Over the next few days leading up to the first of September, Danny and his friends spent more and more time in the upstairs of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, exchanging stories of life in Amity Park with information about the wizarding world. Sam and Hermione had even more in common than any of the guys had thought. Both had spent most of their time off in a corner, pouring over Hermione's old books and discussing the prejudice towards several groups, house-elves in particular. Lupin even gave his input, revealing that he was a werewolf. This had made it difficult getting to sleep at night back in The Leaky Cauldron, as Sam wouldn't leave their room and kept talking about everything she'd gone over with Hermione.
"And I thought she was annoying before!" Tucker said after she finally left one night.
The four guys had spent their time as far away from Sam and Hermione as possible, going over their own ideas of interesting topics. Quidditch sounded incredible; the three Chasers on each team trying to score with the red Quaffle, the two Beaters trying to control the vicious black bludgers, the Keeper defending his team's goal, and the Seeker after the tiny golden Snitch, which, if caught, ended the game and won the catcher's team one hundred and fifty points. Danny hated most sports played back in the Muggle world, but this one would definitely be worth watching. Harry was the Seeker for the Gryffindor team, his school house, and Ron was Keeper. Ron's sister Ginny was trying out for Chaser this year, though last year when Harry had been banned from the team, she had filled in as Seeker. From what Fred and George said, Harry was the best on the team, though Ginny wasn't far behind. The twins had been Beaters when they went to Hogwarts, and their replacements didn't sound very impressive.
For Harry and Ron, reliving last year's Quidditch games was nothing compared to all of Danny's ghost stories. Some of them were more hilarious than thrilling; the many exploits of The Box Ghost never ceased to amuse them. Technus's long-winded speeches were ridiculous. On the other hand, Skulker sounded like a genuine menace, and Tucker's would-be girlfriend Valerie Grey turned out to be a bitter ghost-hunter. Vlad Plasmius, whether he worked for Voldemort or not, seemed the worst of them all. Along with ghost stories, Tucker began showing off all of his electronics. These fascinated Mr. Weasley, and it took some convicning from his wife to keep him from taking them apart, enchanting them, and putting them back together. The ghost stories and technology often drew what seemed to be Ron's favourite saying; "Bloody hell!"
Finally, the first of September came. Hagrid had left shortly after Dumbledore a few days ago, so they were accompanied to London by the Weasley parents, Lupin, and Dumbledore's friend Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody. The nickname suited him in more than one area; he had a large, revolving magical right eye, and seemed inable to tell a handshake from an attempted murder. He made a point of thorougly examining Danny, Sam and Tucker with his magical eye, Danny twice as human and ghost. He finally accepted them as friendly, but made his purpose as a guard appointed by rhe Order very clear. After a good-bye to his parents in The Leaky Cauldron, Danny and his friends left with everyone. His parents had given them their new address; Maddie had found a house off out of London; Number 5, Pivet Drive. For some reason, this seemed to make Harry very happy, and he wouldn't say why.
They reached King's Cross at a quarter 'til eleven, taking the Knight Bus, a giant purple triple-decker bus with a sleazy-looking conductor named Stan Shunpike and a driver who took directions from a shrunken head that hung like lucky dice. It was far from the most pleasant ride Danny ever had, as the bus sped out of control through and around the busy London streets at unimaginable speeds, tossing everyone around when it had to stop for something or other. When they finally arrived, Mrs. Weasley had Danny and his friends get into their robes and raise up their hoods. Tucker was not too happy about being seen like that in the midst of so many people, but Danny and Sam didn't mind. They were bound to get looks anyway; Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all were pushing carts with their trunks in front of them, an snowy-white owl on Harry's, an exciteable owl on Ron's, and a kennel with a ginger cat on Hermione's.
"Here we are," Mrs. Weasley stopped them at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Danny looked around. Harry had mentioned that the platform wasn't exactly right in the station. Were they going to fall through a trap-door now?
"Ginny, you first, dear," Mrs. Weasley motioned for her daughter to move forward. When no one was looking, she ran right toward the barrier...and walked right through it, as if by phasing through it like Danny.
"Ron, you next," Ron moved up and ran towards the barrier as well, going right through it like Ginny. Then went Hermione, and finally Harry.
"Now let's see if your powers will work here like they do with the barrier to Diagon Alley," Mrs. Weasley turned to Danny. He looked over at Sam and Tucker, who nodded. Grabbing their arms, he went intangible and ran right towards the barrier, closing his eyes in case something went wrong. They went through the barrier and emerged in an immensely crowded platform, labelled Platform Nine and Three-Quarters by the wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been behind them. The Weasley parents, Lupin, and Moody soon followed.
"Get on board, get on board!" Moody hurried them along over to Harry, "You're not to be discovered by anyone, you'll need a compartment to yourselves," his magical eye was rolling everywhere, as if he half-expected a dementor to leap out of nowhere. They had no time to stop and talk with anyone, even Ron and Hermione, as Moody shoved them aboard the train and practically threw Harry's trunk and owl up to him.
"Have a good term!" Mrs. Weasley called. Mr. Weasley smiled and waved, and Lupin stepped into the train after them.
"Why are you coming" Tucker asked.
"I've been re-appointed Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," Lupin said lightly, "and have difficulty affording any other means of travel. Occupational hazard of being a werewolf. I'll trust you'll want to talk with Ron and Hermione, so I'll try and take one near you."
"Where'd they go anyway?" Sam asked.
"They're prefects," Harry explained, "They have to report to the prefect compartments first. Come on, let's go. And keep your hood up," he said to Tucker, who had let it slide back over his shoulders. They hurried down the carriage and managed to find an empty compartment. Harry threw his trunk across two seats, placed Hedwig's cage in the luggage rack, and sat down by the window. Danny, Sam and Tucker filed into the seats opposite him, Tucker taking the one by the window. It was a gloomy, cool day, with rain seeming likely. Lupin stopped by just before the train began moving to tell them he was two compartments down and to the left. A round-faced by named Neville Longbottom stopped by asking for a seat, but Lupin invited him to his compartment.
"So how long's this ride?" Tucker asked, looking out the window as the blurred images of houses passed by.
"Few hours," Harry yawned, "Ron and Hermione should come by after about an hour."
"I can't believe you guys don't get into school until September. We have to get in by August 18! And now they're trying to make the school year go all year! I can't deal with Lancer for that long!"
"I'd rather our school year be year-long."
"Duh! You guys get cool subjects!"
"Say that to Ron about Potions and Divination. Where'd you get that?" Sam had just pulled a book out of her robes.
"Hermione gave it to me to read. Why?" all three guys looked at her strangely. This was going to be a long ride.
----
Ron and Hermione indeed take quite a long time to arrive. While they were up at the front of the train, rain had begun to come down outside, growing heavier by the hour. At half past twelve the food trolley came, and Harry bought up a large number of strange treats that Danny and his friends had never seen before, including Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Pumpkin Pasties, and Chocolate Frogs. Tucker took an instant dislike to the beans, after getting an ear wax-flavoured one. Danny tasted a few, and fortunately, the worst he got was pepper. Sam was too busy reading to eat, and when she started talking about what was in the book, which turned out to be Hogwarts, A History, the fun disappeared in the compartment. Finally Hermione and Ron arrived, which got Sam to put down her book. Harry took his owl, which turned out to be named Hedwig, off the luggage rack for Harry and Tucker to throw his trunk up so they could sit down.
"Well," Hermione sighed, grabbing a Chocolate Frog, "Malfoy certainly looks like he's had a swell summer. He just tried to land a first-year in detention before we've even reached the school!"
"Who?" Danny, Sam and Tucker asked together.
"Draco Malfoy," Ron said through bites of his Pumpkin Pasty, "The world's biggest git. His dad's right in You-Know-Who's inner circle."
"You mean Voldemort?" Ron winced at the name, but nodded, "And he's allowed in school!?"
"Unfortunately, since there's no proof he goes into the same kind of Dark Magic as his dad, there's no way to keep him out," Hermione said, "He's always hanging around with two thick-headed pigs named Crabbe and Goyle. Their fathers are Death Eaters too. They're all horrible, whether or not they do get into their fathers' work. All of their pureblood superiority," she let out a grim sound that could have sounded like a laugh
"I take it you guys don't get along then," Tucker said.
"Not since the train ride first year," Harry took another Frog. After a few minutes, the door slid open. A pale boy with a pointed face, slick white-blonde hair, and a smug expression stood in the doorway, flanked by two large, muscle-bound thugs who didn't appear to have much in the way of brains. Judging by the looks on Harry, Ron and Hermione's faces, Danny guessed that these three were Draco Malfoy and his group.
"New members to your crowd, Potter?" the pale boy asked, looking over at Danny, Sam and Tucker, who quickly raised their hoods up farther, "Planning on letting them in on all your old adventures? Or perhaps you're blathering on about all the Dark Lord's done to you again?"
"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron muttered.
"Not very friendly today, are we?" he turned back to Danny, "I wouldn't associate myself with these types if I were you. Blood traitors and Mudbloods," Danny grimaced under his hood. He'd known this kid for under a minute and already took an instant dislike to him. He was a smarter, more aristocratic version of Dash.
"Well?" Malfoy's tone went angry, "Answer!"
"Any problems here, boys?" a voice came from behind Malfoy. Lupin had heard the noise down the train and now stood just outside the doorway.
"And what are you doing on the train?" Malfoy sneered.
"Professor Dumbledore has kindly reinstated me as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," Lupin smiled slightly, his tone mild, "I ask again, is there a problem here?"
"No – Professor," Malfoy mumbled, "Let's go," he, Crabbe, and Goyle headed up toward their compartment.
"I'd lock the door from now on if I were you," Lupin said quietly once they had gone, and headed back to his compartment. Ron, who was closest to the door, quickly slid the door shut and bolted it.
"I can't wait to catch him alone with some old D.A. members like the end of last year," he grinned.
"You are a prefect," Hermione hissed.
"What's the D.A.?" Tucker asked. And so explanations began anew...
----
By the time they had arrived at the Hogsmeade station, the rain had broken into a full-blown storm, the wind howling and lightning flashing across the clouds. There was a mass scramble to get onto the tiny platform and out to the carriages as quickly as possible.
"Firs' years this way!" they heard Hagrid's voice call out from over the platform. All of the new studentsd hurried over, terrified, to the giantic outline of Hagrid in the rain.
"First years traditionally sail across the lake to Hogwarts," Hermione explained. They all were about to climb into a carriage together when Lupin ran up to them.
"Dumbledore sent down a private carriage," he said, "He wants you three to come up to Hogwarts in it instead of with everyone else."
"Oh...fine," Danny said. Lupin led him, Sam and Tucker over to the carriage, which looked the same as any of the other ones; horseless, old, and black. Lupin climbed in with them, and it took off towards the castle by itself, leaving the others behind.
----
The Great Hall of Hogwarts looked as astonishing as it always did during a feast, the thousands of candles that lit the room floating in the air and the teachers all seated at the High Table. The rain from outside seemed to keep coming down through the bewitched ceiling. Despite all this, the atmosphere was extremely melancholy. The Sorting of the first years over, all of the students were now at their House tables, watching the welcome-back act the conductor of the choir had prepared this year. The conductor was waving his wand like a baton, manipulating the floating violin, guitar, bagpipes, tin whistle and bhodrán before him. They were playing a strange, instrumental version that those of us in reality know as the Danny Phantom theme.
"Doesn't this music seem familiar?" Tucker whispered.
"Shut it," Sam muttered. After arriving at the castle, Professor Minerva McGonagall had met them and led Danny away. She said that they would meet back up after the feast was over. Dumbledore had granted permission for Sam and Tucker to attend the feast, but they would have to stay under an Invisibility Cloak, leant out by Moody. They were now standing off in the corner of the room under the cloak, watching. The Sorting had been interesting; an extremely old, filthy old hat had been brought out, placed on the head of all the first years, and determined whether they belonged in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. From what Sam had read in Hogwarts, A History on the train and Dumbledore's story about Voldemort, Slytherin was by far the worst house of the four. Now Dumbledore, dressed in astonishing purple and golden robes, rose to his feet.
"Welcome!" he said, bringing the room to attention, "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Now I would like to say a few words before we begin our excellent feast. First, to all first years – and some of our older students – the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. Our caretaker Mr. Filch, for what he assures me is the seven hundred and fifty-first time, has requested that I remind you that performing magic in the corridors between classes is not permitted, as well as all the other things on the still extensive list on his office door. We have one staff change this year. Everyone, please join me in welcoming back Professor R.J. Lupin, who has agreed to return to the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," there was a huge wave of applause at this announcement, particuarliy at the Gryffindor table. Sam could make out Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were clapping and cheering louder than anyone. It was only at the Slytherin table where applause was unenthusiastic and scattered.
"And finally," Dumbledore continued, "This year, several rooms in the far end of the castle on the fifth-floor corridor are out of bounds to all," for a brief instant, his twinking eyes seemed to flash towards to where Sam and Tucker stood under the Cloak, but he quickly turned back to the House tables.
"Oh, and one more thing," Dumbledore said, "There is a new ghost from outside the castle that has joined us, one that our forth-years should be able to identify with; Daniel Fenton. Now that everything of importance is out of the way," he sat down, "Tuck in!" suddenly, all the dishes on the House tables piled with food. At least twenty ghosts now began to float in through the walls and down towards the tables. Among them was Danny, who hung in the air with a nervous look on his face. As all the other ghosts here were a different kind, they looked different. He stood out a bit too much among the pearly-white, transparent bodies around him. Rather than go towards any table, he floated off to the corner of the room opposite Sam and Tucker, watching the proceedings. No one seemed to pay him any mind. While waiting with the other ghosts, he had met Peeves the poltergeist. This guy was far worse than The Box Ghost could ever end up being in terms of sheer annoyance. On the other hand, Nearly Headless Nick wasn't too bad. He was the ghost of Gryffindor House, and Danny could see him talking with Seamus Finnigan. Hogwarts was definitely an interesting school.
After the feast, Danny, Sam and Tucker stayed behind as the students, ghosts and teachers filed out. Hagrid remained behind, and once everyone had left, called for them to come over. Sam and Tucker took off the Invisibility Cloak and Danny flew over.
"Time ter show yeh ter yer rooms," he said, "Tha's why the rooms in the fifth-floor is off-limits. C'mon," he led them out the Great Hall and to the staircases. The most notable thing about them is the fact that they kept moving around. While climbing up one staircase, it changed positions right in the middle. Tucker collapsed, and Sam began to fall. Danny caught her before she fell down the staircase completely.
"Yeh'll have ter watch out fer that," Hagrid chuckled. They kept going. As they went, Danny noticed all the figures in the paintings that lined the walls of the castle all moved. They pressed onward, the walk seeming to take hours. Twice Tucker asked if they were going in circles, and Danny sometimes felt like saying something himself; this was ridiculous.
"Here we are," Hagrid finally stopped, pointing to three rooms, "Harry, Ron and Hermione'll come by on weekends and yeh can wander about. Jus' be sure teh wear the Cloak," he looked at Sam and Tucker, said "G'night," and headed off. The rooms were large and comfortable, some clothes laid out and Tucker's bags of electronics on his bed. Exhausted but in good spirits, Danny threw himself down on his bed and fell asleep right away.