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Spartan Commander and inukagome15 asked a good question (they asked it differently, but it comes to the same thing, in my mind), and I thought that it deserved to be answered for all.

The question is whether or not Danny could learn Occlumency, or at least fight against Legilimency. I have read other fics where Danny can and did. However, I am of the mind that these skills are strictly magical, and as such can only be fought with magic, which Danny doesn't have. This will actually be a salient plot point later.

Fighting the Imperius Curse, however, seems like something that could be done. In "Control Freak," Danny fought the mind control. He lost, but he fought it. That is why I have no problem with Danny and Vlad fighting the Imperius Curse. It seemed to be more of a test of wills and control.

But the mind reading in Legilimency is something that I decided was purely magical.

Lots of the reviews written for Chapter 16 made me think. While I love all kinds of reviews, well thought out reviews make me glow with pleasure, as they often give me inspiration for future chapters, or help me think, rethink, or otherwise justify why a chapter works or doesn't work. Thank you kindly, one and all.

Disclaimer: I do not own either Danny Phantom or Harry Potter.

Chapter 17

Danny finished crying and enjoyed playing with Morph when the door to the room opened. Draco, having left Crabbe and Goyle in the Common Room, came to find Danny.

"Danny, we missed you at lunch. Is everything okay?"

The game Danny played with Morph ended, and Danny stroked Morph as he answered. "I'm okay. I just thought over a few things. I really miss my parents and sister, and my closest friends."

Draco asked, "Would you like to talk about it?"

Danny thought about this. He did want to talk about his family and friends, but he had to be careful - very careful. "Yeah. For one thing, I miss my older sister. It was only the last couple of years that we became really close. She was older than me, and always protective of me, her 'little brother'." He smiled. "Only in the past year or so, we came to an understanding. She was a bit overprotective, but only now do I truly appreciate her. I always loved her and cared about her, even as we teased each other.

"For the last few months I had her, we started sharing secrets. She was pretty good at that. She was also one of the smartest people I knew, not that I ever told her," he said, with sincere regret. "She was always the top of her class, and full of pep and positive energy. She was always able to find the bright side of a situation. I really miss her." He sighed sadly.

Draco listened, concerned and sympathetic. "I'm sorry for your loss. I'm an only child, but it sounds like your sister was a fascinating person. What's her name?"

Danny smiled. "Jasmine, but everyone called her Jazz."

"It's good to see you smile, Danny. I'm glad you have happy memories. You know, you missed lunch. How would you like some of the snacks my mother sent?"

Danny said, "Sure. What do you have?"

Draco smiled. "She sent lots of things. But for now, I think you should have some chocolate. It always seems to calm the nerves." He walked over to his trunk and pulled out a large canvas bag. Inside was a bunch of what looked like junk food. The image reminded Danny of a pillowcase of Halloween candy. Draco sat on Danny's bed and dumped the bag. Draco separated five packages of something called "chocolate frogs."

Danny blinked. "I've never seen these before. Are they chocolate shaped to look like frogs or," he grimaced, "frogs dipped in chocolate, like chocolate covered ants?"

Draco laughed at Danny's expression. "They are chocolate shaped like frogs. If you've never seen them, then you don't yet know that every chocolate frog comes with a card, which has the picture, name, and information of a famous witch or wizard. Many of us collect the cards. It might be fun to start a new hobby."

Danny was intrigued. He opened a box and ate a frog. He never tasted chocolate quite like it. It was sweet and rich, but not so rich that he couldn't stand to eat all five of the proffered frogs. He looked at the wizard cards and blinked when they moved. (He was going to have to get used to the idea of pictures moving in the Wizarding World.)

Draco enjoyed Danny's perfectly congenial company, and gave him one of his bags of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and figured he'd enjoy them later. Taking advantage of Danny's decidedly better mood, Draco said, "If you're feeling better, let's come back to the Common Room. How do you fancy a game of Wizard Chess?"

Leaving the bag of what he thought of as jellybeans on his bed, he returned with Draco to the Common Room. There were students all about, but Draco brought Danny to a table near a couch where Crabbe and Goyle waited for them. Danny asked, "Wizard Chess?"

Draco looked at him. "Surely you've heard of it. It is a game of strategy played all over the world."

Danny nodded, and said slowly, "Right." Draco arranged his set for game play. The set looked to be expensive and made of marble. But the pieces moved. If game play was anything like normal chess, Danny thought this could work. Vlad had been teaching him.

Still, the animated game pieces confused Danny. He offered Draco, "Why don't you play white?"

Draco looked taken aback. "You know that the advantage is with the first move."

Danny smiled and shook his head. "With a good enough strategy, it doesn't matter whether you go first or second. The main thing is who plays last." Danny lost enough games to Vlad to know exactly what he was talking about. Still, it seemed important to Vlad to teach Danny to play, and to develop strategies. One day, he might even beat Vlad at chess. But, for now, he had enough skill to play (and perhaps beat) Draco.

Danny and Draco played at least four games before dinner, winning two games apiece. Danny decided that Vlad would be proud. It dawned on Danny how often he thought of the idea of Vlad being proud of him lately. This was never something Danny thought of before. Being "like Vlad" was something to be avoided, because Danny knew how evil and twisted Vlad could be. But since July, he discovered – and was learning to appreciate – a whole new side of the older half-ghost. This side was caring, compassionate, and – dare he think it? – loving.

Danny wasn't sure what he thought about this, but when they came up to dinner, Danny was honestly relieved and happy to see Vlad back at the Head table.

At the end of tonight's lesson with Vlad and Professor Snape, Vlad was satisfied with Danny's progress. Apparently, envisioning silencing Technus helped a great deal. However, Professor Snape left the lesson rubbing his lips. The ectoplasmic goop that formed the gag was effective and unmovable until Danny released it mentally. The only problem was that Danny's version produced a skin irritant. Professor Snape was proud, if a bit sore.

After Professor Snape left for the evening, Vlad told Danny, "You have done excellently. While I'm seriously tempted to leave your skill with this where it is, part of this exercise is to perfect your mastery over your ectoplasm. I don't think you will need more than a day or two to finish learning this skill to perfection. Then we'll review what we've learned. Next weekend, we will start with what I like to call 'the September Surprise.'

"Now lessons are over for today." Vlad's change in demeanor unsettled Danny. It's been over a month, and he thought he would be used to this by now, but Danny still felt out of sorts. Almost playfully, Vlad said, "Today, I spoke to Professor McGonagall. She told me that over the summer, you've become good at the Wizarding game of Quidditch. Why didn't you tell me?"

Danny thought this question came out of nowhere. After staring for a moment, he began slowly. "I… didn't know that you cared about me having fun."

Almost surprised, Vlad asked, "Why would you think that?" Danny glared at him and crossed his arms. Something in Vlad's head registered, and he raised his hands in resignation. "Right, right. Never mind that. But tell me, really, are you good?"

Unaware of what goal Vlad looked to reach with this line of questioning, Danny said cautiously, "When Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I had free time this summer – usually the weekends – we would take school brooms (Harry and Ron have their own) and we would fly and play." Vlad narrowed his eyes. Danny shrugged. "Brooms have been pre-spelled to fly. Professor Snape told me."

Vlad put a finger to his lips. "Interesting."

Danny continued. "Before the first time we played, Harry showed me a handful of trick moves. While they were intricate and graceful (and, I suppose, useful during a full game, when the opposing team bats balls at you that have lives of their own, or you're trying to catch a large volleyball-ish sized ball, or one player on each team tries to look for and catch what looks like a golden walnut with humming bird wings), I've had more complicated flight patterns trying to out-maneuver various enemies as a ghost." Danny looked away. Out of all of Danny's enemies (still not counting his evil, future self), Vlad was the most complicated. But Valerie kept him hopping. He had to evade her, not hurt her beyond a few bruises, and hope that no one else got hurt in the heat of a battle. And, of course, Vlad gave Valerie her first set of ghost hunting equipment… Danny closed his eyes.

Vlad thought about this. His attempts to capture and otherwise observe Daniel and other ghosts who had their own agendas helped to hone Daniel's skills to where they are. And wizards who fly on broomsticks recognized the boy's grace and skill in flight. He felt proud, but almost guilty. These people should see what Danny could do. But studies come first.

Danny broke the silence. "If I could ask, what did you do in London?"

Woken out of his reverie, Vlad looked at Danny. "I took care of a few things. After more than a month in this Wizarding World, a day of normalcy proved useful. Also, I bought a copy of 'The Wall Street Journal.' It is hard to track the progress of all my companies when I can't even make a phone call." He grumbled incoherently about magic interfering with electronics.

"Oh, you might be interested to know that – should we leave the confines of the castle and the rest of the Wizarding World – your phone has been reactivated. There were a couple of hoops I needed to jump through to make sure your number stayed the same, but at least you're on my plan now."

There were so many levels on which that comment could be understood… Still, Danny realized what might have been done to give him that one bit of familiarity – his own number. Danny stared at the floor. "Thanks, Vlad."

With excitement, Vlad asked, "So, did you do anything interesting today?"

Danny was seriously unnerved. Vlad was asking a question that his mom might ask. Vlad… parent… not going there. Not now, anyway. "Um…" He wasn't sure if he wanted to share the Room of Requirement with Vlad yet. He would eventually, but it was too new. He wasn't sure how to explain his conversation with Professor Dumbledore, or the ensuing thoughts that occurred to him.

"This morning, I explored part of the castle with Harry. And this afternoon, I played Wizard Chess with Draco." Vlad zeroed in on the comment on chess. "Wizard Chess is exactly like regular chess, but the pieces move and have their own personalities."

"And how did you do?"

"We played four games, and we both won two apiece. I guess all the time we've spent on chess is beginning to pay off."

Vlad smiled. "It's a start." Danny rolled his eyes. "A healthy start," Vlad amended. Danny was right. Vlad was proud of him. He wasn't sure what he thought about that. But Vlad would use the next couple of hours to teach him strategy and to speak about whatever.

After their "bonding time," Danny went to find Myrtle. Sir Nicholas was right – it had been a while since he visited her. He came to her bathroom door and knocked. Myrtle poked her head out of the door. "Danny! I'm so glad you came. I wasn't expecting you."

Danny smiled. "Well, it has been a while."

Myrtle thought for a moment. "You know, the other ghosts are meeting in the Great Hall. Do you want to join us for a game of Hide and Seek?"

Danny thought about the size of the castle and the fact that everyone knew the layout far better than he did. "Not tonight."

This didn't change Myrtle's expression one iota. "Then, will you come and tell us some stories?"

Danny sighed. "Sure. How many ghosts are there?"

Myrtle answered, "There are about 20 who stay here. Some visit, but… Did I tell you that Harry came to visit me?"

Harry told Danny that he would visit Myrtle, but Danny never got the details. "No. Why don't you tell me about it?"

She beamed. "He knew that you visited! And he told me that you sent regards. It took me a second to remember that your last name among the living is Fenton, but I got it. I told him of our trip to the lake, and our game of catch. I haven't been able to touch anything but water and their pipes in years, so just holding the ball was exciting!" That was an aspect of their little game that Danny hadn't thought of. "And I told him all about your defeat of Pariah Dark."

Danny said, "I'm only beginning to understand how far of an influence he actually had. I didn't really know how serious the Ghost King's reign was for anyone outside of Amity Park. Professor Binns explained it, but if even you were worried… wow." He floated quietly in thought.

"But we should go to the Great Hall. They are expecting me, but you will be a nice surprise." Danny followed Myrtle to the Great Hall.

Danny hadn't seen as large a collection of ghosts outside the Ghost Zone since Skulker explained the situation about Pariah Dark. His heart sped up as he got closer to the assembled ghosts, until the Bloody Baron called out, "Danny!"

"Baron! Why are so many ghosts here… in the same place?" Danny asked nervously.

The Bloody Baron smiled. "Over the course of the school year, we meet at least once a month to form a Ghost Council. Once we…"

"Ghost Council?" Danny cried, his eyes going wide. "Like the Observants' High Council?" He didn't see them in action, but they once sent Clockwork to kill him.

The Baron put an arm around the terrified teen's shoulder. "It is nothing that important. The world won't come to an end on the basis of our decisions." Danny winced. Slightly puzzled, the Baron continued. "We do meet to make decisions about ghostly affairs in Hogwarts. In September of 1991, we almost had enough votes to expel Peeves. But the decision had to be unanimous." Glaring at the Fat Friar, he said, "But someone said he could use another chance."

"Forgiveness is divine, and he really has been better," the Fat Friar said. "Think of the Weasley and faculty sponsored trouble he caused for Professor Umbridge. He used his mischief making talents for a useful purpose."

This was a new spin on the story. "I heard that the Weasley twins started a full-scale rebellion against Professor Umbridge. I didn't know that the other professors approved of it."

The Fat Friar said, "I don't know what you heard, Danny, but you should know what took place here last year. As a Ministry representative, Dolores Umbridge made decrees to hurt the students, particularly Harry Potter, and the teachers who believed him. She went so far as to decree that teachers could not talk to students about ANYTHING not involved with the specific subject they taught." The Friar huffed. "As if the subjects they teach solely define the interactions between teachers and students!"

Danny asked, "But why?"

The Bloody Baron frowned. "She wanted to hurt Mr. Potter for mentioning the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Danny inwardly rolled his eyes at yet another avoidance of saying Voldemort's name. "The Ministry didn't want to deal with the responsibility, so they found it easier to discredit the sole living witness to the preparations of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's rebirth."

"Living witness?"

"Another student almost witnessed the event," the Friar said sadly. "Cedric Diggory. He was one of the two Hogwarts Tri-Wizard champions. He was the pride of Hufflepuff." He sighed sadly. "He was murdered by Death Eaters right in front of Harry Potter."

Danny slumped his shoulders for the moment, and then squared them in determination. "They won't get away with this!"

The Friar smiled. "We were hoping you would say that. You still have much to learn to defeat them, but you won't be alone."

Danny scanned the ghosts assembled. "Where is Sir Nicholas?"

The Baron smirked. "This evening, the Council had nothing of true importance to discuss. Sir Nicholas is taking his turn patrolling the halls to make sure the students are safe and everything is in order."

Myrtle said, "Danny, will you tell us a story?"

Danny was thrown off-balance. "What?"

The Grey Lady smiled. "We are all collected, and nothing pressing is due to be discussed this evening. But while at home you may be an unsung hero, we are all excited, first at your general presence in Hogwarts, and second at our own Ghost Council. Would you be so kind as to share a story with us?"

Danny studied the ghosts. He knew the House Ghosts and Myrtle, but the others he had not yet seen. Peeves was not present. Some of the ghosts were adults, and others were children – not as young as Myrtle, but old enough to have been students at one time.

Danny felt thrown through a loop. Sir Nicholas didn't tell him about this. Still, it was a happy ending to a hard day. "Okay. Which story would you like me to tell?"

Two male ghosts Danny hadn't met yet gestured to be acknowledged. "How did you escape from Showenhower?"

Danny paled. "I…what?"

"Surely he told you that accursed staff of his was in his family for generations. My brother George and I were controlled by the grandfather of the man you met, as Circus Gothica toured Europe before the First World War." Danny sympathized completely. "So how did you escape?"

Danny blushed. "I had a couple of friends who helped me snap out of it. My two best friends, Sam and Tucker, came to rescue me. I fought the influence, but when Sam fell from the roof of the train when we were on a tressel, the commands I was given didn't matter. Saving Sam's life was all that mattered. The staff fell to the rocks and the crystal ball shattered. The spell was broken, and Freakshow was arrested at the last stop of the train."

George's brother said, "You mean it is illegal for the living to enslave ghosts in America?"

Danny muttered, "I wish." In a full voice, he said, "No, but Freakshow got more, um, creative with what he wanted us to do. Besides high-wire acts and other circus tricks, he… had us rob banks and jewelry shops, and…" He gulped, not wanting to explain the full extent to which he was exploited. "Those things are illegal. Once the police found him in a car on the train buried in the stolen goods, he was arrested.

"And Professor Snape and I are working to make sure that 'evil wizards and unscrupulous ringmasters' won't be able to control me like that again."

The ghosts cheered. Someone else looked like they wanted to ask something else, but before he could begin, Sir Nicholas popped in. "It is eleven o'clock. While most here have all the time in the world, our favorite hero has homework to do tomorrow. I would not have done my job patrolling if I didn't at least inform you of this."

Most of the ghosts present made noises of disappointment, but Danny was grateful. Sir Nicholas smiled and whispered, "I told you that ghosts would not keep you up all night, here. You need your sleep and to do your schoolwork."

"Thanks, Sir Nicholas. Why didn't you tell me about this yesterday?"

Silver opacity rushed to Sir Nicholas's face. "Mostly because I forgot. By the time I remembered this morning, you were busy. And… I was afraid you might not have come. I know you don't like the attention, but they were so excited to meet you."

Danny gave a half-smile. "For you, Sir Nicholas, I could do this anytime. But you're right." He yawned. "I have a lot to do tomorrow. And I will probably visit Myrtle another time soon. Just… warn me before another one of these Council meetings, okay?"

Sir Nicholas smiled. "Of course. Have a good night."

Danny left the Great Hall, heading for the stairs to the dungeon, when he saw Harry. "Oh!"

After his special learning session with Professor Dumbledore, Harry had a lot to think about. The memory of Bob Ogden showed him Voldemort's grandfather, uncle, mother, and father. There was no love anywhere to be found. Merope Gaunt wanted to love Tom Riddle (Senior), but was unloved in return.

This grandfather, Marvolo Gaunt, had supreme disdain for all people Muggle, and was drunk on his pride in his pure blood and the fact he was descended from Salazar Slytherin. Harry saw that the ring on Marvolo's hand (in the memory) was on Professor Dumbledore's desk. The stone was cracked, but Professor Dumbledore didn't want to talk about it. Yet. Dumbledore promised to tell him everything about Voldemort.

Tom Riddle, Voldemort's father, was also cruel in his arrogance against people less financially well off. Between his father, his grandfather, and his uncle, Voldemort seemed to inherit nothing but arrogance and cruelty. And all of this somehow connected to the prophecy. Harry wasn't sure how this related, but Professor Dumbledore made it seem that the images he saw tonight were intimately related to the prophecy.

The locket worn by Merope, Voldemort's mother, looked familiar. He wasn't sure where he saw it. Harry thought about this as he descended a flight of stairs, from Dumbledore's office to the sixth floor. From there, a staircase connected to the landing where he needed to be to get to Gryffindor Tower. But it wasn't there. It moved while Harry and Dumbledore were together.

Harry sighed. He looked down from where the staircase should have been, and observed the new pattern. In their new configuration, the only way to get from where he was to his dormitory was to go to the ground floor and start the maze of staircases all over again. This was part of the magic that made Hogwarts unpredictable, but it was no help when he was tired and an hour after curfew on the wrong floor.

As he made his way down the stairs, he thought about his meeting with Danny. Exploring the Room of Requirement was fun! But he still thought about how oddly outfitted the room was when he thought of what Danny would need for Defense Against the Dark Arts. The targets he understood, but from what Harry could tell, Danny wasn't capable of firing spells, jinxes, or curses that would affect the targets in any way.

Danny seemed to admit that he was a Muggle, but like Hermione said, that didn't seem right. Danny produced that shield, and a few spells in Charms. It was like there was a pattern to which spells he could do and which he couldn't but Harry couldn't put his finger on it. And what does a speed gun, using electricity, have to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts? There was that seriously destructive spell Danny spoke of. But Danny couldn't do the Reducto curse. Harry coached him, so he knew. What was more destructive than…

"Oh!"

Harry looked up. A boy with white hair and glowing green eyes, and a black Hazmat suit looked at him. He glowed a bit. "You must be Danny Phantom! Hermione told me about you."

The boy who looked too solid to be a proper ghost thought for a moment. "And you must be Harry Potter. Sir Nicholas told me about you." He smiled, satisfied about something.

"Are you really a ghost? You don't look like the others I've seen."

Phantom smiled. "Yup." He floated, adopting his spectral tail for the moment.

Harry blinked, as no other ghost he had seen had one of those. He latched on to a fact Hermione didn't share with him: Phantom was an American ghost. "Danny, what's it like for ghosts in America?"

Phantom shook his head. "Huh?"

Harry stopped when he realized he caught this ghost off-guard. "Well, before I rejoined the Wizarding World when I was eleven, no one took ghosts seriously, as Muggles think they are silly Halloween props. But when I came to Hogwarts and discovered ghosts are real… I thought it was fascinating. Nick was friendly. Actually, all the House Ghosts encourage the students in their Houses." Harry stopped.

Phantom, concerned, asked, "What's wrong, Harry?"

Looking down, Harry said, "Nick comforted me after my godfather died. I… kinda hoped he would be a ghost, so I would see him again. But Nick explained why Sirius would never choose that."

Phantom put a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear of your loss." Harry wondered at that. Unlike the time he touched Nick, when it felt like his hand was dunked in ice water, Phantom's hand was cool, but not terribly so. Hermione said that no one knew why Phantom was different than the local ghosts, so it didn't pay to ask him.

Instead, Harry looked up and said, "Thanks." Phantom's hand was cool but his smile was warm. Harry felt encouraged to continue his line of questioning. "Myrtle told me that she became a ghost to torment Olive Hornby, the girl who teased her the day she died. She said that the Ministry of Magic stopped her from stalking Olive, and that she had to come back to her bathroom.

"All of this makes me curious about what it is like for ghosts in America. You are from America, right?"

Phantom smiled again. "Yes, I am." He thought for a moment. "Until a year or so ago, most Muggles in America thought of ghosts the same way as Muggles here. But after a massive ghost invasion which I helped to stop…" Phantom blushed. He didn't flush silver, but he blushed red. Interesting. "The humans in my town had no choice but to believe." He got quiet.

"What's wrong, Danny?"

Phantom sighed. "It's just that the ghost who started the invasion was out to get me. He framed me for kidnapping the mayor." He frowned. "It took at least a year of trying to save my town from marauding ghosts and to save the town from being sucked into a different dimension before people realized that I'm the good guy."

With a wry smile, he continued. "Not long after that, my arch-enemy – another ghost – sicced a government agency against me: The Guys in White. Apparently, the ghost invasion got the attention of someone in the government, and they set up a federal Anti-Ecto Control Act. It allows the government to capture and treat ghosts as the government sees fit. Torturing them is a bonus." Phantom shuddered.

Harry took a moment to digest this. Curious, he asked, "How come you have so many enemies who are ghosts?"

Phantom answered, "Since I became a ghost, I realized that it was my job to stop rogue ghosts from whatever insanity they want to perpetrate against the human world. I capture them and send them back to the Ghost Zone, the dimension ghosts come from. They don't take kindly to having their plans stopped. Some of them have world domination in mind, and some of them came close to succeeding."

Harry said, "Nick says you're a hero among ghosts. So how does that work?"

Phantom smiled. "I was surprised to discover that bit of notoriety myself. But, for the most part, ghosts just want to be left alone. It is the ghosts that become obsessed with power and other illicit things that have to be stopped. It is ghosts like that, that give ghosts like me a bad name."

Harry nodded. Phantom was a fascinating character. "I notice that you speak of the living as 'humans' and not 'the living.' Why is that?"

Phantom thought for a moment. "Unlike here in the Wizarding World, where I'm from, not all ghosts are spirits of dead people. Some are, but other ghosts are just creatures made of ectoplasm. Actually, the first ghosts I encountered weren't even humanoid. They were ghostly octopuses.

"One of my most persistent enemies, Skulker, is actually about six inches tall. However, he wears a fully armed and loaded mechanized battle suit, which stands over six feet tall. While his battle suit looks vaguely humanoid, he looks like a giant robot, but suited up or not, he is all ghost. I don't think he was ever human.

"Other ghosts I've encountered might have been, and some I'm pretty sure were. But others… It's hard to say for sure. So I differentiate between ghosts and humans. Since I met the ghosts here in Hogwarts, I understand why they would choose to differentiate themselves from the living, as they once were and are no longer."

Harry asked, "What about you? You look human, except for your tail. You feel human, if a little cool to the touch. Are you a spirit of the dead or a creature of ectoplasm?"

"That is complicated to explain, and more than I care to." Phantom gave a sad smile. "However, one of my favorite humans once called me an 'odd manifestation of ectoplasmic energy and post-human consciousness.' What I am is more complicated than that, but I never got the chance to tell her otherwise."

Harry said gently, "Can I ask what happened to her?"

Phantom looked at the floor. "She was killed by Death Eaters." He looked positively mournful.

"I'm sorry for your loss, I guess."

Phantom looked up. "Thanks." He looked at his watch, which made Harry blink. "You know, it's getting late. I can take you to the outside of your Common Room quickly and invisibly. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble because of me."

Harry jerked his head. He remembered that Danny Fenton said those same words when he failed to perform certain spells in Defense Against the Dark Arts with that same inflection. But Danny Fenton was a living boy, and Phantom was a ghost. Further, the ghost's voice had an echo-y quality.

But Phantom was waiting for an answer. "Thank you. That would be kind of you." Phantom put an arm under his arms and flew him up to Gryffindor Tower, depositing him in front of the picture of the Fat Lady. "Have a good night, Danny Phantom."

"Good night, Harry." With that, Phantom sank through the floor.

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