A Magician's Gift

Ch. 28

I breathed a sigh of relief. We won.

"A protection order for Zatanna Zatara is in order, effective immediately. Mr. Oliver Jonas Queen is to not contact Miss Zatara under any circumstances. Mr. Queen is also to receive a $20,000 fine, six months in juvenile detention, and a 12-month probation," Judge Napier said. "Court dismissed." I smiled. Could not have turned out better. Some lawyer they had... I walked outside with my family, Chas, and and John. "God, you do not know how nervous I was, Luv..." he told me. I let my head rest on his shoulder. "Relax, John. I don't know why I didn't try to get something on him before. I had so much evidence on him." I was cut off because twenty cameras were shoved in my face again. "Go on," I told John, Chas, and my family. They stepped away with the exception of John. "I thought I told you to go," I shot. "And leave you to the wolves of the press? Over my dead, hell-bound soul. What do you think I am, a git?"

"I can handle myself, John."

"Luv—" he started before I cut him off. I pecked his lips. "John, I'll be fine. May I remind you that I've been doing this since I was five?"

"Right. Sorry. Kinda forgot. Good luck, Luv." He kissed me quickly and then walked off. "Alright, questions?"

"Alice Seo, Daily Planet. Earlier this month, you denied the rumors that you were a superhero. But, today, with one of the evidences that you used to testify against Mr. Queen, you were seen attempting to cast magic, in the same format of Zatanna's magic. You then cried something about your magic. You lied to Clark Kent?"

"I was concerned for my personal safety, yes. But, since it got Oliver away from me, I couldn't care less what I would reveal. I could care less what I revealed now, as long as it gets him away from me. Yes, I lied about being  superhero, about having powers. It was in my best interest to at to the lie at the time. But, yes, now, I am confirming that I, Zee Zatara, is the superhero, Zatanna."

"What else have you lied about, Miss Zatara?"

"Noth-nothing else," I responded. "Morgana Lupin, Channel 52. Your boyfriend was mentioned by two different names. John, as we know him to be, and Constantine, a new one. Is he in any relation to John Constantine, a previously known and wanted criminal in Liverpool, England?" I looked over at John behind the crowd. He nodded his head. "Yes, Morgana," I replied. "My boyfriend is the John Constantine that was wanted in his home country." A lot of people started shouting and yelling my name. I picked one of the girls near me.

"Miss Zatara! Miss Zatara! Elena Rodriguez, CatCo Magazine. You haven't been seen with your father in public for over a month, is this a result of your relationship with Constantine?"

"I'm sorry, that's all I'm going to answer for now. Thank you." I walked away. Camera shutters went off and people shouted after me.

"Zee, are you happy about the outcome?" Uncle Vanir asked.

"Very."

"Who's this?"

"Right. Uncle Vanir, this is my boyfriend and his friend. John, Chas, my Uncle Vanir. You already met my Aunt Zephryine, my cousin, Zach, and my father."

"Hello. John Constantine," John introduced, his hand outstretched. "Vanir Zatara. Zee's uncle. Nice to meet you," he responded, shaking John's hand. "And you are?" Uncle Vanir asked Chas. "Hello, sir. Francis Chandler. Professor of Physics at Metropolis State University and previously, Ivy University over in England. I'm a close friend of John's." He definitely has this introduction thing down. Goddamn.

"That's interesting. Well, my family and I have places to be and quite urgent at that," Uncle Vanir said. He pulled Zach and Aunt Zeph to his side and teleported away. "John, Zatanna, I've got to go. I have a lecture to write up for Monday's class. I'll see the two of you back at the apartment?" I nodded my head and he walked away. "You didn't correct Chas when he called you Zatanna," John mentioned. "Had enough of that life. It's time I turn over a new leaf. I revealed my identity as a super, I might as well start with a new name and a new persona. I think I'm a little over being the shallow, snooty, short-tempered, overly dramatic, popularity-obsessed, arrogant, jealous, self-obsessed, well, bitch, I was for the past ten years."