Chapter 37 - The Bargain
Danny hated how quickly he'd gone back to old habits. It took one little power mishap and he'd refused to let any chance of the opportunity happen again. Hiding now when he knew more than ever he needed to be doing something to solve this time-loop issue.
He sighed, leaning back against the smooth titles. He was lying on the roof again, on the highest spire so no one would spot him through a window. At least, staring up at the cloudy sky, it was enough to pretend he was still in Amity Park.
School term had returned, the halls once more bustling with students. The grounds were still covered with a thick blanket of snow, few braving the winter chill for too long. An now an entire week had passed since his disastrous night.
But Danny hadn't spoken or sought out the three since then. Or Albus either. Or even the other ghosts. Right now his own problems were weighing heavily on his shoulders. Didn't have time to add more to them.
He was broken out of his brooding thoughts by a plume of mist, stilling at it faded. It didn't take long to figure out who it was. There was only one ghost in Hogwarts now with a signature this strong.
"What do you want?"
The air chilled further with a soft breeze, the other ghostly presence appearing beside him. There was a long, mournful sigh. " I need to speak with you. Urgently."
Danny huffed, opening his eyes to stare at Lucrezia. She had sat next to him, curling her legs tightly underneath. Her black hair wasn't hovering today, flat and cord-like down her back. " I have not seen you lately Danny-"
"I've been busy."
"Of course." She nodded, purple eyes blinking slowly. " I do not wish to waste your time. I know it is precious. But we must hurry. Thomas is on the move."
He frowned, yet didn't sit up. Deep down Danny still wondered where her allegiance sat in all of this. Her end game. Whether he was an utter idiot not blasting her away. " Why wouldn't he? You said you've gone behind his back. It would be weird if he did nothing."
Lucrezia didn't speak for a while, watching the flat expanse of the frozen lake. " True. It's the nature of his actions which have me worried. Tam went to America. In this time, this year- or past year, I suppose. I… have only seen flashes. Images which I can't tell exactly where or which state. But I know he was there. The country flag was unmistakable."
" What?" This time Danny paid attention, rolling himself upright. " Why would he go there? You don't think to… my parents? To Amity Park?"
She shook her head. " He blocked his mind when noticing I was watching. Even if I tried to reach out to him now, Tam would block my sight immediately. I can't see… where he is exactly. But it is not all I saw before he barricaded the connection."
"Oh great. Course there's more…"
The expression on her face was serious, not mirroring his sarcasm. "Tam has Apparated to London. Into the future. How far… I can't say with certainty. But it would not be far with the energy he has left. Perhaps a week or two. Maybe less."
"Okay… So we've got some time until he becomes a pest here-"
"Danny; he is traveling with someone else. I cannot see who- he blocked it before I could focus. But I know he traveled through time with another."
Her nose crinkled, strings of hair shivering. "These are my powers. I feel when they are used, even against my will. I felt another when he moved."
The news made his frown deepen. That… didn't sound good. He'd been hoping they could deal with him solo. Or Danny would only have these two to mess with if it turned out Lucrezia was tricking him. But if there was another enemy invoked in this mess… These ice powers needed to be fixed. Pronto.
"How is your search for the sword going?"
The question made him jump, hiding his face with his hair. "I'm still looking. I asked Albus about it and I… think he knows where it is. Could be here. But… still searching for the exacts of where."
" I see. At least you have a lead." Lucrezia didn't sound like she sensed his lie. Which made him relax. Now he'd given her the information Danny thought she would leave. Yet she remained sitting, silent.
He studied her, chewing the inside of his cheek. Lucrezia was a ghost with an elemental power. And so far she hadn't been against playing nice with him…
"Lucrezia? I, Um… I have a question for you."
At her name, she glanced back. "Yes, Danny?"
"I… do you know about ice powers- I mean about elemental stuff in general? About… how to control them?"
She rested a hand on her chin. "Hmm… You are the only ghost I have met who has power over ice. In fact… I have not met many ghosts in my time as one. Much less than you.
"Yet… I don't know how you could control them. When I first met you in that long-gone future you seemed to have command over them without issue. But you never told me how you achieved it. Likely would have been a weird request to ask."
"Oh… Then, what about your water powers?"
"I have always been able to control water. It is a part of who I am now." She huffed, curling strains of her hair through long fingers. "It is tricky to explain. But the moment I became aware I was dead, I just… knew I could command water. And time. Never needed to dwell on the reasons for it. I just knew how."
" I guess that makes sense." Danny knew it had been a stupid thing to ask. Ghosts naturally used their powers without question. Unlike him. Flying had come like second nature though. But the ice powers didn't seem to be in the same area as his basic stuff.
"Let me tell you something." He looked up as she shifted closer, folding her hands on top of bent knees. " When you used your ice powers against me, you were in a panic. Trying to reach Harry with every fiber of your being. So shaken you would not listen to me."
"Yeah, I know. Emotions are stupid."
"No!" She chuckled, a smile raising her cheeks. " They also hurt you, remember? You're powers shouldn't have done that. And then… when you followed me- or Luna, into the Ghost Zone you lost control too. Maybe…"
Lucrezia lifted her hand, hovering it over his chest. Danny stiffened, thinking immediately of an attack. Yet she froze, watching him until he relaxed when no energy built in her palm.
"Maybe you are afraid of your ghost powers?"
"Why would I be?"
"You know what I mean."
Danny stilled, understanding. " Did you… really live in that timeline?"
"…Yes. Though as Tam said we never personally met you- destructive you. We… Tam and I were struggling to find a cure for this affliction. The magical world was torn to pieces. Unsure how to handle the onslaught. Do they reveal themselves to the Muggles? Or wait out the destruction in hiding. Or fight?
"Ghosts were running rampant in every corner of the world. A force even magic couldn't handle. Yet we were so caught up with our own goals the world being destroyed seemed so… trivial."
"What? How could you-"
" We could time travel Danny! To us, if things got bad we left."
She sighed long, a smirk tugging her lip. " In those days we had a detachment. A… arrogance. Our plight was far more important. If we hated where we were, we left. Moved into the past where things were good. A dystopia destruction didn't seem to affect us. And so… we ignored it. Keep moving backward. Only returning to the future when needed. "
Danny was oddly stunned. He'd taken the whole thing very personally. So hearing her side of it was somehow infuriating. " People died because of Him."
"Oh yes, thousands. Perhaps even millions by the end. Who could truly say? But when…" She paused, her gaze dropping to the roof. " We could not die. No matter how, magical or normal. Fixing our fate made us believe once we cured ourselves the horrible future wouldn't happen at all."
Her hand flopped back into her lap. "Immorality truly destroys your humanity. Wraps ones thinking of things."
"You're… immortal?" The comment made her chuckle.
"Technically, no. Some things can destroy us- like the sword. But… in normal ways one can die, yes. Both of us. I was not joking about cutting off my head! We tried. Many times. It does not work." Her nose wrinkled in frustration, returning to stare at the Black Lake. "All it brings is immense pain and disappointment."
"That's how you survived the hole in your chest… It should have destroyed your core. Even when all my ice impaled you. A normal ghost would have dissolved into nothing."
"It took a month to heal from your ice attack. You pieced all my ghostly organs. Right through the center of my core too. If… it takes a while to return. When damaged we fall into a state of… reverse timeless."
"Timeless?"
Lucrezia paused, thinking about his request. Maybe realizing this was too much information to give him. Yet, finally, she spoke. " When you traveled here with the Time Turner, you become dizzy. Felt ill, correct?"
"Yeah."
"When one uses a Time Turner, you travel in real-time. Your body moves at incredible speed. Others cannot see it, unseeable to the naked eye. Yet Clockwork's powers- the Time Turner, protect your body from aging. Without it, your body will age rapidly. And without protection, a human will die due to decay."
She held out her palm, a flicker of purple flame dancing in her hand. " As ghosts, we possessed an immunity. As we are dead, time doesn't affect us the same way. Normally a Time Turner only protects you for a short duration. Five hours. Longer the body shuts down, breaking into dust the further you go forward. Back, and you would become unborn. But your half ghostliness protects you."
The flame faded, and Danny swallowed. " Tam doesn't have the protection I do. He merely uses the power, but has no Time Turner. He is not affected himself due to being immortal- Unborn. But he adds Apparation into the mix; already a dangerous magic.
"If you travel through time with him without ghostly protection, you quickly begin to die. A minute or two will make you nauseous. A week, dizzy and sickly. Over a year… all your organs would be torn to shreds within you. Tam jokes it's his Time-zone sickness. But it is a devastating weapon. He grabs you, throws you through decades and your body implodes on itself. Never aware you turned into nothing."
"So as long as I'm a ghost I'm… okay?" It came out as a hoarse whisper. Crud. This was more dangerous than he thought.
"Yes. Ghosts are immune to many things, not just Time."
Lucrezia tilting her head to think. " One of the biggest examples I can think of is the Killing Curse. It is always fatal to the living. However… if a ghost is hit with the curse, nothing happens. You can't kill what is already dead, you see? As it is, the Killing Curse has its origins in ghosts, ectoplasmic in nature. In a flash of green, the spells drag the soul into death."
Despite the gloomy topic she smiled cheerfully at him. "If you were hit in your living form you would certainly die like any other. I suspect if you are hit as a ghost the immunity would protect you. I've heard in some cases it can give an energy boost too!"
"You mean, like Dark Arts?" The memory of Albus's words resurfaced, Lucrezia nodding.
" Other things we are immune to too. Curses mainly… Certain enchantments- like bewitching charms. Things that do work are protection spells. You cannot pass through barriers made of magic! Exorcism can kick us back into the Ghost Zone or place of death. Or we can be controlled or trapped in the right ritual or Rune- though trapping a ghost in one is very difficult. And of course Skurge, the anti-ectoplasm spell.
"Certain plants can be terrible for us. Like Blood Blossoms. Yet things like Deadly Nightshades have the opposite effect. If consumed a ghost will fall into a state of euphoric sedation for a time. Witches would trick ghosts into eating something with nightshade so they could exorcise them back into the Ghost Zone while placid. Or contain them. Remember this if an unknown witch or wizard offers you something to eat while you're a ghost. Best to refuse in caution."
Danny frowned, trying to file away the avalanche of new information he'd received. Yet… " Why are you telling me all this?"
"Because I wish for us to work together!" She smiled, hair briefly floating around her face. " I know you have little knowledge of the magical world. These things are important to know. I merely wish to assist you in your tasks. Why would I not?"
"I don't know… Just seems weird you'll change your tune so quickly." He said it without thinking, regretting it the moment he uttered the words. The plan had been to hide the fact he didn't trust her. But if she was annoyed by his words, she didn't show it.
"Change is important. We all change. I have changed since I became a ghost, and so has Tam. I… I know you struggle with trusting ghosts; it is wise. But it is also important to know when you would benefit from help. I need your help. So I will help you when I can."
Danny wasn't sure what to make of the statement. It had some truth in it, not all ghosts he knew were bad. But it was equally stupid to naively trust someone openly without being sure. And while Lucrezia wasn't quite as evil and villainess as some of his foes, she had a connection to someone who was. It was still a dangerous topic.
She sighed, floating up into the air. " In any case, I suggest you hurry in locating the sword. I will try to keep a watch out for Tam. Warn you if I sense him closing in. Until then I will remain in the northern side of the lake if you need me."
"Right… Why the lake? Despite the obvious connection to water."
Lucrezia chuckled, gliding through the air backward. " The lake is deep. And houses a collection of ruins and cave networks that worm throughout the landscape. The creatures within do not care much for ghosts, so it is also quiet. And I prefer peaceful silence to focus on Tam."
"Right. Makes sense."
With a light wave, Lucrezia flew towards the lake, watching her sink into the frozen waters. The meeting left Danny muddled, both from learning so much and wondering why. Maybe she was just hoping to help…
But after getting his butt kicked so much he knew he'd be a fool to let his guard down.
Danny stretched, watching the sky once more before he debated whether to head back in-
A sudden flapping of wings brought his gaze back. Owls were common, flying softly around the castle even during the day. But these flutters seemed louder, heavier- and Danny jolted as a burst of fiery red glided over the roof.
They circled him once, landing with a gentle thud by his shoes. The phoenix shook its massive wings, folding them tightly to his sides. And Danny was once more stuck in awe of the creature.
It truly was beautiful, ruby feathers seeming to shift from light yellows to golden ambers. Long feathered tail curled and tuff with patterned feathers, like fire. Its whole form seemed alive like it was made of living fire. Had magic to it. Big as a swan, perhaps even bigger.
A soft trill made Danny blink, seeing Fawkes looking at him with unblinding, ruby eyes. In his long beak was an envelope, wax seal bearing the Hogwarts emblem.
"Oh." Nervous Danny gently took the letter, thumbing the flap open. Inside was thick parchment paper, emerald ink loopy and difficult for him to read.
Danny,
I believe I might have made a breakthrough in helping with your cold issue. Tonight, at eleven O'clock sharp, could you please come visit my office. I will explain all in more private modes of communication.
Warm regards,
Albus.
P.S. Please give this letter back to Fawkes.
Confused, Danny folded it back inside, holding it out. Fawkes tugged the envelope from his fingers, stepping back a little. The phoenix's feathers ruffled- and abruptly the letter burst into flames, turning quickly into nothing but ash.
"Cool…" So Fawkes did have a magic of his own. Though it had been pointless. Danny could've destroyed the letter himself in much the same way.
Yet the phoenix didn't move, staring at him. As if waiting. Shifting Danny realized Fawkes was probably intelligent, perhaps even like Crookshanks or the wolf were. " Tell Albus I'll be there."
One, lazy blink, then to Danny's amazing Fawkes slowly dipped his head as if to nod. Then with a clicking of claws he turned, leaping up. Glided down the lip of the roof with a flutter of feathers.
Quickly Danny crawled over, leaning over the edge to see Fawkes in flight. Yet the great firebird was gone. Completely disappeared without a trace.
"He really is stealthy." No wonder he'd never spotted him before. Leaning back on his knees Danny felt a flicker of excitement. Finally, he might fix these ice powers. A glaring problem removed from the ever-growing list.
But it would be a start; a goal he could latch onto to ignore the horrible future rising in the distance.
Danny went ghost, leaping off the tower just as Fawkes had. For a moment he let gravity drop him, wind stinging at his eyes. Then he let his powers surge, leveling to fly over to the seventh floor. Back to the room to record as much of Lucriza's words before he forgot. To pass the time until tonight…
###
The moonlight was bright through the hallways, the clouds early parting. Danny made his way through them, ears alert for any wandering teachers. More patrolled this time thanks to the escapee, which was a pain having to flicker in and out of sight. But he was struggling not to hurry, wanted to be as close to the time as he could handle.
Soon the gargoyle statue protecting the Headmaster's office was before him. Danny passed through the stone, stopping in front of the wooden door. He knocked, waiting for the muffed Come in! before passing through the door too.
Inside, Danny was puzzled as to why Albus was standing in the middle of his office. Normally he was found by his desk. Or hovering by the window deep in thought. So it was strange the wizard turned to him with a beaming smile. An oddly strained smile considering he'd invited him here. Puzzled Danny strolled over, question forming-
And froze.
After all his babysitting the last time at Hogwarts Danny had memorized as much as the school as he could. He knew all the teachers. Ever name and face of the adults who lived in the castle. But immediately he spotted someone he'd never seen before.
And then Danny realized he hadn't used the door correctly. Used his powers. And they were looking right at him.
Crud.
" Thank you for coming, Danny. I hope this meeting isn't intruding on something important?"
Danny ignored the question, starting at the new guy and gauging if he was in danger. They were sitting on one of Albus's ornate sofas, dressed in a thick, patchy robe. Sharp gray eyes studied him, curious. A face bearing quite vicious-looking scars. Scars from something with big claws.
Though he smiled at Danny there was something… off. A tension, or a guardedness which had Danny immediately on edge too. The mood he was reading was this guy was moments from flipping the coffee table up into a barrier.
Albus however seemed to have no problems with him. " Ah. Danny, let me introduce you to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin. Remus, this here is Danny Phantom. He previously stayed with us to assist in a very dangerous situation involving a Shade."
Danny frowned, feeling weird with the full name mentioned. Oddly peeved he was telling this guy about the Shade. That wasn't student-level stuff. Fighting Shades hinted he wasn't a normal, magical teenager by Hogwarts standards.
Still, Danny nodded at the teacher. Though he kept the weight on his right foot lite. Remus's smile warmed a little, copying the nod. But why he was still guarded as to why Albus was acting casual was confusing Danny.
Catching on to his confusion Albus waved a hand towards Remus. " To the matter of tonight! After thinking about what you asked of me Danny, I saw there was only one person here who might help. Who is far more experienced in these fields than me. I have told Remus you require learning to control your emotions. Thankfully, Remus here suggests he might have a solution."
The words hung in the air for a moment, Danny glaring at Remus with a sharp, intense stare that made the wizard's smile fall. Suddenly his tension made a whole lot of sense. Slowly, his glare shifted over to Albus. Took all his willpower not to yell.
"You told him?"
"Yes." He didn't even blink.
Danny unconsciously curled his fists, the room temperature plummeting to the point the fireplace flickered. " You told him my secret!?"
"Now, now. I didn't tell him out of ill will. Remus can be trusted." He gestured to the teacher again. Remus seemed to sink deep into the chair, looking utterly pale and uncomfortable with the attention. " He is an old friend- one who understands. His knowledge will help you-"
"You can't just go around telling anyone you think is trustworthy my secret!? How would you like it if I ran around the school telling everyone Voldemort's alive and active!?"
There was a sharp inhale, Remus now looking positively ashen. " Dumbledore, is it true he's returned-"
"I should have known this would happen." Pushing his spectacles up his nose Albus sighed. "Yes Remus, it is sadly true. Though Voldemort is likely too weak to be any threat as of now. Danny, the fact is your ice powers need to be controlled. I know Remus has the knowledge and experience to help you solve it. I, even with all my knowledge and wisdom have nowhere near the same field experience on the topic as him."
"You-"
"I understand you are angry- you have the right to be angry with me. And I know I have broken your trust tonight. But you need to get the situation under control. Trust me."
Albus's face grew serious. "I might not always be there to get you out of trouble. Protecting your secret from those who might harm you is essential. And I believe in Remus's vow of utmost secretly."
Danny was about to snap back, but he bit his tongue. Dan had told him to trust Albus's judgment. Had this been what he meant? Knowing he would immediately lash out?
Before he could ponder more Albus abruptly strolled over, not stopping till he was at the door. " I believe it is best if the two of you talk in private. My presence would likely sour the discussion further. So, I will leave you both to work out the proposal together."
"Albus!-"
"I apologize, Danny. You can argue with me later. But please, do not be too hard on Remus." With a faint smile he left, leaving Danny half-pause to speak.
Snapping his mouth closed Danny took a moment to calm down. Then side-eyed the teacher. One positive thing about this was the guy appeared insanely nervous to be left alone with him, fingers drumming on his knee. Remus's neck bobbed as he swallowed. "I… can agree with you."
"What?"
"Sharing such a huge secret without your permission. When Dumbledore told me I was angry on your behalf. But… It does come from a place of caring. The Headmaster would never tell if it wasn't important. I can be trusted. Fully."
Danny huffed, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets. In truth, he was freaking out what to do. This… wasn't something he'd dealt with before. The others had learned of his powers from himself. Even if they hadn't been sure what he was, Danny had been in control of telling. He'd never had the issue of secondhand secret-busting. And honestly, he was thinking about telling the teacher never to tell a soul and leave.
"How about… We make a trade." Remus's voice was careful, but Danny heard the hopefulness. A white flag.
"A trade?"
"Yes. I know your secret now. A dangerous secret. So perhaps… I will give you mine to make it even?"
"Why would I want that? "
"It would mean… You have power over me if I tell your own to anyone else. A safety net, of sorts."
Remus straightened, looking him in the eye. The nervousness had faded. "If you tell my secret to everyone in the school, it would ruin my teacher position forever. And… put me in a dangerous position where I would have to flee. We would equally know each other's deepest, most vulnerable secret… And help build trust with one another- if you still wish for my help, of course."
Danny debated the request. "No offense, but I can't see you having a secret topping mine."
For the first time, Remus laughed. It was soft, somewhat strained. But with no malice behind it. And despite the situation, it made Danny relax a little.
"True. Perhaps not as earth-shattering as yours, but close."
His own curiosity about the teacher won out in the end. " Fine. Let's trade."
"Very well. I… am inflicted with the werewolf curse. Lycanthropy."
Danny whipped his gaze fully, his frown fading. Now the scars made sense. " You're a werewolf!? Really?" He waited for a reluctant nod. " Wow… this is so cool! I'm talking to a real living werewolf! -Wait, no that's wrong- Sorry! I mean that's horrible! I'm sorry to hear about it- t-the curse, I mean."
He had worried the teacher was about to be furious with him like Minerva had. Yet Remus only chuckled, leaning back into the cushions. Pose relaxing too. " It's alright. I confess it's… refreshing to have someone not scream in terror learning of my curse. Though by the sounds of a Shade… I imagine you might have confronted more terrifying creatures than a werewolf in your travels."
Danny rubbed the back of his neck, blush burning his ears. " You could say that… But I'm betting I'm the first half ghost you've ever encountered too."
"Yes. I have met quite a few people who have connections to other species through their blood. Half vampires, half ogres, even a half elf. But a half ghost is a first for me."
"I wasn't born half ghost. An accident turned me into one."
"Ah! Then we are the same!" Remus smiled sadly, gesturing to his mass of scars. " I too was due to an accident. Or maybe in my case, a revenge."
Danny felt a little awkward with all this. Wanted to ask him hundreds of questions, whether all the werewolf stuff was true. Yet, the point of this meeting was still hovering over his mind. " Why… why does Albus think you can help me? Do you know much about ghosts?"
Remus inhaled, hunching over with his hands resting on his knees. In the lamplight shadows, Danny realized the teacher was quite pale, almost had a sickness to his skin. " No. I know likely just as much as the next wizard would- you're likely an expert compared to me. Even with my experience with dark creatures. How ghost powers work… How you use them, I do not know about the topic. That, I can't help with."
"Then why?"
" I might not know much about ghosts. But controlling emotions… Oh, I know a lot about that." Remus smirked, the corner of his mouth twisting his scars. " I imagine from your reaction to me you don't know much about werewolves."
"Only what I know from movies and cartoons."
His words caused Remus's eyebrow a curl. "Muggle-born?"
"More like pure muggle."
"You're not a wizard?"
"Nope. Other than ghost freak, not much magical things are happening with me." Danny moved over to the opposite sofa, and plopped himself down. "Now you know two secrets. You're not getting my other ones."
Remus smiled, taking his slumped form, his humor as a sign of trust. He eased back too, draping one leg over the other. " Rare for a Muggle to get involved with magic. I confess it's odd speaking to you about this then. We're coached since we're children to hide. It's against the law, speaking of magic to Muggles."
" Don't worry, I won't tell on you. But back to the question… Emotions. You think you can stop my ice powers from going out of control?"
"Maybe. Werewolves cannot control their turns. Every full moon… we shift. Lose our minds to the madness of hunger. To turn other humans." The lightness in his face fell, grimacing. " While I'm lucky now have access to potions which allow me to keep my sanity. I… before, I tried everything. Everything. Hoping to stop my turns- as all cursed with Lycanthropy beg for. And one of those things was looking into every technique and meditation to control myself."
"And your emotions."
"Yes. Before and after our turns we become… enraged. Moody, easy to snap. More agressive and temperamental. The instinct to attack bleeds over. The hunger grows to the point it becomes obvious. So usually we hide ourselves away a few days before. Or more simply; lock ourselves up so we can't hurt anyone without our control."
"I'm sorry." Danny felt horrible at how he acted before, happy and excited about meeting a werewolf. Such a jerk.
But Remus shook his head. "No. I have accepted it as something I must manage. I've been this way since I was four years old. But, the matter of your problem. I am not sure how helpful I can be- Dumbledore is putting a lot of faith in me. But it appears you are willing to try anything."
"Yes." Danny lifted his right hand, thinking carefully. " I… have full control, when I transform. Different from you- can change back and forth whenever I like. But… ghost powers respond to emotions. In the beginning- when I first became a half ghost I didn't have a lot of control over them. They would affect my normal side at the worst times. But they ease off. Stabilized. These ice powers though… I don't understand them."
Frowning he made a small blue flame on his palm, knowing Remus leaned closer in fascination. " Sometimes they're completely out of control. I make ice without thinking. Without knowing how. Then… other times nothing happens when I want to. I just… I worry these powers could explode out of control. They've already injured me a few times. And I don't… want to accidentally hurt or… kill someone with them. "
"I understand." Remus's voice was heavy, brown knitted tight. And Danny realized he looked quite drained, greyish flecks dotting his hair making him appear much older than he probably was. " We can try some techniques which are not magical. Simple things. Even if they don't work having emotional control is an invaluable skill in combat."
Danny blinked, surprised. Then nodded, letting the flame fade away. " So you'll help?"
"Of course. Dumbledore was telling the truth; I am trustworthy. And I think I… understand what you're feeling. Trying to fix things alone can be very scary." He gave Danny a soft smile. " Just having support can help in itself."
"Thanks. " It eased a weight, once more happy to know this issue might be stopped. Without Sam and Tucker, without Jazz, he'd lost all his support. Though still edgy about this wizard, he knew now he could trust him.
"As for lessons, we have to wait till next Saturday. The return of holiday assignments has eaten my free time. And… a full moon is soon. I will need time to recover. Will you be fine until then?"
"Yeah. I can manage."
"Good. We'll meet in my private office. Nine in the evening should be a safe time when the students should be in bed. Do you know where my office is?"
This time Danny smirked, feeling his mood lighten. " If you're the new Defense teacher, I know that place like the back of my hand. Voldemort and his host used to hang out there a lot. So I know it from stakeouts."
Remus frowned. "So Voldemort is back?"
He immediately liked this wizard. Like Albus not afraid to say his name. "Yeah. Though he's a cloud of smoke and skeleton at the moment. Scary but… quite weak on the fighting standpoint. At least to me, he was. From what I've witnessed you wizards aren't the best in hand-to-hand combat. Though that was against a grumpy three-headed dog so maybe not the best evidence."
Danny stood, rolling back his shoulders. " My calendar's completely free anyway. For the… foreseeable future. I'll be there."
"I… suggest not being too hard on Dumbledore. It is a betrayal, yes. You have a right to be hurt. But he is a great man. And kind and honorable one who gave me this chance to work here when most would not."
"I'll think about it." Nodding Danny flicked his hand in a wave. " I'll see you then." He couldn't help but go invisible, watching the jump of fright from Remus. Left through the wall as the wizard searched wide-eyed around for him in Albus's office.
He'd almost expected Albus to be sulking outside his office, waiting to explain. But the hall was empty, and with a huff, Danny started his way up. He'd give Albus a stern talking-to later.