Disclaimer: I do not own Bruce Wayne or any other DC or Harry Potter characters.
Five Children Bruce Wayne Never Had
Zachary
oOo
Zachary Zatara-Wayne double-checked the lock on Basil, his pet fruit bat's, cage before setting it atop his trunk. His blue eyes watched the brightly-colored kaleidoscope of witches and wizards milling about on the platform as they eagerly awaited the arrival of the Hogwarts Express. Judging by his unpleasant expression, one might have thought he was studying a particularly unsavory garbage bin. He sniffed disdainfully and turned to his parents.
"Really? Pointed hats and robes? How positively Tolkienesque. Don't they realize how ridiculous they look?"
Zatanna rolled her eyes at the precocious eleven year old and gave Bruce an amused look. Neither was inclined to point out their son's own odd attire of jeans, tuxedo jacket, and the ever-present top hat.
"I still don't see why I can't stay home this year. Alfred homeschooled Dick, Jason, and Tim, and they turned out fine." Zachary hesitated as he mentally considered his brothers. "Well, they're intelligent, at least."
Zee managed to bite down on the sigh that threatened to escape. "Zach, honey—we've been through this before. While Alfred is amazing, and he'd have to be to put up with your father for as long as he has, he's not a wizard. You need proper magical training, and Albus Dumbledore was a trusted friend of your Grandfather Giovanni. Besides, it'll do you good to get out of the cave and mingle with people outside the spandex crowd."
Zach's shoulders slumped and he threaded a couple of fingers through the wire on Basil's cage, gently petting the creature's head and avoiding eye contact with his mother. Clearly upset at her son's reaction, Zatanna looked to Bruce for help, then glared when she caught his "This Looks like a Job for Batman" smirk. As the founder of the Batclan, he knew precisely what it would take to make the little Bat see reason. Bruce knelt, bringing his large frame down to his son's level.
"Zach, I know you don't like this. I don't like it either, having you an ocean away where I can't keep an eye on you. But look at it this way-when I was young, I traveled and learned everything I could to make myself a better hero. Your brothers did the same; you've heard their stories. What you learn at Hogwarts, that's going to be one more skill you can utilize, one more edge you have over the bad guys. You're going to learn something that we never had the ability to. Don't waste this chance."
Zach rocked back on his heels, eyes on his boots as he considered his father's words. Then he looked Bruce in the eye and nodded solemnly before giving him a quick hug. "You're right. Thanks Dad."
Bruce ruffled his son's shaggy black hair fondly, knocking his top hat askew. The boy threw himself at his mother, hugging her as well, before the engine's shrill whistle told him that it was time to go. Zach grabbed Basil's cage and, with a snap of his fingers and a spoken "revoh knurt", he boarded the train.
With tears in her eyes, Zatanna waved to her now smiling son as the train left the station. Once it was out of sight, she turned and smacked her husband on the arm.
"And that was for…?" He drawled, playboy smirk firmly in place.
"Did you really just liken my son's entire magical education to one more tool in your utility belt?"
"Not my belt—his. And it worked, didn't it?"
Zatanna sucked an annoyed breath through her front teeth. "Bats! I swear, you're all bonkers. Why did I marry you again?"
"Oh please, don't think I missed that comment about Alfred. Besides-" Bruce pulled his wife close and dropped a kiss on her neck in that spot just below her left ear that he knew drove her crazy. Then, in a voice normally reserved for when he was wearing the cape and cowl, he growled, "I can think of a few reasons."
Zee squirmed in her husband's steel grip, turning to face him. Not willing to concede the battle just yet, she said "I'm still not happy with you." But the severity of the statement was undermined by her heavy breathing.
He chuckled huskily. "I'm sure I'll find some way to make it up to you."
The kiss that followed caused many a raised eyebrow and reddened cheek amongst those still lingering on the platform.
"You know," Bruce said, "we'll get to the hotel faster if you teleport us. We can come back for the car later."
She sighed, defeated. "I know you're trying to distract me from the Hogwarts thing, but damnit—it's working."
Bruce's laughter was abruptly cut off by Zatanna's command, "tropelet ot letoh moor. Dekan"
oOo
Author's Note: Bruce Wayne/Batman and Zatanna Zatara, sometimes known as the Mistress of Magic. In case you're not familiar with Zee, she performs her spells by speaking backwards.
This was a bit of a crossover with Harry Potter. Given my love of crossovers, especially those between DCU and HP, it seemed appropriate.
