Disclaimer: I do not own either Danny Phantom or Harry Potter.
Chapter 2
Vlad narrowed his eyes. His first act as Daniel's guardian began now. "Who are you, and what do you want with said 'poor boy'?"
The man answered, "My name is Albus Dumbledore. I need to tell you and the remarkable boy who escaped certain death this morning about the people who attacked his town."
"What would you know about it?"
The man sorrowfully bent his head and closed his eyes. "The people who attacked were Death Eaters." Vlad raised an eyebrow at this. "If the young fellow described it, he might have mentioned people wearing black cloaks and masks, waving wands, casting spells."
"Alright. You have my attention. Come in, and I DO expect a full explanation of what happened in Amity Park." Vlad brought Dumbledore to the sitting room where Danny was. The tears had stopped, but Danny still looked miserable. Vlad waved at Dumbledore to take a seat, but stood protectively by Daniel, putting a hand on the boy's back. (Where did this come from? He wasn't sure, but it seemed to be the right thing to do.)
Danny looked up at Vlad, surprised and a little shocked at this gesture, but noticed the other figure in the room. The robes looked similar to the ones the people he saw wearing them earlier, but the color distracted him. It was odd, but he appreciated the almost…protective gesture, even if it was from Vlad. "Wh-who are you?" Danny asked.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled kindly. "I am Albus Dumbledore. I am a wizard. You both need to know what happened this morning. An evil wizard, known as Voldemort, has made his presence known by cruel killing sprees of his followers, the Death Eaters." Even Danny gave him a sardonic look at that. "Most of the attacks have been taking place in Britain, but he must be very bold indeed if he has been promoting attacks in the Americas." He studied Danny for a moment. "Through a network of wizards whose primary aim is to stop Voldemort and his reign of terror, I heard that you were hit by a particularly potent curse, and you miraculously survived it."
Danny responded, "Yeah, I was hit by something. It stung, but I shot back at the person who hit me." Dumbledore was taken aback. The Killing Curse only stung?
Vlad smacked himself in the face. "Daniel! What do you think you're doing!" Danny jumped guiltily.
Dumbledore glared at Vlad. "Mr. Masters, what do you think you're doing?" he asked coolly. Vlad's face flushed in anger as Dumbledore looked at Danny. "To date, the only other person who has been hit with this curse and lived was physically scarred for life, and his mother – a powerful witch – gave her life in a particularly powerful, life-protecting spell. There ARE no witches or wizards who live in Amity Park, Illinois, so there is no way that a similar solution would exist for you." He peered over the rims of his half-moon glasses. "The only reasonable conclusion is that you are not fully human, but also part something else that could survive the Killing Curse." Vlad spluttered, and Danny stared in disbelief. "And since the ghosts of Hogwarts tell me of two powerful half-ghosts who were involved in a fiasco involving 'the Ghost King,' and the one most seriously involved in the defeat of said Ghost King is a young half-ghost named Danny Phantom," Danny gasped. "Danny Phantom is known to live in Amity Park. The connection has been made by those in the Wizarding World before this morning's incident.
"So, Mr. Masters, Danny telling me of shooting back at the Death Eaters is not an exposure of your and your charge's deepest secret."
Vlad frowned. He would NOT be chastised in his own home. He turned into Plasmius, his far more intimidating form. "Now that I know you know our secret, what is there to prevent me from destroying you?" Danny's eyes went wide. He was sure this would end badly. Neither he nor Vlad expected Dumbledore's response.
He smiled, his eyes twinkled, and he answered, clearly amused. "First of all, Mr. Masters, I am not the only one who knows your secret. Second of all, while I am unfamiliar with what I am told are your considerable ghostly powers, it is clear that you are equally unfamiliar with my wizardly powers. It would be a far fairer fight than you would probably anticipate."
At the words "far fairer fight," Danny smirked. He remembered the first time he had such a thing against Vlad, involving a Specter Deflector. But he said nothing. He decided not to antagonize Vlad, who he saw as the only "family" he had left. There was Aunt Alicia in Spittoon, Arkansas, but for some reason he felt closer to Vlad. It seemed so wrong, but there it was.
Ignoring Danny, Vlad narrowed his eyes and folded his arms.
Dumbledore took off his glasses and rubbed them with a handkerchief. "It should comfort you to know that it isn't the whole of the Wizarding World that knows your secret. The Hogwarts ghosts told me in confidence, and told me it was only to be shared with the organization I told you of before – the organization to stop Voldemort and his followers." Danny sighed with relief. Vlad remained suspicious.
"What do you want?" Vlad asked. He did not appreciate not having the upper-hand, and it was clear that he didn't have it and wasn't getting it back.
Dumbledore put his glasses back on and looked seriously at Vlad and Danny. "I come to offer you both protection against an evil that has no compunction against capturing you, attempting to enslave you and harnessing your considerable powers for his own uses, which include the death and destruction of innocent lives. While it is doubtful that he could actually kill you, as you are already half-ghosts, there is Dark magic that actually can petrify ghosts. I am uncertain as to whether it could cause you pain, but it could certainly incapacitate you.
"After witnessing Danny's resistance to the Killing Curse, Voldemort's Death Eaters have almost certainly reported back to him about a person seemingly immortal. Voldemort is obsessed with the concept of immortality, as you can see by the name he chooses to give his followers. He would probably stop at nothing to get his hands on you."
Danny shuddered and closed his eyes. 'Not again. Really, not again,' he thought.
Vlad looked at Danny. He knew how that could be. Danny was that desirable. But he himself became a prize to no one. Not to the Ghost King, not to this Voldemort character, no one. Viewing the pained and frightened visage of young Daniel, Vlad decided to explore Dumbledore's offer of protection. "What will this protection consist of?" Vlad asked, interested but skeptical.
"Danny could attend Hogwarts, the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, of which I am Headmaster. With all the wards and protections around it, it is said that there is nowhere more safe in all of England, if not the world."
"What do you want in return for this protection?"
Dumbledore blinked. "I want nothing but the safety of two particularly tempting targets of Voldemort's wrath."
Vlad shook his head and reverted to human form. "Please. I am a businessman, and the one thing I know for certain is that nothing comes for free, especially when it is 'freely' offered."
"For Danny, the cost would be nothing but the price of his books, robes, and supplies. If you wish to give something in return… I suppose… Well, we are always looking for a new teacher for the class on Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Are you mad? Neither of us is magical in any way! What are you thinking?" Vlad fumed.
Professor Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "Oh, I don't know about that. That might have been true at one time. But ghosts – or in your case, half-ghosts – are indeed beings in the Wizarding World. You have powers that most ghosts we are familiar with DON'T have. I'm certain that with a clever mind, you could learn the basics and some details that both you and your students will find interesting. Further, you have your OWN ways to defend yourself against Dark magic.
"I'm sure a schedule can be arranged where I or one of my two closest and best trusted instructors could teach you. You would teach classes, years one through seven, and you might spend special time teaching Danny to use his own powers."
"Mr. Dumbledore," Danny said, and both adults turned towards him. "I thank you for your offer of protection. Right now, I think that would be great. I have a couple of problems, though. This September, I would have started eleventh grade. If… Uncle Vlad was to teach the years you mentioned, it sounds like the students my age would be in their sixth year. That would be five years of magic lessons that I would be behind, not to mention that – besides the ghost stuff – I have no special magic I know of. What would I be learning?"
Vlad stared at him. "Uncle Vlad?"
Danny shrugged. "Is that okay?" Vlad looked thoughtful.
Professor Dumbledore watched this exchange. Something significant was happening here, and he wasn't privy to it. He might ask about it later. But Danny did ask him some important questions that needed answering. "If I may…" The half-ghosts turned back to the professor. "As you were born a Muggle, a non-magical person, you would not be able to do wandwork. But it would benefit you to hear the various spells and learn what they do. Still more to the point, there are other subjects you could thrive in with nary a wand wave. Let's see… You could surely learn Potions, which is not unlike Chemistry, Herbology, which is much like Botany, Astronomy – "
"Really?" Danny's face lit up.
"Absolutely. Your class has lessons every Wednesday at midnight on the Astronomy Tower." Danny beamed. "You might also take Muggle Studies. You might have much to contribute, as it is more of an introduction to all things non-magical to students who are ignorant of the ways of the world as you know it. History of Magic is Wizarding history." The professor grinned. "Professor Binns is our longest standing professor who is a ghost. Whether or not you care for the history of the Wizarding World, you might ask him to teach you some history of ghost lore. Actually all of the ghosts would be willing to share all kinds of ghost lore." He murmured, "Except, perhaps, Peeves."
Danny started. "There are ghosts at Hogwarts?" He remembered hearing a comment about that vaguely, but it seemed hours ago since it was discussed.
"Indeed, there are. And all of them are inclined to think highly of you. Apparently, you've earned yourself a reputation among them." Danny blushed. "But besides our resident ghosts and the professors, no one will know of either your or your uncle's secret."
"Yes, well…" While Vlad was proud of his charge, there is only so much shameless adulation for his young rival that a guy can take. "All of this magic sounds wonderful, and yes, I intend to take teaching Daniel about his powers to help him develop them in hand. But what of non-magical subjects like Math and English? These things can't be left out of a well-rounded education." With a hint of satisfaction, Vlad watched Danny wince as he mentioned math.
"Of course we have Arithmancy. We don't have literature courses, per se, but I'm sure you can look through the library and put a curriculum together, if you like. We do have a course on Ancient Runes, if Danny would be interested to learn them. But Danny might learn more Latin and Greek by paying attention in Charms and any other class where he could learn about spells." For the first time since Astronomy was mentioned, Danny shifted uncomfortably. Professor Dumbledore noticed. "Danny, some of the courses you will take would necessarily be modified, but there are others you can take that will be fine for you.
"If this arrangement is satisfactory to you both, we can have you moved in tomorrow."
Vlad closed his eyes and put a hand to his forehead. "Wait a minute. I can't just pick up and leave. I'm a billionaire. I have corporations to run, bank accounts to maintain. How can I afford to go into hiding?"
"Mr. Masters, the Wizarding World is not without a banking system. You can take as much money as you like, and open an account at Gringotts, the Wizarding bank. Your own safety would necessitate putting your usual business on hold. If you have associates you would trust to run things until the danger passes, I would suggest contacting them as soon as possible.
"As far as maintaining your accounts, you will be paid as a professor at Hogwarts. Have no fears on that matter. And the goblins who run Gringotts are impeccably fair and efficient when it comes to exchange rates between Muggle and Wizarding currency."
Vlad looked askance at Professor Dumbledore. "Your Wizarding society has its own currency?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Among other things. The Wizarding World is a secret society. Muggles don't know of our existence, and we like to keep it that way. There is a whole government, with a Ministry of Magic, currency, a justice system… everything a society is expected to have. There are creatures that non-magical people think are mythical. Wizards not only know of their existence, we keep them well hidden so that the non-magical society is not terrified and paralyzed by things and ideas they aren't ready to handle."
Danny thought about this. "Like most of the world isn't ready to know of the existence of half-ghosts. The Guys in White… would have 'lots and lots of painful experiments' to try and figure us out." He shuddered at the thought.
"Exactly, Danny. And the Wizarding World has had to put up with such scrutiny before the Secrecy for hundreds of years. Although, to be honest, the Wizarding World at large isn't ready to deal with half-ghosts, either." Vlad raised an eyebrow.
"The concepts of hybrids and crossbreeds are often not well received, much to our shame. That is only one of the many reasons to keep your secret so well guarded. And trust me when I tell you that you wouldn't be the first to suffer such discrimination."
With a wistful expression, he continued, "One of the finest Defense Against the Dark Arts instructors Hogwarts has had in many decades resigned out of fear of parental reaction to the untimely revelation of his identity as a werewolf." Danny stared. "He was and remains one of the finest men and wizards I have the honor of knowing, working with, and teaching during his years as a student."
Vlad narrowed his eyes. "And who made this revelation?"
Dumbledore said sadly, "A contemporary of his and a childhood rival. As adults and fellow professors, I rather expected better of them. Unfortunately, I hadn't counted on childhood grudges to be held so tightly after all these years."
"And this is the society that is to keep Daniel, me, and our secret safe?"
"The society? No. I, my school, my staff, and the organization? Yes."
Vlad folded his arms and argued, "You just said that members of your staff, your fellow professors, exposed a well-kept secret because of a grudge. I, myself, have made a number of enemies. How can I count on you, or these people you work with, to protect a secret that the society your school belongs to rejects out of hand, simply for existing?"
Dumbledore sighed. Vlad had a point. "While you may indeed have enemies, you have no pre-existing enemies in Hogwarts. While the ghosts in Hogwarts don't speak of you in the same glowing terms they use describing Danny, it is clear that they respect you." Fear was the more accurate description, but when it came to comparing Vlad to Voldemort, the ghosts sided with Vlad. "And the fact remains that whether or not you choose to trust me, the safest option regarding yourself and young Danny is indeed to come to Hogwarts."
Danny sighed. Why does everything have to be so complicated? "Okay – I get it. We don't really have a choice. This guy Voldemort has followers all over the place, and they killed my family and friends and lots of other people all over Amity Park. From your description, it sounds like Voldemort is more persistent than the Guys in White, which is so wrong, by the way. And because he and his followers are wizards, no one ELSE seems to know about him, or probably can't do anything about him. And, the only way to get away from these Death Eater people is either to 1) go to the Ghost Zone, where humans without a portal can't follow, or 2) go to your school, where we get to stay in the Real World, learn more about these guys, and help figure out a way to defeat them.
"I mean, what's the difference between the world as we know it and this Wizarding World? Where we are, if people knew our secret, they'd hate us for being ghosts. In the Wizarding World, if people knew our secret, they'd hate us for being half-ghosts. But if no one – but a select few – knows our secret, we have a place to be, you have a job, and … I don't know. I guess I'd get a chance to start over again. I don't know if anyone from Casper High survived." He thought for a minute. "Maybe Valerie, 'cause she lives in Elmerton, not Amity Park, and I don't know if she was at work today… it is Saturday…"
"I can check to see if Valerie survived," Vlad said kindly.
"Thank you," Danny responded quietly.
Both adults sat in silence as they digested Danny's outburst. Apparently, he took in everything that was said and formed not one, but two battle plans that would take him to safety, although going to the Ghost Zone was an option neither adult had considered. But Danny's eyes glowed green when he mentioned the concept of defeating Voldemort. Although the styles of both children were different, Danny reminded Dumbledore of Harry Potter. Without a prophecy or a plan, Danny was ready to do what was necessary, so it seemed.
Vlad noticed that Danny's logic leapfrogged the conversation. Here he was, carefully weighing the pros and cons of this new option, which he wasn't yet certain he was satisfied with the ramifications, and Danny jumped in, ready to lend his powers to a cause he didn't yet understand. He rolled his eyes. This was typical, for Daniel. While going along with Danny's new plan would mean new responsibilities for Vlad, it also ensured him that Daniel was not completely crushed by his loss. This was reassuring. He would check to see if Danny's teacher Mr. Lancer survived as well; if Danny could do the right thing as far as the world was concerned, he could do the right thing as far as Daniel was concerned. Of all the teachers in Casper High, William Lancer seemed to care the most for his most distracted student. Vlad knew of Daniel's grades, and knew of Lancer's attempts to get him to improve them. He wondered if the care between teacher and student was mutual.
Danny closed his eyes again. This day just got weirder and weirder. The death of everyone, going to Vlad, meeting Dumbledore, this new school… "Let me ask you something. It is only July. Where are we going to stay? Even your school doesn't start until September, right?"
Woken from their assorted thoughts, Vlad and Dumbledore focused on Danny once more. "Hogwarts is in a castle, and there are dormitories. Some of the staff lives there all year long. You would have a 'place to be', as you put it." Dumbledore explained.
Vlad sighed. For better or worse, it seemed that this Hogwarts plan seemed to be moving forward. "You said that we could be moved in by tomorrow, assuming all our affairs are in order. Even getting my own plane ready takes a day of fueling and inspection before flight. A plane can't be ready until tomorrow, and we couldn't get there until the day after tomorrow."
Dumbledore smiled enigmatically. "We'll be travelling much faster than going by plane. I Apparated here, myself, but when you are ready to go, we will go by Portkey." Danny and Vlad looked at each other.
"I suppose you'll tell us what you mean later?" Vlad asked.
"Absolutely. But for now, I suggest you get your affairs in order." This seemed to end the bizarre audience. Danny went outside to retrieve his luggage. Vlad walked out of the room, first to his lab, and then to his office to make some phone calls. He had a lot to do before tomorrow.