The Boy Who Lived and the Last Lantern

Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or Harry Potter

A/N: To the anonymous reviewer that cleverly named himself "Apollo": Yes, this story is based on Power of Oa. If you read the first chapter, right at the beginning, you would see the note I wrote. So please, stop being an idiot.

Chapter 16: In New Light

April 20 Late Afternoon

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland, Great Britain

There had been another attack.

He had raced up to the hospital wing, arriving just as the nurse showed Daphne's mother back to the floo. He caught a glimpse of the stony faced blonde as she turned for a last look at her daughter before going home. They had placed her on a bed near the end of the ward. Harry sat close, unable to say a word, his eyes never leaving her face.

Daphne had been found in the hall outside of their common room, her shoulders hunched around her head like she was flinching away from a strike. Her bag on the floor, far from her, her books scattered. Now she was as stiff as stone, her face pinched. But Harry couldn't look away from her one half-open eye.

"What is Albus doing about this? There has to be a way to protect the students."

"The headmaster has not deigned to inform me of his every decision."

Pomfrey frowned but before she could respond she caught sight of Harry. Shaking her head, she drew Snape's attention to the scene with a wave of her hand.

"I'm sorry, young man but I need to run some more tests." Harry didn't acknowledge her, his vigil uninterrupted until his head of house's hand gripped his shoulder.

"Come along, Mr. Wayne. Curfew is about to begin."

Still in a daze, he didn't realize he was being guided back to the dungeons until he was at the entrance to the common room. Snape left him with a warning. "No more wandering at night, Wayne. You must do what you can to stay safe." And with that he turned for his office.

Harry walked into a house still clamoring over the news, the noise higher than normal for a weekday. He sat down next to Blaise, the events of the day just beginning to catch up to him.

"Wayne? You there, Wayne?"

Harry slowly focused, reality setting in. Looking around he took in the commotion, nodding his head to the group gathered around the tables. "What's going on over there?"

Blaise looked over before turning away, his face sour. "Malfoy's writing to his father. He thinks he can get Dumbledore kicked out because of the attack today."

Harry's expression went from uninterested to confused. "Why would he care if Daphne was attacked?" Blaise looked away. "What? What am I missing?"

"He was there." At Harry's narrowed-eyed look he continued. "He was with Daphne in the hall before she was attacked. He's telling everyone that he was the target. They heard something coming down the hall and he got away…she didn't."

Harry pushed off violently from his seat and hadn't taken a step before Blaise grabbed his arm. "What are you doing, Wayne?" He pulled his arm free and made his way to Malfoy who had already spotted him.

"Well, well, well, look at what we have here. Do you think that once Dumbledore is gone that we'll be able to get rid of you too, Wayne? Not much reason for you to stick around now that the only person that would talk to you is a statue." The accompanying laughter by the people surrounding Malfoy only made Harry picture Daphne's huddled body.

Wand forgotten, Harry pushed past a few other Slytherins and grabbed Malfoy by the neck of his robes. "You left her there!" Harry cocked his fist back and hit him.

"You filthy mudblood!" Draco screamed around a bloody nose. "There's no way you're staying now!"

Harry drew his arm back to deliver another blow when he was roughly pulled away.

It was Blaise's voice that spoke calmly to him. "Calm down. He didn't do anything. He didn't petrify her."

"No, he just left her there!" Harry tried to pull out of the boy's grip.

"You're going to regret this, Wayne." The bleeding staunched and no longer flowing from his nose, Draco looked murderous.

April 25 1993

Gryffindor House, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland, Great Britain

Hermione didn't know where the feeling was coming from but she felt a sense of shame whenever she was around others. It had been that way since the start of the school year. Strange urges to leave her dorm, irrepressible anger at those that made her feel insecure. She couldn't control herself and now she was starting to forget things.

Hermione knew that the attacks happening around the school should have frightened her but she felt oddly disconnected. The news of two of her classmates, one in her house, falling victim in a deserted hallway barely made her think twice. She felt herself going through the motions in a dream-like state.

She hadn't written to her parents in weeks. With no way of getting in contact with her, Hermione knew that they would be getting anxious but she didn't care. And she knew that meant something was wrong.

Her only saving grace was Neville. He was the only one willing to make time to pull her out of whatever fugue state she was in. He reasoned with her when she was being snappish, cajoled her when she sulked, stubbornly took her tongue-lashings when she felt the irrational anger reach a boiling point and still pushed her into enjoying their time at school. Somewhere in the back of her mind Hermione knew that without him as her anchor she would've been lost long ago.

Hermione had tried to ask for help. She put the words together in her head but when she tried to speak she found herself back in the walking dream.

At night she would dream of a long cavern, far underground and a slow laugh. All attempts to wake herself were met with the same voice.

"Not yet, little one. We have plans."

Enemies of the Heir, beware. The Chamber of Secrets is open.

April 29 1993 Evening

Office of the Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland, Great Britain

"We have to do something, Albus! Two students have been petrified and we're no closer to knowing to who or what is doing this. The ministry can't be seen as idle; especially with his history." Cornelius Fudge paced back and forth through the office, worrying his hat in his hands. "I have the press breathing down my neck every minute of the day. We need to be seen making some progress."

"A leader should do what is right, not what looks right. Without a conviction Hagrid will not be put in Azkaban," Dumbledore said severely.

"Fine, fine. We'll keep him in a holding cell at the ministry. He'll be safe and not with those…things."

A knock on the door drew their attention. "Who could be calling on you at this time, Albus?"

Dumbledore rubbed his eyes and sighed. "Enter."

Lucius Malfoy walked through the door, followed closely by a pair of cloaked men.

"Lucius? What are you doing here? Dawlish?" Fudge stopped twirling his hat, confused.

The auror tipped his hat. "Evening Minister, Headmaster."

Lucius was much less cordial in his greetings. "Cornelius, it's fortuitous that you are here. It makes it easier if there is a witness." A practiced look of decorum shone on his face as he produced a scroll from his robe pocket. "It is with great sorrow that I, Lucius Malfoy, do suspend Albus Dumbledore from his post as headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He placed it on the headmaster's desk.

"With the attacks on the students, the most recent nearly involving my own son, the school governors have voted to remove you from the grounds."

"Lucius, surely you don't want to do that," Fudge tried to intervene. "To take away Albus now would mean mayhem."

"Unfortunately, we have reached the end of our patience. First, the muggleborn boy and now Alana's girl. My son was distraught to hear that one of his close friends was attacked. I can't, in good conscience, allow this to go on any longer."

Fudge sputtered.

Lucius calmly spoke over him. "Are you here to carry out the detainment we spoke of?"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

Lucius continued. "Yes, the minister and I were speaking about the attacks and I suggested that it would do a great deal of good if the Ministry would be seen to be handling the events going on here." He turned to Fudge, "I brought a few more aurors in case the gamekeeper puts up a struggle."

The minister was still reeling from the news he had just received. "I'm sure that will not be an issue. Albus assures me that he will not resist. Hagrid will be escorted to the Ministry and be held in a holding cell."

Lucius felt a little amusement in how easily the minister was swayed to the opinions of others. Just as well, it suited his goals. "Of course, Cornelius. And of the matter of the Chamber of Secrets?"

Fudge scoffed. "The myth? I'm sure that whoever is behind this is using the legend of the monster of Slytherin to frighten everyone."

Lucius made it seem as if he was looking out the window to hide the faint upturn of his lips. "Yes, that would make sense. On top of things as always, Minister."

May 21 1993 Late Afternoon

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland, Great Britain

The school year was coming to an end. With no new attacks the students were beginning to forget the horror and waiting for the petrified victims to wake up.

As the students were leaving the Great Hall after dinner, gossip quickly spread about the maturation of the Mandrakes. One student had overheard that they would soon be ready to be used to awaken the petrified students and hopefully bring the perpetrator to justice.

The Gryffindors greeted the news with backslapping and laughter. As they moved to the common room to celebrate a pair of second years lagged behind the rest of their housemates.

"Hermione?" Neville stopped short realizing his friend was still half way down the corridor. And what he saw scared him.

Hermione stood in the middle of the corridor, back straight, eyes closed, muttering to herself. To Neville it seemed like she was having an argument with herself. "Hermione, are you ok?"

Before he could reach her, Hermione turned and took off down the corridor. Without thinking, Neville ran after her. The chase went to the other side of the castle and down two flights of stairs. Neville didn't know how she kept the pace, never having seen her do anything more athletic than load her schoolbag.

Unable to keep up, Neville lagged behind and watched as she made a turn around the corner. When he finally came upon her, she stood, unseeing in front of a girl's lavatory.

"Hermione, what are you doing? We have to get back to the common room. They haven't lifted the curfew yet."

Suddenly her body stilled. Taking a deep breath, she turned towards Neville. He gasped, her eyes were blood red, and the last words he heard before he took a stunner to the chest were a deeper voice coming from Hermione's mouth. "It is time."

Neville woke some time later, his head throbbing from his fall after the stunner.

"Longbottom?" Neville froze, his hand slowly inched into his robes.

"Don't do it. You're not quick enough." Neville watched as Harry slowly circled him, the wand never wavering.

Harry stared at the Gryffindor. "What are you doing lying down in the middle of the corridor after curfew has been called?"

"I need to help her. I think something's controlling her. She-"

Harry gripped his wand tighter. "Controlling who?"

"Hermione. I don't know what's been attacking people but something has her under a spell. She wouldn't do this."

Harry walked to the door of the girl's lavatory. It looked as though the sink had been taken apart; a large hole took up most of the floor space. "It's a basilisk. The thing attacking everyone, what's down that giant hole," Harry gestured to the opening in the floor. "It's a giant snake with the most poisonous venom you could imagine and a stare that can seize up your body and kill you."

"How do you know it's a basilisk?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Intelligence isn't limited to one house, Longbottom. The Monster of Slytherin? A man immortalized by his association with snakes? It wasn't a huge leap to make the connection to the king of serpents. I've read enough books to know at least that. The question is, do you know how to fight a basilisk?"

"No, but I can't just let Hermione go down there by herself. She hasn't been acting right this year. Something has to be forcing her to do this."

Harry lowered his wand. "You mean making her petrify people all year. Why didn't you say something sooner? She could've killed someone!"

Neville scowled but took the opportunity to stand. "That wasn't her fault. She hasn't been in control of what she's doing. The only way I can help is if I can get to her. Don't try to stop me."

Harry led the way into the bathroom. "Then we are going to have to go down there." Without another word Harry jumped into the open pipe.

Harry began to worry when the ride went deeper than he expected. With no light in the pipe, he couldn't see an end coming up until, with a cry of surprise, he flew from the bottom of the pipe and landed in the mud and rocks.

Standing, Harry wiped the mud from his hand. He heard a yelp of surprise and hurriedly sidestepped, moving to the side of the pipe just as Neville flew out of it with greater momentum than Harry had. He slid through the mud, only stopping when he collided with a rock with a painful crack. Sitting up with a gasp, Neville touched his left ankle gingerly.

"That didn't sound good. Can you stand?" Harry asked.

"I'm fine. Just give me a minute." Harry watched on as Neville made sure not to put any weight on his left foot.

Lighting his wand, Harry knelt next to Neville and made note of the already large swelling under the sock. "You need to stay here."

"No! I can help!" Harry watched on as Neville made sure not to put any weight on his left foot.

"How are you going to help? You can't even stand." Harry pointed to where he was leaning against the cavern wall. "If there is a basilisk in there, there's no way to get in there and get her out if you can barely limp."

"Fine. What do I do?"

"Stay here. If one of us doesn't come back in an hour, go find help."

Continuing on his own, Harry followed the tunnel, walking through dirt and mud, and the carcasses of thousands of small animals. He eventually reached a set of wide open doors.

The chamber was decorated with large snakes carved into the stone. Centuries of neglect and water damage had caved in a portion of the wall and made the air smell musky and rotten. Harry walked down the long chamber, it wasn't long before his eyes trained on a mess of black robes left on the ground in front of a giant carving of a man's face.

He approached it slowly, not wanting to be surprised by a basilisk. Once he drew near Harry could tell it was Hermione and she was still breathing. Her face was pale and her hands were clenched around an old leather-bound book.

"Granger. Granger, wake up." Harry pointed his wand and said, "Aguamenti."

A weak flow of water poured out of his wand and doused the prone girl. Hermione, however, didn't move or sputter or try to stem the flow of water. She lay there, unconscious.

"She's not going to wake." Harry startled, not expecting to hear anyone else's voice. He turned to the entrance, waiting to see Neville limp his way into the chamber when he heard the voice again.

"Oh no. There won't be any help coming for you." Ready for the voice, Harry turned to see a person, half hiding in the shadows of the large face.

"What's wrong with her? Who are you?" Harry was stumbling over his thoughts. All of the pieces he had put together led him to think Hermione had been possessed by something cursed. That she was being controlled into letting loose the snake.

The shadowed figure stepped closer. Harry blinked.

The voice belonged to a teenage boy but Harry couldn't believe his eyes. The boy seemed to be fuzzy around the edges. It was like looking through a dirty window.

"Who am I? I am Tom Riddle. I used to be a student here, very long ago in fact. What is wrong with her? Why that is a complicated matter. Let's just say that she is giving to a very worthy cause."

"You're doing this to her?" Harry moved around so he shielded Hermione's unresponsive body from view.

"Doing it to her? No. I couldn't do anything to her. She's doing this to herself. Overly curious and horridly naïve make for a terrible combination, wouldn't you agree?" Riddle asked, amused.

"How?"

"Ms. Granger attacks life the way she attacks her studies. Shame she is a mudblood. She found me and was instantly enthralled. A new mystery she had to solve. No idea of what power lies behind a sentient object; no clue that such magic could be stronger than she is. It didn't take long before I could change her mood; make her sullen or angry at my will. Then I could control her."

Harry could still feel Daphne's stiff hands. "It was you. You made her release the basilisk."

Riddle laughed. "Ah, I see you aren't slow to catch up. Yes, we released the basilisk. Through my time with her I had two perfect targets to make examples of but both times she redirected my efforts. At first I thought nothing of it. We had successfully attacked a mudblood, the job wasn't done but the castle knew something lurked again." He inhaled a long breath as if to savor the victory.

"It wasn't until later that I noticed she had targeted one of the boys that were harassing her. The mudblood that was petrified was just a happy coincidence. I tried again and this time she immediately latched on to the idea of making one of her tormentors suffer. If the boy wasn't such a coward we would've had two trophies that night. After that she tried to get rid of my presence in her mind and I knew it was time to act."

Harry knew this part of the story, the warning to the school, the lockdown in the common rooms.

"Curiosity killed the cat and how fitting that it is one of the little lions of Gryffindor that fell under my spell."

"You can't have her." Harry stood with his wand raised.

"Boy, I already have her. Soon the transfer will be complete and her life will be gone. Used to make me whole again. But if it's a fight you want, I can oblige." Suddenly a loud hissing filled the chamber. It echoed off the walls and faded away.

Then there was an answering hiss from deep inside the cavern followed by a dragging noise. Something heavy and large was hidden deep inside the walls.

Harry remembered, 'A basilisk will continue growing throughout its life.' He snapped his eyes shut and raised his wand.

"Clever. You know what it is you face. But no matter, while you stumble in the dark, the basilisk will find a tasty treat in you."

"Reducto! Reducto! Reducto!" Harry fired wildly. All three spells went wide, crashing into the floor, the wall and taking out a pillar.

"That won't do you much good. Basilisks are some of the mightiest magical creatures in the world."

Harry stopped shooting spells. He could hear the serpent's heavy breathing and it coiling its body in preparation to strike. 'Can't hurt it with spells? Fine. I won't hit it with magic.'

Harry pointed his wand at the ceiling. "Reducto!" A powerful spell blasted a hanging stalactite, shattering it. Harry threw himself to the side, rolling to avoid the falling debris.

Large rocks splintered as they rained down. The basilisk was hit with a glancing blow, making it hiss in rage. As it recovered and coiled for a strike, a long length of rock penetrated its eye.

Harry covered his ears at the sound. Over it all Riddle was screaming at the snake to kill him.

The basilisk writhed in pain, its tail swinging wildly and knocking over one of the snake motif pillars next to Harry. He rolled out of the way as the stone broke into pieces. Before he could recover, the snake lunged, mouth gaping. Covering the distance between them with ease, it caught Harry and the large chunk of stone behind him in its mouth.

"Crush him. Crush the boy!" The apparition screamed from next to Hermione's body.

Harry scrambled back against the broken pillar. He had no chance of escaping with the snake's fangs leaving only a tiny clearance. His only hope was of the crumbling rock keeping the snake from swallowing him whole.

He pointed his wand at the roof of its mouth. "Repulso! Bombarda! Impedimenta!" Every spell he tried to force the mouth open failed.

A loud crack rang through the air. The stone behind him was beginning to break away.

Another crack. Everything he would never see again flashed in front of Harry's eyes. Not seeing his parents marry. Not being there when Daphne woke up. Never laughing with Kara again.

As the rock fell away in smaller pieces Harry threw both of his arms up in an attempt to keep the mouth open.

Just before the snake's mouth could close completely, a green light shot out of his hands. Harry screamed in fear as the energy pierced through the snake's skull and gouged a large hole in the ceiling of the chamber.

The basilisk screeched as it writhed in pain. Harry was thrown was thrown from its mouth as the stone was dislodged by its thrashing, landing close to Hermione's body.

"No! What have you done? I have let this foolishness go on long enough. I will kill you myself." Riddle's eyes drank in the sight of the graying Hermione. "Soon the transfer will be complete and there will be nothing you can do to stop me."

Harry crawled to Hermione, still weak from his ordeal in the basilisk's mouth and the energy he had shot from his hand. With his vision darkening at the edges he rooted around for the diary.

"You are wasting your time," Riddle's laugh echoed in the chamber. "There is nothing you can do."

Harry ignored him. He knew he didn't have long before he lost the fight to stay conscious. Barely holding himself together, Harry felt the cold, smooth cover of the leather diary.

"What are you doing, boy?"

Harry tried it again. He imagined all he had to fight for. His friends. His family. He imagined the green light again and drove everything else from his mind.

The shadow of Tom Riddle watched in shock as Harry's hand began to glow an increasingly bright green and he pressed it to the diary.

Harry forced as much of the energy from his hand and into the book as he could. Before long the cover started to crack and the pages began to crumble. A scream from Riddle behind him gave Harry all the more reason to hold on until he knew that the diary was destroyed.

Chancing a glance behind him, Harry could see that Riddle was no longer gaining corporeality. Instead his body was losing color as it began to fade away.

"Stop! Stop, I command you!" With a last push, Harry scorched the diary. Breathing hard, he turned over and watched as the apparition faded; the last echoes of its screams disappearing.

Harry laughed. Still weak, he leant back on his elbows and watched as Hermione stirred. He heard her voice, "What…Wayne?" The he passed out.

Harry's nose itched. As much as he tried he couldn't gather the strength to scratch it. He heard some rustling and for a moment he thought it was his hand moving.

"Wayne? Wayne, you need to wake up. Neville, hand me my wand." There was a rustle of fabric at his side. "Wayne? Aguamenti."

A torrent of water caught him in the face, making him splutter. Too tired to raise his hand and stop any more attempts to drown him, Harry turned his face away and coughed.

"Oh thank God. We were beginning to worry." Two pairs of hands helped him into a seated position.

Neville kneeled in front of him, his face pale. "Are you ok?" Harry shook his head.

"Well too bad. We need to go." Harry snorted, the action made him dizzy but he agreed.

The trio made their way toward the front of the tunnel. Hermione doing what she could to help Neville keep weight off his injured ankle, Harry followed behind them, focusing on keeping the ground from rushing up to meet him.

Neville's limp made it a slow trek for them so Hermione suggested they take a break at the bottom of the slide.

It was Neville that broke the uneasy silence between them. "What happened in there? That snake was bloody huge."

"I killed it." Harry couldn't even imagine what it would be like to explain what had happened with the basilisk. He had seen that green light before and he couldn't risk any questions being asked, none that he couldn't answer.

Neville glared. "Well, that's obvious. I could see three different spots where its brain ended up."

Hermione watched him, the lights in her eyes dimmer now that they were removed from the awesome sight of the basilisk. Shock was beginning to set in.

"It tried to eat me. I blew its head open from inside its mouth." Hermione gasped. The tears running down her face made Harry feel guilty. He knew she would blame herself.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so-"

Neville stopped her. "It wasn't your fault. No one's blaming you. You couldn't have stopped it." He turned hard eyes to Harry. "Right?"

"He's right. It wasn't your fault. Riddle," Hermione clenched her eyes at his name, "he was strong. I've never read anything about what he was but that was strong magic. To possess someone and try to steal…" Harry shook his head of the images of Hermione lying motionless. "None of us would've had a chance."

"See? You're ok. No one died. Everything's going to be ok." Neville stood on one leg and looked around. "So how do we get back up there?"

Hermione quickly strode over to the chute. The boys both wondered what she was doing while she felt around the rough stone wall. A low groaning and her small cry of relief signaled she had found what she was looking for.

"There will be steps in the slide now. We can climb them until we come out of the girl's bathroom." She looked directly at Harry. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"If it hadn't been for you and Neville I would've died down there and no one would've known." She sobbed.

Neville gathered her close. "If you need anything from us, just as-"

"Really. Don't mention it. Don't tell anyone that I was down here. I don't want the attention." Hermione and Neville looked on, confused.

"But why? You saved my life. They should know."

"You said anything I asked for. I'm asking you to leave my name out of it. Ok? Just, I get enough attention as it is and the story of me killing the legendary beast of Slytherin to save a Gryffindor won't win me any points with my housemates."

Hermione grabbed his arm. "What are we going to tell the teachers?"

Harry shook her hand off. "You're smart. You'll figure something out." Before they could stop him, Harry took the first few steps up to the bathroom and out of their sight.

"What do we do, Neville?"

"We owe him, Hermione. We'll just have to find a way to keep his name out of it."

Professor McGonagall found them just as they exited the bathroom. Her screech brought the attention of Filch and they escorted them to the Headmaster's office.

Dour faced, Dumbledore's eyes brightened as he took in the sight of Neville limping but looking at Hermione concernedly.

"Headmaster, you're back." The relief in the boy's voice made Dumbledore smile.

"Yes, my boy. Once they heard about Ms. Granger," he acknowledged her with a nod, "the governors thought it would be best if I were to take up my old post."

McGonagall dove right into the point. "Will someone tell me what happened tonight?"

"It was all my fault. I was the one attacking everyone. I set the basilisk loose." Hermione sobbed, burying her face in Neville's shoulder.

"Basilisk!" McGonagall took a step back and placed a hand over her heart. Whatever she was going to say next was interrupted by Neville.

"It wasn't your fault, Hermione. That book was making you do it. You couldn't control it."

"Book?" Professor McGonagall asked confusedly.

Hermione nodded. Out of her robes she pulled a badly burned book, what remained of the diary.

"He talked with me for hours. I was wary at first but he didn't hold anything back and I double-checked everything he said and he was telling the truth. He helped me with my homework and gave me advice on what books I should read. Then…then I couldn't stop him." Her sobs turned to whimpering.

"He?" Dumbledore leaned forward.

"Tom Riddle."

McGonagall gasped. The only tell that Dumbledore showed as the clenching of his fist.

"No, Ms. Granger. It is not your fault. Tom Riddle has deceived much older and more experienced wizards and witches than yourself. I would like to know how you came into possession of this book, however."

"I found it after term started in a book I bought during the summer holidays. I don't know where it came from. There wasn't anything in it before I came to school."

Dumbledore looked at her in concern, "I'm sorry, Ms. Granger."

"Thank you, Professor." Hermione wiped her eyes before looking up at him, noticing the twinkle in his eyes.

The door swung open. "What is this, Dumbledore? Even after you are banished, legally I might add, you decide for yourself to return?"

"Yes, the governors thought that with the latest event," Dumbledore gestured to the two huddled students, "it would be prudent to ask me to return."

Lucius was livid. "Without consulting me?"

"So it would seem. Although I am glad you are here. Ms. Granger and Mr. Longbottom have been telling me an amazing tale."

"Unfortunately I do not have the time to hear it. There are many important things that I must attend to. I want to know who was responsible for the events of the past year."

Dumbledore continued like he hadn't heard him. "A tale that centers around this diary." His weathered hands patted the book that rested on his desk. "It seems that this is what has been responsible for the attacks happening this year."

"And how has it been doing that?"

"It seems that Tom Riddle's diary was used to coerce Ms. Granger into unleashing a basilisk into the school."

"A fantastic story, I'm sure. If you don't have any proof of this I think the aurors would like to have a word with her." Lucius could barely control his lips from curling into a sneer.

Neville had been on a short fuse since following Harry down the slide and it sparked at Lucius' insinuation that Hermione was going to be in trouble. "It's true and we can prove it. The basilisk is still down there and the way is still open."

Dumbledore gestured to the children. "See, Lucius. I'm sure we could collect enough evidence to prove that Ms. Granger was not acting of her own free will. Now, Professor McGonagall will you please escort Ms. Granger and Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. I am sure they would appreciate some time to recover from today's ordeal."

McGonagall nodded and stood to herd the two Gryffindors out.

"It is fortunate that the diary was found and the serpent was stopped in time." Lucius' eyes were trained on the book. "If there is nothing more, Dumbledore. I will need to see the rest of the board."

"If any more of Lord Voldemort's possessions find their way into this school, in the hands of any of my students, I will make sure it is the last thing you do."

"There's no way you can prove that it was me, Dumbledore. And if you could there is no one that would believe you over me. If you can't remember Dumbledore, I am the reformed gentleman that gives to charity. You, on the other hand, are the old man that allowed an innocent boy to die in the hands of his muggle relatives." Dumbledore placed his wand on his desk

With a smug look, Lucius shook his head. "You need to realize that you're irrelevant now, like a relic from the past."

And he stood, readying himself to leave the office when he found that he couldn't move his body. Nothing was responding to his command. His hands wouldn't clench, his feet wouldn't walk and his chest wouldn't expand; leaving no room for him to take a breath. He began to panic when he realized that he could suffocate in the middle of the headmaster's office in Hogwarts.

Dumbledore stood slowly. "Lucius, I will not slander your name to the press. I will not bring you up charges or have you investigated. I will come for you myself. You need to realize that I am from a time when power stood for something." With a wave of his hand Lucius was released. "And I still have that power."

Gone was the smug look, replaced with anger as Malfoy stalked out of the room.

June 27 1993 Late Afternoon

Wayne Manor, Outskirts of Gotham

The journey back to Gotham had been a quiet one for Harry. Happy to see his parents again, he smiled and joked, as he normally would've. It wasn't until they boarded the plane back home that his mind started to wander.

The long month spent without Daphne.

The snake.

The green light he had summoned while trapped in the basilisk's jaws.

He had seen that light before in old videos of the Justice League were still on file in the Watchtower. He just couldn't imagine how he had been able to use it.

Not knowing what else to do. He walked into his father's study to see his parents talking to about their upcoming wedding. Diana glanced at him before turning back to Bruce.

"Mom, Dad. I wanted to talk to you."

"Give us a second, Harry," Bruce said, distractedly.

Harry rolled his eyes. He tried his mother. "Mom! I need you to see this."

He clapped his hands together as she looked up, willing it to happen again. Diana tilted her head to the side, not sure what she was supposed to be watching.

"What are you doing, Harry?"

Harry almost yelled in frustration. Why wasn't it working?

She grabbed her glass of water and went back to the wedding plans that Bruce had laid out before her. Harry stood in front of his father's desk, clapping his hands and muttering to himself.

Just for a second he thought that he had imagined the entire thing. That there wasn't a green light.

Jaw clenched tight, he slammed his hands together creating a small flicker of green light. He tried it again and the light flickered brighter, almost encompassing his clasped hands.

His parents were still engrossed in their discussion, completely missing Harry's display.

Harry took a deep breath and slammed his hands together. The light wavered a bit; furrowing his brow Harry concentrated with all his might. He watched as it flickered before a translucent green bubble formed, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. He watched in awe, as it grew larger and larger, encompassing his wrist.

"Wow!" Harry's exclamation was loud enough to break through his parent's conversation.

Diana turned first. The glass slipped from her hands, hit the corner of the desk and shattered on the floor. Her mouth agape, she groped around on the desk until she felt Bruce's hand.

"Hera!" Diana whispered, breaking Bruce's train of thought.

He watched silently, a green light filling the room as memories of Harry's entrance into their lives filled his mind. The connections were instantly clear.

"Oh God."

It had been days since the he had sensed the power. Now here it was again, twice in so short a time after being absent for almost a decade. Something had changed and it would give him just the chance he needed to finally bend the universe to his will.

He had looked on without remorse at bodies of those he had once called "brother". The Green Lanterns were no more and all of the Guardians had perished on Oa, save one.

He let himself revel in the feel of the immense power.

Purple eyes sparked. "So you have finally come out of hiding then. I will find you, Ganthet, and when I do the universe will understand the true grip of fear."

Beta'd by AntHil

A/N: There you have it. Just like I had planned. My story, my pacing. Don't like it? Leave.