THE MAGICAL PHANTOM
CHAPTER THREE: FRIENDS, FIGHTS AND PHANTOM'S
It was the day after the sorting ceremony and Malfoy's henchmen shoving them out of bed rudely awakened Danny and Shade. The only thing that saved the three boys from flying out the window was Danny's extraordinary levels of self-control. Shade made sure to scratch their ankles though.
Danny shook his head and glared at the three retreating boys as they left the dorm room, being careful about the other Slytherin members in the common room; he was still standoffish towards most of them. After what happened last night, why wouldn't he be?
FLASHBACK TIME
Danny hadn't left the Gryffindor table until Dumbledore announced that everyone would be taken back to their common rooms by their head of house and he was pleasantly surprised that his was none other than Severus Snape. He grinned as he walked up to the robed man.
"What was that about 'Ten points from whatever house you end up in, Fenton!'?" Danny asked happily, balancing on his heels to reflect his innocence. Snape glared and sighed.
"Make it five." He muttered to the raven-haired boy before he turned and led the group of Slytherins to a large old rock wall in the dungeons of Hogwarts. Snape turned to the Slytherins.
"This years password is Mongoose." Snape told them and to the amazement of the first years a doorway appeared in the wall, leading to a place all lit up with eerie green lights.
Most of the first years were creeped out but the ominous feel. It seemed only Malfoy and Danny were the only ones not fazed at all. Danny didn't know what Malfoy's excuse was, but to him a place with some flimsy green lighting was more of a welcome home sign than an actual welcoming after spending just a simple week in the Ghost Zone, not counting all his other trips.
"Danny, how aren't you at least a little off-put?" Daphne asked, glancing nervously around the room and standing rigidly by Danny's side. She obviously wasn't very comfortable here yet.
Danny shrugged. He couldn't tell her that his mentor/guardians lair was even creepier the first time someone saw it. He doubted she would believe him anyway if he told her that the place he considered a second home was an eerie looking clock-tower that put this little round hole to shame. And after just seeing Skulker's island, it made the Slytherin Dungeon look like a gingerbread house. All the freaky things students were bound to put on the walls and shelves couldn't compare to actual skulls and pelts.
After that, everybody's attention was drawn to Snape who was going to start speaking.
"I regret to inform you that thanks to a certain somebody, Fenton, we're going to start this year off at a five-point disadvantage." Everyone glared at Danny. "But that shall just make it so much sweeter when we win the House Cup at the end of the year." Snape announced. Next he addressed which way the boys and girls sections were and promptly dismissed the students.
"Wow, Professor Snape is so cool! He's even explained to us why we lost points rather than just take them away like some other professors!" Daphne cheered with most of the other Slytherin.
Danny, however, scowled at the back of Snape's retreating form. Danny knew very well why the Professor did what he did, and it was certainly not an act of politeness. It was supposed to be an act of 'Hey that Fenton kid almost screwed you all over, now you gotta cover his mistake'. Danny knew that angle all to well- the one where someone tells the truth but not the whole story behind it to make them look better. Vlad often played that angle. But Snape had most likely played it, knowing Danny would recognize his game, to get his respect.
What Snape didn't need to know was that he already had the halfas respect. But Danny would enjoy playing Snape's game for a while before he told him that.
So Danny ignored the glares from most of his housemates and went to where Snape said the boys were to sleep. He needed a goodnights rest right about now. Today had been one hell-of-a day even for him.
FLASHBACK TIME OVER
And from that night onward Danny knew he wouldn't have many friends in his fellow first-year Slytherins. At least Daphne still talked to him, though. He found solace in the fact that he could talk to someone from his own house, rather than Hermione and everyone from the Gryffindor house, most of which gave him dirty looks the whole time he sat with them.
He would've taken that rude wake-up a little better if he'd gotten more sleep. He'd shown Shade his other form before taking a fly around the grounds of Hogwarts. Admittedly, not his best idea since he knew he had class in the morning but he couldn't help himself and stayed out for hours.
He'd checked out the other common rooms in case he'd ever needed to get into them, tried his hardest to memorize the layout of the inside of the building, as to not get lost on his way to class, sat on top of the Astronomy Tower for a good half-hour and he'd even practiced a little with his powers. Can't get rusty, he told himself, ghosts were unpredictable and whether they were wizards or not, he didn't know how magic faired against ghosts. It was probably four a.m. when he realized how late it'd gotten and went to bed, so being shoved awake at seven wasn't the best way to start the day.
Danny sighed, already tired of today and went to explain to Shade why he had to wait in the dorm while he attended class. The feline didn't like it and hissed quite a lot, but eventually reluctantly curled into a ball. Only then did Danny realize that the cat probably had no objections to being left behind at all. He got to sleep in. Oh well, Danny though, at least he made an attempt to make him feel better.
So Danny, in his Hogwarts robes and all, made his way to Professor McGonagall's class on Transfiguration. Luckily last night as Phantom he'd shown himself how to get there and arrived with no trouble.
Once there, he saw that he had that class with the Gryffindor's and decided to take his chances and sat next to Hermione, who was the only person on the Gryffindor side with an empty seat. Although there was an entire desk open in front of her.
"Did you sleep alright?" She asked him, noticing his somewhat-tired appearance. Danny shrugged.
"Alright. Might've been better if someone," Danny glared at Draco, "hadn't woken me up twenty minutes before I had to get up." He said bitterly. Hermione shook her head in disapproval at Draco.
"Some people get all their kicks from pushing others around. Don't let 'em get to you." She told him, although her tone showed she was angry too.
Danny already knew that. The A-List back at Casper High were the same way and even some of the ghosts he's faced off with built their own ego by bringing other's down. He was about to reply to her when the boys he met yesterday, Harry and Ron, came shuffling through the class. Danny saw Hermione shake her head in annoyance.
"Ay, we made it." Ron huffed out. "Could you imagine McGonagall's face if we were late?" He whispered to Harry, who didn't have a chance to answer the cat on the desk, that Danny hadn't even noticed, jumped off and morphed into Professor McGonagall.
"That does justice." Danny muttered. The kids behind him snickered and Hermione shook her head in amusement while Harry and Ron sat in the desk in front of Danny and Hermione.
"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn here at Hogwarts." McGonagall started. "Anyone fooling around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
'She'd like Walker.' Danny thought to himself as they began to take notes. After a grueling note-taking session McGonagall had given them all a match and instructed them to turn it into a needle.
By the end of the class, however, only two students changed the match at all. One was Hermione, who had a perfect needle sitting on her desk where her match was and words of praise from McGonagall. The other was Danny, who had a pile of ashes where his match was and muttered words of apologies to McGonagall. After muttering 'whoops' of course.
McGonagall didn't even have it in her to glare and began to chuckle at the blue-eyed boys small misfortune.
By Friday, Danny had learned a good bit. Not so much about magic, but about the classes and teachers themselves.
Professor Sprout was okay, but Danny wasn't so crazy for the class she taught. Herbology was pretty boring, but studying the sky once a week totally made up for it. He tried not to sleep, he really did, but it was just SO boring learning about plants. Sam would've liked it though.
Professor Binns, the 'History of Magic' teacher, was apparently a ghost. And, he too, knew exactly who Danny was and was obviously showing special treatment like not admonishing him for sleeping in class or giving him extensions on homework. Normally, Danny would be 100% against this, but the class was just so boring, he didn't even mention it. He just tried not to take advantage.
Professor Flitwick seemed okay, until Hermione told him that he'd had a fan-gasm (not her exact words but he'd read between the lines) at teaching the "famous" Harry Potter.
Professor McGonagall was as stern as ever, but Danny did understand why seeing as Transfiguration was no subject to screw around in. Hell he'd found out the only incorrect way to burn a match after just one class.
Although McGonagall was great, Snape was Danny's favorite. Not because he was his head of house or favored the Slytherins, but because someone finally appreciated his dry wit and sarcastic nature and instead of reprimanding him, just snarked him right back. He loved Potions already after just two classes earlier that week.
But Potions with the Gryffindors sounded like a bad idea from the start. Especially after Harry told them of his theory that Snape disliked him. Hermione had told him it was all in his head and that teachers couldn't be biased because they were, well, teachers. Ron laughed and told him it was just because he was a Gryffindor and Danny gave them his motto "if someone dislikes you for no reason, go and give them a reason." Ron laughed again, harder, but Harry and Hermione shook their heads.
Then, the Potions with Snape drew closer and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Danny were now on their way down to one of the dungeons for the class.
"Got cold right quick, didn't it?" Ron commented as they walked. Harry and Hermione nodded but Danny shrugged. He didn't really feel the cold anymore.
Once there, Hermione eagerly found a seat and waited patiently for the class to start and waved Danny over. Danny shrugged again and went over to sit with her, next to Harry and Ron's table. Besides, sitting with the Gryffindors again beat sitting with Malfoy, since Daphne already had a partner.
Snape began to call role, pausing once not to far in.
"Daniel Fenton." He said exasperatedly, dreading the answer. Danny smiled and waved at Snape as innocently as possible, earning a glare in return from the dark teacher who continued on as if nothing happened, much to Danny's amusement.
"Ah, yes." Snape drawled out after Harry's name. "Harry Potter. Our new celebrity."
The Slytherins, minus Danny, snickered at Harry and Danny glared at his housemates.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," Snape started. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you to really understand the beauty of the softly shimmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually teach." He lectured.
Silence filled the room after Snape's speech ended. Danny looked around the room, seeing everyone else's attention full on their Professor. Only when Danny saw Snape's small smirk did he understand that that was the point of the speech; to draw them in. Danny smirked. This was definitely his favorite class. Outside of Astronomy of course.
"Potter!" Snape called suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Danny could tell by the look on Harry's face that he had no idea what Snape was even asking. But then again, he didn't know the answer either. He just knew it wasn't fair to throw Harry into the spotlight like that. Hermione's hand was up, though.
"I don't know, sir." Harry said. Snape 'tsked'.
"Fame clearly isn't everything." He said. "Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" He asked.
As Danny predicted, Harry answered, "I don't know, sir." and Hermione's hand went up higher.
"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Snape said condescendingly. Danny groaned out loud.
"Professor Snape, were you really expecting any of us to have the whole book memorized by the end of the first week?" He said, trying to get the attention off Harry. A few kids snickered and Snape rounded on Danny.
"Well I don't suppose either of you, Fenton, Potter, can tell me the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" He questioned, glaring at both black-haired boys. They both remained quiet.
Then after Snape practically spat the answers at them, demanding them to write it down, he took a point from Gryffindor for Harry's ignorance and a warning to Danny about interrupting the Professor.
He went on to give them an assignment to make a potion that cured boils and paired them with their table partner. So Danny and Hermione began to work. Snape walked around the room the entire time, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy. Oddly enough, Snape didn't criticize Danny's potion, probably because Hermione wouldn't let anything be wrong with it, and instead corrected his posture. "Sit up straight Fenton or I'll stick a board down your shirt."
Just as Snape was in the process of praising Malfoy again, acid green smoke and a hissing noise filled the dungeon. Everybody turned to see Neville and Seamus' potion seeping on the floor. The whole class jumped onto their stools when the potion began to melt holes in people's shoes and many of the Slytherin sneered at Neville as the potion backfired on him.
"Idiot boy!" Snape yelled. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Neville whimpered. "Take him to the hospital wing." Snape instructed Seamus, before he turned to Harry and Ron.
"Potter! Why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if you got it wrong, did you? Another point from Gryffindor." Snape yelled at Harry, who went to argue but was swiftly cut off by Ron.
"Don't push it. I heard Snape can get very nasty." He whispered to Harry. Danny didn't get the memo.
"Why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?" Danny asked, now back off his stool and on the ground. Snape glared.
"Students have to learn from their mistakes." Snape replied, lessening his glare for an expression akin to scrutinizing.
"So what would he have learned it Harry told him?" Danny pressed. He could see most of the Gryffindors smiling and hear Daphne from the other side of the room giggling. Snape was silent for a moment until,
"Point from Slytherin for questioning my teaching methods, Fenton." He said, before he marched up to the front of the class.
"So," Harry started. "You guys want to come to Hagrid's to tea with me?" He asked.
Over the course of the last week Harry and Ron had grown on Danny, enough to where he considered them his friends instead of "Hermione's friends".
Danny also seemed to grow on Ron, as the redheaded boy really appreciated someone else with a sarcastic sense of humor, so much that Ron hardly even remembered Danny was a Slytherin until they had to head in for the night and was utterly confused one night as to why Danny wasn't around when he, Harry and Hermione were in the Gryffindor common room.
"Sure." Ron answered eagerly. "I was gonna ask anyway."
"Sorry, but I really should get started on Snape's homework." Hermione said. Harry nodded and looked to Danny.
"Okay, but I'll meet you there. I'm gonna go get Shade so you guys go on ahead." He waved them on.
Harry nodded and he and Ron made their way to the hut on the edge of the forest, Hermione went towards Gryffindor Tower while Danny turned around and went back into the castle and prepared to head towards the Slytherin common room to fetch his feline-friend but was interrupted when his Ghost Sense went off.
He froze and looked around warily, more out of habit that actual caution, and was relived when Sir Nicholas popped through the wall.
"Hey, Sir Nicholas." Danny said, relaxing. Sir Nicholas smiled.
"Hello, Phantom. Good day?" The ghost questioned. Danny nodded.
"So far so good. Was there a reason you popped out of a wall or?" He asked. Sir Nicholas nodded.
"Actually there was. Dumbledore is getting impatient and I'm afraid we ghosts can't put his meeting with you off any longer. Dumbledore wants to meet Danny Phantom today, as soon as possible, with Snape and McGonagall. I told him I'd look for you." The Gryffindor House ghost explained. Danny sighed.
"Okay fine, I'll meet with Dumbledore now." Danny double checked his surroundings and, after the last bunch of students rounded the corner, transformed. "Lead the way." Danny said.
Sir Nicholas looked over his form.
"You're ghost form appears… younger than before." He commented. Danny smiled weakly.
"Yeah, I know. I wasn't expecting that. That won't be a problem, will it?" He questioned. At least the echo in his voice helped a little. Sir Nicholas sighed.
"I guess not. Just tell them that you've been a ghost for years if they give you grief about your age. Whether you're eleven or not you've done greater things than most wizards have in their lifetimes." Sir Nicholas advised. "Now move along, we mustn't keep Dumbledore waiting much longer." He said, before flying through the wall he came out of.
Danny sighed and followed Sir Nicholas through multiple walls and celling's until they ended up in what he assumed was Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore and his beard sat at a desk in the room with Snape and McGonagall on either side of him and the other house ghosts, Friar, Grey Lady and Bloody Baron, on the opposite side of the desk.
All eyes went to Sir Nicholas and Danny as they entered through the floor, all of the magic-users sizing up the ghost immediately. Apparently, they decided he was no threat if Snape's smirk was any indication. But Dumbledore straightened up, as if seeing the power Phantom had where the others didn't.
Sir Nicholas waved his arm at Phantom and spoke.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, Professors Snape and McGonagall, I'd like you to meet the Savior of the Ghost Zone, Guardian of the Mortal Plane, Defeater of Pariah Dark, Slayer of-" Sir Nicholas spouted, until Danny nudged him with his elbow. Sir Nicholas cleared his throat. "Protector of all, Danny Phantom."
"Hello, Mr. Phantom. Lemon drop?" Dumbledore offered, pushing his bowl of muggle sweets closer to Danny.
"Hello, Headmaster Dumbledore, nice to meet you." Danny said, smiling as he took a lemon drop from the bowl. "Thanks". He said, plopping the candy in his mouth. Dumbledore nodded.
"Okay, he has my blessing to enter and stay on Hogwarts grounds." The Headmaster gave his approval.
Snape, McGonagall and Phantom wore matching shocked expressions but the Hogwarts ghosts just smiled.
"What do you mean, Albus? You've said five words to him, how did he earn approval so easily?" McGonagall questioned.
"And look at him. He looks no older than a First Year. Would you allow them to do whatever he's going to be doing?" Snape added, pointing furiously at Danny.
Danny was about to use the excuse Sir Nicholas told him to use in case his age turned into a problem, but Dumbledore spoke first.
"Young he may be, but his morals are unbreakable and he is wise beyond the years of any Seventh Year student. And look, he's completely solid. Not like the others we have here." Dumbledore explained.
It took Snape and McGonagall a moment to realize that yes Phantom was solid. And they'd seen him take a lemon drop without it falling through his hand.
"Are you a poltergeist?" Snape questioned specifically, reaching for his wand. Sir Nicholas scowled and spoke for him.
"I'll have you know that Phantom is much more powerful than a poltergeist." He said, very sure of himself.
"And much nicer." Grey Lady added, earning nods from Friar and Bloody Baron.
"Then how is he solid?" McGonagall asked suspiciously. Bloody Baron answered this time.
"He's a muggle ghost. Muggle ghosts are more powerful than wizarding ghosts for whatever reason, but all muggle ghosts are tangible, colorful and have a much wider range of abilities than any wizarding ghosts." Bloody Baron informed them.
"Then tell me, Phantom, what are your abilities?" Snape questioned sourly. Danny smiled.
"Invisibility, intangibility, flight, overshadowing, Ecto-powers and I can do this." He listed, before forming his legs into a ghostly tail that floated all over the place.
He also didn't want to reveal all his powers just yet in case they turned on him. He doubted they would but you could never be too careful.
"Ecto-what?" Snape scoffed as McGonagall and Dumbledore's eyes fixated on his new tail.
"Ecto-powers. Like this." Danny said, before he created a little ball of Ectoplasm in his hand and made it fly around the room. Danny thought Snape was going to hide in his robes when it went over the Potions teachers' head.
"Impressive." Dumbledore commented. "It almost looks like a Snitch."
Danny decided it would be better if he didn't ask what in the name of Clockwork that was, and simply dissolved the ball.
"I suppose he could stay for a while. As long as he'll help if something comes up." McGonagall said, sighing. Danny nodded.
"Of course. Just yell if you need me." Danny said with a smirk, before he floated off the ground. "If that's all, I'll take my leave. Nice meeting you Headmaster Dumbledore, and you too Professor McGonagall. I suppose you too, Professor Snape." He said, smirking more before flying through the door.
The ghosts chuckled and Dumbledore smiled.
"I must apologize, Sir Nicholas, about before. I see now you were indeed right and that Danny Phantom is no threat." Dumbledore said earnestly. Sir Nicholas nodded.
"Quite alright, quite alright. As long as you see now that Phantom is a friend there is no harm done." He assured Dumbledore. Snape growled.
"He's just a boy! He can't be prepared for anything the wizarding world has to go against! What if You-Know-Who is in fact still out there? Are we going to send the poor boy out there with our most skilled Aurors and ask him to take on the most despicable wizard the wizarding world has seen in nearly a century?" Snape ranted. Dumbledore sighed.
"Sir Nicholas told us that he can take care of himself just fine, and I trust his judgment. Therefore Danny Phantom will be staying at Hogwarts until whenever he pleases." Dumbledore said strongly. Snape sighed.
"Yes, Headmaster Dumbledore." He agreed. Dumbledore smiled.
"Good. Have a lemon drop, Severus." The old wizard encouraged, sliding the bowl over to him. Snape just glared.
"Okay, Shade?" Danny looked down at his cat, who meowed to assert his presence.
"Check. Human form, and robes?" Danny looked down at himself.
"Check. Wand 'discretely' hidden in back pocket?" Danny reached behind him under his robes and grabbed the magic tool.
"Check. Alright Shade, let's head over to Hagrid's." Danny said, and they left the Slytherin common room. Shade meowed.
"Yeah hopefully without running into Filch and Mrs. Norris." He agreed. Shade hissed. "Yeah, I know you don't like her either." He said with a chuckle.
The duo weren't walking for ten minutes before they heard a cry of "Danny!" right after they came out of the castle. Danny turned to see Daphne, who latched onto his arm and started pulling him back the way she came, Shade made a noise of 'ack' in surprise and hurried to keep up.
"Nice to see you too, Daphne, but umm where are we going?" Danny asked, trying not to trip over his own two feet.
"It's Draco again, he's picking on the Gryffindor boy. I wasn't gonna do anything first, but he's stolen the boys new robes!" Daphne complained. She'd been going for a teacher at first, but getting Danny would solve this just as easily. And it wouldn't make her look like such a snitch.
Danny assumed the Gryffindor boy she was talking about was Neville, seeing as Malfoy's first favorite victim was in Hagrid's shed.
'Where I should be too.' Danny thought bitterly. 'But no, I had to get roped into another fight with Malfoy.'
Once there Daphne stopped dragging the raven-haired boy and pointed to where Malfoy's henchmen #1, Crabbe, was holding Neville's robes above his head and Malfoy was laughing and taunting Neville.
"If you want them, you've got to jump for them, Longbottom." Malfoy taunted and Neville jumped hopelessly trying to reach the new robes he'd gotten in the mail. Danny scowled and all attention, even the onlookers, was brought to him.
"Give 'em back, Malfoy." Danny said, rolling his eyes at the blonde Slytherin, who sneered.
"What are you gonna do about it, Fenton? Go run and tell Potter?" Malfoy taunted, earning some snickers.
"No, why? Miss your boyfriend already?" Danny replied, not missing a beat. That erupted laughter from the crowd while Malfoy seethed. Even his henchmen snickered and Neville was almost crying from laughing so hard.
"You- you're a- would you just-" Malfoy stuttered in anger.
"Just give Neville his robes back, we don't want trouble." Danny tried again. Malfoy glared.
"Come and get them, why don't you?" He ordered.
Danny took a step forward to reach for the robes Neville was still jumping to get when Malfoy's second henchmen, Goyle, punched him square in the chest. It took him by surprise so he did end up losing his footing but nothing was actually harmed, but the crowd gasped.
Daphne went to help him to his feet, but Danny was back up in two seconds flat and glaring at the three. Goyle went to shove Danny again, but he was ready and used the henchmen's forward momentum to his advantage and the hybrid pushed him onto the floor.
"Leviosa!" A new voice called, and Neville's robes began levitating out of Crabbe's hands. Danny turned to see Hermione, wand in hand, casting the spell.
"No you don't, mudblood!" Draco called, going to charge the girl to break the spell.
"Like hell!" Danny said, tackling Draco to the ground. Try as he might, the evil heir couldn't get the halfa off his back.
Crabbe, at this point, had abandoned his chase for the levitating robes in favor of going to pull Danny up once he noticed Draco's predicament. All that happened was Danny ended up sitting on Crabbe, who was lying on Draco.
Seeing the danger gone, Hermione dropped the robes into Neville's arms as he smiled in appreciation.
Goyle, too, had gotten up and saw Danny sitting on his friends. So he did what any sensible man in his position would do; charge! But Danny just pushed off the pile of Slytherin and smirked as Goyle had trouble lifting Crabbe off Malfoy, who growled as he stood up and dusted himself off.
"You'll pay for this Fenton." He threatened before walking away, trying to keep his dignity, with Goyle and Crabbe.
"Cash or credit?" Danny called back and all the muggle-born students broke into fits of laughter, even Hermione.
Now with the main show over, the crowd began to disperse until only Danny, Shade, Neville, Hermione and Daphne were left there. Now alone, Hermione turned to Danny.
"What are you doing here? I thought you'd be at Hagrid's shed with Harry and Ron?" She questioned him. Danny shrugged.
"I just got Shade and was on my way when someone," Danny glared playfully at Daphne. "Dragged me away from my objective to get into another shouting match with Mr. 'too-big-for-his-own-britches' over there." He finished, nodding his head towards the way Malfoy left. Hermione shook her head, Neville laughed and Daphne chuckled as she turned to Danny once again.
"Um, Danny? Who are they?" She asked, pointing at the Gryffindors. Hermione glared.
"I could as him the same question." She said stiffly.
"Oh, right. You guys haven't met. Hermione, Neville, this is Daphne. She's from my house. Daphne, this is Neville and Hermione. They're Gryffindors." Danny introduced.
"Hermione Granger. It's a pleasure to meet you." Hermione introduced, going for a handshake, albeit reluctantly. She wasn't too fond of any Slytherin (save Danny) but she couldn't be so bad if Danny was socializing with her.
"Danny what are you thinking? Befriending Gryffindors! Gryffindors! They're our sworn rivals, Danny!" Daphne ignored Hermione in favor of swatting Danny's arm. He winced, even though it didn't hurt.
"I met them on the train before we were even sorted and I'm not going to dump them being some people can't look past the colors we wear." Danny said determinedly.
"This rivalry is as old as the houses themselves, Danny. You can't just ignore it! Especially not for some goody-two-shoes know-it-all girl." Daphne insisted, glaring at Hermione, who glared back.
"Well this know-it-all happens to know a few spells that ought to shut your trap!" She yelled, stepping forward.
Danny immediately stepped behind the bushy-haired girl and holding her back. For some reason he knew she'd be the first to turn it physical despite the more naturally aggressive Slytherin girl also being there. Instead, he attempted to compromise.
"Daphne come on, they're not that bad. Besides, they're on Malfoy's bad side too. Can't this be like a "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" type of deal?" Danny pleaded, ignoring Hermione's attempts to jerk her arm away. They heard a scoff, but it wasn't Daphne.
"The bloke's gotta have a good side to have a bad one." Neville muttered. Daphne chuckled under her breath.
"You know what? You're alright, kid." She said, smiling at Neville before turning to Danny. "Alright, truce."
Danny took that as a good sign and released Hermione, only to get slapped across the face right after. He held his cheek in pain, despite it hardly stinging. It hurt harder than Daphne had.
"What was that for?" Danny asked clueless.
"For stepping into Neville's fight without an actual solution. I was watching for a while to see if you'd use your head and simply levitate the robes away, but when it was obvious you didn't I thought it best I step in." Hermione explained, as if it was the most obvious solution in the world.
"It was pretty obvious." Daphne put in, attempting to smile at Hermione.
'Great, they've been friends for a minute and a half and they're already ganging up on me.' He thought bitterly.
"I had it under control." The American teen insisted. Hermione snorted.
"Name one solution you would have came up with if I didn't show up that didn't involve getting physical with those three?" She said toughly.
Try as he might, every scenario that Danny ran through his head without Hermione (and even some with) involved him beating the snot out of Malfoy and his little bodyguards. Hermione took his silence as the thing that proved her right. Again.
"Exactly." She said, nodding approvingly. Neville took this time to intervene.
"Don't worry about it Danny, I know you could've taken 'em anyway." He encouraged, before looking down at his clutched robes. "I'd better be off now, though, almost dinner. Thanks for the help, Hermione. You too, Danny, I really appreciate it." He said before heading back to Gryffindor Tower.
"I'd better head out too." Daphne said, half turning around to leave. "Bye Danny, see you later. Good day, Hermione." She said before she turned and started in the direction to the Slytherin Dungeon.
"Want to go to Hagrid's and see if they're still there?" Danny asked his friend, who hummed in thought.
"No, its almost time for supper. If they are still there they'd be just leaving when we get there, so there's no sense in walking all that way. Let's just meet them in the Great Hall for supper. Come on." Hermione said, grabbing Danny's arm to drag him back through the doorway.
"Oh, jeez, I'm coming! Why does everybody insist on pulling my arm from its socket?" Danny huffed in fake pain. But it was annoying. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Get over it and walk faster or we'll be late." She reprimanded. Shade purred and Danny scowled.
"I do not have sensitive shoulders, yours are just- unnaturally hard." He defended himself to his cat.
All Hermione could do was laugh.
So, there you go! Chapter three is done!
This was going to be longer, but my document fudged up and didn't save like 2,000 words so I had to go a different way. And I also can't remember at least 500 of those words.
Okay, for the pole. I won't be closing that anytime soon since everyone is obviously a little too young for any long-term romance or anything so the pole is more for later, but it will be up. And if you feel like someone should be added to the pole, maybe someone I missed for a possible pairing, tell me like whoever voted for "Other", just tell me who you're "Other" is.
As always, review if you have any suggestions/comments/concerns about this story or review your thoughts on the chapter are appreciated.
So, until "Chapter Four: Golden Trio's Ghostly Encounter"!
