Chapter Text
“Harry! You gotta help me!” Harry looked up when Traci rushed up to him in the library.
“Hi Harry. How’s your day going, Harry?” He joked.
Traci rolled her eyes. “Very funny! Anyway, your brother got into the internship program with the Justice League, right? Do you know how he did it?”
Harry shrugged. “Through a very different process than other people, I imagine. He’d been in it long before he got school credit for it.”
“So he didn’t have to do an interview?”
“What’s this about, Traci?” He noticed Myra moving towards his friend out of the corner of his eye.
Traci huffed and plopped down next to him. “I applied for the internship program. They opened up applications last month. And I’ve been invited to an interview for it. But I don’t know how to pass the interview.”
“Well, what makes you different from the other applicants?” Harry asked, motioning to his dog that he could handle it.
Traci shifted uncomfortably. “Well…”
Harry raised an eyebrow. Hmm. That wasn’t the best sign.
“Okay. You can’t tell anyone this, but I’ve started working on my bad luck magic outside of class. And I’ve used it to trip up thieves and stuff on the weekends. I want to help people that way, but I’m terrified I’ll get in trouble for being proactive. Zatanna Zatara and your brother have permission from MACUSA to use magic for superheroing. I don’t. I’ll be in so much trouble if they find out and I don’t get this internship.”
“Okay. The first thing you want to do is frame that in a way that appeals to the interviewers.”
Traci froze. “You want me to tell them?! Harry, I’ll…”
“Hear me out. Most people applying are in it for the prestige. You’re in it because you want to help people, correct?”
Traci paused and then nodded.
“That gives you a leg up. Don’t say it’s because you don’t want to get in trouble for doing what you do. Tell them you just want leave to help people more than you’re currently able.”
“So… something like this: I’m applying to this program because I want to help people. I’ve noticed people getting hurt in the streets and I really want to do my part in stopping that. With the regulations on using magic outside of school, I feel I’m not able to help to the best of my ability. I’ve been practicing my bad luck magic skills for this purpose and am hoping the Justice League’s program can aid me in reaching my fullest potential. Something like that?”
“Yeah! Perfect!”
Traci slumped. “It’s easy to do that with you , but in an interview? I’m going to crash and burn!”
“Practice. Just like you would with any interview. Write down your answers and recite them in a mirror. I can help you prep, but I’m not going to get you any insider info. Just be honest and you’ll be fine. When’s the interview?”
“Friday.” Traci murmured timidly.
“Fri-… Traci, it’s Wednesday!”
“I know! I know! I didn’t think to ask you before now. I was too busy panicking over it.”
Harry sighed and closed his book. “Okay. Come up with some questions you think they might ask and I’ll ask you them.”
“What do you think they might ask?”
“Traci, I know some of what they’re going to ask. You may be my friend, but I’m not giving you an unfair advantage.”
“Okay. Okay.” Traci gulped. “Let me write down some potential questions.”
Harry checked the time with a quick spell as he walked towards the office. Traci should be getting out of her interview soon, and he wanted to be there when she did.
Walking up with Myra, he saw a couple classmates sitting in what was evidently a waiting area.
“Oh boy.” One boy he didn’t recall the name of groaned. “If Harry’s here, we have no chance.”
“Good thing I’m not interviewing then.” Harry quipped. “Is Traci still in there?”
“Yeah.” Christie confirmed. “She went in 20 minutes ago, so she should be out soon.”
As if on cue, the door opened, and Traci exited.
Zatanna came behind her and called the boy, Malcolm, in.
Traci perked up when she saw Harry. “Harry, are you…?”
“Here to pick you up from your interview.” Harry filled in. “How’d it go?”
Traci’s eyes darted over to Christie, and Harry motioned to walk with him.
Once they were out of earshot, Traci answered.
“I’m not sure. There was a guy in a mask in there. Introduced himself as Nightwing but mostly hung in the background, taking notes. Miss Zatara asked all the questions. She took notes too. I think they… might… have been pleased with my answers, but I really don’t know.”
“Hey. Don’t doubt yourself. I’m sure you did fine.”
“They didn’t give me many details as to what I’d be doing if I got the position. They did say I’d be apprenticing to Miss Zatara, but wouldn’t be with her the entire time.”
“Yeah. That tracks.” Harry said. “Not sure how much I can say, but that does make sense.”
“How much do you know about this stuff?”
“Not as much as you’d think. I’m not directly involved, so there’s a lot they don’t tell me.”
Traci frowned. “And you don’t want to be directly involved?”
Harry shrugged. “Frankly, I see the effects of it enough secondhand to know I’m not ready for it. I gotta say Dick was very supportive of that decision. It eases the load for him that I’m not out there too.” It was true. Dick had practically burst into happy tears when Harry had told him he didn’t want to be a vigilante. Apparently, that was why they’d kept it a secret from him for so long. They hadn’t wanted him to join them out on the streets at night.
“Did he continue with it after the internship?” Traci asked.
“Yeah.” Harry confirmed. “I don’t see him stopping anytime soon.”
They walked together to the cafeteria for lunch. Traci had been excused from the end of her last class before lunch for the interview and Harry had decided to go meet her once his let out.
They discussed other things during lunch and then it was time for class again.
Since it was Friday, Harry went home after his last class of the day.
Dick was sitting on the couch looking exhausted when he arrived.
“Traci said you were in the interview?” Harry asked, pulling Myra’s vest off before approaching his brother.
“I was. Did you give her tips?”
“Mostly to be honest and that the fact she was in it to help people gave her a leg up. No insider info. I had her write out the questions she wanted me to ask for interview prep.”
“Explains why she seemed slightly caught off guard by the teamwork question. I know you knew we would ask that. Just needed to confirm you didn’t give her an advantage.”
“Nothing beyond what an uninvolved friend would. I helped her practice and gave general tips for having a good interview. But nothing on what you would ask or what would get you to choose her.”
“Good. She seemed earnest enough. Is there anything she told you that she didn’t say in the interview?”
“Um… wouldn’t that be giving her an unfair advantage?”
“Depends on what she said. Do you think she’ll try and help people regardless of if we pick her or not? She’s the only one we got that particular vibe off of.”
Harry eyed him. “You really want me to answer?”
“It’s not a trick question, Harry. I promise you’re not hurting her chances or overly helping them by answering. I just want confirmation on what we already picked up on.”
Harry deflated. “She said she’s tripped up some thieves and stuff with her bad luck magic already. She’s worried about getting in trouble for it, but I don’t get the feeling she’s going to stop anytime soon.”
“Alright. Thank you, Harry.” Dick stood up and grabbed his phone to text someone while walking out of the room.
“Where are you going?”
“To talk to Traci’s dad, obviously.”
“Not obviously! Why do you need to talk to him?”
“Parental permission. She’s a minor.”
By the time Harry processed that, Dick was gone.
He huffed and pulled out his homework. Myra came over to put her head on his knee.
Traci better appreciate his support if she ever found out Dick spoke with him first.
Although, he did have to say he was happy she was getting what she wanted. Hopefully she didn’t end up like Jason because of it.
Okay, Jason’s… situation wasn’t something he wanted to think about in conjunction with Traci joining the team. She’d be fine, right?
Right?