A Vent Comes to Haunt

by Miriam1

This fiction is inspired directly from You're-not-so-big's two-shot crossover of Danny Phantom and Harry Potter in her fic entitled "A Vent for ADD." It is dark, it is scary, and it looks like Danny's worst nightmare.

39. Preparations for Holiday Plans

First of all, I want to thank everyone for your reading, your reviews, your alerts, your favorites, your pokes, and your patience. I've been working on this chapter (which was, after careful consideration, split from the next chapter) since the first week of November. This fic was in no way abandoned; it was just time consuming to come up with the material. I hope it (and the next chapter, eventually) is worth the wait.

I want to wish you a Happy Chanuka, and I expect there will be more time for further holiday greetings before I finish publishing NEXT chapter, as I'm almost done writing it. (Famous last words, but I've made some lovely headway into it.) I give everyone gifts of chocolate coins in gold colored foil, jelly doughnuts, potato latkes (with sour cream and/or apple sauce for your condiment pleasure), and dreidles to spin.

CynthiaW, my partner in crime, helped me write the article in Hermione's explorations. She wrote the scene, but I rewrote it and adapted it to suit my style and to correct details.

Disclaimer: I do not own: Butch Hartman's Danny Phantom; J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter; Dale Wasserman, Joe Darien, and Mitch Leigh's Man of La Mancha; Stan Lee's The Amazing Spiderman; Douglas Adams' Life, The Universe, and Everything and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Shakespeare's Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, King Lear, and Romeo and Juliet; George Orwell's 1984, or C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

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Chapter 39

Sunday evening, Vlad started having Danny review his physical manipulation of ectoplasm. At dinner, Professor Snape relayed to him Daniel's words, expressing Vlad's ability to mentally project a small item of ectoplasm into a much larger one. Apparently, Daniel never forgot the glass flyswatter Vlad used on him at the start of the bounty-hunting expedition. With a wry smile, Vlad realized that the fact this image stuck in the boy's head was one more good thing to come from their former enmity. So Vlad took it upon himself to teach this skill of manipulation and projection to Daniel.

Danny's ectoplasmic glass was still rough around the edges, but was a worthy effort. The fact that he could create a mentally projected image and turn it to reality on the first shot was nothing less than amazing. The burgeoning talent that came with the unruly hormones of puberty was mind-boggling. It was only a matter of time before the boy's body caught up with his powers. Vlad hoped. How did becoming a half-ghost affect physical development?

Severus asked Vlad about it before the first Quidditch match of the season, and Vlad was embarrassed to say that he honestly didn't know. His own accident happened in college. At that moment, his black hair turned white, and it never changed. His physical features didn't change – his bearing did. His hair needed to be cut, and his beard did eventually come in, but that was only because he let it grow for a more distinguished look. 'The Lord protects His barbers, and He makes the stubble grow,' Vlad mentally hummed.

Would Daniel actually grow? Vlad assumed so, but surely it was unusual for a teenage boy to stay that small at age 15. Well… The boy's birthday was in April. If there was no change by then, he might consider giving Daniel growth hormones. Would they help, or did becoming a ghost arrest the aging and development process?

The idea that Daniel stopped developing was ridiculous – his powers developed far faster than Vlad's own. But was that a product of having a mentor teaching how to use these powers more effectively, or might that have happened on its own? This question of nature versus nurture bothered him. Perhaps he would discuss this with Severus later. But big or small, Daniel was his, and that was all that mattered.

"It's 8:00. We're done with our lessons for today." Danny relaxed as Vlad pulled up a couple of armchairs and a table. Once both were situated, Vlad asked, "So, how did you like today's session of the DA?"

"Well," Danny began, "now that I didn't have to worry about how this looked to anyone, I think I learned a lot more than I did last week. Neither of the spells anyone learned today can hurt us as long as we're intangible, right?"

Vlad nodded. "Exactly. Or, if we use any of our shields."

Danny thought for a moment. "Most of the students were pretty enthusiastic, and got it after a few minutes. Some groups got it faster than others, but it had nothing to do with how old they were. The ones who looked determined seemed to get it faster. People who looked like their friends bullied them into coming got it, but were easily defeated by their partners."

Vlad raised his eyebrows. Daniel's powers of observation never ceased to amaze him. "Anything else?"

Danny smiled. "Yeah. The people from last year's DA were amazing. Mostly. Marietta Edgecombe looked nervous, but knew she had it in her. She did well. Zach…" Danny sucked air through his teeth. "Draco threw a lot more at him than we learned this week and last week."

Vlad smirked. "Indeed. He deserved what he got."

Danny furrowed his brows. "Dude – I realize that Zach is a jerk, but between all the grief he's been getting, is all that necessary? Zach complained to Draco about the spells Crabbe and Goyle ambushed him with. He probably deserved some of what he got, but come on."

"My dear boy, you live by the creed 'With great power comes great responsibility.' Mr. Smith abused his power. Therefore, he suffered the consequences."

Danny looked askance. "You're one to talk."

"Daniel…" Vlad warned.

Danny sighed. He looked thoughtful as he searched for another topic. "The Creevey brothers are really good at this. But did someone spike their pumpkin juice with Pixie Stix? I know that casting spells gives you a rush." Vlad sat back. Daniel didn't mention that feeling in October. "But they are the definition of hyper."

Vlad glowed with pleasure. 'The boy and I think so much alike, it's beautiful. The Creeveys' exuberance seems to annoy him almost as much as Jack annoyed me. However, Daniel is more likely to simply tune them out. Jack made me want to throttle him. Still… Jack's excitement did lead to some interesting adventures. There was the Backwash incident…' He shuddered, but relaxed into a less manic smile.

Vlad's lack of response made Danny cast about for another topic. "Vlad, I'm not sure what you have in mind for Christmas plans, but what are we going to do with Morph?"

Shaking his head as he woke from his reverie, Vlad said, "Yes… what?"

Danny wasn't sure what to make of this reaction. "Well… You said that where we're going is completely safe from Death Eater danger. But I've never had to make holiday plans, figuring out what to do with a pet. We got a carrying case, but that doesn't mean I know what we need to travel with a cat."

"Glazed French crullers! I hadn't thought of that. You might check in the book I got you, or you might speak to a friend you've made who has a cat."

Danny thought for a moment. "Hermione has a Kneazel, which is a weird, magical cat."

Vlad frowned. "Yes. Don't remind me. That beast took a distinct dislike to me. I've never done anything to antagonize her cat."

Danny smirked guiltily. "Um… I think Crookshanks decided you were 'unsavory and suspicious.' It's a trick of the breed." As Vlad's face flushed, Danny said quickly, "Hey, don't look at me. Magical animals have their own deal. Hagrid's Crup didn't like me, either, for all that it looks like a dog. Crups don't like Muggles. But it also picked up on the fact that I'm a ghost. It didn't know what to make of me. But some point after that first class, I made sure to remind Hagrid not to introduce our class to animals that react badly to Muggles or ghosts."

Vlad's dignity was still injured by knowing that a mere animal was a judge of his character (and blast it if it wasn't right). "Yes, well… you would probably do well to ask Miss Granger about her travel habits regarding her… Crookshanks. I may have a word with Hagrid later."

"Uncle Vlad," Danny tried to soothe, "Hagrid hasn't slipped like that since the first class."

Vlad grimaced and raised his eyebrows. "Perhaps not. But didn't you say that Mr. Boot and Mr. Macmillan were among those who figured out that we are not quite human?"

Danny bared his teeth and scrunched his face. "Yeah, about that…"

Vlad sighed. "Well, what's done is done. They've managed to keep their lips sealed over that discovery." And you made me promise not to harm them or I might have… It seems the Kneazel was right.

Inviting Danny to play a game of chess, Vlad deflected the conversation from some of the deeper thoughts he had over their vacation plans. Yes, vacation plans… He needed to meet with Severus some time tomorrow.

---

On Monday, Vlad found Severus marking papers in the faculty lounge. The staff room was mostly abandoned, as each professor had his or her own way to tie up loose ends before the semester officially ended, and many chose to mark papers in their own offices or classrooms. Therefore, Vlad was clear to have a private conversation with the Potions Master.

"Severus, what are your holiday plans?"

Looking up, Professor Snape said, "Harry and I are leaving for the Weasleys Saturday afternoon. After our disastrous Hogsmeade visit last month, the usual public transportation presents far too much danger. We will arrive by Floo at about four. We intend to stay until January 5. What are your plans?"

Vlad glanced around the otherwise empty room. "There is an annual party in the Ghost Zone on Christmas Eve. There is also the time-honored Christmas Truce – any and all potential ghostly antagonists will bite the bullet and be pleasant."

Snape cocked his head. "But both Sir Nicholas and the Bloody Baron were clear on the point that Daniel is a hero."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "He is indeed. Precisely because he stopped the plans of any number of ghosts who might hold grudges against him."

"Ah." Severus could see why that might cause the boy difficulty.

"Once we're in the Ghost Zone, there are any number of stops to make, ghosts to visit, that type of thing."

Professor Snape stopped for a moment. "What is this 'Ghost Zone' you've mentioned?"

Vlad sat up straight. As little as he knew about magic, he certainly knew about ghosts. There was no reason not to tell Snape. "It is a different realm, or an alternate dimension, if you will, where ghosts who have no Earthly haunts dwell. In and of itself, it is a dreary green (that same shade of green of Daniel's ecto-energy), but it has doors to the lairs of resident ghosts, asteroids, islands, and other bizarre geographic features, as well as portals to the outside world, leading to different places in time and space. Gravity doesn't count for much, unless one is near an island, or some such thing. It holds untold mysteries and items of power beyond imagination. There is a lot more to it than that, but that is enough to get on with."

Professor Snape's eyebrows shot up. "Really!"

"Indeed." Vlad smirked. It was good to be able to throw his colleague so far off balance, and this time, it didn't involve either pain or humiliation. 'Let's see how far I can go with this,' he mused. "Close to Thanksgiving, I made mention of New Year's Eve. What are your thoughts?" It had the desired effect: Severus looked lost for a moment before he regained his mental equilibrium.

Professor Snape thought for a moment. His extreme curiosity about the Ghost Zone was not worth the indignity of revealing his ignorance in the half-ghost's presence. He might ask Daniel later; the boy would not hold his ignorance of ghost culture (was there such a thing?) against him.

Severus cleared his throat. "Since Christmas Eve is the full moon, Lupin won't be able to properly celebrate anything. He'll be dosed with Wolfsbane, and he'll probably spend the night at the Order's headquarters. He should be sufficiently recovered to enjoy New Year's Eve. Although Harry would appreciate any time he can have with the wolf, it occurs to me that New Year's will be particularly meaningful." Severus grimaced. "Remus will enjoy spending time with Harry. And… It won't be easy to be gracious."

Vlad realized that he was on the cusp of learning more about this insanely private man. But more to the point, he realized that this current problem between Remus and Severus centered on Harry, and… Vlad had nothing to do with this, but he somehow felt responsible. He closed his eyes for a moment to think of how to proceed. Vlad opened his eyes and asked, "Why are you so set against Mr. Lupin?"

Severus looked at his papers and realized they were a lost cause for this period. He shoved the stack of parchment into a bag and sat back. "When we were in school, Potter's father, godfather, Lupin, and the rat formed a group that took great pleasure in tormenting me. Potter and Black were the twin ringleaders. Pranksters, jokers, persecutors… They did everything together. Lupin, ever self-conscious because of his condition, was never quite as bad as Sirius and James. Pettigrew was a useless cheerleader." He stared off into space for a moment, lost in a memory.

Vlad listened in frank curiosity and a hint of compassion. He waited patiently for Snape to continue. His patience was rewarded.

"Of the four of them, Lupin was the least objectionable. In our Fifth Year, they pulled a prank on me that nearly killed me, but they swore it was all Black's fault. That… Anyway, I realized as early as Second Year the pattern to Lupin's disappearances, but I didn't know why. In Fifth Year, Lupin's cohorts figured it out and became Animagi. They accompanied him when he disappeared.

"I was curious, and one month, Sirius asked me if I wanted to know where Lupin went. He knew that, by following him to that Shack, I would come face to face with a fully-grown feral werewolf. At the last moment, Potter pulled me back to safety. I incurred a magical life debt to that idiot, because his partner in crime almost had me killed, or worse, turned." He looked away. "I suppose it's not actually Lupin's fault, but… he could have…" Snape closed his eyes.

Vlad frowned. His own anger at Jack was far less justifiable than Snape's anger at his schoolboy tormentors. He asked gently, "Who invented the Wolfsbane Potion?"

Severus sighed, eyes still closed. "Damocles Belby, the uncle of the Ravenclaw Fourth Year Marcus Belby. Damocles received an Order of Merlin for it. Think of it like a Nobel Prize for accomplishments in the magical world. Once I learned of it, I've made it faithfully for Remus and any other werewolf I know about. If a werewolf was in control of his mind, the actions he took the night of the full moon would be his own responsibility."

Vlad peaked his eyebrows. "That's some story. If you like, I can arrange for Daniel and I to come so… you have someone else there whose company you, perhaps, detest less."

Severus opened his eyes and lifted his head. "That… would be appreciated. I'll Floo Molly Weasley after dinner to let her know you will be calling. I'll… set it up for this evening after Daniel's lessons. Would you prefer to meet here, in my office, or the Room of Requirement?"

---

During the afternoon break on Tuesday, Harry and Danny worked on their Potions essay in the library. Danny observed, "Either Professor Snape really wants to make sure we know this stuff, or he's a severe masochist. How much paperwork does he really want to deal with before vacation?"

Harry chuckled and answered in a low tone. "I would say both. Nothing would please him more than a bunch of teenage dunderheads actually accomplishing something in his field of passion. But as a former Death Eater, I'm assuming that he was either really open to pain, or really, really organized. Either works as a logical guess."

Danny flipped through his text in silence. He did not know that Professor Snape was a former Death Eater. He supposed a few odd comments the professor made over the months they've known each other made more sense. 'I was not always the fine, upstanding wizard you see before you.' Apparently not, if he was once an evil wizard terrorist. 'I know the evil Voldemort is capable of. There is no one in this school who is more familiar with what that man is capable of.' Danny's favorite professor worked for him; such familiarity came with the territory. Danny was momentarily freaked out.

Then Danny's brain caught up with him. Professor Snape was a former Death Eater. What was it he said when yelling at Vlad? 'I would not willingly allow any student, professor, or other individual into the clutches of that madman.' The mere idea that someone – well, Vlad, anyway – would dare mention it as a possibility made his professor promise permanent bodily harm. (Professor Snape kept his word. Danny didn't see him making idle threats.)

The whole Death Eater thing made a lot more sense when he described what tortures and curses the Death Eaters favor. He raised his eyebrows as he flipped through the pages of the textbook. 'Professor Snape and Vlad have a lot more in common than I ever knew,' he thought.

Still… The off-handed manner that Harry mentioned it made Danny realize that this information was not for public consumption. Harry shared a confidence with Danny. It was an indication that Harry felt as close to Danny as Danny felt to Harry. Cool! Harry was kind of a long-lost cousin. Did that mean Professor Snape was kind of an uncle? Considering the gift he intended to give Vlad for Christmas, it was oddly appropriate.

Danny decided this was too much emotional information for a study session. He said, "This morning, I asked Hermione about pet care for holiday travel. She said that she'll give me an itemized list of what she takes and does tomorrow. Should I be scared?"

"Be afraid. Be very afraid, Danny Fenton."

Danny peaked his eyebrows in fear for a moment. "Excuse me?"

Harry paused. "Danny, it's Douglas Adams. You know, Life, The Universe, and Everything?" At Danny's blank look, Harry asked, " How do you not know this?"

Danny cocked his head. "Douglas Adams? Who's that? Is it a Wizard or Muggle thing?"

Harry stopped short. It wasn't so much a matter of Muggle or Wizard thing. It was a Muggle reference, no question, and science fiction at that. But if Harry wasn't careful how he told Danny, it would be clear that he knew that Danny was a Muggle, and that was a secret he didn't want Danny to worry about over the holidays.

"Actually, it's a British thing, but I understand that it's something you might like. It involves space travel in the most unlikely of circumstances by the most unlikely of people. The reference is in the third book of a series called The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It's more of a comedy, and the science is all wrong, but it is all very improbable. It doesn't take itself very seriously."

Danny smiled. "At home, I didn't read much if I didn't have to. It's science fiction, huh? If you like it, how did you get away with it? With the Dursleys taking away anything that resembles fun from your life…"

Harry gave a crooked smile. "Dudley often receives books as gifts from Uncle Vernon's better clients. Of all the things my cousin receives, he never cares about the books. So I get to read them. It keeps the lonely summers busy, when I get to rest from my chores."

Danny was concerned. "What are you…"

"Don't worry about it. I'm not sure what will happen this summer, because Professor Snape will change the outcome, whatever it may be. In any event, I think you might like these books."

Danny realized that Harry was working to reconcile his new situation with his old living circumstances. "It sounds like fun. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy… I'll have to look into it. So what was it you were saying about Hermione's list?"

Harry grinned. "It will be long, but knowing Hermione, it will be precise and thorough. This evening, I'll see if I can head her off about details concerning needs based on weight and size, and Kneazel vs. cat care."

Danny collected himself. "Thanks, Harry. And I'll thank her tomorrow again, when she gives it to me. So… Where are you going over the break?"

Harry smiled. "I'm going to the Weasleys'. It will be my first proper Christmas with family and friends, without said best friend's parents in deadly peril." Danny blinked. Harry shrugged. "Welcome to my world." Danny's eyes grew wide. That's what he told Sam the week of Paulina's fifteenth birthday party. It was a stupid fight, really. But…

"Where are you going with Professor Masters?"

Harry's question grounded Danny. "I don't know yet. Uncle Vlad hasn't told me. He likes being in control and giving surprises. All I know is that we're leaving for the duration of the break."

In their happy chatter, neither noticed a blond boy listening in surreptitiously. Draco moved to the other end of the library where he muttered to himself. "Good to know he's not brushing me off. He really doesn't know where they're going." Draco was at once frustrated because he couldn't figure out Danny's secret and joyous that at least Harry didn't know, either.

---

After dinner, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy met in their usual place to do homework and socialize in the Common Room. Pansy asked, "So Draco, is your mother hosting her annual Christmas Ball?" After all, only the best people were invited to such events.

Draco sighed. "Not this year, Pansy. Mother says it's not the same without Father home. But she said I could invite a few friends. It won't be as big, or as lavish, but it's still Christmas, and it's still festive. I hope all of you will come."

Crabbe said, "Pretty sure we are. Long standing tradition, that. Who else is coming this year?"

Draco mentally ticked off the names. "Some of the usual. You and your families, of course. The Zabinis, the Notts, and the Bulstrodes. Mother says that the other families attached to the Quidditch team is too much this time. But party or no, that won't affect gift giving and whatnot." Crabbe nodded.

Goyle asked, "Is Fenton coming?"

Draco frowned. "No. Professor Masters made other plans for them. Danny didn't even tell Harry what his plans are." He sighed sadly. "I hope they enjoy the holiday, whatever they do."

Pansy crossed her arms. "Why does it matter? Why does he mean so much to you? He has no useful connections. He's a short, skinny, worthless wizard of no talent, no use, and no background worth speaking of, if you look at Pureblood Wizarding Records. What do you get out of him?"

Draco tapped his chin. Pansy was right on all counts. How did he explain this? "Pansy, I just like him. He is a fun fellow to be around. There's something about him that's… I don't know. Refreshing, I guess. It's almost like… he's our pet not-quite-Gryffindor. He's Slytherin – Merlin knows he's sly with his secrets. But when he's not depressed, it's like… he's kind of like the Weasley twins, without the pranks and the history of being blood traitors." That didn't quite cover it, but it was as close as he could come in his explanations. "He's a good friend. I don't think I've ever really had one of those, if you know what I mean."

Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other and shrugged. They were friends with each other, and Malfoy, but they weren't foolish enough to believe it was an equal friendship. True – any of them would give their lives for the others (and Fenton; though their acquaintance was short, it was tight). But they knew Draco was smarter than they were, and as much as they liked each other and could natter on about friends, family, classes (rarely, but sometimes), or Quidditch, they knew Draco often needed someone he could better relate to.

Pansy was having none of this. Draco even seemed to acknowledge that Danny was worthless. But 'he liked him.' What nonsense was that? Now she was more determined than ever. She would show Draco how he could do without that useless, pathetic American who was 'fun to be around.'

---

Friday afternoon, after History of Magic, Professor Binns held Danny after class. The Ravenclaws were flabbergasted. Normally, the old ghost didn't care enough about the living students to even get their names right. Not only did he get Danny's name right, and knew of the mysterious Slytherin's personal history, he held Danny after class for some reason.

Still, they promised their professor and their classmate that they would fight their natural inclinations and refrain from looking further into the matter, for Danny's safety. That didn't mean they weren't surprised when another anomaly surfaced.

Once the students left, Professor Binns sighed. "Oh, to be able to cast a Silencing Charm around the room again! I haven't been able to do that since…" He hadn't needed or wanted to use privacy shields or charms for decades before he died. Now that he wanted to be able to cast one, he couldn't. Death had a funny way of putting a stop to that sort of thing. "No matter. What are your holiday plans, Danny?"

Danny shook his head. "I still don't know. Uncle Vlad told me to pack enough clothes for a week, but… He told me to speak to Hermione about cat care for the whole vacation."

"Ah, Miss Grant. She handed her work in on time and it was always satisfactory. It's a good thing Headmaster Di… Dumbledore spelled my Correction Quill to be voice activated. Bother! For a wizard to be without magic is like… Didn't I hear of an invention of young Vladimir's that would deactivate your kind of ghost's powers?"

It took Danny a second to be able to focus properly. Professor Binns is the only ghost he could ever remember who referred to Vlad as 'Vladimir,' forget about 'Young Vladimir.' Not even Clockwork, for whom everyone else was young in comparison, called him that. It was as if… his ghostly professor didn't properly acknowledge… huh?

Professor Binns got his name and Vlad's name right every time. He almost called the Headmaster by the name of a previous Headmaster, but he did get Professor Dumbledore right. Hermione… It was clear he knew which student he referred to, but as far as names went… Well, at least both names started with a "Gran."

Still, 'young Vladimir?'

Harry and his friends did say that Professor Binns was rather strange, and had a bizarrely selective memory. Things involving history, even events as ancient as before Hogwarts' founding to events as recent as 1981 he remembered as well as his own name. Dude, the professor knew about his defeat of Pariah Dark. But the names of anyone on his student roster since his last one when he died, he usually was in the ballpark, but always wrong. Unless a ghost was involved.

It occurred to Danny that Professor Binns might remember Harry better as 'the Boy Who Lived,' as defeating Voldemort was a historic event, than as a student in his class. Harry made it clear that his work in History of Magic was entirely uneventful. The fact that they were the same person made no real difference; Professor Binns only remembered facts that were relevant to history or ghostly.

Danny closed his eyes and smacked his head with the heel of his hand twice, to clear the dottle. "Yeah. Vlad invented the 'Plasmius Maximus,' which shorts out a ghost's powers for three hours. Some of my parents' inventions did something like that as a side effect." Danny thought of the Fenton Crammer and shuddered.

The professor nodded. "Indeed. And those three hours, I'm sure, were very disconcerting. That is what it is like for a wizard to be without magic. And on top of that, my sort of ghost can't even function as a Squib or Muggle, but as a mere shadow or shade." He sighed again, staring off wistfully in a memory.

Danny sat quietly for a moment before asking, "Professor?"

Woken from his reverie, Professor Binns looked back at Danny. "Ah, yes. If you are leaving the castle for all of vacation, but you only need physical clothes for one week, it occurs to me that you will spend part of vacation in the Real World and the rest of it in the Ghost Zone."

"The Ghost Zone! That means… we're going to the Christmas Party in the Ghost Zone! Yes!" Danny punched a fist into the air.

Professor Binns chuckled. "A worthy destination. And you will be safe from harassment by Death Eaters. I wonder… It isn't the type of thing we've ever done, as the Ghost Zone favors your kind of ghost. But… perhaps I can convince… the Headmaster to allow the House Ghosts, Myrtle, and I to leave the castle to go to the party. I would have no problem, of course. The House Ghosts… well, they may be on patrol, but perhaps the castle can get on without all four of them for one evening. Or will it be evening? Time is such a funny thing in the Ghost Zone.

"But Myrtle… she will need to be released from the curse that binds her to the castle grounds."

Danny raised his eyebrows and whistled in appreciation. "Wow… I never really thought of how complicated things could be for ghosts here."

Professor Binns smiled. "You had no reason to know." Staring off for a moment, he considered. "Taking into account that you, Vladimir, the Potions Master, and the Boy Who Lived won't be here over the holidays, the deepest security measures can be lessened, somewhat. I'll ask Sir Nicholas if any other students are expected to stay here over break."

Danny sat quietly for a moment. "But why would you go to all that trouble?"

Professor Binns laid a hand on Danny's shoulder. "To be with you, of course."

Danny's eyes grew wide. "But…"

"Danny, you are a hero. While you're only human…"

"Kind of," Danny corrected.

"You have many qualities worthy of being admired. And," Professor Binns grinned mischievously, "it might do you good to have many ghostly friends about you at this party. Everyone will be friendly, of course, as per the Truce, and they may be spurred on to better behavior because of your connection with Vladimir. But it is good to have friends about on Christmas Eve."

A couple of tears leaked out of Danny's eyes. "Thanks, Professor."

---

Harry and Danny said Good-bye to all of their friends as they got in the carriages to leave for vacation. Danny asked, "So when are you… um, how are you…?"

Harry smiled. "About four or so, Professor Snape and I are Flooing to the Weasleys. What about you? You're leaving today. Where are you going?"

Danny chuckled. "For the first bit, we're going to be meeting some of Uncle Vlad's friends. And maybe some of mine…" He stared off for a moment. He did have a few friends in the Ghost Zone. Not many, but it might be nice to see them. "And we're joining you at the Weasleys' in time for New Year's Eve."

"Really! Does Ron know?"

Danny raised his hands in question. "To be honest, I don't know who knows what anymore. I'm sure Ron's parents know – Vlad's a stickler for appearances." In a fair imitation of the elder half-ghost, Danny said, "It wouldn't do to be less than proper." Harry giggled. "But more than that, I couldn't tell you."

"Fair enough." They walked back to the castle for lunch with the professors and other students who stayed.

---

After Ron and Hermione finished their prefect rounds on the train, they found Ginny, Neville, and Luna and made themselves comfortable. Ginny asked, "So what's going on?"

Ron ran a hand through his hair. "All is calm and quiet. People are still worried about You-Know-Who."

Neville asked, "Where's Harry?" If anyone knew where Harry would be, these two would know. Or maybe Danny...

Hermione knew, but was curious what Ron would say. "He's coming to the Burrow. It'll be brilliant! This time, he'll have friends about, without having to worry about Dad…" He grew quiet. Last Christmas didn't hold the happiest memories. Neville nodded. Last year, Harry, Ron, and Hermione met him in St. Mungo's.

Luna smiled. "That's good. People should be with family and friends for Christmas."

Ginny beamed. Harry deserved a break, and it would be lovely to have Harry, who was growing to be her boyfriend, at home. "Ron, what about Danny?"

Ron shrugged. "Danny didn't say. Professor Masters is making it a surprise for him."

Hermione thought about their half-ghost friend. He and his uncle presented quite a few mysteries. These thoughts kept her busy for a while.

At King's Cross Station, they said Good-bye and went in the direction of their assorted parents and guardians.

---

At four o'clock, Harry and Professor Snape stepped out of the Floo in the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley greeted them enthusiastically. "Harry, dear! Welcome back, as always."

Professor Snape noticed she said, 'Welcome back,' and not 'Welcome home.' It was a small difference, but one that made all the difference in the world, as far as he was concerned. The Weasleys' residence might be Harry's sanctuary away from home, but as much as they loved him, it was not Harry's home. He smirked to himself – Severus would provide Mr. Potter with his first true home.

"And Professor Snape, welcome to the Burrow. It is an honor to have you here." She eyed him assessingly. "A proper guardian."

Harry smiled. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." She enveloped him in a hug.

Professor Snape raised an eyebrow, almost daring her to do the same to him.

" 'Oo has come, Mrs. Weasley?" A voice rang out from the kitchen. " 'Arry! It is a pleasure!" Fleur grabbed him and kissed him once on each cheek. After releasing him, she said, "And Professeur Snape. It is so good to see you again." She grasped the dark professor's hands warmly. The dour man graced her with a small smile.

Harry blushed at Fleur's ebullient display of affection for him. She never forgot that he rescued her sister Gabrielle from the merfolk during the Tri-Wizard Tournament's second task. He realized later than none of the captives were ever truly in danger, but that did not affect Fleur's gratitude to him a whit.

Harry understood and appreciated her affection for him, but her joy at seeing Professor Snape surprised him. When Harry cocked his head in confusion, Fleur divined his difficulty. She hugged him and whispered in his ear, "It is so informal here. The professeur will guarantee more dignity here, no?" She backed away and winked. Harry was slightly taken aback. That was an interesting effect of his guardian's presence he forgot to consider.

From a different direction came another party unheard from until now. "Severus. Harry, good to see you." Professor Snape stiffened.

Harry beamed. "Remus!" He gave his friend and former professor a firm handshake.

Severus stood still for a moment. He promised himself that he would be more than passingly civil to the only remaining Marauder, for Harry's sake. He nodded stiffly. "Lupin. I'll unpack your potion shortly."

Remus was brought up short. "I thank you, now as always. The number of things I have to thank you for constantly increases, and your continuous supply of Wolfsbane is…"

"Yes, yes. I…" He closed his eyes for a few seconds. "You're welcome," he ground out.

Taking in the steel in the professor's eyes, the gratitude and resignation in Remus's, and the pensive look in Harry's eyes, Molly realized the significance of the upcoming conversation. "Fleur, come help me in the kitchen. We've got to check on the oven and prepare drinks." Fleur noticed the set of Professor Snape's jaw and followed her wordlessly into the kitchen.

Severus stood back. "Interesting – the only surviving Marauder is the only one worth having around."

Both Harry and Remus colored at this comment. Remus cleared his throat. "Thank you for that generous assessment." He sighed. "I don't know if anyone else tried, but I officially want to apologize for all that we put you through in school. There was no good excuse for any of it."

Grudgingly, Snape admitted, "It was mostly James and Sirius who…"

Remus shook his head. "I know, but I should have worked harder to stop them. We so horribly wronged you." He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. "And thank you for taking care of Harry, Severus."

Severus prepared a snarky comment, but noticed Harry's reaction. The boy scrunched his face and ran a hand through his hair. "About that…" Harry took a seat on the chair nearest the fireplace, and Severus and Remus took two chairs in front of him, following his lead. "Professor Snape and I are getting on much better, and only good things can come from this." He gave a small smile to the professor, who smiled a proud and possessive smile back. Harry raised his eyebrows – he's seen Professor Masters look at Danny that way before. They were going to have to find a more intimate form of address than 'Professor' before long, not that he would know what that might be yet.

Harry turned back to Remus. "I'm glad how things are turning out, but I gotta ask. How come you never… um…" He was curious about why Remus never made a bid for custody of him. Or even looked in on him. Or kept contact with him personally after Third Year. But he wasn't sure that it was appropriate to ask why one of his father's closest friends didn't take more of an interest in him. He blushed deeply.

Picking up on his ward's discomfort, Severus looked darkly at the werewolf. "Yes, Remus, for someone who is supposed to have been one of James Potter's closest friends, what possessed you to keep your distance from his only son? I know he cares for you. You were part of the crew that met his aunt and uncle at King's Cross last summer, so I gather that you may care for him. But really…"

Remus peaked his eyebrows. "I… Well, for the first six years, I couldn't try for guardianship, as I was insanely and unmitigatedly dangerous once a month, and I wasn't close enough to anyone besides Harry's parents, who weren't alive, Peter, who I thought was dead, and Sirius, who was in Azkaban, to think of anyone who would watch him for me during those times who wouldn't despise me for being a werewolf. Besides the staff of Hogwarts, who were busy. After those six years, the Wolfsbane Potion was invented, and you've faithfully made it for me, since. I thank you most sincerely for that. But then, Harry's aunt and uncle's custody…"

He sighed. "Even with the Potion, I didn't know anyone I could trust not to tell my secret. But that only explains why I didn't seek guardianship before…" He shook is head sadly and looked at Harry. "I didn't try to contact you before because I knew Petunia hated magic, and I didn't want her to forbid us from seeing each other." He blushed and looked away. "I wanted to, Harry, but I was afraid."

Professor Snape folded his arms and rolled his eyes. "Some Gryffindor you turned out to be. Interesting but pitiful excuse – perhaps you've got a better one for ignoring Harry after Third Year? I have to hear this."

"I… I didn't want to interfere with your relationship with Sirius. Your parents chose him to be your godfather, and I… I didn't think I was worthy."

Harry stared at Remus with pained confusion. "You… Remus, you aren't making sense. I can have more than one pen-pal. I could have written to you as easily as I could to Sirius, if not more easily. You weren't in hiding." Remus closed his eyes in shame.

Severus tilted his head. "Let me get this straight. You blatantly ignored and disregarded your best friend's orphaned child because you were overwhelmed by your sense of inadequacy. Forgive me, Harry, as I'm about to be intensely blunt." He stared at Remus. "I'm not sure who was more cruel to this young, love-starved boy: me, who hated him for no fewer than five years because he looks so much like his father, or you, who purported to like him, but with some perhaps not-so-misguided sense of inadequacy, fear for your secret, and fear for disapproval of a disenfranchised close friend, couldn't be bothered to Apparate to his neighborhood and visit him, or write him a letter, or pretend to have an interest in continuing a relationship with a child you once dandled and changed diapers for. I was at least honest and open about my hatred, misguided and unfounded though it was." Tears streamed down Remus's face. Severus was devastatingly correct.

"You asked me to forgive you for what you did to me as a child. I suppose I really should. But I don't see how I can forgive you for neglecting my ward when you have yet to even acknowledge how badly you wronged him."

Remus looked between both dark-haired wizards and covered his face as he sobbed. Out of his own fear and caution, he became the subject of a self-fulfilling prophecy: He truly wasn't worthy of a relationship with Harry. He saw now how badly he had served Harry.

Harry looked at his father's best friend with several emotions. He was hurt, as Professor Snape explained precisely why Remus's excuses fell short. Professor Lupin could have tried harder if he wanted, but for some reason, he didn't. Part of him wanted to be angry. But he couldn't help but see how badly broken the kindly, soft-spoken man was. All Remus wanted was to be loved.

Severus rolled his eyes. He knew what would happen. It was part of his ward's charm, and what made him very much like his mother. The werewolf didn't deserve it; but then again, neither did Severus.

Harry walked over and put a hand on Lupin's arm. "Remus…"

The broken man removed his hands from his face to look tearfully at the boy he had neglected. "Harry, I am so sorry. I have no real excuse. I never meant to hurt you. Truly. I just…" He gulped around the knot in his throat. "Please forgive me, Harry."

"Of course I do, Remus. I…" Okay. How was he supposed to relieve the tension? "Let's start over. Hi, I'm Harry Potter. I hear you were friends with my father, and I'd like to get to know you better. Who knows? Perhaps we can even be friends." He stuck out a hand to shake.

Remus smiled through his tears, taking Harry's hand and shaking it. "Thank you, Harry. I would like that very much. It means more to me than I can express."

Severus tried hard not to roll his eyes again. Gryffindors! He sighed and said, "Let me unpack and get your Potion. You two get reacquainted, and perhaps when I get back, I'll forgive you, too. For everything." He left for the kitchen to find Molly Weasley so he could situate his things and fulfill his promise.

---

Vlad lead Danny to the Hufflepuff Corridor. "You know, Uncle Vlad, I'm kinda looking forward to this. It's… While I'd never say the Ghost Zone was home, it's kinda…" Danny struggled to find the word he wanted.

Vlad put the hand unencumbered with luggage on Danny's shoulder. "The word you're looking for is 'familiar,' Daniel. The Wizarding World is foreign, even though we've been in it for over five months. The Ghost Zone is a place with more than two years worth of memories, good, bad, or indifferent. For you, anyway." They stopped. "Here it is. Turn intangible."

"Just a sec." Vlad raised an eyebrow. Danny put down the carrying case and knelt. "Hey, Morph. There's my girl. This is gonna feel a bit weird. Don't worry. You'll be fine."

Vlad rolled his eyes. "Must you?"

Standing up and transforming, Danny said, "Yeah, I do. Turing intangible is normal for us, but… Have you ever turned someone besides yourself (or me) intangible? The first time I did it to Dad, he said it made his stomach feel funny. Sam and Tucker thought the feeling was cool. But besides a little ectoplasmic light, I don't exactly use my powers in the dorm, Vlad. I don't want Morph to get scared."

Vlad sighed in resignation. "Finish up, child. We have places to go, people to see…" He turned ghost and led the way.

Besides one plaintive meow, Morph was less concerned with the odd sensation she felt than uncomfortable about the new surroundings. She huddled in the corner of her carrying case – the ever-present green without leaves was disconcerting, but she trusted her Danny.

Through the wall and through the portal, Danny hovered in place. "Uh, Vlad? Where are we going?" On Christmas, there might be a truce, but he was very much aware that Christmas was still a few days off.

Vlad smirked as they headed to the decorated door that led to more familiar parts of the Ghost Zone. "We shall visit a few of your friends." His smirk took on an evil glint. "First, we will visit the Ghostwriter."

Danny smiled nervously. "That sounds nice." The Ghostwriter was his friend, but this was his first time in the Ghost Zone since July. Danny had an odd mix of feelings as they came to the decorated door. "Where does this one go?"

"That leads to all we find familiar in the Ghost Zone. Come." The two flew in silence, contemplating their own thoughts. In a few moments, they touched down on the front steps of the Ghostwriter's home. Vlad knocked.

Opening the door, the Ghostwriter gulped. "Plasmius, you're back." He stepped away, allowing him entrance, and only when Danny followed them into the foyer did the author notice the teenager. "Danny!"

Danny smiled warmly. "Hi, there." He paused for a few moments, listening. Satisfied that there was no rhythmic, rhyming patter, Danny released a breath he didn't know he held.

The Ghostwriter took in the sight of his guests. Both half-ghosts' hands were laden with luggage, a black cat with white highlights sat huddled in its carrying case visibly beginning to relax, Plasmius smug and menacing, Danny slightly nervous and curious. Focusing on Vlad could invite trouble, but Danny… He looked healthy. Nothing in his bearing or attitude towards his guardian suggested that he was being mistreated. Perhaps Plasmius told the truth during his September visit.

"Welcome to my home, Danny… Vlad. May I ask…?"

Vlad gestured at the luggage. "Oh, this? Yes, well, we intend to stay in the Ghost Zone for a few days. For Daniel's safety, we won't be spending much time in the Real World, so I figured we'd make this our base of operation. Of course, if you don't mind…"

Peaking his eyebrows, the Ghostwriter knew that he'd been given orders, and knew what was necessary to stay healthy. "Yes, of course. Come this way." As he led Danny and Vlad to guestrooms, he bristled to himself. He was not usually this skittish, as Danny well knew. Dealing with other ghosts was one thing. His power with his keyboard was more than enough to keep the regulars at bay. But there was nothing regular about the half-ghosts.

For the most part, Danny was a good kid. Last year, however, the lad needed a lesson on respecting the holiday spirit. After that, the boy was back to his affable self. The fact that he bailed the vindictive author out of Walker's prison was a kindness Danny didn't need to do. It further proved the boy was a kind-hearted hero, and the Ghostwriter would be ever grateful for this fact.

Vlad, on the other hand, mostly stayed out of ghostly affairs, but when he decided to meddle, his word was law. What Walker was capable of with his host of mindless police ghosts (with the exception of Bullet, who – while subservient to Walker – was his own ghost), Plasmius was capable of doing all by himself. The sheer number of powers he had was not to be believed. But he was as good as his word, and with Plamius, that word was a double-edged sword. He made good on all promises and threats, and it was generally safer for a ghost not in on his schemes to stay out of his way.

This was the second time this year this powerful ghost sought him out. The Ghostwriter wasn't sure what he thought about this yet. He took a breath. "For as long as you're here, this suite of rooms will be at your disposal, Vlad. Would you prefer if Danny's communicates with yours or is across the hall?"

"Communicating will be fine." Danny wasn't sure how he felt about not being consulted, but it didn't make enough of a difference to argue the matter.

"Right, then. One bedroom is here, with a bathroom here. The other bedroom is here. The sitting room between them is small, but much more of my space is taken up by the library. Surely you'll understand."

Danny thought about this. Did ghosts have biological functions? It was one thing for him and Vlad, who were half-human. But other ghosts… He was a little confused. "Thanks, Ghostwriter. I've got a couple of questions." Vlad stopped on his way to his bedroom to listen.

The Ghostwriter said, "What's on your mind, Danny?"

"Well, the first thing… Morph is going to need some space. She seems to have been trained before I got her, so when I let her out, would it be alright to give her a free run? I'll finish setting up her bed, box, and other stuff, but after that, she's kinda used to having the free run of the castle. If it's not, I can keep her confined to our suite. Thanks, by the way."

The author adjusted his glasses and smiled. "You're welcome, Danny. Your cat can go wherever she likes. And I can help feed her if you go out overnight, if you tell me your routine with her. Why Morph?"

Danny gave a half-smile. "Because she looks a little like me in my ghost form. Since I spend most of my time in human form, she's what I look like when I morph. So, yeah."

The Ghostwriter grinned. "Fair enough. What was your other question?"

Danny fidgeted and blushed. "It's kinda weird, 'cause I'm not usually social with most ghosts. But… um…" The Ghostwriter nodded encouragingly. "I didn't know that ghosts (who aren't me or Vlad) needed bathrooms and stuff."

"Ah, therein lies a much deeper question than you perhaps anticipated. The simple answer is we don't have need for such things, mostly. But the deeper question is what are we? Those of us who started in the human realm as living, breathing people might want such conveniences around, as they are familiar reminders of what we once were. Those of us who started life as creatures of ectoplasm… we seem to have which ever functions we choose to have." He looked at Danny critically. "It occurs to me that if you spent an inordinate amount of time in your ghost form, you might not need to eat, drink, or excrete. You probably should, in any event. Sleep, though, is something you need, regardless. The people of the Far Frozen have spent a great deal of time focusing on the biological needs of ghosts, humans, and others.

"Regardless of anyone's needs, eating and drinking is pleasurable, whether most of us need it or not. That is why the party is still useful, even though it is more of a social thing than a necessary meal in any way. Which reminds me – after you and Vlad finish settling in, we'll have tea in the library in about fifteen minutes."

---

In the library, on a coffee table, the Ghostwriter had a tea set with various cookies, scones, and other assorted sweets. Danny took the seat closest to the fire and smiled. Harry would do that. Of course, Danny didn't need to, as he was comfortable in the cold, now that he knew he could produce it. Still, it gave a sense of the familiar.

After inviting everyone to take what they liked, the Ghostwriter sipped his tea and asked, "So Danny, where have you been? You haven't been in Amity Park."

Danny finished the cookie in his mouth before answering, "I've been in school in Britain. It's…"

"I don't think he needs to know your specific course of study there," Vlad interrupted.

"Why not?" Danny huffed indignantly.

Vlad scowled. "There are secrets we're supposed to keep that aren't ours, Daniel. That's why. But… there's no reason you can't tell him about what we study together, or any of your friends, human or ghostly."

The Ghostwriter watched this conversation curiously and closely. Danny folded his arms. "Fine." Sitting back, Danny continued, "Well, Vlad's been training me in the use of my powers. He even helped me discover lots of them I wouldn't have figured out on my own."

While Vlad was proud of his ward, even his pride had limits. He did have to talk to Severus about nature vs. nurture. "I wouldn't say that, Daniel. Although by working on them together, you probably discovered some of them far faster, and you've learned to use them more efficiently than you might have on your own."

"Yeah, well… Ghostwriter, Vlad is a really good teacher. We've been working on Shakespeare."

The author's eyes lit up. "Really? What have you studied?"

Danny should have realized that the Ghostwriter would be interested in literature. It just wasn't the thing he thought of discussing on a regular basis. "We've read Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, King Lear, and Romeo and Juliet. Next semester, Vlad's going to teach me 19th century literature." He made a face.

"Oh, excellent! And have you been to Globe Theatre? That is really the best place to see these plays."

Vlad arched an eyebrow. "No, we haven't really been anywhere. The madman who massacred Amity Park is rather interested in finishing the job – no use doing a thing halfway – so we've kept Daniel secreted away in school for the most part. It's a boarding school, and the protection they offer is considerable." Danny shivered. Vlad might be a really good guardian, but he was still a cold, cruel man.

The Ghostwriter refilled everyone's cups. "But Plasmius, why don't you just take care of it?"

Vlad decided it was a fair question. "First of all, the mastermind and his cohorts are human. I've committed many crimes over the course of my life, but mass murder isn't one of them." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "If I find out who I'm up against, I might change that policy. But until that day arrives, my main priority is keeping Daniel safe."

Danny widened his eyes. Vlad would kill people to keep him safe? He already did, but killing a rat was different than killing a man. (The fact that Peter was both at one time was beside the point.)

Vlad continued, "In any event, these people have resources at their disposal that I don't have. I have to learn about them so I can set about defeating them." His red eyes gleamed with pleasure. "I imagine that if I'm successful in destroying them, many people – the people the madman and his minions regularly antagonize – would be grateful. It would work for everyone else all around."

Danny decided that a change of topic was in order. "Yeah. He's also teaching me math. For the first time in my life, I'm actually starting to get it."

"Danny, why is Vlad teaching you English and math? You should be learning that in school."

Danny shrugged. "Vlad is a teacher in the school." He smirked. "Professor Masters is most widely respected and feared."

Vlad preened. "That is one of my main aims. However, the students seem to be learning, some of them almost despite themselves. And the student workshops are doing wonders." Danny smiled broadly. Vlad blithely told their host everything and nothing, all at the same time.

The Ghostwriter was certain there was a subtext he was missing, but if the half-ghosts chose to keep secrets amongst themselves, that was their own affair.

"Danny, tell me about your friends."

Danny thought warmly about his new friends. "Harry is really my closest friend. Besides the fact that we mostly look alike, we have a lot in common. His best buddies, Ron and Hermione, are also pretty good friends. And from my own House, there is Draco… Vince and Greg. Greg is kind of cool, and I'm not really sure why, but he's made it his personal mission to protect me from bullies." The Ghostwriter laughed merrily. It was good to know that Danny had such good friends, but the idea of Phantom needing to be protected from human bullies just… was too amusing to contemplate.

Danny chuckled, too, realizing the source of his host's merriment. Then he sighed. "Draco invited Vlad and me for the first week of Christmas break. As good as a friend as he is, I don't think that would be…" He thought for a moment. What word would impress his guardian/professor and the author? Ah, he had it. "Prudent. It wouldn't be prudent. Especially considering that Draco's father is a Death Eater." The Ghostwriter looked askance.

Vlad glared and then rolled his eyes. "That's the name of the terrorist organization that destroyed Amity Park." The Ghostwriter nodded.

Danny sighed again. "I miss Sam and Tucker. And my parents and Jazz. Vlad's been great, but it's not the same."

The Ghostwriter got up and gave him a comforting hug. "I'm sure they miss you, too. And I'm sure they would be proud of you. Despite everything happening to pull you down, you are practically buoyant with your cheer."

Danny said, "Thanks for saying so." He stirred some sugar in his tea and dunked a cookie in it. A year ago, it never would have dawned on him that Danny would share some of his most intimate moments with a ghost. Well, any ghost other than Clockwork. But a lot happened in the past year, and the Ghostwriter turned from a foe to a friend.

The Ghostwriter sipped his tea. Danny Fenton had been through some very hard times. He meant what he said. "Vlad bought two copies of my poem. What did you think?"

Vlad smiled. The poem was entertaining, but it held far more memories and meaning for Daniel. Danny said, "When Vlad first gave it to me, I thought about…" His shoulders drooped. "How no one would notice that I would work to be better this year."

"We're here to notice," the Ghostwriter murmured.

"I was upset for a while. Vlad calmed me down. Since then, I've read it countless times. It's a bit embarrassing, but it ended well. And isn't that how it goes? 'All's well that ends well,' right?"

The Ghostwriter smiled gently. "That's right." Vlad looked at Danny proudly. The Ghostwriter couldn't say what happened between those two, but it was definitely for the good. "So Vlad, did you find the Far Frozen?"

Vlad closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes, I found them. They demonstrated how to use cryokinesis, and I took their advice. Daniel, after Christmas Day (the British call it Boxing Day) until New Year's Eve, we are going to visit the Far Frozen." He gave an exasperated sigh. "They are going to fuss all over you for being a hero." A pained expression graced his face. "They call you 'The Great One.' They are particularly grateful because of your defeat of Pariah Dark."

"Cool!"

Vlad drummed his fingers on the armrest of his seat. "Yes, well… Besides a visit from their favorite hero, they are looking forward to training you further with your ice powers."

Danny grinned. "That's awesome!"

Rolling his eyes at his irrepressible ward, Vlad said dryly, "Yes. Whatever."

The Ghostwriter shook with silent mirth. While the interaction between the two half-ghosts was amusing beyond belief, he did not forget his place – it would not do to draw the ire of Plasmius. Instead, he changed topics. "Danny, please tell me of your new ghostly friends."

This time, Danny sighed. "It was the weirdest thing I've ever seen – countless ghosts I've never even heard of think of me as a hero. It was unsettling, but they've calmed down. Hero worship is scary. They put me on a pedestal. I just hope I can live up to their expectations."

Vlad surprised them both by commenting, "That you do, Daniel. Just by being you, you surpass their expectations regularly. Sir Nicholas is a fount of knowledge."

The Ghostwriter gasped. "Nobility? Really?"

Danny shrugged. "Well, yeah. Three of the four official House Ghosts are nobility. There is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington and Lady Helena Ravenclaw. The Baron and the Friar never told us their first names. Actually, Lady Helena doesn't like the student body to know her real name, either."

"Where would you go to school such that there are ghosts who interact well with humans and let themselves be known as such?"

Vlad smirked. "My dear Ghostwriter, you've lost your sense of place and setting. The school is in an ancient castle in Scotland. Such places are ideal material for third rate Gothic novels. But the reality is so much richer."

The Ghostwriter blushed. Of course such settings were ripe for 'ghost stories,' good, bad, or otherwise. Some clichés stood out far more than others. Ghosts in castles in Scotland wasn't as bad as 'It was a dark and stormy night,' but it was a common enough of a literary device – perhaps because it was a common enough phenomenon.

Danny recognized that jab from Vlad was harsh, and Vlad already made the poor Ghostwriter uncomfortable, if not outright afraid, so he saved the day. "Besides the four House Ghosts, who make themselves available to students for advice, I'm close to an eleven-year-old ghost named Myrtle. I thought she might be happier if she had a guardian or mentor, and my friend Harry gave me the idea to put that thought into practice. Lady Helena is her official mentor, now. Myrtle is sweet, and deserves some happiness in her afterlife." His eyes shone. The Ghostwriter smiled fondly. Danny was a good kid, and his consideration of the young ghost proved it further.

"And my history teacher, Professor Binns, is a ghost. My classmates tell me that he's never gotten a name on his student roster right since the last one he had when he was alive, but he always remembers me. His memory of details in both ancient and recent history is amazing, but it seems like… if it wasn't worth being thought of as a historical event, it wasn't worth remembering, unless a ghost was involved."

Both adults laughed. That was a bizarre idiosyncrasy. Danny shrugged a shoulder. "There are over twenty ghosts who stay in my school on a regular basis, but the six I just mentioned are planning to come to the Christmas party."

Vlad's eyes went wide. This would be an interesting development.

---

Narcissa Malfoy picked Draco up from King's Cross. She might be a prim and proper pureblood, but she always had a hug ready and available for her son. Once out of the immediate environs of the train station, she Apparated both of them to the gates that marked the start of their property.

"It is good to have you home, Draco."

Draco smiled. "It is good to be home, Mother."

"Over the next few days, the Parkinsons, Crabbes, and Goyles will be coming to stay for a few days. Most of the others are coming the day of the party."

Nodding, Draco said, "That sounds about right."

"Unless, of course, they're called first."

"Mother?" The bitter tone of his unflappable mother disturbed him greatly. But she kept her thoughts to herself for the rest of their walk to the manor.

A house-elf greeted them and took Draco's luggage, and led them to the sitting room. Draco smiled, but his mother's face became hard. "Tea would be lovely, Mother." That is what they usually had when they started the evening in the sitting room.

"We won't be having tea here, dear," she said coldly, but her anger was not aimed at her son.

"But what…"

Narcissa took Draco's arm and opened the door. "Ah, welcome home, Draco." Seated in the high-backed armchair by the fire was Voldemort. Draco's eyes flew open wide. The Dark Lord delighted in the terror he caused this teenager. He smiled a cruel smile. "Perhaps you remember the conversation we had before you left for school about an opportunity to redeem your family?"

Draco nodded. "Y-yes, sir." Thinking of the conversations he had with Danny, and how his dark-haired friend seemed to know about Voldemort's offer, he shivered. How had Danny known? Voldemort didn't make him a Death Eater, something for which Draco was glad now, but he still wanted something from him.

"Now is your chance, Draco, if you prove to be useful." Draco looked into the hard, piercing red eyes and trembled. "What do you know of Daniel Fenton?"

Danny? The Dark Lord wanted to know about Danny? Draco answered honestly. "Not much. He's my friend. Why?"

Bellatrix stood to Voldemort's right. She glowered at Draco and folded her arms. "Your impertinence is unacceptable. That is no way to talk to the Dark Lord."

Draco gulped. He never had to be afraid of anything in his own home before, and he was truly out of sorts. "Yes, Aunt Bella. I'm sorry, sir."

Voldemort watched the by-play between the aunt and nephew. The young Malfoy would never be Death Eater material, but he could be useful. That was most important. And Bellatrix would handle the discipline detail when necessary. Children were so irritating!

The villain raised an eyebrow and said, "So, let's try that again, shall we? What do you know of Daniel Fenton?"

Draco was proud, loyal, and he prayed to anyone who would listen that what he was about to say wouldn't hurt his one and only true friend. "Danny never talks about his family much. He's an orphan, and he misses his parents and sister very much. He says he loves them a lot."

Draco looked up to gauge Voldemort's reception. His almost reptilian face betrayed no emotion, but the impatient drumming of his skeletal fingers on the armrest let Draco know that the information he gave wasn't what Voldemort was looking for. "Um… Danny is afraid of turning Dark. I'm not really sure why he's so scared, because he isn't really good at casting spells, but he sounds like he's very powerful and doesn't want to misuse it."

"Interesting. Did he say what would constitute a misuse of this power?"

Draco forced himself not to squirm. "No, sir. He said that he could go crazy and kill people, and it would be so easy, but his uncle, Professor Masters, told him that he would stop Danny before that could happen." He looked up again. "It isn't something we discuss on a regular basis, sir."

Hmm. Daniel has untapped power, does he? People without power don't care about their own ability to use power. But by this report, the boy mentioned nothing about saving himself from a Killing Curse. Draco was not lying or hiding anything. Daniel did not reveal much about himself. It deepened the mystery.

"Now tell me about Professor Masters."

Draco became truly afraid. "Sir, no one knows much about him. He cares very much about Danny. He is fair to a fault in class and in extra-curricular activities. He's worked on projects in Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Snape, but no one would tell me anything about the details. I, um… Professor Masters doesn't like people disparaging partial humans or Muggle-borns."

Bella spat, "What is this? Since when do you call Mudbloods by that term out of class?"

Draco stood to his full height and told his aunt, "Since Professor Masters made it clear he didn't want to hear that expression, and Danny gets offended by it. Even if purebloods are better than Muggle-borns, there is no reason to be obnoxiously offensive." And Draco really had no desire to discover what Professor Masters had for a follow-up punishment. He already wrote no fewer than five punitive essays for the man, and even if he wasn't sure he agreed with every sentiment he wrote, he was sure that people did feel emotions equally, whether or not one was considered better or lesser than any other person.

This was fascinating – the young Malfoy seemed to have an independent streak. Either that, or Masters was fearsome enough to replace the whelp's pureblood rearing with enough fear of punishment to change his style, if not his attitude.

"And what does this professor of yours do on the weekends?"

"Besides the one weekend when I met him and Danny in Hogsmeade, I really don't know, sir. And if Danny knows, he doesn't tell anyone. But Danny said that Professor Masters likes to be in control and is more likely to surprise him with information than tell him. Yesterday, Danny told Harry that Professor Masters didn't even tell him where they were going for vacation."

The Dark Lord fingered his wand. "Good reporting. I've decided that you are useful, and it is worth keeping you alive for a bit longer. After all, it would be such a waste to spill the blood of a well-bred pureblood. But you've said something that brings me to another point of interest."

Draco gulped again. Voldemort made it clear he thought Draco was expendable, but useful enough to make it out of this audience alive. He hoped. "Sir?"

"You never told me that Daniel Fenton is friends with Harry Potter."

"Um…"

"It is no matter, since I already heard this news as reported by the children of my more useful servants. But they also say that you are almost friends with the Potter boy. Is this true?"

Draco took a moment to figure out how to answer this. No answer would be the right one. He figured the truth might prove to be the least painful choice. He wasn't sure about this, but he didn't see himself as having any real options here.

He took a breath. "We aren't really friends, as much as we have a truce. We're both friends with Danny, and Danny is a good friend. So, in order not to hurt Danny, Harry and I have ceased hostilities toward each other."

"Hmm…" Draco and the Potter boy have declared a cease-fire to maintain loyalty and friendship to Daniel. Voldemort mused over the fact that Draco called the Gryffindor 'Harry' and not 'Potter.' "What is Daniel that he inspires such loyalty in otherwise bitter rivals?"

Draco thought about that since Pansy asked him. "I'm not sure, sir. He is just earnest and intellectually honest. He's very private about his secrets, but the things he lets us know… I don't know. He is more loyal than a Hufflepuff to anyone he thinks of as friends or family. There's more to it than that, but I… don't know how to express it."

Voldemort studied the blond boy for a few moments. After what seemed to Draco to be an interminable amount of time, the Dark Lord nodded. "Very well. You have served me well, if reluctantly. I have decided that there is no reason you can't enjoy your holiday entertainments. I have no use for them. None but selected Death Eaters may enter this sitting room for the duration. You will be made aware of which are now my rooms. Stay away from them, and you may very well enjoy a happy holiday, content and alive. Now leave me."

---

For the first two days of Christmas break, Hermione finished up the tail end of any work professors assigned and helped her parents decorate the house. Monday morning, as her parents took care of last minute shopping, Hermione settled at her computer to do some research on a private project: Danny Phantom.

Since she, Harry, and Ron figured out that Danny Fenton was the same person as Danny Phantom, her curiosity about him increased exponentially. Why was he at Hogwarts if he was a Muggle? And how did a Muggle end up in Slytherin?

Surfing the Internet, her search for 'Danny Phantom' yielded quite a few results. As reported, the ghost haunted a small American town, Amity Park, Illinois. He spent a lot of time fighting other ghosts who attacked the town on a regular basis. A year and a half ago, Phantom was blamed for a massive ghost invasion and the attempted kidnapping of the mayor. (Hermione scoffed. Danny was sweet. She read and reread the details of that article to see if she could figure out what really happened.)

A few months after that, Phantom saved the town from an even bigger ghost invasion, culminating in the entire town being dragged into another dimension called 'the Ghost Zone.' Hermione decided she might ask Nick about that at some point, as she was sure Danny wasn't up for this discussion.

No one seemed to be aware of the true identity of the ghostly teen hero, which was probably they way Danny preferred it. There were op-ed pieces speculating why Danny Phantom was no longer seen in Amity Park. Hermione rolled her eyes – he wasn't seen in Amity Park because he's been attending Hogwarts. But the editorials made references to a terrorist attack in Amity Park, so Hermione looked for an article with more details. She drew a sharp breath, stunned by the results.

Death Eaters had attacked Danny's town towards the end of July, and the Muggle media reported the events as an unclaimed terrorist attack. The town's largest school district had been almost completely destroyed. The most detailed article, from the Elmerton Gazette, a newspaper of a neighboring town, was dated the Tuesday before Hermione had come to Hogwarts with Harry and Ron to tutor Danny.

She read:

Elmerton Gazette

Written by Carlton Fogg Tuesday, July 23, 1996

Amity Park, IL – The town of Amity Park was rocked Saturday by a terrorist attack, killing 852. That is approximately nine tenths of the entire population of the Casper Central School District.

The authorities have been unable to locate or even identify the terrorists responsible for this attack, the worst on U.S. soil since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. No evidence has been found to help identify who did it or why. No organization has claimed responsibility.

Eyewitness Jeremy Manson, age 42, and inheritor of Isaac Manson's cellophane business, said, "This town has been victimized by ghosts countless times. The fact that humans did this almost boggles the mind. The three attackers I saw wore black cloaks with hoods and masks. I still don't know how they did it, as they had no guns, knives, or even explosives…

Hermione realized that whatever Aurors came to clean up Amity Park missed a few witnesses. Perhaps that was just as well. She read through the vague accounts of a few more witnesses. Apparently, not enough wizards were aware of the Internet; otherwise, there would have been a 1984-like media purge. Towards the end, she read:

Of the casualties, the most notable are the famed ghost hunters and inventors, Jack and Madeline Fenton (both 42) and their teenaged daughter Jasmine, 17. Jack and Madeline are most remembered for their advisory capacity to Mayor Ernesto Montez during the first ghost invasion that made Americans understand that ghosts do, indeed, exist, and for helping to protect Amity Park when the town was somehow transported to an alternate dimension called "the Ghost Zone." That would hardly be credible, but for the missing neighborhood, the lack of phone and media receptivity, and the footage of the continuous broadcast reporting of Lance Thunder from Channel 6 News that reached outside of Amity Park only after the fact.

The Fentons are survived by their youngest child and only son, Daniel, 15. Custody and guardianship has been transferred to the Fentons' long-time friend, Vladimir Masters, the multi-billionaire and business mogul. No further information has been made available.

Hermione blinked tears out of her eyes. She knew that Danny's family and friends were killed by Death Eaters, but this defied description. It looked like everyone Danny knew was killed. That… was horrible.

Danny's parents were ghost hunters. Did they know about Danny? How did Danny become a half-ghost? Hermione looked up Jack and 'Maddie' Fenton, and she discovered articles on weaponized ectoplasm and lots of inventions with the name Fenton attached to them. There were press releases for conventions and lectures, and invention demonstrations. Their inventions were designed to locate, translate, incapacitate, capture, confine, and cause pain to ghosts. They could not possibly have known that their own son was a ghost. Poor Danny!

Vlad Masters was a billionaire. Interesting. Hermione knew that Danny was a Muggle but Professor Masters seemed to be well known in the Muggle World. A 'business mogul' is not an anonymous entity. Hermione looked him up.

A search for Vlad Masters yielded hundreds of results. Hogwarts' current DADA professor was one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in the world, a captain of industry, involved in all kinds of companies that produced technology and software. He was a philanthropist and his list of accomplishments seemed endless. Now she knew how he could buy Danny that really expensive wand. (And Professor Masters also seemed to be an American football sports enthusiast. Everyone has to have a hobby, she supposed.)

But… All of these accomplishments were in Muggle fields. American wizards were far more closely connected to Muggles than their European counterparts. There was nothing to say that the billionaire, their professor, wasn't a wizard, but now, she wondered.

Hermione was determined that she would talk with Ron and Harry when they got back from vacation. Her many confused and complicated thoughts weren't something she could safely communicate in a letter.

---

On what approximated Monday morning in the Ghost Zone, Danny led the way to the erstwhile principality of Aragon. Vlad remarked, "You have an eclectic collection of friends among the ghosts, Daniel."

Danny laughed mirthlessly. "That wasn't entirely my choice, besides the Ghostwriter and the Dairy King."

Vlad stopped. "You're friends with the Dairy King?"

Danny raised an eyebrow – Vlad was impressed with his expression. "Who do you think released me from your Spectral Energy Neutralizer? When he first showed up, I thought I was a goner." Vlad cocked his head. "Personal experience, at that point, told me that all ghosts outside the Ghost Zone were pretty much out to get me, and you really didn't help to change that impression."

Vlad smoothed a hand over his black hair. "It's one of the innumerable things I have to apologize for. I certainly wasn't sorry at the time. I had everything (and everyone) I wanted under my very roof. I'd planned the reunion for months with that goal in mind. Discovering that Jack's son was the half-ghost who used his powers for good was just… a level of temptation that was too hard to resist."

Danny said flatly, "I remember."

Vlad sighed. "I am sorry. I know I mentioned it when I was hysterical, but truly… If I used the reunion as an opportunity for reconciliation, your whole family and I…" He sighed again. Danny wasn't sure how to respond to that.

Vlad reflected out loud. "The Dairy King, eh? If I learned this before that fateful day in July, I might have brought an end to his afterlife for releasing you. But now… I suppose I should thank him."

"Huh? What for?"

Vlad smiled ruefully. "If I would have kept you then, forcing your submission, you would resent me for all of your days. Now, as things have turned out, you actually chose my guardianship, once out of desperation, and once out of your own free choice. I have you to thank for choosing me, but I have him to thank for making that an option. Now I know you won't run away in rebellion, but you'll stay with me."

This time Danny stopped and considered. He'd never heard that plaintive tone from Vlad in his ghost form before. The first time he remembered that note was the first time they met, and Mom suggested they stay in the RV. Vlad insisted they stay. It was almost desperate. For Danny, this current moment was at once empowering and humbling.

If Danny took Vlad at his word, all his guardian really wanted was to be loved. And considering that they did not know the lifespan of half-ghosts, it could very well be eternity that Vlad was worried about. Even when Danny eventually got married and had a family of his own, there was no need to leave Vlad alone. Sam's Grandma Ida was proof of that.

Grabbing one of Vlad's hands, Danny said, "Yes, Vlad. I'll stay with you."

Vlad gathered Danny in a flight-stopping embrace, and they stayed that way for a bit.

When they started again, Vlad said, "Your portal was wonderfully functional yesterday."

Danny smiled cheekily. "Yeah, it was, wasn't it? The fact is…" Danny looked around and not seeing anyone he needed to worry about, he continued. "That was probably the only way I could find Wulf. Walker doesn't like the 'disorder' caused by Wulf's ability to claw a hole between realms. He's been in hiding since Walker's invasion. My portable portal was the only way I could find Wulf on my own."

Vlad beamed with pride. "Since when do you know Esperanto?"

"Tucker started teaching me and Sam after we first met Wulf. After that, I learned a bit on my own, reading things online, and things like that." Danny smiled wryly. "It pays to learn to communicate with one of your few true friends."

Vlad nodded. "I'll give you that."

When they came to the island of the kingdom, Danny announced, "There it is!" Vlad knew of very many of Daniel's exploits, but that didn't mean he knew all of the ghosts or locations involved. They touched down on the island, green with trees despite the fact it was December.

Danny decided that was one of the benefits of living where there was no sun or natural climate: weather could just as easily reflect atmospheric conditions of either hemisphere at any time, or neither, or both at the same time. Since time had been stopped here for so long, if Dora decided to keep spring and summer around for a few years, he couldn't blame her.

Lifting the heavy iron, dragon-shaped knocker, Danny knocked. A large green ghost dressed as a medieval knight out of armor opened the door, and demanded, "Who goes there?"

Danny started. "You're the axe-man! I…" Remembering that, to mindless ghosts, attitude and appearance counted more than reality, Danny produced a one-shoulder cape for himself (ectoplasm is wonderfully accommodating that way), stood straight, and haughtily looked into the ghost's eyes. In a deep voice that annoyed Sam and Tucker, his 'hero' voice, Danny said, "Tell Princess Dora that Sir Phantom and guardian are here."

The green ghost nodded. "Very good, sir. I'll announce you." The door closed.

Vlad stared at Danny. "Sir Phantom? What is this?"

With a sheepish grin, Danny explained, "It's a long story, and I'll tell you later, but when Sam, Tucker, and I helped defeat Princess Dora's brother and brought the kingdom out of the Dark Ages (literally), Dora dubbed me a knight. I'm not sure that any human kingdom would recognize my knighthood, but if it's good enough for Dora, it's good enough for me."

"What have you gotten into, little badger?" Vlad murmured under his breath. "I remember hearing about Daniel being friends with the Dragon Princess Dora, but this had ramifications I've never heard of."

The door opened. "Her Highness will see you now." The green ghost ushered Danny and Vlad into the castle and towards the throne room. Danny ogled the walls with wonder, comparing the tapestries and other decorations to the way he remembered it from the last time he was here and to those in Hogwarts. Hogwarts is well lit, but… Dora's castle was much brighter than last time. The quality of light in the two castles was different. Were those wall-sconces actually electric?

There were traditional garlands of holly, poinsettias, and… multi-colored twinkle lights? In any event, they were all along the hallways, and there were large fir trees in every juncture between two halls, and several trees in each chamber.

Once at the throne room, a servant announced, "Sir Phantom and guardian."

Princess Dora saw them and flew towards them, ignoring decorum. "Sir Danny! It's been ages since I've seen you!" She hugged him. "Oh, so much has changed since then." Releasing him, she eyed Vlad. "You must be Vlad Plasmius. Technus told me about your guardianship of Danny when he put finishing touches on our electric lighting and heating systems."

Danny thought, 'Ah, that explains the lights.'

Vlad reached for her hand to kiss it. "I'm honored by your recognition, your Highness." Putting her hand to his lips, Vlad did not in any way betray his bemusement at how news was spread in the Ghost Zone.

Danny noted, "I like your Christmas decorations, Dora."

Her eyes sparkled. "Do you really? This is the first Christmas we've had in 1600 years. When time got restarted, I wanted to jump start that tradition – if everyone else in the Ghost Zone was celebrating it, I decided there was no reason we can't, too." Danny nodded.

This odd little kingdom that seemed stuck in time piqued Vlad's curiosity. "Have you heard of Narnia, your Highness?"

The princess furrowed her brows. "No. Is that a neighboring realm in the Ghost Zone? We've been out of touch here for quite a while." Danny looked at Vlad curiously; he hadn't heard of Narnia, either.

Vlad gave a half-smile. "It wasn't part of my original plan, but a dip into C.S. Lewis will come before our 19th century literature curriculum." Danny grumbled and Vlad laughed. "No, your Highness. The idea of a first Christmas in a number of centuries struck a familiar chord with me. What is the name of this realm, that – until recently, I gather – time forgot?"

Dora frowned. "Aragon. I suppose it was named for my brother, who ruled this kingdom (as a prince, mind you) for sixteen centuries."

Vlad raised his eyebrows. "Aragon? Like the district in Spain?"

Sighing, Dora said, "I don't know. I take it that was a kingdom somewhere in the Real World."

The older half-ghost nodded. "Indeed."

Danny stared for a moment. "Dora, how could you know about that?"

The green princess giggled. "I read about it when I visited your school, Danny. Things might have been backwards and male dominated for centuries here, but I was taught to read." She spat bitterly, "That way, Aragon could leave orders by way of notes."

For a moment, she became a dragon, and both Vlad and Danny paled. Danny ventured, "Then I guess it's a good thing he's not around, huh?"

Dora calmed and took her more-human form. "Yes. After all the damage he's done around here, and the pain he forced me to cause your friend Sam, once my dear brother was relieved of his charmed necklace, he had the option of being locked in our dungeon or being shipped off to Walker for storage. For some reason, he chose the 'comfort' of our own castle."

Danny realized that Dora could be as ruthless as necessary to rule her realm effectively. "Fair enough. Are you coming to the Christmas party tomorrow?"

The princess clasped her hands in naked longing. "You mean they still hold one? It wasn't a trend that died off?"

"No, Dora. I discovered that they have an annual Christmas party just last year."

"Oh, joy! Do they have a ball?"

"Uh…"

Vlad stepped in. "I'm unsure of the custom. I've never gone before. I've had holiday obligations to any number of human acquaintances, business contacts, and a few times I was invited to the Green Bay pre-game party. But this party tomorrow will be as new to me as it will be for you."

Dora beamed. "Very good! Then we'll go together. But now, you must stay for dinner, and rooms will be appointed for overnight…"

Danny and Vlad were only too happy to agree.