Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Conference

"Chloe, you got to get me into the press area, I've tried to get clearance, but I was shut down!" yelled Lois, as she followed Chloe on her way to the Shining Light Press Conference. She tugged at the sleeve of her cousin's jacket "It's almost like this guy is holding a grudge against me for what I did a long time again!"

Chloe shook her head.

"Lois, if Harry says it's closed off…"

"Harry, on a first name basis with him?" demanded Lois, as she looked about ready to drop to her knees and plead.

"Well, I've met him, he's friends with Clark's cousin, Kara, they went to school together," said Chloe in a quick voice.

"So, they say," said Lois, skepticism apparent in her voice.

"The story checks out Lois, do you think I wouldn't have looked into them?" asked Chloe, and Lois reluctantly shook her head. "Look Harry's a normal guy, a bit eccentric, but if you've seen some of the things he has, you would be too."

'He could stand to be a little less paranoid, and be a little more discreet,' thought Chloe to herself, as she showed her press pass.

Two large security guards moved in and grabbed Lois roughly by the shoulders.

"Hey, hands off, buster!" yelled Lois.

"Sorry ma'am you can only go this far unless you've been granted a pass by Mr. Potter," said the security guard. "So, why don't you sit up in the general admission or something?"

Lois turned, defeated for now, and walked off to sit up in the general admission area among the rabble. She watched, but saw Clark move his way from the crowd.

"Hey, Smallville, I tried, I think it's blocked off to anyone who doesn't have clearance!" yelled Lois.

"I just need to speak to Kara and Harry, I haven't been able to get ahold of them for three weeks," said Clark in a half distracted voice. "Excuse me…I'm looking for Harry Potter and Kara Kent, she's my cousin…"

"Yeah, a lot of people are looking for them," said a security guard in a bored tone of voice. "What's your name?"

"Clark Kent," replied the young man.

The security guard checked the clipboard. "Oh, that's fortunate for you; Mr. Potter actually wanted to speak with you after the fact if you showed up, both himself and his bodyguard. So sit down, with the press, and he'll be with you afterwards."

Clark moved down, and saw that there was a seat open next to Chloe. He sat down next to her.

"Clark, long time, no see," said Chloe, in an even voice. She could sense Clark likely had an explanation, she knew him too well.

"Sorry, about that, I'm just having Lana settle in at the farm house, she's moved in," said Clark who looked pleased at the situation. "She's here somewhere, in the crowd…."

"Did she tell you about what happened with her?" asked Chloe.

"Yeah, she got away from Lex, and then she came back, to make amends," said Clark. "I'm sure she's happy to put it all behind her."

"Let's hope so," said Chloe in a low voice, as she waited for the press conference to begin. "Just with everything that's happened…I'm not sure. I'm happy Lana's back, but…"

"Yeah, she's back and everything's going to be alright," said Clark in a jubilant voice, as he looked off to watch what Harry had to say. He was oddly intrigued. The cryptic warning Jor-El gave him rang in his mind regarding the young man.

In the back of his mind, Clark hoped he wasn't dealing with another situation liked what happened with Lex. Yet, Kara trusted Harry, and he supposed that should be good enough for him.

Harry Potter arrived at the podium, as he looked at the assembled crowd. He tapped on the microphone and cleared his throat.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you for coming out today," said Harry in a booming voice. "For the past six years, I have traveled the world, learning all I could. Yet one place captured my attention, and that was Smallville. Throughout the past several years, there have been a number of incidents in this city. These meteor freaks as they have been dubbed have terrorized the people."

Harry heard some yells, but he waved his hand. "People, some of them, I do not deny, likely were twisted because of their powers. Yet, some of them allowed themselves to descend into full madness, because everyone brushed them off as hopeless. They shunned them, and thought that they would never fit in. It doesn't matter where you came from or what your powers are. It's the choices that you make how to use power in the most responsible manner possible!"

A mixed reaction rang out from the crowd.

Harry just looked at them. He could not afford to tip his hat that he had powers to anyone else. Chloe knew, but since Harry also knew about her powers, there was an unspoken agreement not to say one word. The same thing with Clark as well, but Harry knew that if anyone else found out, he would be playing with fire.

He stood on the stage, wearing the most absurd suit possible, his eyes were now blue instead of green, and his hair was straight. He wore a pair of furry boots to add to the absurdity.

Kara stood off to the side, dressed in a black top, black jacket, black pants, and black shoes, with sunglasses on and her hair clipped back. She folded her arms, and her face was stoic. Harry showed her pictures of the guards at Buckingham Palace so she could get the right facial reaction or non-reaction.

"I've studied the situation throughly, and if anyone has powers, and wants help, just come to the Shining Light Foundation," said Harry in a warm voice. "Even if your friends, your family, and your neighbors have forsaken you, we're here to help. I know how much it sounds like the usual spin, but our people are trained to help with special cases."

There was clapping as Harry walked around. "Now, I will open up questions to members of the press."

"Mr. Potter, you've been in hiding for so long, why come out now?"

"I've felt it is time to come out of the shadows, and face the world at large," said Harry. "A lot of the time I've spent in seclusion was me researching, studying, and following up on leads. All roads lead to right here, in Smallville, and this is where I needed to be."

"Do you have any special powers?"

"I have a bad habit of making my car keys and my socks disappear," said Harry, which caused the crowd to laugh. He allowed the laughter to die down, before he went into an anecdote. "You see, a friend of mine from school had a theory that those socks that come up missing, are actually taken through worm holes to another dimension. In that dimension, there is an evil monster who feasts on socks, and plots to one day go strong enough to take over the world through never ending static cling."

Everyone found some amusement to that. Another question was asked. "Mr. Potter, are you really an alien?"

"I think you'll find that all of my papers are in order, and believe me, the experience to get inside this country was an interesting one," said Harry dryly.

"The Daily Planet claims that you had a house that just disappeared," said another member of the press.

"Well, I'm sure the woman who wrote that story thought she saw something there," said Harry. "She was having a bad day I'd imagine, and saw something that was not there. Maybe she should keep hydrated, I heard many people often hallucinate when they are dehydrated as I found out one time."

Harry fielded more questions.

Lex Luthor walked within the crowd. He faded into the crowd, incognito, wearing a brown wig and glasses. He spotted Lana three rows ahead of him. If he was inclined to do so, he could easily shoot her in the back of the head.

Yet this was night why he was here, and he wished to put what happened behind him.

This new guy in town, this Harry Potter intrigued him.

The fact he seemed to be a normal guy, really made Lex suspicious. It was just like Clark all over again, the potential for secrets and lies all around. No one could be this altruistic without any motive.

'What's drives you, Mr. Potter?' thought Lex. 'What is the journal? I must find out more about him…"

A voice flashed in Lex's head, and he remembered the warning about letting go of his obsessions. He watched the press conference for another moment. Perhaps a face to face meeting would be something that would give him a chance to better get a feel for the former recluse.

Across from the Shining Light Press Conference, three young people stepped into view, watching from the distance.

"Mere lies," muttered a girl with a buzzcut, scars on her face, and a nose ring, dressed like something out of a punk rock concert. Her name was Grace Prescott. She could tamper with people's emotions, and get them to do anything she wanted to. Her voice sounded like an extra from the Children of the Corn. "Our mother told us this is a foundation of lies."

"He seems sincere," said a younger girl of about ten years old with fiery red hair, dressed in black. Her name was Claire Selton. She could start fires with her mind, but controlling them was another matter. "I don't know…"

"The greatest manipulators are," said Grace, as she looked at the younger girl, and just patted her on the head. "Our mother saved us, protected us, gave us a home…"

"That woman ain't my mother," grunted the oldest of the group, a surly young man with a bad attitude and ripped muscles. His name was Joseph Martin, and he had a hard head, that could also emit a radiation blast. "Bitch has a few screws loose if you ask me, but that guy looks like a scrawny little weakling. I'm going to enjoy beating him up, and breaking him."

Joseph turned to Grace, rage in his eyes. "But let's make one thing clear, that woman isn't my mother and she isn't the boss of me. I'll beat her up all the same if she tries to control me."

"She gave us all a purpose," said Grace in a cryptic voice. "I could convince you to stop breathing if you wish to forsake her as such."

Grace turned to both of them. They needed to learn to obey their mother, the woman who rescued them, who had given them a second chance. They would be in a cage, to be prodded and used as weapons, if it was not for her.

The trio approached the press conference.

"Claire, sweetie, get their attention," said Grace with a smile, as Claire closed her eyes. The brush around them burst into flames, which caused the crowd to scream in terror. Security moved over, to try and get a hold of the situation.

Joseph rushed over, and knocked down the security with a series of violent headbutts. Security crumbled to the ground.

"Out of my way!" snapped Joseph, eyes bulged out in rage, as his hands was wrapped around the throat of the man.

A figure moved over, and pushed him to the ground.

Clark stood and faced this young man. Kara and Harry disappeared to God only knows well when all of the chaos that had occurred.

"Well, guess who just volunteered to stop breathing," grunted Joseph, as he grabbed Clark and tussled with him. "You look strong, and here I was thinking this day would be too easy."

Clark punched him away, but Joseph just stood on his feet, before he emitted a large radiation blast from his head. The radiation burned away most of Joseph Martin's hair. The impact sent Clark spiraling to the ground.

The young man winced from the pain he suffered. He could barely breath; this new threat could blast Kryptonite radiation from his head.

Suddenly, Joseph had been tripped up by one blur. Another blur grabbed Clark off of the ground, and flew him up into the air, out of safety.

Clark rubbed his head, as he was safely on top of a water tower. His vision worked, just in time to see Kara hovering right next to him. She wore a blue top, a red skirt, red boots, and topped off the ensemble with a red cape.

"Kara, what are you wearing?" asked Clark in a bemused voice, as he caught sight of the cape.

"No time to explain, there are people down there, you just rest up here, and come down when you're ready," said Kara, as she flew back down to help.

Clark was left alone, high above the ground. Still could not fly, and he had to climb down, carefully, one rung at a time.

She stood, and waited for a rush of water to be conjured over. She blew the water, causing a sprinkler effect to douse the flames. She rushed over, to traffic as many people out of there as she could. One of her rescue victims included that Lois woman she punched out for trying to with her ship. Thankfully she had been knocked unconscious in the chaos, and Kara was not about to wake her up.

Harry watched Kara save the people, as he dealt with these new threats. The wizard now was dressed in black and white robes. The robes where charmed with a modified Confundus Charm. The only people who could see his true face were the people he trusted. All would be compelled to look away.

"I don't know who you think you are but…" said Joseph, but Harry blasted him backwards before he could finish. Grace stepped and eyes narrowed.

"Claire burn him," demanded Grace to the younger girl.

"I don't…it's not," stammered Claire, but Grace grabbed her by the arm, and twisted it.

"Do you want to go back in that cage?" asked Grace, her teeth gritted, as the young girl trembled . "Mother told me to keep an eye on you, and help you along the path…"

In that time, Harry levitated Claire off to the side safely, and placed her down on the ground. Grace turned, as she saw Joseph get nailed in the face by a flying blonde girl.

"You're just like the other dork I pummeled," grunted the ripped young man, but Kara punched him back again. "My head's hard…"

Kara decided to aim her kick below the belt. He was doubled over, in pain.

"That's not," said Kara smugly, as she dodged an attack, before she knocked the wind out of him with a haymaker punch.

"No little girl in a cape touches me!" growled Joseph as he moved forward, but Clark had finally come down, and knocked Joseph to the ground.

"Grace, you're in a charge, what now?" asked Claire, trembling in fear at the thought of being brought back to that government lab.

"Time for a change of strategy," said the girl, a diabolical grin on her face. Her eyes glowed white and she projected her will upon the entire crowd. "Look, those three meteor freaks, they tried to attack us today!"

"What?" asked Chloe as she looked up, eyes blinking. "They saved…"

"And look, there's an accomplice," said Grace as she pointed straight at Chloe. "Let's show them what the people of Smallville can do. We can't let these super powered bullies push us around any longer."

Joseph stood, arms folded, as Claire looked from the crowd, and to Grace.

"Is there a problem?" asked Grace to Claire. She shook her head. Grace looked her in the eye. "I thought not. Mother will be pleased you're learning to behave."

The angry mob started to advance on Kara, Harry, Clark, and Chloe. The quartet took a few strategic steps back.

"Someone could make a lot of money right now if they started to sell torches and pitchforks," said Chloe, as she backed off with them. "And give them a castle to storm, and they'd really just top it all off."

"Chloe, don't give that woman suggestions," whispered Harry in an exasperated voice.

"Look we weren't…" said Clark, but Harry just shook his head.

"Clark, reasoning, they're beyond it right now, that girl can manipulate their emotions, turning their fear into hate," said Harry in undertone, as he closed his eyes, and created an illusion they were there. "Everyone, hang on and stay calm."

Harry transported them all away from the riot before any of them could be hurt.

"Now, they hate them," whispered Grace, as a triumphant grin appeared on her face. "They hate them just like they hate us. They would have never saved us, our mother told me as much after all. They are a threat to our kind."

Joseph followed, and Claire reluctantly followed their suit, not wanting to be left alone again. The ten year old girl was lost and had nowhere to turn, except follow her older "sister" and their "mother" and obey what they told her.

Since the age of seven, Claire had been shunted along by people who could barely look at her. Who talked about how she was a freak, and how her powers were unnatural. Then there was a government agent who conducted experiments on her with her powers, and locked her in a closed room when they weren't using her. There were other children there, but she had been one of the lucky ones to be freed.

"Out of the sake of curiosity, where are we?" asked Chloe, as she looked around.

"Shining Light Foundation, main headquarters, basement level," said Harry as he looked around, doing a mental inventory on body parts. "Everyone's in one piece, that's always a good thing…"

"What do you mean everyone's in one piece?" asked Chloe, her voice raising.

"You see, side along Apparation, that is to say appearing and disappearing at will, requires a lot of concentration and energy," explained Harry as if he was discussing the latest weather forecast. "The fact I was transporting three people, and had the angry mob breathing down my neck, it complicated things. Not to mention the illusion spell I had to maintain, and…there were just so many things that could go wrong."

Chloe looked at him. She both wanted to know, and did not want to know at the same time. Harry moved over, and pressed a button, to an elevator. The doors slid open, and the four stepped in.

"This might be a couple minutes, I still haven't fixed these things to work in a speedy manner," said Harry, as he turned to face all of them. "Top floor is where my central computers are located; hopefully we'll find a match on these three…"

"Yeah, maybe we can find out why that girl wanted to have half of the town put us in stocks," said Chloe, as she leaned back. "I wonder why her little mind control trick didn't work on me."

"Mind control doesn't work on people who can think," said Kara with a smile. Clark looked at her, and began to admonish her.

"Kara, you shouldn't judge them, they were scared…" started Clark, but Kara cut her cousin off.

"I heard some of the things they said about the meteor infected, Clark," argued the girl. "Some of them didn't need to be prodded too much."

Kara, Clark, Chloe, and Harry all walked out of the elevator, and into the computer console room.

Chloe stopped in her tracks.

She looked up, and saw the impressive state of the art and rather high tech computer system right before her. She looked over it, eyes glazed over.

Chloe Sullivan had just died and went to computer geek heaven.

"I think you broke her, Harry," giggled Kara, as Clark started to snap his fingers.

"Sorry, lost focus…right," said Chloe, apologetically.

She walked over with Harry, as he explained the system to her. This left Kara and Clark alone.

"You know, I think this is the second time I had to save you," said Kara, breaking the silence.

"I could have handled it, Kara," said Clark, but he looked at her. "Seriously, Kara what are you wearing?"

"It's my new costume," said Kara as she turned around. "If I'm going to save people, I'm going to have to have my own look, aren't I?"

"Kara, you're…." started Clark.

"Not ready, no Kal-El, I'm more than ready," said Kara, as she looked her cousin in the eye. "It might be well and good for some of us to pretend we're something we're not, but I fully embrace everything that I am."

"You should blend in more, Kara," argued Clark, but Kara just bit her lip in frustration.

"I am blending in, Kara Kent, normal girl, best friends with Harry Potter, works for the Shining Light Foundation to help people, that's me blending," said Kara as she looked him right in the eye, as if daring him to contradict her. "Supergirl on the other hand, she can be a positive role model, and a symbol…"

"Supergirl?" mouthed Clark in confusion.

"I have super powers and I'm a girl," said Kara, as if this was the most normal thing in the world.

It was not the first time where she wondered if when that rocket ship landed, Kal-El went head first.

"It's just, there's just a lot wrong with the outfit," argued Clark, as he found his voice. "The cape, the skirt…"

"The cape is specially designed to help with my meteor allegory problem," said Kara, as she looked at Clark, before she added, "And it looks cool, you have to admit that."

Clark just had no words. Kara was not done. "And what is wrong with my skirt?"

He knew he was doomed, and had dug his own grave. Clark tried to back off, but Kara grabbed him by the wrist.

"I asked you a question, Kal-El," said Kara in a sweet voice, as she looked him right in the eyes.

"It's a bit too short," mumbled Clark.

"Well, you learn to fly, and maybe we'll talk about my fashion choices," said Kara. "Harry liked it; he said it made my legs stand out nicely."

Clark was about ready to open his mouth for another protest.

"You know, Kal-El, I used to change your diapers when you were a baby, so perhaps you should just quit why you're ahead," added Kara smugly, as Chloe and Harry both snickered in amusement from the other side of the room. "You let that Lana girl move in with you, didn't you?"

"Yeah, she needs a place," said Clark.

Kara frowned at him before she replied in a gentle voice. "She's not going to be around forever, Kal-El. She'll grow old one day, and die, but you'll still be around. Well at least I hope you will be. But she'll be long gone before you. If she doesn't leave you again before then that is."

Without another word, Kara moved over to be with Chloe and Harry.

'Harry, Kal-El, and I, we're going to outlive them all,' thought Kara. 'And I'm glad I decided to stay with Harry. At least he respects me like an equal.'

"Just about got something, I think," said Chloe as she broke a long silence. "And we have our three attackers right here. First, let's deal with Miss Mind Control here."

"Grace Prescott," read Harry.

"Yeah, she was kicked out of five different private schools," said Chloe. "She has a track record for bullying. She was sent to a public school, but she was charged for murdering her principal after she shoved him out a window. Prescott was acquitted, when evidence came out that the principal jumped out the window on his own accord."

Kara and Harry exchanged a look. They thought the same thing.

"Joseph Martin is our second one," read Harry.

"Yeah he was a rather big name in the underground caged fighting circuit a few years back," said Chloe. "Here's a picture of him, five years ago."

Chloe showed them a picture of a scrawny beanpole of a man with buck teeth.

"So, he's trained, said his prayers, and took his vitamins, I take it," summarized Harry.

"If by vitamins you mean illegal performance enhancing drugs, then yes," said Chloe, as she bit her lip and clicked through. "Steroids, with a little bit of crystalized Kryptonite mixed in for that added kick. He went through the underground caged fighting circuit, and beat everyone. He got the name the atomic skull because of his really hard head. No one could knock him out, ever."

"So how did he get caught?" asked Clark.

Chloe paused. "He tried to move up to the professional leagues, but got busted before his first fight. His T:E levels broke the scale. He did some time for some robberies, and then the government picked him up."

"So, what about the third one?" prompted Kara, as she leaned against Harry.

"Third one is named Claire Selton," she concluded. "No criminal charges at all, well not as much as the first two. She accidentally set her parent's house on fire with her powers, and she couldn't control it. She bumped around from foster home, to foster home…but she didn't stay very long. Until she got lost in the system, and the government grabbed her."

"She didn't seem too bad," said Kara, as Clark and Chloe just looked at her. They shook their heads. They hoped she was right.

"Yeah, that other girl, Grace, seemed to be the ring leader," said Harry. "Of course, she's a pawn in this as well I think."

Kara understood immediately.

"She talked about her mother," muttered Clark. "Who…"

Harry did not say anything, but he knew. She was up to her old tricks again.

He would make sure she would stay dead this time once he got his hands on her, wherever the real version of that woman was.

It was for the first time where Harry wondered if she was really back, or someone just unearthed her remains to experiment with them. Which could be playing with an entirely different type of fire, but he shook his head to focus on the three meteor infected people he knew existed.

He barely had time to think, as he heard Clark answer his cell phone. "Yeah…Lana, I got out of there, barely, so did Chloe, Harry, and Kara…your back on the farm house, good…I'll be right back there in a little bit. Did you get out of there alright? Okay, talk to you later, you too, by."

"Clark, you do realize that Lana is likely under Prescott's thrall," said Harry without any sense of tact whatsoever.

"Harry's got a point, Lana was there at the press conference in the crowd," contributed Chloe, as her eyes widened, but she maintained her composure.

"Look, I know what you're trying to say, but it's not like whoever sent these three are going to be after Lana," said Clark, as he shook his head.

"What if she was their real target all along?" piped up Kara.

Everything clicked, and Harry almost admired Sinclair's brilliance.

'A carefully orchestrated feint to direct us away from the real objective,' concluded Harry. 'Okay, Rosalina, you win this round, I'll give you credit for that, but why her? Unless…'

"Clark, did anything supernatural happen to Lana?" asked Harry. "Anything in the sense of magic, or possession or anything…"

Clark stopped, and considered, as he wrestled with his shaky trust of Harry. "She was possessed by the spirit of a witch named Margaret Isobel Thoreux, but that was years ago and the woman left her body."

"Doesn't matter, magic always leaves something behind," said Harry, as he recalled Dumbledore's words to him. "And there might have been enough of something left over to put Sinclair right onto Lana…"

"So your little zombie sorceress is after Lana!" yelled Chloe, nearly jumping to her feet, but she restrained herself.

"Yes, glad we're all on the same page," said Harry dryly, but he looked up. "And there goes Clark, to save the day."

In spite the situation, he smiled, even if it would likely make his life a bit more trickery.

"Come on," sighed Kara as an exasperated voice, as she grabbed Harry's hand, and the two flew off, leaving Chloe alone with the high tech computer equipment.

'If she's using an intermediary that means her actual form is weak,' thought Harry. 'If I can find her, before she returns fully to life, I can stop her.'

Lana sat, arms folded, as she looked out the window into the corn fields.

'Lana,' whispered a voice in her head. 'Lana. Come to me Lana."

The woman looked, and a feeling of obedience washed over her. Opening the door, She walked outside the Kent Farm, arms like a zombie, as Grace sat outside, with Joseph right beside her and Claire at the edge of the fence, as a look out.

'That's it, Lana, come to me,' said the voice. 'I'm not like Clark or Lex, I won't lie to you. I'm your friend, don't worry Lana, I'm here for you.'

"Think the boss lady might let her keep what's left of her after she's done," said Joseph as he looked over Lana, with a lecherous grin.

"We're going to let her go, we can't just keep her," said Claire in a shaky voice.

"Claire, dear, just keep watch," said Grace in a warning tone, and Claire turned to peer over the fence. "If you play your part, I might persuade mother to let you keep her as a souvenir."

Joseph nodded, as he eyed the merchandise.

"That's it Lana, just relax, let all movement leave yourself," narrated Grace in a misty voice. "I can make you do anything, Lana, but all I want you to do is to relax and let me speak to the echoes of Isobel deep within you."

"She left!" managed Lana. "What do you want…"

"I don't want anything, for you to remain silent," said Grace, as she exerted more pressure. Lana seemed paralyzed. "Our mother said you might try, and lie. But she knows all, the residual magic deep within you is all she wants…just let her go…"

"Grace, he's…" started Claire, but Clark picked up Claire, put her down off to the side, and knocked Grace over in one fluid movement.

The girl's thrall was broken, but she just looked at Clark, and turned to Joseph Martin.

"Joseph, dispatch of this overgrown weakling, and I'll hand deliver the girl to your quarters by morning," said Grace with a sweet smile.

Joseph cracked his knuckles. An actual prize fight for a change, and his first bout with this hayseed had been cut short.

"Alright, wimp, me and you, one on one," said Joseph, as Clark tried to punch him, but his fist did not even leave a mark. The powerful young man tossed Clark to the ground with ease. Clark bounced up, and tried to punch him again, but the blows were shrugged off. "They called me the atomic skull. Nothing could knock me out…including solid steel."

The violent young man headbutted Clark, and knocked him for a loop. He summoned his powers, before a radiation blast spiraled towards Clark. Clark dodged the attack, but Joseph closed his eyes.

"You need time to recharge, don't you?" said Clark, as he blew Joseph off of his feet, before he nailed him with a blast of heat vision. The young man ducked, and picked up a trash can lid. He rushed like a raging bull, and swung it towards Clark.

"I don't need my powers to defeat some yokel from the corn fields," said the crazed young man, but Clark wrestled it away from him. The two continued to stagger into the cornfield, as Claire watched. Grace had Lana's arms and legs twitching, as she gave a blood curdling shriek.

"Stop, it looks like you're hurting her!" yelled the red head girl, her lip trembling.

Grace dropped Lana on the ground, not bothering to protect her. Lana had a pained expression on her face, as Grace turned slowly towards Claire. Claire stood her ground as the older girl towered over her.

"It seems a stronger hand is needed to dealing with you, for being a disobedient little brat!" yelled Grace, as she backhanded Claire across the face and knocked her to the ground. "Now, keep an eye out for the other two, and let me finish my job."

Grace turned to face the woman, to try and dig other parts of her personality out.

Above the Kent Farm House, invisible, Harry and Kara watched, hands held.

"Okay, two are bonkers, one might not be beyond help," concluded Harry, as the brawl between Joseph and Clark continued on the field.

"That guy doesn't look too good," said Kara, as she saw half of the face and all of the hair burned off Joseph Martin.

Harry got a reading, and his heart sped up. "Kara, he doesn't look good, because he's reaching critical mass!"

Kara's eyes widened, but she had an idea.

"So, let's try the move we practiced the other day," suggested the girl.

"You need to go to the hospital," said Clark, as he saw the disgusting visual before him. His face was completely burned off, and he could feel the radiation.

"No, you need to go to the morgue!" yelled Joseph, as he tried to strangle Clark, but at that moment, a large whirlwind kicked up, which knocked Joseph off of his feet. A double attack punched him back. "Show yourself, I don't care who you are, my head can take…"

Clark lifted a tractor off of the ground, before he slammed it into Joseph's head. The meteor freak dropped, down for the count, but then he vanished before Clark's eyes.

Joseph Martin stood surrounded by nothing but black.

"You better tell me where I am now!" he shouted, as he reached forward.

"The one prison where you can't get out of," said a voice, as Joseph fell to the ground, his head swelling.

He was alone, right the second he went into nuclear powered roid rage, before he blew his top, and nothing but a bloody stain was left.

Grace had Lana on her feet, but dropped her in disgust.

"Nothing, mother made a rare error," muttered the woman in disdain. "I for one will not be punished for this…"

Grace turned to face Lana. "Take your hands and wrap them around your own throat. Strangle yourself to death."

Lana tried to fight it, but Grace exerted more of her will.

"Clark, I need you!" shrieked Lana, as her hands lifted up, before they wrapped around her own throat to strangle herself.

"Lana!" yelled Clark as he rushed over, to grab her, and try and yank her hands off of throat, without hurting her. It was a struggle.

Grace turned around, before a flying girl kicked her directly in the face, and she was tripped up by an unseen force.

"No one touches me!" yelled Grace, but Kara flew around, and flicked her finger, which caused Grace to fly back. "Claire, fry her!"

Claire's hands trembled.

"Claire, if you don't help me, you're getting sent back to the government, do you hear me?" asked Grace, as she struggled with Kara. A kick to the face sent the crazed meteor freak down.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," whispered Claire, as she closed her eyes.

"You don't have to do this!" yelled Harry becoming visible as he gently grabbed her arm. "There are people out there that can help you. I'm one of there."

Claire looked from Harry, to her "sister". This was the monster that her mother talked about, but he didn't seem so bad. Yet, he didn't save her. She watched the continued struggle as Grace tried to pull Kara's hair, but the Kryptonian returned fire by yanking the nose ring out with full strength.

Grace screamed, and looked at Claire, nodding. A fearful expression appeared on the young girl's face.

"Sorry, I have no choice!" yelled Claire, but in her fear, she lit up the cornfield. She screamed, as she fell backwards and hit her head. Harry levitated her out before she would be burned in her own creation.

"Kara, help me put out the fire!" yelled Harry and Kara let Grace go, before they did their tandem effort again.

Clark ripped Lana's hands from around her neck, and she staggered back, dazed and confused.

"Lana, in front of me!" called Grace, blood gushing from her nose, as Lana moved herself in front of Grace. "You can't hurt me without hurting you, and I know you won't do that, will you?"

Clark stood, and Harry moved forward, as he calculated if he would have to sacrifice Lana to defeat Prescott.

"Come on Claire, I'm taking you home to mother, she'll know how to deal with you!" yelled Grace, as Lana remained a human shield.

"You don't have to go with her!" yelled Harry at the girl, before his tone softened. "Claire, you're not a bad person, you're just lost, you're not a freak…"

"He's trying to manipulate you, and you're letting him!" argued Grace, as Claire looked back and forth at them. "He killed mother's family before…"

"Rosalina Sinclair is a serial killer, she's lying to you," contributed Clark in a kind voice. "Just let Harry help you…

"Claire, you're a good girl, come with us, we'll help you," added Kara.

The red head looked from one, to the other.

"Just fry them, and all will be forgiven," said Grace. "Use your powers, and use them right for once."

Claire's hands trembled, but she turned.

With a fluid blast, she scorched Grace Prescott's face. This allowed Clark to sprint in and take Lana out of harm's way.

"You disobedient, little bitch!" howled Grace at the top of her lungs. "You'll wish you'd be a pet of some old government…"

Kara punched Grace in the face to shut her up, and Harry grabbed the woman.

"No, mother will kill you if you hurt me!" yelled Grace.

"That woman is not your mother," said Harry, as he forcefully apparated her away.

Harry returned a moment later.

"I brought her before our robed associate, it's in his hands now," said Harry.

Clark nodded, as Claire sat on the ground, as she looked at Lana.

"Your friend will be okay, won't she?" asked Claire as she bit her lip and eyes widened.

"Harry?" asked Clark, as he clutched his burnt jacket in his hands.

Harry looked at Lana, who breathed shallowly, and scanned her. He gave his assessment "She'll be fine, just some bed rest, some soup, plenty of fluids, and she'll be back on her feet."

"She didn't have what Sinclair wanted after all," said Clark, and Harry scanned her.

"Yes, no powers, no residual traces, not a thing," confirmed Harry, as he looked at Lana. "She's completely unremarkable in every way."

Clark looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow, before Harry added. "As in she has no special powers, I wouldn't know anything about her personality."

Kara knew what Harry meant, and she would have to agree. She looked at this girl, who Clark risked his life for again.

'She better not betray him,' thought Kara in a savage and protective manner.

"You were brilliant out there, Kara," said Harry. "You're a true hero, and deserve a lot of the credit for our victory.

The blonde Kryptonian did not know what to say. She looked at Harry, and stepped forward, to look in his eyes.

"Yeah, you were the best!" yelled Claire as Kara turned around, before red head blushed, and asked in a small voice. "Um, can I have your autograph…"

Kara was taken aback by this. She nodded, as Harry got her a piece of paper and a pen. She scrawled a message.

Stay strong, and you could do some good too.

Supergirl.

Claire took the piece of paper, like a treasured possession.

"Thank you, both, I better get going," said Claire, as she looked at them. "Bye."

"Where are you going?" asked Kara.

Claire paused, and she said in a small voice. "I'll be somewhere…"

"Claire, take this before you leave, and just think about it," said Harry in a gentle voice, and the younger girl turned to him, before he handed her a folded piece of paper. He handed her a little pendant. "This will take you right to this place, if you want to go."

Harry made sure both of the items were safely in the girl's hand, before he adjusted her jacket and patted her on the head. "Stay safe…"

The girl hugged Harry right around the waist, which caught him completely off guard. Harry awkwardly returned it. Kara and Clark both smiled, as the red head moved away.

"Thank you for everything, she was wrong, you're not a monster," said Claire with a shy smile. She turned and walked down the streets away from the Kent Farm.

"Do you think we should have had her stay?" asked Clark, as he hoisted up Lana in his arms, as she stirred.

"She's going to a safe place I think," replied Harry, as he watched Clark help Lana inside.

Kara and Harry sat on the back porch, and watched the sunset.

"We make a great team," said Kara.

"Yeah," said Harry, as he looked at her, and placed an arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"I think we better get Chloe," said Kara suddenly, and Harry almost forgot that he had left Chloe alone with his computer system.

Harry grabbed her hand, and the two became invisible, as they flew off back to the Shining Light Foundation.

"C'mon Harry, just ten more minutes!"

Harry looked at Chloe, as he gently helped her up and pulled her away from the computer.

"Chloe, if you come back and let me help you with your powers, I'll let you use my computer, all you want," said Harry, in amusement.

Chloe looked at Harry. She considered the matter.

"I'll think about it," said Chloe trying not to sound too eager, as she walked off, in a daze, as Kara walked by her to make sure she made it safely out.

"Lois should be out of the hospital by now," said Kara, but Chloe looked at her in confusion. "She took a hit at the Press Conference, she needs to learn when to run…"

"Yeah, that's not going to happen," said Chloe, who tried to figure out whether or not Lois would have been released officially or had left after fighting half of the staff.

Chloe stopped, as she came face to face with the red haired girl who attacked at the press conference.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Harry Potter," said Claire in a small voice. "My name is Claire Selton and I want to learn how about how to use my powers."

"He's right over there," said Chloe.

"Thanks!" said Claire in a happy voice, before she rushed off to great Harry. "Harry, I thought about it, and I came to you right away, I'm so glad you're here!"

"Glad to help you, Claire," said Harry as he looked at her with a smile. "Here's some information about some of the programs offered here, and some of the activities. If you have any questions, ask, now Kara, would you like to show Claire where she'd be staying?"

"Of course," said Kara, as she helped Claire get settled in.

Chloe looked at Harry, confused, about him. This was the person who just a month ago was terrorizing pre-school children?

"I really don't get you sometimes," said Chloe, but she shook her head. "So, see you around Harry."

"Bye, Chloe," said Harry, as he walked off, to see Kara show Claire around her room. The girl looked overwhelmed with joy.

"This is all mine?" asked Claire, she had never gotten her own room since her parents died. People were afraid she'd set one on fire.

"Of course, dinner will be served in an hour," said Harry. "Make yourself at home, you're the first person to come here, but I'm sure you'll make the most out of until more come here."

Claire nodded, as she just explored her room. It could be four blank walls and a bed, as long as it was hers, she was happy.

Kara and Harry moved off to get back to the Kent Farmhouse. She was in good hands, and Sinclair could not touch her again.

Harry felt he accomplished some kind of great victory on that regard.

Rosalina Sinclair sat inside a laboratory as Curtis Knox stepped to face her, as she remained still inside a tube.

"Doctor Knox, I grow tired of this go around," whispered Rosalina, as she drew breath. "My blood boils!"

"Rosalina, it's not your blood that's boiling," said Knox, as he studied the results of the latest decomposition from her clone. "Nothing is yours; all have been harvested organs that your body keeps rejecting. You need a component to heal yourself permanently; you need organs closer to yours."

"I thought for sure the woman who was once possessed in this town would hold the key," whispered Sinclair as she clenched her fists in fury. Once again the false Chosen One got in her way.

"I managed to unearth this little anchor your created, and kept it sealed up tight," said Knox as he held up a gold necklace. "It contains half of your soul in it, you say?"

"Yes, the transference will be risky without a stable body," said Sinclair, as she was bombarded by meteor radiation. "Death has half of my soul, I wish to gain enough power to reclaim it, and I'll be whole again."

Knox looked at her, eyes narrowed. "Just remember, we have a deal, as I transfer your memories into another body. I didn't dig you up to become a modern day Dr. Frankenstein."

"You allow me to defeat Harry Potter, and I'll give you the key to granting others immorality," said Sinclair as she eyed Knox. "The Philosopher's Stone…"

"I worked with Flamel, and heard of his fabled stone," interrupted Knox, who had been around the block several times. Curtis Knox was merely the latest alias he had taken. "I managed to gather an incomplete copy of his notes, but I could never fashion an exact duplicate. No one in living memory has seen it."

"You are mistaken, Doctor Knox," whispered Sinclair, as she felt her body return, at least for the next seventy two hours. "There is one person who knows how to make one."

"Who?" demanded Knox.

"Once I locate the person, I'll bring him before you," said Sinclair. "In the meantime, I'll bring you a temporary measure."

Knox looked at Sinclair, and released her. "Just remember…"

"I remember, I help you obtain immortality for your wife and you will in turn help me achieve my destiny," said Sinclair, but she paused as something washed over her.

The woman's mind flashed back to the streets of London, in 1978. A frigid blizzard blew snow and cold wind throughout the street.

A car door slammed, and a harsh blonde woman dragged a scared and sickly red haired girl onto the road, before she shoved her down onto the frozen ground without any remorse.

"Tuney, please, wait!" shrieked the girl, as she sobbed. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Mother and father are dead because of freaks like you," said the woman in a harsh voice, as she turned her back to leave the girl stranded. "You'll never fit in anywhere."

"Don't leave me here, it's not my fault!" yelled the girl, as she shivered, the cold winds nipping at her arms. She did not even have a coat on. "You're my family….sisters don't do this…"

"I'm not your sister, Rose, you're just an accident that never was supposed to happen," said the woman harshly. "Even Lily doesn't want you; you're too big of a freak for her!"

"Petunia, I love you, you're my sister!" shouted Rose, as she shivered, as she beat on the doors of the car with her little fists, but she collapsed onto the ground, lungs hurting.

The car started back up. The man driving it, a burly man with a mustache looked out for a moment. "Petunia dear…"

"Drive Vernon," said Petunia in a cold voice, and Vernon fell back into line. "I'll never take in a freak like her. Now we're late for a dinner party with the Teagues, so let's go."

The car drove off. The six year old girl collapsed in the snow, as her fingers felt numb. She was so weak.

She was going to die out here, forsaken by her family. Lily didn't want her, Petunia didn't want her, and her parents were dead.

Tears flowed down her cheeks.

Rosalina's eyes glazed over from the recall.

"A problem?" asked Knox.

"Just a dream I had once, a side effect of the transference," said Rosalina, a bit of emotion creeping in, but she squashed it.

Curtis Knox sat as he watched this woman who he had reservations about reviving leave. She assisted him, and lured many meteor freaks to his doorstep, to help with his wife.

Knox looked at the machines his wife was hooked up to sustain her. He had little choice, but to trust Sinclair.

Lana sat at the kitchen table, and typed away on a laptop.

"What are you doing?" asked Kara, and Lana looked up, before she shut the laptop.

"Nothing, Kara, just surfing online," said Lana with a dazzling smile towards the other girl, but it faded, when Kara looked at her, arms crossed over her chest.

Kara narrowed her eyes, suspiciously, and looked at Lana, before she spoke in a low voice. "I know what happened with you and Clark before. And if you hurt my cousin again, you and I will have problems."

Lana just shook her head, and shrugged off the warning. She covered her tracks well. This was being done to help Clark.

Harry waited outside, as he saw the door of the barn cracked open. He saw Kara, but grabbed her hand, and put a privacy barrier around them.

"…Kal-El, you must be weary around Kara, you know who her father is, he plotted to murder yours. His daughter would be just like him and has been sent here to…"

"Kara was an unwitting pawn," argued Clark. "Harry unblocked Kara's memories…"

"Jor-El would want me to tell you to steer clear of both of them," said the first voice.

"Who is that?" whispered Harry, as he spotted the look of despair on Kara's face.

"That's the Martian Manhunter," whispered Kara, as she clenched her fists for a moment, before she faced Harry. "He was a friend of Jor-El's…Harry you can trust me, but you can't trust him."

"I know I can trust you," said Harry as he held both of her hands, and looked her in the eyes, without blinking. He then decided to voice a response. "Why don't…"

"I don't excuse what my father did, but…Jor-El isn't exactly the model of decency either," said Kara, as her eyes flared up at the memory.

"Kara, control," warned Harry, as he pulled her into a comforting hug.

"Jor-El was more concerned with forcing my father and me out of our house, with the help of his little pet Martian, than saving a life," said Kara, as she returned the hug. It gave her courage.

"Whose life?" asked Harry, and Kara took a step back, as she tried to maintain her composure.

"My mother, Alura, she laid on the floor, bleeding to death," said Kara hotly, but her voice broke and she allowed Harry to pull her back into his arms. "Jor-El just let it happen; he didn't offer her one bit of help! She was an innocent caught in the crossfire! She had no part of their little squabble."

"Kara, calm down, please," said Harry, as he held her tight.

"Sorry, it's just my entire family is messed up," said Kara, as she buried her face in Harry's chest.

"I understand," said Harry, as he rubbed her neck. "It's going to be okay, Kara. I saw the kind of person your father was. I saw bits of that argument when I fixed your memories. Everyone involved was in the wrong, and it's…not good your mother had to suffer because of some petty feud."

Kara's voice softened, as she looked up. "Kal-El gets any decency he has from his mother; Aunt Lara was a good person. Jor-El on the other hand, he's…"

Kara just buried her head back into Harry's chest, and seemed beyond words.

"I see," said Harry darkly, as he rubbed the back of her neck once again. Kara thought if felt nice, Harry had skilled hands. "Jor-El's all gone now; he's not going to cause any more damage…"

Harry's attention was caught by something.

"Potter might be powerful, but the girl's got him wrapped around her little finger," said the Martian Manhunter, in a warning voice from inside the barn. "It's imperative you find the crystal sent with the daughter of Zor-El, before they find a way to access who is inside it. Plus given the danger Harry Potter has brought into your life, he could prevent you from achieving your destiny. Anyone that Sinclair woman murders is because he chose to come here."

Kara broke off from Harry. The Martian Manhunter could slander her all he wanted, but no one talked about her friend like that!

'Jackpot,' thought Harry, as he held his friend back, so she did not cause a scene. He pulled her into a warm embrace, which she returned.

"Kara, I like you a lot and I trust you one hundred percent," said Harry, as he reached forward, and brushed her hair back, before he wiped the tears from her face.

"Thanks Harry, I'm glad someone does," whispered Kara, as they held each other. She looked at him with a smile.

"You're a lot prettier when you smile, you know," said Harry, as Kara remained in his arms, embraced. "Of course, you're still beautiful regardless."

Kara and Harry stared into each other's eyes. They leaned forward, their lips about eight or so inches apart, and the two drew closer, a mere instant away from joining.

Clark stormed out of the barn in a temper causing Kara and Harry to be brought out of reality. The Martian Manhunter watched him go, and Kara backed off. She saw Clark's mood, and jumped to the worst possible conclusion.

"I think I want to go home now," whispered Kara, as Harry just draped his arm over her waist.

"Of course, Kara," said Harry, his face neutral, as he transported them to his house.

'Good timing, Clark,' thought Harry sarcastically, as he led Kara into the house. 'Then again…maybe it's for the best…"

Harry helped Kara to her room. There was only so much to be said right about now.

Kara was dressed, and she followed Harry back into his bedroom. They both fell asleep, without any further words.

Both of them knew what almost happened.

Lex sat, and pondered, before he tapped the side of his desk.

He would have to arrange a meeting with this Harry Potter, under the guise of business. Then he would know what step to take next regarding the journal. This entire mysterious messenger of death thing seemed shady, but so did Potter's entire operation.

Given whom his father was, Lex could smell a rat a mile away, but he had find out for sure.