Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [39]

Christmas passed in a blur.

Bruce returned to Hogwarts, carrying a few new items in his luggage this time.

“What do you think of this?”

In their dorm, Bruce showed Kathoom a design.

It was a sketch of a black suit—a classic Batman outfit.

Kathoom’s curiosity was piqued. “Did you draw this?”

Bruce nodded.

“Ever since the Quidditch match, I realized some things are best done out of sight. And since you said I’d become Batman someday, I’m embracing that. Designing a suit seems like a logical next step.”

Kathoom inspected the sketch.

Not bad; Bruce’s design looked exactly like the iconic Batman suit.

Kathoom had half-expected Bruce’s first draft to be more primitive—like the original 1939 version, with the cowl’s ears on the sides instead of on top.

The earliest Batman had a bald, dome-like head with two pointy ears sticking out from the sides—a strange look that was quickly refined.

But Bruce’s design skipped that phase entirely, going straight to the Batman everyone knew.

Kathoom had no objections—the design was solid.

“Are you planning to sew it yourself?” he asked.

“No need.”

Bruce shook his head and pulled out the black fabric he’d packed, tossing it into the air. The fabric folded and stitched itself together until a full costume floated down into his hands.

The suit fit perfectly. Bruce tried it on, surprised at how comfortable it was.

“Not bad.”

Standing before a full-length mirror, Bruce admired his reflection. He looked exactly like Batman—just in an eleven-year-old’s body, which made him resemble a kid trick-or-treating on Halloween.

“See? This way, no one will know who I am,” Bruce said, turning to check himself in the mirror, looking more satisfied with each glance.

This looks great!

“From now on, I am Batman.”

Lowering his voice to a gritty growl, Bruce added, “And all evil will be brought to justice!”

Kathoom interrupted him. “Are you truly ready for this?”

Bruce froze. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing.”

Kathoom shook his head. “You were bound to take this step eventually. As for what it really costs to put on that cape—you’ll understand in time.”

—

In the days that followed, Bruce stored the suit away and acted as though nothing had changed.

He continued his role as the ideal Hogwarts student, giving no sign that he planned to catch the headmaster red-handed.

Bruce was waiting, patiently, for Dumbledore to make a slip.

But what he didn’t know was that Dumbledore was also waiting.

The two danced around each other, each concealing their intentions, until an unexpected event shattered the peace at Hogwarts.

In the Hogwarts grounds, a bedraggled man suddenly stumbled into Hagrid’s hut.

“Help…”

He looked wild, unkempt, and exhausted.

“Let me into the castle. I need to see Dumbledore—it’s urgent!”

Hagrid quickly recognized him.

“Lupin?” Hagrid gasped. “What happened to you?”

He hadn’t seen Lupin in a decade, back when they’d been members of the Order of the Phoenix. Hagrid had heard things hadn’t been going well for Lupin, but he hadn’t expected this.

“It’s too late… it’s all too late!”

Tears ran down Lupin’s face. “I’ve let Dumbledore down. I…I helped them search for those things!”

With that, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, unconscious, spent from days of running.

The last thing he heard was Hagrid’s frantic voice. “Lupin!”

Minutes later, Dumbledore arrived at the hut.

After examining Lupin, he shook his head.

“He’s been attacked—not fatally, but enough to affect his mind.”

Dumbledore gently smoothed Lupin’s disheveled hair. “His memory has been scrambled. He knows he needs to tell me something, but the actual details are gone.”

Hagrid shivered. He had a dreadful feeling that something terrible was on the horizon.

Perhaps even today.

“Hagrid, keep this to yourself. And for now, please take care of Lupin,” Dumbledore said as he rose and moved toward the door. “I’ll be leaving Hogwarts for a few days.”

“Wait, what?”

Hagrid was baffled. “But isn’t this exactly the sort of time you need to stay here?”

Dumbledore didn’t answer the question.

Leaving the hut, he gave a soft sigh.

He hadn’t told Hagrid everything. In the fragments of Lupin’s memory, he’d glimpsed a young man’s face.

Leather jacket, pistols at his side—the man was Jason, founder of the Alliance of the Outcasts.

Jason had often spoken, knowingly, of a certain name.

Bruce Wayne.

“I never expected these two to be connected.”

Dumbledore recalled the scene he’d witnessed through the Chocolate Frog card—the one where Bruce had found out about the Philosopher’s Stone and where it was kept.

Bruce had seemed almost too calm. He hadn’t shown the slightest interest in the stone.

It was unsettlingly mature for an eleven-year-old.

If anything, that reaction had only deepened Dumbledore’s suspicion that Bruce might indeed be after the stone.

“So, I’ll give you the chance you need.”

Dumbledore took a step forward, vanishing with a soft pop, leaving no trace behind.

—

“I heard Dumbledore’s left the school!”

Bruce leapt off his bed and turned to Kathoom with excitement. “It’s happening! He’s making his move!”

“Wha…?”

Kathoom, barely awake, hadn’t quite caught what Bruce was saying.

“Dumbledore left the school to avoid suspicion!” Bruce continued confidently. “Quirrell will try to steal the Philosopher’s Stone. This way, no one would ever suspect Dumbledore!”

What a genius plan.

Bruce couldn’t help but admire his own insight. Hogwarts was lucky to have him—he’d seen straight through Dumbledore’s scheme.

Not bad for me, if I say so myself!

Grabbing Kathoom in one hand and his Batman suit in the other, Bruce prepared to catch Quirrell in the act that very night.

“This is insane.”

Kathoom, now dangling by his wing, grew increasingly annoyed.

Bruce was not only stubborn, but reckless—treating him like a pet to be toted around without a shred of respect.

Well, let’s see if you still act this way when you’re face-to-face with Voldemort, Kathoom thought.

—

T/N: okay we can all agree we can give Bruce the pass but Dumbledore? bro has gone senile

anyway if you guys are having trouble thinking of bruce in a batman suit rn, just look up animated justice league kid batman that’s basically him rn I think…