Story So Far-The Justice League and Teen Titans have been asked to help search for the presumed dead Harry Potter and encounter the Greenskins for the first time, resulting in a tense standoff between Ron and Gromgor, the right hand of Emperor Samgon.
Chapter 3- Temporary Allies
For a moment, no one made a move. The night crept ever closer and Gromgor began blending into the night. Raven sensed the emotions radiating off Ron but couldn't sense what he was going to do. Ron suddenly aimed his wand at Gromgor at attempted to fire off a cutting curse at the Black Orc only for the curse to strike a shield between Ron and its target.
"What the?!" Ron exclaimed in shock and confusion.
"You should've remembered that there's a Potter who doesn't align with your cause." A hooded figure said as they took off an invisibility cloak. The figure then took off his hood, revealing a face familiar to Ron.
"Oh no, it's fucking you?!" Ron said in surprised and angry voice.
"Yes, it's fucking me. Who else would've been able to track you down and hack into your new friends' devices?" The figure said in a condescending tone of voice.
"James Ryan Potter, I really ought to send more than a few bludgeoning curses towards you." Ron said, remaining very angry at the traitorous Potter.
"You can plot ways to grievously injure me all you want; however, we all want to find Harry. Let us agree on that." James Ryan Potter replied, dismissing the bodily threats coming from Ron and focused his attention on the matter of their missing relative.
"Why do you lot wish to find Harry?" Ron asked, also asking the Greenskins standing behind his brother-in-law.
Gromgor spoke up, "We believe that if we find Harry, he'll be able to point us in the right direction to find who we really want to find."
"And who's that?" Batman asked.
"OUR EMPEROR!" The Orc Strategist said loudly with a sense of patriotism, emerging from behind the Greenskin soldiers and shamans.
"He's dead, accept it!" Ron said bitterly to the Orcs and Goblins in an attempt to demoralise them.
"If he's dead, then so is our brother." James Ryan Potter replied coldly.
"We know that you're trying to demoralise us, Ronald Weasley. It will not work because, like you, we have hope."
"Why do you think that your Emperor is alive?" Jaime asked out loud.
"We think that our Emperor is alive because like Harry, our Emperor is a survivor. They have both died many times before and come back." Gromgor replied. "Based on that very fact, we always have hope that our Emperor is alive."
"You guys have a concept of hope?" Nightwing asked disbelievingly.
"Even the worst monsters have some concept of hope, Mr Grayson." James Ryan Potter replied evenly.
"We should move our discussion inside. I believe we should not be talking about this out here." The Orc strategist said to Gromgor and James Ryan Potter, although he said it loud enough for Ron, Newt and the two hero groups to hear.
"As much as I hate you guys, I agree. We should take this inside before anyone knows what's going on." Ron said with a low growl.
"Some people probably have already heard about what's going on here." Superman sheepishly said to the red-haired man and the fierce looking warrior and wizard. Indeed, his super hearing allowed him to hear about the reports detailing the arrivals of the wizards, human girl and Greenskins at newspapers and law enforcement agencies. They moved inside before a media circus turned up.
They entered the meeting room and grabbed some refreshments. It became rather crowded as dozens of individuals crammed into the room. Gromgor and James each handed a USB to the Orc Strategist, who then proceeded to place the USB sticks into the appropriate slots in the Hall of Justice's computer.
The Orc strategist uploaded the data they had gathered and put it up on display in the meeting room. "We have pinpointed the island they're on. It's an island that consists of military hospitals and retirement homes for ex-soldiers. It's just a question of which one."
"I might have something." Damian said neutrally. "There's one hospital and retirement home that has got more staff than the others. Most of the other homes and hospitals average about sixty to seventy members of staff with about the same number of patients. One however has about two hundred and fifty staff for about sixty patients. My guess is that most of them are guards."
"I concur." Ron said as he pointed at the hospital staff rotas. "It is an unusual amount of staff to have for any hospital or retirement home considering that in most cases, the staff will be rotated between shifts and the staff not on duty would go home and only return when they were on duty again. In the case of this one hospital, it seems that the staff live in other sections of the building complex not accessible to the patients."
"This is the hospital we must look at then." Gromgor replied with heightened interest. "It could be a bluff and that Harry and our Emperor are elsewhere, but I sincerely doubt that."
"Well done Robin." Batman said in his usual stoic tone of voice.
"Batman, just call him Damian, we know all your true identities anyway." Newt said to Batman, simultaneously being cheeky and serious. He just gave his famous Bat-glare in return and then continued to look at the information on the display.
The orcs suddenly became agitated and began scenting the air in a calm but alert manner. "You know how we were expecting company?" Gromgor asked the heroes once he had listened to the whispered words of the Orc Strategist. The Heroes nodded. "Well we've got a lot of company outside."
The Orc strategist listed off some of the mass of individuals gathering outside the Hall of Justice, "We've got Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen of the Daily Planet, Archaeon and a Platoon of Chaos Chosen, All of the Emperor's Wives and mistresses, Field Marshal Olmogard of the Empire and a company of the Imperial Guard, The various versions of the Jedi High Council plus Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader, Samgon Junior and his guard squad, Skak the acting supreme Commander of Mordor, journalists from the Daily Prophet and Ginny and Hermione Weasley. All are outside this building right now."
James Ryan spoke up, "And I sense a contingent of WSF has just arrived with Miller, Ocelot and several others."
"What's the WSF?" Dick asked.
"A private army started by myself and Harry after a resurrection by Samgon was disputed by the Ministry of Magic and the rest of the allied powers. There were people and places that believed us though and, over time, we've grown to become a major power in our own right." Ron explained with a bitter smile on his face. "We upset the balance of power in the world the day we became a major power. Only when Samgon had revealed himself were we proved right but trust has never been fully restored. We even went to war at one point after Samgon faked one of his many deaths many years afterwards."
"Well, while that's an explanation of what the WSF is, we still need to figure out what to do about the growing crowd of visitors we've got outside." Damian pointed out with Batman nodding in agreement.
Ron sighed in frustration, "We might as well let them in. I'm assuming one of you would vouch for this Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen?"
"Of course." Superman replied.
"That's right. You work with them when you're not being Superman. Of course you'd trust them." Newt said as she remembered details she'd learned about him.
Batman led Ron, Newt and Gromgor to where the increasingly fractious crowd had assembled whilst everyone else went to the big meeting hall that had been used earlier. The group of four emerged from the entrance of the grandiose named building and were immediately crowded by the horde of people demanding answers or asking questions as to what's going on. Gromgor also found several guns and blades pointed in his direction. A loud bang suddenly stunned the oncoming crowd and a loud booming voice was heard.
"SILENCE!" Ron roared then his voice became a touch more quiet, "You will get answers but no one will get them if you act like a mob. Now, follow us and keep your voices to reasonable levels."
No one dared argue with him as they followed the four to the meeting hall. The rest of the Justice League and the Teen Titans were assembled talking with each other with some looking as though they were beginning to fall asleep. Gromgor's soldiers and James Ryan Potter kept alert as though they were expecting a fight although neither Ginny or Hermione saw James Ryan Potter amongst Gromgor's contingent of guards.
Ginny and Hermione caught up to Ron after barging their way through the crowd and quietly spoke with him and Newt. "Ron, what the hell is going on? Why are members of Outer Heaven here?" Hermione asked Ron frantically. Ginny looked at Ron with a look that he knew meant she would hex him until they were given answers.
"I think there's a chance Harry might be alive. We managed to use some of the blood that was left behind at the final battle and it directed us to an island with lots of military hospitals and retirement and care homes for military veterans." Ron said with a glimmer of hope.
"Hang on one second Ron; I just need to do something." Ginny said suddenly and she stalked off in the direction of Gromgor's men. Ron and Hermione looked at her in worry as she moved very purposefully past the soldiers.
James Ryan Potter looked up from his seat and saw Ginny walking towards him. He briefly scowled as he realised that she was intent on confronting him and said, "Shit!" before changing his expression so it looked more cheery and got up to greet her, "Hey! Ginny, my hot sister in law, how are you?" His greeting was met with a punch to the face that sent sprawling several meters across the meeting hall.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Ginny spat venomously at the person she used to call a brother in law.
"A hello would've sufficed." James Ryan commented dryly which earned him another punch to the face and a bat bogey hex on top of that which caused him to be attacked by bloody snot bats that came from his own nose. "Maybe more polite as well?" he questioned. This caused him to get kneed in the stomach and receive a few stinging hexes on top. He held one of his arms up in surrender, "Maybe I shut up and you can take the bat bogeys off?"
Ron and Hermione finally caught up to Ginny and Ron used the opportunity to put James Ryan in his place, "Maybe she takes off the Bat Bogey after you've answered her question and stop acting like a complete knobhead?" James Ryan could only nod in response and Ginny healed the minor injuries she had given him although she waited for her answer before removing the Bat Bogey.
"Okay, we're here because A) A new reality has merged with this one, B) We were hoping to have a temporary alliance with him and C) We think that if Harry's alive then Samgon is alive. Happy?" James Ryan said with a bunged up voice. Ginny, while not liking the answers, did cancel her Bat Bogey hex.
"You'd better do this briefing considering the amount of company we've now got." Cyborg said, coming from behind Ron, Hermione and Ginny. Ron saw the podium where Batman was waiting and Miller and Newt were standing next to him with Newt briefing Miller on the situation.
"Well I think I need to tell everyone what it is that's about to go on, don't you?" Ron asked his wife and sister.
"Yeah I think you should. We don't even know what we're doing." Hermione said to him exasperatedly.
"Ron sometimes I think it's just as well you're a great chess player because I reckon you're making a plan up right now and no one knows what you're thinking." Ginny added.
"That may be true." Ron admitted before walking up to the podium, leaving Hermione and Ginny to shake their heads with slight frowns on their faces.
Cyborg then spoke with Hermione and Ginny, "Does he usually do this? Improvising a course of action and then informing everyone else as he finishes making the plan up?"
"No." Ginny said firmly.
"No. It was usually Harry who came up with the improvised plans. Ron's usually more methodical." Hermione confirmed.
Ron began talking about the plan and Damian and Raven somewhat tuned him out as they discussed what might happen while paying attention to the essential details. "What happens if they don't find who they're looking for or don't like what they find?" Damian asked Raven before adding, "I don't like taking part in plans based on hope alone."
"Sometimes Damian, people just need a little hope in what they do, whether it's a plan, going through a rough period in their lives or hope for the future. There are examples of acts based on hope happening each day. Does it always work? No but having hope gives people something to hang on to." Raven replied.
"Sometimes it can be false hope." Damian returned without missing a beat.
"True. If it helps a person's psyche though then it could be considered useful and hope can lead people to... galvanise themselves." Raven said tell Damian ways that hope could be useful."
"You two are listening, aren't you?" Dick asked in a hushed tone. He looked at them through the corner of his eye.
"Yes Grayson, we're listening. Ron and two of the newcomers, Hermione and Ginny are going to make something called a Portkey and that will transport us all to the island where we suspect this Harry Potter and also possibly this Samgon person are and go and investigate this hospital." Damian replied in an annoyed tone that was easily recognised by Dick.
"Okay, you were paying attention. Just making sure." Dick replied.
Soon enough, the briefing ended and a flurry of activity began. "I guess we're moving out." Damian said matter of factly to Raven.
"I do believe so. They must be assuming that time is of the essence." Raven responded, guessing the reasoning behind the immediate execution of the plan.
"I think they're all rushing this." He returned bluntly.
"It might be worth it. Besides one of these two might be able to answer the questions we have." Raven said to Damian, trying to put a positive spin on the course of action being taken.
Damian didn't respond and just continued preparing to carry out Ron's plan.
Raven did say one more thought as the preparations continued which gave Damian pause for thought, "I think both Ron and Gromgor consider this to be temporary alliance and that it would end the moment events reach their natural conclusion."
Soon, the Portkey was ready and everyone got ready to be transported to another location. They were holding onto the Portkey which turned out to one incredibly long rope and Damian realised something before their departure from the Hall of Justice. "Raven, I did make sure Titus was provided and cared for, didn't I?"
Raven thought for a moment before responding, "I'm sure you did but I'm not one hundred percent sure."
"Once we land at that island, I'm going to get Alfred to check on Titus." Damian said determinedly before the large group was whisked away by the Portkey.
AN- The Character of James Ryan Potter in this story is the same character featured in the prologue of Sins of the Father III and was merely known as James then.
AAN- A couple of non-numbered chapters will be following this chapter. Also, a one-shot prequel from the perspective of Damian and Raven is in the works. An update for Orc Empire I should come within a week or two plus work is continuing on the latest chapters of Harry Potter: Portable Ops and The Bond of Seven.
Please review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.