Author's notes: And behind a curtain is... Well, if you don't know, you haven't seen the Wizard of Oz. If you have, you can see the parallel I'm using here. I don't know what else to say up here.


There is a Curtain

United Nations

And there were the Ministers of Magic. The Secretary General had questioned all of them about their policies, international and domestic, while the ambassadors took notes and asked questions. There were also inquiries from the ambassadors of those countries that had a Ministry and word about religious factions having made threats.

''Of course they had to go at the witch hunts again,'' Superman told Harry from their seats.

''How did it go for you?'' Harry asked turning to Superman. ''You had to go to a senate hearing after what happened in Metropolis with your people. How did that go?''

''I was found responsible,'' was Superman's response. ''But that was a hearing, not Supreme Court. To be honest, I still don't know how that ended up.''

''Do me a favor on the next recess and tell me more about that,'' Harry said checking his DA-coin for messages.


A.R.G.U.S

It is said that in the end, or when you're dying, life passes through your eyes. Somehow watching his wife laying strapped on bed and possessed by something not of this Earth, made Ron think about what he considered to be the best day in his life. The day he had been sent to Hogwarts and on the train ride there met his two best friends. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, who had accepted him as their friend and been through the hardship of school life with him and was in the same line of work as he was.

All Ron had been through with Harry and Hermione had brought him here, in A.R.G.U.S with his children and his sister Ginny watching what Hermione had become on the other side of the glass in the company of men who had sinned their way into servitude for God and a conman named John Constantine.

''Trinity of Sin, that's who these blokes are,'' Constantine continued introducing them to Ginny. ''Well, them and her over there.''

Ginny looked at the two men, one without a face and one pale eyed with both wearing dark blue suits and hats, and hearing what Constantine called then she tried to remember if she had forgotten something from her History of Magic courses. Trinity of Sin was a name no one would forget easily and for some reason none of the witches and wizards Ginny knew and had met had mentioned them.

''John, that was your name, right?'' Ginny asked turning to Constantine. ''So, who exactly are the Trinity of Sin and how is Hermione in it?''

''They're sinners forced to work their penance to God,'' Constantine responded putting an unlit cigarette between his lips. ''So, what did you learn of her or is that also against mortal knowledge?''

''When three of us were originally sentenced, our identities were made irrelevant,'' Phantom Stranger spoke. ''I casted my past away in guilt, he was robbed of his identity and Pandora was made to be known for who she was. But in Hermione Granger's case, her identity was buried under Pandora's after she committed a mortal sin. Anti-Life is more forcefully keeping Hermione Granger buried inside her mind and that is where she wants remain.''

''Wha- wait, WHAT!?'' Ron asked turning to Phantom Stranger. ''What do you mean she wants to remain under Pandora's persona and is letting Anti-Life hold her?''

''I don't know if I should laugh at the irony or your thick headedness,'' Constantine said clicking his lighter to light his cigarette and inhaled. ''Aah, much better. Hermione killed that bloke the Joker used as patsy and she feels so guilty about it that she'd rather be Pandora than Hermione.''

''What did I just say about ruining therapy?'' Ginny said looking at Constantine. ''And isn't this a smoke free building?''

''Who cares, this is more important,'' Constantine said pointing at Pandora. ''So, if Anti-Life is what's keeping her from being herself- or scratch that. Anti-Life is what's keeping Pandora over Hermione and making therapy impossible.''

''When we spoke to her, she addressed to us as if she was the same Pandora who was judged with us,'' the Question said with his hands crossed, ''denying to be anyone else. It is… interesting.''

''But, she's our mom?'' Hugo said looking at Pandora with Rose. ''How can she not be herself?''

''Is Anti-Life some kind of spell or a curse?'' Rose asked.

Constantine made a dull face as his reaction before telling Ron to meet him outside after he had explained all the grown up things to his children without Constantine undoing anymore therapy.


Gotham City, somewhere dark…

''You know this is all your fault!'' cat suited woman yelled as she was held by organic robots.

''At least you're not tied to a table!'' red haired masked woman in red and black yelled back. ''It would have been more stupid to come here alone.''

The other woman had been trying to rob a penthouse next door and had been caught red handed by the other one. For casual courtesy and mutual respect the other woman had been offered to have been looked aside for assistance on what the other one had been working on, as backup. This arrangement had lead both of them to be overpowered and into this situation where Batwoman was tied to an operating table and Catwoman was held by emotionless, best word to describe, zombies.

''Then it would have been just you tied to the table and not me in danger of being tied to one!'' Catwoman yelled back at Batwoman furiously. ''IF EITHER OF US GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE-''

''Calm my preciouses,'' pig masked man said walking from the middle of the Dollotrons wearing surgical gloves and plastic apron. ''Pyg will fix both of you and make you pretty. Oink!''

''If you want to do fixing, make these things let me go and I'll claw it on you,'' Catwoman spit at Professor Pyg as he walked past her.

''No, no, Pyg will heal you. Pyg will make you better,'' Professor Pyg spoke spreading his arms. ''Pyg will make you pretty like the others.''

''YOU ARE NOT TURNING US INTO THESE THINGS, YOU SICK SON OF A-''

''Sshhh, you're making Mother angry,'' Professor Pyg shushed Batwoman by gently pushing his finger onto her lips and then turned to Catwoman. ''Destroy her, so Daddy can rebuild her!''

BANG!

PING!

Reloading sound.

BANG!

PING!

The straps that kept Batwoman's hands tied to the table were shot off and as she quickly got up she used the spikes in her gauntlets to cut her legs free too before kicking Professor Pyg on his knees. Before she could do anything else, an escrima stick flew at the back of Pyg's head and Nightwing and Red Hood, carrying a backpack with a cannon, jumped out.

''Catwoman, duck!'' Red Hood told in focused monotone as he

FLLOOWBB!

fired a strong, orange foam at the Dollotrons to make them immobile and unable to attack them. ''We all know there is no coming back once turned into Dollotrons. I could have actually used live rounds and not just on the knees.''

''Don't break the habit,'' Nightwing said patting him on the back and then turned to Batwoman. ''Oracle tracked down your signal, meaning your securities needs better upgrading if you still want to work outside the union.''

''I thought I was chasing a serial killer, not this psycho in a pig mask,'' Batwoman said

SMACK!

kicking Pyg as he tried to get back up disoriented. ''Vanity isn't one of my faults, but how could he or anyone make 'this' any better?''

''Asks her who is wearing an obvious wig,'' Red Hood said shooting a burn at Batwoman as Catwoman got up and brushed the hardened foam of herself. ''As for that that boob window-''

''Nightwing, how come it is you two and not Batman who saved us!?'' Catwoman asked in a rather loud voice.

Nightwing didn't speak. Red Hood didn't speak. Batwoman recognized there was something the boys weren't saying, which also changed Catwoman's attitude from agitated to worried as she noticed it too.

''Where is Batman?'' Batwoman asked after the silence had been long enough. ''Has something happened?''

''Let's go, Lazlo,'' Nightwing said picking up Professor Pyg and turned to leave with Red Hood. ''Back to Arkham with you. Selina, Kate, go home.''

Batwoman shrugged her shoulders and grabbled away, but Catwoman didn't leave just yet.

''Where is Batman now?'' Catwoman asked walking after Nightwing and Red Hood. ''Is Bruce okay? Did something-''

But then she had followed them outside and saw that they were out driving one of the Batmobiles. After Professor Pyg had been thrown to the containment on the back of the car, Catwoman drew her whip and

WHIP!

made it clear she was serious.

''You two are good liars, you could have said he was abroad, but your silence just told enough to be curious,'' she said. ''Where is Batman?''


''I take it they caught that crazy broad,'' John Constantine said walking outside A.R.G.U.S. and joined Chas Chandler by his taxicab. ''How's the mileage?''

''Considering the House of Mystery has a moving parking lot, hardly changed,'' Chas responded patting the hood as Constantine sat next to him to lean against the cab. ''Good or bad?''

''Both, to say the least,'' Constantine said crossing his arms, but still holding a lit cigarette. ''You're a family man, Chas. I know better than giving you nightmares about what's happening inside.''

'''Ignorance is a bliss' route?'' Chas asked as Constantine inhaled.

''She has her other foot in her grave,'' Constantine said exhaling. ''With her toes feeling the heat of Hellfire. How much would you bet on that Lucifer is also aware of her situation? A vulnerable soul in agony and willing to enter Hell without resistance? In other situations that would be a free ticket to Heaven, but Pandora and that bloody Anti-Life-''

''Let it go.''

''Chas?'' Constantine said turning to see Chas' eyes burning like he was possessed and he chuckled. ''Well ain't that handy. I've been looking for an insider to the other side and now one's here. Is that you Lucy or-''

THOCK!

The possessed Chas took a strong hold onto Constantine's throat and snarled at him.

''You exorcise demons to Hell on purpose and innocent souls on error, John Constantine,'' possessed Chas snarled at Constantine. ''Let this go and stop interfering with this!''

''With what?'' Constantine responded back, which caused the burning in Chas' eyes dim. ''Who are you? WHAT AM I INTERFERRING WITH!?''

''Argh,'' Chas grunted as he regained the control of his body and let go of his grip. ''John?''

''No turning into angel means not from Heaven,'' Constantine muttered annoyed, ''and orange smoke is too new for Hell. Or a red hearing to… Bollocks!''

Leaving Chas to recover his experience of being possessed and telling him to go see his family, Constantine marched back inside A.R.G.U.S to the room he had left the Question, Phantom Stranger and Ron with his sister and children.

''The party in charge of Hermione's condition just came to tell me to piss off!'' Constantine told as he barged into the room.

''What? Who!?'' Ron asked reacting to the news with interest. ''How did that happen!?

''Possessed a friend of mine to send their message, but I asking you now,'' Constantine answered pointing at Ron and the sinners, with also glancing at Hermione and then Ginny, ''who's coming with me to kick them in the bollocks?''


On his observatory seat, Lex Luthor had listened to every accusation against the wizards that the Secretary General had made. All of them had been made about incidents that had happened during Harry Potter's time in Hogwarts, incidents that Lex had educated himself on from Lena's old letters. Dementors during prison escapee whose dangerous importance had been belittled on, not letting the rest of the world know of mystical creatures like giants, trolls, actual dragons, giant spiders and the worst offence so far, erasing people's memories with magic once they had been able to come aware.

On that last one, everyone in the hall had signaled on their body language worry over had that happened to them and made it very difficult for Potter and the Minister of Magic to defend themselves. Superman had made it clear that he was not always supportive over extreme methods, but held onto his support in defending the wizards.

''In case of these wizards turning hostile against the public, like Voldemort's terrorist organization did, would you be standing with them or against them?'' the Secretary General asked firmly. ''Or would you rather stand between both parties in this hypothetical situation and make both lay down their arms?''

That was when Lex saw it. The Secretary General was breaking a norm or some UN protocols by inventing questions Lex himself would have asked directly from Superman to put them as uncomfortable situation as possible. And when answering had taken longer than a few seconds, Lex could have sworn that the Secretary General was smirking victoriously. There was something personal in this affair especially behind the Secretary General's motives.


Author's notes: And in the next chapter, we are FINALLY going physically to Apokolips.

Replies to Reviews:

Exodus5: Aaaand we're back to there being other characters' point-of-views. I did aim here to work more on the thoughts of the characters, like how Ron is thinking of the situation so far, Ginny's views about Constantine and the Trinity of Sin and then there's Lex Luthor's insights observing Harry's and Superman's situation. And what is happening in Gotham now that Batman has gone to Apokolips.

Guest: You will be happy next time.