Again, a sincere thanks to one and all who have read, reviewed, and/or put this fic on your favorite and alert lists! Based on the time it takes me to write and publish a chapter, I think this will be it for this month. I could be wrong, but who knows?

As such, I want to wish everyone Happy Holidays, which ever you celebrate! And if you don't celebrate any, be of good cheer.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or Harry Potter, nor did I write John Locke's "Letter Concerning Toleration," the American Declaration of Independence, and Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

Chapter 19

Danny left the Gryffindor Common Room quite satisfied with his work. He prepared his report for Vlad and delivered it. Vlad was in a rare good mood. As Danny gave the details of what happened, Vlad nodded, a knowing smile broadening. Danny decided he could figure Vlad out later. He had a report to deliver.

When Danny finished, the older half-ghost put his hands on Danny's shoulders, and said, "Daniel, you have made me very proud. As a reward for your diligence, we will put part two of this project on hold. I think you will like the talent we will work on tomorrow. And I'm looking forward to seeing this room that Harry's told you about. Come, let's have a game of chess."

Danny shook his head. It was interesting to see Vlad so happy. It was weird, but kind of nice.

In the morning, Danny was still buzzed from his evening. The fact that Ron decided to leave Danny out of his revenge scheme and focus on Draco also made him happy. Danny didn't know what Ron was planning, but he figured that whatever it was would be unpleasant enough. As such, he figured he could talk peaceably to Draco again.

At breakfast, Draco noticed Danny's high spirits. "Good morning, sunshine! What has you in such a good mood today?"

Danny smiled. "The assignment I did for my uncle turned out far better than I would have imagined."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "I'm glad for you." He thought for a moment. "Are you aware of how your emotions are affected by your uncle?"

Danny shook his head. "What?"

The blond boy breathed a sigh. If he said the wrong thing, Danny would turn off again. He had to be careful. "Tuesday morning, you mentioned that you were unhappy with the assignment your uncle gave you, and you were in a dark mood all day. I had difficulty pulling two words together out of you all week. And now, apparently, it went well.

"Don't get me wrong – I'm glad for your happiness. I just noticed how steep the emotions are, and how they hinge on your interactions with your uncle."

Danny hadn't noticed. "Hmm. I never thought of that." Draco held his breath. This is what he was waiting for. "I guess… Uncle Vlad and I have a unique relationship. It's complicated by what it was before my parents died. He's wanted this relationship for a long time.

"Part of me realizes that if he wasn't so… difficult before, we might have had a much more rewarding relationship for so much longer." Danny drifted off in his thoughts.

Bingo! Draco hit the jackpot. He wanted to understand something more about his mysterious classmate, and he struck gold. He learned that Professor Masters and Danny did not always get along, and they were foist onto each other with the loss of Danny's other family members. And, it seemed, they were getting used to each other.

Draco only knew Danny for two weeks, but he now understood some of Danny's more volatile mood swings. Well, besides his weird relationship with his uncle, his otherwise severe mourning and getting used to life in a new school in a new country might have something to do with it as well.

Proud of himself for having figured out one of the many mysteries surrounding Danny Fenton, Draco decided to shift topics. "So what did you do yesterday? Besides that special assignment?"

Danny came back to the present. "At my uncle's suggestion, I watched the Gryffindor Quidditch try-outs. Which reminds me… When are the Slytherin Quidditch try-outs?"

Interesting. The wonders of Danny never ceased. "Next Saturday. Have you given thought to trying out?"

Danny smiled. "I've thought about it. Really, I won't have time for practice and stuff. But the try-outs were fun to watch, and I realize that it will be different for a different House. Also, I'm looking forward to the actual games."

Draco grinned. "What kind of reception did you have, as a Slytherin attending the Gryffindor try-outs?"

"For the most part, all was well. You know I'm friends with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. So when a rather large Seventh Year, Cormac McLaggen, came over to give me a hard time, Hermione let him know I had a right to be there." Danny didn't share the thought that if he wasn't friends with Harry and Hermione, he might have been hassled as a matter of course. Even though Slytherin students usually set themselves up for this, he realized that simply being a Slytherin made him suspicious. Professor Snape could not have been more right.

"McLaggen tried out, did he? Did he make it?"

"No."

"Hmm… He would have been the only Gryffindor team member who would have been the right size for a Quidditch player. Except for the Seeker, of course."

Danny thought that the whole size thing was an odd comment. "Are you on the Slytherin team?"

Draco grinned broadly. "I've been Seeker since Second Year."

Danny shook his head. "Wait a minute. You said that McLaggen is the 'right size' for a Quidditch player."

"For every position except Seeker," Draco clarified. "Actually, your build is even better for a Seeker than mine."

"You said that before." Thinking of himself a bit self-consciously, Danny asked, "What is the supposed benefit of being short and skinny as a Seeker?"

Draco looked incredulously at his friend, and came to a realization. "You've never seen a full game of Quidditch, have you? I know Quidditch is in America, but Quodpot is far more common there. As such, you might have missed the finer points of understanding how a Quidditch game goes, or what would generally be more desirable traits in the players.

"Regardless of the size of the other players, the Seeker has to be able to dodge all the other players, balls, and hassle, and to be able to look for, track, and then catch the Golden Snitch. Because they have so much to avoid, dodge, and otherwise be able to slip in between, Seekers should be able to fit into smaller spaces. Therefore, a person of your build is ideal for a Seeker, if the person has the skill of flying in complicated patterns, great eyesight to see the blur that is the Snitch, and the aim to catch the Snitch at high speeds."

Danny smirked. "Is that all?"

Draco smiled. "It's enough."

After dinner, Danny met Vlad right outside the Great Hall. Too many people noticing them prevented them from doing anything but walk to the seventh floor. Vlad was amused by the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Danny explained, "This is the Room of Requirement. Imagine what you want, need, or 'require,' and the room will provide it."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Will it?"

Danny said, "Look – I'll do it." He had in mind what would make the room ideal for him and Vlad to work on Defense Against the Dark Arts, and he walked back and forth three times. The door appeared. Vlad looked wary. "Check it out. If it's the same as when Harry first dreamed it up for me, this place is unbelievable."

Vlad opened the door, and it was the obstacle course it was when Harry first thought of the room for Danny. "Fascinating. There are things here I recognize from both your parents' and my lab. I… This room. How did you make this room work?"

Danny smiled, as he knew Vlad would love this. "You just think about what you need and want (as long as what you want falls under the laws of what can be conjured magically), and the room takes care of the details. Harry and I explored the possibilities of what we could make the room do last week."

Allowing himself to ogle a few more minutes, Vlad came back to himself. "We need chairs, as we have a bit to discuss before we get started." Danny waved his hand, and the chairs were there, as well as a sturdy card table. "You really understand this room, don't you?"

Danny shrugged. "After a morning, I figured out a few things."

Vlad creased his brow and nodded. "Right, then. On to our lesson. How does your ghost sense work?"

The boy shook his head. "What?"

Vlad tried again. "When your ghost sense is alerted, you feel a sensation of some sort. I feel a wave of heat wash over me. It isn't horrible, but it is definitely there."

Danny's eyes grew wide in recognition. "Oh, that's what you meant! When my ghost sense goes off, I feel cold. A blue mist escapes my lips, like warm breath on a cold day. But it's cold. Sometimes I get a shiver that comes with it." Almost to himself, he continued, "I wonder how long my classmates in History of Magic will take to realize something is going on. As long as I don't gasp and call attention to it…"

"Hmm. That will prove to be an interesting puzzle for a different day. But for now… Your ghost sense is cold. That means that your ghostly core is a cold core. Interesting."

Danny asked, "Why is that interesting?"

Vlad smiled enigmatically. "It means that I'll need some help teaching you to use the skills you might have. I can explain the theory, and even demonstrate how I use the heat generated in my core. But it will be different for you. Now I have a plan for a trip next Saturday…"

"The Slytherin Quidditch try-outs are next Saturday!"

"Are they? Then you will be busy when I take a quick trip." Vlad thought for a moment. "I wonder… can this room provide a Portal?"

It was Danny's turn to think. "I don't know. Sir Nicholas said they use a magically enhanced natural portal, but…"

"Daniel – concentrate. See if you can get this room to make a Portal."

Danny sighed. He thought about it. He closed his eyes and thought, 'We could really use a Ghost Portal right now.' He opened his eyes. Nothing changed. "I guess something like a permanent ghost portal is too much to ask of magic."

Vlad thought aloud, "Then I'll have to ask Sir Nicholas about that portal later." Turning back to Danny, he said, "For now, see if you can call the cold into focus."

Danny answered simply, "I don't understand."

The older half-ghost thought this was an interesting challenge. "You can call a ball of ectoplasm into being at your will. Now see if you can call up a ball of ice at will."

Danny thought about this. This was a bit beyond his experience, but it was no weirder than producing ectoblasts from ghost rays. He closed his eyes to concentrate and in his hand formed a lovely ice crystal. It looked like a diamond.

Vlad blinked. "You have good taste. This is a start. I can offer suggestions, but I won't be able to give you a proper demonstration, as I don't have a cold core."

Vlad was right. Danny did enjoy learning this power. Vlad had interesting suggestions, but Danny could tell he was frustrated. It was odd. Danny felt that, by rights, Vlad would have been jealous because this ice power, like his Ghostly Wail, was a power Vlad didn't share. From what Danny could tell, Vlad didn't have any powers that he couldn't duplicate, given time and practice. At least, that was the impression Vlad gave him.

Vlad wasn't jealous. There was a level of pride he radiated that Danny couldn't pin down. It was like… When his parents discovered his secret (as did the whole rest of the world) during the Reality Gauntlet incident, they were proud of him. Besides the fact that they accepted him – which Danny would NEVER forget – they were proud of him and his accomplishments as a ghost hunter. They didn't discuss it long before Danny made everyone besides Sam, Tucker, Jazz, and himself forget, but Danny knew what his parents thought for that brief, shining moment.

That was the kind of pride Vlad had for him over this set of cryogenetic and cryokinetic powers, and his Ghostly Wail. It was almost fatherly. This was weird. Before their evening was over, Vlad told Danny to reread Act III in Hamlet. Tomorrow was Monday, and they had work to do.

The week progressed according to schedule. Danny asked Draco about his father. It was interesting to see how much Mr. Malfoy told his son about his 'extra-curricular activities,' and it was even more interesting to see how willing Draco was to discuss them. Apparently, as long as no one mentioned the fact that Mr. Malfoy was in prison, Draco could be urged to discuss his father and his activities in great length, without pressing hard at all. Draco was proud of his father. (Focusing on Draco's father also distracted Draco from focusing on Danny's father.)

When Danny spoke to Professor Snape about learning to defend himself against Death Eater tactics using Draco's father as an example, Professor Snape was surprised at how enterprising Danny could be. Together, they filled Danny's morning break with discussions of Death Eater tactics and possible defenses against them. Professor Snape would talk to Vlad about figuring out how many of the spells Death Eaters were fond of worked on half-ghosts.

On Wednesday, Ron decided to exact his punishment against Draco. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Draco muttered something to Blaise before Professor Masters began the day's class.

"If you are so keen to let on about the secrets of others, maybe now you'll share yours with the class." Ron pointed his wand at Draco. "Sonorus."

Not having noticed, Draco continued his muttering. "… I don't know why he cares so much about non-humans. I mean, for all we know, Professor Masters might even have ideas about equality with Muggles. Why this is so important to him, I'll never know." He looked up and noticed that every eye in the class was on him.

Ron whispered, "That's enough. Quietus."

Vlad stared at Draco, as did everyone else. He narrowed his eyes at the boy and said, "Yes, Mr. Malfoy, I do indeed have ideas about equality among all humans, Muggle and wizard, and even some ideas about partial humans and their equality with full humans. I do believe, however, that now is not the time to go into it. I can explain my views more fully in detention. Come to my office during your afternoon break, and we will discuss when would be the best time for this." Draco shrank into his seat, hoping to avoid the furious glower of Professor Masters.

"If you are quite through, perhaps we can talk about why vampires seem to follow most morés set by wizards, when they are Dark creatures by nature and have every inclination to go against Wizarding Law. The Ministry favors them over werewolves, yet unlike werewolves, the vampires' bloodlust never leaves. A werewolf is mostly human for most of a month. Vampires are never mostly human, although they are fully humanoid…"

That afternoon, Draco found himself in Professor Masters' office. There were lots of books in the plentiful shelves. Many of the books were on psychology. Others were about different magical creatures. Others were about Wizarding law, and some were on American law and British law (both sets were presumably about Muggle law). There were other books, but Draco didn't have time to observe them. He was rather nervous about what punishment this mysterious professor would come up with.

In a tone that was light but extremely dangerous, Vlad said, "Mr. Malfoy, what shall we do with you? Hmm… We can't disturb class schedules, including Daniel's special schedule… The weekend. That is it. Saturday it is!"

"But Saturday is the Slytherin Quidditch try-outs!"

Putting a finger to his lips, Vlad said, "Yes, it is, isn't it?" He looked up in consideration. To himself, he muttered, "He would enjoy it more if… Right, then." Looking at the student in front of him, he said, "After the try-outs, you are to come to this office. I have an interesting assignment for you. Perhaps when you are through, you may have learned something about tolerating people different than yourself."

Draco couldn't believe his good fortune. Professor Umbridge didn't allow Potter to attend Gryffindor try-outs last year, but Professor Masters was permitting him to attend the Slytherin try-outs. Then it occurred to him that this wasn't for his own benefit, but for Danny's. With a small smile, he thought, 'I guess there are benefits to being friends with the professor's nephew.'

Looking back at the professor, Draco said, "Yes, sir."

"Be aware, Mr. Malfoy, that Saturday is just the beginning. The lesson is over when I've decided the lesson is learned."

Draco shuddered. "Yes, sir."

"You are dismissed."

Professor Flitwick and Vlad determined that the ghosts' ectoplasmic emanations were too monochromatic for public display, particularly for Danny's conjuration, but if Professor Flitwick wanted Danny to practice forming ectoplasm into usable shapes, he was welcome to use one of Danny's breaks for the purpose.

Professor Flitwick decided that he had to think about where he would have Danny begin, but they would start some time next week. He would tell Danny about this next class.

Saturday morning came, and the Slytherin Common Room pulsed with excitement at the upcoming try-outs. Danny was curious about who Vlad was going to visit, but he was sure Vlad would tell him later. Draco was a little nervous about Professor Masters' detention, but he would not let that get to him. After a healthy breakfast, the Slytherins left for the Quidditch pitch.

Danny took a seat in the stands and noticed the many differences between this week and last week. For one thing, there was no one present who wasn't from Slytherin. Therefore, the crowd was much smaller. The second thing he noticed was that no girls were in the field. There were plenty of girls in the stands, but not one attempted to try out.

From what Danny could tell, Draco was right: with the exception of Draco, no one bothered to enter the field who wasn't built like Crabbe or Goyle. The guys trying out played well enough, but a knowing smile crossed their faces. Gone was the light-hearted celebration of last week. If Danny didn't know better, he could imagine the players trying out for a bully hit squad. The image made Danny shiver because that feeling never left him.

Draco flew over to him. "I think you might like to know our team." He pointed out the team members as he mentioned them. "You know I'm the Seeker, of course. Crabbe and Goyle are our Beaters. Miles Bletchly has been made Keeper. Adrian Pucey has been one of our Chasers for years. Vaisey is another Chaser, and Harper is a substitute. Our captain, Urquhart, is a Seventh Year. He is also a Chaser.

"Are you sure you don't want to try out?"

Danny looked at him. "Are you nuts?"

Draco smiled. "Not at all. If you have the skill, you could be a spare Seeker."

Danny couldn't hide the dreamy look in his eye. By flying on a broom with skills he's built over the course of his being a half-ghost hero, he could easily (in theory, anyway) be a superior player to Dash. This thought excited him.

"Come on. At least try for it."

Back to his senses, Danny protested, "I'm honored by the thought, but I really won't have the time. Professor Flitwick mentioned an extra tutoring session or a series of them to help me in Charms, and he just 'okay'ed it with my uncle. I…"

Draco held up a hand. "I get it. I understand. But I'm curious about what you can do."

Danny sighed. "I guess it couldn't hurt to try." He followed Draco to the field.

Striding purposefully to the biggest fellow on the field, Draco said, "Urquhart, I want you to meet Danny Fenton."

The team captain sized him up before responding. It took a lot of willpower on Danny's part to not back away. "You're the foreign exchange student, right?"

Danny nodded. "That's me."

Draco drawled, "If it's alright with you, I'd like to give Danny a shot at trying out."

Danny glared. "Draco…"

Urquhart raised an eyebrow. "For Seeker, of course. Well… a spare Seeker."

Draco grinned. "Of course. He won't actually have time to play or practice, but it might be fun to see what he can do." Winking at Danny, he said, "I heard a rumor that you're as good as Potter. Prove them wrong. Show them you're better than Potter."

Danny sighed. He didn't have anything to prove. This exhibition didn't matter. Then he looked up into the stands, and his eyes were drawn to a red cloak. Vlad was watching. All of a sudden, it mattered a great deal. "Okay." He started back towards the broom shed, and found his way blocked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Where do you think you're going?" Goyle asked him.

Danny shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "To get a broom. I don't have one of my own."

Goyle gave him a smile. "Slytherins don't use Shooting Stars. Malfoy's father paid top Galleon for a set of Nimbus 2001s for the House Team. If you're trying out, you'll ride in style."

Danny rubbed the back of his neck. He found he had A-list benefits, so it seemed. He supposed this was the upside to being in the exclusive club of the House of Slytherin. It made him a little uncomfortable, but he couldn't see the harm in it. "Okay."

Goyle pressed his broom into Danny's hands. "Good luck."

"Thanks."

Draco said, "Follow my lead." Draco led an aerial dance almost as complicated as the moves Harry used the first time they played. This broom, however, was far more compliant than the last one he used. (Flight on his own was still more fun, but there was no question that this broom was superior to the one he used this summer.) "Whoa. You are good. Are you sure you didn't play in the States?"

Danny grinned. "I'm positive."

Draco grinned back at his friend. "Would you like a sample of what a Seeker has to do?"

Danny shrugged. "Why not?"

Urquhart smiled unpleasantly. "We've got the team we need. There's no reason we can't try out a spare Seeker. Let's see what you've got, Fenton. A full-scale practice would work nicely."

Someone opened the rest of the kit of balls. The Quaffle was already out, one of the Bludgers was released (as only one Beater was on his broom), and they showed him the Snitch before releasing it. "Now, go!" Urquhart shouted.

Danny found that tracking the Snitch was easier than following the will-o'-the-wisp ghost decoy the Guys in White used when Gregor (or Elliot) was in Casper High. He looked at Draco. Both boys dodged the other players and the ever-present Bludger. "When am I supposed to go for the Snitch?" Danny asked.

"As soon as you find it," shouted Draco, who still circled, looking out for it.

"Oh." Danny avoided the players around him and caught the Snitch. "Now what?"

The team landed. "You… caught the Snitch in seconds. That was about half a minute longer than the world record!" Draco exclaimed.

"Wow," Danny said. "I didn't mean…"

Crabbe smacked him in the back of the head, and Danny stumbled forward. "You did what no one else here could do, and you're about to say you didn't mean to do it?"

"I, uh…"

Urquhart said, "You are our spare Seeker. Even if you never come to a practice, if you can do that, I have no doubt you can do it again."

Danny rubbed his head where Crabbe hit him. "Thanks."

Draco looked at Danny. "Where did you learn to fly like that?"

The dark-haired boy smirked. "I've had practice."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "But this is the first you've played Quidditch?"

Danny said, "Over the summer, I played with your favorite Gryffindor trio. But until this summer, I've never played Quidditch before in my life."

Draco studied Danny. He didn't seem to be lying, but that grace, that ease in flight, and that exquisite eyesight could not be anything but the product of years of practice. Just as he solved one mystery surrounding Danny Fenton, he discovered another.

Danny looked into the stands where Vlad applauded him. Danny grinned and took a bow. Draco followed Danny's eyes and groaned. Danny asked, "What was…?"

Draco looked down. "My detention with your uncle starts as soon as I leave the pitch." Glancing back up at Professor Masters, who nodded in his direction, he sighed. "Which is right now."

After Sunday's Power Training class with Danny, Vlad could not contain his joy. If the room worked as Daniel said it did, there were quite a number of possibilities to explore. The Room of Requirement could conjure anything possible by the laws of magic. For Powers Training, the room turned to a gymnasium/simulation room that rivaled his own at home. Not leaving the room, when they studied English on Monday, the room became part library, part college classroom. Only a few modifications popped up when he taught Business math. So far, with the exception of a permanent Ghost Portal, the only limits the room seemed to have were those of his imagination, and Vlad had a fertile, expansive imagination.

With all things considered, he still needed to visit the Ghost Zone. What ghost knew anything about cryokinetics? Besides Klemper. Vlad shivered in disgust. While he didn't yet know, Vlad had a good idea of who might know. And it was good to know this ghost was friendly with Daniel.

But first, he had to find out about the Portal. Asking a portrait for the general whereabouts of Sir Nicholas, Vlad discovered that Sir Nicholas preferred to spend spare time talking to Sir Cadogan, a portrait who had interesting ideas of chivalry. Vlad found them chatting merrily about something or other until he cleared his throat. It always amused him to see ghosts without a ghost sense respond to his sudden arrival.

Turning his head in Vlad's direction, Sir Nicholas said, "Professor Masters! How may I be of service this evening?" The ghosts' formality and deference to him never got old. The other House ghosts were equally obliging, but Sir Nicholas was usually more willing to overcome his fear of Vlad and speak with him more directly.

"If we may, I'd prefer to talk somewhere more private."

"At this hour, any classroom is available."

"Very well." Sir Nicholas led him to the classroom he and Daniel spent so much time using. Not seating himself at the table, Vlad said, "Sir Nicholas, Daniel mentioned that there is a 'magically enhanced natural portal' ghosts here use when traveling abroad."

"Yes."

"Where is it? I need to visit the Ghost Zone this weekend."

A small shiver went through the Gryffindor ghost. Bizarre things happened when Vlad went to the Ghost Zone. "It is actually in the wall near the Hufflepuff wing. But when I say it is in the wall, it isn't merely on the wall, but it is only accessible if you are in the process of gliding through the wall."

Vlad raised his eyebrows. "That is brilliant. That means that humans and other non-ghosts can't fall through by accident. Only a ghost, or someone at the express invitation and direct influence of a ghost, can use it."

Sir Nicholas bowed his head. "Only you and Danny have the ability to take any with you. Or, I imagine, ghosts from your home."

"Interesting. Please take me to the Portal." Sir Nicholas watched the professor turn to Plasmius.

"Right this way."

Vlad recognized the hall from his evenings on patrol. Phasing through a wall that was not connected to the Hufflepuff Common Room, they reached the portal. "Sir Nicholas, where in the Ghost Zone does this lead?"

Sir Nicholas thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. Most of the closest doors lead all around the British Isles. There are a few doors which might lead back to where you are most familiar."

"Come with me and show me."

Sir Nicholas closed his eyes a moment. "As you wish." They entered the portal. It was the first time since July Vlad saw the familiar green swirl. However, the pattern of the doors was different than any he recognized. "These lead all over England, Scotland, Wales, and both Irelands. But this door," he indicated a more ornately decorated door, "leads to places and ghosts you undoubtedly know."

Vlad noticed Sir Nicholas's discomfort. "I promise we won't go much longer. But please come with me. I want to be able to recognize the doors when I come back here on Saturday." He shook his head. "If it makes you feel better, it is for Daniel's benefit."

The older ghost looked tremendously more at ease with this declaration. "Right, then. Let's go."

After going through the beautifully decorated door, Vlad saw Walker's prison in the distance. He also saw the football that covered the entrance to his Wisconsin portal. "I can see my home from here!" Vlad joked. Sir Nicholas nodded in acknowledgement. The very ornate door was just as seriously decorated from this side as it was on the other side. "Let's go back to the castle, shall we?" Together, both ghosts came back to Hogwarts.

Tuesday, Professor Snape found Vlad in the faculty lounge. "Professor Masters, might I have a word with you?"

Vlad was curious. He remembered the last time he asked Snape that very question in this very room. "Of course."

"Yesterday, Daniel told me that he discovered that one of the parents of one of his Housemates is a Death Eater." The look in Vlad's eyes turned to steel. "Daniel was enterprising enough to ask said student if he knew of said parent's activities, and it turns out that the student knows quite a bit of his parent's illegal activities. Daniel specifically requested that I show him how to defend against the Death Eaters' spells of choice."

Vlad had an idea of where this was going, and he had no intention of helping Professor Snape get there. "And?"

Snape saw that Vlad was going to be difficult, but this was for Daniel. "I wanted to have your consent to experiment with you again."

Vlad crossed his arms. "So you can use the spells against Daniel again?"

Professor Snape shook his head in surprise and confusion. "What do you mean?"

Looking at his nails, Vlad said, "You used the Imperius Curse against my nephew. How can I trust you to not abuse your magic against him again?"

Snape flushed. "I did nothing without his express consent, and I taught him to fight against mind control. Wizards are not the only people capable of attempting to control people's minds. Daniel was clearly traumatized by an unscrupulous circus ringmaster named Frederich Isak Showenhower, or 'Freakshow,' who enslaved the minds of ghosts, he being one of them. I thought it was valuable to teach Daniel how to fight mind control." He smiled triumphantly. "He's successful, and he can throw it off completely now."

Vlad said, "I'm glad he gave you his consent, but I notice you did not ask for mine. I am his guardian, and I do believe that my consent is required if a professor of this school chooses to use magic for any purpose on me or my nephew, as both of us are Muggles. You have violated this trust, whether it was well-intentioned or not."

Professor Snape recoiled as if Vlad struck him in the face; Vlad was correct. After teaching young witches and wizards for so long, the actual protocol for teaching a Muggle about magic slipped his mind. The most common application of said protocol had to do with explaining to parents or siblings of Muggle-born students and what such a student was expected to learn. Both the Statute of Secrecy and the laws against magical abuse of Muggles were quite clear on these matters. He learned about this reluctantly, as he resented the idea of teaching Muggles about magic, until he had a Muggle as an actual student.

Vlad was angry, and took no pleasure in Snape's discomfort at this accusation. Funny, joke-around Vlad wasn't here today. "Because I know you have Daniel's benefit in mind, I give you my consent to experiment on me. You will do nothing but explain the results of said experiments to Daniel unless you explain to me in full detail what you plan to do with or to the boy. I will grant or withhold consent per description of any given spell, as I see fit.

"You will ask my permission for use of any spell on or against Daniel. If I find out that you used another spell on him against my wishes or without my consent, I will report you to the authorities available to me and request that you are punished to the fullest extent of the Wizarding Law. Do I make myself clear?"

It was only years of working closely with the Dark Lord that gave Professor Snape the wherewithal to not tremble in self-loathing, as such a reaction would be seen as weakness. He vowed to Professor Dumbledore long ago and again to every Slytherin student every September first to protect each and every student for whom he was Head of House. (He protected the other students too, but their emotional well-beings were not his affair.) And Vlad Masters pointed out precisely how he had failed in his most sacred of duties. Professor Snape closed his eyes. "You could not possibly be more so."

"Very well. Give me a list of the experiments you intend to perform, and we will work out a schedule. I expect a preliminary list by Sunday at dinner." With that, Vlad left the faculty room.

Only years of scheming and hiding his true emotions helped Vlad keep his fury hidden from the students as the rest of the day progressed. It took a serious force of willpower not to clutch the boy he thought of as a son protectively to him during their evening classes.

Danny noticed a change in Vlad's general demeanor; he couldn't tell what was going on, but he sensed there was a good deal of emotion being repressed. When they discussed the play within the play in Hamlet and the way Claudius revealed his guilt, Vlad grew quiet. Danny asked, "Vlad, are you okay?"

The man looked tenderly at his charge. "Professor Snape will probably describe some spells the Death Eaters prefer to use. He will not use any more spells on or against you, even for your benefit, without clearing them with me first. And he will do nothing at all to you for the rest of the week."

Danny looked puzzled. "Okay…"

Vlad furrowed his brow. "Daniel, has any teacher besides Professor Snape used any spells of any kind on you?"

Danny thought for a minute. "No. Last week, Professor Flitwick said he would ask you about the idea of my conjuring ectoplasm into different shapes." He cocked his head. "I didn't tell him about the ice yet."

Vlad nodded. "Right. Professor Flitwick and I discussed your 'conjuring' last week. He told me of your observation that the uniformity of color would indeed be 'a serious give-away.' You have a good deal more sense than I gave you credit for. Perhaps next week you will start working with him during a free period to concentrate on what you can form out of ectoplasm, and possibly ice.

"I know that what you are doing with me in Powers Training," he cleared his throat, "is only the tip of the iceberg of what you are capable of. But not having this power myself, I can only do so much to mentor you on my own. This Saturday, I intend to take a quick trip to the Ghost Zone to find someone who can help us."

Danny rolled his eyes at the 'tip of the iceberg' comment, but he listened carefully. "You said you were taking a trip a couple of days ago. You're going to the Ghost Zone? Who are you going to see?"

Vlad smiled. "Someone who likes you and would probably seek to help you."

Danny looked thoughtful. "That narrows it down. Really."

In a decidedly better mood, Vlad was ready to continue the English lesson. He let Danny guess whom he would visit, leaving it as a puzzle for him to solve until Vlad visited the ghost in question on the weekend.

The overly loud, inappropriate comment made by Mr. Malfoy in his class on Wednesday made Vlad think. The words spoken were obviously not meant for his ears. Just then, it occurred to him: professors are not the only people here capable of using magic inappropriately. Mr. Argus Filch, the caretaker and janitor of the school, resents the magical messes he has to clean. Wait a minute.

There is a rule against using magic in the hallways. That is what Snape took 15 points from Mr. Potter for, before he gave Mr. Potter the 18 points back. While 15 points might have been excessive, Professor Snape might have had a valid case. Still, from Daniel's observation of Mr. Potter and his friends, it appears that Professor Snape singles them out for torment, particularly Mr. Potter. While Snape might have a point, perhaps rescuing Mr. Potter from Snape's harsh influence was still worth it. Vlad decided that this bore reflection later, and possible investigation.

Regardless, falling prey to a magical prank or not (Vlad's vigilance against student misbehavior required an upgrade on his next rotation to patrol the halls after hours), Mr. Malfoy's attitude was in severe need of adjustment. At home, Vlad had all kinds of literature that might be appropriate… The Room of Requirement would provide what he needed. After dismissing Daniel Wednesday night, Vlad told the library in the room the topic he wanted to focus on. Some new books became available on the shelves. Vlad perused through the new books. Reading through many, he chose three works and spare copies of each and took them back to his room. He was now ready for Mr. Malfoy.

Vlad came to breakfast early on Saturday. He wanted to see Daniel briefly before he headed to the Ghost Zone. The entire population of the Slytherin table was animated with the upcoming try-outs. Leaving the room early, he came back invisibly and tapped Daniel on the shoulder. The boy looked around to see who tapped him. Invisibly, Vlad smiled and whispered, "I'll tell him you say 'Hello.' I'll see you later." With that, he was off.

Noting the doors around him as he passed through the Ghost Zone, he breathed more easily once he got to more familiar territory. He smiled to himself. Now that he knew how to get here from Hogwarts, he might pay a few visits. However, today he needed to stay focused if he wanted to get back on time.

Vlad came to a stately mansion with columns reminiscent of eras gone by. He knew he was in the right place. He knocked on the door.

A surprised ghost widened his green eyes when he opened the door. "Plasmius!"

Vlad smiled. "It's good to see you, Ghostwriter."

The frightened ghost opened the door wider, inviting Vlad in. It wouldn't do to annoy this powerful half-ghost. "To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" He wished his fear was not as plainly visible as he felt it. The Ghostwriter stayed clear of trouble for the most part. While his Keyboard gave him the power to change reality, he hoped that whatever he did to attract the attention of Plasmius was innocuous.

Vlad felt it was good to know that his absence didn't affect the reputation he earned for himself. The Ghostwriter had severe difficulty hiding his fear, which pleased the evil half-ghost. "This is purely a business call. I don't expect it to take too much of your time."

The author adjusted his glasses and invited Vlad to take a seat in his library. "What can I do for you?" He prayed that whatever Plasmius cooked up wouldn't bend or break his morals too badly.

"Believe it or not, this call isn't for me. I'm looking for some information that will help Daniel."

"Daniel? You mean Danny Fenton?"

Vlad's smile broadened. "The one and the same."

The Ghostwriter frowned. "You haven't hurt him, have you?"

Vlad sighed. "News gets around here slowly, does it?"

"I don't get out much. I might have missed a thing or two, or a few."

"On July 20, some rather evil humans descended upon Amity Park, decimating the population. Included among the fallen were Daniel's family, friends, teachers, and other people he knew. I knew nothing of the attack until young Daniel came to my mansion in Wisconsin, teary-eyed and with suitcases in tow."

The poet's frown deepened. "I'm sorry for his loss." He closed his eyes. "He made such progress, too. Danny promised to work harder to show Christmas cheer this year. Just about everybody who would have noticed the difference is gone now."

Vlad furrowed his brows. "Thank you for telling me." He closed his eyes. "This year will be particularly hard for him. I hadn't thought of that."

The Ghostwriter looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

With a sigh, Vlad explained. "I am Daniel's legal guardian. It's been hard enough to deal with his schooling. I never thought about Christmas." A wry smile graced his lips. "Although he did tell me of your rather vindictive lesson."

The Ghostwriter trembled. He could easily envision Plasmius's vengeful wrath for daring to damage his charge. Vlad chuckled.

"He said that he learned his lesson, and that he befriended you. I'm rather curious, and might buy a copy of your poem." The Ghostwriter blinked. "While it might be a painful reminder of Daniel's inappropriate behavior, it is also a pleasant reminder of happier sentiments. He discovered the Christmas Truce, the annual Christmas party in the Ghost Zone, and he learned that the holiday season is what you make it. Those things are worthwhile.

"Frankly, I'll do my best to make our first Christmas together happy."

The Ghostwriter raised his eyebrows. This was an unexpected development.

"But now, it's time I explained the main purpose of my visit today. I've been training the boy in the use of his powers. He's made amazing strides, and I'm sure he's done better than he would have, stumbling about as a lone ghost in his adolescence. However, he has a few powers I don't share.

"You have witnessed his Ghostly Wail. This, he can develop with time, practice, and guidance. Those I can give him. The power he has in which my guidance is limited is his cryokinetics. It occurs to me that with your extensive research, you might know of a ghost who knows something about manipulating ice." Rolling his eyes, he added, "Besides Klemper."

The Ghostwriter smirked. "I understand. Give me a moment." He flew to a section of his library, a few shelves from the ceiling. "Ice, ice… Ah, here it is!" He pulled a volume from the shelf. "This is a history of the people of the Far Frozen. They are yeti-like ghosts. It is doubtful if they've ever spent time in the Real World. Still, they've lionized Danny because of his involvement in the Ghost King incident." He blushed as he realized he spoke to the ghost who released the Ghost King in the first place.

Vlad rolled his eyes again. "Yes, well… where is this 'Far Frozen'?"

The Ghostwriter flew to his section on atlases and found a map of this section of the Ghost Zone. Bringing the map to where Vlad sat, the Ghostwriter pointed to the place it was on the map. "It's right here."

"Oh. It's a bit out of the way, but it looks like it shouldn't be too hard to find, if I make sure of those landmarks. When I get back, it will just be a matter of timing. I'll have to visit them tomorrow."

The Ghostwriter smiled. "Their leader is named Frostbite."

Vlad repeated, "Frostbite. Somehow, I'm not surprised. Thank you for your hospitality and assistance. Daniel says 'Hello,' and sends his regards. I might bring him for a visit. Oh, and which currency are you using? I want a copy of that poem."

When he got back to Hogwarts, Vlad flew invisibly to the Quidditch pitch, found a seat in the stands, and released his invisibility. He was in time to see Draco on his broom talking to Danny. Daniel seemed to object to whatever Draco was saying, but the blond boy convinced a reluctant Daniel to come to the field. Easily dwarfed by the team of players, which seemed manned entirely by fullbacks, the Slytherin prefect took Daniel to meet the largest teen in the field.

Good for Daniel! He looked nervous, but stood his ground. One of Draco's bodyguard-like bookends handed Daniel his broom. That was nice of him.

Daniel looked up and found him in the stands. The boy's nervousness melted and was replaced by determination. It appeared that these students appreciated his boy's skill on a broom. They started to play, and Vlad saw what this game was. He followed the players and their interaction with the three balls. After a moment of confusion, Danny gracefully avoided the other players (he's seen that move before!) and held what appeared to be a golden walnut (Daniel's description was accurate).

It was no wonder the students were impressed; Vlad himself was impressed. The other bookend smacked Daniel in the head. Since no one, including Daniel, objected too strongly, Vlad surmised that Daniel was being annoyingly modest. He's seen that before, too.

The game was over, and Daniel was the hero. Vlad applauded, as the show was a good one. When Daniel looked up, Vlad smiled at him. The boy grinned and bowed. Vlad was very proud; Daniel was indeed good at this. And now Mr. Malfoy owed him a detention.

Once Draco was seated in front of him in his office, Vlad began. "It is clear to me, Mr. Malfoy, that you have a problem with tolerance. You are a wizard chauvinist, and even though partial humans are common enough in the Wizarding World, you fail to acknowledge their humanity, partial though it might be.

"I also understand that you, as a teenager, are merely a product of your environment. You don't know better, as I'm sure you were raised to hold your views. Knowing what I do of History of Magic, I understand the sources of your primary prejudice. Muggles feared people with magic, torturing them and killing them for centuries, sometimes in the name of religion, but almost always out of fear and power. And what might have been a logical bias at one time has been taken to its farthest extreme, where the views – initially formed out of fear and resentment – have broken completely with reality.

"You are a wizard, with a long-standing Wizarding heritage. I'm glad for you. Welcome to the human race. It takes all kinds of people to make up the human race. Muggles are just as human as wizards. It's a scary world, but at the cusp of the 21st century, it is time you learned that.

"Over the course of our sessions," Draco gasped, "yes, multiple sessions of this bout of detention, we are going to study works written by Muggles addressing the issues of tolerance the authors faced in their time. We are going to explore the application of their lessons to issues present in the Wizarding World. The first will be a letter by John Locke. The work is "A Letter Concerning Toleration," and it discusses tolerance of people belonging to different religions. The main focus is Christians dealing with other Christians of differing denominations, but I'm sure we can find a useful lesson in there somewhere.

"The second work will be the Declaration of Independence of America from England, written by Thomas Jefferson."

"Danny mentioned that!" Draco exclaimed. "We talked about that on our first day of classes."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Did he? No doubt, you said something that offended his sensibilities of equality among humanity."

Draco blushed. "The bit I remember was: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal'."

"I'm impressed. Five points for Slytherin." Draco grinned. "Oh, not on your behalf, but on Daniel's." Draco's face fell. "I must remember to reward him later for his quick thinking.

"When Thomas Jefferson wrote the words, he was making the point that people should be tolerated as people, regardless of their nation of origin. Well… To be fair, America wasn't properly a nation at the time. But the British governance, hence the British soldiers stationed in the American colonies, treated the colonists so abominably, the Continental Congress decided that the only way to regain logical political and general human rights was for the citizens of the colonies to become a separate nation." A smirk blossomed on Vlad's face. "I'm aware that Muggles here learn a different perspective on that matter in history, but I am also a product of the society I come from, and that gives me an American perspective.

"The third work we will cover is a work by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is the text of the speech he gave on August 28, 1963, in his March on Washington. In common parlance, it is known as his famed 'I Have a Dream Speech.' This work discusses tolerance of people who look different, and have different skin color from each other, among other things.

"In my observations of the students here, this is one level of prejudice that doesn't seem to exist, to the credit of the people in every House in this school. However, the lesson to be learned here is that people are people, regardless of their origin, or what they happen to look like, or even what they may be. The lesson I expect you to learn from this speech, Mr. Malfoy, is that people with a human sentience deserve to be treated as human, regardless of any other consideration. If they are innocent, they deserve to be treated as such. If they have acted against humanity, they should be tried for their crimes, but they deserve to be treated as innocent until proven guilty, as justice is expected for any full human.

"It is nearing dinner time, and I have to prepare for Daniel's class this evening. Tonight you will take this copy of John Locke's 'Letter Concerning Toleration' and read it. You will meet me here tomorrow at the same time we began today, and we will discuss it. And we will meet during your afternoon break every weekday until I've decided that you have learned your lesson. You are dismissed."

21