MoP

Harry Potter and the Myriad of Possibilities: Prologue

Chapter 15: Deception, Part 5.

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 that are original to this work remain the property of the author.

A/N: The Myriad of Possibilities Series primarily uses the background from the Harry Potter books but some elements and scenes have been borrowed from other sources – including the movies, Pottermore and my own headcanon – that will be covered where they fit into the narrative. The timeline of the DC Comics elements borrows heavily from Young Justice (2011) and may adapt elements and characters from the comics and several additional other media instalments – including but not limited to Smallville (2001) and Superman and Lois (2021) – and relocates events of Young Justice to the Eighties and early Nineties rather than the New Tens as screened and includes several 'legacy' and original characters as a result. Any other recognisable characters belong to their copyright holders.

A/N: Thanks to Dragon97 and 6f5e4d for their help on this chapter.

A/N: I decided to take a little break from Rebellion so that I can close out Phantoms and get at least an idea what the plans for Targets are before continuing, but rather than go on a full hiatus I decided to go back and spend some time with one of my favourite Team members. I will be continuing with Deception until I catch up to Rebellion, then I may alternate chapters or post full versions from each perspective depending on what fits the episode in question and where my muse goes up to at least Auld Acquaintance and potentially into some original Year One content.

Salem.
August 21, 16:07 EDT.


The weather is definitely appropriate, mused Artemis as she stood – with members of the Justice League and the Team, as well as two older men that she suspected were the first Flash, her parents' old rival Wildcat and an elderly woman that she suspected was the wife of one of them – on the grass outside the Tower of Fate while the body of Kent Nelson was lowered into a double plot next to his wife, Inza Cramer-Nelson.

When the burial detail stepped back, Red Tornado stepped forward to give the eulogy. "Kent Nelson did not require a magic helmet to be a hero… Kent dedicated his life – gave his life – to safeguard this world from evil. May he finally find rest with his beloved Inza."

The group stood in silence for a moment, and then they separated.

Artemis was still struggling with her emotions when Batman and Green Arrow walked up to her. "Artemis," said the older archer. "We'd like to place you under arrest."

Say what?

The Vault.
13:16 PDT.

"As I'm sure you're aware, this past Fourth of July four ice villains staged simultaneous attacks across the United States," began Batman.

"Initially, we believed that this was a coincidence, however recent developments suggest that may not have been the case."

Artemis considered that, then realised where this was going. "This is about Icicle Jr, isn't it?"

"It is," Green Arrow confirmed. "After he was captured, he was remanded to Stockton Youth Correctional."

Artemis shrugged, "Makes sense."

"It does," Green Arrow agreed. "Which is why it's weird that he just applied to be tried as an adult and transferred to Belle Reve back east."

"And Mister Freeze did the same two days before," Batman added.

"Icicle Jr's hearing is in six days," said Green Arrow. "According to Quentin, he's first up on the docket for the day. We want you to approach him and try and find out why he wants to move to the harsher conditions at Belle Reve."

"Will you do it?" asked Batman.

Gotham, 17:20 EDT.

"Recognised, Arrowette B-Zero-Seven."

Artemis stepped out of the Zeta Tube, her thoughts still in a whirl from what she'd just agreed to. She took out her phone and checked her messages. M'gann had sent a message asking if she wanted to hang out, she thought about it for moment, but then decided that she might not be very good company at the moment for the other members of the Team and texted back a polite no. She then texted her other friends a similar message and got a reply back after a few minutes:

"We're enjoying a spa day at Radiant. Didn't think you'd be interested. Michelle."

Well, I wouldn't,

Artemis thought sourly. But it would have been nice to be asked. Now what am I going to do?

A grumble in her stomach persuaded her that getting some food was probably a good idea, so she headed across the Narrows to her favourite street food stand on Gate Street.

18:16 EDT.

"Help!"

A scream – most likely a teenage girl's – split the air nearby.

Artemis cursed under her breath, she discarded the remains of her dinner in a nearby bin and cast her eyes around the mid-afternoon weekday crowd of Chinatown.

She quickly spotted the cause of exclamation, a teenage boy – from the look of him, a local thug, not a Tong gangster – running towards her, with the strap of a purple handbag caught in his fist.

Predictably, no-one else was paying attention.

What do you expect, this is Gotham after all? Artemis thought, cynically, then rebalanced her kit bag so that once he came alongside she could swing it into his legs, tripping him up and sending him sprawling.

He tried to get up, but Artemis dropped to a knee on his back, pressing him down.

He swore.

"Now, now…" mocked Artemis. "I'm not going to take anything that's yours… just this purse… which is not your colour and almost certainly doesn't belong to you!"

She bore down a little more on the boy's back, forcing him further down. "Sound's good?"

He swore, but after a few more seconds of coercion, he conceded and relaxed.

"Thank you," said Artemis and rose to her feet, the handbag and her own kit bag in hand.

The prize secured, she turned away from the thug, noting idly the shuffling of his getting to his feet and limping away moments later.

Seconds later, she spotted a dark-skinned teenage girl – whose jacket did match the handbag – kneeling on the pavement next to an older man.

Artemis jogged up back towards them, and felt a chill go through her as she spotted the handle of a large knife sticking out of his torso.

Artemis swore and closed the distance in a few bounds.

The other girl looked up, initially in fear, but it shifted to hope as she noted that Artemis carried her purse and didn't appear to be armed. "Can you help? My dad's been stabbed… I need to call him an ambulance!"

Artemis scanned the man, quickly noting the man's already grave condition and shook her head, "We're between the Narrows and Chinatown here… very few crews will even come here, and the chances of one of the more daring crews getting here with an escort in time…"

"I can't just let him die!" screamed the girl.

"We won't," Artemis assured her. "There's a clinic only a few blocks away. I think between us we can get him there."

The girl paused, took a deep breath to steady herself and then nodded agreement. "Let's go."

Thomas Wayne Memorial Clinic.
18:22 EDT.

"Can we get some help here!" Artemis yelled as soon as they entered, supporting the injured man by the shoulders between them.

A plumb, grey-haired woman in lilac blouse, brown skirt and a lab coat bustled out of the back room, and quickly took in the situation. "Hello, sir, my name is Dr Thompkins…"

"Lucian Parris," groaned the man.

"Let's get you onto a gurney, Mr Parris," suggested the doctor, then once he was settled, she turned to Artemis' new friend. "Are you his daughter?"

She nodded. "Lenore."

"Lenore, can you go around to the front and talk to my assistant, get him booked in?"

She nodded and followed the direction that the doctor pointed.

Once she was out of hearing range, Dr Thompkins turned to Artemis. "Are you a friend?"

"I just met them," Artemis replied. "They called for help when he was stabbed, and the thug grabbed her purse and tried to run off with it."

"Most people wouldn't have gotten involved, particularly not in this neighbourhood."

"I know that," Artemis agreed ruefully. "I only live a few streets over."

"Then…?"

"Artemis."

"Then Artemis, it probably wouldn't surprise you that there's only me and my assistant in today… and she's afraid of blood."

That's a problem, thought Artemis.

"I assume that you were the one who secured the wound?"

Artemis nodded. "I know a bit about stab wounds."

"Then I could do with your help, if you're willing?"

"Always happy to help," Artemis agreed.

"Then let's save a life," declared the doctor.

19:16 EDT.

"Time of death, seven-sixteen hours."

"Isn't there anything…?"

"We've done everything we can," Dr Thompkins replied with a shake of her head. "We just haven't got the equipment or the people to deal with a belly wound that bad." She paused, then noticed Artemis' distraught face. "And I do mean we… you're already one of the best assistants I've had in a long time."

"Really? I mean I didn't know what to do…?"

Dr Thompkins smiled. "Knowledge I can teach… if you're interested? but a cool head, a steady hand and the ability to follow instructions quickly and correctly… that's special."

"Thanks," replied Artemis, blushing a little from the praise.

Dr Thompkins stepped away from the gurney and removed her gloves, dropping them into a waste bin. "I need to talk to the daughter and call it in." Artemis tensed at the mention of the police but didn't argue. "I know a detective over the 23rd who will sort it out without making too much of fuss."

GCPD 23rd Precinct.
20:16 EDT.

What's the old saying about the best laid plans? Artemis thought to herself as she sat in the station's empty main interview room.

"You're in big trouble, young lady," announced a weasel-faced detective as he walked into the room carrying a large stack of papers and sat down opposite her.

"Who are you?" Artemis asked before she could stop herself. "Where's Detective Yin?"

"I ask the questions around here, kid," growled the detective.

So, that's today's game is it? That's… depressingly predictable… Artemis mused. "I'm not talking until my lawyer gets here."

"You're facing murder one and illegal weapons charges, kid," Foley told her.

"Lawyer," repeated Artemis, more firmly this time.

"If you want to see the outside of jail cell before your mother dies of old age then you need to co-operate with me."

Artemis favoured him with a sceptical look but said nothing.

The detective scowled, took a breath and was about to continue when the door opened and Detective Yin, a slim, pretty Chinese-American woman in her twenties, lead an efficient-looking man, stocky man with a kind of high forehead that makes one look balding even with a full head of hair, into the room. "She's just in…" Yin was saying, but she stopped abruptly when she saw Detective Foley. "Detective, why are you questioning my witness? Alone?"

"She's not a witness, Yin, she's the perp!" barked the other detective. "Now get out!"

"No, I won't," insisted Yin.

"Actually… I would prefer if both of you would leave for a few moments while I confer with my client," said the stocky man, in a commanding tone that made it clear that he expected to be obeyed.

The lawyer waited until they were alone, then sat down and switched off the recording equipment. "That's better," he said, then placed his briefcase on the table between them, opened it and removed several sheets of paper, a yellow legal pad and a pen. "Artemis, my name is Arthur Cranston, I have been retained by certain mutual acquaintances to represent you in this matter," he paused, then looked down meaningfully, holding his gaze until she followed suit and saw the symbol he'd been doodling on his pad.

A crude, black bat.

"Now, I've talked to Dr Thompkins and got her side of the story. I was hoping to talk to Miss Parris but that hasn't been possible."

"Is she okay?" Artemis asked.

"As well as can be expected, given the circumstances," replied the lawyer. "I have also talked with Detective Yin and the initial witness statement that you made at the clinic corresponds with her testimony where it overlaps, so I don't have any questions there… Can you tell me again how you came to be involved?"

Artemis nodded. "It's pretty simple really… I'd just gotten a dinner from one of the local takeaways when Lenore screamed for help… I threw away my snack and ran over in time to intercept the muggler before he could escape into the crowd with her purse, but too late to stop him from stabbing her father. I stabilised the wound as best as I could with some improvised bandages and then brought them to the clinic… the rest you already know."

The lawyer wrote a few more words, then stopped, put his pen down and looked across at her. "Would you be prepared to give a further statement to Detective Yin and work with a sketch artist on a description?"

Artemis nodded.

"I will be back in a moment."

20:32 EDT.

"Did you get a good look at the perp?" asked Detective Yin as soon as she sat back down. "I tried to ask Miss Parris but…"

Artemis nodded, the other girl hadn't taken her father's death well and had been in tears last time Artemis had seen her. "Not well enough for sketch I don't think…" she admitted after a moment's thought. "He was sixteen or seventeen, Chinese-American but with no obvious gang signs or identifying features, short and scrawny… no moves to speak of. He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt with a red Chinese dragon on it if that helps?"

"He probably ditched yet," replied Yin. "But thanks anyway."

"Is my client being charged with anything, Detective?" asked Mr Cranston.

"No, no, she's isn't," replied Detective Yin. "That was just Foley trying to railroad her…" she paused. "Even if his narrative made sense… which it doesn't… as soon as I saw your gear, I contacted our pointy-eared friend and he vouched for her, so she's free to go."

"Thank you," said the lawyer and began packing up again. "Do I have to put in a formal complaint about Detective Foley?"

"No," Detective Yin told him. "I'll handle it. The Commissioner doesn't appreciate that sort of thing."

"I'll be volunteering at the clinic for the next few days if you need me," Artemis told her. "Dr Thompkins called me the best assistant she's had in years and wants to train me as a medic."

"Well, we can certainly do with more of those," noted Detective Yin with feeling and rose to go.

Star City.
August 27, 07:54 PDT.

Artemis was lead down the corridor of the Star City courthouse by two MCSO deputies – a tall, muscular black man and an olive-skinned, butch woman who for some reason was wearing mirrored sunglasses inside – and pushed onto the hard, wooden bench seat outside the courtroom. "Sit here, don't move," ordered the black man, before he released her shoulder.

"Lay off!" demanded a familiar voice. "Leave the kid alone!"

"Shut it, Junior, or you get yours next!" yelled back the bailiff.

The boy sniggered. "Don't let 'em get to you."

"I don't," Artemis declared.

Artemis saw him turn to look at her out of the corner of her eye. "Kid, you look familiar…"

Artemis turned to look directly at him. "Yeah, you too…" she said, trying to fake a look of earnest thinking.

"Artemis!"

"Cameron!"

"Wow, babe… you've… uh… really…"

"Don't be cross, Cam," Artemis told him, making a face and looking away so that she didn't have see the leer on his.

"No-one calls me Cam anymore," he told her. "I'm 'Icicle Jr' now."

That's original, thought Artemis sarcastically. "I heard. You hit the big time on Independence Day, didn't you?"

"You don't know the half of it…" he said, then trailed off.

Well, I guess Bats and GA were right… I was half hoping that they weren't, Artemis mused. "So spill. Our dads used to be pretty tight back in the day…"

Cam appeared to think about it for a moment. "What are you up for?"

"Aggravated B & E," Artemis told him.

"So, you're headed to Ventura?"

"Yeah."

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't go to juvie," he replied. "Push to be tried as an adult."

Damn, Artemis thought. "That's nuts… with my record and pedigree, I'll wind up in Belle Reve!"

Cam smiled the way he had when they were friends as children, and he knew a secret that she didn't.

08:35 PDT.

"You did good, Artemis," said Green Arrow, as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks," said Artemis, then turned, breaking his grip, so that she could look him in the eye. "But Arrow… don't ever ask me to do this again! I signed on to the Team to be a hero… not a snitch!"

The older archer didn't reply as she turned on her heal and stalked back towards the stairs. "Now get me out of here…" she demanded, then shuddered. "Cuz I really need a shower."

09:16 PDT.

"Artemis, I'm…" said Green Arrow as she stepped out of the small shower cubicle, dressed in her usual jeans and a crop top.

"I don't want to hear it, Arrow!" snapped Artemis as she bent to pull on her boots. "Contact me if you need me for real hero work!"

Green Arrow slumped. "Okay, I will."

Artemis shrugged on her leather jacket and picked up her kit bag. "Bye."

"Goodbye," said Green Arrow, glumly.

"Recognised, Arrowette B-Zero-Seven."

Gotham City,
12:06 EDT.

"Next up on the Comedy Classic Network an episode of Hello Me-"

Artemis hadn't been paying attention to the television, but the silence caused her to look up from her fletching, a concerned look on her face.

Her mother was sitting a little way into the room were the remote in her raised hand.

Artemis relaxed, her face shifting to a quizzical expression.

"This came in the mail for you!" exclaimed the mother, clearly excited about something, probably the two sheets of notepaper.

Artemis accepted the papers from her mother, idly noting the high-quality paper as she folded it. Then she realised something and looked back her mother. "You opened it? Mom!"

"Oh, just read it," retorted her mother without a hint of remorse.

Artemis paused, almost ready to continue the argument, but curiosity won out and she returned to her letter. Which did little to improve her emotions. "I've been awarded a full Wayne Foundation Scholarship to the Gotham Academy? But I didn't apply?" Why would I want to go to that place? It's full of egotistical, self-entitled rich kids. She glanced back at her mother; her expression quizzical again.

The mother easily understood her unspoken question. "It's not that kind of scholarship… you qualify, or you don't," she paused and rolled forward slightly. "Gotham Academy is very prestigious, you should be thrilled."

"Yeah, I'm not switching schools, all my friends are at Gotham North," Artemis declared as she scrunched the papers into a ball and tossed them onto the low table in front of the television. Except the Team, maybe… but this has nothing to do with them and I don't see enough of the others as it is.

Her mother reached out instantly, uncrumpling the paper and laying it in her lap. Then she looked up and saw Artemis had returned to working on her arrows. She lunged over snatched the arrow from her daughter's hold before she could even react. "You're going, or you give up your extracurriculars."

She shoved the paper back in front of Artemis, who stood, looking down on her mother with her hands on her hips. "Mom, don't make threats you can't enforce," she replied smugly, and took the arrow back.

Her mother reached out and grasped her by the forearm. "Artemis, this is a chance to better your life!" she screamed, slamming her hand on the arm of her wheelchair for emphasis.

Oh, Mom… Artemis thought, softening a little.

"A chance I never had," added her mother, in a quiet, almost defeated tone that breaks her heart.

I'll do it, Artemis thought as she crouched down to her mother's level. She's lost so much… I can give her this. She reached out and took her mother's hand. "Okay, mom, I'll go," she said. "I'll go for you."

Her mother's eyes opened at this and she looked at her with a stunned expression which then brightened into a smile, that her daughter returned as the older woman lent forward and embraced her.

I just hope I don't regret it… she mused as she returned the hug.