Chapter 4: Christmas
Danny and Tom were ready to go home for the holiday's between the two of them they were quite looking forward to being away from the school for two whole weeks without teachers to bother them, it had been two months since he had been stripped of his powers and Danny had been adjusting to not just being able to pop in and out of the school on a whim pretty well though he still wasn't as well adjusted as he would have liked.
When they got on the train with Hermione who like Ron had become a friend in the last two months, they were all going back home relatively speaking for the holiday when the train pulled into London they were met by Sirius and Remus and their parents who had allowed them to go home by train so they could get the house right.
This would be Danny's first Christmas at home since he was one and they wanted it to be special for him, they had tried and with some success so far to mend the bridges that they had destroyed by abandoning him and though he still had anger problems they were not directed at them anymore they were directed solely at his adopted parents who had forced him to return to earth even if it was for a certain amount of time he didn't have to like it.
"Are you boys ready to go home?" James asked.
"Is their a maybe I can throw in there." Danny said.
The adults laughed James beamed at his son the boy who had yet to call them mum or dad had come close a couple of times to doing so, when they arrived back at the manor the two boys disappeared up stairs Danny found that his room was not empty of people when he arrived his parents were there along with Apollo.
"Oh this can't be good." Danny muttered.
"You would be right with that statement." Zeus said.
"The person you seek is in that castle." Hera said.
"And you expect an eleven year old to be able to defeat him in the state you left me in?" Danny demanded.
"We did that to you for your own good." Hera said not surprised at all her son was angry.
"I tell you what next time you decide what is for my own good let me in on the conversation so I can tell you both where to stick it." Danny said to his parents.
"Your not exactly being fair to us." Zeus said readying himself for a fight.
"Just so you know you are in human form down here so I can happily kick your ass back up stairs, you don't get to make decisions in my life anymore you finished having that right when you stripped my powers and sent me back down to earth so get the fuck out of my room father." Danny shouted at the older god.
"I know your angry." Hera said.
"You have no idea how I feel and I have no wish for this conversation to go on." Danny said walking back towards the door which was ajar he hadn't closed it properly.
"You really are being an ass about this." Apollo said.
"Oh well in that case lets switch places for a couple of days and see how you cope without any of your powers cause your parents being the prats that they are strip you of them." Danny sneered at the man gone was the boy who cared about him in any great way at the moment. "You wouldn't have half as many girls now would you, you two bit playboy." Danny said.
"Now that was below the belt." Apollo said.
"Oh I would say groin level." Danny snapped.
"Watch your tongue young man." Hera said.
"You don't have the right to lecture me on anything so get the fuck out of my room old woman I am sick of people making decisions about my life without my consent, you screwed up not me when your ready to apologise and admit that you made a mistake we will talk and until then I don't want to see any of you now get out." Danny said then he did walk out of the door slamming it shut behind him leaving the gods alone in the room.
"Well that went swimmingly, what was it you said he would understand?" Zeus said to his wife.
"Okay so I was wrong it wouldn't be the first time." Hera said to the man.
"He is so pissed of with the two of us at the moment and his right to be pissed of we chose this for him something that his parents did before us." Zeus said.
"And you wonder why he hates you?" Apollo asked. "Because his parents both sets have made such stellar jobs of doing the right thing for him up till now that is." He added.
Hphphphp
Danny was out in the snow in the back yard he didn't care if it was sub zero he didn't want to feel anything right now and that meant he was getting cold very quickly, James spotted him first lying on a mound of snow that seemed to be impossibly high for someone so small to build he walked out into the garden shivering slightly from the cold he could now here crying from on top of the pile.
"Danny." James started. "Harry will you come down here." James tried.
A stream of white light took form around the boy and he disappeared from site altogether the crying stopped, Hera and Zeus cursed as they appeared in the garden next to James the skies opened up with a new storm and new snow fell.
"What the hell did you hillbillies do to my son?" James demanded.
"His angry and upset by the looks of things at the two of us for stripping him of his powers." Hera said.
"Well great for you, you do realize that my wife is going to go postal on your arses when she gets out here." James said.
"We should concentrate on finding Harry." Zeus said to the man.
"For once I agree with my husband." Hera said.
Hphphph
Danny appeared on a rather hot beach in the middle of the day a long way from being in the cold of England, Danny had been quite surprised to find that he could still do that but he had thrown it out and disappeared from the adults view. Danny knew enough to stay well hidden from his parents all four of them that was the spells he cast meant that he was invisible to the gods at the moment they wanted to find him they would have to get of their arses and find him the hard way.
Checking into a hotel he manifested credit card in Sirius's name knowing the older man never checked his bank accounts he checked into a five star hotel near by, let them find him now.
Over the next week Danny spent time going in and out of theme parks nearby having a whale of a time he had tanned and really enjoyed himself it was while he was in one of the parks near by that his parents caught up with him it was Christmas eve of all days that they had caught up with him. James apparated to his side with an annoyed looking Sirius Remus looked highly amused as did the gods who were present Lily appeared moments later with Tom.
"You have kept yourself well hidden for a whole week how?" James asked.
"I created a credit card in Sirius' name and used it to book in to a hotel up the road, and I know how to stay hidden from gods I was one after all." Danny said.
"Oh you have some balls Danny." Sirius said grinning.
"Oh it was five star a pool the room service was delicious oh the works." Danny said to his godfather.
"What else did you buy?" Lily asked.
"For some reason when I walked by a car wholesalers I brought a Ferrari no idea why I can't drive." Danny said Sirius sputtered at this comment. "Oh don't worry Sirius the money in my accounts will pay for that when I get back to England call the car a Christmas present." Danny said.
"You know your so grounded right?" Tom asked.
"My mother kept trying to ground me with little success what hope does a mortal have?" Danny asked.
"You know I hate it when he does that." James said.
"Oh come now James you have to admit the kid has flare." Sirius said.
"So I guess that we should go pack up my stuff then and get home the holiday was nice but there are only so many things I can do in this place." Danny said to the group.
"You know time stops in this place and it doesn't seem to bother him I have to wonder why?" Remus said.
"Why would it, I mean why would I have a problem with time stopping in the middle of Disney land when if it hadn't the world would now be aware that there are wizards in this world not a great idea Remy." Danny said.
"I hate it when he makes sense." Zeus said.
They headed back to the hotel Danny in the lead a key in hand when they arrived at what was the pent house sweet of the hotel no less he opened the door to show them the room, his parents looked rather shocked that he had filled the room with what looked like an endless supply of presents and sweets Danny laughed at the two of them.
"What did you think just because I went into hiding that I would forget its Christmas?" Danny asked the two of them.
"You brought all of these on a credit card?" Sirius asked.
"Of course I just didn't put a limit on the card if you talk to those prats behind me they will give you back what I owe." Danny said looking with disgust at the two behind him. "I don't know what your doing here anyway I have said all that I am going to say to the pair of you." Danny said his voice as cold as ice he did not look at them.
"You can't stay angry at us forever." Hera said.
"Oh just long enough to take my place again then give you both a taste of your own medicine." Danny snapped back at the woman.
"You know this is why I hate trying to be good with the kids they don't appreciate when we are doing something for their own good." Zeus said.
"Putting me on restriction for that little accident with the Titanic that was for my own good stripping me of my powers for the sake of humanity that was not, we both know that their were ways around that or did you forget that I am the god of magic and am about to go postal on your arse again." Danny said.
"It was seen as the best option." Zeus said.
They hadn't noticed yet but outside the window their was a snow storm going on one that was heavy and one that you could not see what was in front of you for more than a couple of feet, Tom noticed this and pointed it out to his father who looked on stunned that the boy was once again showing signs of immense power.
"You know when you were made mortal did they truly strip you of all your godly powers that snow storm out there is quite a heavy one for California at any time of year." Lily said the three gods turned to look at her then out of the window.
"You know mortals will be talking about this for months." Zeus said to his wife.
"Danny please get control of your powers." Hera said.
"If we stripped him of his powers how comes he can still do that." Zeus said.
Fate took that moment to flash into the room causing the family to jump in shock they weren't expecting that.
"When I said that he had to go back to earth did I say anything about his powers ever truly being gone, I mean the fact that Hades as backed Voldemort a god no less means that I would be leaving him very vulnerable to magic if I stripped him down to everything though his not a god for the time being he is still as powerful as one and more than a match for Voldemort in his weakened state." Fate said to the two gods Danny was watching the three of them with a grin on his face.
"Well we should be getting back to England would you three mind helping with that." James said cutting the argument of in mid storm.
Hphphphp
Christmas day arrived and Danny the person in the house who was the happiest at the moment walked into the kitchen to find his godfather waiting for him looking like a thunderstorm had just hit him in the face with the wet end of his own arm.
"You mind telling me how you can spend a million and a half in a week?" Sirius asked.
"Oh I changed my appearance and went to a casino, it seems that I got into a high stakes poker game and well I replaced the money I spent and kept what I won." Danny said.
"You did what?" Lily screeched from the door way.
"I won a high stakes game that's all." Danny said.
"I think the fact that you gambled is bad enough but you won." Sirius said.
"Well what can I say me and fate have a good relationship when I am down and bored he keeps me entertained and through me what I needed to win those games of poker in all I cleared everyone out in a few hours and was then asked to leave, I am guessing you found me cause I think I saw Apollo in said casino and I have no doubt that he told you lot where to find me to get into the good graces of my parents again." Danny said. "Or two of them anyway." He added as an afterthought.
"You admitted that we are your parents that's a step in the right direction." James said with a grin on his face.
"Oh don't get to happy tomorrow you could be back to the those idiots that gave birth to me you know." Danny said with a grin that reached all the way to his eyes.
The others laughed as they sat down to breakfast Crystal appeared with a bunch of presents for everyone Danny laughed at the startled yelp from Sirius who had a large diamond dropped into his never regions a tear from the phoenix was an incredible gift.
"She doesn't even do that for me you should be honoured." Danny said.
"I am just not honoured about where she dropped it." He said wincing.
"She brought some presents for us from mum and dad and the rest of the gods." Danny said picking up a cage that had Tom's name on it. "This one is for you." He said handing the present over knowing what it was they had become so close over the months and it was clear that the two of them were identical in pretty much every way including taste.
Tom ripped the paper of and yelped inside was a beautiful gem phoenix almost identical to Crystal in everyway Sirius whistled as did Danny this meant that the gods were accepting the other half of Danny's family and that would help later on when things got rough no doubt.
"Well you have to name him you know." Danny said to the boy.
"Really they don't come ready named?" he asked.
"No silly I normally name them but this one is for you and he will except the name you give him I am sure." Danny said with a grin.
The rest of the day was spent as a family the others came in to visit while the Weasley's and Hermione came over for dinner the two boys were proudly showing of their new pets Danny had been given the most beautiful unicorn pearl white in colour with green eyes like his. Danny who had lead the animal out to the stable took the others out to meet him later the girls cooed Ron managed to get close enough to almost get gored by the animal and Tom who had been given a female version had also been almost gored by said animal which was highly amusing to Danny who knew that the pets in question were mates and that the animal was just trying to protect his mate.