A couple of weeks later and Danny's crash course in Defence Against the Dark Arts was completed. He knew how most spells worked, and could recognise a good number by sight alone, an impressive feat itself. Lupin was then gone, doing missions for the order. Dumbledore was willing to introduce Fenton to the order as soon as Danny mastered Occulmency. He was getting close but he had to slip up at some point and he was forced to recall that fight. The struggle with his evil self and subsequent failure to save his loved ones. Dumbledore stopped instantly and Danny was struck by a wave of grief. Nothing nearly as numbing as when he was cornered by the dementors, but that memory was always difficult.

"What was that?" Dumbledore whispered, clearly shaken by the memory.

"That was the worst few minutes in my life," Danny mumbled as a tear rolled down his cheek. Dumbledore blinked and approached the teen worriedly.

"The only fight I consider a loss. I stopped him, yeah. But not in time to save them all. A ghost, Clockwork, master of time, rewound time to save them for me. That never happened, but that split second is still in here," Danny resumed and tapped his head. Dumbledore helped the teen off the ground. There were few memories that affected Danny this badly. The accident had been the most memorable. The memory of the electricity had made Danny cry out in fear and pain.

"That's what I remembered when those dementors attacked me," Danny admitted.

"Who were you fighting?" Dumbledore asked.

"Myself. A twisted alternate future self. Don't worry. I'll never become him. I made a promise to my family, not that they remember, but still," Danny answered with a shrug, sniffing loudly as he calmed down. Dumbledore considered the halfa.

"That happened because I cheated on a test. I didn't even mean to get the test results. It was an accident. But I didn't have enough time to study with all the ghost attacks. It was an important test. The answers were right there. I broke and looked. And ruined my life and got them killed," Danny muttered sadly.

Dumbledore frowned with pity. It was an understandable thing to do in the situation. Fear of failure and an easy way to prevent it. Even the strongest wills would be tested.

"Danny. It wasn't your fault. In that memory. I saw that you fought with everything you had. I understand and I can see that you learned your lesson," Dumbledore assured the teen. Danny looked up and nodded slowly.

"You don't hate me? Distrust me?" Danny asked. Dumbledore shook his head.

"If anything I trust you more and can see that I made the right decision to bring you into the order," Dumbledore replied kindly, with a warm and reassuring smile.

"I think we've done enough for tonight," Dumbledore decided. Danny shook his head.

"One more. I think I can do it now," Danny refused. Dumbledore blinked in surprise.

"You still want to continue?" Dumbledore remarked incredulously. Danny nodded with determination. Dumbledore smiled proudly.

"One more. Then bed," Dumbledore relented. Danny nodded and took a deep breath. This time Danny successfully blocked Dumbledore. Dumbledore beamed.

"Wonderful! Congratulations Danny. I think we may be nearing the end of your training," Dumbledore praised. Danny smiled tiredly.

"Good. But I'm wiped. Can I…?" Danny replied and gestured to the door even though he probably wouldn't use it. Dumbledore smiled and waved the teen off. Danny smiled gratefully and phased through the floor.

The next morning, Dumbledore took Danny to Diagon Alley to get him measured for school robes. They went early and discretely, Dumbledore apparating them. Once again Danny found the feeling oddly natural. It took less than half an hour to get fitted and they quickly returned to Hogwarts. Danny spent the majority of the day exploring and familiarising himself with the castle, conversing with the resident ghosts, making fast friends with Sir Nick, Fat Friar and a number of the lesser known ghosts of Hogwarts.

That evening, Danny knocked on the door to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore had been having a bit of trouble locating a tutor for Danny and a teacher for Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"Ah Danny, I'll be right with you," Dumbledore acknowledged the teen when he entered. Danny patiently waited and a few minutes later Dumbledore pushed the papers the wizard had been looking at untidily into a drawer.

"No luck?" Danny commented sympathetically.

"Unfortunately no. I may have a candidate for you but the Ministry is pushing Dolores Umbridge to fill the post at Hogwarts," Dumbledore admitted.

"And that's bad?" Danny assumed. The wizard nodded grimly.

"Very. She is very close to Cornelius Fudge, the Minister. She is very strict also. If she gets the post, there will be little I can do to protect Harry," Dumbledore muttered.

"I could always haunt her," Danny offered.

"No Danny. That could endanger your life," Dumbledore instantly declined. Danny bit his tongue and obediently nodded. Dumbledore sighed and turned to Danny. Making eye contact, Danny suddenly felt a presence in his mind. With a scowl, Danny pushed Dumbledore out.

"Impressive. Now all we need to work on is subtlety. But I believe you are sufficiently trained to prevent anyone reading your mind. There's a meeting in a couple of days. I'll introduce you then. Remember your story?" Dumbledore decided. Danny nodded.

"Half-blood. Dad's a muggle, mom's a witch. Went to school in America and met you in a pub in London. Got talking and you decided to keep an eye on me. Found me satisfactory for the order and recruited me. Only been in the order a week," Danny reeled off. Dumbledore nodded.

"Good, and here. Get used to keeping it on your person at all times and practice holding it comfortably. You can't look like you've never held a wand," Dumbledore replied and took a long thin box out of a drawer in his desk. He opened it to unveil a dark wooden stick.

"It has no core and so no magic. But it's twelve inches, hazel and I suggest a unicorn hair. If anyone asks, unlikely but better to be safe than sorry," Dumbledore added as Danny experimentally waved the wand getting a feel for it.

"And if I have to cast a spell?" Danny prompted.

"Remus will be present at the meeting. You aren't going to pretend to be a gifted wizard Danny. But I can enchant the wand to perform a few spells. The enchantments will require refreshing, but being nearby I will be able to do so easily. Or Remus," Dumbledore answered. Danny nodded. His human half wouldn't be as visibly active as his ghost form but it was important to keep up appearances. Having Fenton a member would give the order the edge. Fenton was a lot less conspicuous than a glowing ghostly teen. However, Dumbledore had already warned Danny that Fenton would be getting boring tasks such as guard duty in the Ministry of Magic. Or simply be a messenger boy.

The prophecy the order was guarding. A key tool that Voldemort craved and Dumbledore had to ensure he never got. A recording of a prophecy detailing Voldemort's fall. A prophecy the dark wizard only heard a portion of before. Danny had seen first-hand that future knowledge could completely destroy events or prevent dangerous futures from coming to be. If this prophecy could give Voldemort any hints of future attempts to stop him… then it was worth protecting in Danny's opinion. Not that he wouldn't find guard duty boring though.

Danny nodded.

"What spells can it do?" Danny asked.

"Alohomora. Wingardium leviosa. Incendio. Stupefy, just in case you need to duel. Simple basic spells. I wrote down them all on a piece of parchment. But… I seem to have misplaced it. I'll find it for you for tomorrow morning," Dumbledore answered. Danny smiled and nodded.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" Danny inquired.

"Aside from tracking down that list for you. Nothing. If you wish, you can take Fawkes and utilise the free day to visit home?" Dumbledore suggested. Danny grinned.

"Great idea. How much can I tell them?" Danny agreed. Dumbledore frowned.

"Any order business is confidential Danny. If it were to end up in the wrong hands, it would be disastrous. But your lessons are not if you wish to talk about them. However no mention of other members please," Dumbledore decided. Danny bit his lip and nodded. He could understand that.

So soon Danny Fenton will become a known order member.

I'll admit, this is kind of a filler chapter where Danny's just learning what he needs in order to blend in and protect his secret. But a bit of Danny bonding with Dumbledore too.

Let me know what you guys think.

Until the next chapter.