LoDK
The Legacy of the Dark Knight Saga
Jamie Prosser and the Fourth Champion
Chapter 8: Double Date?
Disclaimer: This is solely a not-for-profit fan activity, and does not intend to infringe on copyrights held by Time Warner, DC Comics, Bloomsbury et al, and JK Rowling. Any character original to this work remains the property of the author.
A/N: This story diverges significantly from accepted canon for the Harry Potter series from the outset, as in addition to the crossover elements, there are several deviations from the books that will be covered where they fit into the narrative. The timeline of the DC Comics elements borrows heavily from Young Justice (2011), but adds elements and characters from the comics, and relocates the series to the late Sixties and early Seventies rather than the New Tens as screened, and is heavy on 'legacy' and original characters as a result.
A/N: Unless stated otherwise, the action of this story takes place in the run up to and during the 1997-1998 school year (305 "Anno Secreto" or "Year of Secrecy") parallel to the events of Deathly Hallows in canon. The year code "AL" is also my own invention and stands for After Liberation, counting the years after the Justice League's ending of the "Apokolips War", my as-yet unwritten take on the events of Young Justice Season 3 (Set late 1973 to April 1976).
****
Science Department,
Nantwich High School,
Nantwich CW5.
12th September, 1225 BST.
"You should be finished taking your readings now," said the teacher from the front of the room.
Ginny shared a look with Eddie that asked, Are we? At his nod, she turned off the Bunsen burner they were using to heat a beaker of water.
"By using the formula that I gave you at the beginning of the class, you should be able to work out the power output of the burner," he reminded them. "You've got ten minutes before the bell rings, I want your calculations on my desk and your benches cleared by then."
"Do you want to clean up, or do the calculations?" Eddie asked.
"Clean-up please," said Ginny. "My maths skills are a lot better than they were six months ago, but I'm not great at 'on the fly' work yet."
"I've got you covered," Eddie assured her, and reached over to his bag for a calculator.
Ginny decided to let the burner and its frame to cool for a minute for putting it away, so she took the beaker over the sinks to pour it out first. Three of the other students, two girls and a boy, had the same idea, so it took a couple of minutes for her to get to a sink.
"All done," Eddie told her as she returned to their bench for the Bunsen burner. "I'll just go and hand them in."
Ginny nodded and then carefully moved to grasp the burner. Initially, she touched the frame lightly to make sure it had cooled off, which they mostly had, allowing her to stow them away and close the door behind them before the bell went for end of period.
"Anyone who hasn't handed in their lab report…" said the teacher. "I want it and tonight's homework, a five-hundred word essay on James Joule and his contributions to physics and mathematics in my email by Monday. Dismissed."
Several of the students immediately leapt to their feet and scrambled for the door, eager to get to lunch.
"Eddie, Ginny, can I have a quick word before you go?" asked the teacher as he moved back to his desk.
"Of course, Mr Littleton," Eddie replied, and cut through the throng of the students scrambling for the door. Ginny took a moment to change course, but got to the desk about the same time as Eddie. "Can I help you with anything, sir?"
Mr Littleton waited until the rest of the class had left before speaking up. "I realise that Ginny is new to this school, and you are obviously helping her to settle in - which is admirable of course - but she needs to be able to stand on her own in class if she's going to make it."
"I understand, sir," confirmed Eddie.
"Ginny?"
"That's what I want too, sir," agreed Ginny.
"Good, I'm glad we understand each other," said Mr Littleton. "I look forward to seeing more from you in the future. Dismissed."
"Are you joining us for lunch or heading back straight away?" Eddie asked Ginny, as they wandered back towards the main school.
Ginny paused to think for a moment, "I think I'll join you for lunch. I also checked the Zeta Tube database and there's a Zeta booth only about half-a-mile away, so I've got plenty of time."
****
The Orchard,
Royctonshire
12th September, 1405 BST.
"Welcome back, Ginny," said Darryl, one of the farm's assistants as he let Ginny back into the house about an hour later.
"Hi, Darryl," said Ginny. "Is Alanna around?"
Darryl, a short, slightly pudgy man who looked somewhat like an older version of her brother's classmate Neville Longbottom, shock his head. "She got a call from the police and headed into Roycton about an hour ago. She said to help yourself to anything you need."
"Do you know if the package came in from my mum?"
Darryl nodded. "It came in just after you left, Alanna put in your room. Do you need anything to eat?"
"I had something before I left school," Ginny assured him as she crossed to the stairs and headed up. "See you later."
"See you later," agreed Darryl, and headed back into the house to continue with his work.
By the time she got to her room, she'd decided that she'd best do some of her homework. After a moment's consideration, she decided that only her essay for physics – due on Monday before her next science lesson – was the most urgent, she had homework for Maths and Geography as well, but they didn't need to be in until mid-week. She dumped the contents of her book bag out onto the desk and then switched on the built-in computer. While it was powering up, she slipped out of her room and down the hall to the house's small library. After a few minutes searching, she found two extra books that looked promising, one on thermodynamics and one on the 'scientific pioneers of the nineteenth century', and took them back to her room. Her computer was on, by this point, so she sat down and fired off a couple of search queries, in addition to an email to the Team's current 'resident genius', Chase Jacobsen, the distaff half of the elemental hero Skybolt.
She wasn't expecting a quick reply from Chase, so she started by opening her notebook and then skimmed the small amount of information on Joule included in their textbook and sketched out an outline, then she reached for the thermodynamics book and paged through to the index – idly noting to herself that this was an innovation that wizards didn't have any excuse for not adopting. There wasn't as much as she was hoping for in that book, but she added a few notes to her outline and then swapped the thermodynamics book for the history one and found that to be fairly helpful.
Loading up the word-processing program on her computer, she started typing, occasionally pausing to check her notes. She wrote steadily for a while, then paused for a moment, read over what she'd written and then continued. By the time the system clock ticked over to four o'clock, she had finished her first draft and was fairly pleased with it. However, she had no intention of sending it off until she'd heard back from Chase.
After pondering for a moment what to do while she waited, she decided that she might as well make the most of the empty house, and have a relaxing bath before getting changed for her date – if that's what it was – with Harry. The antique claw-footed bath in the main bathroom was a luxuriously relaxing experience – though not much so as the Prefects' bathroom at Hogwarts according to Hermione – but she'd only used it a couple times as she was rarely not in a hurry, so it was usually better to shower instead.
She crossed to the bathroom and turned on the taps, while she was waiting for the bath to fill, she fetched her bathrobe, slippers and a couple of towels and laid them on the radiator to warm, she also grabbed a book she'd been reading and a glass of cider to drink. By the time she'd done that, the bath was half-full, so she added some essential oils to the water and after allowing the flow of the water to mix them for a few moments, she turned off the water, and after scooped her hair up into a bun she undressed and got in, sighing in satisfaction at the perfect temperature of the water. Then she took a couple of sips of the cider and lay back against the side of the bath, and began to read…
****
The Orchard,
Royctonshire
12th September, 1635 BST.
"Ginny, are you still in there?" asked Alanna's familiar voice came through the door, startling Ginny out of a brief nap she had drifted into. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine!" Ginny replied, shivering slightly in the now cool water. "Do you need something?"
"I'd like a word with you before you go on your date… if you've got time?"
Ginny glanced at the bathroom clock. Thinking quickly, she decided that she could spare a few minutes. "Sure, I'll be out in a minute or two. Meet you in your office?"
"I'll be waiting," Alanna confirmed.
Suiting actions to words, Ginny hopped out of the bath and quickly towelled off and then slipped on her robe and wrapped it tightly around herself. Stepping into her slippers, she unlocked the bathroom door and padded down the stairs to Alanna's office.
"What's up?" she asked, as she slipped into her usual chair in front of the desk.
"I believe Darryl mentioned I was called in for a consult in Manchester?"
Ginny nodded, "He said something about a police case?"
"The station on Chatsworth Estate wanted my opinion on a girl they brought in, she was involved in an incident that led to several kids sustaining serious burns, three of them severe enough that they were transferred to the specialist unit at Alder Hey."
Ginny agreed that that was serious, but wasn't sure why that required a psychological assessment… then she remembered a couple of points from her training with the Team. "The girl's a meta, isn't she?"
"Probably, she could be a witch though," Alanna replied. "But I doubt it… I've contacted Tonks and she's going to check with Hogwarts to make sure."
"How old is she?"
Alanna nodded. "She's in Year Six."
So too young for criminal charges, but in law they've got to investigate… pondered Ginny. "Do we know if she started it?"
"The police aren't sure," Alanna admitted. "Although the fact that two of the boys involved have been cautioned for affray and other minor offences means that they're open to the possibility that she didn't. But she's not talking and they're in no condition to."
"What do you need me to do?"
"Nothing you don't want too." Alanna assured her.
"I'd like to help if I can," Ginny said firmly. "Did you want me to talk to her?"
"If you don't mind," Alanna said. "Okay, you're going on a date tonight…"
"Harry didn't say it was a date!"
Alanna gave her a questioning look, "Do you want it to be?"
Ginny blushed, then nodded.
"You may have to be the one to ask then," Alanna told her. "He's come a long way since I first met him four years ago, but he's no Grayson when it comes to his relationships with girls."
"But most of his friends are girls…"
"Exactly."
"Ughhh…?"
"I shouldn't say any more," Alanna told her. "Are you going back to the Burrow for the weekend?"
Ginny nodded, "If that's okay?"
"That's fine," Alanna replied. "It can wait a few days. Given her age, I think everyone's more concerned with why she got in this situation in the first place rather than punishing her, so there's no rush…"
"Friday afternoons are the only ones I have off," Ginny reminded. "But I could probably go in the evening by midweek if I don't have too much homework?"
"That should be fine," said Alanna after checking her notes. "I'll tell PC Waterman to expect you by Thursday. Now go and have fun."
"Thanks," said Ginny. "I'll probably go straight to the Burrow from the match, so I'll see you Sunday night?"
"For dinner?"
Ginny now gave Alanna a questioning look, "We have talked about my mother, right?"
Alanna laughed. "I'll expect you in time for bed then. Good night."
"Good night!" echoed Ginny, then got up and rushed out of the room to get changed.
****
Memorial Park,
Ballymena.
12th September, 1635 BST.
"Recognised, Protector B147," announced the computer as Ginny reappeared inside Ballymena's Zeta Booth. Ginny waited for a moment for it to power down, then she left the park and headed north-west towards the heart of the town.
About ten minutes after crossing into the centre of town, she arrived at the entrance to the restaurant and opened the door. A dark-haired woman about Fleur's age approached her as soon as she entered. "Can I help you?" she asked.
"Reservation under Grayson, table for four?" replied Ginny.
"They arrived a few moments ago," confirmed the hostess. "Follow me…"
Ginny followed the hostess into the restaurant and after threading through the grid of tables for a moment, they arrived at the table where Harry, John and his girlfriend were waiting for her. All three had drinks in their hands, but Ginny had a feeling that none of them were alcoholic. "Can I have a Soder Cola?" she asked as she slipped off her new suede jacket – a lucky find in a Nantwich charity shop a couple of days earlier – and hung it on the back of her chair.
"Of course, miss," replied the hostess. "I'll have one of the waitresses bring it over immediately."
"I like your dress, Ginny," said Harry. He was wearing a navy-blue Muggle business suit, and had a brown Muggle overcoat over the back of his chair. As usual, he was wearing his 'new face' to preserve a degree of anonymity when they got to the stadium. "It looks a bit like the one you wore in Steel City?"
"That's because it is the one from Steel City, Harry," Ginny admitted as soon as the hostess was out of earshot. "Mum lengthened it for me. Given how much it cost, I didn't want it to go to waste."
"Good call," Harry said. "Are you ready to eat?"
"I'm not as bad as Ron, but I am still a Weasley," Ginny reminded him. "What's good here?"
"I'm having the cod myself," admitted Harry. "You prefer chicken, don't you?"
Ginny was slightly surprised - but pleased - that he had noticed. "I do."
"Both the chicken dishes are pretty good," John told her. Like Harry he was wearing a Muggle suit, but his was charcoal, and it was his tie that was blue to Harry's red, though in a brighter shade. "Depends whether you like spicy or not?"
"I'm always up for a challenge," Ginny replied, then paused to allow the waitress who had appeared at the side of their table, to place the drink next to her plate.
"Then I suggest the spiced breast."
"Are you ready to order?" asked the waitress.
"Yes please," said John. "I'll have the Beef Jalfrezi."
"Sirloin steak for me," said Amber, unlike the boys' dark suits, hers was an eye catching deep purple over a dark grey blouse. "Medium."
"Filet of Cod, please," said Harry.
"And you, miss?"
"Sorry, I'm not used to this," said Ginny. "I'll have the spiced breast of chicken."
"Would you prefer fries, new potatoes or mash with that?"
"Fries please," said Ginny. "Thick cut if possible?"
"It is," confirmed the waitress. "The food will be about thirty minutes?"
"That'll be fine," said John. "You can charge everything to my card."
"Yes sir," agreed the waitress, then collected their menus and left.
"So, Harry tells me you've started going to school again?" said Amber.
Ginny nodded.
"How's that going?"
"It's going okay," Ginny admitted. "I miss having as much for working out or the Team, and being around that many kids again everyday is taking a bit of getting used to. But I'm managing. How are things in Gotham?"
"Fairly quiet, we've had a few ringers – Scarlet Wasp, Madam Massacre, Lady Cypher – who were enthusiastic enough, but nothing to get excited about. We haven't a decent villain since that Weather Wizard-knockoff Storm Master last winter."
"Anything interesting going on at Wayne Yards?"
Amber glanced at John, who took up the conversation there. "Mostly business as usual," he admitted. "But they're working on a new laser-based anti-missile defensive system and a second-generation naval strike drone called Nereid for the Royal Navy's surface fleet. Uncle Tim is hoping to sell them to Pentagon back home too, but the brass won't sign off on a non-LexCorp weapons deal without 'proof of concept' first."
Ginny nodded. "Wizards don't have a monopoly on politicking I guess…" Then she turned to Harry. "What about you, Harry?"
"I'm going back to school soon, too," Harry replied. "I've got a place the University of Wordenshire, so I've been brushing up on my criminology and forensics."
"I assume you've pulled the relevant files from Delphi?" asked John.
Harry shrugged. "A few introductory modules," he replied. "I thought I'd leave the rest until I need it."
"Seems reasonable."
They chatted casually back-and-forth for the next twenty minutes or so until the food arrived, then tucked in. Once they finished their mains, Harry and Ginny opted for the sticky toffee pudding for dessert, while the Gothamites went for the cheesecake and ice cream respectively.
By the time they had finished eating, it was a little after six, so after John made sure the bill had been paid, they hurried out of the restaurant to his car - some sort of German executive sedan Ginny thought, but she wasn't sure the exact make - and then set off at speed for the stadium.
****
The Burrow,
Ottery St Catchpole.
12th September, 2205 BST.
Molly was just about to head up to bed after locking up for the night when she noticed a bright flash of yellow light in the distance, probably out by the lane into the village. Slightly wary, she pulled out her wand and waited.
Moments later, two figures appeared out of the gloom, one appeared to be her daughter and the other a dark-haired boy about the same height, both wearing Muggle clothing. Molly relaxed and lowered her wand, but continued her vigil. By the time they reached Arthur's shed, Molly could tell that the boy was Harry. The two teenagers stopped outside the shed and talked briefly, Molly couldn't tell what they were talking about as they were too quiet, but she had an idea once Ginny broke into a smile and hugged Harry warmly, which he returned.
They held the hug for a moment or two, then broke apart. Harry said a few more words, and then disappeared into the shed.
Ginny briefly stood motionless, but once a familiar blue-white light had shone briefly through the windows and then disappeared, she turned and skipped happily towards the back door. Remembering that the door was locked, Molly quickly turned to it and cast an Unlocking Spell, then moved to the table, relighting a couple of lamps on the way, and sat down to wait. She didn't have long to wait though as Ginny came in a moment later. Her daughter didn't seem surprised to see that she was still up and turned towards her with a wide smile. "Hi, Mum."
"Did you have a good night?"
Ginny nodded. "The food was great, the match was fun… a little short, but fun, the Harpies won by twenty points… John wasn't happy about that, and…"
"Harry asked you a certain question afterwards?" Molly suggested.
If possible, Ginny's smile got even wider at this point. "Harry asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes."
Despite her mixed feelings about the life that his return had led her daughter to, she only ever wanted Ginny to be happy, so Molly was pleased to hear this. "That's great news, Ginny. I'm so happy for you."
Ginny nodded, then yawned. "Can we talk about in the morning? I'm a bit tired."
"Of course, dear," Molly replied, then rose and followed her daughter out of the kitchen, relocking the back door and snuffing out in the lamps as she went.
A/N: Happy New Year, Everyone! Was initially going to include the Quidditch match itself in this chapter, but then I realised that the last scene was what the chapter was really about, so I decided to trim it down a bit.