I thank you all once again. The continuous support shown for this story thrills me to no end, and I am truly grateful for all who have read, reviewed, and put this story and me on your favorite and alert lists. I give you all hot apple cider and pumpkin pie in thanks.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, The X-Men, or The Amazing Spiderman.

Chapter 7

After leaving his friends, Danny was no closer to making a decision than he was before he escaped his living room, but he no longer felt the panic he did at the time. Instead of worrying about making the wrong decision, Sam and Tucker made it clear that it was a choice between two particularly good options: learning to work with his powers more effectively on a long-term basis, or protecting Amity Park more steadily, more immediately.

Danny flew a patrol circuit around the town as he tried to weigh and balance his options. Two hours of continued indecision later, he heard a cultured voice call out, "So you must be the elusive but ever desirable Danny Phantom. It is good to meet you at last, Daniel."

Danny spun in the air to greet the source of the voice that sent a chill up his back. "M-magneto. I didn't expect to see you."

The addressed Mutant thought about everything he'd been told about this very powerful child. "No, dear boy, I don't believe you would have. But come – I mean you no harm. I only wish to speak with you."

Danny repressed a shudder. "You want me to join your Brotherhood."

Erik smiled. "That's right. There are so very many benefits to be had for a powerful Mutant, such as yourself."

The half-ghost shrugged one shoulder and then the other. "I don't think so. You've got a thing against average humans, and I won't stand for that."

Magneto scoffed, "Humans, indeed. I imagine those troublesome Guys in White are worth your attention."

"Well, no, but…"

"And you work so hard to protect these 'average humans' from molestation. But how do they appreciate your efforts?"

Danny put a hand on the back of his neck. "Well, last I heard, I had something like a 64% approval rating."

The man quirked an eyebrow. "That much? How touching. I'm sure you've earned far more than that. But your own parents wish to tear you apart, molecule by molecule."

Danny remembered what Skulker said earlier. "Well, they don't know it's me."

"So you haven't told them yet, I see."

"No, but…"

"Hmm… Your 'friend' from school tries to destroy you on a fairly regular basis."

Danny jerked his head. "How do you know about Valerie?"

Magneto tilted his head smugly. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"Well…"

Magneto decided that the boy's resolve seemed to be on the edge, and he felt he was almost there. "Daniel, you must have noticed that the humans who you work so hard to protect have no problem judging you as guilty before giving you a chance to prove your innocence. The American justice system says that people are to be thought of as 'innocent until proven guilty,' but for some reason, those rules don't seem to pertain to people like us."

"Sir?" Danny wasn't sure what to think. This man made a good case. He knew Magneto had to be wrong, somewhere, but everything he said was true.

The Mutant backed away and spread his hands expansively. "I know. It's terribly unfair. These people make us out to be lesser creatures. Then, the authorities have no problem treating us as cruelly as they wish."

Danny frowned in concentration. "I don't understand."

"It would be a difficult concept. You were born here in America, the Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave, where all men are created equal."

Danny shook his head, trying to follow. "Well, yeah…"

"But you see, all men were not created equal. Some of us were born with, or somehow acquired, powers that make us different. And average humans are afraid of those who have powers beyond their understanding."

"I guess." Danny peaked his eyebrows, as he knew that was a general argument for why humans hated ghosts. Well… Most ghosts that made it out of the Ghost Zone were dangerous, but it was ghosts like Skulker, Spectra, and Technus who gave ghosts like Danny a bad name.

And people DID fear ghosts. This guy was making sense, and Danny didn't like it.

"This is overwhelming, dear boy, I know. Unfortunately, this is nothing new for me: having people… dehumanizing me for being different."

Danny grimaced and shook his head. "What do you mean?"

Erik sighed sadly. "My dear boy, you are so young. I, however, have lived through several wars."

Danny cocked his head in recognition. "Dad said he lived through 'the war,' but I'm not sure what that has to do with anything."

"If I've done my research correctly, I believe your parents are in their forties. As such, your father was but a child during America's involvement in the Vietnam War. But the war which touched my life indelibly is quite a bit older than that."

Danny rubbed his arms as if he got a chill. "Which war, sir?"

Erik sighed again. "I've lived through the Holocaust, my Daniel."

"No!"

"It is unfortunately all too true." Erik rolled up his left sleeve and showed Danny his brand from Auschwitz.

Danny sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry… Mr. Lehnsherr. My friend Sam is Jewish, too, and she told me how her great-grandfather Izzy had his whole family destroyed. But when he got to America, he, um, rebuilt. He made a new family, and a new business, and everything. But there aren't words to… I'm sorry."

Erik blinked. That was not a connection he intended to make. "Thank you for your sensitivity, Daniel."

Danny adopted his tail and let it flail as he hung his head. He wasn't sure what else to say.

Erik lifted Danny's chin with a gloved finger. "Do you see, my boy, why a similar desocialization might anger me?"

"Yeah. Such a thing should never be forgotten."

"But people have forgotten."

Danny shook his head. "No they haven't! And I'm not talking about the idiots in Skokie!" Lehnsherr raised his eyebrows in surprise, as he didn't think Daniel was old enough to hear about the neo-Nazi protests in Skokie, let alone be adamant against them. "We don't have that kind of prejudice in Casper High."

"Impressive, Daniel." And he was impressed. That teenagers should be so conscious to have anti-Semitism absent was beautiful to hear about. "But that wasn't precisely what I had in mind."

Danny grimaced in confusion.

"My dear boy, surely you have heard of Senator Kelley's Anti-Mutant bills. Average humans hate Mutants, and want the right to legally persecute us. And," he nodded at the numbers on his arm, "that type of persecution leads people to think of annihilation."

Danny closed his eyes and put a hand on his forehead. The Guys' in White enforcement of the anti-ghost legislation described precisely that.

"And that is why the Brotherhood of Mutants is so very important. It is a team to protect people like us."

Danny thought for a second. Everything Magneto said sounded logical, but… he figured it out. "Well… If protecting Mutants was all your Brotherhood did, I could stand behind that. But that's not all your group is about. You want to dominate and persecute average humans, and that's not cool."

Magneto widened his eyes. "But we must strike decisively before they strike against us."

"No, Magneto. While there are people like Senator Kelley who are like that, most average humans aren't. And working to hurt humans isn't…"

"Daniel, how could you wish to protect humans when your own parents are against you? Don't you see how they could harm us with this legislation? How could you not stand against them?"

Danny crossed his arms and shook his head. "Magneto, I'm not just a Mutant, I'm a ghost. And I don't know if you are aware, but such oppressive legislation has already been passed into law. Maybe you've heard of the Anti-Ecto Control Act. It gives free reign to the government to capture, contain, and torture ghosts.

"But you know… While all that's true, it's still worth the effort to protect humans from ghosts who would otherwise harm them. I love my family and friends, and with great power comes great responsibility. I'm one of the most powerful ghosts I know (or will be, with practice), so it's my responsibility to keep people as safe from danger as I can."

Staring in disbelief, Erik backed away to get a better view of the boy. "But you care about them anyway…"

Danny nodded. "Yes, I do."

Magneto narrowed his eyes. "You love your parents, who would destroy you if they captured your ghost half."

"I wouldn't put it that way, but yes, I love them."

Erik raised his eyebrows and tapped his chin. "Curious. I can't but wonder what would happen…"

Danny shot him a sidelong glance. "What?"

Erik smiled dangerously. "I wonder where you would be if your parents did know your secret."

Danny's eyes filled with fear. "Magneto, no…"

"Yes. If I can show you how quickly your parents would turn on you…"

"Dude, not even Vlad would stoop that low!"

"No, he wouldn't. But the truth is what I deal in. I'm sure that you will see that the Brotherhood will be a more worthy family for you."

"No!"

"Of course. Let me fly you home."

"Magneto!"

Erik shook his head. "With or without you, your parents will know your secret. And then you'll know the truth."

"No!"

Magneto inexorably flew to Fenton Works, and Danny pleaded, trailing behind him, to no avail.