LoDK
The Legacy of the Dark Knight Saga
Jamie Prosser and the Fourth Champion
Chapter 18: Dead Men Can Tell Tales
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 characters who are original to this work remain 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).
The House of Mystery,
Hogwarts.
Scottish Highlands.
1st December, 0805 GMT.
"I'm off to the hearing," Harry told Greyhound.
"I'm pretty confident we can get the traitor on something," Greyhound said.
"Agreed," said Harry. "Kidnapping, necromancy and membership of a proscribed organisation are pretty much a lock. Not sure about the historical charges though…"
"I'll be keeping my fingers crossed."
"Me too," said Harry. "House of Mystery out."
Once the screen had gone blank, Harry Summoned his cloak and robe from the chair he'd laid them on, and then slipped them on, pulling the hood up over his face. "Cigam Fo Yrtsinim Eht Ot Em Ekat!" he declared, and then disappeared in a flash of light.
****
Whitehall,
London SW1.
0806 GMT.
Harry reappeared seconds later in a street that contained several rather shabby-looking offices, a pub and an overflowing skip. Next to one of the walls was a battered old telephone box that was missing several panes of glass. Harry opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind himself. Harry picked up the receiver, and slightly to his surprise, he got a dial-tone. He dialled six-two-four-four-two and seconds later, a cool female voice sounded inside the telephone box, not from the receiver, but as loudly and plainly as though an invisible woman were standing right beside them.
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."
"Harry James Potter, attending the trial of Bartemius Crouch Junior and Peter Pettigrew."
"Thank you," said the cool female voice. "Visitor, please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes."
There was a click and a rattle, and Harry saw something slide out of the metal chute where returned coins usually appeared. He picked it up: it was a square silver badge with 'Harry Potter, Trial Spectator' on it. He pinned it to the front of his robe as the female voice spoke again.
"Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."
The floor of the telephone box shuddered. They were sinking slowly into the ground. Harry watched apprehensively as the pavement seemed to rise up past the glass windows of the telephone box until darkness closed over their heads. Then he could see nothing at all; he could hear only a dull grinding noise as the telephone box made its way down through the earth. After about a minute, though it felt much longer to Harry, a chink of golden light illuminated his feet and, widening, rose up his body, until it hit him in the face, and he had to blink to stop his eyes watering.
"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day," said the woman's voice.
The door of the telephone box sprang open, but Harry paused to take in the slight in front of him.
He was standing at one end of a very long and splendid hall with a highly polished, dark wood floor. The peacock blue ceiling was inlaid with gleaming golden symbols that kept moving and changing like some enormous heavenly noticeboard. The walls on each side were panelled in shiny dark wood and had many gilded fireplaces set into them. Every few seconds a witch or wizard would emerge from one of the left-hand fireplaces with a soft whoosh. On the right-hand side, short queues were forming before each fireplace, waiting to depart.
Halfway down the hall was a fountain. A group of golden statues, larger than life-size, stood in the middle of a circular pool. Tallest of them all was a noble-looking wizard with his wand pointing straight up in the air. Grouped around him were a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin and a house-elf. The last three were all looking adoringly up at the witch and wizard. Glittering jets of water were flying from the ends of their wands, the point of the centaur's arrow, the tip of the goblins hat and each of the house-elf's ears, so that the tinkling hiss of falling water was added to the pops and cracks of the Apparators and the clatter of footsteps as hundreds of witches and wizards, most of whom were wearing glum, early-morning looks, strode towards a set of golden gates at the far end of the hall.
After taking in the view for moment, Harry joined the throng, wending his way between the Ministry workers, some of whom were carrying tottering piles of parchment, others battered briefcases; still others were reading the Daily Prophet while they walked. As they passed the fountain Harry saw silver Sickles and bronze Knuts glinting up at him from the bottom of the pool. A small smudged sign beside it read:
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF MAGICAL BRETHREN WILL BE GIVEN TO ST MUNGO'S HOSPITAL FOR MAGICAL MALADIES AND INJURIES.
Harry rummaged in his pockets for a few seconds until he found his money pouch, then he took out a handful of Galleons and tossed them into the water, then headed towards a desk cited to a small desk labelled 'Security'. "Morning."
"Step over here," said the baldly-shaven wizard at the desk in a bored voice.
Harry walked closer to him and the wizard held up a long golden rod, thin and flexible as a car aerial, and passed it up and down Harrys front and back. "Wand," grunted the security wizard at Harry, putting down the golden instrument and holding out his hand.
Harry produced the same dummy wand that he'd shown Ollivander. The wizard dropped it on to a strange brass instrument, which looked something like a set of scales with only one dish. It began to vibrate. A narrow strip of parchment came speeding out of a slit in the base. The wizard tore this off and read the writing on it.
"Eleven inches, no detectable core, never been used…" A brief flare of interest crossed the wizard's face. "Is this a joke?"
"Not really," Harry replied. "I don't use a wand, but Mr Ollivander seemed to get a kick out of it, so…"
"I keep this," said the wizard, impaling the slip of parchment on a small brass spike. "You get this back," he added, thrusting the wand at Harry. "I suggest you resist the temptation next time."
"Understood," said Harry. "Good morning."
"Hang on ..." said the wizard slowly.
His eyes had darted from the silver visitor's badge on Harry's chest to his forehead.
"Good morning, Eric," said Harry firmly, and turned away from the desk, heading back towards the stream of wizards and witches walking through the golden gates.
Jostled slightly by the crowd, Harry walked through the gates into the smaller hall beyond, where at least twenty lifts stood behind wrought golden grilles. Harry joined the crowd around one of them.
The lift clattered into view and Harry entered it, prodding the number nine button.
"Department of Mysteries," declared the cool female voice a few seconds later, as the lift doors rattled open.
The corridor beyond had bare walls; there were no windows and no doors apart from a plain black one set at the very end of the corridor. Harry took a left down a set of stairs to another stone-walled corridor lit by torches in brackets. They continued until they reached a heavy wooden door with 'Courtroom Ten' on the door. Harry passed by this door and opened another one labelled 'Gallery Ten' and opened it.
The gallery was empty apart from Rita Skeeter and Harry's teammates Nita and Peta.
"Morning girls," Harry asked as she sat down next to him.
"Morning, Harry."
After greeting his friends, Harry turned his attention to the court. There were about fifty of them, all, as far as he could see, wearing plum‐coloured robes with an elaborately worked silver ʹW' on the left‐hand side of the chest, many with very austere expressions and others had looks of frank curiosity.
In the very middle of the front row sat a short, plump, elderly with thick spectacles, Amelia Bones sat on his left and looked as forbidding as usual. On the man's right sat Tonks, who had switched to medium-length reddish-brown hair for the occasion.
"Bring in the accused," ordered the old man.
Moments later, a quartet of red-robed Aurors brought Crouch and Pettigrew onto the main floor and escorted them to the chairs in the centre of the room, which immediately wrapped chains around them, binding both of them to their chairs.
"Now we can begin," announced the old man, he glanced down the row, blinking owlishly. "This is a hearing on the first of December…" said the old man, and a young man at the end of the row – Harry assumed he was a court scribe - began taking notes at once, "… into offences committed by Peter Pettigrew, previously of St John's Road, Battersea, London and Bartemius Crouch Junior, Azkaban escapee. Interrogators: Tiberius Ogden, Chief Warlock; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Nymphadora Tonks, Investigating Auror, Court Scribe Edgar Hopkirk…"
"The charges against Peter Pettigrew are three counts of conspiracy to commit murder, twelve counts of murder, one count of perverting the course of justice, one count of kidnapping and illegal imprisonment and one count of necromancy, being an unregistered Animagus, and membership of a proscribed organisation. Mr Pettigrew, how do you plead?"
"I admit that I didn't register as an Animagus," conceded Pettigrew, then burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, but Ogden watched impassively. "But the rest… I never meant them to happen... He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me… I was scared ... he has weapons you can't imagine."
"I assure you I have a vivid imagination," Ogden replied.
"He… he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "He would have killed me if I had refusing him!"
"Miss Tonks?"
"With all due respect, Chief Warlock… that suggestion is so ridiculous that it verges on offensive," replied Tonks. "I could maybe see the conspiracy charges and 'membership of a proscribed organisation'… but the murders and perverting the course of justice was definitely down off his back and he didn't have to travel to You-Know-Who after his hiding place was comprised so he is complicit in anything that occurred as a result."
"I agree," said Ogden. "Members of the Wizengamot, do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty of… conspiracy to commit murder… murder… perverting the course of justice… kidnapping and illegal imprisonment… necromancy… membership of a proscribed organisation."
The distribution of votes was a little different in each case, but Harry wasn't overly surprised that Pettigrew was found guilty on all counts.
"Peter Pettigrew… you have been found guilty of several very serious crimes… any one of which would justify a sentence in Azkaban. It is the judgement of this court that as you are legally dead, your crimes justify the Dementor's Kiss… take him away."
His chair released him and then two of the Aurors dragged him away.
Crouch tried his best to mount a defence, but as he'd escaped from a life sentence in Azkaban, it didn't take the court long to send him back there for his crimes.
****
The Watchtower,
Earth Orbit.
1st December, 0910 EST.
"Recognised Squire B132, Nymphadora Tonks A38, Cedric Diggory G119, Amelia Bones A27."
"Welcome to the Watchtower, Director. I will be with in a moment, I need to get some information on something urgently."
"I understand," replied Madam Bones. "Is it anything I can help with?"
"Not unless you have contacts in the British and Chinese navies…?" replied the League's chairman. "I'm trying to find out if the Chinese Air Force have just sunk a British frigate and why."
Madam Bones shook her head, "Sorry, no."
"Never mind," said Supermartian. "I'm sure Britannia and August General in Iron will be able to get the information I need. That's if Alpha Squad can't."
"Is Mister Black ready?" asked Bones.
"Do you have the pardon?" asked Supermartian.
"Right here," confirmed Madam Bones and then opened her briefcase and took out a scroll which she handed to the League's chairman.
He quickly broke the seal and quickly scanned the document. "This seems in order. Squire?"
Harry nodded and moved to the nearest comm panel. After a minute or two, he got a response. "He'll be up in a moment. They've been pretty lately."
Madam Bones nodded, "I expected that, is there somewhere that I can get a coffee?"
"The Watchtower is a twenty-four-seven operation," Harry replied. "We haven't got everything, but we've certainly got the basics."
"Miss Tonks, if you would show Madam Bones the cafeteria?" asked Supermartian.
"Certainly, sir," replied the young Auror. "It's this way, Director."
When the two women were out of earshot, Harry turned back to Supermartian. "Did you need me for anything, sir?"
"Have you given any thoughts to the future?"
Harry nodded. "I've still got the Yule Ball and the other two Tasks to go for this year. But I've got an appointment my advisor at the end of the week."
"Have you considered joining the League full-time?"
Harry paused to consider the question. "Not yet, I think I'd like my degree first, maybe even a masters."
"More knowledge is rarely a bad thing," agreed Supermartian. "Will you keep me updated?"
"Of course, sir."
Supermartian looked like he might have said more, but an alert on his panel distracted him.
"Something wrong?" asked Harry. Like all Martians, the League's chairman wasn't the easiest to read, but he didn't look happy.
"I'm not sure," admitted Supermartian. "I've just been copied in on a report from Abdul Sheikh, our contact in the Khasadar tribal police. Apparently, someone's been asking around about the Tarbela Dam. His superiors don't seem to be taking it seriously."
"Are we going to investigate?"
"I don't think a full League response is necessary," replied Supermartian. "I will inform Kayaamat Hai and ask them if they can send someone."
"Karin mentioned some contacts in Pakistan once," Harry offered. "It might not be the same area but…"
"That may be helpful," replied Supermartian.
"Recognised Batwoman 25, Greyhound 142."
Harry broke out in a smile, "Hi."
Greyhound was the first to speak, "Hi, Harry. Is she here?"
Harry nodded. "Shall I go and get her?"
"I'll do it," offered Zee.
"Thanks," agreed Harry. "They're in the cafeteria."
"So how are things going?"
"Malfoy got eleven years," offered Harry. "He admitted his plot, but we couldn't get him on conspiracy to commit murder."
"Can't say I'm surprised," said Greyhound. "Peter?"
"He's had his official status 'corrected'."
"You mean?"
"Yes."
"That's slightly more surprising, but I'm not exactly unhappy about it," declared Greyhound. "You?"
"A little conflicted," Harry admitted. "As you know the League and particularly the Bats aren't big on killing people. But this was a court verdict, so it doesn't feel like the same thing…"
****
Sport's Pitch,
Nantwich High School,
Nantwich CW5.
1510 GMT.
The oval-shaped ball spun into the air as Sax tackled on the opposition players and Ginny jumped up to catch it. Ginny landed lightly on her feet despite her studded boots and the damn pitch. She tucked the ball under arm and set of at a run towards the touchline, she easily dodged both the centre-backs and was almost to the line when Eddie – playing the fullback position for the opposition – entered the corner of her eye. Realising that he was positioning for a tackle, she put on an extra burst of speed and she crossed the line and dove to the ground just as his outstretched fingers grazed her white bib.
Ginny was getting to her feet, when the whistle went for the end of the game. "Score is 31 to 12, Good job White Team, Black Team… a little more effort next time," said Johnson. "Now get cleaned up and get off home."
Ginny shed her bib and pads, adding them to the boxes by the side-lines. Then after retrieving her hoodie, she followed the other girls back into the changing room.
"Any word from Harry?" Ginny asked Eddie when they met up at the main entrance a few minutes later.
Eddie nodded. "He left a message on my commlink about half-and-hour ago."
"Well?" asked Ginny. "Don't keep me in suspense…"
Eddie grinned. "Crouch and Wormtail were convicted of kidnapping and membership of a proscribed organisation, Wormtail was also convicted of twelve counts of murder, three counts of conspiracy to commit murder."
"I guess Crouch was sent back to jail?"
"Yep."
"Wormtail?"
"In Harry's words… his official status has been 'corrected'."
"Wow," said Ginny. "How's Harry doing with that?"
"He didn't say," replied Eddie. "But I can't imagine he's entirely happy about it. You can ask him tonight, Harry's paying for all of Hamlin, Sirius and a couple of his guests to eat at the Waterhouse."
"Great!" said Ginny and turned towards the shed that hid their Zeta Tube. "Let's go!"
****
Central Park,
Manchester M40.
1800 GMT.
The two teens reappeared in the usual blue-white flash.
Maz, Nita and the two Atlanteans were already waiting for her. "Everyone ready for a good meal?" asked Ginny.
"Of course," said Maz, which got the others giggling. "What? I've got a fast metabolism!"
"Keep telling yourself that, Maz," Ginny told her friend as she led the group towards the nearest bus stop.
A few minutes later, the sextet stepped off the bus one by one, then formed up into a group, Ginny led the group, with Maz on one side, Eddie and Nita on the other and the two Atlanteans bringing up the rear, then about ten minutes later they reached the Waterhouse where the others were waiting.
Ginny snagged a server as soon as they entered, it was same Valerian that had been on for Charley's birthday "Hi, Tazia. Table for Potter?"
"Hi, Ginny," said Tazia. "No Charley today?"
"Different group today," Ginny replied. "The table?"
"Jack put you on the same one as last time," replied Tazia. "Some of your party is already there. Give Charley my best?"
"Sure," said Ginny, and lead the group towards the back. Harry, Sirius, Tonks and Professor Lupin were already seated.
Good evening, kids," said Sirius as they approached the table.
"Good evening," chorused Ginny, Eddie, Maz, Nita and the Atlanteans.
"Take a seat, kids," said Tonks. "What do you want to drink?"
After some discussion, the new arrivals agreed on a round of Soder Cola, and Tonks got up and headed for the bar. Ginny slipped into the booth and snuggled in next to Harry.
She was still a bit dehydrated from PE so she was halfway through her cola when Tazia came up to the table. "Are you ready to order?"
Harry glanced around, "I think so… I'll have the steak and kidney pie and chips, please."
Ginny glanced over the menu again to make sure she hadn't missed anything. "The barbeque chicken melt was good last time, I'll have that again. I'll also take another Soder Zero."
"I'll have the eight oz sirloin steak and chips," said Sirius. "Medium rare."
"I'd like the 14oz rump steak with jacket potato," said Professor. "Blue if possible?"
"Of course, sir," replied Tazia.
"Chilli con carne for me," said Tonks. "With Garlic Naan."
"Vegetarian curry, please," said Nita. "I'll have the regular naan."
"Chicken tikka masala for me," said Eddie. "With Garlic Naan."
"Cod and chips for us," said Peta, indicating herself and Kerdii'ahn.
"I'll have two sharing platters, one chicken wings and king prawns and a pulled pork, and a plate of loaded chips" said Maz.
Tazia obviously remembered Maz from last time as she noted the order down without comment.
"They'll be out within twenty minutes."
Once Tazia had disappeared into the kitchen, Sirius spoke up. "Well, I know Ginny of course, with that hair you couldn't be anything other a Weasley." He scanned the group, stopping at Kerdii'ahn and Peta. "I'm guessing you two are Atlanteans?"
Kerdii'ahn nodded. "I'm Kerdii'ahn of Poseidonis, son of the Atlantean Ambassador to the UN, my teammate is Peta of Llyrus, one of the smaller cities in the North Atlantic."
"Maz Pascim, I'm a speedster."
"Which is why you ordered such a big meal," said Professor Lupin.
"Well, that's the excuse she tells us anyway," said Ginny teasingly.
"Eddie Montrose, I guess you could say I'm an Animagus…"
"Really?" said Sirius with evident curiosity.
"I turn into a dinosaur."
Sirius glanced at Professor Lupin, "What's a dinosaur?"
"Similar to a dragon, but no fire-breathing, usually no wings either," Professor Lupin replied. "They're supposed to have come in various sizes."
"Supposed to have?"
"They don't exist more, generally," Remus replied. "They lived millions of years ago."
"Wow," said Sirius, then turned back to Eddie "How big are you?"
Ginny and some of the other girls giggled. Harry's came out as more of a snort.
"What?" asked Sirius. "I didn't mean it like that!"
"And yet you immediately knew what we were thinking…"
Eddie decided to save Sirius, "I'm not quite fully grown yet, only about twenty feet long and seventeen hundred pounds. No wings."
"Definitely bigger than you, Padfoot," said Professor Lupin, drolly.
Desperately trying to change the conversation, Sirius switched his focus to Nita. "And you?"
With a smile, she took mercy on him, "I'm Nita McCabe. My mother's family – the Jiwis – have protected the Zambesi tribe with the help of the Tantu Totem for generations."
Sirius shared a look with Professor Lupin, he shook his head. "Never heard of it," Professor Lupin admitted. "I assume it's magical?"
Nita nodded, "Legend had it that was gifted to the Zambesi warrior Tantu by the trickster god, Anansi. It allows the wearer to channel the ashe – the lifeforce – of most animals into superpowers."
"What sort of powers?"
"More breath than depth…" Nita admitted. "My camouflage, tracking, underwater breathing and wall-crawling are competitive…. But I can't outrun even a rookie speedster with flight or running, and most Atlanteans have me beat on strength and swimming speed."
"Still seems pretty impressive to me," argued Sirius.
Nita looked like she about to reply, but Harry diverted the conversation by asked Sirius if he had any plans.
"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I'm just looking forward to being able to go around with my real face. Something'll come up."
Ginny had a thought, "Harry mentioned that you were a bit of a prankster when you were at Hogwarts?"
Remus chortled quietly. "That's an understatement."
"Hey, you were there for… most… of those!" retorted Sirius glaring at the professor, then turned to Ginny. "It's true though, why?"
"Two of my brothers, Fred and George, are looking to set up a joke shop…" she tailed off, waiting to see if he would pick up the hint.
Ginny nodded.
"Are they any good?"
"I think so," Ginny replied. "They've certainly got a lot of ideas."
"Sounds interesting…" Sirius conceded. "Have them owl me."
"Will do," Ginny agreed, and then turned her attention to the arrival of Tazia with the first of the dinners.