A Wizard Among Bats

Chapter 4 - Good Enough

Harry enjoyed the fish and chips he got. The meal was made even better since it wasn't anywhere near the Dursleys. Dick had paid the check without complaint, and reassured Harry that it was alright multiple times. He even told Harry they would stop at the ice cream place next door for some dessert. Harry knew he wasn't a child that could be won over by a nice lunch and some ice cream, but it was extremely nice to have someone willing to do this for him.

Harry got a simple chocolate cone while Dick got a large something with a long name and a lot of toppings. Dick grinned at Harry's strange look. "It's really good," Dick said through a mouth full. "Here try some." He thrust the spoon towards Harry. It was good, Harry thought. Weird, but good.

They were sitting outside at a picnic table, enjoying the sun and nice weather. There were a lot of picnic tables, but they were at an isolated one, away from the excited families and laughing teenagers. The silence of their isolated table was broken by a phone ringing. Knowing it wasn't his since he didn't have one, Harry continued to eat his ice cream while the catchy pop song that was the ringtone played. Dick, however, stuck his spoon back in the bowl and fished in the pocket of his shorts. He checked the caller ID and smiled.

"I gotta take this, but it wont take long," Dick explained to Harry as he accepted the call. Harry expected him to get up, the Dursleys seemed to like to take their calls in private, but Dick stayed sitting, so Harry pretended to be paying more attention to his ice cream than to the conversation.

"Hey B," Dick said to the phone. Harry must not have done a good job paying attention to his ice cream because Dick mouthed 'it's Bruce' at him, like he had a right to know. "I'm doing pretty good, just getting some ice cream." Dick paused. "Of course it's a small," he said after a second. Harry eyed Dick's large ice cream and the man winked. "I would never get an 'excessive amount of toppings', Bruce. I am a very health conscious individual. Alfred would be proud." Harry could hear the quotes around the words and privately thought that gummy bears, hot fudge, chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, and cheerios of all things were pretty excessive. Harry seriously doubted whoever this Alfred person was would be proud.

Dick continued pouting playfully. "What do you mean you don't believe me? And besides, I'm nineteen, B, I think I can make my own decision when it comes to ice cream." Dick paused. And moved the phone away from his mouth and mock whispered conspiringly to Harry, "Now he's lecturing me about good life choices. Knows how to take the fun out of anything." Harry forced a smile. He had never really had anyone lecture him like that. Teachers lectured sometimes, but that wasn't really the same.

Dick laughed when he heard the voice on the other end say something. "No, I wasn't talking to myself, I was talking to Harry." Dick paused. "Yeah, we just went for lunch and are now eating some ice cream." Harry was surprised that Bruce seemed to know who he was. Dick must have talked to him this morning or last night about it. It must be nice to have an adult to tell things to. Harry debated owling Ron and Hermione, or even Sirius, about the strange new relative he had, but he hadn't really had a spare moment yet. Maybe he could do it tonight.

"So you're heading back to Gotham tomorrow?" Dick asked the phone while eating another spoonful of ice cream, making his words muffled.

Harry had learned earlier that the reason Dick came a couple days ago was that Bruce had some business around here, and, while he knew Dick talked about staying for a month, Harry suddenly had the irrational fear that Dick would leave tomorrow with his guardian. Dick swallowed his ice cream. "Nah, I'm going to stay for a little while longer." Dick said to Bruce, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

Dick continued after what seemed like a prompt from Bruce. "No, I don't think they like me any better, but I like Harry," Dick told Bruce. Harry blushed at this declaration and Dick smiled at him. "You'd like him too," Dick said, and Harry got the sense that Dick was talking to both of them.