher – just Hermione. When I was with him, he did not expect me to make all the decisions; he fought me on quite a few. And I had to change my mind after listening to his logic."
"You sound like you are half-way in love with him." George observed.
Hermione snorted. "Don't be silly. Just a healthy dose of sexual chemistry and respect. At the core of it we have nothing in common."
"You don't know that." George pointed out mildy. "You may have a lot in common. You said it yourself, you don't know him."
"Yes, well I'm never going to see him again so it doesn't matter." Her words and expression indicated she considered the matter closed.
George nodded slowly. "Have you thought about what you are going to do after?"
"After what? After the Feud is done?"
"Yes."
"I'm trying not to think about it." Hermione confessed. "Making plans like that is asking for the Fates to laugh at you."
George grinned. "I wouldn't worry about it. With you and Harry leading us, we definitely won't lose. I always thought we would have won faster with fewer deaths if you led the Order after Dumbledore died." He smirked. "You plan for every possible contingency."
Hermione smiled faintly. "Oh? Is there a compliment in there?"
"Definitely. If Moody were alive and younger, he'd definitely ask you to marry him. Constant Vigilance indeed!"
She laughed. "I have every reason to be careful and plan." She stroked her mound. "I have a reason to fight and live." The gold bracelets at her wrist glinted. "I want my child to grow up in a better world. If I must I will set the world on fire and act as the Gods Hammer to reshape it." Her eyes glimmered. "I see no reason to relax and become complacent; not when the guilty are still free." Her eyes were cold gold. "When Malfoy and his ilk are broken and gone I will not stop. I will keep the pressure on the old families until they submit to change or die. I Will Break the Old Guard."
George looked at her with open admiration. "You know, you are utterly terrifying when you talk like that." It was more of a statement. "Ron was definitely right when he called you brilliant but scary."
She smiled, a more warm intimate expression. "And do I terrify you George?"
"Absolutely." George admitted without hesitation. "You are the only one who could make me and Fred stop pranking during the school year." He hesitated for a second before continuing. "Harry Potter is a hero because of prophecy. He was tapped for it and choose to accept the mantle and fight. You are a completely different sort of hero. You fight because you see injustice and evil and you cannot stand by and just watch. However, at the same time you accept everything, you don't ignore anything that could help or anyone willing to help. You've Grown into a Leader that few would dare to openly challenge.
"But at the same time all of us know you are Honourable, you will never abuse your followers or enemies. You will eliminate them, cleanly and quickly. All the Great Houses grudgingly recognize that." He sighed. "Ron was a fool to let you go. He is a fool for sulking over your decision to have the child. He is even more of a fool to fight you on the Blood Feud issue, saying it was not right. Hah, as if a mortal would know what is right in the Gods view of things! No, you are the best person to lead a Blood Feud. I would follow you into battle anywhere."
Hermione stared at him taken aback. Her lower lip trembled. "Thank you. For what you've just said, what you've done."
George sighed. "Sometimes I think we don't thank you enough Hermione. For all that you've done, what you are doing, what you are risking. Thank you." He leaned forward and brushed a kiss against her forehead. "Thank you sister of my heart, my spirit." Then he leaned away and picked up the plate of shortbread and thrust it under her nose. "Now eat! My nephew or niece will need the sugar."
Hermione made a face but complied. Before she was done with the cookie, the door opened and Alex Watkins returned.
"Good news, I've found the files. International properties that need a buyer. I've included lists of possible guardians. Some of the couples are not married but they have been together for a few years. Would that be a problem?"
"Not at all." Hermione demurred as she accepted the folders and slipped them into her box before shrinking it and putting it away. "Would it be possible to have an inspection?"
"Of course. Just let me know which and when and I'll make the arrangements."
Hermione nodded. "I'm certain you've made good choices Alex. I'll have a look at the files and let you know."
"I will wait for your message." Alex Watkins looked very amused. "Thank you for the journals. I had to hire new night staff two weeks ago. Three of them somehow misplaced their fingers and were unable to work."
Hermione blinked mildly. "Oh dear. They must have touched something they weren't supposed to. I do hope they will be more careful in the future." She murmured in mildly saccharine tones.
George looked faintly horrified. "Wait… You mean…"
The lawyer laughed. "Don't worry George, they were squibs. I gave them a second chance though. They are working in the Community Arena Hermione and Harry are funding. They won't find anything sensitive in that place."
Hermione reached out and brushed her lips against the elderly gentleman's cheek. "It was wonderful seeing you, Alex, but we have to leave now. I'll be in touch."
The lawyer nodded and helped Hermione don her cloak before walking the pair out.
---
The JLA eavesdroppers watched the curly haired brunette and the red-haired man on the regular security cameras. They took the elevator to the private parking level, but after stepping out of the elevator they were nowhere to be seen.
Robin frantically switched between all the cameras in the basement parking level. "I can't find any trace of them! It's like they vanished!"
"They probably teleported out." Diana speculated. Then she looked at the stony features of Batman. "What do you want to do now?"
"We need to keep looking for more information on the enclaves. The British government was not very helpful."
She nodded slowly. "What about the Vatican? Do we inform them of a possible heist?"
Batman tapped his fingers. "No." He decided. "It will give us some idea about how this faction of wand-users operate. Besides I doubt they are going to kill anyone."
Diana frowned but nodded. There was something about the situation that made her uneasy. Something about Batman's reactions.
"Batman, about Hermione Granger…" Diana trailed off feeling a bit uneasy.
He stilled. "What about her?"
"How well do you know her?"
Batman rose and stalked away without answering. Diana looked at Robin and Jonnz helplessly. Jonnz was sympathetic.
"He knows her quite well. But it is his story to tell."
...ooOoo...
Superman glanced around the Wand-User taskforce.
"All right. Anything to report?"
Green Lantern started. "There is a report of a break-in at the Vatican two nights ago. Several robes belonging to the higher clergy were hung outside the Sistine chapel and used to make a sign reading 'Guilty As Sin.' Nearly a dozen mid-level and higher clergy were stripped to their underwear, blindfolded and tethered to the lamp posts before being tarred and feathered. One particular clergyman, Paul Matthew Twitchley had to be shaved bald to remove all the tar clotted in his hair. No one saw, heard, or smelled anything. They were found by Swiss Guards on regular patrol duties. The press has been speculating on just What these clergymen are guilty of. In addition, unofficially of course, several of the more protected vaults were broken into the same night. None of my contacts have been able to determine if anything has gone missing."
Batman snorted. "They wouldn't. They can't."
"The next day anonymous packages were dropped off at several foreign embassies in Rome. They contained cultural treasures that had been missing for decades or centuries. Treasures that went missing after Catholic missionaries arrived. There is some speculation where these relics have been all these years. Some gossips have linked the treasures to the Vatican break-in but there is no proof and no one is talking."
Batman smiled faintly.
Zatanna coughed. "Supergirl and I met my contact. He finally received permission from his superiors to talk to us."
Kara picked up the thread. "His name is Wyvern and he works for their equivalent of a magical CIA or DoD in R&D. He gave us quite a bit of information that I've added to the files, mainly players and their factions. The names pretty much match with what Batman gave us. There is more history and cultural information in the file as well but everything he told us indicates Hermione Granger and Harry Potter are in the right. Every action they've taken is completely legal. Including this Blood Feud thing. It is very rare because it has to be endorsed by the Gods but they basically have a Get-Out-Of-Jail card as long as they follow specific RoE. Rather medieval but still legal according to their own laws.
"The Feud has been declared and borne by Granger though she is clearly involving Potter and her other allies in her fight. It is not quite clear who the senior leader is, but Potter and Granger have no problems working with each other and sharing power. In fact, Harry Potter is the primary public face and leader of the field agents executing the hits. Granger seems to be doing the planning and logistics. She has not made many public appearances since she declared her Feud in front of the Wizengamot, the magical equivalent for the House of Lords."
Diana stirred. "Superman and I met with the British Prime Minister. After laying out our cards, the Prime Minister was very surprised. He has been under the impression that the fighting had ended when Harry Potter killed Tom Riddle for a second time. When we proved his liaison was clearly lying he was not pleased. He has given us the authority to investigate and nip this threat in the bud. He wants a complete threat assessment report and any suggestions on handling future outbreaks of violence from the magical enclaves before they spill outside."
Superman coughed softly before picking up the thread. "We also visited Diagon Alley and picked up some of the more recent publications and are quite disturbed by the clearly biased opinions in their history books. Saviours or Savages. Hero or Criminal. Victim or Threat. Saint or Sinner. Whore or Frigid. Barbarian or Ignorant. There is no middle ground. They seem to take great pleasure in building up heroes and tearing them down. There is no personal accountability or libel laws. Some of what I've read… It's horrific."
Batman glanced around. "This situation requires an intervention and we've received the go ahead. Are we in agreement?" Everyone nodded firmly. "All right. We all know we can't track them easily. They are probably wary of outsiders knowing of magic."
"We have the Prime Minister's blessing." Green Lantern pointed out. "Why don't we meet with their Minister. Some fellow called Kingsley Shacklebolt."
Batman nodded. "All right. John, Diana, contact this Shacklebolt and request a meeting." He looked around. "Kara and Kal-el can help me with a little scouting and mapping. We need to find the limits of the magic used to hide the enclaves."
...ooOoo...
TBC…