A/N: Bonus chapter: When the author makes a horror omake of his own life. (Or, when the other author behind the scenes realizes that maybe her entire purpose in life isn't to torture fictional characters and so decides completely to rewrite the end of Year One and add about 20k words and then realizes she did it anyway.)
Thanks for hanging on for a wild ride. This is a very much a "to be continued", because god, I have so many hanging plot threads it isn't funny. One of these days, those will all get wrapped up and I can finally mark this story as "complete"... but that will be in a long time. You don't even know how old older!Danny is.
I have a plan for second year, but am debating on whether I should do a massive time skip or keep rolling forward. There are benefits to both, and I am a little impatient to jump ahead, but there are some significant things that are supposed to happen second year, and things to resolve from this year, that I'm not sure I can fully tell in retrospect without it seeming forced. Sooo we'll see how that goes.
You know, it's hard, to come up with stuff all behind the scenes, then realize you're actually supposed to tell the reader all that stuff somehow, when even the MC isn't really supposed to know it. Especially when your MC is actually a really unreliable narrator who is telling his own story for his own reasons and with his own biases. Especially when it hasn't been revealed yet as to what those biases are.
I know there are a few points of confusion for the last chapters, probably, but hopefully those will clear up along the way. I really don't want to leave the real reader (you guys) behind while I go off and craft all this stuff that isn't really understandable. I've read a couple of stories like that, and while they're interesting, it's a little unfortunate when you're reading something you like, then suddenly there's some little glossing over some detail and suddenly you start wondering when this story stopped making sense. Usually it's when stories get too big in scope. It's hard to get into the reality of feelings and character actions when you scale up power, or you start cooking up crafty, villainous plots that are actually meant to have nuance but you kinda want to make it a big reveal or something, or you start tackling several larger-scale societal themes.
I dunno. This story has changed forms already so much, and I keep wanting to change it, shift things around, but I know that I shouldn't at this point. Standing at "chapter 19", it definitely looks very different than I envisioned when I started. Some themes tackled less than I thought they would be, others attacked a little more and magically pulled back into the story relevantly at the last moment. A loooot of it was set-up that still hasn't been expended yet. We'll see how it keeps evolving.
Needless to say, input would be very much appreciated.
Hope you don't mind the minor spoilers from my rant, and that this rant is probably 10% of the length of the actual chapter.
Hope you enjoy.
.
ALTERNATIVE (fictional) Chapter 16-19
gAmE OVEr
I… hesitate to write this, especially to you, on such an important day. But somehow the thought ensnared itself on my mind, grew and grew, until I had no other way to remove it from my mind than to pour it out onto paper.
Please understand that this chapter is completely fictional, and came from some twisted deep recesses of my mind of what could have been. I will call it… Timeline Two.
Hermione trusted me enough to tell me her truth and fears, when she pulled me aside to tell me about the Sorcerer's Stone. That is where this story diverges, and why Good ultimately won in this battle for my soul, as Headmaster Dumbledore would have put it. (For this moment, at least.) And of course, due to the goodness of Remus Lupin, a man whom I admire to this day.
This is merely one possible future, in which one little boy grew bitter at the secrets his friend kept from him and had not the strength to resist Darkness. This is not to say, yes, spill all your secrets to your friends without forethought, but, ah, to instead try to be more forgiving to your friends.
One final lesson before the end, if you will.
It had happened after the whole "dragon" debacle, when Hermione, Ron, and Harry lost Gryffindor one-hundred-fifty house points, just when final exam season was coming up. The rest of the House was understandably upset about it.
Neville and Danny were especially upset because they had somehow been dragged into a detention with them after trying to warn them about Malfoy's interference. That… had been real fun.
What was even more fun was how Hermione, Harry, and Ron were investigating something and refused to tell him anything about it. When he walked by, their conversation abruptly stopped. It was infuriating, so he had spent more time with Remus and Neville and found himself almost ostracized from the Harry-Hermione-Ron trio.
(He supposed he was being a hypocrite, since he hadn't told them about the ghost. But at least he still hung out with them and acted normal!)
So it was that when the three tried to sneak out at night again - a week before finals, no less - he had been downstairs, in the common room, talking with Neville about astronomy.
They all acted appropriately shocked when they saw the two of them waiting. In fact, Neville and Danny had suspected that the three of them might try something and so had moved their conversation downstairs exactly for this purpose.
"And where are you all going?" he asked nonchalantly. "A secret stroll in the middle of the night, rescuing some poor baby dragons?"
They stopped short, looking panicked.
"We can't let you lose us any more house points," Neville said firmly.
"Danny, Neville," Hermione said frantically, "we have to go – please. It's important."
"Important enough to finally tell me what is going on?" he asked her, voice flat.
She looked away. "Look – Harry, Ron, let's just go."
Danny was a little shocked that they were still going to just go.
"No!" Neville abruptly stood up from his chair. "No. I won't let you. I can't let you go out and get in trouble again –"
"Petrificus totalus."
Neville dropped to the ground, frozen stiff. Danny stared at Hermione incredulously.
Wow.
He swallowed.
"You just petrified Neville," he noted. Ron and Harry seemed similarly amazed.
"Yes." Hermione took a steadying breath, then met his eyes levelly. "We have to go. This is important, Danny."
Danny nodded stiffly. Hermione gestured the two boys forward, and they began shuffling towards the common room exit, tugging on the invisibility slope.
Danny followed.
"Let me come with you," he begged quietly, grabbing on to the edge of their cloak before they could disappear.
He mentally apologized to Neville for leaving him behind.
"...Alright," Hermione whispered, looking frustrated. "Snape is after the Sorcerer's Stone. We'll catch you up on the rest on the way."
"The Sorcerer's Stone?" There was something familiar about that name. He tried to think –
A sharp lance of pain.
Oh.
This wasn't going to be good, if it was related to that.
"Come on, let's go," Harry hissed. "We might already be too late. Dumbledore's been gone for hours."
Danny nodded absentmindedly, and they rushed off, to the forbidden third floor corridor. Danny frowned and wondered why they had come here. Despite his eavesdropping, he had never learned anything about this place from his short stay in Dumbledore's office.
"Alohomora." Hermione unlocked the door. She gave a quiet gasp. "Look, someone's already been here…"
They stepped inside. To the right, a harp was aimlessly playing music.
In front, was a giant dog with three heads.
Jesus. What was going on? This was a far cry from ghost troubles.
"Come on, to the trap door."
The three of them rushed to the dog's feet, staring at the floor. Danny stared at the giant dog, before tentatively following them. He looked at what the rest of them were all staring at.
Huh. There was a trapdoor there. Strange place for a trapdoor to be.
Underneath the dog's goddamn foot.
Danny was utterly useless as the other three pushed aside the paw and hefted the door open. Hermione was the first to jump, then Harry, then Ron.
He peered into the dark after them.
A loud snort. The dog shifted above him, and when he looked, he was alarmed to see one of its eyes cracking open. The harp had stopped playing.
A soft growl started from its three throats.
Danny squeaked and jumped down after the other three, landing into a curiously soft substance. When he tried to stand, he found himself stuck to the ground.
"What is this?" he breathed. Something was slivering around him.
"Devil's snare," Ron cried out. "Hermione just figured it out a moment ago."
"Devil's snare?" Danny repeated uselessly. "What is –"
"Lumos!" Blinding light suddenly filled the room, and the slithering stopped. Danny collapsed to another floor, which was much less soft. He was able to stand up this time, and blinked his eyes to adjust to the light.
A large vine-like plant was coiled in the corner, shrinking back from the light.
"That's devil's snare," Hermione said with satisfaction. "Weak to light and fire."
Thus Hermione solved the first puzzle.
They all walked to the door.
They entered a room of flying keys.
Harry got on a conveniently placed broom, and after much effort, caught one of the keys.
They went into the next room. It contained a giant chess board.
Ron guided them to victory, but not without sacrificing himself. He told the rest to go on without him.
The next room had a collapsed mountain troll. They walked passed it without any trouble.
After that, was a room with a potions logic puzzle. Hermione figured out that one, too, and pointed out which bottle allowed you to move forward, and which one allowed you to move backwards (both exits had been covered by colored flames upon entry).
Both only had enough for one drinker, which led to an awkward situation.
After some discussion, Harry ventured forward and Hermione ventured backwards to take Ron to the hospital wing.
Danny was the one left behind. That was fine. He had been useless so far.
Sighing, he sat on the table.
Really, what was he doing here? It seemed like the other three had it covered. As it was, he was just an added burden. Not good with wandwork, not especially brave or smart. There wasn't much he could contribute, especially when he knew so little about what was going on.
A sudden cold, prickly feeling pulled him from his thoughts, and he glanced around.
Well.
There was one reason, at least, that he was here.
His friends didn't know about the ghost.
It was connected somehow, he knew it – and here was the proof. The prickliness changed into a distinct feeling of cold.
The ghost emerged from the wall, it's glowing green radiance filling the room. It stopped, hovering in front of him.
dANny.
Danny gave a start.
DaNnY! It sounded pleased.
"You know my name?" he asked softly.
yES. yoU cAMe!
Danny's head began hurting again. He
"Came? Yes… I…"
The ghost reached a tentacle to his head. He flinched, but then paused as a curious sensation filled his mind.
It felt ice cold, as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice on his head. Not… unpleasantly so, however.
Suddenly, he remembered.
Quirrell. The turban. The man on the back of his head. He had asked Danny for some… stone. The Sorcerer's Stone.
Other impressions, memories that were not his own, drifted into his mind. Loose ideas of a pact, strong feelings of glee, and…
… and a hollow emptiness that seemed to echo his own. A feeling of something still missing.
Danny looked at the pulsing green creature in front of him and could almost see the piece of himself that reside inside of it.
mERgE, the ghost suggested happily.
Strange. This was the first time he had seen it without feeling revulsion, or rapture, or fear.
He studied it.
It was shaped like an octopus, but floating. It was actually rather diminutive, despite its looming presence. Around it hung a gloom, an aura of parasitic death.
Danny took a deep breath.
"If we merge, I can fly like you, right? Go through walls? Become invisible?" That was what that man had promised, so long ago.
YeS.
"What is the Sorcerer's Stone?"
The connection fuzzed, like a burst of static on a phone line. The ghost vibrated.
...nOT iMpORtAnT.
"But you need it, too," Danny guessed.
nO. nEeD yoU.
He felt oddly touched.
"For what?"
tO… He could feel the ghost struggling to express itself. foR ThOugHT. mINd. feEl.
Danny looked around, feeling hunched into himself. Fire one way, fire the other. He was trapped here, useless. What harm could it do? Maybe then he could be useful, than the powerless little boy he was.
"Okay," he said, facing the ghost. "Let's do this."
Growing Up
Danny stepped inside the ghost, and the ghost stepped inside of him. There was a jerking sensation, and then…
And then Danny took control.
It was an exhilarating feeling. His lungs were full of air, and his blood seem to pulse to an unknown energy. He felt so light, as if he could fly.
A sensation of alarm. wHaT –
He laughed with delight, then leaped. The knowledge came instinctively, and immediately he was hovering several feet off the ground.
sToP –
He looked at the back fiery exit, the one Harry had passed through.
Not so powerless anymore!
He flew through the wall next to the exit, and entered a large chamber. It was full of fire. He stopped briefly, transfixed by the twirling light –
Burningodorfleshstench –
He smiled and flew above it, above the heat of the flame's touch. He looked down at the chamber.
In the center of the room was a mirror. In front of it was Professor Quirrell, clutching Harry's shoulder tightly.
"Where is it? Tell me what you see." he hissed.
"I see – I see myself, holding the Quidditch cup," Harry stuttered.
"Harry!" Danny called happily.
They both turned around, looking startled. Quirrell's hand released Harry.
"Up here!"
They craned their heads up, and Danny grinned. "Hey, there!"
"D-Danny?" Harry said dazedly. "Is that you?"
"You did it," Quirrell breathed. "Finally."
Danny flew down, to float in front of them. He clasped his hands together, beaming. "It's me. Man, I haven't felt this good in a long time."
He laughed again, then the mirror caught his eye. He floated through the both of them and pressed himself against it.
"Oooh," he crooned. "What is this?"
"Danny? What's w-wrong with you?" Harry asked.
In the mirror, he saw burning worlds. He saw himself, at the center of them. Exulting. Powerful.
He grinned, and clutched at the mirror surface.
I want it.
A surge of revulsion flickered through him, and the image briefly changed. His parents, Jazz, his friends –
Green energy charged in his hand, and released with a thump. It struck the mirror, and shattered it. The recoil sent him flying through Quirrell.
The professor looked aghast. "What have you done?"
Danny lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Smoke particles danced above him.
Cantbreathesuffocatefear –
He giggled.
"Who is the man on the back of your head?" he asked. "Is it Voldemort? Dumbledore talked about Voldemort a lot."
"D-Danny…"
Harry's voice. Danny rolled over to face him, grinning a shit-eating grin.
"Dumbledore talked about you a lot too. And Quirrell. You thought it was Snape!" Danny barked out a laugh. "Ha. No…"
"Where is the Sorcerer's Stone?" Quirrell asked, irritated. "Danny, this isn't the time to fool around."
"You can't sense it?" So strange. It thrummed so loudly to him, such a beautiful call of power. How could he not know? "Harry has it."
"D-Danny, how could you –"
Danny hummed innocently, then grinned stupidly. "I'm sorry, what is going on? Why do you need this Stone? A body? Ha, I already have a body. It feels great, you know, to –"
"Quiet."
It was a quiet, raspy voice that silenced the room. Danny was ecstatic.
"Ooh, it's you. Finally."
"Quirrell. Let me see."
"Y-yes." The professor began unwrapping the turban. After what felt like an eternity, the last of the fabric dropped to the floor.
Harry let out a gasp.
Danny cocked his head to the side.
"... Danny. Do you know who I am?"
Danny was confused. He had seen this man before, in Quirrell's office. But now memories and thoughts were blending together.
"I…" A strong sense of compulsion. "I made a contract with you?"
The face twitched into what could have been a smile. "Yesss… permanent access to this realm and its denizens… when I am in power."
Danny shook his head. That didn't sound like him. Not like Danny.
"Power?" he parrotted.
"Yesss. Now, retrieve the Stone from that boy."
Dan-He turned to Harry, his mind feeling blank.
"Can I have the stone?" he asked, holding out his hand.
"Danny, that's Voldemort," the boy hissed vehemently.
He cocked his head to the side.
"wHO?" he asked.
"Voldemort. You-know-who. The one who killed my parents!"
"wHo Is Danny?" he repeated.
"Danny, that's you," the boy said desperately. "Please, I don't know what's going on, but you've got to be on my side. Please, Danny. Help me." The boy's wand was pointed at him.
Voldemort hissed impatiently. "Quirrell… Get the stone. The boy will take more work."
The professor began walking towards them.
Something in his mind cleared.
"Oh." He smiled. "i'M DAnNy."
Humanity
A shout came from beyond the fire.
Quirrell moved.
Harry ran.
Danny stared after him, at the thrumming heartbeat of the Sorcerer's Stone, covered from sight by Harry's pocket.
Then he turned to look at the entrance. The fire had been dispersed with a spell.
There stood Remus Lupin and Dumbledore.
Remus stopped, and gasped, staring at Danny. Dumbledore rushed between Quirrell and Harry and began casting large, voluminous spells.
"Danny… what happened?" Remus asked.
Growing Up
Danny blinked, then looked around him. When he realized what he had done, he stared about him in horror, his hand going to his wand. He had to get the Stone back, he had to, or else Hermione would never forgive him –
His face paled as his eyes found Voldemort's face, grotesquely placed on the back of Quirrell's head. The monster was looking at him, eyes gleaming.
"Stupefy!" Voldemort crowed triumphantly.
And Danny's world went black.
- timeline two, to be continued -