Danny set down a slightly chuckling Ron on a bed, the final student he had to teleport. He then collapsed on to a spare bed, feeling dizzy from all the teleporting he'd done. To and from Amity Park and then to Hogwarts and back to the ministry and then back to Hogwarts, taking three trips to bring Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna and Ginny to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was frantic when she saw Hermione and Neville. Thankfully Neville quickly started explaining what was wrong with Hermione before the healer could distract Danny.
"You're in the order?" Ginny asked, her ankle already treated and propped on a cushion for the night. It would be better by morning. Danny nodded with his eyes shut.
"Yeah. Surprise," Danny croaked, sick with dizziness and pain.
"How?" Ginny inquired.
"Can the questions wait? I will answer them, but right now I'm trying not to get sick," Danny replied softly.
"Sick?" Neville repeated.
"Excessive teleporting makes me very dizzy. And long distances can make me sick. I've done a lot of teleporting in the last hour," Danny muttered.
"Up! These students need rest!" Madam Pomfrey ordered. Danny tiredly sat up.
"Wait! Phantom's hurt too," Luna interjected.
Madam Pomfrey blinked, finally seeing the ice cast and sling.
"What happened?" she gasped.
"Got hit by a spell. Nasty one," Danny answered softly. The healer frowned and attempted to remove the ice.
"Let me," Danny sighed and gently pushed her away. He then laid a glowing green hand on the ice and slowly used his ghost energy to melt the ice. Without the cooling ice, his arm felt hot and painful.
Madam Pomfrey gasped and bustled Danny into her office where she treated the burn and cast a number of spells to help heal it. She gave him a pain-relieving potion and then wrapped the arm in a real cast and tied a sling around Danny's neck. Harry walked in the minute Danny left Madam Pomfrey's office.
"Dumbledore said for me to spend the morning here," Harry mumbled. Danny nodded.
"I'll be back later. Try to get some sleep," Danny called noticing that the sun had risen, giving Harry one last sympathetic smile.
Danny phased out of the door and with a sigh, went to Dumbledore's office. The wizard was sitting at his desk, looking exhausted. Danny knocked on the door. The headmaster looked up and frowned worriedly.
"Got hit by a spell. Guess feeling dizzy makes you slow in a fight. What happened?" Danny remarked, sitting in a chair, desperately wanting to go to bed and be human for a bit.
"Voldemort was at the Ministry. He possessed Harry, but Harry managed to free himself. The Ministry saw Voldemort before he left. The truth is finally out there," Dumbledore replied.
"This is only the beginning isn't it?" Danny muttered and the elderly wizard nodded.
"Now that Voldemort is known, he will step up," Dumbledore sighed.
"Then, maybe Phantom should stop being a secret weapon. He kinda knows about me being in the order now anyway. I'm seventeen in a couple of weeks. Technically I'm an adult right? Your agreement with my parents ends. I'll spend the summer chasing down ghosts. Guarding Harry. Whatever you need," Danny suggested. Dumbledore blinked and looked up.
"You want to continue? After the last year?" Dumbledore whispered. Danny smirked.
"Getting bitten by a snake? No big deal. And this. Okay, it hurts. But this is important. I understand that and I want to fight. Besides now it's known that Phantom is on your side, I can't just go hide," Danny replied, motioning to his injured arm.
"Yes, an ectoplasm cleaning spell, skurge. I wasn't expecting that," Dumbledore muttered. Danny stiffened.
"Ectoplasm cleaning spell?" Danny repeated slowly. Dumbledore nodded.
"Why wasn't I told about that spell!? My ghost form is made up of ectoplasm!" Danny exclaimed. Dumbledore flinched.
"I admit, I never thought that a house keeping spell would be used offensively against you in a fight. I apologise," Dumbledore confessed. Danny sighed wearily. He was too tired.
"How's Harry taking Sirius being gone?" Danny asked. Dumbledore shook his head.
"As well as can be expected. He is upset. Angry even. But once he has had time to grieve he will heal," Dumbledore answered. Danny nodded.
"I'm going to bed. They know I'm in the order now. Oh, and might have to find Umbridge. I doubt she just let Harry go today," Danny concluded.
"Sleep well Danny," Dumbledore called after the exhausted halfa.
A few hours later and Danny woke up. Students thundering past his classroom door woke him. He was a light sleeper. With a sigh, Danny turned over, momentarily forgetting his arm and hissed in pain as he moved it. He sat up slowly. He hadn't bothered to change out of his Hogwarts uniform. Danny glanced at a clock. It was lunch time.
"I got a few hours at least," Danny mumbled to himself and rolled out of bed. He changed into his ghost form and pulled his sling over his head, slipping his injured arm inside. He turned invisible and flew down to the kitchens. He grabbed something to eat and drank at least three cups of coffee. Dobby tried to ask what happened and make conversation but Danny was still pretty tired.
"Sorry Dobby. I'm not in the mood for small talk. Had a long night and very little sleep. I'll tell you about it tomorrow or something. Thanks for the coffee," Danny muttered before he left.
Danny, invisible once again, considered trying to get some more sleep but honestly, the caffeine was kicking in now. So, true to his word, he returned to the hospital wing. He turned himself visible outside the door and phased inside. Hermione was looking much better. She was awake and alert but seemed to suffer some discomfort when she moved too much, especially in her ribs. Ginny's ankle was healed but a little weak so she limped when she walked. Neville's nose was healed and he seemed absolutely fine, as was Luna. Harry was quiet and upset, but that was to be expected. Ron however looked like he'd been in a fight with large angry welts on his arms, neck and face. But they were all awake, eating sandwiches when Danny entered.
"Phantom! What happened!?" Hermione exclaimed, immediately spotting his arm.
"Got hit by a spell," Danny answered before floating into a seated position.
"When?" Ron asked, clearly not remembering much from the previous night.
"Well, in the department of mysteries. Wasn't fast enough and got hit from behind," Danny explained calmly.
"Why were you in the department of mysteries?" Harry inquired.
"Because he's in the order," Ginny answered.
"You are!?" Ron, Harry and Hermione shouted in surprise. Danny smirked.
"It's not that surprising is it?" Danny retorted, knowing that the trio had suspected it before Christmas.
"How?" Ron asked.
"Simple. Dumbledore asked me and I said yes," Danny replied with a shrug. Hermione shook her head.
"Why didn't you tell us?" she corrected.
"Well, until last night… I was the order's secret weapon. Only high ranking members even knew about me," Danny informed them.
"So that's why Danny didn't know about you," Hermione muttered. Danny ignored the comment. He had nothing to say anyway.
"I'm sorry Phantom," Harry mumbled.
"What? Why?" Danny inquired, confused.
"If I hadn't gone running off to London, then you wouldn't have had to reveal you were with the order, or got hurt," Harry clarified. Danny raised an eyebrow.
"Harry, if anyone should be apologising, it's me. I messed up, not you. You were just doing what you thought was right," Danny replied.
"You? Why should you be sorry?" Ron asked.
"Because it was my job to keep an eye on Harry. If I'd been doing my job properly, I would have seen what you lot were up to and stopped you. So Harry, it's my fault about Sirius. And I'm truly sorry. He was a great guy. Only met him a handful of times but I liked him," Danny apologised. Harry turned away.
"Dumbledore said it was his fault. Shouldn't have kept Sirius cooped up," Harry mumbled. Danny sighed.
"Either way, Sirius will be missed. By you most certainly, so my condolences," Danny retorted.
"Wait, it was your job to watch Harry?" Ginny recalled. Danny nodded.
"Dumbledore was worried about Voldemort possessing Harry. So he decided that Harry needed to be watched. So, that's what I did. It was my job to watch Harry and report back on anything of interest I saw. Such as Harry's scar hurting or unexplained mood swings. Things like that. But I was aware of the DA. Actually kept the seventh floor clear for you guys, couldn't get in. But you guys all ran for it so fast and unexpectedly the night Umbridge shut you down, I couldn't react. And when I saw that Malfoy kid trip you Harry, Umbridge was too quick for me to help," Danny explained, ignoring the flinches at the name Voldemort.
"Did… did you know about my detentions?" Harry ventured. Danny nodded.
"What!? And you did nothing!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I did report it Hermione. Straight after Harry's first detention. But thing was… Dumbledore had to wait for someone else to report it. I had no way to explain how I knew or even why I wanted to know without blowing my cover. It was frustrating. I couldn't even give you guys pointers in dealing with Umbridge," Danny admitted.
"Pointers?" Neville repeated. Danny smirked.
"That's right. I've dealt with people like Umbridge before. Might be a little late, but Harry you should have been far more subtle with your rebellions, like Hermione. You were pretty good. And never say something you can't deny later. I know it was hard. Heck, there were times I started losing my own cool and I'm used to dealing with people like her. She's really good at playing people. But you learned quickly. Although, small point, you were way too obvious about having secret meetings Harry. You changed your behaviour so much you might as well have told her," Danny replied. Hermione and Harry blinked.
"You know how to rebel without anyone knowing?" Ron remarked. Danny nodded.
"Well, the person I argue with knows. But I've gotten good at hiding it from everyone but them," Danny amended.
This is a long conversation so I split it in two. I like to try and keep chapters relatively the same length.
Let me know what you guys think of the story so far.
Until the next chapter.
