The various groups all assembled at the old house. Jon had brought his wife Penny along with him, as another Lone Piner. The fiery redhead was the manageress of the Gay Dolphin Hotel in Rye Royal on the East Sussex coast. The hotel had once been run by Jon's late mother. Penny had learned the hotel trade and taken it over. Her staff, however, were perfectly capable of running the place for a couple of days.
The Invisible Jet, the Batplane, the Jet Air Car and the TARDIS were all parked in a private airfield just outside London that belonged to Wayne Enterprises' London Division.
Harry had called Will and Susan Stanton for extra back-up. The Last of the Old Ones was an expert on the Dark. Apparently, the Dark Magic Will and the others defeated and the dark magic Harry tried to prevent were different, but Harry wasn't taking any chances.
"What do you think, Will?" Harry asked.
"This is pure Dark, Harry," Will observed, "although not of The Dark. My powers are limited. We shall do all we can."
"If nothing else," Susan agreed, "we bring experience. Once a Queen of Narnia…
"How are the children?"
"Fine thanks. Pansy and Kreacher are looking after them back at home."
"Pansy has our express permission to give Albus a good hiding and/or a good hexing if required," Ginny added. "I wish we could have the old Al back. Yes, Jamie likes a prank and Lily has my temper, but they are good kids. I've never had to do more than cuff either of them and I don't think either of us has had to use anything stronger than a tickling jinx on them either."
"Joe," Chloe asked, getting back to the matter at hand, "you have this John Strange's memories. What can you tell us?"
"We need chalk and sprigs of hyssop.
"Do they still have any of Thomas Carnacki's Electric Pentacles? We could do with one if they do.
"This John Strange is a right weirdo!"
"Why?" the Doctor asked.
"He believed someone with Down's Syndrome can sense demons better than someone without. Try as I might, I can't find out why he thought this."
"Odd! Maybe he reckons they are more sensitive to their presence or something?"
"Well, whatever the reasons," Batman noted, "Neron is very cunning and manipulative. Maybe we should call Zee or even Constantine…?" His distaste for John Constantine was obvious in his tone.
"Not John," Harry agreed. "He would be trying to do a deal with this Neron, then con him, rather than defeat him directly.
"Weds, is Pugsley available?"
"If this is still going on this evening, I'll call him."
"So what do we do now?" Mickey Denning asked.
"What do you think, Mickey?" Dan told his fellow Irregular. "We are going demon hunting! Tallyho!"
"And hopefully I get to hex something!" Ginny announced.
"Oh," George grinned at her, "we'll chase this thing, have a scrap and then have a veritable feast with lashings of ginger beer!"
"Time to get changed?!" Millie suggested, laughing. She did her usual spin to the right to become Wonder Witch once more. She was in the same costume as before, but with a bronzed hoplon slung across her back. Diana and Donna grinned, before doing their own "quick-spin-changes" into Wonder Woman and Troia. Kara and Clark sped off, changed into Supergirl and Superman and hurried back into the hall, all within a minute. Batman, Catwoman, Batgirl and Nightwing were already in costume of course. Not everyone there knew their civilian identities, and Batman (a paranoid grouch on a good day) was taking no chances. Lois was looking after Lara at 12 Grimmauld Place, alon
"I don't suppose you five need to change?" Roy Harper noted, nodding to Wonder Witch's five fellow mages as he headed towards the library. He thought it would be a good place to change into the red version of the Green Arrow's costume he wore as Arsenal.
Ron snorted. "No chance, mate! Wizard robes are a pain for duelling in, unless in a formal situation. Our muggle smart casual clothes allow us far more freedom of movement.
"You are all aware of magic already, so unless Mr Mason is present (and he isn't at the moment), we can practice it freely. The Statute of Secrecy allows that."
"Zee once told me," Batgirl noted, "that because of that statute witches and wizards could join SHIELD or the police, but not usually the army, navy or air force. Why?"
"C'est simple, ma chère fille. If wizards and witches joined combat divisions of our armies, how long would it be before our foes start recruiting their mages? Can you imagine fighting Iraqi djinns?
"UNIT, SHIELD, police forces and so on are different. There has to be some liaison between magical and no-maj security and criminal investigation divisions. The late Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters did launch attacks on muggles during both wizard wars. Most pureblood supremacist factions have done so.
"Aliens, meta-humans and mutants can be mages. Stephen, Wanda, Zee and John Constantine all fall into more than one category, as does Wonder Witch here for that matter. SHIELD's WAND division is tasked in part with keeping an eye on magical conflicts and factions to ensure Nick Fury is able to act if required."
Harry laughed. "That's right, Weds. John Steed is forever giving me and Kingsley grief over the British Ministry of Magic refusing to allow muggles to take charge once a magical conflict presents a serious threat to muggles. Actually, Kingsley and I agree, but the Wizengamot doesn't. Steed's a cunning old devil, but I would still trust him a lot further than someone in the mould of Cornelius Fudge or Delores Umbridge!"
Hermione nodded. "This is also why Nationalist and Unionist mages in Northern Ireland didn't join in the Troubles. Neither have Palestinian and Israeli witches and wizards used djinns or golems on each other. We might share the cultural, social and religious practices of our neighbours, but we are mages above all else and mages don't generally join in muggle conflicts. There are exceptions. The Klan has a wizard branch and many Afrikaner groups in South Africa have mages with racial prejudices that aren't just about blood purity. Some Hindu sorcerers practise a caste system of sorts, again not just against muggle-borns. Whatever we mages might think, I guess other prejudices run too deep and not just among those muggle-raised…"
"And that," Ginny finished, "is a truly dispiriting thought!"
The team searched the house thoroughly. Devices were checked. Readings from said devices were taken. Sleuths used magnifying glasses to look for the slightest trace of a clue, a trail, or anything else they might find. Fred prepared a trap, before giving Shaggy and Scooby exact instructions on how to lure the demonic Brown and maybe even Neron himself into it. Admittedly, he wasn't sure if any trap would hold either, but at least it might slow them down. Perhaps he should ask his British friends to hire Rentaghost? Bernie St John would be great back-up.
"What are you building?" the Doctor asked Fred.
"These ropes should lift up and trap our demons once Scooby and Shaggy run into this tripwire with them in hot pursuit."
"Why ropes? You're not dealing with some numpty in fancy dress this time, Fred! How about electric cables?"
"What?!"
"Something Joe said gave me an idea…"
It was early afternoon. They had found nothing all morning. Andrew Mason had provided them with a sumptuous lunch, including baguettes (coronation chicken, Velma learned, was chicken in a lightly curried sauce), pork pies, sausage rolls, crisps, salad and soft drinks. George was delighted to find that there were a couple of bottles of ginger beer.
"This searching of a supposedly haunted house sure is easier with two meta-humans with X-ray vision on the team," Daphne noted. "Do you want a new job, Kara?"
"Mystery Inc. already has a reporter. You!"
"We also have a jock, a nerd, a slacker and a mutt! To be honest, I need the company!" Three shouts of "Hay!" and one of "Ray!" were the initial response to that comment!
"Plus," Velma added with icy politeness, "given that Kryptonians are noted for rescuing danger-prone journalists, you would feel right at home with us…"
"I am not danger-prone…" Lois protested.
"Remind me, love, how often did we have to rescue you last month?"
"Not another word, Themyscira!"
"Oh, about a dozen or so, I think. Slightly down from…"
"That goes for you too, Smallville!"
"Can you smell the sulphur again, chaps?" Baskerville asked.
"And feel the air heat slightly?" Scooby interjected.
"What be a-doing out there?" Timmy wondered. "That trap is just wires and electronic gizmos. How would that catch that thing!" The demonic figure had appeared in front of them.
"Raggy! Remon! Relp!"
"Looks like we are up, Scoob, old pal. Any Scooby snacks left, Velma?"
"A couple of packets, Shaggy. Now go!"
"Now, Mr Hellfire," Shaggy said, walking out with Scooby, both dressed as ice cream vendors, "you seem to be burning up! Would some ice cream cool you down?"
"I have told you to leave this property for the last time! Now you must join me in hell!" As the usual dread laughter echoed around the house
"Zoinks! We're leaving, aren't we Scoob?"
"Right, Raggy! Run!"
Another weirdly circuitous chase across the property ensued. Scooby, Shaggy and some of the others then seemed to be running into one room then out of another one just ahead of the floating monstrosity.
"Is this usual with one of your cases, Velma?" Dan asked.
"It happens virtually every time, Dan. Why?"
"Ours generally involve reasoning things out logically, usually with me mentioning how something reminded me of one or more of Great-Grandad Sherlock's cases. Mind you, with that faked haunting at Old Park House, it was a murder on the Orient Express solved by his distant cousin Hercule Poirot that allowed me to get to the bottom of the matter."
"Jinkies! I didn't know you were related to Poirot!"
"Very distantly. Both the Yorkshire Holmes and Belgian Poirot families married into the French Vernet one. Hercule was Great-Grandad's third cousin once removed or something of the sort."
"As fascinating as this is," Jeff suggested, "I think we have a more pressing concern at the moment!"
By the side of the trap, Fred and the Doctor awaited the hunt. The Kryptonians, Amazons, Bats and mages were all hidden in the shadows, ready to help with the ambush.
"Do you think that this will work?" Nightwing asked.
"Aye!" the Doctor responded. "I think this property shall soon be demon-free!"
The rest of the party then charged in, their demonic pursuer hot on their heels.
"Now!" Fred yelled.
The Doctor used his sonic sunglasses to activate the trap. A series of tubes was erected over a chalk pentacle. When activated, the tubes lit up with the demonic figure in the middle. He tried to move beyond the confines of the pentacle, but could not. "NERON! HELP!"
A tall blonde man dressed in a green, white and gold costume appeared. "What assistance is…?" He was cut off as Superman and Supergirl flew out of the shadows and punched him in unison. As Neron stumbled backwards, Wonder Woman, Troia and Wonder Witch charged into him with their shields, forcing him backwards. A volley of arrows from Arsenal, bullets from Sam and Joe, freezing charms from Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Wednesday and icy strong breath from Superman and Supergirl plus the swords and shields of the Amazons pushed the demon into the centre of the room.
"Now!" Fred shouted again. The Doctor adjusted his sonic sunglasses. Neron found himself caught in a trap identical to the one that held the demon-formed Robert Brown.
"LET ME GO AT ONCE!" Neron demanded. "OR ELSE…"
"Quiet!" the Doctor ordered. "My old friend Thomas Carnacki designed the electric pentacle over a century ago as a defence against horrors. I have modernised his idea and used two as demon-traps.
"Now Mr Neron, you are going to release Mr Brown from his contract and change him back into human form. We can then hand the pudding brain over to the police. In return, we shall let you go free."
"And if I refuse?! Who are you to give me orders?!"
"I AM THE DOCTOR! What other authority do I need?"
"None," a voice growled from the back of the room, "but you have MINE!" The last word came out as a bellowing roar. A gigantic lion approached the imprisoned Neron. "Do what he says, Demon!"
"Aslan!" Susan exclaimed.
"Indeed it is I, Queen Susan the Gentle. It is good to see you again.
"Now, Neron, you know both who the Doctor is and who I am. Release this man now and then he will release you. Otherwise, you know what we both can do…"
Neron nodded. "I shall. Let me go and I can release him." The Doctor deactivated the electric pentacle around him. "Thank you. I hereby release Robert Brown from his contract." The other demonic figure promptly reverted to Brown's human form.
"Now be gone, foul creature, and do not attempt any reprisals against those here today. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!"
"Perfectly!" Neron promptly vanished.
Daphne approached Brown. "You are no longer a demon, so come quietly. We can hand you over to the authorities…"
Brown laughed. "You forget something. If I am no longer a demon," he leapt out of the pentacle and grabbed Daphne with one arm, "I am not bound by that thing!" He produced a small automatic with his free hand and pointed it at the side of her head. "Now I have a hostage to ensure my freedom!"
"That's our dear Danger-Prone Daphne!" Velma sighed.
A batarang thudded into Brown's pistol hand and he dropped the automatic. Before he could react, a whip had curled itself around the wrist of his other arm. Catwoman yanked hard and Brown's arm was pulled away enough for Daphne to wriggle free from his grip. Simultaneous high-kicks from Batgirl and Nightwing dropped him to the floor, out cold. Batman snapped Batcuffs on his wrists.
"Thank you!" Daphne said to the Bats.
"Our pleasure, Daphne!" Catwoman purred in response.
Susan went over to Aslan and kissed his brow. "Thank you for joining us, Aslan."
"No problem, Queen Susan. I saw you were up against that foul fiend and intervened.
"Your family send their love. They are glad the Companion of Merlin makes you very happy."
Susan turned to kiss Will, before turning back to find Aslan had vanished. Typical! Still at least there were no mysterious pronouncements this time…
Brown groaned as he came to. "Right, you've got me! Fair cop and all that. Back to prison, I suppose?"
"We'll call the cops…" Fred told him.
"No, Fred," Ron interrupted him. "I'll deal with this one. He has seen magic and that needs to be dealt with by the memory modifiers. The Aurors will handle him."
"He won't remember any magic?" his sister checked.
"No. Why?"
Ginny had a malicious smile on her lips. "Why, dear brother? That means I can do this!" She whipped out her wand and cast her most powerful Bat-Bogey Hex at Brown. "There! Most satisfying!"
After a couple of moments, Ginny cancelled the hex. "Ron, now you can have him taken away!"
"And I would have got away with it," Brown grumbled, "if it wasn't for those meddling kids, their dogs and their freak friends…"
"Ah!" Daphne sighed. "Another mystery solved.
"Back to our holiday?"
"Well, there should be a feast at 12 Grimmauld Place," Harry told her, "to celebrate."