When Harry told us in sixth year that Professor Snape and Malfoy was a threat … I didn't believe him, you'd think I would have learned my lesson from that but when Ron and I decided to get married right out of Hogwarts and Harry tried to tell us we were moving too fast… that we needed to let our relationship grow before taking such an extreme jump. You'd think I would have listened to him then. I guess I no longer have a right to tell Harry and Ron they're stubborn. But I'm going to be thick headed one more time though. Harry's hiding something, you can see it in his eyes. I've not been a very good best friend, so it's make up time. - Hermione Granger-Weasley, Vice Minister of Education M.O.M.
Chapter 5: Revelations
I never really wanted you to see
The screwed up side of me that I keep
Locked inside of me so deep
It always seems to get to me
I never really wanted you to go
So many things you should have known
I guess for me there's just no hope
I never meant to be so cold
What I really meant to say
Is I'm sorry for the way I am
I never meant to be so cold
Never meant to be so cold
What I really meant to say
Is I'm sorry for the way I am
I never meant to be so cold
Never meant to be so cold …
- "Cold" by Crossfade
Nymphadora Tonks walked down the stairs into the cave below Number 12 Grimmauld Place, and found the bandaged shirtless Harry seated at a work desk and a sowing machine. She started to sneak up on the young man but just before she could bellow her trademark greeting Harry spoke up. "Afternoon, Nympho." Harry said with a smirk and cocked eyebrow to the flustered pink haired woman.
"Don't … call … me … that …" she hissed through clinched teeth as she glared back of Harry's head as he continued working on his suit.
"Finally … finished!" Harry said pulling up the finished bodysuit from the work desk.
"Not half bad," Tonks said, looking over the suit. It was grey and black in color, darker then the previous suit, and the symbol on the chest had changed to a large triangular bat-symbol. "Little darker then before though."
"Stealthier and that's the side effect of the fireproofing, of course." Harry said placing it with the repaired cape and cowl in the case.
"Of course," Tonks nodded with a ghost of a smile. "You ok?"
"Sore and still tired, but I'm ok." Harry said slowly pulling a tee shirt over his bandaged torso.
"A little lunch will do you some good," Tonks said starting back toward the stairs, stopping when she realized Harry wasn't following. "Dobby made it, not me." With that Harry finally followed.
The two walked up into the mansion when they heard a shriek and a loud dog barking. Tonks and Harry glanced at each other and to the front door. Tonks couldn't help but laugh at what they found. "Ace! Down!" Harry yelled as he ran to the tree out front of the mansion.
At the base of the tree was Harry's jet black great dame jumping onto the trunk of the tree barking his head off, and at the lowest limb hung by her arms and legs was the Vice Minister of Education.
"Harold James Potter, call off that beast this instant!" Hermione snapped, before squeaking when Ace finally jumped up high enough to get a grip on something beneath her short skirt. "OH BLOODY HELL NO!" She cried when the lace gave way and Ace came down with ripped piece of pink stringy cloth in his mouth.
Satisfied, Ace walked away from the tree and laid down in a shady spot to gnaw on his new toy.
Harry glanced from the dog to the woman in the tree trying desperately not to put on a show to the world, "Don't mind him, he … doesn't like most anybody … and … never would have pegged you for a G-string, Hermione," Harry said with a broad smirk at the blushing brunette.
"It is not a G-string, I'll have you know," She said as she let her legs go before dropping to the ground and flat on her butt with a loud thump. "It is a standard thong like many women these days wear. That is typical every day women. Not the easy money grubbers who follow you around like bitches in heat."
Harry responded with a cocked eyebrow. "Don't give me that look, so what if I enjoy wearing a bit less covering undergarments, what business it of yours? If I decided to go completely bare under my clothing it is no one's business of my own. I've even read it is most comfortable to go as the Americans call … 'Commando'."
"To much information, Hermione," Harry rubbed his temples. "And I take it you didn't come here to talk about undergarments …" Harry said drifting off with a grin as Hermione blushed even deeper.
"I … came to visit my friend," Hermione said as she picked herself up off the ground and dusted off her clothing. "Must I have a reason to visit my best friend?"
"I've been home for three years, Hermione," Harry said his features darkening, "This is the first time you've been here since I've been back."
"Door swings both ways, Harry," Hermione said with a bite to her voice. "The first time I had seen your face outside the tabloids and Daily Prophet in ten years was the reunion."
"I've been busy," Harry said turning his back and starting back toward the door.
"I'm trying to patch the bridge here, Harry," Hermione said stubbornly. "Ten years is a long time without a girl's best friend."
"You married Ron, wasn't that a part of your vows to him?" Harry said as he walked past the intensely listening Tonks.
"I told you Harry, and Ron told you. Nothing's changed between the three of us," Hermione said following him. "You're back, Ron and I aren't in that type of relationship anymore, and we can be the trio again."
"You've been reading too many fantasy and fairy tale books, Hermione," Harry said stopping but keeping his back to her.
"Harry, talk to me," Hermione pulled on his arm. "Why? Why did you leave all of the sudden … why did you leave without saying goodbye? Ron and the Weasleys stopped me from asking it at the party and reunion, but Harry; I have to know if I did something to push you away."
"It's more complicated then you realize," Harry said with iciness to his voice. "I can't talk right now, Hermione. I'm busy."
"Busy doing what?" Hermione asked as her brow crinkling with a strange attack of jealousy. "Kissing rich politicians arses, shagging pretty redheaded Quidditch players? Am I close?"
"I'm not the one who went out of their way to shag a redheaded Quidditch player." Harry stated without thinking.
Hermione Granger was always Harry's blind spot, and despite all the training he had done. All the martial arts and counter attacks he had mastered. One thing remained the same. And Harry realized as he laid flat on his back with a throbbing possibly broken nose, Hermione Granger was still his blind spot.
"Brilliant jab, Hermione!" Tonks called as she stood over the fallen Harry waving as Hermione apparated away. "You had that coming, love." She said as she smiled downward.
(- V -)
"Brings back memories, doesn't it, Nev?" Ron said leaning against the wall in the front cab of the Hogwarts Express as it sped across the tracks toward Hogsmeade Station.
"Life was so much simpler back then," Neville smiled at his partner. "Just had to worry about graduating and Voldemort killing us," he laughed, "Now we don't have to worry about Graduation anymore and a whole lot of psychos out to kill us. At least one of the psychos is on our side."
"Sure the Bat isn't the model of sanity but with what we're up against…" Ron said glancing out the window, before snapping his head up to look at the ceiling. "What was that?"
As if on cue the windows of the Aurors' car exploded as dark wizards swung in and pointed their wands at the two Aurors. "Hello Mr. Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, I see you are as much slackers as adults as you ever were as my students." Scarecrow said as he climbed in through the side window. "You let us get right on top of you."
"Snape? And you and your little spies in the Slytherin house used to talk about MY fashion sense. You're in rags mate." Ron smirked easing toward one of the windows with his wand in hand.
"I don't know what you're doing but you won't get away with it!" Scarecrow growled sending a stun spell to Ron, who turned quickly to Neville who was at the window.
"Nev, THE SIGNAL!" Ron yelled before he was hit in the side with the spell.
Neville wasted no time, sticking his wand out the car's window. "Eques Vocationus!" He called out sending a beam of light into the cloudy sky. The beam made a tall line in the clouds that spread out as a bat spreading its wings showing for miles the symbol of the Batman high in the sky.
(- V -)
"Stay still …" Remus said as Harry sat back in his computer chair in the cave. "I don't think it's broken… but she did give you a hell of a knock."
"You don't say …" Harry groaned as the last surviving Marauder fondled his sore nose.
"He had it coming, I say," Tonks said looking at her finger nails. "I have never in my entire … short life seen such a display of idiocy and rudeness … outside Remus."
"Hermione would get in the way," Harry said as Remus finally stepped back. "The plan is working. As nosy as Hermione is she'd find the passage way with ease. I can't compromise the plan."
"The plan?" Tonks blinked, "You're worried about the bloody plan? Harry she was willing to DIE for you a few short years ago, stood by you when you were facing certain doom… and YOU'RE WORRIED SHE'LL ENDANGER YOUR PLAN?!?"
"Hermione wouldn't understand. Nor would Ron," Harry said moving to the suit racks. "The less they know. The less they're connected to me, the safer they'll be. You two are also putting yourselves in danger."
"What's a little danger? It's actually a turn on to me," Tonks stated winking at Remus before turning to Harry as he slid into the black and gray tights. "And what's not to understand. You spend your days pretending to be a spoiled rich kid living off your dead family's riches, and at night you go out dressed up like a flying rat and drive a tank around while beating up criminals and dark wizards. I think it's all pretty self explanatory."
"Tad insane, but who's not a slight bit touched this day and age," Remus agreed.
"Whatever," Batman growled as he slid the mask over his scared forehead. "It seems I have work to do. Ron's in trouble." He said nodding to the monitor that showed the Bat Signal in the air.
The Batmobile roared to life as it turned and roared through the tunnel to the outside world, and as it jumped from the cave entrance to the deep forested area it sped through the trees.
Once outside the forest Batman reached for a shifter with three marks: M, W, and B. He moved the shifter from the letter M to the letter W and the tank like vehicle began to shift and change. The six wheels rolled inward as the sides extended out into wings giving it an overall shape of a bat. He pressed the throttle all the way forward sending the newly transformed aircraft high in the air making a straight line toward the symbol.
(- V -)
Ron and Neville stayed under cover as they attempted to cast any spell they could at the attacking wizards. "Looks like help just arrived, Ron," Neville nodded toward the Batman's armored vehicle shot past the windows toward the engine of the Hogwarts Express. The Batmobile shifting back to a ground vehicle mode as it came down on the tracks before the train. Multiple claws opened from the rear of the vehicle as it matched the speed of the train and connected to the front of the engine.
The cockpit opened as the Dark Knight leapt from the Batmobile to the engine of the train.
"Watch the windows …" Scarecrow ordered watching the side windows of the car with his wand held tightly in his gloved hand.
A moment later two black fists tore through the roof of the car and gripped a Deatheater's head, pulling him through the ceiling screaming.
A moment later he fell back down through the hole he made unconscious. "He's on the roof …" Scarecrow said to the two minions before him, before turning toward the two that were behind him. "You two go … oh my …" He breathed when he turned to find the two dark wizards tied up in the corner of the car. "OK, then, you …" his eyes widened when the two remaining dark wizards had disappeared from sight completely.
"Give it up Snape," the Bat growled stepping out of the shadows behind the Death Eater.
"Come for another scare, Batman?" Scarecrow growled pointing his wand at the vigilante.
"I won't warn you again," the Batman growled, before Snape threw a vial on the floor giving himself a smoke screen.
"He's getting away!" Ron called pointing out to the broom rider rapidly fading into the distance.
"No he's not," Batman narrowed his eyes before kicking open the door, "He won't get away this time."
"Wait up, I'm coming with you!" Ron called out moving quickly behind the Dark Knight.
Batman and Ron climbed back to the Batmobile and the redheaded Auror plopped down in the passenger seat. "Nice car," He smiled to the brooding Dark Knight.
"Thanks, hang on," Batman growled, before the Batmobile disconnected from the train and shot back into the air after the escaping Snape.
Ron held on tight as the Batmobile roared through the air. "Really nice car …"
(-V-)
"He's leading us into a trap, isn't he?" Ron asked from the passenger seat as they trailed behind the speeding broom over a river port town.
"Most likely."
"Why don't you just take him down?"
"Have to make sure he doesn't have any men or back up plan in the event of his capture."
"So what are we going to do?"
"Spring the trap."
Ron glanced at the Dark Knight's profile. That sounded so much like something Harry would have said back during their Hogwarts days. But it couldn't be … could it?
"He's landing on that warehouse, hang on." Batman growled as the Batmobile shifted back to ground-vehicle mode as it touched down on the street.
"I want you to stay in the car," Batman growled as the tank-like vehicle came to a stop before the warehouse.
"Ok then," Ron said before yelping when the Batmobile sped forward toward the wall of the wear house.
"Hang on," Batman growled as Ron began to scream as the tank-like car slammed through the brick wall into the warehouse.
The Batmobile spun around inside the concrete floored storage building as the cockpit opened. "Stay in the car." Batman growled to the Auror before firing a grapple to the ceiling pulling him all the way up to the top catwalk.
"Right … staying in the car …" Ron whispered unsnapping the safety belt.
"You really are an annoyance, Batman," Scarecrow sneered pointing his wand at the hero.
"Give up," the Bat growled, taking a step toward him.
"Man of few words, are you?" Scarecrow said as two of his dark wizard thugs appeared beside him.
"It'll take more then two of your thugs to stop me," Batman growled eyeing the three.
"So be it," Scarecrow smirked behind his mask as two more dark wizards appeared.
Batman ducked the four curses that flew his way and quickly moved toward the Dark Wizards. The Batman made no sounds as he punched two of the dark wizards square in the face before doing a two punch and kick combo to the third. "Too easy." He said remaining facing forward and backhanding the dark wizard approaching him from behind.
"What can I say, you scared off most of the good help," Snape said pilling off his mask. "But I must ask you where your priorities lie."
Batman narrowed his eyes, before turning back to see Ron on the second level catwalk surrounded with Deatheaters. "Damn it …" Batman growled before leaping into the air and glided toward the group.
The group with their back to him never saw what hit them as the Bat collided with them feet first. "I thought I told you to stay in the car," Batman growled as he got back to back with Ron.
"You did? I don't recall you saying anything of the like…" Ron said firing off a series of counter-curses.
"You never did listen," Batman growled before casting his own set of curses and a few hand to hand attacks.
"Huh?" Ron hesitated.
"Get down!" Batman growled shoving Ron to the side and taking a curse the side sending him falling over the edge of the catwalk.
"Bats!" Ron called, watching him fall hard on the concrete floor.
Ron fired off several curses as he backed toward the stairs and quickly made his way to the Batman who was still laying face down.
"Are you ok?" Ron asked turning him over.
Batman's glazing over eyes glanced up at him. "This hasn't been my bloody week …" He whispered before his eyes closed in unconsciousness.
"Great, Weasley, you just got an urban legend killed…" Ron scolded himself as he glanced up to see Snape and the Dark Wizards approaching quickly. "Hang on, Bats, I know who can fix you right up," Ron said dropping to his knees and pull the caped crusader into his lap. A pop later, Ron went from the hard concrete floor to a carpeted living room.
"Hermione! Little help here!" Ron called out wrestling to pull Batman off the floor.
"Ron, what's … oh my goodness!" Hermione ran to the two men. "What happened?"
"Fight with Snape and his Dark Wizards," Ron explained as he pulled one of Batman's arms over his shoulder. "He took what looked like an impact spell and went flying off a second story catwalk, and hit a concrete floor quite hard. Didn't happen more then five minutes ago." Ron smiled at her. "I figured those years of healer training shouldn't be wasted, huh, Mione?"
"I see, help me get him to my bedroom so I can look him over." She said rolling her eyes and lifting Batman's other arm over her shoulder and helped drag him to her bedroom.
The two wrestled the Bat onto the flower-themed comforter and Hermione went to adjust the pillows to keep his head even. Ron couldn't help but chuckle at the image of the Dark Knight laying on a blanket of yellow and pink flowers. "It looks like he hit his head, possibly landed on it …" Hermione said hands traveling over the cowl. "I need to get this mask off to properly assess the damage."
Hermione reached down to slide the mask off his face. "Bloody shit!" Hermione hissed reaching back and working her fingers. "Enchanted mask, impressive for a vigilante. He must really not want people to know what's under this thing. I recognize the spell used too. Curious on how he learned it."
"How's that?" Ron asked as Hermione reached for her wand.
"I came up with it," Hermione nodded, "One of my most complicated spells, I made it for Harry so he wouldn't lose his glasses in the middle of a fight in seventh year. Merlin knows what kind of bad things would happen should he have to deal with blindness while dealing with Voldemort. Nothing short of a Muggle tractor trailer could pull them off … I was unaware anyone but Harry and I knew it …" she said with narrowed eyes as she moved her wand in a complicated movement over the mask while whispering a phrase.
"That should do the trick," Hermione said with a nod as she sat her wand on the bedside table, and placed her hands under the corner of the mask.
Hermione and Ron froze as she slid the cowl off the Batman's face, both turning a cold pale color. "Ronald … what are you playing at … if this is a joke, this is a very SICK one …"
"Bloody hell …" was the Auror's only reply.