"Danke Wulf," Danny called back through the portal as it closed. (Thanks Wulf). Danny then turned to his window and sighed in relief.
"I was sure it was going to be night. Mustn't have been in there as long as I thought. Come on, best tell Minerva what happened in case she noticed that we were gone," Danny commented to Harry. Harry frowned.
"What do you mean? We were only gone a few hours," Harry replied, confused. Danny nodded.
"Maybe, but time runs differently in the Ghost Zone. A few minutes can translate in real world time as an hour," Danny explained and opened the door from his office/bedroom to the classroom. He froze when he spotted the fourth years sitting in their seats. He bit his lip and turned to go back in his office before turning back to the surprised students.
"One minute," he promised them before returning to his office and closing the door.
"Er, we have a problem. We've been away about a day," Danny informed Harry nervously. Harry's eyes widened.
"What?" he gasped. Danny nodded and rubbed his neck.
"My fourth years are waiting in the classroom. So, I need you to go and find Minerva and explain what happened and I'll deal with the students," Danny decided. Harry nodded.
"What are you going to tell them?" Harry asked. Danny shrugged.
"I'll have to tell them the truth, I guess. I'll tell them that there was an emergency in the Ghost Zone and Wulf came to get me. Don't worry about me Harry, I've had tons of practice with coming up with excuses for being late or missing. Just go and tell Minerva everything before we get into even more trouble. I'll take over when I've finished here," Danny assured Harry.
With a nod to Harry, Danny opened the door again and stepped out, holding the door open for Harry so the wizard could make a hasty escape to go and find the headmistress. Once the classroom door closed, Danny took a calming breath and turned to a girl in the front row.
"Er, can you tell me what time it is?" He asked cautiously. The girl frowned.
"Class started fifteen minutes ago," the girl answered. Danny nodded slowly. It wasn't too bad then. He could salvage this lesson. He then noticed a student's hand in the air, interrupting Danny's panicked thoughts on what he'd cover for that lesson. Danny smiled apologetically and nodded to the student.
"How did you get in your office? We checked when we first came in to see if you were in there," the student asked. Danny smiled nervously and nodded.
"Well, that would be because I only just got back here a few minutes ago," Danny admitted. There were frowns of confusion and mutterings between some students. Danny cleared his throat and the students fell silent again.
"I was in the Ghost Zone. A ghost, a friend of mine, warned me that there was some trouble in Princess Dora's realm. Her brother, Aragon tried to escape and take the throne. I'm afraid that I lost track of time and was in there for a little longer than I intended," Danny explained. A few hands shot up into the air. Danny nodded to one boy near the back.
"Why was Professor Potter with you?" the student asked. Danny nodded.
"Fair question. I get regular updates from a ghost that I haven't brought into my lessons yet. I'm thinking about asking him to come, before you ask. Professor Potter wanted to meet my friend and wanted to help when he heard that there was trouble in Princess Dora's kingdom," Danny answered.
Danny nodded to another hand.
"So you left Hogwarts unprotected? You said that you were the only person keeping that ghost in the forest away from us," a girl accused. Danny bit his lip and reluctantly nodded.
"I guess I did. However no one knew I'd gone, that would include the ghost. You see, I can sense him but I don't think he can sense me. But I'll admit that things kind of just happened on Sunday. I heard what happened and rushed off to help. I'm glad I did, Princess Dora was losing when I got there," Danny informed them. The students began to whisper among themselves. Danny waited for silence.
"Mr. Fenton, you said you went in on Sunday," a girl called out. Danny nodded.
"Time runs differently in the Ghost Zone. It takes practice to learn by how much. But like I said, I lost track of time. I thought it would still be Sunday night," Danny replied with a nervous neck rub.
A few questions later, Danny finally decided that he needed to cover a lesson. He bit his lip before deciding.
"Now, enough questions, this is a lesson, not a place to gossip. I'm afraid it's not a nice subject today. Ghost death. Unlike what most people believe, ghosts can die," Danny began and went into a long explanation about ghost cores, how they can destabilise and how most ghosts have a reason to become a ghost and when the reason is completed or lost, ghosts lose the will to continue. By the time the lesson was over, Danny had explained everything he knew about ghost death and had tried to lift the students' spirits with a few jokes. Danny decided that his next lesson would be conducted in the reverse. He'd explain about ghost death and then explain where he'd been for the last day.
Danny left with the students and rushed off to find Minerva and explain things and then to spread word through the ghosts that he was still around as a rumour had been spread that he might have left because he couldn't catch Spooky. Danny returned for his next lesson. He met back up with Harry at lunch. Both of them looked suitably worn out. They hadn't eaten or slept since Sunday morning. They sat down and began to eat. Danny poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Man, I'm so tired," Harry muttered after his fifth yawn since sitting down. Danny hummed an agreeance.
"Me too. Now you know why I can get addicted to coffee and why I spent half my high school years sleeping in class," Danny remarked and handed Harry a cup of strong coffee and poured himself a second cup. Harry laughed softly.
"Yeah I guess I do. That happen a lot?" Harry replied as he took a sip of the coffee. He frowned and went to grab some milk before Danny stopped him.
"Best to drink it black Harry. The milk counteracts the caffeine. If it's too bitter, use sugar," Danny advised him. Harry raised an eyebrow but obeyed, dropping a few clumps of sugar into his cup.
"Not really. But sometimes just going into the Ghost Zone causes trouble for me. You've seen some of the ghosts but those are only the ghosts I'm friends with or can make a deal with. Johnny 13 and Kitty only came because I made a deal to not shove them into a thermos if I saw them in Amity Park if they agreed not to cause trouble. Youngblood agreed to come-. Youngblood!" Danny began before snapping his fingers. Harry frowned and tried his coffee again. He scowled at it and plopped another couple of sugar lumps into the cup.
"What about him?" Harry asked.
"I think he could help with Peeves. Youngblood is a kid. He loves to play but most of the ghosts in the Ghost Zone don't want to spend time with him. He's kept in line by his older friend, that skeleton cat he had with him remember?" Danny explained. Harry frowned. Harry had been able to see Youngblood after Danny had explained how the ghost worked. Youngblood had dressed up at a wizard and taken every stereotype into account, including a feline familiar. The skeletal cat had constantly corrected the boy on word pronunciation and to keep in character.
Harry frowned.
"You really think so?" Harry asked sceptically. Danny nodded.
"Yeah, Youngblood isn't so bad when you get to know him. He's even helped me a couple of times. I think I can come up with a deal that will get Youngblood a playmate and get Peeves a supervisor. I'll ask Youngblood on Sunday and we can have a trial run. What do you think? Reckon Minerva will agree to it?" Danny answered. Harry shrugged and sipped his coffee-sugar drink. He frowned but took a larger gulp, at least it was palatable now.
"Dunno. She wasn't happy about us disappearing off like that yesterday," Harry reminded him. Danny nodded.
"I know. But I really think I can get Youngblood to help with Peeves," Danny retorted, gulping down his coffee in one go and excusing himself to find Minerva. He'd been looking for an answer for Peeves since he gotten to Hogwarts and wanted to follow through with this brainwave before he forgot.
It took a couple of days for Danny to convince Minerva that it could work. And another for the witch to let Danny go back into the Ghost Zone, as long as Harry stayed behind. Danny agreed and wasn't even fazed when that Saturday he didn't sense Spooky on their ghost hunt. He returned to his office and began to write letters to his family to explain what happened the weekend before and then began to write out a contract with Youngblood. He even asked the Bloody Baron for his input.
That Sunday, Danny returned to the Ghost Zone. He gave Youngblood the contract and then checked up on Dora and told her about an idea for his lessons but would need her help to pull off. She happily agreed and started preparations immediately. He asked Wulf if he was willing to participate in his lessons in Hogwarts, which the ghostly werewolf was more than happy to do. Then Danny returned to Youngblood and asked the ghost for his opinion. Youngblood had agreed and Danny and Youngblood returned to Hogwarts together.
"I'm warning you Youngblood. I'm keeping an eye on you and Peeves. If I hear one word from the other ghosts that you two are causing trouble for the students or teachers, you're both going into the thermos and you'll be in the Ghost Zone before you can say "abbra kedabbra". Got it?" Danny warned the child dressed up as a wizard as they exited his office. Youngblood scowled at Danny.
"Fine. By the way this whole thing of you being an adult and still seeing me sucks," Youngblood remarked. Danny smiled.
"Thanks, can you tell the other ghosts that I'm an adult? This whole "ghost child" thing is getting stale," Danny asked. Youngblood laughed.
"You think they listen to me? I've resorted to hanging out with Klemper," Youngblood admitted. They both shuddered.
"That bad? No wonder you agreed to this," Danny retorted. Youngblood nodded.
"Trust me, I'd take a wacky poltergeist over getting accidentally frozen solid by a clingy Klemper during a temper tantrum any day," Youngblood replied.
"You remember the deal though, right?" Danny interjected. Youngblood sighed.
"Yeah. I play with Peeves and keep him out of trouble and I get to stay here and play. I have to listen to all teachers and the Bloody Baron and you. If I break the agreement, you trap us in the thermos and I'm handed over to your parents for target practice or whatever. It works on a three strikes and I'm out basis. I know the deal, Phantom," Youngblood recited. Danny nodded.
"And?" Danny prompted. Youngblood sighed dramatically in annoyance.
"No calling you Phantom while I'm here," Youngblood added. Danny nodded, satisfied. Danny spotted Sir Nick floating down the corridor.
"Hey, Sir Nick! Haven't seen Peeves around lately have you?" Danny called.
Sir Nick stopped and turned to Danny.
"I'm afraid I haven't. But I think the Grey Lady mentioned something about rude words on blackboards in classrooms on the sixth floor," Sir Nick answered. Danny smiled.
"Thanks Sir Nick. Come on Youngblood, let's go find your new friend," Danny announced, walking down the corridor towards the Astronomy tower. It seemed that the tower had become one of Peeves' regular hide outs that the Bloody Baron didn't know about just yet.
Peeves problem resolved… possibly… we'll see.
Also Danny has a special lesson planned…
Let me know what you guys think of the story so far.
Until the next chapter.