Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Requested by Panther-Strife

Betad by Thundramon

-May 10th, 2010 Tower of Fate, Salem, Massachusetts.

Kent Nelson watched with tired eyes as once again the same woman materialized at the base of the Tower of Fate. She wore a strange dress that was divided into two pieces, a top that went up to her neck and down to just below her ample breasts a long skirt that was clung to her waist thanks to three golden clamps that worked as a belt. She wore a cloak made green peacock feathers that if she moved it looked like wings. Her hair was made up like one of the old school beauty queens that he would see on the side of bombers back in his day.

She was beautiful, she could even give his beloved Inza, but there was a look in her vibrant green eyes that Kent knew far too well.

Regret.

Kent knew a thing or two about regret. He'd fought the likes of Klarion, Wotan, Felix Faust and Grindelwald, and with every victory lives were lost yet Fate was never kind enough to intervene. This woman had in all senses of the word lost a child because Nabu had been too slow in his intervention. In an attempt to make things right, Kent had taken care of the boy's body as it recuperated from the tragedy that had almost befallen him.

She would visit the boy, now a man, often. Each time she would bring gifts, small things like an extravagant peacock feather pen, new clothes made from some of the finest materials he had ever seen, and at one point she had gifted him a sickle. "So you know that I shall always be with you when you are in danger." He had heard her whisper.

They never spoke and she barely acknowledged his presence whenever she came to visit her comatose son. Kent sighed as she walked right past him without a second glance, but as always she smelled of lilies. The former host of Doctor Fate didn't even know the woman's name in the thirteen years and eight days he had known her, but he had an inkling about her true identity.

Not that he would ever divulge it. That was a whole new can of worms that he never wanted to open up. The old man pulled out his pocket watch, traced a slightly shacking finger across his dead wife face and whispered:

"Soon, Spitfire, soon." It was promise, but he had another he had to fulfill before he could event consider reuniting with his beloved.

Kent took his place by the fire and waited.

The woman only visited her son on nights when the moon was new and she always left an hour before the dawn, disappearing into the woods around them in a flash of green lightning.

It wasn't long before Kent lost himself to memory as so many of the humans his age seldom did. His thoughts were drawn to the night he stopped being Doctor Fate.

He remembered the night that he had first met the boy. It was cloudy night… a horrible night. Nabu had demanded that he put on the helmet and together they had used the Lord of Order's power to transport themselves to the fresh ruins of a Scottish castle. Children, no older than seventeen looked warily at the ramparts overlooking the courtyard, they were tired and wounded, bleeding and dying, but there was hope in their eyes.

But there was little doubt that Fate would dash the hopes of most.

The call of Fate drew him away from the castle and towards the black forest, where chaos seemed to seep from the very earth. Kent did not know the horrors that awaited him and Nabu but he floated in with cold determination. He was unsure if it was luck or destiny that drew him to a boy with messy black hair and vibrant, if not tired green eyes surrounded by three figures that were less than flesh but more than ghosts.

The first was a tall man in ruffled clothes and crooked glasses. He looked like the boy… not much older but ghosts did not age. Maybe he had once been his father o maybe it was a brother that had died in the current conflict… it did not matter his death was final. The second was a man with an easy going aura around him. He strutted forth with a certain peace that could only be achieved in Death cold embrace. The third was a tallest of three, he had full hair but there was a sickness to him.

Kent had maintained his distance at Nabu's urging.

"You are nearly there," The first said reassuringly. "Very close. We are . . . so proud of you."

"Does it hurt?" The boy asked them looking at the ground their was a look of resignation in his face. The childish question had fallen from his lips before he could stop it. Kent Nelson had heard that tone in someone who had had become numb through betrayal.

"Dying?" The second one asked, before shaking his head. "Not at all. Quicker and easier than falling asleep."

"And he will want it to be quick. He wants it over," said the third.

The boy looked up at the third with teary eyes and a voice filled with familiar regret "I didn't want you to die, Any of you. I'm sorry! Right after you'd had your son . . . Remus, I'm sorry —" The tears refused to fall as he begged the newly named Remus's forgiveness.

"I am sorry too," said Lupin. "Sorry I will never know him . . .but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand that I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life."

A sudden chill came from a not so distant darkness, it inflamed Nabu like nothing else but sill they remained motionless.

"You'll stay with me?" The boy asked, pleading.

"Until the very end," said the first.

"They won't be able to see you?" asked the boy asked, his voice gaining some small strength.

"We are part of you, Invisible to anyone else."

Harry looked at the first and nodded his head..

"Stay close to me," he urged quietly and began his march to meet his destiny. He walked through the forest using a cloak that even the likes of Doctor Fate had difficulty detecting. He moved as if he were possessed, something that Kent had been very familiar with at that point in his life.

They followed the Boy and eventually they found themselves hovering against the largest affront to fate since Koschei and his emerald heart. It was more snake than man and even his appearance betrayed his evil nature he had surrounded himself with toxic and wicked souls that deserved no mercy but still Nabu remained stead fast in his need to abstain from action.

"Harry Potter," The creature hissed as the boy removed his invisibility cloak The creature's voice was like cracking ice. "The Boy Who Lived has come to die."

"Not by your hand, Insect."

It was then than another being of pure chaos revealed itself. The Serpent man's allies all turned to meet the owner of the voice and unleashed a torrent of spells. After a minute they stopped and began laughing, they were ignorant to the Fate that would soon befall them. Kent realized too late how ineffective they would be against a man such as he. When the dust settled and the madmen's laughter died down there stood the voice's owner unscathed and undeterred.

It was a beats of a man with glowing white eyes and a towering muscular build. He was at least seven feet tall and wore a cloak made from the black scales of one of the most ancient of dragons, Jörmungandr. Large pieces of the world serpent's teeth were strapped to his wrists like Katar.

What proceeded next could only be considered to be pure and utter devastation. Before any of them knew it half of them were dead at the man's feet and other's were popping away before he could reach them. He made particular note of a blonde woman with streaks of black hair who grabbed onto a bloody face woman with violet eyes and disappeared. He watched a snake slither away abandoning its master to his proud fate, yet still he did nothing.

Nabu only observed.

The serpent man flourished his wand but by the time the green light exploded from the tip of his wand one tusk was impaled through his heart. The scaly man screamed inhumanly but his eyes remained defiant. Next the man placed his huge hands on the screaming creatures head and with a small tug he removed it from his shoulders. The mountain of a man flung the body at the boy's feet as he crushed the skull with the smallest of efforts.

"For years I have searched for you." The man said discarding the remnants of brain and skull from his has bloodied hands. "I have searched and I have killed so many you pathetic bastards that even I grow weary but you are worse than all of them. You are a symbol of Her hypocrisy. And I shall remove you from this existence."

Most men would cower at those words yet the boy stood his ground resigned to his fate. The shrouded man lifted a single fist to strike the boy.

But Kent couldn't allow that to happen.

For once in his life he would say Fuck Fate and he acted against Nabu's wishes, but he acted too late. He had erected a golden barrier around the boy but it only served to dampen the blow. The barrier shattered at the force sending the across into the woods.

Together, Kent and Nabu, were not strong enough to kill godling they were quick to realize this, but as they acted as one they could banish the creature to the center of the Earth giving them decades to prepare.

It took an enormous amount of magic but they did just that and the world was saved. Kent remembered taking of the helmet and walking into the woods were he'd seen the boy fly towards and what he saw nearly broke his ninety four year old heart.

"Someon' help!"

There was a giant of man who was in shackles, his hair was wild and his clothes were dirtied and ripped cradling the broken body of the boy. His face was red and his beard was bloody but he did not care. He openly sobbed as the boy's life slipped away. "Someon' help Harry, please!" He pleaded to no one in particular, and in return he received one answer.

"No one can." A woman's voice said from the shadows and out from them emerged a girl no older than twenty with skin paler than the moon and mid length puffy hair. She was dressed like a Goth as kids called them now a days, in black with heavy boots that moved silently across the muddy surface. There was a smile swirl under her right eye and a silver Ankh hanging from her neck. "He has what everyone has, Hagrid. Even my master only has a lifetime."

"But it ain't fair." Hagrid complained to the woman, sobbing harder.. "He didn' ask for this, he never wanted any of this… he didn' get to live his life, non of 'em did."

"No one can help him now." She said kindly stepping closer. "He's in so much pain… I can take it all away."

"You will not touch him you frigid Bitch!" A new voice erupted. Kent remember feeling absolute dread as the Boy's mother appeared in a swirl of green lighting, in her hand was the same sickle she would later gift her son. "He is not yours to take!"

"You know the rules-"

"To Hades with the Rules!" She shouted pointing the weapon and the dark haired woman's throat. "He is my son! If you cannot touch my husband's spawn, you have no right to seek mine."

"His blood is purer than yours, I will meet them eventually but for him…" She said gesturing to Harry. "His time is near, I cannot return alone."

Kent was about to volunteer to take his place but the thought of abandoning Inza made him hesitate just long enough for Hagrid to stand up and volunteer. "I'll go, just- please help 'im." The pale girl looked at the hairy man skeptically before smiling and nodding her head. Hagrid placed Harry gently on the ground smoothing over his hair with his big hands, like one would a babe. He lingered for a moment not out of fear, but out of love that he had for the boy. He stood up, wiped his tears away on a filthy sleeve. "You know," he said to the mother. "I was the one who picked 'im up from Godric's Hollow. He was a wee little boy back then but he still 'ad your eyes. He use to fit in me hand."

"Hagrid…" The woman said in an unusually soft voice. "I-"

"I don't where ye've been and I don't care to know." Hagrid interrupted. "Or even if yer real… but just promise me that'll he'll be alright."

"I promise." Kent and the boy's mother both said together. The half-giant nodded his head and he took the pale girl's outstretched hand.

"You'll see me again." Death said and the two disappeared leaving nothing behind but a pair of shackles and a dusty coat.

Kent had kept true to his promise…. Even after his Inza passed away six months later.

It was a slow business but Kent could feel the boy's body becoming stronger, soon enough he could start inviting some of the worlds top sorcerers to aid in his recovery and in maybe five years he would be well enough to awaken from his coma. With any luck Harry would be back on his feet for his thirty fifth birthday.

But Fate, it would seem, had other plans.

He was old but his hearing had certainly hadn't faded enough to hear the loud and sudden scream coming from Harry's room. He's old legs carried him as fast as they could towards the golden doored room, he didn't knock, instead choosing to burst in he prepared for the worst but what he saw could only be considered a miracle.

Harry was cloaked by the fleece of a golden ram, which was stained in blood but Kent did not notice this, instead he noticed remnant of golden peels of an apple that were now scattered on the floor thanks to Harry's thrashings. As he trashed about Kent noticed that the man was slowly becoming younger. The years seemed to melt away until he looked as he'd looked that night thirteen years prior.

His mother was nowhere to be seen but that did not bother Kent as much as it should have. A few hours later and the boy's eyes flew open revealing green eyes that flowed with immense power.

-May 10th, 2010 Palace of Hippolyta, Themyscira

The Queen's long blond hair flowed freely as she watched her sister's dance under the light of torches and stars. There were fires all along their island but none quite like the one burning in the center of her courtyard. It was odd seeing her people celebrating as such but it was a rare occasion to have both her daughter's present for Hera's festival. Her eldest, Diana, was usually too busy the start of summer month to visit but she was there, celebrating the middle of what was promising to be a bountiful harvest season amongst her sisters, Artemis and Mala.

Her eldest dressed in her usual red, blue, and gold armor with the Gauntlets of Submission placed securely around her wrists. She did not have her sword and shield but she doubted she would need it tonight of all nights. Especially with their patron queen watching over them, but the gods were fickle.

Hessia was busy teaching Donna how to properly use a harvest sickle. Her youngest had no interest in such mundane affairs but it was Hippolyta's hope that she would learn to appreciate the moment of peace life gave her before jumping into conflict… but she was Diana's sister she doubted that she would learn as easily. They were so alike yet so very different.

Her eldest was molded from clay and gifted life from the gods, her youngest was born from the flesh and had inherited her father's ego. The Queen of the Amazons worried that soon her youngest would not be safe around her sisters, but there was little she could do besides allow her to follow Diana into man's world. To allow her to grow without her supervision, she dreaded that more than she dreaded when Diana had first left with Trevor all those decades ago.

Hippolyta knew that her eldest would protect Donna from the dangers of the outside world, but like all mother's she worried.

"You seem troubled, old friend." Hera said stepping out from behind the Queen's throne. "What is the matter?" She dressed in her usual green dress with her hair done up and held in place by a bronze circlet. She wore her usual cloak of green and blue peacock feathers.

Hippolyta's eyes widened for a second before she regained her composure and smiled. "Nothing that should trouble you when there's a festival your honor, my dearest friend." Hippolyta was quick to notice the genuine easy going smile coming from the Queen of the Olympians. "You seem pleased Hera."

"I am." The Queen of the Gods said dismissively but the smile never left her face. "Your daughter's are look lovely tonight, but your youngest doesn't seem to be enjoying herself."

"She wants to be a warrior like her sister, she has no patience for simple work."

"I understand, my children are no better." Hera actually laughed, but soon after she stopped as if remembering something painful. "Listen to an old queen's advice: let them grow at their own pace but guide them, it does little good if you simply watch over them."

"Thank you, great Hera, I will treasure your lessons." She was greatful for the advice but she did not quite understand the meaning behind her words. Maybe the goddess was tired. "Now it is you that seems troubled."

"It is nothing." Hera responded too quickly. Did she know? "I should leave you to the festivities before Eris decides to seek me out."

With a crack the goddess was gone and in her place were a pair of ornate golden gauntlets and a silver lasso. Hippolyta recognized the first as the Gauntlets of Atlas and the other as the Lasso of Persuasion. Attached to them was a small note that read:

She should learn to fly.

Hippolyta relaxed slightly but eventually nodded her head, maybe allowing Donna to accompany her sister wasn't such a bad idea, as long as she was kept away from a wrathful meddling goddess she would be fine…

She hoped.

Those thoughts were pushed back as Diana approached with her ignorant o the significance of the items the eternal Queen held in her hands. Hippolyta's stony face broke into a light smile as she was pulled into a tight embrace.

"It has been too long, Mother."

"Diana," She returned the hug with an embrace of her own. "It is always an eternity when you are away."

By the confusion on Diana's face it was evident that she was unsure how she was supposed to reply to Hippolyta's truth, but before she could form the words to respond the ancient Queen cut her off.

"I have to ask something of you, something that its importance cannot be understate and I expect you to answer me honestly, my daughter."

"Mother?" She asked worried. "Who has ever taught me to lie?"

"Donna has expressed interest in accompanying you to Man's world." If only she knew the truth but until the day Donna's secret came into the light she would allow Diana to lie with ignorance. "She wishes to be a champion of the people. "

"Then I shall be her mentor."

-May 10th, 2010 Tower of Fate, Salem, Massachusetts

When Harry finally opened his eyes he was in so much more pain than he could have ever remembered being and he had been tortured by Voldermort. His muscles ached as if he'd been pelted by bludgers, but his bones felt stronger for it. When he could finally ignore the pain he noticed that e was not in the infirmary being poked and prodded by madam Pomfrey, instead he was in an unfamiliar room covered in golden comforter of some kind with and there was an old man staring at him with something akin to shock.

He was at a loss as to the circumstances that had led him to being bedridden but that didn't last long as the memories of that of the final battle flooded back. From the acromantula attack to the werewolves things quickly fell into place. He remembered learning about Dumbledore's betrayal, seeing his father, Sirius, and Remus and proudly marching to meet his fate… and then he remembered the man with the dead white eyes…

"What happened to Hagrid?" Harry asked the strange old man. Merlin, he hoped the old groundskeeper was alright. No, he was sure of he was. how else would they be standing there if the kind half giant hadn't gotten them away from that monster.

"Oh, my dear boy." The old man said with genuine sadness. "There is so much I need to tell you, but first allow me to introduce myself, I'm Kent Nelson and you are safe."

Harry was confused, he remembered reading a bout a Kent Nelson in primary school but he could quite pin down the reason for it but it was important but for whatever reason… but from Kent's expression he was sure he wouldn't like the news. Harry would learn a thing or two about regret that night more than he would ever care to know.

-May 16th, 2010 House of Mystery… Location Unknown

Kent Nelson stood surrounded by four of the most powerful sorcerers who he could trust with his charge. Harry had expressed his distrust of old men claiming to be wizards, as such he was forced to rely on these men to be his.

The first was man shrouded in mystery, the Phantom Stranger was potentially a sorcerer who could stand against the Lord of Order and Chaos and survive. He dressed in a black over coat and wore a fedora that darkened half of his face. The second man was much less reputable in his eyes, but Kent was in a tight spot, Sargon was powerful but his power had corrupted him to evil before. He was showman like Zatara, and just like Zatara he dressed in a suit but instead of a top hat he wore a turban.

The third was an albino man with dark black sunglasses that covered his empty eye sockets. Kent knew Mister E through reputation alone, he was an advent opponent to Klarion and his kind and though the former Doctor Fate did not trust the man he knew that he would help. He wore a white suit with a white tie and black shoes

The third and by the youngest of the men gathered there was a punk rocker blonde boy of nineteen years that went by the name John Constantine, the man wore a rugged and worn cream colored trench coat and a tank top which showcased a myriad of runes pretending to be simple tattoos. Kent had called on him for three reasons; the first was his knowledge of the occult, the second was his nationality, and the third was his age. He could feel that the boys could form a type of friendship and any bond would do the Harry a world of good.

" Fuck no." John said as Kent finished explaining the situation. "I don't want anything to do with this."

"Constantine." The Stranger reprimanded. "I thought Fate made himself perfectly clear. We don't have a choice."

"Why not?" He demanded as he lit a cigarette by igniting his thumb. "And don't start that 'Fate demands it Bullshit' or we might be here all week."

"I think what our friend is saying-" Sargon tried to interject himself into the argument.

"Not my friend." John interrupted. "I dot make friends with puppets."

Sargon persisted. "If I may, Mister Constantine, all Mister Nelson is trying to say is this: The boy, Harry, is a natural Force. For good or for evil, it is up to us to channel this force for good."

"I say we should kill him." Mister E spoke up from the dark corner he chose to inhabit. "End the matter there, as righteous souls it is our responsibility to terminate this threat before it falls into the wrong hands."

"Fuck that." John surprisingly rose to Harry's defense. "I'm not letting you bring down the Wrath of the Craziest Bitch on Olympus on me. Did you see what she did to the Olympian?"

"I asked you all here to see if one of you would lend him your aid, I will not let you hurt him." Kent shouted at the man. "It will be his choice if accepts your help."

"Does one offer a rabid dog a choice?"

"He is no dog, E." The Stranger spoke calmly. "But Kent is right, I can sense time and destiny bending around the boy. He may very well decide the fate of the modern world. If we do not act others will, promises of power have brought honorable men into the depths of depravity."

"Others?" Sargon asked stepping closer to the light. "Who else knows the significance of this boy?"

John scoffed at the man's ignorance. "All of Wizarding Britain knows about Harry Potter. There's like a cult around him now, waiting for their saviors return after killing Voldemort. So, yeah, there's that."

"And those are just the mortals that know about him." Kent added. "If Nabu was drawn to that battle there's no telling what else could know about him."

"So, the only thing we know for sure is that, is that we know nothing is for sure."

That is a foolish thing to say, John Constantine." The Stranger said studying the man. "Life and Death, Light and Darkness, these things are entirely certain. We must assume that there will be those who would oppose us. The Enchantress has been particularly active the pas two days."

John threw the half burnt out cigarette to the hard wooden floor and stomped on it. He was mulling things over. "Fine. What are we going to do?"

The Stranger looked at the former Doctor fate a nodded his head slightly. "Are we all in agreement?"

"I shall help." Sargon assured. "I shall teach him about the importance of balance. Indispensable if he is truly going to be the hero of this story."

"If you are too soft to get rid of him than I suppose it is best we guide him." Mister E. Said after mulling it over.

"I'm game." John spoke over his shoulder as he made his way to the exit. "Maybe he'll be less of an angsty bastard than his scar faced counter part if I show him the ropes." This brought a soft smile to the Stranger's face, Kent noted.

A private joke he guessed.

"Good." Kent said as he faded away. John was followed by the Phantom Stranger, Sargon disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke, and Mister E. sunk away into the shadows that were around him,

With that the House Of Mystery was devoid of mortal life, but out of the shadows stepped a pale skinned woman with gravity defying crimson hair that moved as if she were submerged water. She was nude except for scarlet strands o of cloth that wrapped themselves around her most intimate parts. Black pupils with glowing irises surveyed the room before landing on the cigarette bud.

Slowly she floated over to it and with a wave of her hands she picked it up, studying it. There was still saliva on it, which meant that could be used for her purposes.

Circe's cold face broke into a smile.

John Constantine would be the perfect tool to destroy Hippolyta's spawn.

She would get her revenge.

o0o0o0o0o

A/N: And so comes the end of the first chapter of Short Change Hero. Yeah, I could help but make reference to my other fic Warm Shadows.

So, yeah, the Olympian's dead. Sorry to any fans of the character but I needed the fleece.

Lily was Hera in mortal form until her death, the reason that she waited to use the Apple of the Hesperides is because she was unsure Harry was strong enough to survive the awakening in his blood.

Please review and PM with any questions.

As always, be sure to check out my other works.

Chapter Text

Betad by Thundramon

-The Void,

When Harry opened his eyes that day he hadn't expected to wake up to utter nothingness. When he spoke of nothingness he meant exactly that, there was no ground beneath him, no stars in the sky, only black desolation. With the exception of the man standing less than a meter away in a dark coat with and even darker suit. White eyes glowed under an eternal shadow that covered half his face. He had not introduced himself when he'd first appeared in the room Harry had come to call Sanctuary since his awakening.

"Who are you? " Harry demanded. He was clutching the fleece that had first enveloped him on the day of his awaking close to his body as it was his only protection against the cold. "Where are we?"

The man in the trench coat looked up as if hearing Harry for the first time and answered in in a deep, spectral voice. "I claim neither name nor title, Harry Potter, although I hope, perhaps one day, you will call me friend. But until that day I shall have to remain a Stranger." Stars slowly came to life as a rumbling sound of something larger than any beast Harry had encountered drew ever closer. "This is no place, Harry. This is the Void, the space before there was anywhere to travel to, the time before there was change."

"Why have you brought me here?" The sound grew louder and more human. The sound grew until it began to be crippling. Harry fell to his knees as he covered his ears, it took a herculean effort to look up at this Stranger.

"For you to bare witness to the truth." Was his eventual response "What you are hearing is the pain of birth. The separation of everything from the Void, but its relevance to you is in what happens next." Bright flashes of light glittered thought the sky as a ball of flame passed overhead. Harry closed his eyes in effort to shield himself from the heat. He heard a new kind of scream similar to the roar of fiend fire. "Look below and behold the birth of the first true gods of this existence. First came the living earth, Mother to the Titans and first of the ancient blood."

Harry opened his eyes and watched as a colossal woman made of rock and stone formed itself from the Void. Next to her were four other beings clawing their way into existence as the light of the fireball faded away. "Existence begets existence and with her creation others emerged. Nyx, who came from the darkness and would envelope Gaea for eons to come. Along side her husband, Erebus" He pointed at woman barely different from the Void around. "The devourer of light, father of the Pre-dead."

Harry watched in wonder and horror as the world changed drastically. From a smoldering rock filled with skeletal monstrosities that would haunt his darkest dreams. Monster of flesh and bone ruled the ash pit that would be Earth. This world was filled with toxic magic that made Harry recoil just from the feel of it.

"What are they?" Harry asked shaken from the vision in front of him. His mind was still reeling from just waking up in this supposed Void with no warning whatsoever, and the motives of this Stranger were still no clearer. What truth was he trying to show Harry and what did it have to do with all that he was showing him?

"These are the Pre-dead, your still see them in your dreams." The Phantom attempted to clarify. "Some confuse them Gods, others confuse them for demons. They exited long before this frame of existence came to be, they existed between the realms of Faerie and the Material world before the great cataclysm sunk the last of the Mage-Lords and drowned the city of three rings."

"You still haven't told me why you're showing me all this." Harry pointed out as the Stranger began his slow walk away from the horrors and closer to the light. Harry hesitantly moved to follow but kept at a far enough pace that he could flee should his suspicions proved to be correct. They moved through history at a blinding pace. Each scene was narrated by a booming voice full of power that seemed to shift with every syllable.

The first scene they came across was a shaman dancing around the flames as winter's breath howled at the cave's opening. The two watched in silence as he told the story of a hunter that was no longer a man, of the wife he had consumed when winter became too cruel, and the Gods they worshipped to protect them of this cursed beast.

"The Dark is everywhere: and though the sun comes up, and though the fire blossom, and are tamed, the Darkness is there."

"The Darkness is waiting." The Stranger intones along with the voices. The fire begins to flicker and the shaman's words die as creature emerges from the storm. Its long bony limbs barely have any skin on them, but it moves quieter than any shadow. It has the same eyes as a corpse but there is an intelligence to it that Harry has never seen described in products of necromancy. It stalks into the cave and opens its maws and cries for help in a child's voice.

Harry steps in front of the monster without a care as to what will happen to him. Yet the creature does not acknowledge Harry at all, but it would seem that the Stranger is satisfied with what he's seen and the scene shifts as the creature prepares to lunge. There's a worried look on the Phantoms face when Harry lifts his arms to protect himself from the creature.

In a blink of an eye the two of them are standing between two great pyramids. The desert heat does not reach them as another scene plays along. A woman of shadow holds in her hand a large Blue Scarab. It reaches for her chirping, in a language that neither she nor Harry can comprehend. She frowns at the scarab, much like the stranger did to Harry, and sinks beneath the sands. Harry turns to look at the stranger questioningly before noticing the large crevice in which they were floating above of. "You wish to die?" The Stranger enquired. For a split second Harry was outraged at the notion but before he could get a word in edge wise the Stranger shook his head. "No, dying has never been your goal. You seek to save others at the cost of your own life. You don't hesitate to throw your life away, you barely give half a thought to the alternatives before you are charging into action." His words were not accusing, nor was his tone tight. It was as if the Stranger were commenting on the weather and nothing quite as grave as Harry seeking his own death.

Harry was stunned into silence.

The seventeen year olds words of rebuttal died on his tongue, but his green eyes were questioning. They begged for answer that the sorcerer could not give. They asked him: 'Why am I so special? What inspires others to sacrifice themselves for me?' How does one explain to a child that there was a larger destiny in store for them? That the strings a fate were so entangled with their very being that they could not die without completing it? These were questions that stranger pondered but had no answer to.

Not yet at least.

"Let us move on." He finally said, offering his hand for Harry to take.

Once more the world changed in blink of an eye and before them lay a woman in a colorful kimono sleeping and next to her was a ghostly man with black eyes and wild hair like Harry. In one of his hands there was a red stone very much like a ruby and in another pouch overflowing with golden sand. Unlike the creature in the cave, this being noticed them but instead of doing anything his attention returned to the sleeping woman. The being studied her as if trying to understand her importance to the world.

Harry was about to ask the man his name when they were transported to above a solitary hill. Next to them was a man taller than even the beast that killed Voldemort, with a face hidden under a horned bronze helmet. His eyes were black but had a reddish tint to them unlike the man they'd seen next to the woman in the kimono. He had a long red beard that reach to beneath his navel and a long flowing black cloak that seemed to made out of feathers. There was look of disgust in the man's face that seemed to be there regularly. Harry stared to the distance where this being was looking to towards and saw a man in dressed lion skin holding a scantly clad shackled woman by the hair and paraded her in front of a group of women in cages.

"Queen of the Amazons." The man boasted mockingly. "To heel, bitch of Heracles!" Harry made to move once more but this time the horn helmeted man rested a hand on the young Wizard's shoulder.

"Witness, boy, that is all the brotherless one has brought you to do." The man ordered with a strength that mirrored that of his body. "Witness the need for those with the strength of Iron and the will to break their shackles with nothing more than the anger in their blood. Thou shall be witness to call of War!"

With that a storm grew overhead, the man in the Lion skin took that a sign as he brought the woman towards him. "Slave queen of a nation of slaves. Your children will live and die by the grace of the fist of Man." The vulgar Heracles ran his tongue along the side of the blonde woman's face and once more harry made to move but was stopped this time with the aid of the Stranger.

"All of which you see here has already happened." The stranger informed the wizard. "I have brought you here to teach you the truth. There is darkness in life, horrors that you cannot change, but where there is darkness, light will eventually come. Now watch." And watch Harry did, though uneasily.

"Tell them!" Heracles ordered. "Tell them what Heracles has made you, Hippolyta!" For a second Harry swore he saw defeat as the woman drew Heracles closer to her embrace.

"Heracles…" She whispered softly into his ear. "Heracles has made me patient." Within the span it took a bolt of lightning to flash through Harry's vision, Hippolyta was already wrapping her chains around the brute's throat. The chains tightened quickly and before another strike of lightning could form, Heracles was on his knees. "Heracles has taught me that life is a privilege." And she pulled using her leg to push him away.

He struggled for what seemed liken hours but eventually his body went limp and with it the chains holding the queen of the amazon's shattered.

Harry witnessed the rise of a nation and just like that scene changed.

In a blink of an eye Harry was in London, they were atop the Eye, in one of the large glass carousel overlooking the river Thames. Across the river was a man who looked like James Potter but with green eyes and three large scars running the side of his face. He was flanked by two identical women. One dressed in a dark red unitard looking bodice, which was accented with silver pieces of armor. In her hand there was a shield and a short sword. The other wore pretty much the same uniform but in a lighter red and with gold instead of silver pieces of armor. She had a golden lasso in her hands.

The three were facing what Harry could only describe as a Dark Angel. The man with James Potter's face drew a sword that glowed blue from a satchel that was hooked under his black overcoat with one hand and waved his wand with the other.

"We draw closer to our time." With this, he points at the group of heroes bellow. "That man between the two women is you from another world. He is a wizard much like you but his soul is split because of the sorrows he has allowed to consume him. He came to this world hunting the entity you see before you. In his world it is responsible for the deaths of over a hundred children. He alongside his worlds Wonder Woman have spent at least four months attempting to pin that creature down and they did with the help of young sorcerer by the name of John Constantine."

He pointed directly below them and low and behold there was blonde boy around Harry's age standing in the center of a glowing circle chanting in tongues long forgotten.

Wary of what the Stranger could mean by a split soul Harry paid more attention to his counterpart than he had done at any other point in his journey in the Void. The clash began with his counterpart casting a full body patronus that came out in the shape of a fox. This fox slammed into the dark creature's face giving Wonder Woman an opening that they could exploits. The one with gold Lassoed the Dark Angels neck, while the other sliced off an arm.

The trio kept on their attack until many more caped figures arrived to lend aid. A man in blue with an S on his chest appears first, and then two people in Hawk costumes swoop in with their maces and deliver devastating blows. Still the Dark Angel fought on.

It wasn't until Harry's counterpart holstered his wand and charged did the tide battle change. While the Dark Angel was distracted by the onslaught Harry had pierced her heart his sword. The effect was almost instant, the creature weakened considerably.

"Your counterpart is powerful but due the plans of others in his world his access to it is limited."

"But what did he do after Voldemort? How is he alive?"

"I do not know." The Stranger answered honestly. His conversation with this other Harry had been brief and he did not get a chance to properly study the Warlock. "I can see only into the history of this world, not into the infinite number of Earths that exist."

Harry fell silent as he watched the Fall of the Dark Angel play out, hoping that he would spot some hidden hint that would reveal how different they truly were.

Out of all the capes and cowls that swarmed the Dark Angel Harry only recognized two… technically three of them. Red Tornado was one of the heroes young Dudley most admired from the Justice Society and even Vernon Dursley had a signed poster of the mechanical hero in his office. Wonder Woman was the other, though the costume change had thrown him off. Who could forget the woman who helped Albus Dumbledore slay Gellert? If it wasn't bad enough that Hermione was a fan, his aunt Petunia had been part of the Wonder Scouts.

They clashed until the creature gave out shill cry of agony as another sword, this time glowing red pierced her chest. It was almost anticlimactic when with the insertion of the second blade Dark Angel pretty much collapsed within herself.

"We should get a move on." Harry said seeing himself visibly relax as a number of heroes went to congratulate him.

"Agreed."

-May 20th, 2010 Tower of Fate, Salem, Massachusetts

When they returned to the Tower Harry was actually surprised to see John Constantine leaning against the fire place, bored, besides a watchful Kent Nelson. John sported a white v-neck and a cream-colored raincoat. He seemed annoyed as he played with the lighter in his hands. "I'm just saying that, I'm next to a chimney you won't notice the extra smoke, mate." He complained with no small bit of aggravation.

"There will be no smoking in this Tower." Kent re-enforced as he waded through a New Orleans newspaper. "Xanadu seems rather promising." He mused to himself before looking up at a glaring John. "And that's final."

Harry greeted both his host and his guest with a slight wave, but he did not stop until he reached his sanctuary. As comfortable as he felt dressed in nothing more than a golden fleece he preferred wearing more modern pieces of clothing. It wasn't easy, as all clothes in the Tower were based on the tastes of a man who spent his golden years in fighting through the Second World War, but he did manage.

Harry ended up wearing a black button up shirt, with coal colored dress pants, and oxford type dark leather shoes. The clothes didn't smell old, which was a godsend if there ever was one, and they didn't look particularly bad considering their age. He looked at himself with a nearby mirror and noticed how different he looked without his favorite pair of glasses.

At first, Harry hadn't noticed their absence but a glimpse off a reflective surface at dinner had soon clued him in.

There was a loud knock on the door, that sounded much more like a punch than a simple knock, and the door flew open and in came John. His arms were crossed, which Harry imagined meant that he was insulted for some reason or another, and his eyes shot off a withering glare. "Do you have any idea how long I've waited for you?"

"Not really." Was Harry's reply as he wrapped himself with the fleece and watched it melt into his clothes. "But then again I don't particularly care."

"Watch it, Kid." John warned dropping his arms. "Those are fighting words. Now, grab you sickle where we're going you might need it."

Harry raised an eyebrow but did as he was told. If these people weren't going to leave him alone he may as well go along with them, chances were they would teach him something useful that would help deal with Nagini should he ever find it.

"Where are we going this time?" Harry asked, clipping the weapon to his belt.

"The most magical city in the United States." The blonde responded as he turned on his heel and exited the room.

"And that is?"

"Providence."

-May 20th, 2010 Docks of Antiope, Themyscira.

Diana couldn't shake the feeling that something was inexplicably wrong, but none the less she stared at the orange tinted horizon as if the setting sun would reveal some kind of secret. The veil that hid her homeland from the rest of the world also blocked communications from the League. There was a wooden ship that would take them to the edge of the veil where Hal would be waiting to take her back to Washington.

"Are you ready, Sister?" Danna asked with a bright smile, which Diana easily returned.

"An Amazon is always ready, Donna." It was a childish response but it was one that lightened her mood considerably. "Is this truly what you want?"

"I have always dreamed to see the world beyond our borders, to fight alongside you, and to bring our message of peace to the far corners of the world. It is absolutely what I want." There was an unwavering confidence in her words that warmed Diana's heart.

"Then let us be off."

"Not before saying goodbye to your Mother my children." Hippolyta said as she finished inspecting the craft. The Queen was quick to pull each of her children into the tightest of embraces. Tis elicited cheers from the other amazons as they noticed the small blush that tinted Donna's cheeks. "Stay safe my daughters." The request was so soft that Diana almost missed it, but in response she pulled their mother closer.

"We shall return for Diana's Festival come August." Diana assured pulling away. "Who knows, maybe someone will catch me this time?" She shot a look at Artemis who took it as a personal challenge.

Hippolyta let go of Diana and turned her full attention to her youngest. "Promise that you will behave for Diana as you do for me." It was an order without a doubt but one that Donna accepted quickly and sincerely. "Then be of and may Hera guide you."

"Thank you, mother." The two said in unison.

It wasn't long before the newest dynamic duo were on the ship and watching as Paradise Island slowly shrunk beneath where the ocean meets with the sky. There was a smile on the younger Amazon's face that hid that tiniest sliver of sorrow as they finally crossed the Veil. The ship was encapsulated by a green light that lifted them up from the water.

"How's it going, princess?" Hal greeted with his usual easy going smile. "and who's the tagalong?"

"It is going well Green Lantern." Diana responded. "This is my sister, Donna."

"Enchanted. " Hal said with a small wave, before his face turned serious. "You got a place for her to stay, cause I'm pretty sure Bats would have a fit if you brought her up to the Watch Tower."

"Watch Tower?" Diana questioned. "What happened?"

"The Olympian is dead." That got a reaction from Diana. The Olympian was a powerful hero. He had the combined abilities of all the Argonauts and had the skill to face against Diana. For someone to have killed him spoke of their immense power and ability to wield it. "Executed, no idea why or who, but Cheetah knows something. Problem is she's gone to ground."

"Devastation?"

"Safely tucked away in Belle Reve."

"By the Gods."

"Yeah…" Hall said unsure how to respond to that. "So, what are we going to about your sister?"

"Take us to Providence." She said without a second thought. If anyone could watch over Donna while she dealt with Bruce it would be her.

"What's in Providence?"

"A friend."

-May 20th , 2010 The Corner of Atwell's Avenue and America street, Providence, Rhode Island.

Etta Candy was a woman proud of her plump figure and was used to the strangest things since becoming friends with Wonder Woman, but that wasn't to say that she didn't get a bit exited when a man in in a skin tight green and black suit descended from the sky.

With him was Diana and a girl that shared a striking resemblance to her long time friend. "Etta, this is my sister Donna," Diana introduced. "and she will need your help acclimating to Man's World while I resolve an issue."

Etta was soon convinced that her smile couldn't possibly get any wider when she heard those words leave Diana's lips. She couldn't help what happened next… not that she really wanted to, but the words escaped her none the less.

"Woo-Woo!"

o0o0o0o0o

A/N: Here's chapter Two. Yes, i brought Etta Candy into this.

Despair.

Just kidding, she'll play a very minor role.

How am i doing so far? Please review and be sure to check out my other works.

Chapter Text

May 22^nd 2010 Providence Place Mall, Providence, Rhode Island

It was a quarter to midnight when representatives of the Justice League made an appearance at the half destroyed shopping mall. Wonder Woman and Zatara had stepped into the building through the side entrance. They wore their usual attire; Diana in her red and blue unitard and Giovanni in in his fine tuxedo, white gloves, and top hat.

Each one was here for personal reasons despite the professional capacity that they both acted on. For Diana it was to check on her sister who had been involved in the incident that had demolished parts of this shopping center. Zatara was here because he needed to confront the boy who had been his student once upon a lifetime ago and to pay his respects to an old enemy and even older friend.

They floated past the police and military patrolling the crime scene to wards its center. Diana caught sight of her sister glaring at a giant hole across from her. There were signs of battle all around yet she was no worse for wear. Next to her was a shaking tattooed man clutching a cigarette for dear life. Kent Nelson stood beside him laying a hand on the blonde man’s shoulders.

Between them all was Sargon, whose chest was torn open as if a lance had ripped right through him.

“Kent, it is a surprise to see you here.” Zatara greeted with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

“Zatara,” The old hero greeted with a slight nod. Once his eyes drifted onto the older Amazon, a genuine smile settled on his lips. Kent was the oldest living comrade that still walked amongst the living. Together they had fought across France alongside the rest of the All-Star Squadron and even among them he was the only one to aid her when she decided to help the Resistance. “Diana, it a pleasure to see you again, this little fire cracker has quite the tongue on her.”

“It is good to see you as well old friend.” She greeted with her own sincere smile, though that lasted only so long when she spotted the bruising on her sister’s left arm. “Donna, can you tell me what happened here?”

“We fought a monster, sister, and we lost.” The teenage Amazon responded with uncharacteristic bitterness for an Amazon. “He did not care for those around him, he attacked us without mercy and hesitation, and I Donna could do nothing to slow him.”

“Fuck that.” John spoke up discarding his half burnt cigarette. His eyes were wild and filled with fear, something not uncharacteristic amongst men who had face things mightier than them. “You did plenty. The bastard took me and Sargon out as soon as soon as he stepped through the bloody portal!” There was panic in his voice that set the heroes on edge especially Zatara. Giovanni had seen his wayward pupil face Felix Faust with a cool composition, laughed in at the Guardian of the Green to his face, and usurp the House of Mystery from Elvira, the Mistress of the Dark. In each of those encounters he had always been in control of the situation despite the disadvantages he faced. To see John Constantine like this… was disconcerting.

“What manner of being did you face, John? Kent asked after a pause.

“Some cunt that called himself god or something.” Constantine spat. “Fuck! If Harry hadn’t nailed the fucker with his scythe he’d killed all of us.”

“Harry?” Zatara inquired, there was an edge that hadn’t been there previously. It was something that neither Diana nor Kent overlooked. That edge revealed an anger that the older Amazon had not seen in the normally composed magician. “You dare drag another into you’re a cursed mechanizations!? Was Richard’s death not enough for you?!” John glared at the magician with unrestrained fury. “Answer me, boy!?”

“That’s enough, Zatara.” Kent said firmly, stepping between the two mages before the situation could come to blows. “Harry is my responsibility, John was doing me a favor watching over him.”

Diana, who had been content to observe the escalation until it was absolutely necessary to intervene, cleared her throat. “We should return the problem at hand. Donna… John can you tell us what happened here? Who attacked you?”

“He called himself Magog and he claimed he was the future.” Donna finally said looking away. “He came after them,” She gestured towards John and Sargon’s body. “I stepped in after getting Etta to safety. We clashed and no matter how hard I hit or how many spells were launched at him. Only Harry had any true effect and that was only do to his sickle. Its edge was the only thing but he wielded it as warrior unused to his weapon.”  

“And what happened to this Harry?” Zatara interjected once he had calmed down.

It wasn’t a surprise that John tried was the to speak up it was after all a way to jerk Zatara for his short temper. “Magog tried to take her and Harry stopped him. He threw his scythe and the bastard threw his spear, Harry hit his arm forcing him to release Wonder Girl. Magog’s spear pushed Harry through a portal that had opened up behind him.”

“I could have freed myself.” Donna hissed. Diana was not surprised that her sister’s ego was wounded due to another’s self sacrifice. Hippolyta had taught both her daughters the importance of being independent in all aspects of life but she had also drilled the importance to look out for each other. Diana had learned from her experience that when a man helped it was not necessarily due to feelings of superiority but out of a genuine need to help.

“Like hell you could!” John shouted taking a step towards the younger Amazon.

“That enough, John!” Kent said with finality. Power that remained from Kent’s time as Doctor Fate echoed with his words. The old man put a hand on Constantine’s chest, holing the younger mage in place. “Harry can’t afford us fighting between ourselves. Diana I trust that you will get the Justice League aid in our search?”

“I do not know if we can spare the heroes to actively search him out but we will definitely keep our eyes open. Just tell us what he looks like and I’ll pass it along to Batman.”

“You’ve already met him or at least a version of him.” Kent said kindly. “Just teen years younger and without the scars running the scar on his face.”

“You mean Harry Black, don’t you?” Oh, Diana remembered the sour warlock who had come to her Earth with her won counterpart searching for a being of great power. There was some other worldly power within him but he was unaware or consciously ignoring it. If a teenage version of this of this man was roaming around with such power and one of their enemies got hold of him… she feared the results.

“He goes by Potter here, but yes.” Kent said with a strained smile.

“I understand.” Diana said solemnly. “Zatara, I suggest you return to the Hall and tell Batman of this development. I will be with you shortly.”

Zatara lingered for a moment sending John on last withering glare before loudly shouting: “yawa em ekaT!”

“Bastard.” John hissed under his breath once the magician disappeared in a plume of smoke.

“Now that he’s gone, would you mind telling me how a man who is supposed to have died thirteen years ago is living with you?”

Kent sighed. He knew that keeping Diana in the dark would be a fruitless but telling her everything could and would cause more trouble than he or Harry could deal with especially when the boy was without a wand. So he did the only thing he could do. He used a skill he learned from an eccentric wizard in purple robes that he met during the war, he told half truths and hoped they would stick.

Kent claimed he had kept the boy in a state of suspended animation out of a sense of guilt and that he had only recently awoken from it. He went on to explain how he had gathered a few of his trusted allies in an effort to ease him back into the world. Diana looked sympathetic and seemed to accept the answer due to their long standing friendship. Young Donna on the other hand looked suspicious.

The old warlock briefly wondered if the girl had caught onto the boy’s godly heritage but brushed the thought aside when the girl did not speak up.  

-The Dreaming.

They were running but she did not know why. Mother drew her in close to her breast as her own Black-green eyes looked into the endless void filled with strange constellations that she vaguely remembered her mother whispering their name and singing their stories. Mother drew her attention away by whispering a name that she could barely half remember.

“-and’r!” Mother cooed. Mother was afraid and that made her cry. Father hisses something that she cannot make out and Mother hushed with her own harsh words. They were running from something… maybe towards safety... a ship. Mother’s soothing voice calmed and she drifted into sleep.

She awoke to the sound of loud screeching and an explosion. Her black-green eyes locked onto Father just as another explosion rocked the ship and she watched in mute horror as the computer in front of him exploded covering Mother in purple blood. Tears streamed down mother’s face but still Mother soothed and still Mother sang until the ship crashed and she knew nothingness.

When she opened her eyes there was only darkness and all she could hear was the weakening breathing of Mother.

“-Careful.” She heard a Woman shout.

“Just step back, Stone.” A gruff Man’s voice shouted, she could hear the frustration… it reminded her of Father but he was gone.

There was a spark of light that pierced darkness. The light hissed as it moved into a wide circle, it was slow yet she could feel the need to hurry. She saw daces that were like her but their skin was different from her. Most were like milk but there was one woman with skin the color of the dirt that Mother had stopped her from eating.

“Oh my God!” The Man said as he was pushed aside by the woman with the skin like earth.

“Colonel Wilson.” The Woman chastised. “This is more important than your God. They are dying! Makarov, Dayton, can the female be saved?”

Two new figures rushed in anther Man, this one with burnt skin, and woman with large circular pieces of glass over her eyes.

“I don’t know. I am unfamiliar with her physiology but she sure as hell doesn’t loom good.” The Burnt Man said as he grabbed her and handed her to the Glass Woman.

“This cant be happening.” Glass Woman muttered as she took her to a small glass box. Mother was screaming… calling to her but they were weak.

“Grant!” The Earth Woman shouted over Mother’s wailing. “Get the ship loaded and back to the Lab! Our satellites have already detected the military coming in from Tacoma! Let’s move people!”

The Glass woman put her in a glass box that allowed her to see the stars. They were all wrong… she wanted Mother. She wiggled and wailed but the Glass woman managed to push her into a small glass box with all types of glittering lights and tubes.

She caught her own reflection in her small glass cage, it was that of toddler barely out of her sixth month. Giant black and green eyes looked at the unfamiliar stars with childish fear and untold amounts of wonder.

Am. Starfire. Need. Help.   

-May 22^nd 2010, The Lighthouse, Monument, Oregon.

Harry awoke with a start.

“HELP!” He croaked without meaning to. The sky was covered in orange colored clouds.

His heart beating like booming thunder that ripped through the sky. It hurt to breath but it slowly but surely lessened as the waves crashed against his body. He wasn’t sure where he was, but at that particular moment in time he wondered if he was actually still alive. The first thing Harry truely noticed aside from the great ache the coursed through his very being was the nearly six foot long golden spear sticking out of his right shoulder.

He briefly wondered on how it had found itself lodge in the wizard but those thoughts were quickly drowned out as he tried to recall the circumstances that left him impaled and abandoned on an unfamiliar beach. The last thing that he clearly remembered was getting on the train with John and then things became… fuzzy.

There were names that floated around his meaningless besides a blurry outline of the people they were to represent. He recalled something or someone that called itself Boston Brand yet he couldn’t recall the slightest of specifics other than the fact that he had thick accent. He remembered a serious man that wore an midnight blue cloak and called himself the Baron of Winter and a man with strange whose surname was Blood… he smelled of burning sulfur yet no one seemed to mind. He thought he remembered a man, Corrigan or something of the like, with a fake accent, who John had warned him to stay away from. Something about a ghost and the Wrath of God and what not,.

He remembered a party. Black Magic, Negromancy Necromancy. Life Magic, light Magic… Terms that swerved and swiveled meaninglessly without the lessons that imparted them.

Harry tried to but found it difficult as the spear weighed him down. With his left hand he pulled at the golden weapon with as much as he possibly could eventually dislodging and throwing it two meters away. Now free, Harry was able to lift himself up. He looked around for any signs of people who could tell him where he was but found none as he surveyed around the lighthouse. Behind them was a turbulent sea, and besides that there was a cliff face with a winding trail that lead into a forest of some kind. To his left was a worn white lighthouse and to his right were rock that stood jagged against the raging sea.

Atop those rocks was a boy with silver white hair dressed in a vibrant blue jacket jacket with a white streak going down its left side. He was just sitting there staring out into the water not having noticed him at all with a sketchpad in one hand and a pen in the other. He made to approach but as he drew closer he heard, in the distance, the sound of an engine’s roar drawing closer over the howling wind.

“Where the bloody hell am I?” He asked the wind but the wind gave him no answers. A sudden gust of wind nearly knocked the young Wizard over. Harry took his fist step towards the silver haired boy just as another stronger wind hit him from behind. Harry fell to his knees forcing the young wizard to brace himself with his hands.

Harry looked up and instead of being atop of the boulder the silver haired boy was right in front of him. There was an apathetic look in the boys face that became a mask of insecurity. The silver haired boy extended his hand and opened his hand as if to speak but was cut of as a girl in a brown leather jacket, a shirt that showed her stomach, blue jeans, and combat boots. She had blonde hair and light amber eyes. Her frame was on petit side of the spectrum, Harry noted.

There was a frantic look on her face as she raced towards the two. The boy seemed shocked to see her, so much so that he forgot about a still kneeling Harry.

“You?!” It took Harry a second to piece together that the silver haired boy knew something about what was going on if the feigned shock was any indication. “Tara? It’s Tara, right? What happened?” Silver tried made to comfort the hysteric girl. But she took a few steps back as Silver drew close.

The girl was babbling sporadically, with Harry catching the third word or so she said. “Victor.” “Metal.” ”Star-“ “Help.” Harry wanted to speak up, wanted to help but the moment he got onto his feet anther figure entered the scene. He was a tall man, built like a rugby player, with a shaved head and dark skin. Liquid metal flowed over his skin consuming his dirt colored shirt before consuming his orange flack jacket.

The blonde girl, Tara he corrected, launched herself towards the new arrival without concern for her own wellbeing. Harry saw the metal shift its focus from its task and watched as it coiled like a muscle ready to spring.

“Vic!” She cried as she reached the other teen. The small squares of liquid launched themselves towards the girl but froze out just before touching Tara.

“Tara? No!” He said regaining his senses. The newly arrived ‘Vic’, as Tara called him, scrambled away when she didn’t stop. “Don’t touch me—she did something—my MOM did something to me.” The desperate teen began clawing at the expanding metals, tearing away as much skin as liquid silver. Sadly, the more he tore away the more it spread. His hands went limp, his eyes darkened with the shadow of defeat. ”Tara… I’m scared.”

Not for the first time since awaking in the Tower of Fate, Harry wished he had his wand. Sure, he could sling a few simpler spells but none of those could help the boy in front of him.

The blonde girl next to him pulled him into a hug. “I- know.” She whispered softly. “Me too... um, I did something too.”

“Oh my god! Tara what happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, but, um, my house- there was an earthquake and i-i-I think I caused it.”  

“Excuse me.” Harry said grabbing the silver haired boys attention. “Would you mind telling me where we are or better yet what’s happening?”

The Silver haired boy was about to respond when the other two teens abruptly noticed him. “Who the hell are you?!” Vic shouted. There was something definitely hostile about the boy’s sudden shift in attitude, but Harry wasn’t the least bit threatened. He had seen true evil in the eyes of his enemies before, be it Voldemort, Bellatrix, or the Monster that put him in the coma, when he looked into Vic’s brown eyes all he saw was fear and the instinctive need to protect Tara.  

“Hello, my name is Harry Potter.” He greeted them with a forced smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Now can someone tell me WHERE in the nine circles of hell we are?”

May 22^nd, 2010 Cadmus North-West Branch, Monument, Oregon.

A few miles away from the teens on a lonely beach, Elinore Stone stepped out of a now dark communications room. She had been forced to reveal the level of her failure to Niles Caulder and the rest of the Light. She had failed to keep the alien from influencing her Spartoi and she was going to have to deal with the situation before those fools in the Justice League caught wind of what they were trying to do.

Sixteen years of work was washed down the drain thanks to one nearby spacial anomaly off the coast. It was thanks to this small inconsequential event that allowed the alien to send the message out despite the layers of containment measures that kept the world safe from it. Out of the corner of her steely eyes she spotted Grant Wilson next to a panicking Rita Makarov, and her long time fellow researcher Steven Logan.

Grant Wilson used to be special operations but despite his impressive track record he was dishonorably discharged after he and his team failed to eliminate Deathstroke. Out of this Elinore gained access to the boy excellent mind and unique biology and Grant gained a son. Now, that had been a boon for project Titan, Joseph was the perfect balancer where the other’s failed. Victor’s strength would finally have the intellect that to back it up; Tara’s terrakenisis would have the accuracy that she lacked; and they could finally use Tempest to his full potential.

But now that the Alien had gotten her hooks into them… the validity of the entire project was at risk. It wouldn’t take much for grant and his team to subdue the children but by then it could be too late and Caulder would have deployed his strike team to clean house.

“What the hell took so long, Elinore?” Grant practically hissed from behind his white and red ballistic mask. Normally, Doctor Stone would have tried to de-escalate the situation but there was no time to soothe when a decade and a half of work was on the line.      

“I was contacted by our employer.” She stated calmly, making sure to look at each former member of her team in the eye. We need to contain this quickly, or he’s sending in the Seattle team to clean it up for us. Now, this is our mess-“

“Mess?!” Rita Makarov interrupted. Rita was a brilliant biologist, a bit skittish and mousy but her brain had once been fantastic but Tara had ruined it all. Shortly after taking project Terra in she had began to descend into alcoholism and the brilliant light that had once been behind those eyes died. Phissacly she was tall and lanky with thick black hair. She may have been pretty once but that time had long since passed   “She almost killed me! This is insane, none of us signed up for this.”

“Yes you did.” Doctor Stone interjected stepping closer to the dark haired researcher. “We all knew this day might come, it was all part of the Greater Project.” It was solid reasoning that should have gotten them to calm down if they hadn’t been acting so irrationally.

Steven was the next to speak up. He and his wife Marie had been in charge of Project Changeling before the woman had taken the boy and opened an animal shelter near Queen Bee’s country. He was a tall handsome man who thought with his heart. “I agree, Elinore. But that was over a decade ago. These are our families we are talking about.” He pleaded. The reason Marie left him was because of his quick and explosive temper, it was something she needed to exploit to get the point across.

A smug look settled on Doctor stone’s face as she proceeded to insult he man’s failed marriage. “Please, Steven, do you really call what you HAD a family?”

As predicted Steven became enraged allowing Elinore to slowly put a hand on her pistol.

“How dare you?! You know that this was never supposed to happen! Not like this… not at once! You told us they would be fin. That everything would be normal!” Suddenly Steven drew himself and took a deep breath. Slowly he became calm but she could still see his anger. ”If you’re not going to help these kid then maybe we should go to the police. Maybe-“

BANG!

Steven would never finish that sentence. The bullet tore through his brain, exiting out the back of the skull in an explosion of blood and grey matter. Grant moved faster than Elinore could track knocking the pistol from her hand and lifting her up by the shirt.

“You Monster!” The mercenary shouted. She couldn’t see his face but she knew that he was shaking with rage. Stone was disappointed to see that project Jericho didn’t have the effect project Cyborg had on her.

Elinore scoffed at the show of emotion. “Come now, Grant I expected this sentimental nonsense from Rita, not you. You know as well as I do that we can’t afford a Will Makarov or Marie Logan, not now. Not when things are happening so quickly.”

“This has gone too far.” Grant said lifting her up higher. “I’m done.”

“Don’t be such a hypocrite, Wilson.” Stone chided. “We all know what they called you before I recruited you and I know why. There is more blood on your hands than any one else in this facility. You can pretend to be the good “Father” all you want but unless you want your “Son” to know what you were you’ll help me clean this mess the right way… so I suggest you load up, Ravager.”

Grant held her up for a few more seconds before letting her go. “Just tell me where they are and I’ll bring them back.”

“Good.” The Doctor stated signaling one of the soldiers to bring her cellphone to her. She unlocked and checked the messages before smirking. “They are at the crash site.” With a nod Ravager signaled a group of uniformed soldiers to follow them. “Rita.” She called the skittish woman. “Let’s go find out what’s causing her to act up and stop it.”

The dark haired doctor followed her to another section of the facility until they came upon the heavy metallic containment chamber that housed the alien. For the first time in sixteen years Rita saw those black/green eyes that had haunted her dreams.

Chapter Text

-May 23rd 2010, The Lighthouse, Monument, Oregon.

"Now, can someone tell me WHERE in the nine circles of hell we are?" Harry asked taking a step back just incase the large teen, Victor, tried something. Sure, Harry was taller and his muscles were more defined than when the Monster punched him into a coma, but the man in front of him was clearly some type of athlete. The wizard had no intention of entering a bout of fisticuffs just because the metal covered teen had a short fuse.

Victor made to move towards the retreating but the girl, Tara, stepped between them and gave the boy a reassuring look before looking at Harry with suspicion. There was something fierce

"Monument." Harry arched in confusion. How did that answer his question? Monument to what? and where? Tara let a huff, clearly annoyed that he didn't get the significance of her one word statement. "Oregon? You know, south of Washington and North of California?"

Harry wasn't familiar with states, having never really given this instruction in primary school and Hogwarts not offering details Magical History beyond the goblin rebellions that plagued Europe, but he knew that California was on the west coast thanks to Petunia's rather obsessive fixation towards the indecency of celebrity life. Being on the other side of the country without a wand or means to contact the Tower of Fate was problematic.

His companions were undoubtedly looking for him… at least he would assume that the former Doctor Fate and his cadre of strange allies were interested in his wellbeing.

It also spawned a new worry. 'Where on Earth is John Constantine and how did I get here?" Harry was thousands of miles away from where he last remembered being. A south-bound train heading towards Providence…

Flashback -May 22nd 2010, Amtrak train out of South Station.

"Where are we?" Harry asked, disoriented. He remembered stepping onto a car but this was certainly no car the young wizard had ever seen… if he hazard a guess he would say that they were on a train but once again magic was strange. Harry looked around the cart for any indicator of the type of people around him. Seated next

"On a train, it's a big metal thing, moves on rails." John responded from his seat across the hall. "it doesn't allow large bags but that's Okay, we don't have any luggage."

"But… we were in a car… " Harry mumbled as his mind attempted to catch up with the world around him. "Was the car a portkey?" It couldn't be. Portkesy and apparition were too turbulent compared to the smooth transition between scenes.

"Portkey?" John asked contemplating his answer before waiving it off. "No, nothing so grand." He shifted in his seat as his hand dug through his pockets. "Look kid, I'm going to be honest with you, I'm not like you… found you sneaky bastard." He pulled a small packet of cigarettes. "Anyway- I am what your government would call a 'Muggle' but I can still preform magic."

Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "How?"

"Well, that's a question." He said putting stick in his mouth. "You see my tattoos, Harry? Each one is a rune that allows me to manipulate magic through small artifact or totems. The members of your kind are aware of magic outside your little community call people like me Mages."

'Utterly fascinating.' Harry thought to himself trying to spot any other people with runes covering parts of their body but ended up disappointed with his failed efforts. It was also rather terrifying, considering people like Vernon Dursley would abuse that power.

"I would have given my soul to be born like you." He looked wistfully out of the window. "You wizards have it easy… people like me have to work our way into having our powers and even then fates worse than death await me and mine at the end of our journeys. I've been into the occult since I was a wee little lad but it didn't hit my stride until I was fifteen."

He took a drag, looked at Harry and offed him one. Harry had never liked the smell but none the less he took the offered gift an pocketed it as soon as the blonde mage looked away." Met a woman, no met a few women if you catch my drift. But two of them really stood out. Their names are and were, respectively Georgina Snow and Veronica Delacroix." There was a sad look in his eye that Harry could very well empathize. "You see, Magic is the greatest profanity. It's the world saying "this is how things work" and you shouting back "No" while flipping it the bird." John sent Harry a conspiratorial look as a guard passed her back.

"I'm sure you know the feeling, but unlike you if I don't commit to the act I can very well fade away. Muggles are either in magic or out of it. We can't halfway know stuff and still coast among normal. If I tried that I'd live a half le and fade away. " He sighed exhaled through his nose. "All magic comes at a price, Harry, mine's just steeper than yours." With a wave of his hands and the cigarette was snuffed and the smoke disappeared. John stood up abruptly from his seat and began to move. Harry made to follow but stopped when the Mage raised a hand. "Be right back, gotta hit the loo.".

Harry was left alone next to a rather portly man who was sleeping like the dead. It saddened Harry that life had withered down another person of his age but felt that there was more to the story than what he was letting on.

"Hey, you're Harry Potter aren't you?"

"Yes' Harry said without thinking. "And you are?"

"Brand." The portly man said in a thick New Englander accent. "Boston. Boston Brand pleased to meetcha." He extended his hand and the young wizard There's been a lot of noise about you in the Netherworlds, Kiddo."

"Really?"

"There sure has been." His face contorted into a strange mockery of a half face smirk. "I was just talkin' to a dude who got killed trying to find out where you were." Worrying but manageable. "The guy was probably part of the Cold Flame, or the Blood Red Moon, or the Dark Circle… maybe one of those spookshows cults that gets everybody riled up. They're trying to find you, Kiddo. You gotta take care of yourself and the best way to do that is get far away from John Constantine."

"I'll be fine." Harry tried to assure the possessed man.

He let out a hefty laugh. "Famous last words, kiddo." Boston patted him on the shoulder. "Mine were: "Gee, from up here it almost that guy with the hook's holding a rifle."

-May 23rd 2010, The Lighthouse, Monument, Oregon.

Harry was pulled out of his thoughts when the silver haired boy clasped his injured shoulder and shook him. "Are you alright?" He asked in his monotonous voice. Piercing eyes studied Harry's green as he shook the jumbled mess of memories from his head. The wizard could only nod as he regained his composure. Tara had apparently turned her attention to Victor. Who was scratching at the metal ring growing around his neck. "Did you see her?"

"Who?" He barely managed to ask while rubbing the sore spot where the spear dug into him.

"Starfire."

"I did." Yes, the crash. The pinkish red girl with dark colored eyes watching as her parents died protecting her from a threat that easily overwhelmed them. Why wasn't he surprised that he would find himself involved in a story that mimicked his own life quite extraordinarily.

"Did she bring you here?"

"No." His response was short but he couldn't help but feel that there was something off about the polite boy. He was hiding something. Legilimency could solve it but once again his lack of wand could be dangerous and he was not subtle in the mind arts. "Something else brought me here."

"Do you know what it was?" He enquired, stepping back slightly.

"Not in the slightest."

Harry was about to ask his own question when he was pulled toughly by the arm by the ever aggressive Victor. "You're gonna answer my questions or I'm burying your head in the dirt." The aggressive teen shouted as he guided Harry to wards a nearby rock. The wizard noted that the metal seemed to spread faster whenever Victor showed aggression; by this point his right eye had become red and there was a red dot growing on his forehead.

With his free arm, the wizard pried the metal covered limb off of him and twisted it jus so that it kept Victor off balance. "Touch me again and I'm taking the arm." It was a warning as much as it was a threat but it failed to deter Victor from lashing out.

A wild fist connected with Harry's chin. There was a sound like rocks crashing against each other. But Harry didn't recoil in pain, he barely felt the punch… in fact it felt less painful than the time his cousin and his friend had whaled on him.

In his shock he failed to notice that he had thrust out on hand sending Victor rolling across the beach. The taller teen recovered quickly but before he could close a pillar of rock erupted from the ground between them.

"Stop that, Victor!" The sand beneath their feet shook nearly knocking the teen's over. "We can't fight ourselves and expect to find answers! Look, Vic, he's just as confused as we are!"

"Doubly so actually." Harry raised his voice slightly so it wouldn't be carried away by the wind. It was almost surprising that the one person speaking out for him was the one that, out of all of them, radiated suspicion. The girl was an emotional wreck, but she was trying to keep it together as best she could for Victor's sake. "The way I see it: all of you know each other, I'm the odd man out. From school, perhaps?" He paused for confirmation. At Tara and the Silver head boy's nod he continued.

"Good, that narrows it down a bit. I was on my way to providence before I woke up here. Now, I haven't the slightest inkling as to how that happened but it's too big of a coincidence that I arrived on this particular stretch beach moments before you two arrived. The only part of this unwinding mystery that I know is the dream of an alien baby… so If any one of you would be kind enough to fill in the blanks…" Victor managed to get around the sand stone structure. "I'm all ears."

"It happened here." Victor's deep voice said reluctantly. He shot Tara a look of which she simply nodded. "I saw it. The satellite, or whatever it was, crashed right here." He indicated the area where the ragtag group was huddled together.

"Our parents are involved." Tara said leaning against the pillar. "I saw them. My mom and Dad, Doctor Stone… and Mister Wilson. Wait a second!" Her eyes widened and she turned to Silver. " I know your dad, Joseph. He lives in that huge house by the coast… isn't he with that big pharmaceutical company? Cadmus? Maybe he has something to do with it."

Joseph glared at Tara with his cold eyes but other than that he didn't outwardly react. You do not know what your talking about. Other than Doctor Stone whatever is happening to you and Victor has nothing to do with me. I have no powers, the only reason I'm here is because I saw the same vision all f you did. My father would never-"

"Rich kid, you have no idea what people would do for money." Tara interrupted with a growl. The earth shook with her anger. "My mother would do anything to get rid of me!"

"She is not my father." Joseph stated resolutely, his shy mask slipping as he stood to his full height. "My father is no lush, Makarov." This stuck a cord within her and she moved to slap but finding that to counter productive, Harry intercepted blow before it could get sufficient momentum.

"Watch it, Wilson." Victor warned as he made to wrap his arm around Tara but stopped as the hiss affliction reacted to her proximity. A small crown of liquid metal had formed connecting the red dot in his forehead to the metal ring around his neck. "My Mother isn't here to protect you."

Joseph deflated as if he was cowering, much like Draco used to play the victim whenever Snape was close, and stuttered out an apology.

"What the hell are we supposed to do?" Tara sighed, all the bravado she had disappeared from her body, all her strength left her with that deep breath, and Harry saw the scared child trying on the mask of leadership. "Where do we go? Vic, I-I wrecked my house!"

Victor, who had been drawing strength from his girlfriend, looked at her with an expression filled with shock before it transformed into disgust. "Your house? You're worried about your house?!" His voice ros as he lifted his tank top to reveal a torso nearly completely made out of metal. "Look at me , Tara! Last tine I checked you weren't the one turning into a Monster!"

"I didn't mean-!" She tried to defend.

Harry had been far to absorbed watching Joseph to care about the drama between the two but that didn't mean that he wanted to waste time dealing with teenage hormones.

"Can we please focus on the task at hand!" Harry shouted in an attempt to garner their attention. Victor shook his head and took a few deep breaths trying put some distance from Tara, but he nodded as soon as he calmed down. Tears pooled in Tara's eyes but she quickly wiped them away before giving her own assertion. "Good. Now did any of you remember seeing that lighthouse during the vision?" He pointed at the decrepit building in the distance.

"That's near Harlan's Point." Joseph added from a safe distance.

"Mom used to take me up there when I was a kid." Victor said coldly. It was as if one of his fondest memories were being perverted by the woman who helped make them. "I bet we can find answers there."

"Shouldn't we go ask your Mother, Victor?" Joseph spoke up as as the rest of them made to move. " I mean, I also saw it all and Doctor Stone was clearly the one in charge… and if our parents were truly involved with what has happened to the both of you, I believe approaching Doctor Stone is a much better option than running away."

The metal covered teen's red eye glowed menacingly as he turned towards Joseph. "You really think you know my mother?" He asked with a snarl in his voice. "You spend one summer with her playing junior scientist an suddenly you know what she's thinking? Newsflash, kid. She's the one who did this to me! Her only son, if that doesn't scream psycho to you then you rally can't read people! So, either get with the program or get lost because we" He indicated Harry and Tara. "are going to find out what is going on."

"I can't let you do that, boy." A voice called out from atop a nearby boulder.

The group collectively turned towards to direction it came from and they were shocked at what they saw. A man dressed in a red and black Kevlar body suit stood watching over them with guns pointed a Tara and Harry. The other teens might have frozen up because of the guns but the wizard was frozen for an entirely different reason.

He knew exactly who this man was. Back when he was growing up in Surrey under the watchful eye of Vernon Dursley there had been a series of bombing that had nearly killed his aunt. These terrorist attacks were attributed to the Deathstroke originally but that changed when the Ravager took credit for them.

Harry been in the car when the explosion had nearly blown his aunt away and he hadn't forgotten the image on the Telly. With a wave of his hand, and no hesitation on his part, Harry summoned the golden spear that he had left by the water and readied himself for a fight.

"Dad?" The silver hed teen whispered

"He's your dad?!"

"Look, kids, I don't wanna hurt you but if you don't surrender and come with me quietly I might have to hurt you regardless." If this were a movie, Ravager would have cocked his gun but as it was he already had. "You're a danger to yourselves and others-"

"Like hell we are!" Victor interrupted. Ravager sighed and opened fire on his two targets, or at least he attempted to. Harry in a suicidal mad dash had managed to cover twelve feet in less than the time it took the bullets to reach Tara and tackled the girl out of danger's path. The small metal projectile hit his back, making more holes than they already had.

"You bastard!"

"Don't look at me like that, Victor." The terrorist chided, jumping down. "Makarov's dangerous. More so than any of you."

"So am I!" The football player smashed him against the boulder. The red and black killer hadn't been expecting that and couldn't recover fast enough as he was repeatedly pummeled into the hard rock.

Ravager pressed a device on his gloved hand that made the metal stick out like spike and solidify. Victor screamed inhumanly, like a machine in pain he crumpled to the floor spasming wildly.

"That wasn't supposed to happen." Harry heard the terrorist hiss. "If you would just come-'" The wizard rose from the ground with a spin and within that same motion he struck his helmet with the blunt part of the golden spear. The mask shattered just above the eye. "Son of a bitch!"

"Dad, are you okay?" The silver haired boy ran over to his father's downed form before Harry had the chance to end the fight then and there. The man pushed Joseph out of the way and levied his gun at Harry once more.

"I'm not your father, Joseph." He said as he took the shot. The wizard bated the bullet away, leaving him open to a follow up attack.. "None of us are. I'm just the cleaner and you're the mess!" A dagger slashed across Harry's face breaking his glasses.

The last thing Ravager saw before loosing consciousness was the boy's glowing green-eyes as he was struck across the head with the shaft of the spear and how they walked away, towards the lighthouse without a second thought.

May 23rd, 2010 Cadmus North-West Branch, Monument, Oregon.

Rita Makarov hated this place.

She hated the circumstances that led her first encounter with Caulder and the fanatics who followed his vision of the future. She hated the cold metal walls that did nothing but remind her of the horrors she committed for that man; she hated the feelings of sadness that lingered as she remembered the man who played the role as husband to her and father to Tara.; she hated how she had to force herself to drink in effort to numb herself to the point that she no longer felt the bond she had with the girl who had been her daughter

And most importantly of all:

She hated Stone.

The psychopath who unleashed Ravager on a group of innocent children. The woman had murdered her friend without the slightest bit of hesitation just because he cared for the children's well being over the utopia of a madman. It almost made her want to cave the woman's skull in, but she couldn't do that she wasn't an animal like Stone..

Almost.

But she felt nothing but guilt as the black sclera and green irises stared at them though a small hole in the tank that had been her home for years. Starfire had been everything Cadmus had been hoping for before the current golden age of heroes and before their benefactor joined forces with a group of like minded individuals. She was the key to humanity's evolution!

Or so she had believed.

The truth was that Starfire was just a girl from another planet. Sure, they had used her and her mother's biology to create Project Titan but other than that they had barely deciphered a fraction of a percentage of the information they cold from them. For all their science they had forgotten to ask themselves if they were doing the right thing experimenting on the girl..

It broke her heart but it was too late now… unless the Spartoi managed to get past Ravager and his men.

"Doctor Stone!" A scientist Rita didn't recognize called out for them from the console that monitored Starfire. "Her EEG reading is off the charts, we can't seem to clam her down!"

"The dosages?" Stone calmly demanded as she marched over to him and examined the data.

"Being pushed by the needle, ma'am, but nothing is slowing her down" He was scared she could hear it in his voice. "We've never seen anything like this.

"Unbelievable." Stone muttered before settling in a chair. "Up the Ketamine by ten milligrams and the Perphenazine y twelve."

Are you seriously giving her horse tranquilizer and schizophrenia medication?!" Rita Demanded. How could Stone so carelessly throw away everything they had done to keep the alien alive just because she was acting up! "She'll OD with those dosages!"

"She can take it, Rita." The cold scientist brushed off. " she is so much more than we could ever ave hoped for… but we've been able to control her until now. I just don't understand why this is happening all of a sudden and that is why you're here. With your expert-"

"You don't need an expert in biology to understand what's happening to Starfire." Rita interrupted irritably. " Elinore, think. Its been sixteen years since the ship crashed. She was an infant then…"

Elinore stone froze and swiveled in her chair. "Are you telling me that she's hitting puberty?!"

"Yes." Alarms blared warning them that the facility had been breached and almost instantly a timer activated next to Starfire's containment pod. "What's happening!?"

Stone sighed in frustration as she turned back to the computer. "It appears that the children have found one of the auxiliary. Failsafe protocol has been activated if we cant deal with the problem now the system will purge Starfire and all of this would have been for nothing." She began typing wildly, zooming though pop up after pop up. Before she was stopped and an error message appeared on the screen "You have to be fucking with me, Steve, you ungreatful shit!"

"What's wrong now?" the scientist asked stone.

"Steve changed the passwords to disengage the Failsafe!" She shouted as she rose from her chair. "His final act of revenge will destroy Starfire and all the data we collected with it!"

"Elinore… maybe Steve was right." Rita spoke up timidly, knowing full well what might happen if Stone took what she said wrong. "Maybe it's time to wipe everything away… before it comes back to bite us."

"Yo have no idea what your taling about." Stone hissed never looking away from the computer. " You were always too week for this. It's why we put you on babysitting duty and lo and behold you managed to fuck that up too."

"Ma'am" A soldier walked into the lab. "The children are heading toward incubation lab one. How do you want us to proceed?"

"How many guards are with you?"

"Four, Ma'am."

"Four?"Elinore turned to look at the blue clad soldier. "Shit. Set an ambush at the hub, evacuate the scientists. I'll meet you there before the children arrive."

The soldier saluted and left. "Those children will kill us, Elinore. If Ravager couldn't stop them I doubt a handful of soldiers trained by him won't stop them."

"Rita, you honestly don't know me if you think I wouldn't have another contingency in place for when this exact scenario happened."

Rita knew exactly who she was talking about. "Jericho?"

"All he needs is to control Tara, Rita, Victor is far too weak to risk her life."

'This will not end well.' Makarov thought to herself while turning her attention to Starfire. 'Not at all.'

-May 23rd, 2010 Cadmus North-West Branch, Monument, Oregon.

The lighthouse had been a front to hide the entrance to a maze of stone an iron that had stretched on for miles beneath the Earth. The four of them had made their way down an industrial spiral metal staircase, following the disembodied voice of Starfire as she guided them further and further down. She was scared and it was fairly noticeable with every step they took towards the depths of the facility.

Joseph was worried for his father, whom they left unconscious but alive at the beach. Every so often he would voice his concerns only to be rebuffed by Tara who plainly told him that his father was a monster; which would predictably be followed by Victor shushing them and Harry tried to keep himself out of their squabbles.

That was until they reached a heavy metal door with a plaque that read: INCUBATION LAB 1

THE TITANS PROJECT

"I don't think this is a good idea, you guys." Joseph stuttered looking at Harry for support. Hary kept his feature measured as he studied the door but gave enough of a reactin to show that he had heard the silver haired teen. "There's no telling what could be on the other side of that door. Maybe we should-"

"No!" Victor shouted as he cocked his fist back. "I need answers." His metal covered fist collided with the door leaving a sizable dent. By now more than half his face and pats of his head were covered in metal. The metal spread much quicker after Ravager had hit him with the device but had slowed once they were beneath the ground.

"And Starfire may be just behind that door." Harry added, finishing the thought and striking the door with a particularly powerful blasting charm. The explosion knocked the door off its hinges, allowing the group access to a small circular lab. There were five cribs, like the ones used when a baby was born far too early, behind a glass window looking into a separate room.

"Déjà vu." Tara muttered as they stepped into the room.

"I feel like I've been here before…" Joseph said in wonder.

Victor remained quiet as he looked around but Harry could see that he was nervous. "I have a bad feeling about this." The wizard voiced his concerns as he made his way to the far window, past the 'incubation' chamber to a window that was completely dark except for a few small lights.

Harry had to cup his hands around his eyes to be able to able to see but when his eyes adjusted he couldn't help but gasp at what was behind the glass. There was a boy, younger than Harry and his companions by the look of it, he looked like a cross between a mere person and human. He was teal in color with a pattern of scales that looked intricate in the light. His hair was white and his eyes were closed.

Possibly sleeping or sedated.

Harry wasn't sure which but he hoped for the former.

The tank was small, bigger than Harry's old cupboard but certainly not big enough for the hybrid child to grow properly. The hybrid wore a suit hooked up to a series of wires. And on that suit the Wizard read: Property of Cadmus.

'Harry." He heard Tara call to him. "you may want o look at this."

So he did. He picked up his spear and walked to the incubation chamber, where there were five incubators. Each one with a name printed on the side.

SSUBJECT 1 TERRA

SUBJECT 2 CYBORG

SUBJECT 4 JERICHO

SUBJECT 5 TEMPEST

SUBJECT 3 CHANGELING

It didn't take Harry long to associate two out of three names with whom they belonged to. Terra was Tara and Victor was Cyborg. Joseph could possibly Jericho but he could have been changeling, if his claims at not having any powers were to be believed. The hybrid was Tempest… because part of him thought of the titular Caliban when he though of the creature.

"Cyborg." Victor whispered before slamming his fist into the glass. "CYBORG? That sick twisted bitch knew this would happen!?"

"You need to calm down." Harry comforted putting a hand on the teen's shoulder. "We can't loose our heads yet, we are nowhere near out of the woods."

Victor shrugged it off but didn't shout again. His red eye glowed dangerously as he walked away from the cracked window towards the only other door in the room. Harry wasn't exactly what most people would call knowledgeable when it came to myths but he remembered stumbling into the myth of Cadmus and his Dragon's Teeth. These children were like Harry in one aspect that made him feel uncomfortable; like him they were manipulated into become a tool for a higher power.

"What did they do to us? Why did they do this to us?" Tara asked no one in particular. Joseph's eyes hardened but he said nothing, opting to follow Victor and aid with opening the final set of doors.

Sadly, before he reached them, they flew open revealing four men in white and navy blue body suits pointing guns at the teens. Harry's eyes darted to the entrance which they came from only to see The Ravager, with his half broken armored mask standing ready with sword and gun drawn blocking their escape.

A dark skinned woman in a lab coat pushed herself past the soldier and examined them with analytical eyes. She lingered on Harry the longest but brushed him off as a non threat.

"Look at you, Victor." There was a lot of pride in her voice, which visibly unnerved Victor. The teen tensed while he took a step back. He placed himself between the primed weapons and Tara. You are all simply amazing! Except for the tagalong." Harry's grip on the golden spear tightened. The last time he'd been in a situation like this his mortal enemy ordered Wormtail to murder the Spare. But the scientist glossed over her comment sand continued on. "I'm sorry things had to happen the way they did… but your home now."

"Welcome to Cadmus!"

o0o0o0o0o