I am always pleasantly surprised by the number of new readers, reviewers, and folks who put me and this fic on your assorted lists. Welcome, and I thank you all. I thank you all, the new readers and the faithful followers of old. I offer you more Hamentashen, grape juice, and M&Ms.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Harry Potter, or "The Emperor's New Clothes."

Chapter 43

Vlad remembered how bubbly and cheerful Daniel was at breakfast. As such, he was puzzled when his son did not show up at the Slytherin table at lunchtime. "Severus, did Daniel say anything to you?"

Professor Snape turned to look at him. "When are you asking about?"

"Today. Last night, he was overjoyed when I gave him the mail he received from overseas, and I know he's looking forward to a rendezvous later today with a young lady." Severus raised his eyebrows. "However, all of this points to the boy's happiness. He only misses meals when he's upset, so I wondered if he told you anything – I have no idea why he would be unhappy about anything today."

Severus frowned. "No. I haven't seen him since breakfast. He left the table in the company of two young ladies."

Vlad rolled his eyes. "He's not socially aware enough to be a Casanova." Professor Snape smirked and raised a hand to say that stranger things have happened. "Did you happen to notice who he left with?"

"Miss Parkinson and Miss Davis, although he looked rather surprised."

"Hmm…" Vlad noticed that Pansy was more animated in her conversation with Draco than she was all week. He sent an invisible duplicate over to the table to overhear what was going on.

At lunch, Pansy immediately took what was usually thought to be Danny's seat by Draco's side. Draco smiled. "So what did you do this morning?"

Pansy smiled back. "We explored a part of the castle I've never seen. Imagine! It's Sixth Year, and there are nooks and crannies I would never thought existed. But my company this morning was so very clever…"

Draco sighed happily. "So how was it?"

Pansy waggled her eyebrows. "It was most satisfactory; believe me."

Draco reminded himself why he enjoyed being around this girl. She was pretty, and pleasant when she chose to be. This was how he preferred her. He smiled at her again, then looked around. "Where's Danny?"

Pansy scowled. It always came back to that, didn't it? Then she remembered – it wasn't going to matter much anymore. "He's a little tied up at present. He may be busy for a while."

"Oh? Doing what?"

"He didn't say. You know how he can be sometimes."

Draco sighed. He knew exactly how Danny could be, when he chose. "I know. But this morning, he looked so happy. I hope he got a jump on those Thank You notes. A job well done always brings him out of one of his darker moods. Well, sometimes…"

Pansy grabbed his hand. "Well, what do you plan on doing this afternoon?"

"I was going to the library. I have some homework I need to finish up, and I wanted to organize a few 'happy thoughts' for when we learn how to cast a Patronus in the DA."

"Ugh. You're still in that dreary Club? I think it's as useless as DADA this year."

Draco stared at her. "Pansy… We're learning amazing things, and the DA really is a great place to sharpen our skills. I mean, you remember what Professor Snape said?"

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Yes. And I also remember it was Danny who nominated Saint Potter to lead the stupid club."

"And Danny was right. Even Professor Masters said…"

"And of course Masters favors 'his son,' who can do no wrong. Between you and him, you'd think we have a second Golden Boy. Everything comes back to Danny. What is it with you? Just… never mind. Come find me when you can find something useful to discuss!" She flung Draco's hand from her, got up, and stormed out of the Great Hall.

Vlad's duplicate hung in the air. He was not aware that Pansy was so violently against Daniel. Vlad processed all he heard. 'Well, not everyone can love you,' he thought. 'Though Miss Parkinson did well enough this time, she consistently doesn't seem to care. Her attitude will be reflected in her grade.'

Still… Draco observed that Daniel was in a pleasant mood. Pansy was almost evasive in her answers. Vlad narrowed his invisible eyes. Something was not right, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Reabsorbing his duplicate, he said, "I'm headed to my rooms. I have a little research I'd like to do before the DA."

Severus smiled. "Very good. This week, it's my turn to join you. I'm rather excited to see Harry teach students this complex spell."

"Then I'll see you there." Vlad left the Head table.

Once Vlad got to his quarters, he again turned invisible and intangible, and sank through the floors. He needed to check the Slytherin dorm for his son. In the Common Room, different students discussed what positive thoughts might be useful for a Patronus. It appeared that far more students than last meeting were interested in coming. He preened; even Severus' suggestion that they come to the DA wasn't sufficient to attract larger numbers of Slytherin students, but his own suggestion was. Well, it was either that, or the possibility of learning a spell from a teenager who was touted to be more powerful than adults twice his age.

Pansy Parkinson sat in a chair, fuming, with her arms crossed. Tracey Davis worked on her own list, shooting wary glances at her friend every now and again. Vlad thought, 'Interesting.' Daniel was not in the Common Room, so he took a turn in the direction of the dormitory.

After making this trip many times, he knew precisely which room Daniel's group of Sixth Year Slytherins was in. Daniel's curtain was open, and Morph was curled on his pillow, napping. Where could the boy be?

Miss Parkinson said, 'He's a little tied up.' He was busy. Perhaps he was in the library. Soaring out of the dungeon, and up to the library, he searched the tables and the stacks. The boy was nowhere to be found.

Hovering just beneath the vaulted ceiling, Vlad spat, "Fiddle-faddle! There are countless classrooms in this castle, and if the little badger doesn't want to be found…" Well, Sir Nicholas once found him out by the lake. It was cold, but Daniel had an affinity for the cold.

Leaving the castle, Vlad noticed a few students who simply joked, freely using products from the Weasley twins' store. It was odd to his way of thinking. While there was nothing unusual about children playing, the fact that so many students looked forward to learning this spell had all kinds of students talking about happy thoughts and contemplating what form their Patronuses might take if and when the students were successful. These students didn't seem to care at all.

Vlad shrugged. It was their loss, and the DA was voluntary.

He reached the lake. Daniel wasn't there. Vlad growled and went to one more place where Daniel might be. He turned visible and tangible and knocked on Hagrid's door.

Hagrid smiled when he opened the door. "Pr'fessor! Come on in, out of the cold!"

Vlad entered Hagrid's cabin, a shiver passing over him, and said, "Thank you, Hagrid." He allowed the games-keeper to direct him to a chair by the table, and accepted the mint tea in a mug the size of a beer stein.

"While it's a pleasant su'prise, what brings ya out here? Yer not even dressed fer the outdoors."

Vlad sipped his tea. "Hagrid, have you seen Daniel?"

Hagrid shook his head. "No, Professor. Not since breakfast."

The half-ghost slammed his fist on the table. "Mushroom-stuffed calzones! What's wrong with the boy? Where could he have gone?"

"Why do you think there's summat wrong with Danny?"

Vlad rolled his eyes to gather his patience. "He didn't come to lunch. He only doesn't come to meals when he's upset, and I know for a fact that he had a lot on his mind to make him happy."

Hagrid stroked his beard. "Could 'e have lost track o'time studyin'?"

Drumming his fingers on the table, Vlad considered. "Well… Normally, I wouldn't think so, but perhaps… He does have a few things planned this afternoon. It is possible, however improbable."

"Then, not to worry, Pr'fessor. When are ya supposed ta meet him next?"

Vlad drank some more tea before answering, "I expect to hear from him during the DA meeting. He attends invisibly, observes, and asks relevant questions."

"You've a right to be proud o' him, Pr'fessor. He's a good-hearted lad, studies hard, and is good to his friends. I'm honored that he considers me a friend." He grinned. "That tea yer drinkin' is only one o' many he sent me for Christmas."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Is it? I suppose I'll compliment him on his taste, after I excoriate him for not bothering to leave word about where he would hide himself to study so thoroughly that he missed lunch."

"Come, now. You'll see. He'll prob'ly have a perfectly good reason."

"We'll see, now won't we?" Vlad hissed.

"We got time before 4:00. How'd yer trip go?"

At a quarter to four, Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall, frustrated and disappointed. Harry's eyes widened as he noticed a much larger Slytherin turnout than the first and second DA meetings combined. Apparently, more students overcame their dislike for him, or whatever, to learn to cast a Patronus. Unfortunately, the one Slytherin he was supposed to meet 45 minutes ago never came. "I wonder what happened to Danny," Harry murmured disconsolately.

Ron noticed Draco in his usual place. "Let's ask Malfoy. He would know if Danny was in one of his 'moods' today, or something."

Hermione crossed her arms. "Ron, as far as Draco knows, Danny has no reason to be here."

Harry furrowed his brows. "True, but he might have a clue about where he might have been at three." He walked over. "Draco, have you seen Danny?"

Draco rolled his eyes. He might look to Harry for support, but that didn't mean they had to get along any more than necessary. "Danny doesn't belong to the DA. You told me that last session."

"Right. But we were supposed to have a study session close to an hour ago, and he didn't show. But… Danny never misses a study session," Harry explained.

Draco shrugged. "Last I heard, he was writing Thank You notes. Apparently, he managed to snag far more admirers than even you, and he hasn't finished writing them yet."

Harry rolled his eyes, folded his arms, and tapped his elbows with his fingers. Draco smirked; he could still annoy Harry.

But Danny's location was still unknown. "But even that had to come to an end sometime. Danny missed lunch, but that doesn't make sense. He was in such a good mood this morning. Unless you know of something that would put him into a tailspin, I have no clue what his problem might be. Anyway, I was in the library all afternoon, and Danny wasn't there."

Harry nodded curtly. "Gotcha. Thanks." When he reached Ron and Hermione, Harry shook his head. "He doesn't know, either."

Watching the room fill to his increasing satisfaction, Harry stepped up to the teachers' table. Professor Snape and Vlad smiled at the number of students. Harry smiled at them. "Severus. Uncle Vlad, have you seen Danny? He was supposed to meet me, Ron, and Hermione at three for a study session. He never came."

Vlad frowned. "No, Harry. I'm not sure where he is." Harry raised his eyebrows. There was a different note in Professor Masters' voice than Harry was used to hearing.

Severus furrowed his brows. "Perhaps he's running late."

Rolling his eyes, Vlad expressed his exasperation. "Severus, at last count, he missed lunch and managed to disappear, and now he missed a study session. There better be a rational explanation for this."

Severus narrowed his eyes. There was no call for that threatening tone, or what it portended. However, Vlad was worried, despite his poise. "I'm sure there will be. Good luck, Harry. It's about time to begin."

Harry stood front and center, and the room grew quiet. "Everyone Fourth Year and higher has first-hand experience with Dementors. So that you know, Dementors feed on the unhappiness they cause, and their very presence causes people to forget their happy thoughts and memories, to make you dwell on things unpleasant. And that is assuming they're not doing worse.

"The Patronus Charm you are all here to learn is a protection from them. You didn't need me to tell you that, but this is the kicker: the Patronus is a tangible expression of your most positive thoughts. I can't tell you which is your best, as it's different per person. But I can suggest that, if the one you chose doesn't work, to think of a more powerfully positive thought. And if you can get something to materialize, it will be a useful protection against the Dementors.

"The words to get this started are Expecto Patronum. It might take a few times to get the mouthful straight, but…"

A forest of hands went up. Harry called on Astoria Greengrass. "Harry, they say that you've been able to cast a corporeal Patronus since your Third Year. How come?"

Harry sighed. It was a good question. "There are a few reasons. First of all, the Dementors always seemed to go after me, personally. Some of my unhappy thoughts really are much unhappier than most. So they affected me worse, and…"

Cynthia Gale didn't wait to be called. "I heard they made you faint. Why did they do that?"

Harry turned to her and said calmly, "When Dementors get close enough, I hear Voldemort killing my parents. I think you'd agree that is a powerful cause for unhappiness. But this isn't about 'poor me'." Harry curled his fingers into air quotes. "The fact is that this whole fainting thing was embarrassing, although Professor Lupin assured me it had nothing to do with weakness. I was motivated, I practiced hard and long, and now I have a corporeal Patronus. Every time.

"Now, let's practice saying the words. Then we'll work on casting the spell."

Severus was amazed. If he weren't already convinced that Harry was not a duplicate of James, this would have done it for him. James loved to attract attention, and he would have called attention to every last unpleasantness in his life, and Harry had plenty of that. But no – Harry downplayed everything, deflecting attention from his personal life to his hard work, which any of the students could be capable of, if properly motivated. Further, it separated true quality from the likes of that fraudulent popinjay Lockhart.

Vlad watched as last year's DA members glided through the large crowd, listening and correcting pronunciation. It troubled him that Daniel hadn't popped in to observe and ask questions. Vlad shook his head to clear it, and focused on the lesson.

After about ten minutes, Harry returned to the front. "Very good! I think you've all got it. Now, focus on a positive thought or memory. If you manage to produce a silvery mist, you will have done well, especially on a first try. That's what I did. With practice, and honing your positive thoughts, you'll be able to produce something better. Like this: Expecto Patronum!" A pearly white stag shot out of his wand and cantered about.

The Great Hall burst into a lot of Oooooooh!s and Ahhhhhhh!s as the stag walked up and back along the front row. Harry sent it to the teachers' table where Severus and Vlad could inspect it. "Remarkable!" Severus gasped.

"Is this warm feeling normal?" Asked Vlad quietly.

Severus murmured, "It is indeed." The stag bowed to both professors and came back to Harry's side.

Harry cleared his throat. "Now, you try."

Severus and Vlad observed that most of last year's DA hadn't moved around to try to help, but stood practicing on their own. Out of the 24, only six students were as of yet successful. Harry's stag was magnificent, as it strode around the Great Hall. Hermione produced a lovely otter that gamboled around her ankles as she made her rounds. Ron was quite proud of his Jack Russell terrier. Cho had a graceful swan that warmed the air it soared through. Ernie's boar charged down an aisle of students, and Luna stroked her rabbit Patronus as she told various students to concentrate.

The room was full of students shouting the words and waving their wands. The presence of the corporeal Patronuses seemed to help, as the positive emotion they were made of soothed the discouraged students who still struggled to produce the silvery mist.

All of the students worked hard. Some of the senior DA members produced parts of animals. Seamus was sure he saw the beginnings of a paw and muzzle. Lavender Brown's silver mist coalesced into something, but it was still amorphous. Zacharias Smith still only produced a fine, silver mist. He was disappointed, but distracted. He couldn't blame his failure on Harry, this time.

Many other students around the Great Hall had varying degrees of success. Draco was determined, and his silver something was more solid than Lavender's, but not firm enough to take a solid form of any sort. While he might not admit it, he thrilled when Harry told him how impressed he was with Draco's current output.

By 5:30, most of the students were producing something useful, if still amorphous. Harry congratulated them, telling them sincerely that some of their products were far better than what Harry produced at the end of his first lesson. What he failed to tell them was that during his own tutoring sessions, Harry fought a Boggart that took the form of a Dementor around him. But such information was too personal to share, and counterproductive.

The Hall cleared out, with the exception of the members of last year's DA. Vlad applauded them. "I am very impressed. It was a pleasant surprise to see that five of you had already mastered the spell I only knew Harry was capable of. And the rest of you… Most adult wizards can put forth what you did today. You ought to be proud of yourselves for what you've accomplished."

Most of them beamed. While Professor Masters was often generous with his praise, he rarely said that he was impressed.

Severus asked, "Harry, how many weeks do you intend to devote to the Patronus? It is a useful spell, but there are others far more versatile."

Harry thought for a bit. "I don't know. I was thinking about a few weeks or a month and a half. While other spells are useful, nothing interested and drew in half so many students, or caught their imagination."

Neville shrugged. "While no one expects to be quite as powerful as you, Harry, everyone wants to work on it. Certain Third Years are hoping to have the honor of producing a corporeal Patronus the same age as you did."

Harry laughed. "Power to them. I just hope they never have to deal with everything I did before I got there."

Katie observed, "You've loosened up a lot over Patronuses since last year, Harry. I mean, last year, you had a canary when we noted how pretty the corporeal ones are."

Severus raised an eyebrow and Harry blushed. "Yeah, well… I didn't exactly have the best year, last year, did I? I mean, it's true that no one is fighting a real Dementor here, and when I learned to cast a Patronus, I faced a Boggart that always turned into a Dementor. But then again, I wouldn't have it any other way. I didn't want the Dementors to make me faint on casual contact again.

"But this year, I'm also not getting hammered from every direction but this Club, like I was last year. I guess… I've loosened up, more or less, because for the first time, I feel like I can afford to. Yeah, it's still a battle to the death out there, but…" Harry looked at Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Severus, and Vlad. "This time I don't feel like I have to do it all on my own." He smiled at Neville and Luna.

Ginny put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You never had to be alone, you know."

Colin Creevey chirped, "Is there a way we can practice this one on our own? I mean, we don't have to hide, this year, but still… practice makes perfect. Right, Harry?"

Harry sighed. "Right, Colin." He looked to Severus and Vlad.

Severus said, "I don't see why you couldn't form study groups and practice in otherwise unused classrooms."

Padma Patil looked to the Potions Master. "Professor, I don't think you made such a suggestion before. After the Dueling Club, you never…"

Professor Snape glared darkly. "I don't think you want to finish that thought, Miss Patil. And I'm rather shocked that a Ravenclaw such as yourself would have missed the obvious – study groups to practice Charms have always been an available option." The girl bristled – Colin is the one who asked, and the professor answered the question before she had the opportunity. While Professor Snape was marginally nicer on the whole, and a lot nicer to Harry, he was still an acerbic, snarky git.

Anthony Goldstein peaked his eyebrows. "I don't think a prefect meeting about this would go amiss. So far, I'm here, Padma's here, Ernie's here, Hannah's here, Ron and Hermione… Professor Snape, would you get Draco and Pansy to meet here at 8:00 tonight so we can arrange study groups and times, perhaps apportioning the DA members who can produce corporeal Patronuses and such… Please, Professor?"

Severus nodded in approval. "Of course. For future reference, that is an example of a useful Ravenclaw." Terry and Michael nodded; this proactive decision-making is what Professor Snape was looking for. Cho, Marietta, and Padma sighed. Apparently, questions about the professor's marginal change in disposition were unwelcome. Anthony was already lost in thought with the idea of who would be available and when. Luna was supremely unconcerned, one way or the other.

Vlad asked, "Are there any other questions, comments, or suggestions?"

Harry answered, "I'm glad this worked out as well as it did. And I think Cho, Luna, and I should come to this prefect meeting – we may not be prefects, but as far as time management goes, if we are going to be leading study groups, we really should be consulted about our availability."

Hermione piped up, "Fair enough."

No one else seemed to have anything else to share with the DA, so they broke for the evening. Harry, Ron, and Hermione hung back to get Vlad's impression of the Patronus Charm and to ask what it felt like to him as a ghost. They all left the Great Hall, as it had to be rearranged in time for dinner.

The small group of five encountered an unusually stressed Luna. "Professor Masters, Danny is missing."

Vlad was taken aback by the rather forthright statement by this otherwise dreamy student. "Oh?"

Luna nodded. "Yes. He told me he would meet me here after the DA meeting, but he's not here."

Morag MacDougal sneered at her. "Maybe he just stood you up, Loony!"

Luna straightened her shoulders. "Danny would never do something like that. That's not who he is."

Vlad almost gaped at Miss Lovegood's perceptivity. She would be a useful resource as far as Daniel was concerned. He would encourage their fledgling relationship. "No, he would not do something like that, purposely. And five points from your House, Miss MacDougal, for your sheer nastiness."

Morag shook herself in shock. "But I'm in Luna's House!"

Vlad inclined his head. "That isn't the point. It was the principle of the matter. I suggest you find something more productive to do before I take any more."

Morag winced – maybe it didn't pay to tease Luna. Or, at least, a wiser course of action would involve teasing her away from the professors. On the other hand, Luna was one of the six students who were capable of producing a Patronus. Maybe she should rethink this teasing. She wandered away to think about this.

Draco noticed the Golden Trio with Professor Snape and Professor Masters. "Professors, I don't know where Danny is. Blaise stayed in the dorm to study, and he said that Danny never came back to the dorm, though he said he wanted to come back and finish his Thank You notes. He wasn't in the library where I was. I was hoping you might know."

Vlad appraised the group around him: Severus and Harry, Ron and Hermione, Luna and Draco. This was a decent sized group for a search party. "Earlier, I checked quite a few places he might be, but he wasn't in any of the usual locations. Does anyone have any suggestions about an out of the way place he might be?"

Severus mused, "The castle has all kinds of places…"

Harry suggested, "You know, we could check the Marauders' Map."

Severus jerked his head. "I beg your pardon!"

Harry shrugged one shoulder. The professor wasn't going to like this. "Well… you know that 'spare bit of parchment' you almost took from me?"

Professor Snape narrowed his eyes. "The one that insulted me and that Lupin confiscated?"

Blushing, Harry nodded. "That's the one. Remus told me that he, my Dad, Sirius, and… Peter made a map of the school."

He looked to Ron, who nodded. "They can't get in trouble for it any more, Harry. It's your story."

Harry took a breath. "In Third Year, Fred and George gave it to me. The map doesn't just show the rooms and secret passages, it shows anyone in the school or on the grounds."

Severus stepped back and raised an eyebrow. "Does it?"

"Yes, and before he resigned, Professor Lupin gave it back to me."

Professor Snape spat frostily, "Indeed. Mr. Lupin and I will have a talk about this, and soon. Do you have it now?"

Harry pulled it out of his pocket. Vlad and Draco looked on in wonderment as Harry touched the tip of his wand to the parchment and recited, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Hey, don't look at me. I didn't set the password."

Opening the parchment to its fullest length and width, they saw an aerial view of the outline of the whole school, and the passages. Luna noted, "It doesn't show the Room of Requirement. Perhaps it doesn't exist when it's not in use. Or, maybe the Room's Unplottable."

Upon hearing the unfamiliar term, Vlad looked at Severus, who mouthed, 'I'll tell you later.'

Vlad nodded. "Harry, you know where Daniel and I study. Have you seen us on your map during those hours?"

Harry was thoughtful. "No."

Vlad nodded. He was proud that he worked out what an 'Unplottable' location was. It was just as it sounded. Then a thought hit him. 'Butter cookies! I guess moving through the castle undetected isn't as "undetected" as I thought. No matter. Harry is in possession of the map, and he already knows our secret.'

Hermione said, "Well, Danny's not anywhere on the map."

Draco asked, "How likely is it that he would leave the campus and sneak off to Hogsmeade or something?" He felt like he should know, but Danny was so mysterious that such a simple fact evaded him.

Vlad scoffed. "Not at all. When I've been away… well, he told me that he didn't bother leaving." In a much gentler tone, he said, "I never would have thought he would have been as obedient as he truly is." He closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them, he asked, "Are there any other Unplottable rooms in the castle?"

Severus narrowed his eyes. "I don't…" He swept off in the direction of the teachers' lounge. Vlad shrugged and directed the search party after the Potions Master.

When they got to the staff room, they found Professor Snape throwing Floo powder in the fireplace. "Lupin!" he roared.

A rather surprised Remus Lupin appeared in the fireplace. "Severus! What's going on? How can I help?"

"We need you here, now!"

Considering that this was the most emotional conversation they'd had in recent memory without an insult, veiled or otherwise, and the urgency, Remus simply said, "I'll step right through."

Matching word to deed, Remus Lupin stepped through, entering the staff room. "What's wrong, Severus?"

"Daniel is missing, and has been for several hours. Further, we are going to have a talk about the map you gave my s- Harry. But right now, I need to know if there are any Unplottable rooms you know of besides the Room of Requirement."

Vlad perked up. Severus almost called Harry 'his son.' Interesting. This would be useful to explore at another time.

With a rueful smile, Remus admitted, "I'd say we thoroughly explored the castle. If there is anywhere Unplottable besides the Room of Requirement, we never found it. Does Professor Dumbledore know I'm here?"

Impatiently, Severus waved a hand. "No, but stay ready to return. Where were you, anyway?"

Remus noticed who was in the party and said, "Order Headquarters. Since the excellent student letters were written and delivered, many werewolves decided to turn from or remain against Voldemort. Therefore, well… I'll be able to tell you more details later."

"Fair enough. Go back, and I'll tell you if we need more help or if it turns out well."

Remus patted Vlad's shoulder. "Good luck." He stepped back through the Floo, having whispered his destination.

Vlad murmured, "Of course. The Room of Requirement…" He was tempted to teleport directly there, but Luna and Draco didn't know his secret. "What are we waiting for? To the seventh floor!"

The group made its way to the seventh floor with all possible haste. The door was already visible. Vlad yanked it open to reveal the Room of Hidden Things. "Oh, blast it. Daniel!"

The party split up, but not before Severus cast a Colloportus on the door. If there was foul play, it made sense to not allow it in any further than he could control. The search spread out, seeking between the blocks' worth of stuff. Vlad noticed that the walls were not pressure-proofed, as they would be if Daniel practiced his Ghostly Wail. By this time, Vlad was of the mind that if Daniel was here, it was not by choice.

Aisle by aisle they searched, but this room felt more like a city than ever. A randomly interspersed Point me! Spell helped to keep the witches and wizards oriented on which direction was north, and that would help to remember which way was out.

There was no time Vlad was more aware of Daniel's caution in this room to the life that might be hidden behind a pile of dross than he was right now. If this band of seven couldn't find Daniel by morning, Vlad decided he would enlist Skulker to help with his halfa-locator. But that was a last-ditch effort – it would be used as a last resort.

It wasn't until after 8:00pm that their hallooing was answered by a groan. It was muffled at first, but then there was a shout. "Hey, where am I? Who's here? What's going on?"

Vlad and Severus chorused, "Daniel, stay where you are!"

Danny was surprised. When he first woke up, he was invisible, and tied tightly and gagged with silk cords. He turned intangible, letting all his bindings and magical invisibility fall off. After calling out, Vlad and Severus told him to stay where he was. Danny shouted back, "Okay!"

Severus asked, "Daniel, do you have your wand?"

Danny searched his person, and his 'wand' was in its regular front pocket. "Yeah!"

"Send up some green sparks!"

Danny thought about this. If he was being directed to do anything with his wand, there were people about who didn't know his secret. But he couldn't send sparks, or anything like that with his wand. He smacked himself in the head. Right. His right hand held the faux wand, and with his left hand, he sent up several tiny balls of ectoplasm that lit up his location. He made one of them stay stationary, hoping that any witch or wizard not in the know would think this was a cool bit of magic.

Danny's light worked perfectly as the beacon it was meant to be, and soon Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and Luna found him. "Danny!" they chorused.

Vlad and Severus were only a few minutes behind them. Vlad saw Danny and shouted, "Daniel!" With a speed that was supernatural, he ran to Danny and hugged him tightly. "Daniel! I'm so glad we found you! You have no idea how worried I was."

Severus caught up quickly. "We were all worried, and glad to have found you."

Allowing himself a moment or two of Vlad's comforting warmth, Danny disentangled himself and said, "Thanks. What happened? What time is it?"

"It's after 8:00pm. Oh, no! We've missed the prefects' meeting!" Hermione wailed.

Ron glared at her. "I think this was a little more important."

Draco looked up. "What's this about a prefects' meeting?"

Hermione explained, "Well, after the mini-meeting of the student teachers…"

Professor Snape barked, "Reschedule it." He assessed all of the students present. "Actually, all of you were scheduled to attend. Everyone except Harry and Daniel should leave. Miss Lovegood, head to your dorm. Prefects, tell the students that all activities except detentions are cancelled, and all students not already accounted for are to head directly to their dorms until further notice. When you get to the Great Hall, tell your fellow prefects your new directive. Go!"

Once the four students were on their way, Professor Snape conjured four comfortable armchairs. "Daniel, what happened?"

Danny thought for a moment. "I don't know. I remember leaving the Great Hall after breakfast with Pansy and Tracey. It was weird, though. Something wasn't right. Then I heard a male voice cast a Stunning Spell. When I woke up, I was magically invisible, bound, and gagged." Danny shivered. "If I wasn't able to make myself intangible to get out of those bonds, I might still be stuck. Not being able to make noise above a whimper or able to be seen… It could have been days before you found me. Whoever stuck me here wanted me…" Danny couldn't bring himself to say the word 'dead.' "Gone. Permanently. But who would want to kill me? They were students!"

Harry shook his head sadly. "I don't know, Danny."

Vlad narrowed his eyes. "But we're going to find out."

Both Danny and Harry shivered at the dangerous tone of Vlad's voice.

Professor Snape looked at the three people before him. "We will inform the Headmaster. This will not go unpunished. We will send for Aurors – Wizarding police. Vlad, you and Daniel should head over to the Headmaster's office. Harry, I'll walk you to your dorm before I go down to fetch those girls."

Harry nodded. "Thanks, Severus. But why was I allowed to stay?"

Severus stood and put a hand on Harry's back. "Harry, Vlad's son went missing for hours. Did you honestly think I'd let you out of my sight until I knew you were absolutely safe?"

Outside the Gryffindor Common Room, Severus hugged Harry tightly. While he would gladly do without the accompanying worry, the professor decided he could easily get used to this warm, intimate contact with the boy. The fact that he was James Potter's son was entirely irrelevant. He cared for the boy now. Since the blinders of his own stubbornness and stupidity were removed, Severus realized what a sweet, loving boy Harry truly was. And that, of course, did not yet take his courage, loyalty, intelligence, or power into account. He loved this boy, and Harry loved him in return. He wondered what Harry would say if he offered… no. Severus was sure he wanted it, but it was an unwarranted gamble, at present. That didn't mean the former spy couldn't dream.

Dismissing Harry for the evening, Severus waited for the portrait door to swing shut before he turned his thoughts to the dark matters at hand. The Potions Master stormed down the empty halls to the dungeons. When he reached the Slytherin Common Room, the Slytherins turned attentively to him, wondering what was going on. Nodding patiently, Professor Snape said, "We will talk later. Now – Miss Parkinson and Miss Davis, come with me." He saw the girls peel away from their peers to follow him.

He swept gracefully, silently, and angrily up any number of stairs to what the girls thought of as an unfamiliar passageway, facing a gargoyle. The girls blinked when they heard him murmur, "Butterscotch toffee." Tracey's eyes widened when the gargoyle sprang aside to reveal a spiral staircase. The Head of Slytherin didn't look at them as the staircase carried them up to a door. Professor Snape knocked.

The door opened. "Headmaster," Severus greeted.

"Professor Snape. And Miss Parkinson and Miss Davis. Come in."

The girls were surprised to see the Headmaster, but the room was very full. Each of the four Heads of House were now here, as were two Aurors from the Ministry, but nothing surprised the girls as much as the presence of Danny and Professor Masters.

Professor Snape snapped, "Sit." They did as they were directed. "And hand over your wands." Tracey did immediately. Pansy was more reluctant, but Professor Snape's quick Accio settled that.

Professor Dumbledore's persona of a kindly grandfather was replaced by the image of the very powerful wizard that even Voldemort feared as he looked at the girls before him. "An interesting thing has occurred. Mr. Fenton was found in the Room of Requirement. Apparently, he was Stunned, bound and gagged, and Disillusioned. Further, he last remembers being in your company before he awoke to find himself thus. Would you care to tell us how this came about?"

Tracey cried, "Pansy, I told you that binding him was going too far. We were playing a prank. You left him Stunned, bound, and Disillusioned? How… how could you?"

Vlad repeated, "A prank…" The anger gleaming in his eyes terrified Tracey.

Pansy sat, annoyed that her confederate turned on her so readily. "Oh, no. We are not going down without Zacharias Smith."

Danny covered his eyes with his hand. "You've got to be kidding me."

Professor Snape reminded him, "You did say that a male voice cast the Stunning Spell."

"I know, but still… no one's gotten off his case since that first DA meeting. Ignoring Astoria and whoever else wasn't cool, but dude, it was over a month ago, and…"

"And Daniel, whether or not the students have given him a hard time has no bearing on his innocence or guilt in what happened to you," Vlad commented.

Professor Sprout sighed. "The fact you're so forgiving speaks well of you, Danny. I'll head down to get him." With that, she departed.

"And why are you so forgiving, Danny?" Pansy sneered. "I suppose it doesn't matter to you that he callously taunted and ignored a number of Slytherin students…"

"Of course it matters! But since then Professor Snape punished him," he looked up at Vlad and shook his head, glaring at Pansy. "Professor Masters punished him, and almost every Slytherin student who caught him alone in the hall has teased and humiliated him. Yeah, Zach probably deserved some of what he got, but after a certain point, the punishment turned to persecution. Enough is enough! If you're singling him out 'cause he helped you hurt me, that's one thing. If this is one more way to give him grief for December 8, leave him alone!"

Professor Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. For a student to be this interested in justice and not revenge was almost unheard of. However, Danny also had a few run-ins with unjust law enforcement agents and false accusations. Perhaps it was not so far out of the realm of reasonable for this particular teen to be aware of what was actually due.

Pansy shrugged. "Whatever."

Professor Snape eyed all three of his Slytherins. How could he have missed something this big? He prided himself on knowing the ins and outs and the scuttlebutt of Slytherin House. Apparently, this was a deeper secret that even he was aware of.

As Snape anticipated, there was a bit of anti-Daniel sentiment after the House meeting on the evening of December 8. There were students who resented his overt support for Harry Potter, and there were students who resented the idea of turning a bid for leadership away from Slytherin, wherever it was sent. But, also as anticipated, these students had to contend with Daniel's friends and supporters, and Daniel seemed to be completely oblivious to all of this.

Who originated this plot against Daniel? Tracey Davis seemed to place more blame on Pansy Parkinson. How did Zacharias Smith play into all of this?

Professor Sprout brought in a rather nervous Zacharias Smith. After she directed him to take a seat and handed his wand to the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore locked a piercing gaze on him. "Mr. Smith, what was your part in this 'prank' on Danny?"

The boy shifted nervously. "I don't remember. I do remember participating in something. I remember the reason behind it, but I don't remember doing anything."

Vlad observed the interrogation. It struck him as odd that the students were rather more forthcoming than anyone he'd ever seen accused of something. No one bothered to deny anything. Surely, wizards weren't that different from normal people, such that their sense of self-preservation was lacking. He would wait and see what would happen. If necessary, he would ask questions later.

The Headmaster nodded, taking in the words of the Hufflepuff. "Let us work with what you do know. Why would you participate in something like this?"

Zacharias looked around the room. His own Head of House was very disappointed. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick were cold and impassive, but seemed to reserve judgment. Professor Snape was angry. Danny was hurt, but curious. Professor Masters looked positively homicidal. The Aurors stood with their arms crossed but their wands at the ready. There was nothing left to lose.

He took a breath. "To be honest, I have nothing against Danny. Nothing at all. I was not thrilled with Harry Potter leading the DA. I didn't like all the questions he left unanswered last year, and there were some spells he taught that I couldn't get right, no matter what. And then he got voted in again for the leader."

Zach ran a hand through his hair. "Nothing I say will be a useful explanation, or even a valid excuse, but this was my reasoning at the time. Harry's biggest message was unity of the four Houses. Since I was discontent with Harry, I tried to disrupt his program. Since the other three Houses were more or less unified because of last year's DA, the weakest link in the unity was Slytherin. So there were eight Slytherins I was distinctly unhelpful to. I have since paid for that over and over and over again." He closed his eyes. "I may never live this down. Ever.

"On the morning of December 9, Pansy and Tracey caught me after I left Professor Snape's office. After my severe dressing down, they said they didn't think the professor would mind if they 'distracted' me. Considering the fact that no one but Professor Flitwick and Danny have even shown objection to how badly all of Slytherin's been 'distracting' me, it wasn't a threat I took lightly.

"Pansy told me about a plan for a prank that would upset Harry, and – at the time – such a thing matched what I thought was my interest. But everyone knows that Harry's the best skilled student when it comes to DADA, so a magical prank directly against him wouldn't work, and Ron and Hermione are almost as good. Pansy reminded us that Danny admitted he was no good at Charms, so a prank against Danny would upset Harry, and would more readily work."

Danny wanted to object, but Zach said, "I told both Pansy and Tracey that it was a bad idea. I asked what they had against Danny." Zach blushed. "They asked me what I had against Astoria Greengrass. I didn't have a good answer, and I felt trapped, but there you go." He stared at his hands, clasped in his lap. His words sounded incredibly lame, even in his own ears.

Professor Dumbledore absorbed what Mr. Smith had to say. He also noticed that neither Miss Parkinson nor Miss Davis objected to anything the boy said.

Professor Snape glared at the girls. It was true, the professor was more apt to pick on students from other Houses, but it was clear that, from this unobjected-to recitation, Zacharias had the least malignant of designs on Daniel.

Of the two girls, Tracey appeared to be most ready to dissemble. Professor Dumbledore turned to her. "Miss Davis, what do you have against Danny?"

Tracey was close to tears. She never meant to hurt Danny. Danny could have died. That was never part of her plan. "I was just annoyed that Danny was so close to Harry."

Danny burst, "Come on! Look – what is it with you people? Harry's just a kid, same as you! So Harry is the leader of the DA. Big flipping deal. Do you realize how dumb this sounds? You are so upset because Harry Potter, who happens to totally rock as a tutor, was elected to lead a club devoted to learning a skill everyone knows he's good at. How does this even make sense as an excuse?

"And I acknowledged this, having been tutored by him, and this is a reason to hold a grudge against me? Because I pointed out the obvious? Do you want to hold something against me if I told you the sky is blue, or that the castle is made of stone?"

Tracey started to cry in earnest. "Look, it made sense at the time. He's famous, he beat You-Know-Who…"

"And these are impressive reasons to hold something against him…why?"

Tracey buried her head in her hands. For five and a half years, it was taken for granted that Slytherins held something against Harry Potter, and it was granted as a logical excuse for discontent and random complaint. This one student from America shook the foundation of the status quo. Once he explained it baldly, it didn't make much sense, even if Harry was expected to be the savior of the Wizarding World. Danny did state the obvious. As much as people thought of Harry as a hero, or an ideological figurehead, or a symbol, or whatever, they missed the simple fact that Harry was as much a teenager as they were.

Danny looked around the room and noticed that the adults besides Vlad and Professor Snape appeared to be uncomfortable. Danny shook his head and muttered, "Unbelievable."

Vlad stood and put a hand on his shoulder. "Now that we've established that the emperor is naked, let's move on to why Miss Parkinson, who seems to have masterminded this plot, decided it was worth the effort to kill my son."

Professor Snape raised an eyebrow, and Tonks glared at Pansy, while the other professors and Auror Proudfoot were confused by Vlad's reference. Zach and Pansy looked to Professor Masters, and Tracey still covered her face, crying in shame.

Feeling the focus of all (but Tracey's) eyes back on her, Pansy sat back and crossed her arms. Professor Snape narrowed his eyes, and commanded, "Answer Professor Masters' question." She said nothing.

'Finally!' thought Vlad. 'A magical person reacting the normal way one does when accused of a crime. It's about time!'

Professor Snape handed Pansy's wand to Professor Dumbledore, drawling, "If you won't talk, you're wand's evidence of what you've done will suffice." Still unmoved, Pansy shrugged, arms still crossed, and said nothing.

Professor Dumbledore sighed heavily. He took out his wand and cast Priori Incantatem on Pansy's wand. The first spell out was Ennervate. Tracey sniffed back some tears and looked up. "That's when Pansy woke me up after she Stunned me."

The second spell out was Obliviate. Zacharias grumbled, "That's probably why I can't remember anything."

Professor Snape purred, "Not to worry. We'll check your wand next." Zach shivered.

The third spell out was a Disillusionment Spell. Danny said, "You really didn't want me to be found. Pansy, why?" She still said nothing.

The next spell out was a Stunning Spell, and the one after that was Imperio. Professor McGonagall covered her heart. "Miss Parkinson! That's an Unforgivable! You will serve a life sentence in Azkaban for this. What did you do? Why did you do this?"

Pansy broke her silence. "Smith Stunned Danny outside the Great Hall. I Disillusioned him so no one could see what we did with him. Tracey Levitated Danny to the seventh floor, and Smith opened the Room of Requirement. I made him visible again, and told Smith to bind Danny, but he wouldn't do it. We put him deep in the heart of the Room of Requirement. Then I Stunned Tracey, who didn't want to go further. I cast the Imperius Curse on Zacharias, who put the Binding Spell on Danny, as he's good at that spell, and I'm not. Then I Stunned Danny again, to make sure it would take twice as long for him to rouse, and then I Disillusioned Danny again. I didn't want him found."

Zach blanched. "So you Obliviated me so I wouldn't remember… What else did you make me do?"

Pansy shrugged. "I had you Levitate Tracey out of the room."

Danny looked at her searchingly. "But why, Pansy? Why did you do this?"

"Draco."

Danny shook his head. "What?"

"That's right. Draco. You monopolized every last minute of his time. And when you're not around, all he can talk about is you."

Danny waved his arms. "Let me get this straight. You kidnapped me and attempted to kill me (by starvation and dehydration) because you decided that Draco spends too much time and energy on me? Even though I'm not in Transfigurations, I spend three hours every night with Vlad, and I'm not even in the DA? I don't go to Hogsmeade (except that one time), and you still decided that despite all this that Draco spends too much time with me?"

"Yes. And if you were out of the way, Draco would remember that I exist. We were promised to each other, and you were distracting him."

Vlad said, "And how much time do you think you'll spend with him now that you're off to Azkaban?"

"My plan didn't work. It would have, if you didn't find him."

Tonks used the Binding Spell on Pansy's hands. "And that's enough from you. You are hereby under arrest for Attempted Murder and casting an Unforgivable Curse. We're going to take you to a Ministry holding cell until your parents are notified. Once they've seen you off, you are bound for Azkaban. Headmaster?"

The old wizard sighed sadly. "I'm sorry it's come to this, Pansy." Turning to Tonks, he said, "Severus will contact her parents after the other students have been dealt with. Thank you for your services." Aurors Tonks and Proudfoot took Pansy through the Floo to the Ministry.

Severus looked darkly at the remaining perpetrators. "While it is clear that neither of you intended to participate in the attempted murder of a fellow student…" Both Zacharias and Tracey trembled. The seriousness of what almost happened was not lost on them.

Snape continued. "Professor Sprout, as Mr. Smith's Head of House, it is up to you to decide what to do with him. But I have a suggestion, which you might find palatable."

Pomona asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"As partners in crime, I'd take 50 points from both their Houses, and give a month's detention, starting tomorrow. However, since the victim of this is from my House, I would offer a choice. The detention can be served with me, Mr. Filch, or Professor Masters."

Professor Sprout agreed, "Your suggestion is reasonable. Zacharias, who will you serve detention with?"

With one glance each at Professor Snape and Professor Masters, Zach quickly said, "Mr. Filch."

Professor Sprout nodded. "Very good. Further, you were on probation because of your abominable display of lack of leadership a month ago. You put your considerable skills to ill use. As of now, you will not be considered for a leadership position for the rest of your Hogwarts career. You will not be a student leader in the DA, you will not be a potential prefect. You will not be a captain of the Quidditch team next year, or anything of the sort. Use what you have left to be a model student. But it will take considerable work to prove you are worthy of positions of authority. Think of eventual job recommendations."

Zacharias gulped. This was harsher than he had ever known the affable witch to be. But then again, he couldn't remember the last time a Hufflepuff brought this much shame to his House as he had.

Severus was impressed with Pomona. "Nicely done. As for you, Miss Davis, who will you be serving detention with?"

Very quickly, Tracey answered, "With you, Professor."

"Well played, Miss Davis. As for your personal punishment, we are going to have a House meeting, and between you and I, we'll tell everyone what you've done. I can't imagine such a thing will be well received, especially considering that Danny is close friends with a prefect." Tracey turned pale. The harshest student punishment in Slytherin happened when the prefects were given free reign. Among others, Draco was not going to be happy.

Danny watched all of the proceedings and was exhausted. "Professor? Would it be okay if I skipped this House meeting? I'd really feel uncomfortable with all this fuss."

Severus observed Danny, who was still rather shaken by the ordeal. "Of course, Daniel. Feel free to spend as much time as you like with… your father. Try not to come back too late."

"Thanks, Professor."

23