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.