Of Lightning Bolts, Half-Ghosts & Time Pieces
By Twin Kats
Beta'd by FlyonSilverWings
Chapter Nine
Knowing Everything
Harry pulled his pajama shirt down over his head and glanced over at Ghost Writer who was scribbling in a small notebook with a frown on his face. Green eyes were narrowed in concentration and the ghostly glow actually diminished around the man. Harry wondered, briefly, how he did that before shoving it under the proverbial rug.
Not everyone had powers over time and could actually formulate their own birth after all, so maybe a ghost could make themselves look human?
Of course Harry promptly forgot what he was thinking about a moment later and instead asked, "Writing a novel?"
Ghost Writer's head jerked up, green eyes widening before snapping the notebooks shut and was that a faint blush? Either way the Writer's book and pen vanished as his gaze shifted away from Harry's face.
"Sorry," 'Writer murmured. "I was just...taking notes, I guess. Haven't been to the Human World in quite a while."
"Ah." Harry turned and glanced at the bed and then back at the Writer. "You can share my bed, you know. I won't mind. S'better then sleeping on the floor, eh?"
There was a moments pause before, "You trust me that close?"
Harry blinked, "You are The Scribe, Keeper of the Scrolls, are you not?" Ghost Writer's eyes widened slightly. "Otherwise I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have that Quantum Keyboard."
"You-You knew?"
Harry shrugged slightly and said, "Sort of. A feeling, I guess. Tend to have quite a few of them...and I just know stuff without really understanding it. Like Clockwork."
"Oh?"
"I know he's me but not. I also know that the Tower is my lair, but I don't know why or how or even the facts on that there are two of me running around. I know I have some sort of job but I don't worry about it. I also know that there is someone who is feared known as Pariah, but I don't know why or who he is or even why he's not around. Not exactly."
Ghost Writer's brow furrowed and he uttered, "Basically bits of you are bleeding through, when they shouldn't. Bits of who you are when in the Ghost Zone, what you know when Ghost, but not what you are supposed to know as Human."
"Yes," the teen murmured. "I...don't know why, but it doesn't seem to be a problem."
Ghost Writer nodded to himself, brow still furrowed, as Harry settled down into the bed. The teen jumped slightly when the Writer disappeared only to reappear curled up behind him.
"And yes, I think I'll join you," he murmured, keeping a respectful distance. "The bed is better than the floor."
The next day Maddie and Jack were actually quite nervous and anyone that knew them remotely well (such as their children or Vlad) could tell just how nervous they were. Jazz was even on edge and Vlad was trying to weasel out of Danny just what was so special about this 'Harry kid' anyway.
He was getting really annoyed that Danny did not seem to know anything.
"Mom? Dad?" Jazz asked, glancing at her parents. "I'm gonna go see if I can find those twins and let them know what time dinner will be, alright?"
"Thank you, Jazzy-pants!" Jack grinned enthusiastically as Jazz slipped on her shoes.
"Danny can you help me in the kitchen?" Maddie asked, poking her head out of the kitchen suddenly.
Danny, who was heading up to his room, blinked before replying, "Uh, sure."
"Great! Thanks sweetheart!" Maddie ducked back into the kitchen and Danny followed.
"Maddie, love, I could help too," Vlad said, standing to go help, but Jack placed a hand on his shoulder and held him in place.
"C'mon V-man! Let Maddie and Danny have their bonding time. I want to show you the Fenton Fisher!"
"Er, Jack, my old friend-" Vlad started but found himself led away without consent, fists clenched tightly.
Danny entered the kitchen to see that Maddie hadn't even started cooking. Instead she was staring at the counter-tops with a frown on her face.
"Mom?"
Maddie jumped and whirled around. Upon seeing Danny she promptly laughed and waved her hand, forced smile on her face.
"Oh Danny! Don't sneak up on me like that! Hahaha."
"Mom, what...what's wrong?" Danny asked, now really worried. It was bad enough that Vlad was still here, despite having quite literally been kicked onto the curb, but his parents had been on edge all day and now this?
Maddie sighed and pulled out a chair for Danny, violet eyes sad.
"Danny, sit down," she said softly. "By now Jack should be distracting Vlad so that you and I can talk..."
"Mom what is this about?" Danny bit his lip, nervously sitting down. Did his parents know? Did they remember the Reality Gauntlet? What was going on?
"Sweetheart...understand we never really wanted to keep this from you," Maddie started out, "but...well, we didn't realize...oh damn it!"
Danny started, rather surprised that Maddie had sworn, and blinked.
"You remember Harry?" she asked after a minute, not once looking him in the eye. Danny nodded slowly. "Your father and I knew his parents, or well...his mother, really, seeing as we didn't know James all that well," Maddie plowed on. "About...thirteen years ago we got news that they'd...died. Gas explosion, destroyed the whole house..." Maddie sighed softly. "We were told there was only one survivor, their youngest son."
"So that's why he came here?" Danny asked. "'Cuz you knew his parents?"
Maddie shook her head slightly, "Danny, let me finish." Danny bit his lip but nodded. "As Jack and I knew Lily quite well we were named Godparents to one of their boys; if anything where to happen to them or their original choice their children were to go to us."
Danny began to pale. He had a really bad feeling in his gut.
"A friend of their's brought over their youngest," Maddie stated, tears in her eyes, "and told us what happened. He said there were no survivors except that beautiful little boy...Jack and I swore to raise him as our own, to honor his parents memory...that beautiful little boy, all alone..."
"Did he die?" Danny asked, hesitant. "I mean I don't have a brother, so he must've died, right? And now you have to tell Harry?"
"Danny, no," Maddie shook her head and then grabbed Danny's hand, "you are that little boy. Harry is your elder brother, your twin brother."
Danny pulled his hand back, shaking his head and uttering sharply, "You're wrong! You can't-why wouldn't you have told me before?"
"Danny we planned to tell you when you were sixteen! We had thought Harry was dead! We wanted you to grow up loved and have a family-we were going to tell you I swear! Honey, please!"
"Mo-no...you're not my mom!" Danny shook his head, shocked. "You-you're...why didn't you tell me!"
"Well I can tell you it wasn't because she wanted to use you as a weapon, that's for damned sure."
Danny whirled around to see Harry standing in the doorway, staring at him.
"YOU!"
"Harry?" Maddie murmured, shocked.
"I could feel your anger," Harry stated, running a hand through his hair. "I actually came over here to figure out what the threat was and then to disembowel them, but imagine my surprise to see it's just...finding out everything that was kept from both of us."
Danny felt his sudden anger deflate to confusion. "Felt? And...you didn't know?"
Harry snorted, "Like the Dursley's would ever tell me."
"What did you mean weapon?" Maddie yelled suddenly and Harry's eyes widened.
"I...said that? Oops?"
Danny could see a rather familiar half-smirk on the teen's face despite how 'innocent' he was trying to look. Somehow he just knew, in that moment, that whoever planned this lovely thing better watch out because Maddie Fenton was furious.
And a furious Maddie Fenton was a even more dangerous Maddie Fenton.
Danny was actually surprised-no, wait, that was a lie. Somehow he wasn't surprised at all that Harry had quite viciously and effectively destroyed his anger only to turn around and destroy the anger Maddie was feeling next. Maddie had then sent them both up to Danny's room saying they should talk and that Harry could honestly explain some things better.
He agreed but only because he really wanted answers.
"Okay, who are you?"
Harry rolled his eyes slightly and then stated, "Harry James Potter, your older twin brother."
"No I mean...that...smirk," Danny stated, frowning. "It's...it's really familiar. You're familiar like...I've seen you before...?"
Harry half-smirked at Danny again, "You're asking for ending without knowing the beginning, Daniel. There are much more important things that how you might possibly know me if you'll let me explain."
Danny frowned and snorted, crossing his arms, "Fine, but don't call me Daniel! It's Danny!"
Harry nodded, shooting the teen a sheepish smile, "Sorry, I mean...I've heard everyone call you Danny it's just...well maybe I should explain everything else and it'll make more sense..." he frowned before continuing. "Right. So...twins have this bond."
"You're going to lecture aren't you," Danny deadpanned.
"It'll explain everything!" Harry pouted. "Seriously! Like why I wanted to disembowel whoever was pissing you off and stuff I mean it!" Danny was the one who smirked this time and Harry scowled. "Brat," he mumbled but continued, "as I was saying twins naturally have a bond. When we're babies we need to be close or the bond could fracture badly."
"Isn't that made-up mumbo jumbo though?" Danny blinked, curious despite his disbelief.
"You believe in ghosts," Harry stated bluntly, face blank, and Danny winced. "We were forced into a separation by a manipulative old goat faced pansy who saw me as nothing more than a weapon and you as possible collateral."
"What?"
"Exactly," Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "When we were one a madman came to kill us; he would have succeeded if mom didn't sacrifice herself. That sacrifice, and I think the fact that I'm...sort of me yet not is what saved our life." Danny was gaping. "I'll explain more on that in a minute. Basically his attempt to kill us ended with the house exploding and him disappearing. Crazy goat sent you here and claimed me dead, while sending me to our Aunt and never telling me of your existence. Our bond stretched, frayed a little, but stabilized enough that we could live. Granted it caused me to...I guess you could say bleed personality traits."
"What does that mean?" Danny blinked.
"I grew up in an unloving environment, part of who I really am leaked through as a defense," Harry deadpanned. "However we were stable, that is until your 'accident' in September."
"You...know?" Danny asked weakly and Harry stared at him, his gaze suddenly years older but understanding as he uttered, "I know," and then shifted in a flash of purple rings into the teenage Clockwork.
Danny's eyes were wide as the teen Clockwork smirked and uttered, "Then again, I know everything."
ONWARDS TO THE AUTHORS NOTE!
Yeah...this went differently then I imagined...Excuse me while I wonder off to bang my head against a wall. Why am I sucking at the seriousness all of a sudden? WHY?
Guh, I blame Danny. It's like...instantly all the humor gets sucked away into serious stuff when Danny needs to understand things. Oh well, humor will come back. Soon. Maybe. After the party it's in.
Stupid party. It stole my humor from me, I swear! I WANT IT BACK PARTY YOU HERE? SOON!
Yeah...I got nothin'
Enjoy?
Edit: beta'd by FlyonSilverWings