The Red Ghoul

ARC III: PART III

Tim paused, taking a gulp from his second cup of coffee before answering. "Steph's pulling double duty today. She's helping out at the clinic with Dr. Thompkins before heading to her classes at Gotham University."

"Cass is probably in her element, dancing up a storm at the Gotham Ballet Theater," Tim continued, a hint of pride evident in his voice. "She's been putting in extra hours lately, preparing for her upcoming performances."

As Tim finished, Jason's lips curled into a knowing smile. "And Dick?" he prompted, already anticipating the answer.

Tim's eyes lit up with mischief as he replied, "Oh, Dick got invited to hang out with the Titans today. They're probably off saving the world or something."

Jason chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Figures," he remarked, his tone playful. "That's where Roy disappeared to this morning, then. Should've guessed."

Bruce watched the interaction with a warm smile, a sense of contentment settling over him. As he looked at Jason, alive and vibrant, sitting at the table with them, Bruce couldn't help but marvel at the miracle of their reunion. Some days he could still not believe that he had his son back.

"And what about Lian, Billy, and Damian?" Bruce leaned forward, his gaze shifting to Jason as he asked, his tone tinged with curiosity.

"Lian's at Fawcett Preparatory School, attending to her classes," Jason answered, a hint of pride evident in his voice. "Billy and Damian are over at Nanda Parbat Academy for Magic, probably causing mischief as usual."

Bruce let out a soft sigh, a mixture of disbelief and amusement coloring his tone. "It's still hard to believe that Nanda Parbat, of all places, has turned into a school for magical children," he remarked, shaking his head incredulously.

Tim chuckled, a wry smile playing on his lips as he leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, who would've thought that the same headquarters that once trained the deadliest assassins in the world would now be a haven for magical education," he quipped, his tone filled with irony.

Jason joined in the laughter, and even Alfred couldn't help but crack a smile at the absurdity of it all, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he observed the playful banter unfolding around the table.

Alfred, ever the attentive butler, turned his gaze to Jason, his eyebrows raised in polite curiosity. "And what are your plans for the day, Master Jason?" he inquired, his tone gentle but inquisitive.

Jason's lips curled into a sly smirk, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. "Well, while Bruce and Tim are off handling business at Wayne Enterprises," he began, nodding in their direction, "I'll be heading over to Nanda Parbat Academy of Magic, I was invited to give a guest lecture to the older kids."

Bruce nodded in confirmation, a hint of pride shining in his eyes at the mention of Tim's decision to join the family business. It had been an easy choice for Tim to make, opting to forgo college in favor of diving straight into the world of Wayne Enterprises. It was not like Gotham University could teach him anything more than Bruce and Lucius would.

"What exactly will be the topic?" Bruce inquired, his brow furrowing slightly.

Jason's smirk widened, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes as he leaned forward, his voice tinged with amusement. "Oh, just a little class on sacrificial magic," he replied casually, as if discussing the weather.

The mention of sacrificial magic sent a shiver down Tim's spine, his mind flashing back to the dark and dangerous world of magic that he had only recently begun to explore. Even Bruce wore a frown on his lips, it had gotten a while to get used to the fact that three of his sons were magic now. And the fact that their areas of expertise were necromancy of all things still did not sit well with him. Luckily, he had learned to keep his mouth shut about these things and did not make any unsavory comments, that might as well break the fragile bond he had been rebuilding with Jason.