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Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth was a simple man. When he was young, he wanted everything in life. Everything except love. At one point in time, he thought that love was a fool’s quest. That was until he stumbled upon it. Monica Jean Gataki was anything but a simple woman. She craved mystery, adventure, and most of all love. It was truly an accident when they first met in MI6. To put it simply, she was a hellcat, and most importantly immune to his charms. At least, that was what he thought. It took a year for Monica to accept her feelings and she acted on them only a day later.
After two years together, Alfred, and the tender age of 27 proposed to the light of his life. During this time, he met Monica’s little sister, Helen. She was eleven years younger than Monica, but it didn’t stop her from constantly crashing her and Alfred’s dates. Afterall, it was nice to get away from the Spy life, even though he wouldn’t give it up for anything. Or so he thought.
Six months after the engagement when Alfred and Monica discovered they were expecting. It was then that Alfred considered leaving the service of her majesty. He thought that perhaps he could go into privet security for a noble family. Something easy and simple with little to no danger. Or perhaps, he thought, he could just be a stay-at-home father. Monica, on the other hand did not want to leave her job. Alfred understood and was line with it, as long as she left the field and stuck to desk work for the duration of their pregnancy. That was the plan, until it wasn’t.
It was three weeks after they discovered their little joy that everything went wrong. It was crazy to think that something as simple as a car crash could kill someone as strong as Monica Gataki. The entire Gataki family where on their way to the hospital for a checkup and were going to meet Alfred there.
It was Monica’s doctor that broke the news. The car was hit head on by a truck whose tire blew out. Her parents, Elisabeth and Elias were dead on the scene. Helen was awake with a several broken bones, hysterical to the point that the doctors immediately knocked her out. And Monica, well, Monica didn’t lose the baby at first.
She was unconscious and struggling breathing. One of her ribs broke due to the seat belt and it punctured her lung. All was going well on the operating table until she began hemorrhaging. That’s when she lost the baby. And that’s when Alfred lost Monica.
Helen had only just turned 17. She had no family left on her mother’s side, and no family in the UK on her fathers. Alfred did the only thing he could think and took Helen in. Helen finished school and got into Uni, and Alfred left MI6. Helen realized two years after her family’s death that Alfred was not moving on. He was stuck, so Helen did the only thing she could do. She pushed him. An old family friend of Alfred’s father was looking for a head of security who acted as a butler. Alfred made the mistake of mentioning it to Helen who then took it upon herself to reach out to the Wayne’s.
Alfred moved to Gotham a month later.
Alfred stayed in touch with Helen. Phone calls, letters, and trips to England for the holidays were made. Then Helen met Daniel Granger. Eight years after proposing to Monica, Daniel asked Alfred for his permission to marry Helen. Tomas and Martha Wayne welcomed their son Bruce to the world that same year and asked Alfred to the Godfather to their child. It was two years later that Helen and Daniel finally tied the knot.
Life continued to move forward for Alfred Pennyworth’s makeshift family. Alfred became an uncle figure to young master Bruce and a brother to Tomas and Martha. With Helen being married and opening dental practices with her husband across England, and Alfred helping raise the only son and heir to the Wayne family fortune, the prosudo siblings saw each other less often. Visits happened every other year, phone calls were made on holidays and birthdays, and letters became almost nonexistent.
Then, sixteen years after the loss of the Gataki family, Alfred received the most astounding news. Helen was expecting. With blessing from the Wayne’s, Alfred left their side for the first time in three years for the birth the Granger’s child. In the early morning of September 19th, Alfred Pennyworth held his niece in his arms for the first time. She was named Hermione Jean Granger. Hermione, after Helen of Troy’s only daughter to pay homage to her Greek heritage and in honor of her mother Helen, and Jean in honor of her aunt who passed all those years ago. The moment Hermione was in Alfred’s arms Helen asked him to be her godfather. He declared it was one of the most wonderful days in history. Alfred called the Wayne’s several hours later to relay news of his goddaughter’s birth and they congratulated him on having now not one but two children to spoil rotten.
That was the last time he ever spoke to Tomas and Martha Wayne. They were murdered not even twelve hours later. Alfred was on the next plane out of the country and was at Bruce’s side before the sun rose in Gotham. He never left Bruce’s side again.
Time moved by slowly. Alfred became Bruce’s gradian and was the custodian to all the Wayne’s assets and he didn’t have the free time to go back to England. Slowly the only contact that Alfred had with the Grangers was the occasional letter. That was until the Grangers visited Gotham for a dentistry convention when Hermione was ten. Alfred offered the Grangers to stay in the Wayne family mansion, but they declined the offer. That was, Helen and Daniel Granger declined the offer. Hermione, on the other hand, had read several books and articles over the Wayne’s and their properties and she was determined to view their library.
Alfred had only seen his niece once and had only heard about her from the handfuls of letters that he received from Helen over the years. He was expecting her to be a silent child who would rather digest books than have human interactions. Her mother had once described her as “a quiet child who doesn’t have many friends. She spends most of her time either in her room or on the green reading anything she can get her hands on. Never had I met a child more obedient than our Hermione.” It took two minutes after her parents left for Alfred to realize that everyone severely misjudged Hermione.
The child he met was silent until they began to tour the manor. That’s when the questions began. Questions lead to answers, which in turn needed an explanation, and then proceeded to theories and debates. Hermione Granger was the most intelligent child that Alfred Pennyworth had met, and that’s saying something considering he raised Master Bruce. It was in the library where Alfred witnessed the first meeting of his godchildren. Bruce, on the other hand, was not impressed. When Alfred introduced them to each other Bruce declared that he was going to call Hermione ‘Mia’ because “Hermione is a beautifully tragic name because it is a travesty to pronounce.” The glare that Bruce received from the frizzy haired girl sent the young master into a fit of laughter.
Hermione gave Bruce the silent treatment for the rest of her visit.
Even though they would not see each other again for several years, Hermione wrote letters to her Uncle Alfred religiously. Hermione would write to her uncle about whatever book or article was captivating her interest at the time along with an update on her studies and her parents. In return, Alfred would supply commentaries on her theories along with an update of his and master Bruce’s life along with stories of his youth. Stories about his adventures as a MI6 agent and his time with her aunt. Stories that he told no one except her. That was until Bruce decided to become The Batman.
Alfred was afraid for the boy- no, man- who he considered his son. He was only 25 when he first picked up his cowl. Alfred Pennyworth wanted to talk Bruce out of becoming the vigilante, but he knew a determined face when he saw one. He would rather do his best to protect Bruce by helping him rather than letting him go through this part of his life alone. It helped Alfred emotionally knowing that at least one of his godchildren were safe. Seven months later Alfred would be proved wrong by a call from the UK like the one he received the night that Hermione was born.
Helen and Daniel Granger were killed in a motor accident on their way to pick Hermine up from boarding school. Hermione would still be seventeen for three more months and needed a legal gradian. It was just like the Gataki family’s death all over again. Bruce had Alfred on a privet jet not even half an hour later.
It was the second time that Alfred had seen Hermione in person. The girl wasn’t a blubbering mess of a girl with bushy hair and buck teeth who was mourning the death of her parents like her mother did before her. Instead, there was a young woman standing before him with a stone-cold face, watery eyes, and her head held high. They stood there for a minute at the airport drinking the sight of each other in. Alfred slowly walked forward and embraced his godchild. She was stiff for a few minutes more until the dam broke.
Hermione was quiet for most of drive. Alfred didn’t fully understand why they were going to a hotel rather than the Granger’s residence. He also didn’t understand why Mr. Shackbolt, the driver, fallowed them. At least that was until they were in the room and Hermione and Mr. Shacklebolt explained everything.
Helen and Daniel Granger weren’t killed in a motorcar accident, they were murdered at home.
Apparently, Hermione had taken all her A levels two years early and decided to fallow in her uncles’ footsteps and began training for MI18. MI18 was mythical even to those in other DMI sectors. Everyone said it was out of use, but also everyone knew it was in use. Mr. Shacklebolt was apparently one of Hermione’s superior officers and they were assigned to a section codename “The Order”. According to Shacklebolt, Hermione was on her way home from mission training and was taking the train back from her base under the ruse of returning from boarding school. She was meant to stay there for only two weeks before being deployed on her mission. Somehow, there was a leak in the system and some memos were taken by the enemy including Hermione’s return date and address. Luckily for Hermione, she returned two days late due to the funeral for one of the leading officers. Unfortunately for the Grangers, the enemy, referred to by the code name “Death Eaters”, assumed the location was a safehouse and attempted to torture the Grangers for information. They were then killed once the death eaters realized they had nothing, and that the location was most likely false. It was Hermione who found their bodies the next day. MI18 decided it was best to cover up their deaths with a simple car accident and quickly get Hermione to a safehouse incase the Death Eaters came back for her.
Hermione blamed herself for her parents’ death. Alfred blamed himself for her joining the DMI.
By the end of the week, the Grangers had been buried, the dental practices had been sold, and Alfred was once again the legal Gradian to an orphan. Hermione stressed that no one could know about her involvement in DMI and that the guardianship documents would be hidden. It was for both of their safeties. Alfred left the UK with a kiss to the cheek and the promise that she would contact him once the mission was over. When Bruce asked what happened back in London, Alfred simply stated that he helped Hermione get her affairs in order and that she was staying with some close friends until she went back to Boarding School in a month.
Alfred now worried for the lives of both of his godchildren daily now that Bruce was running around Gotham every night in a bat-suit and Hermione was off running around God knows where doing God knows what for the government. Alfred pored all his stress into his work for master Bruce. Alfred quickly became proficient in many technologies, computer programs, and software that he could use to enhance The Batman’s radar and to keep him safer. Soon it was the one-year anniversary of The Batman’s appearance. Then it was the one-year anniversary of his goddaughter’s disappearance.
It was two months later that Alfred walked into the most unexpected scenario in foyer of Wayne Mansion. The doorbell to the manor rang while Alfred was in the library. He did not recall having a meeting of any sort scheduled for the day, so he assumed that it was either a guest of master Bruce’s,’ or an unsavory character who managed to break in through the gate. What Alfred did not expect to find when he reached the front door was Bruce arguing with a woman through the half open door.
“Listen sweetheart, I don’t know how- “
“Oh, don’t sweetheart me.”
“I have no clue how you got past the gate but,”
“I have a bloody code- “
“I don’t know where the hell you stole a code from,”
“Oh my god. My Uncle-”
“but if you want an autograph or an- “
“I don’t want a fucking autograph I just want-
“-interview or something you need to- “
“-To see my”
“First get off my property before I call the police and-”
It was at this moment that Alfred finally got a full view of the woman at the door. His heart stopped for moment. Relief filled his body.
“Hermione?”
She looked over Bruce’s shoulder and gave a sad smile as her eyes filled with unshed tears.
“Uncle Alfred.” She quickly pushed pass Bruce who reluctantly let her through the door and held on to her uncles’ shoulders. Alfred cupped her cheeks and brushed away a stray tear.
“I’m home,” she said
“For how long?”
“For as long as you’ll have me.”
“Oh, my dear sweet girl,” said Alfred while pulling in his niece for a hug. “I’ll always have a place for you.” Behind them, Bruce silently shut the front door and took in his Godfathers display of affection. Hermione hugged the old man tight and broke away.
“I have a surprise for you.”
“My sweet child, I think you being here is enough of a surprise for me.” Responded Alfred. Hermione quickly reached into her back pocket for something and handed it over to her uncle.
“I was also knighted by the Queen.” She said quietly before Alfred even processed what he was holding.
“That’s brilliant dear”, he says while looking up at her. He hooks back down at the metal in his hand and does a double take.
“Is this really?” Alfred exclaimed in disbelief, staring the Victoria Cross in his hands. Bruce inhaled deeply from behind them.
“Yeah.” Said Hermione, “One of three given to the members of the Order. We’ve disbanded. We’re only an emergency protocol now. I’ve been given a lot of job offers within the Government. Even said they would recommend to people over here if I wish to do so.”
Alfred looked up at this giving his goddaughter a worried look. She chuckled and smirked back at him. “Don’t worry Uncle. I think I’m taking a break for a while.” Alfred huffed a smile and looked back down at the cross in his hands, wondering what went down for his Niece to deserve such an honor.
“Are you staying here then?”
Hermione looked over to Bruce and responded to his question. “Yeah, I’m currently staying at some hotel nearby and I’m going to look at flats tomorrow.”
“Why don’t you just stay here?” responded Bruce. Hermione blinked back at him in confusion. “There are more than enough rooms in the manor, and I’m sure Alfred would love to have you around. I truly don’t mind, considering I’m rarely home. And, if I remember correctly, you were determined to devour the library.”
Hermione looked back to her uncle for permission. He smiled and nodded at her. “Well, how could I ever turn down an offer like that.” She said smiling back up at Bruce.
Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth was a simple man. When he was young, he wanted everything in life. Everything except love. It took him 24 years to find it, 25 years to accept it, 28 years to lose it. Afterword’s he gave as much love as he could, realizing that love came and went as it pleased, and you never know when it would be the last time that you were with the ones you loved. It once was in the form of a woman who was his soul mate. Then it was in the form of a young girl he saw as a little sister. It snuck up on him as a couple who became his best friends. And lastly, he found it in two orphaned children. One whom he raised and looked to him as a father, and the other who saw him as her uncle and an inspiration.
Alfred looked to the two young adults whom he considers to be his children and resailed just how lucky he was to have everything he could ever want in life.
Hermione, on the other hand, was internally panicking because she didn’t know how to explain why she didn’t have any luggage, as she didn’t think it was a good idea to tell two muggles that her beaded bag had an expansion charm on it.