Thank you once again to everyone who has read, reviewed, and put this story and me on your assorted lists. I offer you cheesecake and chocolate milk. Your reading and reviewing is truly appreciated.

Quidditch and a few other surprises will have to wait until a later chapter. I really should stop attempting to make promises about what will happen when, because things develop as they develop, and not as I necessarily planned them to develop.

The lawyer Lewis Greer is a tip of the hat to a law firm I spent time working in, Lewis & Greer, P.C. My sources for the laws of adoption in the State of Wisconsin come from www . wiadopt . com and other online resources.

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

Chapter 45

Tuesday morning, an odd wash of emotions settled over Harry. Before Potions, Draco told him that Operation Make Zach Pay they came up with before Transfigurations was called off. While the non-Slytherins came up with something similar for Tracey, they decided to give her the same reprieve. Both 'operations' and their cancellations were the quickest and most complete bout of inter-House cooperation Harry could ever remember. And all of it went mostly unnoticed by Danny, who would never have approved of it in the first place.

It was amusing, however, to watch the entire student body at the Slytherin table sigh or shake their heads in frustration when Susan Bones smacked Zach upside the head at dinner. Danny was annoyed because Zach already had a month's worth of detention and all leadership opportunities taken from him; he didn't need more harassment. Then Danny shrugged – for all he knew, Zach might have made an impertinent comment about her boyfriend or something. The other Slytherins were disappointed, as what Harry understood was the harassment recall was not as complete as Professor Snape wanted it to be. Slytherin still gained 25 points, so Harry wasn't sure what the problem was.

This morning, though, everyone at Slytherin seemed to be back to normal, if a bit subdued. Zacharias at Hufflepuff was far more relaxed than he'd been in over a month, and though there was a disappointed undercurrent from all over the Hall, all seemed to be right with the world.

"Harry." The addressed boy spun in his seat to see Professor Snape.

"Yes, sir?"

"Professor Dumbledore wants to see you tonight at 8:00. He is particularly excited, and said, 'This is the beginning of the end.' Do you have any clue what he's talking about?"

Harry thought for a moment. "Maybe. I'm not sure, but if I'm right, Voldemort's days are numbered."

Severus blinked. "I don't suppose you'd care to explain that."

Harry shrugged. "Nope. It's not my secret to tell, and this isn't the place to talk about it even if I were allowed."

Snape narrowed his eyes. "Cheeky brat."

Harry's eyes twinkled mischievously. "I hear it's bad form to get out of practice."

The man stared for a moment and then chuckled. "I'll see you later. And don't be late for the Headmaster's appointment."

Vlad sat in the staff room. He finished marking papers, and… ah. There were the two people he wanted to see. Anyone else was bonus.

"Severus, Professor."

Albus Dumbledore smiled and raised his eyebrows. He was curious to see how his DADA instructor would surprise him today. "Good morning, Vlad. What is on your mind this fine day?" Severus also looked at the half-ghost curiously.

"This weekend marks the two-year anniversary of when Daniel and I met."

Severus furrowed his brows and tapped his chin. "I imagine that means that this weekend is… Martin Luther King's Day celebration, right?"

Vlad smiled. "Exactly."

Professor Sinistra shook her head to clear it. "Wait a minute. I thought you were Danny's uncle. Why would you have only met him two years ago?"

Vlad sighed. "My dear Aurora, Daniel has an aunt in Arkansas who he has rarely seen. It isn't that far of a stretch to imagine that, living out of state, the Fentons and I lost touch. Further, I had a falling-out with Jack, Daniel's father. Let's just say that I wasn't pleased with Maddie's choice of husband."

A burst of understanding came to the confused professor. "Of course! Forgive me. You are Danny's uncle, and your last names are different. I should have realized… Was Maddie your sister?"

Vlad spluttered. Pomona and Filius joined Severus and Albus in an amused but curious glance to see how Vlad would resolve this. Vlad himself wasn't sure how to answer. He drummed his fingers on the table as he thought this through. 'At this juncture, it won't hurt if the professors know the truth. Well… some of it, anyway.'

Clearing his throat, Vlad answered, "She might as well have been, for all that she was available. But no. Daniel's parents and I were friends in college. We fell out of touch, but we reconnected when I held a 20th year college reunion. I met Daniel at that time, and 'uncle' was a term of respect and affection. Now that I'm properly adopting him, he calls me by a moniker designating me as his father."

Professor Sinistra nodded. "Oh."

Professor Dumbledore was surprised to see Vlad so forthcoming about this, but considering that the man was about to adopt Danny formally, it helped to explain Danny's switch of address from 'Uncle Vlad' to 'Pápa.' "So this is a rather fortuitous weekend for both of you. But what did you have in mind?"

Vlad drummed his steepled fingers. "Well, I thought a more private, intimate dinner this Friday night would be an appropriate way to celebrate the occasion."

Severus raised his eyebrows. "Not unlike Thanksgiving."

"Not altogether different, no. But instead of a culturally ingrained celebration, this is much more personal." And this is a memory Daniel won't have shared with Jack, Vlad almost crowed. He peaked his eyebrows as he realized it was also a memory Daniel won't have shared with Maddie. Vlad sighed. How could someone be triumphant, disappointed, and simply happy at the same time? He didn't think he could sustain all three emotions at once, and he gave over to the simple joy he would share with his son, and their new little family.

The professors beamed, except for Severus, who tried to determine if there was a similar date he could use as a turning point in his relationship with Harry. It wasn't coming to him as easily as he would have hoped.

Professor Dumbledore smiled warmly. "Very good, very good. Why don't you come to my office after Danny's lessons this evening, and we can discuss the details?"

"It will be my pleasure, Professor."

At 8:00pm, Harry knocked on the Headmaster's door. "Chocolate frog, huh?" he murmured to himself.

"Come in, Harry. Come in." Professor Dumbledore was seated in front of his desk, and his blue eyes twinkled madly. "Please sit and have a lemon drop."

Harry smiled, sat next to Dumbledore, took one, and popped it in his mouth. "Thank you, sir. Severus told me you said 'This is the beginning of the end.' What's going on?"

The professor smiled warmly. "The final inanimate Horcrux has been located."

"That's great, sir! Where is it?"

Albus sighed contentedly. "Your bout of brilliance at our last meeting gave me a clue, and the news came to me quite serendipitously. One of Voldemort's closest associates put the Cup in a vault in Gringotts."

Harry furrowed his brows. "That's good, but doesn't that leave us hopeless? I mean, breaking into Gringotts is seriously…"

"Ah, but that is the beauty of it. No one has to break into anything. We can waltz in quite legitimately and destroy it at our leisure."

Harry shook his head as if to clear the cobwebs. "Excuse me?"

Professor Dumbledore became sober before introducing the next idea. "Harry, what do you know of Sirius's family?"

Unsure of what the professor was aiming for, Harry frowned. "From what I can tell, almost everyone besides Sirius, Tonks, and Andromeda were really Dark witches and wizards." Phineas Nigellus harrumphed. "Regulus turned against Voldemort, but…" The boy shrugged, and grimaced apologetically at the offended portrait.

Dumbledore nodded. "For the most part, you are correct, Harry. That is the case, especially in more recent generations." Phineas made a mollified noise. "But are you familiar with his cousins?"

Harry closed his eyes as a dark cloud seemed to bathe his face in anger. "You mean Bellatrix, who killed him? Narcissa, Draco's mother?" His expression softened. "And Andromeda, Tonks's mom?"

Albus nodded gravely. "Indeed. At some point, all of them had access to the Black ancestral vault."

Harry thought for a few minutes. "Do they still have access?"

"That is a good question. In theory, they might, but not without your express permission."

"My permission?"

Albus smiled. "I don't know if you remember, but Sirius designated you as his heir. All of the ancestral holdings of the House of Black belong to you."

Harry blinked. "Wait. That's… that's…"

"That's right, Harry. Bellatrix put Helga Hufflepuff's Cup in that vault."

"But…" Harry was more than a little overwhelmed.

Albus reached over and patted Harry's knee. "Perhaps later this month, we'll arrange for a trip to Gringotts?"

Harry looked down for a second. While Harry would have much rather had Sirius than Sirius's money, the fact is that he had what he had, and his Black inheritance brought them that much closer to destroying Voldemort.

Between sadness for his loss and firm determination, Harry's eyes turned glassy as he looked up and said, "I'll be honored, sir. I'm looking forward to it."

On Friday, Vlad was smugly satisfied and particularly buoyant during Defense Against the Dark Arts. Danny was puzzled, but there didn't seem anything dangerous in Vlad's bearing. When class was over, Danny asked him, "Uh, Pápa? I'm glad you're happy, but what's going on?"

Vlad sighed contentedly. "Ah, my son. Today is a beautiful day."

Danny blinked. "Okay…" Vlad didn't say anything more, but he started to hum to himself. Shaking his head, Danny left the classroom to continue his day.

Before Potions class, Professor Snape stopped at Danny and Harry's table and told them to stay after class. They stared after him as he swept to the front of the class. Danny whispered to Harry, "What's going on?"

Harry followed Professor Snape with his eyes. "I don't know." Neither a quick glance at Ron and Hermione, nor a peek at Draco and Blaise helped to inform them in any way. With a shrug, they turned their attention to the current assignment.

When class was over, Harry and Danny were joined by Ron, Hermione, and Draco, but when Danny's curious eyes met Severus's gaze, he sighed. "Look, guys, we'll catch up with you later."

Ron started to open his mouth, but Harry held up a hand. "We don't know what's going on. That will be one of the things we'll get back to you about."

Draco shook his head. He decided it wasn't fair: Harry probably would report everything back to the other members of the trio, and Danny was… unpredictable about sharing information. It wasn't fair, but there was nothing he could do about it, either. "Good luck with whatever it is." He sighed and glanced at the other Gryffindors. "Let's go – dinner awaits."

After the other students left, Danny asked, "So… Uncle Severus, what is going on?" The title was still new, and it felt like an illicit liberty taken, but Snape explicitly said it was okay and didn't seem to mind. Under his breath, Danny muttered, "Man, that's cool!"

Severus studied the two dark-haired young gentlemen in front of him. "Your new father requested that we join him for a private dinner."

"Okay." Danny didn't feel he was any closer to an answer than he was before he asked his question.

The three of them arrived at Vlad's apartment. The living room was once more transformed into a dining room. Remus was there, and Vlad was joyful beyond expression. Vlad welcomed them. "Ah, this is a glorious day. Please come to the table."

Danny took a seat at the round table between Vlad and Remus, who sat between the two boys. "Um, Pápa, what's so glorious about today?"

Vlad smiled expectantly. "Come now, my boy. What day is it today?"

Danny furrowed his brows. There wasn't anything he could think of that was special today. "It's Friday." True, but he knew that wasn't it. "January 17." Danny shrugged. "I still don't get it."

Vlad looked at his son for a moment. Why didn't he… Well, they were in Britain, and Daniel even lost track of Thanksgiving. While Martin Luther King Day was practically national, it was a bit obscure when it came down to dates, and it didn't have that whole deeply ingrained family tradition. Vlad wasn't completely surprised that Daniel lost track of the day without assistance from the American media.

"Two years ago today, your family came back into my life at my 20th anniversary college reunion." Vlad beamed.

"Oh." Danny quietly turned away.

Severus noticed Vlad's pained expression when he realized that the boy didn't share his own ecstasy. Severus asked, "Daniel, what's wrong?"

Looking up, Danny saw that Vlad was disappointed and the wizards were concerned. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Vlad put an arm around his shoulder. "But… why, Daniel?"

Danny closed his eyes. "You really don't want to know."

Narrowing his eyes, Vlad said, "I'll be the judge of that."

Opening his eyes, Danny stared at his empty plate. "Vlad, it's two years since you trapped me powerless in a box, and you totally tried to humiliate Dad. While it was cool to discover another half-ghost, you told me I had to renounce my father in order to learn from you. It's two years since… let's just say I have different memories of the day than you do. It was the first time you called me 'son,' but it was the last thing I would have wanted at the time."

Taking his arm away, Vlad peaked his eyebrows. "I… hadn't thought of that."

Severus closed his eyes. He realized he had it now. The day that would have been comparable to a day like this for himself and Harry was that first class in Potions, and he had done nothing to endear himself to the boy that day.

Harry was a bit lost. He felt like he was intruding on a very private moment, but Uncle Vlad was the one who pried the unhappy perspective from Danny.

Remus sat thoughtfully for a moment. "Please excuse me for a moment. Vlad, may I borrow one of your other rooms for a moment?"

"Of course," Vlad stated flatly.

"Danny, please come with me." Wordlessly, Danny followed Remus into Vlad's bedroom, and Lupin shut the door.

Vlad frowned. "Now what do I do?"

Severus peaked his eyebrows. "I really don't know."

Harry thought for a moment. While part of Harry and Severus's relationship was similar to that of Danny and Vlad's, the personal histories between each man and teen was very different. Snape was emotionally abusive, no question. But he also saved Harry any number of times. There might be a way to solve the problem of his new uncle and cousin.

"Uncle Vlad? May I make a suggestion?"

Vlad looked at him. "What is it, Harry?"

Harry stared off for a second to collect his thoughts. "You've spent a lot of time with Danny since you got here, but I'm guessing you never really talked about… your unhappier moments, have you?"

"We've mentioned them," Vlad defended.

Harry looked at Severus, and then back at Vlad. "You've mentioned them, probably. But did you really discuss them in depth?" Vlad's expression made it clear that such a thing never occurred.

Running a hand through his hair, Harry blew out a breath. Professor Snape watched Harry curiously. He had an idea where the boy was headed with this.

"Uncle Vlad," Harry began gently. "There was a day in October when Severus called me to his office and asked me to…" How did he describe the tearful rant Snape invited him to give? "To air my grievances." Harry decided he spent far too much time with Severus if that crept into his vocabulary. But he was sure he wouldn't have it any other way.

Vlad stopped frowning. "Oh?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. I… didn't get it at the time, but now I understand that it was brilliant." The Potions Master smiled, and waited to hear why his ward decided he was brilliant. "I got a chance to explain, well, everything that made me angry about him, and he figured out how to heal old wounds. Maybe… Well, now that I know I have a right to tell Severus what's on my mind, and I know he wants me to tell him if we're having a rough spot or something, it's a bit easier." Severus raised his eyebrows.

Vlad moved away from the table, and sat in a chair in the odd temporary arrangement. "Such a thing could work, I suppose." Harry and Snape joined him. "Severus, how did you begin this conversation with Harry?"

With a rueful smile, the professor answered, "I made an oblique reference to the first time I knew I gave offense, and asked Harry for his perspective on the matter. In under an hour, I learned more about Harry than I had in the five years since I've known him. He expressed himself, and I… figured out quickly how to rearrange my prejudices and thought patterns. Between us, we still have a lot of work to do, and most of it is my fault. But hearing him out was both painful and cathartic."

Vlad closed his eyes. "I guess I can do that. Thank you. Both of you." With that, they waited for the other two to return.

Remus invited Danny to sit on Vlad's bed while he took a seat in the chair near the bed. He put a hand on Danny's shoulder. "Hey. Do you want to talk about it?"

Danny studied the man sitting across from him. "Maybe. What do you know of my relationship with Vlad?"

The man smiled. "Besides the fact that you started calling him 'Pápa' since Christmas, when he doesn't hit your hot emotional buttons? Quite a bit. You know I'm in the Order of the Phoenix. I was one of the candidates to adopt you, if the need arose."

Raising his eyebrows, Danny asked, "But Remus, why would you do that? You barely know me."

"Are you asking why I would, or why me?"

"Both, I guess."

It warmed Remus's heart to see Danny calm himself, even if only out of curiosity. "The Order chose me because, among other things, I can appreciate you for who you are. I may not have or be able to offer a large family, but I can help you adjust to the Wizarding World, both as a fully-trained wizard, and as someone who can appreciate the difficulties of being marginalized for being not-quite-human."

Danny frowned in thought. "That seems to be a major emphasis of this safety detail offered by the Order."

Remus responded gently, "It would have to be. The Wizarding World can be a cruel place, where hybrids are involved. While any number of Order members are good, kind people, what people know intellectually is not always internalized. However, Molly Weasley has no problems mothering anyone who seems to need it. They were another option."

"Fair enough, I guess. And thanks. Now I see why the Order would choose you." Danny figured that Remus was cool enough of a guy that he might choose Remus as well, but was happy that wasn't necessary. "But, while I'm thankful that you would do this, I don't know why you would choose me. You still don't really know me."

"Well… Since we met on Harry's birthday, I've corresponded with Vlad, roughly once a week." He blushed. "And since you've been back at Hogwarts after Christmas, I intend to keep writing at least once a week to you as well." He corrected that oversight with Harry posthaste, after Christmas. "I see that you are a sweet fellow with a good heart, and… I'm here for you." He closed his eyes. "It took Severus to proverbially knock sense into me to realize that the best way to help is to be as available as possible."

Danny nodded. "Thanks again."

Lupin sat back. "It's my pleasure to be able to help. Now, would you like to talk about what's bothering you?"

"Sure, I guess. Where do I begin?"

"Wherever you like."

Danny thought for a bit. "I don't know. Vlad and I have been getting along much better. If we weren't, I wouldn't have asked him to adopt me. But…" Danny picked at the satin lining of Vlad's comforter. "Before July, he did hurt me very much. It was nothing permanent, but I had a few really close scrapes. It was like a sadistic game of manipulation. As I said, we're doing better, but a lot of what he did just… won't go away."

The werewolf furrowed his brows. "Danny, have you actually spent time discussing this with Vlad?"

"Not exactly. When we aren't discussing any of my studies and stuff, we try to keep things light. We've talked about my problems with other ghosts. We've talked about problems with friends. We've talked a little about how he was sorry about not appreciating me and my family. But sitting and talking thoroughly about all the stuff he's done to me? Nah – we haven't done that since…" He gulped. "October 1."

'And it was October 1 that broke the abuse bank, necessitating adoptive candidates,' Remus thought. Clearing his throat, he said, "Danny… It might be a good idea to find some time and talk about this."

"But…" Danny frowned. He just asked the man to adopt him. This wasn't cool. "I don't want to hurt him."

Remus sighed. A hug might have been good at present, but he wasn't yet close enough for that type of contact. "I understand, Danny. How about this: there is no way your reaction tonight didn't cause some reaction in Vlad. If he asks you to talk about it, be honest. The truth will hurt, but if he asks, give it to him. It will give you both a chance to heal."

Danny looked up and put a hand on his neck. "How do you know about this stuff?"

Lupin peaked his eyebrows. "Vlad is very much like Severus. They started in different places, true. But both of them were hurt by perceived grievances, though Severus's were more valid. And despite their assorted ways and means, both men became the guardians of the sons of the women they loved most and their rivals. Neither Severus nor Vlad's hurt was a valid excuse for them to hurt Harry or you, respectively.

"But after five years and a month and a half, Severus did something he never did before: he asked Harry to tell him what Harry felt because of Severus's abuse. After that, their relationship has flourished at a rate I would say is astronomic. I think if you talk to Vlad about how he made you feel, you might feel better, and I think Vlad will figure out how not to hit the sensitive buttons he caused to exist."

"But…"

Remus held up a hand. "Danny, I believe that Vlad set up tonight's special dinner with only the best intentions. Whatever his intentions may have been during the times that he caused you pain, I can almost guarantee that he didn't intend to cause permanent damage, physical or emotional. Your unhappy reaction tonight surprised him. I think a healthy discussion will clear away surprises."

Danny sighed. "You make a lot of sense, Remus."

Remus smiled. "I do try. Are you ready to go out and enjoy dinner with your Pápa?"

A smile blossomed on Danny's face. "I think so."

Vlad looked up when the door opened, and he smiled warmly when Daniel seemed to be calmer. "Are you alright, Daniel?"

"I'm doing better, Pápa."

Vlad's smile broadened. "Excellent." He looked tentatively at Harry, who nodded, and Vlad turned back to Danny. "I believe we need to have a rather serious conversation after dinner."

Danny looked back at Remus, who nodded. Meeting Vlad's eyes, Danny said, "That sounds like a great idea." All five dining companions were greatly relieved.

The confidence Vlad normally exuded crept back into him. "I propose a toast."

Severus said, "Oh?"

"Absolutely." Vlad filled the cups of the adults with champagne. Harry poured the cider, which was Danny's job a couple of months ago. Once all five cups were raised, Vlad announced, "To new beginnings."

Everyone smiled. "To new beginnings!"

After everyone present served themselves, Danny asked, "Harry, are you coming to the Quidditch match on the 25th?"

"Of course I am." Harry smiled at his friend.

Danny thought for a second. "You know, this'll be my first time playing on a school sports team."

Harry's smile turned wry. "I didn't know, but I might have guessed. You aren't built for Muggle sports any more than I am."

Danny snickered. "Yeah. Is there any way I can convince you to root for me?"

Harry blinked. "Of course I'll root for you!"

Severus covered his mouth, hiding his grin for a moment. "You do realize that means you'll be rooting for Slytherin, right?"

Harry froze. That wasn't a thought he expected. He opened his mouth a few times to no good results for a few seconds. " I… didn't think of that."

Danny was crestfallen. "I understand." He didn't, really, but that was the way school rivalries worked.

Harry reached behind Remus and tagged Danny's arm. "I said I would, didn't I?"

Both Severus and Danny stared in amazement. "This will be so cool!" The glow from Danny's smile lit the room. Harry smiled at Danny's joy. Severus smirked. This moment was almost too good to be true.

Harry continued to smile – it was great to make Danny so happy. Then he peaked his eyebrows and thought, 'Draco's never going to let me hear the end of this.'

Saturday morning, Vlad hugged Danny after breakfast before he returned to his room to take off his wizard robes before he teleported to London. He had plenty of time to think about the conversation he had last night with Daniel, which was – admittedly – long overdue. Vlad knew that many of the things he did, involving both Daniel and the Fentons in general, were calculated to hurt, to humiliate, and to force the boy into submission. The point was to show the boy his inadequacy and the need for Vlad's tutelage, but most important was to show how completely dominant he was over the boy. Vlad gritted his teeth as he thought to himself that, while such things felt good at the time, he never thought of the long-term implications such things would have on Daniel.

Once the other three cleared out, Vlad asked Daniel what he remembered of that time in his lab two years ago, and he got an earful. It was the most painful litany he'd ever endured. There were almost endless episodes, but not even Vlad, who considered himself quite brilliant, realized how deeply each incident cut. There was that hunting lodge incident, for example. It's true that Daniel tricked him quite cruelly about becoming 'his new dad.' But if Maddie hadn't been there… Vlad intended to annoy and even terrify the boy. Even though he told the mutant ghost animals to kill him, Vlad was sure Daniel would have escaped and come back, begging for mercy. The near-death experience that happened when the boy tripped… If it weren't for Maddie's expert wielding of any number of anti-ghost weapons, Daniel would indeed be dead. That… possibility hadn't occurred to him.

The million-dollar bounty was meant as a distraction, so Vlad could steal the Fenton's Portal (which, ironically, he now held in trust for Daniel as his guardian). Further, it was meant to get Jack out of the way. The entirety of the harassment the Guys in White would perpetrate against the boy was not the intended goal. Though Vlad did work to end the problem with the Idiots in White in November, the fact still remained that the boy would never have rated national negative media coverage if it weren't for Vlad. Strawberry shortcake, but that couple of days of distraction turned into months of the boy having to dodge federal agents, when they knew he was around.

The stealing of the Ecto-skeleton could have been one of the least damaging of plots to Daniel personally (that the boy mentioned). Now, it was not Vlad's intention to kidnap Daniel. That was Skulker's inspiration – the hunter took the opportunity as it came. But even though Vlad formally apologized for the incident he set up between brother and sister in October, it was still amongst the more cruel tricks he played against the boy. And he did command Jasmine to kill her brother. Vlad shuddered as he thought of what might have happened, had she succeeded. How was that supposed to have been a good idea at the time? For the life of him, he couldn't remember.

Daniel forgave Vlad for giving his friends the Ecto-acne, in October. Vlad was rather glad the boy didn't bring it up again. But the incident that hurt the boy the most was that initial meeting. Unbeknownst to Vlad, Jack's exuberant joy in meeting his old college buddy rubbed off dramatically, and even though the child was offended at Vlad's amorous pass at Maddie, Daniel was willing to forgive it. The boy thought the castle, done in Packers colors and paraphernalia, was 'cool', and he wanted to get to know Vlad better. It was Vlad's own betrayal of the boy that set Daniel so firmly against him. If he only asked the boy to wait in the lab and talk to him without trying to force his hand (and turn against his father), they might have gotten along from the start.

And those were only the major incidents Daniel discussed.

Vlad cursed himself as an idiot. Jack might have been a bumbling fool, but he was consistent in his message to Daniel. Jack loved the boy (as he did his entire family) with his whole heart and soul, and there was no question the boy knew that, no matter how many times Jack threatened to destroy the Ghost Boy 'molecule by molecule.' How could Vlad ever hope to measure up to that?

Vlad shook his head as he ended his reverie and reflection. The only thing left to do as far as the boy was concerned was the right thing. And that would continue once he teleported to London.

Once in London, he bought a copy of the Wall Street Journal, tucked it under an arm, and went to his favorite Internet café. He liked it because it was in a run-down part of town, across the street from an abandoned department store. He might get noticed as someone who didn't seem to fit the neighborhood, but he was more or less sure that he wouldn't get mobbed by people who knew him by sight.

After looking at the football stats and local news of Madison, Wisconsin and Amity Park, he checked his email. There were a few documents he needed to print out, sign, and scan back. Alicia sent him a missive asking about Daniel. (Where did the hayseed have an Internet connection? She didn't have indoor plumbing, but she had an email address. How could Maddie be so brilliant and her sister have such twisted priorities?)

Ah. That was the one he was looking for. Lewis Greer, Esq., the lawyer Vlad used for years, sent that if Vlad needed a weekend appointment, next Saturday at 3:00pm CST would work. Greer would take care of the paperwork, but a representative from Wisconsin Child Welfare Services would be with him. Lewis could initiate the local police checks, and provide certificates proving all of Vlad's homeowner's insurance policies on each home Vlad owned (that were known about and legally admitted to) in the States, as well as proof of Vlad's vehicle liability insurance. He would also provide WCWS with Vlad's employment references and history.

Lewis requested permission to speak with Vlad's various housekeepers for certificates of full-house inspection on any and all castles and other residences, looking for water testing, fire safety, and good repair, as well as for general permission for the WCWS representative to inspect the home him or herself. Vlad sighed contentedly – all of his homes had strict inspections, much like the buildings all of his companies were in… with the exception of the hunting chalet and other secret residences and locations. The lack of phone service or two-way radio in the Colorado hunting lodge constituted a safety hazard, but besides the ghosts who serviced it in his absence, no one really knew of its location, anyway.

Greer told him they could forego the references from three non-relatives, as this adoption was not starting from scratch, but changing the status of a guardianship, but such references would not go amiss.

The lawyer was almost apologetic as he requested permission from the billionaire to do a credit check, but such things were required by the state of Wisconsin.

Hmm… Everything seemed to be in order. At the appointment next week, they would take care of fingerprinting, he would sign releases for medical records, and the interview would take place.

It was easy enough to look up what types of questions would be likely to be asked. Vlad would be ready. The adoption would be finalized and successful.

After printing out the documents that needed to be signed and scanned (he would accomplish that later in a place like Kinko's) and a list of questions he should think about over the course of the week, he stretched, ordered another cup of coffee (old habits died hard), and left to check his mail in the post office. His quick trip was interrupted by a polite cough, and Vlad noticed a very well dressed blonde woman coming from the direction of the out-of-business Purge and Dowse, Ltd. storefront. She asked, "Pardon me, but… do I know you?"

The Parkinsons were devastated by Pansy's arrest and incarceration. Gladys Parkinson was particularly upset – the teen was their only child. She had an emotional breakdown, and her husband Walter stayed at her side in St. Mungo's.

Narcissa Malfoy was particularly discomforted. Not only was her husband in Azkaban, her son's intended bride joined him there. Considering that she was the only respectable member of her family who wasn't a Death Eater, it was up to her to speak with the Parkinsons to break off the betrothal. Even though Pansy was no longer available, there was still something to be gained by her connection with the Parkinsons, though that benefit was growing tenuous. Before Pansy's descent into attempted murder, the Parkinsons were respectable purebloods with whom she associated freely. Together, they could commiserate about their imprisoned loved ones, and Narcissa could take a break from the Dark Lord and her insane sister Bellatrix.

Narcissa left St. Mungo's, and while Muggles were normally beneath her notice, the gentleman leaving the Muggle shop across the way caught her eye. He was particularly well dressed, he wore his long, white hair back in a pony-tail, his beard was short and neatly trimmed, and his eyes were a sparkling clear blue. His aristocratic gait kept her attention.

She tossed her head. Any number of middle-aged Muggles could be all over London. But because of the abandoned look of the entrance to St. Mungo's, the class of Muggles that normally visited this neighborhood was not… normally as sharp as a wizard might be.

What would a wealthy Muggle be doing in this part of town… unless he was, perhaps, a wizard traveling incognito. She coughed to get the man's attention. When he looked up at her, she asked, "Pardon me, but… do I know you?"

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "You might. I'm not exactly completely unknown. But you also look vaguely familiar."

She cleared her throat. If the man was a wizard, he very well should know of her – the Blacks and the Malfoys spread enough money around to be household names. And Lucius, of course… But if the man was a Muggle, he would have no business knowing who she was. Unless the Muggle was related to a Mudblood…

"I'm not sure." There were many things she was unsure of, and how to continue this conversation was one of them.

Vlad furrowed his brows. He was sure there was something familiar about this woman, though he couldn't put his finger on it. "Forgive me, Madam, but while meeting you was a pleasure, I must be off. Perhaps I'll see you again sometime?" He had no intention of meeting her, but there was no call to be rude.

She studied him for a moment. "Perhaps."

Vlad tipped his head in her direction. "Then good day to you, Madam." He continued on his way to the post office.

Narcissa stared after him. "Indeed," she murmured.

16