Time Shift Woe

by Genko-Yoru

When Clockwork notices someone has changed the past and in turn destroyed the future, he turns to the only ghost hero who can help. Danny Phantom is sent back twenty years into the past to correct the timeline and save Harry Potter from being killed. However, Danny soon finds out his mission might be harder than even Clockwork thought.

13. Rumors In The Dark

Chapter 13: Rumours in the Dark

With a start Danny woke, his latest nightmare fading from his mind. Staring up at the stone ceiling, he held back a yawn. Why he still was having nightmares of his evil future after all this time, he didn't know. All he did know was that they were becoming more of a bore than a frightful dream, one that he was getting sick of.

Knowing he would fall asleep if he remain in bed, Danny unwillingly kicked off the covers slapping the sides of his face. Pulling himself up, he quickly searched the messy floor for his sweater. It had tangled itself around a pile of books and as he pulled the clothing it sent the tower annoyingly tumbling.

The woollen thing was more for show than actual warmth. The school had descended into a bitter coldness. This coldness had made him fear that these new ice powers would suddenly go out of control. But to his surprise that hadn't seemed the case. The icy chill that everyone was complaining about Danny didn't feel. Instead, the castle with its burning fire pits was starting to become too warm.

He tugged it on, dragging himself out of bed with a huff. Stepping over the fallen books Danny phased passed the curtain that now divided his space, combing his fingers through his hair in an attempt to flatten it. The magic room had changed since the bridge fiasco, rearranging itself into a bigger chamber. Danny hated it, a clear reminder that he now was unwillingly trapped with his archenemy.

Strolling across the living space, he glared at the opposite curtain to make sure it hadn't moved. Then he passed through the smaller door, down the steep steps and into the boiling kitchens below. There, just off to the side by the fireplace, was the tray of food that the elves now left for him every morning.

While the small creatures had seemed timid, they weren't idiots. And it didn't take them long to realise someone unseen was sneaking into the kitchens to steal food. Though Danny had tried to be cautious in what he took, the elves were sharp. One day Danny walked in to find a tray waiting by the wall with a small note;

"Please take and return."

Since then the routine continued, the elves curiously watched each day as the trays turned invisible. Until the arrival of Plasmius had forced him to confront them. That had caused a stir of excitement. However, once the elves saw Danny wasn't a threat they became quite welcoming, especially when he thanked them for leaving food out and praising their cooking. That only seemed to make them work harder for his approval with more lavish meals, much to his embarrassment.

Letting his intangibility fade Danny shivered as his core ached at the sudden heat. The elves closest to him parted, as they were in the mad morning rush to get the food to the students above. He dodged the flying pots and pans, weaving through the crowd to the fireplace. Once he took the tray he headed back to the wall, using a little of his ghost powers to avoid some air-born spoons.

Quickly he returned to the room, eyeing the curtain once again just to be safe. Since the desk was now covered in papers, he'd been forced to use the small low-lying table near the fireplace. Placing the tray down he shivered as the chill in his chest grew, frost appearing on the front of his sweater.

"Hey Room, could you…kill it with the fire, please?"

In repose, the roaring fireplace dulled down to low ember, making Danny smile with a salute to no one. "Thanks."

Sitting down on the rugged floor, Danny picked up a mug of coffee and inhaled the pleasant caffeine smell that his sleepless nights had made him hooked too. He sighed, knowing that same scent would bring out the other.

He was right, the curtain pulling across. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Vlad approach, trying like he did every morning to read him. But like always Vlad was utterly unreadable. He sauntered over, sharp eyes scanning the table. Danny tried to get some sign of his thoughts, but nothing displayed on Vlad's neutral face as he made a beeline for the coffee.

It made him wonder how on earth the future Plasmius did it. He swore that sometimes he could read minds. Nothing ever seemed to go passed the half ghost, one look at him and knew exactly what he was plotting. The only thing that Danny read was that he looked slightly tired. That was it. Hiding behind his coffee mug he tried again to study him, trying to read his thoughts.

For a second their eyes meet. Danny tensed, waiting for anything unusual.

Vlad quickly looked away, grabbing a mug. "Morning."

"Yeah."

And that was it. Vlad retreated to the plush armchair furthest away, placing the mug on the arm while taking one of the ghostly books. It was like this every morning now, maybe the odd exchange of words. But since the night on the bridge, Vlad had become more and more distant. There had of course been questions. But to Danny's surprise, his questions had been…limited. The more questions he answered, the more withdrawn Vlad had become. It was rare for him to hold even a decent conversation.

It unnerved Danny. Was Plasmius plotting something? Or had he already planned it and was just waiting for the right moment to strike? He didn't know and that was what bothered him. He'd expected some form of escape attempts, even a fight. But the man seemed oddly calm about the whole being trapped in a magical school. And Danny didn't believe it for a second that Vlad would just accept all this that easily.

Shallowing a forkful of scrambled eggs Danny eyed the ghostly book in Vlad's hand. The half ghost seemed to be lost in it, deep in concentration. "Is it interesting?"

"Huh?" Vlad jolted, blinking down at him like he'd forgotten he was there.

Danny pointed with his fork. "The ghostly books. Are they interesting?"

"Oh. Their…puzzling."

"Puzzling?"

Vlad frowned, shifting his position as he held out the book for Danny to take. Touching the translucent paper he shivered at its coldness, a thin wisp of mist exhaling as he studied them. To his surprise he found that instead of words, he was looking at a mass of scratchy symbols instead. The unstable lines shimmered and shifted on the paper, so much so that it hurt his eyes as they glowed scarlet.

"How on earth can you read this?"

"I can't."

Vlad held out his hand and took the book back, placing it carefully on his lap like it was some fragile, dangerous thing that would explode. "But… sometimes I think I can. Like the symbols changing briefly into words that I can make out. It's… fascinating."

"So… all this time you've been staring at a bunch of squiggles?"

"I'm deciphering it." Vlad scowled, gazing down at him. "And what I can read is interesting. It's also a perfect way to pass time."

Danny rolled his eyes, wishing he'd never asked. "Whatever. I was just asking in case it was interesting. By the way, the reason why you can sometimes read it is that you're half ghost. You can decipher all you like but if you transformed, you'd be able to read them with no trouble." He returned to his breakfast as Vlad now stared dully down at the book, going back to ignoring him. Both fell back into silence before Vlad took a deep, hesitant breath.

"I've been…thinking."

"Oh no," Danny smirked, earning him a glare. However inwardly he became nervous. In a way, he'd been lucky he hadn't wanted to talk much. And the way that Vlad paused, he knew that whatever he had to say, it couldn't be good. Gently Danny reached for his powers, keeping them at the ready just in case.

"…I've been thinking about this whole mess I'm in. All of it," Vlad wave a hand loosely in the air to gesture to the room. "And… Though it's impossible, I've come to two most likely theories of how I came to be here."

"Okay?" Danny folded his leg underneath him, curious to see where this was heading.

Vlad looked away from him, finding the fireplace easier to talk to than Danny's bemused face. "One… Like I thought when I arrived here, that this is still some insanely realistic hallucination. Or… Two, and this is the more likely theory, that… that I am is still locked in a coma."

It took a while for Danny to figure out what he was implying. But when he realised, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You seriously think you're in a coma? That all of this is just some giant dream?"

Vlad turned back down to him, dead serious. "Yes."

He couldn't help it. Danny laughed whole-heartily, the laughter bursting out of his lungs so hard they hurt and almost caused him to cough. "Come on you're joking, right? There's no way this is just a dream!"

"It's the most plausible thing." Seeing that he wasn't taking him seriously Vlad scoffed. "Do you even know what a coma is?"

"Of course. It's when you fall asleep for a long time- "

"No. Being comatose doesn't mean you are "asleep". It means you cannot wake like normal. That until you are woken up by the right methods your body barely functions! And do you know how it takes you to recover from being comatose?"

Danny shrugged, taking another bite from his plate knowing that whatever he said, Vlad would answer for him.

"Years! It can take weeks for a person to recover from a mere few days. And yet I think I was… in a coma for six months!" He looked rattled, pointing at his chest. "There is no way I could recover like…this after being under for so long. I shouldn't be able to stand, to move. I shouldn't be able to talk! I should be either vegetable or dead! And yet... yet here I am. It's not possible to be this normal after so long…."

Danny couldn't help feeling amused watching Vlad freak out, it was something he could recall when future Plasmius peeved him off.

"Okay," Danny retorted, folding his hand under his chin. "So… Let's say for a stupid second that you are still trapped in a coma. How come all of this feels real? Then how on earth can this be a dream, huh?"

Vlad frowned in reply, finger tapping on the armrest. "I've heard it is possible to experience incredibly realities while dreaming. Though… no one knows where people dream or not in a coma. This could be the same, I'm just dreaming. It would explain the odd phenomenons that are happening around me and the breaking of physics."

"So that's why you're assuming that your dreaming?"

Vlad rolled his eyes with a snort. "Not assume; know."

"Sorry I asked," Danny grunted back, taking a long drink. "But… In my opinion, not that you'll care anyway, it seems that your ghost healing powers kicked in, waking you up earlier and quickening your recovery. Our healing powers are awesome like that; it's one of the perks of being a half ghost."

"I'm not this half ghost."

Danny froze, eyebrows shooting up as Vlad glared at him. "What?"

"It's ridiculous! You are stating that I'm…this thing you've created. The concept of a ghost in the physical world on its own doesn't make any sense, let alone this "half ghost" you call yourself. It's impossible!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but you are a half ghost."

"It's impossible! And if there's anyone that knows that, it's me!" Vlad placed the book down, becoming more agitated by the minute.

"Look, Ectoplasmic element is a highly dense energy-driven mass that has taken on a physical, high-copper matter. It's unstable, and also happens to be extremely toxic to living things. That's how I ended up in a coma in the first place! It's unpredictable and unbalanced. Even touching the stuff when I was studying was dangerous. A tiny drop on the skin could be enough to burn through into the bloodstream causing serious symptoms. And that is what happened to me, only triple the quantity. Yet here I am, someone that was practically coated in the stuff and yet seemly unaffected by its effects? It's beyond impossible."

Danny watched speechlessly. The rush of information, the sheer amount of stuff he was spewing stunned him. And yet the speech didn't surprise him in the least, Vlad had like his own parents, studied ectoplasm.

"Fine. You're not a half ghost. But how can you explain all the ghostly things happening to you lately? The invisibility, falling through the floor, that ghost book you're reading? Sorry to break it to you, but that stuff doesn't just happen randomly." To prove his point he went ghost, breathing out as the cold chill encased him. " See? Care to explain this with your knowledge?"

Plasmius glared back, returning the ghostly book to his lap. "It's… it's just leftover ectoplasm in my system. It'll pass in time, once it's done moving through my bloodstream. I can already tell it's happening since these…episodes are occurring less. As for you… if my theory's right and this is nothing more than a dream; then you nothing than a fabrication of my subconscious."

The laughter came again, bubbling out of Danny's chest as it strangely echoed around the room from his ghost form. "I think you're giving yourself too much credit there."

"You say that, but you'll be surprised what the mind can conjure up. Especially when under massive amounts of stress."

"I'm stressing you out?"

"Immensely."

Danny chuckled, turning back to normal to finish his breakfast. "Whatever floats your boat, I guess. If I'm stressing you out that much, why don't you just leave?"

It seemed to Vlad such a thing was funny as he chuckled, leaning back. "You make it sound so easy. Leave? How? I have nothing with me, no passport or even basic belongings. Even if I left this place, how on earth would I get home? I wouldn't be able to just waltz onto a plane. Most likely I'd be thrown in jail."

"Um, so? Just sneak into the plane."

It was Vlad's turn to laugh. "Sneak in he says! Don't you understand how stupid that sounds!"

"It's not stupid! You can just… I don't know, go ghost and hide in the luggage part of the plane, or just remain invisible the whole time. It's not that hard."

"Of course, you'll say that. What with your delusions and all? Besides," He shook his head, looking down at Danny with a challenging smirk. "I'm surprised that my jailer would want me to leave in the first place."

That caused Danny to scowl darkly. "I'm not holding you here against your will. If you want to leave then fine, go. I'd show you the way out of this school and you can take your crazy shenanigans elsewhere. I'd prefer you to leave. I'm having enough trouble with my mission without having to babysit you too."

"Ah yes, your mission. More proof that this is all nothing more than a dream."

"Oh yeah? How's that, detective?"

He leaned forward smuggle, nodding as he went. "That there is an impossible thing, that you, a ten-year-old kid is actually- "

"-Fifteen!"

"Fifteen. That you would be here all alone, far from home to do this mission. Why? Why would you come here to protect a kid you barely know? Unless you're a runaway or have some strong motive, you couldn't be here without someone back at home raising an alarm. You have your school, family, things that someone your age couldn't just up and leave without complications. Do your parents even know you're here?"

Danny flushed, remembering that Albus had asked him the same thing. "Of-of course they do!"

"That doesn't sound convincing."

"Y-you think that I'd be here without my parents knowing? Sure, Mom and Dad are seriously clueless about the whole ghost side thing, but…but- "

Looking at Vlad, Danny panicked, abruptly standing up with a rattle of cutlery. He realized with horror that the half ghost was slowly weaving information out of him, getting him to reveal who he was without Plasmius having to lift a finger. And suddenly he was deadly close to talking about his parents. Pushing himself always from the table Danny made his way to find his shoes, knowing that it was time to get out of here.

"Look, you can think you're still in a coma; think whatever the hell you want! But I'm not telling you anything about myself or my personal life. That's private, and none of your business. And if you can't help but stick your nose into what you shouldn't, then I'd advise you to get out!"

Vlad stiffened, hand gripping the armchair. "I was only implying- "

"Then don't imply!" Danny snapped, stuffing on his shoes, fuming. No way was he about to risk everything by slipping up again. Jumping up he stormed to the door, going ghost as he went. Swiftly he phased into the empty hallway and shot up through the roof into the chilly morning air. Double-checking to make sure he wasn't visible he flew where the main entrance was, landing softly on the sloping roof. After a few deep breaths, he calmed down. It was a miracle he was still sane. Sighing he sat down on the edge, legs dangling off the step drop.

This endless waiting was becoming tiring. Since Halloween Danny had thought his foes would try something else. Anything. Yet neither seemed to make a move. Now that the months had rolled by, he was becoming fearful of how much longer he would have to wait. Harry seemed to be an ordinary student. Other than the scare the kid gave him at the game, nothing had happened to him. Lately Danny found himself barely watching the kid. Unless the shade decided to rampage through the school, Harry was fine.

Then there was Luna, she too had vanished. A part of him wanted to find her, defeat her and get this whole mission over with. But Clockwork was stopping him. What would the old Time Ghost think if he mucked up time more? He'd told him that he had to wait for this "event". But… he couldn't just sit here and do nothing!

Groaning in frustration, Danny searched the school grounds from his vantage point, spotting the odd patch of snow. The Black Lake now had a faint sheen, the surface starting to freeze over. Winter was on the way and everyone in the school felt it. Danny had noticed lessons were now warmed by roaring fireplaces, the students shivering as they madly wrote their notes before their ink hardened. Though the chill only seemed to make the school excited. A buzz was circling the school, Christmas break was arriving soon.

It started to snow, light droplets of cold that itched on his skin. Curious, Danny took off one of his white gloves, staring down at the greenish tint on his skin. Letting a snowflake drift onto his palm, a strange tingle coursed down his spine. Pulling back he saw that the flakes hadn't melted at all. Instead, it seemed to grow, ice sparkling as its shards seemed to fan out. He couldn't help but feel energised at its touch on his skin, his ghost core itching to do… something as the winter air seeped into his lungs, tempting him to see what this newfound power could do.

With a reluctant sigh, he crushed the snow in his fingers, brushing the power away as a trail of mist escaped his mouth which had nothing to do with ghosts. This wasn't the time to play around with new abilities. Knowing his past luck, he'd probably end up accidentally hurting himself or freezing over Hogwarts and everyone in it. When he got back to Amity he and his friend could figure it out. He hoped.

Suddenly, a booming creak echoed from below, startling Danny enough to turn invisible. Underneath the great doors opened and with it, a stream of students strolled in a rumble of conversation. The growing group shuffled out of Hogwarts, making their way down the slope towards the forest. Danny watched them, pondering where they were going especially on a weekend. But soon a small group of teachers joined them, disappearing into the group to stop any troublemakers. Annoyingly Danny spied Quirrell, talking quite happily to some of the senior kids. Of course, he got to have fun and enjoy being evil, instead of being bored to death.

The gloomy thoughts suddenly made him long to leave the castle. Harry and his friends spent every free day cooped up in that library. And if the shade was heading out, Harry was safe today. Maybe he… maybe he could go searching for Luna? Find her hiding spot and deal with one menace. It made sense, didn't it? Clockwork never said he couldn't defeat the one who'd mucked up time before the event, so why not?

As the last stragglers disappeared into the dense pine trees, Danny made up his mind. He would follow the students and in the process hunt for Luna. It wasn't like he was abandoning his mission, he was just… taking a different approach. Sliding off the roof he drifted off in the direction of the forest. Keeping low he remained unseen, keeping above the well-trodden path. Gliding through the pines he held back, floating noiselessly behind the dawdlers.

Over time the trees parted, revealing in a large clearing a village nestled in the woods. At the sight of it, Danny faintly recalled Sir Nicholas mentioning an all-wizarding town outside the school, but he didn't talk much of it. Using one of the last pines as a shield, Danny obverse the place, debating whether it was safe to walk out into the clearing himself.

The town seem small, something that seemed odd after living in the castle for so long. The buildings were joined, nestled cosily in narrow sheets. There was an old, enchanting feeling to it, candles and oil lamps casting an amber glow in the overcast light. Its streets were busy, the laneways filled with people dressed in long robes shuffling to find warmth.

But just like the Great hall, most of the students who'd come were in casual, only some dutifully wearing their school robes. Though it meant he could blend into the crowd, he knew he still needed to be careful.

Turning back with a flash of light, Danny stuffed his hand in his pockets and strolled as casually as he could to the buildings beyond. He caught up with the stragglers and without hesitation merged himself with them. He waited to be caught out, for someone to raise the alarm. But it seemed luck was on his side today. With the group they entered the town, passing a large sign labelled "Hogsmeade" as they went.

Danny almost stopped once inside the village, the sight of the street catching him off-guard. While on the outside it appeared normal, inside the magic showed. Odd shop names shimmered in different colours and moving symbols, floating candles drifting lazily in the air. The village seemed alive in a different kind, one that Danny couldn't quite place it. Maybe it was the owls that were flying in the daytime, or maybe it was the rake that was sweeping leaves on its own. There was definitely something wonderful about this place.

Trying to act like he'd been here before, Danny found himself walking past the colourful shops, peering briefly into windows. He didn't want to linger too long, fearing he might be recognised, but one shop caught his eye.

It was packed with students, pushing each other just to get through the narrow door. On closer inspection, it was the shop's display that Danny found most interesting. It had to be some kind of candy store, yet the towering jars were filled with the weirdest-looking candies he'd ever seen. At the bottom of the window was a display of a magnificent gingerbread house, which had its own smoking chimney and festive lights. The scene was snowing, a group of life-like reindeer trotting about the table with bells around their necks. They looked like miniatures of the real thing, breath even frosting from their snots. Danny stooped down to look at them closer. So fascinated with the display he did not notice the figure move soundlessly behind him.

"Why, I didn't think I would be seeing you here of all places."

Danny yelped in surprise, twisting around to find the Cat lady. He hadn't even heard her approach. If it wasn't for his ghost sense he would have sworn she was a ghost herself. The witch had her arms folded into the sleeves of her robe, emerald cloak now lined with a soft, grey fur. But her stern look peering through her glasses was still annoying, the same.

Quickly Danny checked if anyone was watching, grateful no one seemed to care about the two of them. "Would you like not scare me more to death, please?"

"I'm sorry," But even as she said that a small smile twitched the corner of her mouth. "But you just seemed so delighted in Honeydews display, I couldn't help myself."

He flushed, embarrassed. "I… it's not every day you see a herd of tiny reindeer. Normally they're a lot larger."

"It's simple charming at its finest, with a dash of transfiguration thrown into the mix." Waving away the comment like it was something everyone should know, the smile faded as a serious frown replaced it. "What are you doing here? Albus informed me that you were remaining in Hogwarts. I never thought to see you out of it."

"I'm taking a break. You know, seeing the sights that this place has got to offer. It's not every day in my crummy life that I get to see a magical village up close."

Cat lady's eyebrow arched, "A break, you?"

"Yeah."

"Strange. I never pinned you as someone who would "take a break". Especially after spotting you watching Potter as you do. Break's didn't seem to be in your schedule."

He froze, staring up at her in shock. How on earth could she have known he'd been spying on Harry when he'd been invisible? "You… know I've been watching Harry?"

"I know you've been to most of my first-year classes. Hopefully you pick up something out of them."

"I don't know about that." Danny laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. Normally he'd hide up in the rafters of the classrooms. Most of the time he didn't even listen. But when he did, it usually gave him a headache. "Your classes are pretty hard to grasp compared to some of the others. Fun to watch though."

"Indeed, they can be. But you didn't tell me why you're here. Potter couldn't be here and if he is, goodness knows he'll be in trouble when he gets back to Hogwarts!"

"No, he's not skipping school! I'm just… exploring the grounds more. I've never been to a magical town before. Couldn't help checking it out."

Cat lady tilted her head to one side, peering down in amusement from her glasses. "You know, you're a terrible liar."

Danny's shoulders slumped. "That bad, huh?"

"Let's just say some of my students could get a degree for professionally lying."

He signed, stuffing his hand back into his pockets in defeat. "Fine. Truth is… I'm kind of tired of babysitting Harry all the time. It's getting trying just waiting for Vol- Ah sorry, the shade to make his move when it's clear he's more happy playing teacher than taking over the world. So… I think I should focus on Luna. She hasn't shown herself since Halloween, so either she's waiting for the shade or she's got something else up her sleeve. And I don't plan on waiting to find out."

"Luna?"

"The other ghost. You know…from the lake that night I got my butt kicked. The one that the Headmaster blasted a hole clean through?"

The witch paused, swiftly concerned as she recalled that night. And from the look she sent him, Danny gauged that she also recalled how he'd been flat on his back, barely conscious with the said ghost pinning him down. "You aren't planning on fighting her again, are you!?"

"Yeah. It's time I start getting serious and take the fight to her. Don't worry, ghost hunting is my specialty, I'll be fine."

With a nod of farewell he passed her, quickly strolling away to continue his way down the street. However, he didn't get far until he realised that Cat lady was walking beside him, falling into step with his rhythm.

"Um," He frowned, thinking of a polite way to say it. "I'll prefer it if you didn't come with me."

"Don't be ridiculous! Even with your powers, the thought of letting you run off to fight with that ghost goes against everything I morally stand for! What if you get yourself seriously hurt again? Or get yourself killed? I would never be able to sleep soundly again knowing I let you go to your death."

"You really don't- "

"I do. I understand from your point of view I appear nothing more than some old professor. But I am more formable in a fight than you think. Don't just underestimate our magic because of your own. Besides, you need my help Danny. Whether you care to admit it or not."

"I seriously don't. I know what I'm doing."

"Really?" She peered down at him, and this time she did smile, fully. "Have you ever been to Hogsmeade before?"

"No."

"Do you know where to look for your ghost? The hidden places that your enemy could be hiding away? Or do you even know the surrounding forests, the hidden valleys or the underground caves that are dotted everywhere?"

"...I get what you're saying."

"Exactly."

Danny sighed, looking about the busy street, the students, and the shops. It was true, without her knowledge he'd probably be here all day. He didn't need her help. But then… this was the woman who'd summoned rope out of thin air. "Okay then. Where should I look first?"

The witch hummed, folding her hands neatly in front. "I can name quite a few places. However, I believe we should first ask some of the locals if they have seen anything… odd these past months. Your ghost sounds like something that would be easy to spot. And from what I recall from the glow, she would be easy to spot at night. Maybe one of the villagers or game hunters has seen her in the forest?"

"No dice," Danny said bluntly. "I'm not telling anyone else about my mission. Telling you, Severus and the Headmaster was bad enough. Any more and I'd seriously be in trouble."

"You're not going to tell them your mission, don't be silly! We're just going to ask if anything strange has happened. I can come up with an alibi for you, that way the locals won't suspect a thing. But it will allow you to gather some information before heading blindly out."

"Fine. Where are we going?"

"To the perfect place for anyone to gain information." She stopped in front of the largest building in the street, having guided Danny there without him even realising. He squinted up at the high building, glancing at the hanging sign by the door.

"The Three Broomsticks"… This is a pub, isn't it?"

"Yes. The place where the villagers come to relax and spend their free time; the perfect place for rumours to spread. And if anyone knows anything that happens at Hogsmeade, it's Madame Rosmerta."

He frowned back at her, suddenly nervous when through the frosted windows he could see how busy it was. "Can I… go in there? Like, actually go in there? I am fifteen by the way, not twenty-one."

The witch laughed, gripping the handle with both hands. "As long as you don't drink anything, it's fine by my rules. And it's eighteen here."

She entered with a swirl of her cloak and cautiously Danny followed, shutting out the cold with him. Inside the place was practically hazy, filled with smoke from both the fireplace and the customers. There was a hum of conversation that rumbled through the rafters, muffed from the wooden interior and the heavy, faded rugs on the floor. It was warm, too warm and he shivered, his core complaining. The Cat lady however entered with old confidence, walking up to greet some of the patrons leaning heavily at the bar. It was clear to Danny she'd been here before, maybe even as a regular. The way everyone seemed to know her made him feel even more out of place, wishing to find a spot to hide in.

But before he could decide where to put himself, there was a loud clacking of heels from his right. He hadn't even noticed the stairs beside him, and thundering down its steps dashed a champagne-haired witch, shooting passed him in a twirl of multi-coloured robes, making a beeline for the bar.

"Minerva, dear!"

Cat lady turned away from the patrons, beaming at the sight of the woman rushing towards her. They embraced as old friends. "Rosmerta, it's been too long. How's the old place holding?"

"Long? You could say that again! I was starting to think you'd left us for good! The place is as busy as ever, now that the colds biting at their toes! Hold on dear; Fergus! Get over here you old mug."

From behind the rows of gleaming glasses came a huge build of a man, a wild bushy red moustache sitting over his lips. He pushed his way to their end of the bar, leaning over to clasp the witch's hand. "Well bless my heart, Minerva! How you've been girl, still teaching those mongrels up in the old place?"

"Of course. You know me; nothing could keep me from that place for long."

At this point, Danny debated whether to turn and leave while the witch was distracted. He was just about to when she turned back to him, warmly signalling him over. "Danny, come here and meet Madam Rosmerta,"

For a moment he froze, heart quickening as he became aware he was suddenly the centre of attention. Eyes turned his way, peering curiously as he stood awkwardly by the door. Even the customers nearest to him seemed to suddenly notice him with a jump. Sadly the witch only continued to wave for him to come over. Nervously he slunk over, surprised when the Cat lady gently laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, nodding to them.

"Rosmerta, Fergus, I'll like to introduce you to Danny. He's joining us here at Hogwarts this year as part of the exchange program with IIvermorny."

Huh? Danny frowned up at the witch in puzzlement, startled. But whatever she had said, the others seemed to know exactly what she meant. Rosmerta nodded merrily, hood out a work-weary hand for him to shake. "Well, I'll be! Haven't seen a student from IIvermorny in years! Madam Rosmerta's the name. Landlord of this old, proud shack here. And this man here's Fergus. Original owner. Man's been here as longer than I."

Danny took the hand, smiling weakly. "Nice to meet you, um-"

Before he could ask what on earth this IIvermorny was, the barman hauled his hefty torso over the bar. Bending down so that peer at him closer, his beard seemed to bristle as his eyes narrowed. "I got to ask, as I well might not get another chance, but which one you like better? IIvermorny or Hogwarts?"

"Err…" He noticed that some of the other patrons tilted their ears towards them, waiting for his response. Like when he was asked which house he was in, he didn't know which was right or wrong. Nervous he shot a glance at the witch, sweating when she looked back unblinking. "…Hogwarts?"

He must have chosen right as barman boomed with laughter, pulling himself back "See there, the lad's got it right! Always knew we were the best!" The ones at the bar grumbled in approval, leaving Danny wondering as to what he'd just agreed on.

Minerva seemed pleased with his answer as well, continuing with the lie like she'd rehearsed it days before. "Of course. That's why Danny has joined us this year due to IIvermorny's more… Ah, restricted subjects and methods. It was quite a hassle to arrange, but Albus insists it would be nice for the students. And when our Headmaster makes us his mind, well, he won't stop till it's done."

"Oh? You don't like all the rules at IIvermorny, eh? Can't say I blame you, I've heard of how strict they are of their Wand rules over there." Madam Rosmerta chuckled playfully, winking at Danny.

Before he could respond the witch cut in, gently pushing him back with her shoulder grip. "It's more that the school doesn't teach the right curriculum. See… IIvermorny just doesn't teach Care for Magical Creatures the same way we do. Danny wishes to specialise in his final years on the topic, practically in the study of spectral entities."

The mention of ghosts snapped Danny out of his confusion, fuming that the Cat lady would even mention that he was interested in ghosts. Wasn't part of the plan not revealing his mission. However, the witch seemed to ignore his furious glare and smiled at the others, trying to hold onto the lie even if he wasn't going to follow.

Fergus nodded his head in support, oblivious to the concept that Danny wasn't happy. "Well, if spirits are your thing lad, then you picked the perfect place to study them! Why, doesn't Hogwarts have the largest assembly of spirits in all of Europe?"

"And no other place got the right to say otherwise, I bet." Madam Rosmerta shifted closer. "So, Danny, what do you think of our Hogwarts ghosts? Or are you terrified just looking at them!"

Despite the ruse, he couldn't stop the smile from playing on his lips. Oh, if only she knew. "I think they're wonderful. The most friendly ghosts I've ever met."

"You've met many then?"

"You'll be surprised. Back home, we've got lots of them." He humours faulted at their curious looks, looking back at the witch for support. She seemed this time to sense his uneasiness and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"What was it that you were going to ask them, Danny?" The Cat lady nodded to the two, sending a soft message that this was the time to ask for Luna. Or try and tell them without spilling everything. Inhaling deeply he tried to follow along with the witch's lie.

"Um, well… Okay, this might sound a little stupid but… is there… any ghosts that live here. In the village or forest? I- I kind of what to know for… my studies."

Both of them shared a look, "Well lad," Fergus cleared his throat while grabbing an empty tankard from one of the patrons, "Not many ghosts leave Hogwarts, not the best place for them with the livin'. Course' a few rumours pop up here and there, you can imagine. But I ain't one for gossip, prefer to keep my nose out of another people's business, despite want you might think of a barman. What about you Rose, you know something?"

"Only a little. There's been strange happens in this town of late. Odd noises, flickering lights, things like that. Course there's the dead animals popping up randomly, now that's something to worry about. The boys would know more about it than I do."

The witch perked up. "Those two still work here?"

"Course!" Rosemerta bellowed with annoyance. "Couldn't kick the lazy bums out of here if I wanted to. Good for nothing barely do a day of work that I pay them. But they always got an ear out for gossip down at the station. When they're not skipping out on the job."

She jerked her thumb back at the man, who bent around the bar, leaning out towards a side door. "DUNCAN! TAM!" His roar made Danny flinch, yet he was the only one in the pub that did. "Get in here. Now!"

Around the frame of the door, two sheepish heads popped around, both looking guilty. "What'd want, Fergus?" One of the men asked, grinning wide behind large, heavy glasses. "We ain't doing nothing."

"I know you're not doing nothing! Come out, Madam want yer!"

Shrugging, the two sauntered over, hands deep in the pockets of their aprons. Both were young, at least at what Danny could tell. One was covered with freckles, hair as fiery as Ron's and a broad, heavy frame that reminded him of Dash. The other was taller, lankier, hair mousey brown with deep shadows behind his glasses. At the sight of the Cat lady they grew cheerful, shaking her outstretched hand.

"Professor, it's been ages!" The redhead exclaimed, grinning almost impossibly wide.

"Good to see you're still here, Duncan. And Tam, have you ever been sleeping!? Don't tell me you're still doing all-nighters?"

The other one scratched his cheek, looking immediately guilty. "Sorry, Minerva…"

"Sorry won't cut it if you make yourself sick." She scolded, tutting him grumpily, but there was a faint shimming of worry in her eyes.

The pair nodded polity at Rosmerta, clearly nervous under her piercing stare. "We seriously were working, Madam."

The woman waved them off without a care, obviously not believing a word of it. "That's not what I call you for. You boys heard any odd rumours around the delivery trains lately? Anything odd that my customers might have told you about that I wouldn't know?"

"Eh?" Both looked surprised at the question, probably shocked they weren't in trouble. "What do you mean, rumours?"

"For the lad," Fergus nodded, finally putting Danny back into focus. the two peering down at him for the first time. "He's an exchange student. What's to know if anything strange has been happening around here of late? You boys know anything?"

"Hmm," The one with glasses pondered, glancing at his friend. "What do you think Dunk? Know anything good?"

"Don't know Tam, an awful lot happens around this village. Doubt we'd have the time to explain it all, might take us all day if we have to work around our chores. Then we got to head down later to-"

"Fine!" The woman scowled, shooing the two away. "Ten minutes. And after that I expect you two to work double!"

"Yes, Madam!" Both reply together, heading back towards the side door. The broad man turned back, gesturing for Danny to follow. For a moment he panicked, not wanting to. But he also wanted information. What was there worry about anyway?

With a nod to the others he strolled over to the door, thanking Fergus for lifting the counter so he could enter. Passing through the door, Danny found himself in what looked like a kitchen mixed with a cellar. It was tiny compared to the Hogwarts kitchens, with iron pots and pans hanging from the roof. Ducking under some partially long spoons he found a small nook in the corner, a round table pushed into the space.

"Welcome to our office, kid." Duncan gestured to the table like it was the grandest thing around. Peering down at it, Danny spotted the remains of a card game, little piles of coin lines next to each other in neat rows. He chuckled, so they weren't working after all. Without warning the taller one whipped out his wand so fast that Danny didn't even have time to react, flicking it rapidly so that the cards reform back into a pile, the game vanishing.

"Hey! We were in the middle of that!"

"Only because you were winning," The other grumbled, turning to Danny with an uncomfortable wince. "Err, you didn't see that, alright?"

"Alright." Danny smiled nervously back, trying hard not the stare at the wand in his hand.

Tam sighed with relief, pushing out a stool for Danny. "Thanks kiddo, you've no idea how much trouble we'd be in if she actually caught us. Come on, take a seat."

Polity Danny sat on the edge, tense while the other two grabbed stools to join him. Suddenly both were way too close, almost bumping shoulder to shoulder with him. "Now," The redhead said, leaning forward onto the table. "Before we get into the juicy stuff, introductions. I'm Duncan."

"Tam." The other nodded, picking up the coin stakes closest to him.

"Or, if you want to be posh and proper about it, it's old Thomas O'Deirdre, the- "

"Hey! You would like it if I call you by your middle name, Un- "

"Alright, alright Tam! Don't you dare," Duncan blushed, quickly sending a kick under the table. Both then turned to Danny, eyebrows raised expectedly.

"…Danny."

"Nice to meet you. So… you want to know about all the strange happens here eh? Anything in particular you want to know? Because I tell you, it's a small town. But lots happen in the shadows." Tam pocketed half of the coins and Duncan quickly grabbed the rest before they went.

The question made Danny frown, thinking of a way to somehow hide the mission but still ask for info. The Cat lady had lied so easily, that she'd made it look like child's play. When he found no way to hide the fact he was looking for a ghost, he crossed his arms onto the table, pulling on a serious expression.

"I want to know if there's been any sighting of ghosts around here. Not at the school; around town or in the surrounding forests."

The guys paused, looking at him curiously with new eyes. "Ghosts eh… don't think any of the locals spotted any ghosts lately. They don't seem to come down from the school much."

"What about ghosts like Peeves, solid ones?"

"Like that little devil?" Barked Duncan, scowling at old memories. "Nothing like that would dare come close to the village. If it did, the Ministry would be out here in a second to get rid of it."

Suppressing a shiver, he tried again. "What about anything weird happening in the woods?"

Tam frowned and tapped his finger on the wood. "What about the dead animals around here, Dunk? Could be something ghostly about that? I mean suddenly all these animal corpses just start showing up. Fishy to me."

"Nah," Duncan scoffed back, counting his coins. "Doubt it. Ain't know any ghost that'll do that. Maybe a Vampire den? Or maybe that wolf pack's moved down again."

"What?" His attention picked up at the mention of another magical being. Danny leaned in closer, all but forgetting how close together they were. "What do you mean? You think it's vampires?"

"See, lately around town some of the hunters have been finding dead animals in the woods, more than they usually do. But the thing is… they ain't been killed by the likes of a normal predator. We got plenty of wolves and magical beasts living in these woods, but these bodies… ah, maybe a shouldn't be telling you this, but the boys say that all their blood is gone. Like their life's been sucked clean out of them. That's why it's probably a vampire den or something."

"Don't be stupid!" Tam jeered, pocking his friend. "Vampires don't drink from animals! If they did, we wouldn't have to worry about them hunting us! They drink from people, and there ain't been no dead bodies found."

"Not yet."

"You think whatever it is going start killing us village folk? Whatever it is isn't coming close to town. It's smart, staying hidden from sight, that's for sure."

Duncan laughed, pulling out a pipe from his pocket. "I'm telling you, it's a vampire den for sure. Or maybe some old hag doing dark arts. Hell, could even be some shade or banshee hanging out in the woods. But whatever it is, I'd rather not think of it."

The word shade jolted Danny like he'd been zapped. "Shade," he whispered, worry sinking into his gut. "Could it… could it be a shade?"

Tam shuddered, sharing his horror. "I darn well hope not. Thinking of a shade haunting these woods gives me the creeps. I'd move two seconds flat if there was. Not even Fergus's Fire whiskey could keep me here."

"Darn right!" They fell silent to restart their game, but Danny's mind was whirling. Was Voldemort attacking animals in the forest, draining their blood? Now that he thought about it, he'd never really watched Quirrell, only Harry. Other than the times that the two had crossed paths he didn't really know what they did in their free time. In a weird twist, he realised that in his search for Luna, he might instead find his shade.

"Why do you think it could be a shade? I mean… I don't know what this shade thing is," He quickly added the last part in, hoping that it would make the wizards explain more to him. " Is it so bad if a shade is hanging around in the woods?"

"It's bad, very bad." Tam moved closer to him, elbows touching in the cramped space. "Shades are sort of like Dementors… you know about Dementors, right?"

When Danny shook his head, Duncan snorted, muttering "IIvermorny," under his breath. Tam rolled his eyes. "Okay, there's no point in explaining it all. You'd probably learn about them sometime in the future if you stay at Hogwarts. But basically, a Dementor is like… a spirit that drains the happiness from you."

He frowned, confused and Duncan continued from his partner. "When you're around one, you feel cold, ice cold and they literally suck the happiness clear out ya. If they do it long enough, they suck the soul right out."

"Like a kiss." Tam chuckled, puckering his lips.

Duncan nodded though more somberly now. "A Dementor's Kiss… A kiss of death."

"So," Danny asked, rubbing the back of his neck. "A Shade is like these Dementors, they drain your soul."

"Yes and a Dementor drains the happiness out of you. A shade does something different. And in one way, there ten times worse than any Dementor."

"Why?"

"Well…" Tam paused, studying Danny curiously. " This is all rumours, mind. No one actually knows the truth about shades. Instead of feeding on some emotion, they literately feed on your life, your soul. They don't have life themselves, so they crave it from the living, hunting them down and sucking it out of them. Restoring, in a way, their own life."

"That's not the best part," Duncan cut in with a wicked grin, leaning forward and dropping his voice into a hollowed whisper. "I heard this tale once, from one of the regulars a few years back. Way up in the north there is the deep valley, filled with more wicked things than our forbidden forest ever could. There old mining community that lived on the edge of it. And in this place, there were odd sightings of a figure in the night."

"…Here we go…" Tam grumbled, sighing as he began to shuffle the deck of cards.

"It's dead true, I tell ya! The locals claimed if you headed out deep into the valley, a man dressed in rags and as wild as a hippogriff lives there. Stranger then came to town, this puffy old lecturer or something without a practical brain cell in his head. Goes on telling them he's investigating legends for a book. Locals warn his course. "Don't go out there in the dead of night!" but naturally, fool ignores them and heads out into the valley."

Duncan grinned, taking one last deep puff of his pipe before with a flick of his wand lit it again. After a puff, he continued. "Course, next morning the wizard runs out of the forest, yelling strange delusions of a figure made of smoke, eyes burning like blood and the flesh rotting from its frame. Community ignores him, knowing that the fool brought it on himself. The next night, a horrid shriek runs through the local inn. So bloodcurdling it's said that the innkeeper's cat died right there, dropped dead on the floor in fright. The innkeeper and his wife rush up there to the stranger's room, but it's too late."

When Duncan saw that Danny was captivated by his tale he smirked, blowing a smoke ring into the air. "Know what they saw?"

"What?" Danny whispered back, both excited and horrified at the same time.

"The stranger was dead as can be, lying on the ground where he'd fallen. But here's the thing; he didn't have a single fatal wound on him. No signs of spells. All that was clear to see was that he was clutching his heart, eyes almost popping out of his skull. Wizard died from pure terror. All that the innkeeper could find was an open window and a rancid smell. Nothing else. The shade had broken into the room and had killed the man with a single shriek. Didn't have to had to do anything else, the moment the sound had hit his ears, dead as a doornail."

"Quit it Dunk," Tam grumbled, dealing out the cards for the two of them. "You're going to give the kiddo nightmares."

Blushing at Duncan's laughter, Danny's mind was reeling from the information he'd just gotten. "So wait, this shade killed the guy from just screaming at him?"

"That's right, or so the tale goes. No one's ever seen a shade and lived to tell about it. Unlike the Dementors, a Shade lives off your fear, increases it, radiates it so bad that the mere touch from one would stop your heart in a blink."

"If you believe stuff like that, Dunk here loves his horror stories."

"Admit it, you're just as scared of stuff like that." Duncan rose, heading over to one of the barrels in the far corner, grabbing a glass as he went.

Tam bristled, then nudging Danny's arm whispered closer. "He says that, but throw him into a room with the shade and he'd be trembling in fear. Fools a coward to anything Dark arts, he is."

"What's that!?"

"Nothin'," He nodded to Danny. "Whether it's a vampire, a shade or some hag, whatever killing the animal's round here's worrying the locals. Hear Fergus talking about sending an owl to the Ministry about it. Get some Aurors on the job before it gets out of hand."

"Do you know where the animals are dying?" Danny asked, hoping for a starting point.

"Everywhere out in the forest. Doesn't seem like the thing as a spot for its hunting, but it never gets close to town."

"Oh…" With a sigh, Danny realised that if it was Voldemort attacking animals, then he didn't have a starting point to look at. But Luna was far more important right now. "What about places where a shade could hide, or a ghost? Anywhere around here that you think could have one?"

"Still interested in that? Ah well…" Tam hummed, taking his hand of cards and shielding them as Duncan tried to peek at them. "I guess there's the Shrieking Shack, the best place for a ghost."

"The Shrieking Shack! Now that's a place you should check out, kid! The number one haunted spot in all of Britain! No one goes near the place, not after the noises that used to come out of that house. Gah, still get the odd nightmare over it. Even the Hogwarts ghosts don't go near that place, and their ghosts!"

"A haunted shack?" Now that was interesting, even more so that the ghosts didn't like going near it. It sounded like the perfect spot for Luna to hide. "Where is it?"

"Just outside of town, you can't miss it-"

"Hey, you two!" Suddenly Madam Rosmerta poked her head around the doorframe, glaring at the two guys. "Ten minutes is up! Got that Duncan."

Duncan spurted mid-month of whatever dark liquid he was drinking, Tam hiding the cards in his hands. "Yes, Madam." They both muttered, jumping up.

At seeing the Cat lady move behind the woman Danny stood, thanking the two for their help. "Thanks. I liked the story, Duncan. And I'll go check that place out."

Tam grinned, shaking Danny's hand with a firm, cold grip. "Glad we could help. Just don't chicken out when you see it!"

Smiling at his own inner joke, Danny left the kitchen, thanking the others as he made it straight to the door. He had hoped to sneak out without her following him. However, he was wishing too much. As he opened the door to the icy chill, he heard the witch approach behind him.

"Well, did you find what you were looking for?"

Pausing, Danny couldn't help but grin back.

"Yeah, I'm heading to the Shrieking Shack."

And with a mischievous smile, he stepped out into the cold, the witch trailing uncertainly behind him.