"You have got to be joking me." Danny muttered, turning around in mid-air as he looked for the poltergeist, Peeves. Growling under his breath, he almost missed the jet of red light that streaked up to him from directly below him. Seeing it as it went, he turned sharply and saw the pink toad from breakfast, wand pointed up at him as he flew to the side to avoid the second beam of light aimed at him. Flying around the third streak of light, he misjudged the fourth and final spell as it hit him and bound him in ropes, succesfully tying him in ropes and causing him to fall onto his bottom, hard with her leering and looking down at him as he struggled to turn intangible and free.

"Now then, what have we here?" She said, smiling sweetly, standing over him as he glared and thrashed about on the floor, "It seems that the Minister will have to know about this. If you could give me your name, ghost, then we can get on down to the Ministry and have you registered and classified."

"Say what now?"

"Dolores!" A shout came from behind them, Dumbledore coming upto them as Danny stilled and glared hard at the pink-clad witch as she turned and said, "Headmaster, I found this being flying about the school halls and have just caught it, and I will be taking it for Cornelius to deal with." There was a hint of triumph in her voice as two of the Four came flying up and stopped dead behind the elderly wizard as he replied, "I do believe that you are wrong in the matter, Dolores. He has been invited to deal with our poltergeist problem. And I do believe that your actions may have made him slightly maddened."

"Then why was it so easy to capture him and how come he fell on the floor bound?" Dolores argued back as Danny growled slightly and finally turned intangible, floating up with green Ectoblasts sparking in his fists, Dumbledore backing away slightly from the Halfa even as Umbridge failed to notice this. The two members of the Hogwarts Four did, however, notice and quickly flew forwards and pulled him down the hallway and through the end wall before he could let a blast fly.

"How come she caught you, Daniel?" Baron asked, speaking in Esparanto as he and Nick let the teenager go and Nick shoved him forwards a little, causing him to yelp and the blasts to dim a little as he landed on the ground of the classroom theat they were in. Huffing, Danny let the rest of the blast's die out and he crossed his arms and pouted, saying, "I was trying to find my way back to the Entrance Hall when she startled me. I dodged the first three of those light beams, but the fourth one caught me by surprise. How was I to know that those ropes were enough to catch me."

"Daniel, your species is rare, you should know that. Add on the fact that she hates half-breed like yourself, and we have a problem. How many times has Skulker tried to take your pelt?" Nick said as they looked at him as he scowled and said loudly, "Dont remind me. Please."

"We brought you here to sort out Peeves. Not for you to take your displeasure out on Dolores Umbridge. Even though she quite possibly deserves it." Nick said, the Baron nodding, "These things have to be taken care of in secret, Daniel. You can let go of your frustration in the Ghost Zone or the Forbidden Forest later tonight."

"Again, dont remind me, Nick." Danny snapped, his aura flaring as he floated up towards them both, "I was caught purely by sheer luck on her part. I get enough of that back home. I can't fly around without my Ectosignature being recognised and traced by either my parents, or the Guys In White. I have poor grades at school because I'm always fighting ghosts at night, before, during and after school and my parents are always going on about 'that ghost kid' being a menace and danger to our kids and society. One part of me is loved by them, whilst the other half is despised purely because of what I am and what I can do. I try and be considerate to the buildings during the fights, but it's not easy to turn intangible in time when you're flying backwards towards a building after being thrown by the enemy of the day. Then Skulker is always trying to capture me and possibly make me a full ghost because of my pelt."

"We did not realise that that was what you went through on a daily basis, Daniel. Truly, we are sorry." Baron said, as Danny shut his mouth after his rant and breathed heavily, going forwards and putting his hand gently on the still intangible teens shoulder as he sighed and seemed to deflate in weariness.

"You're Phantom?" A new voice spoke up, startling the three as they looked to the door and the rooms new occupants, Harry and Hermione. And they were looking at the suddenly shy Danny as he gulped and bit his lip, looking at Nick and Baron.

"Fuck." came the murmur from Danny as he backed away from the duo of ghosts and wizards.

-HARRY AND HERMIONE-

"Hermione, wait up!" Harry yelled, running up to the witch as she slowed to a slow walk and waited for him to catch up and smiled at him, "What happened out there? It seemed like you didn't want to be around Ron."

"I can't stand the way he deals with things, Harry. Last year, he completely ignored you after the Goblet spat out your name, then after the First Task, he seemed to want to talk to you again." Hermione said, noticing Harry's wince and his right hand rub his left arm, where the scar from the graveyard resided. Sighing, she looked at him and laid her hand on his shoulder and smiled gently, saying, "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to bring it up. I know it's hard on you."

"It's not that, 'Mione. I just wish that Cedric hadn't come to the graveyard with me during the Third Task, that's all." Harry said, looking down and to the side as his friend got stuck for words, even though her hand stayed where it was on his shoulder. They stayed like that as he brought his hand up, Hermione wincing at the fresh scars on his hand as he brought it to wipe his eyes underneath his glasses. Frowning in worry as she remembered the first day that she had seen him that past summer, she realised that he had filled out a little bit ovwer the year, but was far too skinny still.

Looking up as a small commotion caught their ears, both friends watched as Dumbledore and two of the ghosts raced down the hallway and disappeared down another hallway, students jumping out of their headmasters way as he went.

"What do you think's happening?" Harry said, all sadness forgotten as she shrugged and cocked her head as the two ghosts came racing down the hall way again, this time dragging another ghost inbetween them. The white strands of hair caught their eyes as they realized that this was the one that was new as the trio disappeared, the one in the middle struggling slightly. His hands could be seen as glowing slightly green, as if he were doing something.

"I dont know, Harry." she replied as the ghosts went through a wall and disappeared beyond, "Want to find out?"

"I'll go with what Ron said when we started the DA. Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" Harry said, already walking forwards and going up the stairs, smiling slightly at her shocked expression as she walked forwards, saying, "I should have known by now, huh? Nothing can deter a Potter."

"Is that a bad thing?" He bantered back, walking up the stairs with her, ducking when she went to smack him upside the head, "Do you think that that white haired ghost is the one Danny was talking about?"

"Phantom?" Hermione answered, looking thoughtful as they reached the first floor landing, "Quite possibly. We've only seen him the once though, and it was only a quick glimpse."

"Not if you don't count the sighting's when he had first arrived and later when he was with the House Ghosts." Harry reminded her as students went about their daily business, barring the lessons in between. Nodding, Hermione said, "If only we knew what place in america was haunted though. Danny seemed to be alright with the ghosts as we went to breakfast. He even had a converstion with Myrtle. She never comes out of her bathroom. Ever."

"So, what made her come out then? It cant have just been to do with Danny." Harry said, stopping and listening as raised voices sounded from their left, Umbridges being the loudest as she screeched, "-NELIUS HAS TO KNOW ABOUT THAT GHOST, DUMBLEDORE! I WOULD NOT BE DOING MY DUTY TO THIS SCHOOL IF HE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT A NEW GHOST COMING AND HAUNTING THESE PREMISES."

A lower voice answered her as another set of voices sounded from the other direction, this time, they were echoing, like ghosts were discussing something important with each other. Looking at Hermione as she did the same, they went in the direction as the echoing voices and soon themselves in front of a door some way away form the hustle and bustle of the main castle. From inside, they could hear Nick's voice, followed by a younger, more irate voice as whoever it was said in another language,

"Daniel, via specio estas rara, vi devus scii ke. Aldoni en la fakto ke ŝi malamas duone raso kiel vi, kaj ni havas problemon. Multfoje havas Skulker provis preni vian Pelt?" Nick was saying as Harry and Hermione put their ears to the door.

"Ni memorigi min. Bonvolu." Another voice answered, sounding annoyed as they looked at each other, Harry whispering, "What language is that?", while Hermione shrugged and scrunched her eyes up and shook her head, meaning that she didn't understand it either.

"Ni venigis vin ĉi tien por klasifiki Peeves. Ne por vin preni vian malkontenta sur Doloroj Umbridge. Kvankam ŝi tre eble meritas ĝin." Nick answered, sounding like he was speaking to a child who wasn't listening, "Tion esti atentita en sekreto, Daniel. Vi povas lasi iri vian frustración en la Fantoma Zono aŭ la Malpermesita Arbaro poste tiu nokto."

"Denove, dont memorigi min, Nick." The teens voice said, sounding like he was bordering on irate and angered as they started to rant in the strange language, "Mi estis kaptita pure per nura sorto sur ŝia parto. Mi satiĝos ke hejme. Mi Cant flugi ĉirkaŭe sen mia Ectosignature esti rekonita kaj spurita per ĉu miaj gepatroj, aŭ la Guys blanke. Mi havas malriĉa kvalifikojn en lernejo ĉar mi 'M ĉiam batalante fantomoj nokto, antaŭ, dum kaj post lernejo kaj miaj gepatroj ĉiam okazas pri' ke fantomo kid 'esti minaco kaj danĝero por niaj infanoj kaj socio. Unu parto de mi estas amata de ili, dum la aliaj duono estas despiced pure pro kio mi estas kaj kion mi povos fari. Mi provas kaj esti atenti la bezonojn de la konstruaĵoj dum la luktoj, sed ne estas facile turni intangibles en tempo kiam vi flugas malantaŭen al konstruaĵo post esti ĵetita de la malamiko de la tago. Tiam Skulker ĉiam klopodas kapti min kaj eble faros min plena fantomo pro mia Pelt. "

It sounded like the person, teenager for that was what they sounded like, was having a rant as Harry and Hermione looked to one another and pushed open the door slightly as the Baron went over to whoever was in front of him and Nick and said in the same language, "Ni ne rimarkis ke tio estis kion vi trairis ĉiutage, Daniel. Vere, ni bedaŭras."

A silence followed as both of them looked at the gathered ghosts, neither of whom had even noticed them as of yet. They were in what looked like a disused classroom, the desk's and chairs were all upturned and dust ridden, threatening to set them both sneezing if they moved wrong, instead they stood by the door and looked up at the ghostly gathering above them. The one being comforted was dressed in a skintight suit, with a symbol, akin to the kind that were used on superheroes in Dudleys comic books, his hair, whiter than freshly fallen snow, hanging in his face as he looked away from the two ghosts of Hogwarts. Although they could not see his eyes, they still got the sense of protection that they got from Danny whenever they were around him. Perharps this boy was the reason behind that. Shaking her head, Hermione jumped as Harry spoke up and said, "You're Phantom?", successfully startling the three ghosts as they whipped aound and stared at them in surprise, 'Phantom' staring at them with wide stunning radioactive green eyes as he gulped and looked to the other ghosts in the room and seemed to become shy.

One word escaped from the teenage ghost as he backed away from them, "Fek."

Althought it was meant to be quiet, it was still heard by Nick and the Baron, Nick cuffing him around the head as he yelped and shouted, "Hey! COME ON!"

"Language, Phantom." Baron scolded, looking at him as he pouted and folded his arms in a rather childlike manner. The whole thing looked rather ridiculous as Hermione giggled and clapped her hand to her mouth, trying to make it seem like he had done nothing funny as all of the males, Harry included, looked to her, Phantom quirking an eyebrow in question as he unfolded his arms and put a neutral face on.

"Sorry. It-you just looked so funny." She said, Phantom looking sceptical as he nodded slightly and Nick asked, "Is there something the matter, Harry, Hermione?"

Looking at each other again, Harry and Hermione hesitated, before Harry sighed and said, "We heard shouting from both ends of the corridor, Umbridge was screeching about taking Phantom to the Ministry for registration, but we also heard you talking as well..."

"So you followed us?" Phantom interrupted, floating a little to the floor and in front of them as Nick and Baron seemed to facepalm at his words. Stepping back, Harry held up his hands and quickly said, "No, not at all. We were wondering if Danny needed any help with Peeves, but we couldn't find him anywhere. We'd heard him talking about you and so we thought that maybe you'd know. As we had no idea what you looked like, we didn't know how you would react."

"Daniel, leave them alone now." Baron said, lifting his head out of his hand and looking at Phantom as he looked back and sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, saying, "I didn't mean it like that, Harry. I just was surprised. You should be able to find Danny by the lake. I last saw him running there as we were chasing Peeves."

"How did you kno-" Harry began before Phantom flew off with Nick and the Baron, leaving him and Hermione alone in the room. Coughing slightly, Hermione grabbed his arm and said, "Come on, Harry. Danny doesn't know his way around yet, and neither does Phantom by the looks of it."

"Huh?" Harry said, distractedly turning to her and blinking, "Yeah, you're right, 'Mione. We can also tell him that we saw Phantom as well, right?"

"Maybe later. Right now, we have to focus on finding Danny by the lake, where Phantom said he was." Hermione replied as they went out of the classroom and back down the hallway, going to the doorway and spotting the Potions Master, Professor Snape, stalking towards the Weasley Twins as they plotted some new prank, Fred Weasley spotting him and nudging his brother and the both of them packing whatever it was that they had been planning and running away as fast as they could, the other twin waving at them as they went past. Smirking, the two friends went on their way and soon found themselves by the lake and looking for the wayward ghost hunter that was Danny.

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Eventually, they found him, siiting on a rock and looking out over the lake, his hand slightly gripped around a gun that lay on his leg as he watched the ripples coming from the middle of the water. He looked peaceful as Hermione went up to him and sat down, Harry following soon after and saying, "Beats being in class." and making the Hunter start and look at them in shock and surprise.

"Can't argue with that." Danny said, putting a hand to his heart and nodding slightly as Hermione said, "We saw Phantom earlier."

"Oh yeah."

"Yeah, but somehow, he knew my name and we never told him it." Harry said, not noticing Danny make a 'Doh!' face and close his eyes tightly and said, "Did he say anything?"

"Yeah, but it was in a different language and we couldn't understand it all. He seemed to be having a rant as The Baron and Nick comforted him. Both of them knew the same language."

"Shit!" Danny said, looking away from the lake and at Harry, something flickering in his eyes as he sighed and added, "Phantom was probably speaking Esperanto. Was there anything stranger about him that caught your eye?"

"You mean apart from the fact that he was glaring at the Baron and Nick one minute then was suddenly all shy and nervous and then tempered the next?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms. Danny flinched back and looked sheepish as he smiled and nodded, standing up and holstered his gun, saying, "Yeah, he can get like that. It's due to the fact that he risk's his afterlife for the town and is underappreciated. And the other ghost's keep on attacking his haunt and he can never seem to find some kind of peace and quiet between attacks. He's probably annoyed at the fact that he's been asked to help deal with Peeves in the beginning of Easter Break, when he should be relaxing or something."

"But didn't he si-" Harry asked, before Seamus Finnigan came running up to them and skidded in the mud as he came to a stop, spraying earth on them and making them scowl in annoyance and look up at him as he panted.

"Harry, Hermione, Danny, you will never guess who came to sort out peeves." the boy said, ignoring the Halfas green eyes as he looked down at his shirt and saw the mud. Deciding to get it over with, Harry shook his head and quirked an eyebrow, waiting for the answer.

"No, but you may as well tell us." he said, as Danny jumped down from the rock and landing cat-like on his feet and walked away, saying, "Danny Phantom comes from the same town as me. So no need to ask if I know, Seamus."

"Really? then you know all about him and what he does then." Seamus asked, turning around and watching Danny retreating back as he hunched his shoulders and continued walking away, his hand in his pockets, the gun glowing whenever the boy stepped into the shades of the trees.

Turning away from the hunter as he disappeard around the corner, Seamus looked at the two members of the Golden Trio and raised his eyebrows in question as Harry shrugged and said, "He was just about to tell us what the deal with Phantom was, Seamus. We saw him with the Bloody Baron and Nearly Headless Nick. They were talking and he seemed pretty pissed off about something."

"Oh, sorry. So any idea where they both come from then." Seamus asked, as they started walkimg back to the grounds of the castle as Hermione shook her head and scowled slightly. Seeing this, Harry shrugged and answered for her, "Not really. The name just seems so familiar somehow. Like it's been heard somewhere before."

"It's the same with me as well, Harry. Then, there's the accent. If I'm not mistaken, I'd say that it would be somewhere around Illinois area." Seamus said, Harry and Hemrione looking at him as he put his hand to his chin in an impression of the girl in their midst, "What? I had a childhood friend who was American. He had to move back though, all the way to Illinois and some unknown town in the middle of nowhere."

"And his name was-?"

"I- can't remember too well, but he seemed pretty normal. HIs family were goofballs though. Escpecially his dad. Lovable oaf doesnt even begin to describe the dad." Seamus said, bringing his hand and right to the back of the neck as he smiled slightly at the Boy-Who-Lived as he stared at the hand, "It's a habit, Harry. I think that my friend caught the habit as well. I really should write to him again, but I don't know the address."

"Danny does the same thing as well, Seamus. You think he would be your friend from then?" Harry asked, looking forwards and seeing the same white haired ghost flying about in the windows and he seemed to be finding his way around as he stopped at a window on the sixth floor and stayed there, looking out and over the grounds.

"What's eating him?" Ron's voice said, as he came to a stop biehind them. Looking around, he saw that their friend was stadning just to the side of Hermione and also looking up at the spectacle as the ghost moved away and into the shadows.

"Dunno, Ron." Hermione answered, looking at the redhead and looking back up at the sixth floor and seeing no sign of the ghost, "Dunno."