Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – Danny Phantom and the Magic of Ages
By WarriorLoverInc
Chapter 2: Foreign Exchange
**The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved farther north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. The lunch trolley came rattling down the corridor, and Harry bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for them to share.** (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, pg. 168)
Several of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's friends stopped by to say hello, Draco too, but just for the annual sneering session and nothing more. After he left, Harry realized it was really getting to he and his friends that they didn't know what this thing everyone seemed to be going on about was. The train reached Hogwarts, the traditional hello to Hagrid was said, and they bustled off to the horseless carriages through the icy downpour clutching their luggage to them.
…
**The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in midair. The four long House tables were packed with chattering students; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. It was much warmer in here. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked past the Slytherins, the Ravenclaws, and the Hufflepuffs, and sat down next to the other Gyffindors at the far side of the hall, next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. Pearly white and semi transparent, Nick was dressed tonight in his usual doublet, but with a particularly large ruff, which served the dual purpose of looking extra-festive, and insuring that his head didn't wobble too much on his partially severed neck.
"Good evening," he said, beaming at them.
"Says who?" said Harry, taking off his sneakers and emptying them of water. "Hope they hurry with the Sorting. I'm starving."
The Sorting of the new students into the Houses took place at the start of every school year, but by an unlucky combination of circumstances, Harry hadn't been present at one since his own. He was quite looking forward to it.** (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, pg. 173-174) But his fan-boy just couldn't leave him alone.
"Hiya Harry!"
Colin Creevy, it was his third year at Hogwarts. The boy who seemed to hero-worship Harry and left him feeling annoyed.
"Hi, Colin." Harry replied warily.
"Harry, guess what? Guess what Harry? My brother's starting! My brother Dennis!"
"Er—good." Said Harry. He just hoped Dennis wouldn't be exactly like his brother.
"He's really excited!" Colin was practically bouncing in his seat, "I just hope he's in Gryffindor! Keep your fingers crossed, eh, Harry?"
"Er—yeah, all right." Harry turned back to Hermione, Ron, and Nearly Headless Nick, "Brothers and sisters usually go in the same houses, don't they?" Judging by the Weasleys, all seven of whom were placed in the Gryffindor House.
"Oh no, not necessarily," said Hermione in her I-know-it-all tone, "Parvati Patil's twin's in Ravenclaw, and they're identical. You'd think they'd be together, wouldn't you?"
Looking up to the staff table, Harry noticed it seemed emptier than usual. Hagrid must still be fighting his way across the lake with the first years; Professor McGonagal was probably supervising the drying of the entrance hall floor. But that only filled two chairs, who else was missing?
"Where's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor?" asked a curious Hermione. She had been examining the table too.
They had yet to see a DADA teacher last more than three terms. The trio's favorite by far had been Professor Lupin, the werewolf.
"Maybe they couldn't get one!" Hermione was frantic, missing a class! Her worst nightmare… other than Professor McGonagal telling her she failed every subject. Harry chuckled quietly. This was going to be a good year.
After a few minutes of Ron complaining about how hungry he was, the doors of the Hall burst open, and silence fell. Professor McGonagal strode quickly to the three-legged chair in which the Sorting Hat sat, trailed by shivering, wet, scared and pathetic looking first years stumbling along as fast as they could to keep up. At the end of the trail, a black haired boy stood who didn't look like a first year at all. He wasn't nervous looking, he wasn't smiling either, he seemed to be taking everything in with mild indifference. Unlike the group he had followed in, he didn't look like a soggy stray dog; in fact, there was barely any water on him at all. The left half of his face was in shadow as he walked up and calmly stood at the back of the mob of first years waiting to be sorted.
Harry noticed a short sodden boy wrapped in a huge furry jacket frantically waving to Colin. He gave a thumbs-up and mouthed, I fell in the lake! as if it were the best thing that could happen, Colin thumbs-upped back.
As the entire Hall looked on, a tear near the brim of the ancient Sorting Hat tore open and it burst into song:
A thousand years or more ago
When I was newly sewn,
There lived four wizards of renown,
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan
To educate young sorcerers
Thus Hogwarts School began.
Now each of these four founders
Formed their own house, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones they had to teach.
By Gryffindor, the bravest were
Prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide
Their favourites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong!
There was polite clapping echoing across the hall.
"That's not the song it sang when it Sorted us," Harry speculated, applauding with everyone else.
"Sings a different one every year," Ron informed him, "It's got to be a pretty boring life, hasn't it, being a hat? I suppose it spends all year making up a new one."
"Ackerly, Stewart!" Professor McGonagal had informed the first years what to do, and started reading off her scroll.
Harry tuned everything out as the Stewart kid was being sorted, and watched the ceremony out of the corner of his eye, clapping when someone joined their table (most namely Colin's brother, Dennis), and occasionally engaging in conversation with someone. Finally, the last first year was sorted ("Whitby, Kevin!") into Hufflepuff. Just as Harry was about to turn to his plate and goblet to wait for Hogwarts famed feast food, McGonagal cleared her throat again, "You can all wait a few seconds more!" she called over the din. Everyone quieted considerably fast, what was up?
"We have the great honor to host a foreign exchange student from the American Academy for Young Wizards!" Harry clapped with the rest of the Hall; he noticed the black haired boy he had seen before was still standing before the Professor. That must be who she was talking about.
She cleared her throat, "Fenton, Daniel!"
Daniel trudged up the steps, sat at the stool, and the Hat was placed on his head.
Hm… Hello there young Daniel.
Hello hat. Danny thought flatly.
It seems you do not like to speak with hats.
Not particularly, most hats I've met don't talk. They stay quiet and just sit there, like hats should.
Ha ha ha! A sense of humor.
If you want to call it that. Just get on with this "Sorting" thing.
Right, right, the Sorting.
There was a silence in Danny's head. He was aware of all the eyes on him and the pressuring silence, but he just ignored it.
Finally, Let's see, you are extremely brave, Daniel. You have proved it to be so on many, many occasions. You are clever, but only in certain ways, but you most definitely are a hard worker… unless it has to do with school work.
Oh ha ha. Sometimes I'm a little too busy for school.
That I can see young Daniel, what intrigues me most is it seems you'd do very well in Slytherin. Especially considering your current situation. Where to place you… where to place you…
Gryffindor.
Oh? Any particular reason you would like to be there?
I was told to.
That, I believe, would be a good enough reason.
…
Harry didn't think anyone had ever had a longer sorting, but after many minutes of hush, it was broken.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry's table burst into cheering and applause, they had the foreign exchange student! Hermione looked very pleased, and eyed Daniel like a hungry vulture as he walked down the table, looking for a seat. She scooted over and made a space for him, which he took. She took his hand and started shaking it enthusiastically, "I'm Hermione Granger! Pleased to meet you!"
He smiled slightly, "As am I, Miss Granger. I'm Daniel Fenton, but you may call me Danny."
"How does the curriculum in America work? Do you have a Ministry? Who—"
Ron loudly cleared his throat across the table, Hermione sighed, "Danny, this is Ron Weasley," she gestured to the red head and he waved, "and Harry Potter." She pointed him out as well, but she felt it was unnecessary, surely Danny knew of Harry?
Danny nodded to each of them, "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Ron stared at Danny for two reasons, One: he hadn't reacted to Harry's name; Two: the part of his face that had been in shadow was now in the light. A huge flame shaped scar ran down the left side of his face from his hairline to a few centimeters away from the corner of his mouth. It wasn't ugly or marring, it was only slightly indented into his face and a few shades darker than the rest of his skin. It didn't go over any features on his face, so his ear and blue eyes lay untouched.
Danny noticed Ron staring and turned his face so the scar wasn't showing. Ron blinked, "Blimey! Where'd you get that one mate?"
Harry wondered too, but he remembered he hated people staring at his scar, he turned to Ron, "He might not want to mention it, Ron." He whispered in his ear.
"But Harry!" he whispered back, "That thing is huge! Where do you think he got it?"
Harry shrugged, "I suppose he'll tell us if he wants to." He watched Danny run a hand over the scar, not missing the haunted look that flashed in his ice-blue eyes before it vanished. He started fiddling with his robes, "Maybe later…" he mumbled.
Professor Dumbledore stood, smiling around the hall, his arms opened wide in welcome, "I only have two words for you," he told them, his bass voice echoing softly around the room, "Tuck in."
**"Hear, hear!" said Harry and Ron loudly as the empty dishes filled magically before their eyes.** (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, pg. 180)
Harry, Ron, and Hermione laughed out loud as Danny fell out of his seat. He got back on, blushing slightly, "Er—sorry, it just kinda' surprised me."
Hermione was on him in a second, "Really? How do they do it in your American school? Do they—"
Danny held his hands up in silent surrender, "Whoa! Hey! Ask away later but I'm starved!"
She frowned slightly as he started loading his plate and scoffing food along with Harry and Ron. Danny sighed slightly after a while, "Well…"
Hermione brightened instantly, he sighed heavily, no way out of it now, "We get out own plates from a stack and go through a buffet line."
"Really?" Hermione must have been taking mental notes because she had a somewhat vacant expression.
"Oh yeah," he got out through a mouthful of turkey, "the food's great. But…" he eyed a pudding before him, "Not like this British food. It's so different. We have a lot of fried things. What is this?" he poked the pudding with his fork.
"I-it's a pudding."
Harry turned and smiled, Neville Longbottom was sitting next to Danny, staring at his face in silent awe. Danny noticing his line of sight turned his face again, hiding his scar for the second time. Neville panicked, thinking he had offended him, he didn't really know anything about American customs, "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you!"
Danny smiled disarmingly, his face still turned slightly, "It's okay… what's your name?"
Neville calmed slightly, "Neville, Neville Longbottom."
It took all of Danny's willpower to not snicker at his last name. "Danny Fenton." He turned to the pudding, "this doesn't look anything like a pudding…"
Ron blinked, "Well, what do your puddings look like?"
"Uh… pudding? They look like…" he tried to think of a good description, "Smooth mud."
Ron made a gagging sound, "Remind me never to eat American pudding."
Nearly Headless Nick watched mournfully as they continued eating and laughing jovially, "You're lucky there's a fest at all tonight you know," he said, "there was trouble in the kitchens earlier."
Feeling someone's gaze on him, Nick glanced down and noticed the boy goggling at him, he goggled back, "My God…" he whispered. No one seemed to notice this through.
"Why? Wha' happened?" Harry asked through a sizable chunk of juicy steak.
"Peeves of course," said Nearly Headless Nick, shaking his head and leaving the trance, his cranium wobbling dangerously. He pulled his ruff up a little higher. "The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast—well, it's quite out of the question, you know how he is, utterly uncivilized, can't see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghost's council—the Fat Friar was all for giving him the chance—but most wisely, in my opinion, the Bloody Baron put his foot down."
At the mention of the word ghost, the boy, Nick noticed, tensed visibly. Hermione seemed to notice it too, "Danny, have you ever seen a ghost before?"
"Oh, plenty of times," he somewhat growled, "All the ones in my hometown attack people."
Harry raised an eyebrow and Ron's eyes widened, "So is that how you got that scar?"
Harry noticed the flash in his eyes again and elbowed Ron in the side, but not before Hermione somehow kicked him under the table, "Ron you insensitive clod!" she hissed.
Heaving a sigh, Danny gestured for Neville to lean in. Neville, who had been watching them, seemed to perk up and scooted closer, the rest of the Golden Trio leaned in as well, "If I tell you now will you stop asking?"
Everyone stared pointedly at Ron who flinched and nodded. Running a hand through his night-like hair, he did his best to explain, "Well… have you all heard of Death Eaters?"
Apprehension thickening in the air, the three listening nodded, "So Voldemort is a problem in America as well?" wondered Harry aloud.
Ron, Neville, and Danny flinched, "The name!" Ron tried to remind him.
"Oh go off it Ron," said Hermione, "it's just a name."
A glaring match ensued, but it was soon broken by Danny continuing his narration, "Yes, he a problem all over the wizarding world. Anyway, there's this organization called the Ku Klux Klan that was formed long ago in America to persecute blacks. Some of them turned out to be witches or wizards and they somehow negotiated and allegiance with You-Know-Who and His death eaters, so in America, if you weren't a Pure-blood or if you were black—Pure-blood or not—you were persecuted.
"I'm best friends with a boy named Tucker, he's African-American, but nobody cared, he was just Tucker the Tecno-Geek to them. He wasn't a wizard, only I was but he knew. One day, a few years before I was old enough to be accepted into a Wizard school, we walked home together. We were gonna' play video games ("What're video games?" asked Ron) till we got knocked unconscious by the combination of junk food and no sleep. We reached my house and I opened the door to let him in first. He walked in and the next thing I knew he was falling back down the steps as green light shot out the door. 'Danny!' he yelled to me, 'don't go in!'
"But I heard a scream, 'That sounded like Jazz!' I rushed in and saw a Death Eater had my parents and sister, Jazz, cornered in the kitchen. I jumped on them and yelled 'Run for it!' My family ran into our basement just as the KKK member or Death Eater (never found out which) threw me off onto the floor. Now don't get e wrong, I was scared! These people would seriously kill you! He pointed his wand at me and started to say something, but someone pushed me out of the way just in time."
Danny's voice had started to choke up a little, Hermione reached over and squeezed his arm reassuringly and Neville did his best to make his smile look warm. Harry and Ron on the other hand were looking at him worriedly, "Danny…" Harry slowly said, a horrible feeling welling up in the pit of his stomach, "what was the spell the Death Eater was using?"
Danny thought hard, "Avada something…" he trailed off at the looks of horror on all their faces, "Why? What's so bad about it?"
"Danny," Hermione addressed him, "Avada Kadavera is the Killing Curse."
Danny's eyes widened, "I-is it green?"
They all nodded, "There's no way to survive it if it hits you." Neville added his two cents.
"Really?" Danny's eyes unfocused and caressed his scar.
"You're scar… it's from the Killing Curse?" whispered Ron.
Danny nodded. Harry's eyebrow threatened to take up a residence in his hair, "No one ever told you this?"
"Well… in America, they want absolutely nothing to do with the Dark Arts, we never learned about them."
Hermione scoffed, "That's the stupidest thing I ever heard! You don't even have the slightest idea of what the Dark Arts are?"
Danny scrunched up his face in thought, "Well… we hear things of course. I mean, there's like no way to avoid Death Eater encounters but nothing ever educational."
He sighed, "Can I just eat now? I don't like remembering this stuff…"
Ron nodded, a look of almost awe on his face. Harry, on the other hand, was thinking. So he wasn't the only other one to survive a Killing Curse. But then, wouldn't he have heard of Danny before? He examined him out of the corner of his eye, something was strange about the American, but he couldn't place his finger on just what.
Perhaps tonight he'd ask Danny to finish his narrative.
….
Authors Note: Hi again! WOW! TWO UPDATES IN ONE DAY! Don't expect this again! (Unfortunately) Anyway, thanks to my first two reviewers! You know who you are. BTW, Phantom Planet has not happened.