"But I am not a man, muggle. I am much, much more than a man."
Harry jolted awake, clutching his burning head. His scar throbbed with a familiar ache he hadn't felt for several years. What is happening? he asked himself. Cold sweat trickled down his neck as he tried to slow his racing heart. The pain began to subside, but his unease remained. He scanned the room to reassure himself that he had, in fact, been dreaming despite the dream's vividness.
It was still dark outside, the edge of dawn just peeking over the horizon. Through the darkness, Harry was able to make out Hedwig's vacant cage. She must be still out hunting , he thought. The stillness of the room was slowly calming his nerves. He eyed the empty bed beside his, figuring that Danny and his friends had fallen asleep on the couch, yet again, during a lame horror movie marathon.
His mind went to his own horror movie, or in this case, nightmare, and shuddered.
I gotta get out of here. No longer able to go back to sleep and not wanting to stay in the stuffy room, Harry made his way downstairs. He didn't veer off into the living room, like he usually did, but continued to walk out the front door. He needed to clear his head, and a walk in the park was just the thing he needed.
He took in the muggy air and continued down the street. The lingering smell of ozone was the only remnant of the battle at this point, save for a pothole here or there. Whatever the mayor had said to pick up the repair pace had obviously worked. Vlad had been complaining to the Fenton family during their weekly dinner about the lazy cleanup crew. As if he could do a better job .
Remembering the man's most recent dinner with his family put a scowl on Harry's face. Vlad was pretentious as ever and didn't hesitate to show it. He did reign in his insults, which Harry was happy to find. He supposed that Vlad might not have consciously remembered Harry's reaction to his biting words, but his subconscious probably warned him of something. It did not stop the man from picking on Danny, however, but that was Danny's problem. Harry had no desire to help him out.
Speaking of Danny…
Harry was finding it harder and harder to make amends after the previous summer. Danny had turned petulant in the past year to the point where he was downright frustrating to be around. He had a deep disdain for the magical community and didn't refrain from expressing it.
Anytime Harry tried to strike up a conversation, it always ended in three ways:
One: The frustrating and endless questioning of the wizarding world:
Usually it happened later in the summer, but Harry was getting stir crazy. Finding Danny lying on the couch reading a book, he asked, "Wanna go to the mall?"
Danny looked up and stood with a stretch. As he closed his book, Harry recognized the cover as his Defense Against the Dark Arts: Book Three . He frowned at the book and almost missed Danny's response. "Sure. Do you guys have malls in the wizarding world?"
Harry shrugged. "Diagon Alley is similar enough, but it's more of a street mall."
"Would I be able to go to Diagon Alley?" he asked with a raised brow.
"I don't see why not, though you'd have to be accompanied by a witch or wizard." At least that was how it went for Hermione's parents.
Danny furrowed his brow. "Why?"
Harry frowned. "Because they sell wizard things?" he questioned more than stated.
Danny gave him an unimpressed look.
Two: The passive aggressive anti-wizard comments:
Harry was writing a letter to Ron when he heard Danny coming out of the kitchen. He looked as though he had quickly changed since his hair was dishevelled and had a couple of green feathers poking out of it. He was wearing all black clothing which screamed suspicion, and was carrying a large bag filled to the brim with egg cartons. Harry quirked a brow at his odd appearance, but Danny was too busy grumbling about… vultures(?) to notice.
"What are you doing?" Harry finally asked.
"Egging Vlad's house," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
"I'm pretty sure that's illegal, Danny. You could go to jail," Harry pointed out.
"At least I won't have soul sucking monsters guarding my cell. God knows I could do without the extra dose of fear… or brain damage."
Or three: Outright aggression:
Despite their lack of summer school this year, Jazz was committed to keeping Danny on track for the next school year. She had even assigned him worksheets to complete each week. Harry wasn't sure if he should be happy or feel hurt in being left out of her concern.
Danny was currently fretting over his most recent workload in the kitchen. He had already chewed his eraser off and was tapping his pencil in frustration. Harry looked at Danny with pity and decided a distraction was necessary.
"Besides the end, how was your school year?"
Danny sent him a frustrated frown. "We didn't have a serial killer monster thing attacking a specific group of people, if that's what you're asking."
So much for trying to help.
It had been like this for the past few weeks. He didn't know how it had gotten this bad. Danny was clearly still upset with Harry, and Harry couldn't help but think that Danny was stubbornly using any reason to keep hating Harry's magic. At this point, Harry had given up trying to make things better and had just been trying not to make things worse. He couldn't wait to leave this backwater town.
His scar sent a jolt of pain through him, bringing with it the memories of the dream. There are more pressing things I need to worry about anyway.
Phantom landed softly on the roof of the ops center, letting Sam and Tucker go in the process.
"That," Tucker began, falling on his butt, "was exhausting."
Danny glared at the crimson sky, silently cursing the world's insistence on keeping him from sleep. "When I get my hands on that robotic nutcase…!" he threatened with a raised fist.
"You have to admit, he's really upped his game since you became the Ghost King," Sam commented, sitting on the floor with a little more grace. She let out an exhausted breath and rolled her eyes at Danny's stubborn glare. "I'm just saying that the ghosts are more interested in challenging their new 'king,'" she added finger quotes for his benefit, "than attacking the people of Amity Park. It's a win-win situation."
Danny sighed and rubbed his face. "Not for me. I don't even think they're 'challenging' me at this point. Skulker was honestly just trying to have a good time. He even had the gall to call it training!" He'd have to talk to the ghost about business hours. He took a moment to lament the fact that he even needed business hours. "Still doesn't excuse the ecto zoo he released downtown," he grumbled.
"Ugh, if I see one more glowing feral lemur…" Sam huffed. Danny groaned into his hands at the memory.
"Did you see him flaunting Gertie like a damn trophy?!" Tucker exclaimed. Gertrude, Tucker's old PDA, was still embedded in Skulker's arm with all its connecting wires and metal screws. The hunter had disabled its scheduling controls, but still kept the device there as a memento. Danny figured the ghost saw it as some sort of battle scar, since his metal exterior was easy to replace.
Sam rolled her eyes. "It's just a hunk of metal, Tuck. You're gonna have to get over it at some point," she stated.
Tucker looked as though he'd been stabbed in the back with a sharpened motherboard.
"Just a hunk of metal?! Well at least my love isn't someone's smelly old compost bin!"
Sam stood sharply. "Compost is what gives life to your precious cows, you meathead!"
Tucker stood less sharply. He pointed a finger. "Any sane person acknowledges the deliciousness that is beef, you grass grazer!"
"Not again," Danny grumbled, rubbing his temples. He couldn't sit through one of their endless arguments this early in the morning. Slinging the bag with the ectoweapons Sam and Tucker used during the fight over his shoulder, he began walking to the latch.
"And another thing! With all that water being wasted on those slobbery, brainless beasts, rivers are being- Where're you going, Danny?" she asked, finally noticing her friend's departure.
Danny looked over his shoulders. "Skulker had a point when he said our weapons haven't been getting their proper maintenance." Sam looked affronted. "Sam, your ectogun jammed after its second release!"
"Fine," she replied begrudgingly. "But let's clean them in the kitchen. I still don't trust your parents' lab not to attack you on sight even if you're going down there as Fenton." He couldn't blame her for that one. Tucker was embarrassed to admit that Jack and Maddie knew what they were doing when they upgraded their security system. Though it hadn't attacked Danny in his human form yet, it still read Phantom as a foe despite all his efforts.
They both turned at the sound of Tucker's stomach growling.
"We can also get 'Number Four Meat Lovers Delight' here some food," she added, giving Tucker a smirk. "But good luck finding bacon in Danny's fridge that's not secretly planning your demise."
Tucker shuddered. "I think I'll stick with cereal."
They silently made their way down the ladder and through the hall. Passing his room, Danny let out a heavy sigh and continued down the stairs. Remnants of their interrupted movie marathon littered the floor in the form of burnt popcorn and candy wrappers.
While Tucker grabbed the milk and cereal, Danny beelined to the coffee pot. He was no longer an amateur when it came to brewing the delicious nectar of caffeine and bean juice. With his late nights and early mornings, Danny had to adjust quickly or risk being discovered. The need for caffeine grew with the need for his alter ego.
Sam went down into the basement and came up with a handful of tools and a med kit. She gave Danny an expectant look, and waited for him to finish adding water to the coffee pot. Sitting, he gave her a grateful smile while she took his hand and began wiping his knuckles.
Danny had long since given up trying to tend to his wounds on his own. After a nasty accident with a ghost bear and poor stitching, he had been forced to relinquish his medical duties. "Thanks, Sam. You'd think I'd know by now not to punch a ghost with metal armor," he chuckled. Sam gave him an unamused look.
She quickly applied neosporin and began wrapping the hand. Tucker joined them at the table, with spoon and bowl in hand, and a comfortable silence fell amongst the group. Finishing her last knot, Sam gave her work a satisfied smile before noticing Danny gazing in the direction of his room. With the glaze in his eyes, it was clear his mind was elsewhere.
She picked up an ecto gun and began expertly dismantling the device. She had made sure to learn the trick of the trade back when Danny had first started out in order to help her once weak and frightened friend.
The sound of shifting metal brought Danny out of his daze and he grabbed the bandage wrappers and threw them in the trash.
"I owe you one, Sam," Danny said appreciatively.
"Just don't get hurt next time," she grumbled dismissively. "So how has brother dearest's visit home been going?"
Danny grabbed a wrist wray and got to work. "Not good," he admitted with a frown. "He's just not listening to anything we've been saying. He refuses to see that there are some serious issues with the people he hangs out with and by his responses, I'm worried that he's starting to share their viewpoints. If I try to show him that he's wrong, he just shuts down and closes himself off," he sighed, before adding, "sometimes blaming me for ruining his visit home."
"Maybe it's your delivery, dude. It can be pretty intense," Tucker commented.
"No, it's not," Danny scowled.
"See that!" Tucker exclaimed, pointing at Danny's frown, which lowered in response. "That right there! It's the face of someone who faces death on a daily basis. How can one's defenses not go up?"
Danny shoved Tucker. "You're not helping."
"He sounds like my parents," Sam commented. "Not willing to acknowledge the faults of the wealthy. It's always, 'Why would we help the homeless, when they can just get a job?', or 'We don't have to wait in line, we're rich', 'Why can't you ever wear a dress, Sammykins?' WELL I'M NOT A DOLL!" She shouted in a rage, panting.
Danny and Tucker stared speechless. Tucker jabbed an elbow at Danny who cleared his throat before saying, "Uh, not quite like that, but that sounds rough. Do you want to talk about it?"
"No," Sam sighed as she grabbed the med kit and shoved it in an unused cupboard. "Your parent's were down in the lab, and this'll give us better access to it anyway," she explained. "Those were the last of the Ace Bandages, too. We'll have to get more."
Harry took his shoes off and heard voices in the kitchen. He pondered whether to brave the minefield that was a sleepover in the living room or to wait until Danny cleaned up. That could take ages, he thought, making his decision.
"You should consider extra padding, dude. It would reduce half of your injuries," he heard Tucker's voice say.
"I heal fast," Danny defensively argued back.
"I'm with Tucker on this one, Danny. I'm tired of smuggling bandages from the nurse's office."
Rounding the corner, Harry found Danny, Sam and Tucker sitting at the table. He was surprised to see that Sam and Danny were cleaning a pile of ecto weapons, while Tucker tinkered with his PDA. Tools and coffee mugs littered the table. The group promptly stopped their conversation when they spotted Harry.
"Morning," Harry greeted awkwardly. A round of 'mornings' were sent back at him. Harry sat down and grabbed the box of cereal. "What were you guys talking about?" he asked to break the growing silence. He glanced at Danny to see if there were any obvious injuries. He was sporting a cut on his cheek, but otherwise looked unscathed.
"DOOM," Danny said a little too quickly.
Harry gave him a skeptical look. "Is that why your hand is wrapped?"
"I was getting in character," he answered simply. Harry stared at him in bafflement, but Danny offered him no explanation and went back to his tinkering.
Sam, however, came to his rescue. "Supposedly, it boosts performance," she explained. "The new update also increased the rate for healing potions which is a problem for this knucklehead," she gestured at Danny, "who doesn't know when to take cover."
"It doesn't help that he's the worst out of the group," Tucker teased.
"That's hardly fair," Danny scoffed. "I'm not the one with endless hours of time on my hands."
Tucker raised his hands placatingly. "Hey, me neither. Sam's the one who gets her homework done in class. I just keep an excellent schedule." He pulled out Beatrice, his current PDA, and showed her off to the group.
"Your schedules suck," Danny mumbled half-heartedly, remembering the tight ship he ran when Danny had to research Delilah.
At the mention of school, Harry thought back to the events of last summer. He had been avoiding his parents for weeks now in the hopes that they would forget all about summer school and his poor muggle studies. It was a far enough distance away that he felt safe bringing it up without the danger of enrollment. "I'm guessing you managed to pass art this year?" he asked Danny dryly.
"Not exactly," Sam answered for him, not taking her eyes off the ectogun. "But then again, none of us did." Harry gave her a puzzled look. "Hard to finish school when half the building is scattered throughout the street," she explained. "They're planning on just starting the next school year earlier to compensate."
"If you were really hoping to go to summer school, you could always do online classes," Danny snarked.
"I'll pass," he replied in a flat voice. Chewing his cereal, Harry thought longingly of Hogwarts food. "I miss tea," he grumbled.
Danny frowned at him while Tucker pointed to the counter. "There's a pot of coffee that's still warm. It's the better alternative if you ask me."
Harry watched in disgust as Danny's friend guzzled his mugful in one go. "...Beg to differ."
Danny handed Sam a clean brush. "Check the breech of the gun. Ectoplasm tends to leak out of the cartridges," he mumbled.
"Why are you cleaning those?" Harry asked. "I thought you liked ghosts."
Danny gave him a long stare. Seemingly coming to a decision, he shook his head. "I don't know where you've gotten that information, Harry. Ghosts have proven time and time again that they could never get along with humans. They have their place in the Zone, and that's where they should stay."
Sam and Tucker exchanged a look before staring at their friend. Danny never took his eyes off Harry. Harry, recognizing the similar phrasing from their previous argument, realized the implications and gave Danny a flat look. "I know what you're doing and I don't appreciate it," he began.
"I'm not doing anything. They even have Anti-Ecto laws to ban ghosts from interfering with the 'real' world." He gave Harry a pointed look. "Why else would they have a law like that if ghosts were not evil at heart?"
Harry glared at his brother. "Ghosts are a relatively new thing for mu-" he glanced at Sam and Tucker, "-er-Amity Parkers. It's not like an ageless feud between two parties. Besides," he added with a shrug, "the people are getting along with ghosts now. Just look at Phantom. He has a whole fanbase."
"He's the worst of them all!" Danny exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air and startling his two friends. "Nowadays ghosts only cause problems just to mess with him! He's the reason the ghosts are here in the first place!"
In all honesty, Danny was actually impressed by the ghost's abilities to reign in their obsessions. It seemed that Pariah's attack had made them kinder to the living, not that Danny would receive any benefit. The ghosts were as vicious as ever with him, despite their friendly demeanor after the fact. It was all confusing.
"How would you even know that? He just seems like he's trying his best," Harry argued, remembering the ghost's desperate attempt to rescue him and Jazz. He frowned at Sam and Tucker's unsure looks. "What do you guys think of all this?"
Sam didn't know Danny's angle, but she wasn't going to leave him hanging. She glared at Harry. "Ghosts are vile."
"And inconvenient," Tucker added tiredly. The coffee was doing nothing to alleviate his all-nighter headache. Same for Danny, if his empty mug was anything to go by. With a refill on his mind, Tucker grabbed both mugs.
Danny continued to take apart the wray gun. "All ghosts are scum, Harry. It's best you accept this now so it doesn't bite you later." Harry couldn't tell if Danny truly meant it or if he was just trying to prove his point.
"That's the spirit Dann-o!" Jack exclaimed. He hardly noticed the three soured expressions at his entrance from the basement and bounded over to his son. He patted Danny roughly on the shoulder, eliciting a spurt of coughs from him.
"Aw, look, honey! They're following in our footsteps!" Maddie squealed pointing at the pair holding the ecto weapons. Sam and Danny looked at each other and dropped the gear with a blush.
"N-No we're not!" Danny sputtered.
"Let's hunt ghosts today, son!" Jack beamed.
"It can be a family outing!" Maddie exclaimed.
Danny flinched, regretting his anti-ghost claims. "I already have plans," he blurted. He knew that wouldn't be good enough to get his parents off his case. Frantically, he searched for another excuse. "Besides, I don't have a HAZMAT suit anymore."
He winced and waited for his mother to chastise him, but she only rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm…you've probably outgrown it anyway. What happened to it?"
Mind racing, Danny stammerd, "Uh, Sam wore it to a goth convention and some guy ripped the sleeves off to make it more, er, bad….ass?" The doorbell rang, but before anyone could move, Jazz yelled that she would get it.
"Hmm… interesting choice of a costume," Maddie commented, looking at Sam. "I'd think you'd want to wear something darker. The white must have stood out in the crowd."
Danny faltered. He forgot the suit used to be white instead of its current black.
"I was making a statement," Sam reasoned with ease. "Goth is a mindset, not just a marketing ploy."
Danny inwardly thanked his friend for her flawless explanation. It's probably from fighting her parents all the time.
"Mom, Dad, some strange mail came in for you." Walking in the room, Jazz placed an envelope covered in nothing but stamps. The only white space was used to write their address and the return address. "It looks like it's from the Weasleys."
"Who are the Weasleys?" Sam asked.
"A couple of Harry's friends," Danny replied. "Right on time, too. I was wondering when your pitstop would end." He felt more than saw Jazz's disapproving frown.
"I don't think they put enough stamps," Tucker commented.
Harry smiled. "That's the Weasleys for you."
"You should hear them using a phone," Danny said with a smirk. He still remembered his father answering the phone one hot summer afternoon last year. ' HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I — WANT — TO — TALK — TO — HARRY — POTTER!,' the ginger had belted. If Danny had answered the phone, he would have kept it at an arm's length with how loud the boy was yelling, but his father was unfazed. Danny fondly remembered his dad's response.
' YOU WANT TO STALK THE FAIRY'S DAUGHTER?' he had yelled back, as if there wasn't such a thing as indoor voices. 'YOU LISTEN HERE, SON, FAIRIES ARE DANGEROUS AND LET ME TELL YOU WHY…" Danny snickered, thinking of what Ron's face could have looked like on the other line. The best part was that he had gotten a good forty minutes into the lecture before Harry came to his rescue.
Harry ignored Danny. He was too relieved that his friend was coming through. "What's it say?"
"Looks like Mr. Weasley is inviting you over to their house for a special event in the UK," Maddie said, reading the letter. Jack made himself comfortable next to Danny and started rifling through the gadgets on the table. Danny cautiously watched his father and preemptively mourned the loss of his stash. His dad's tinkering usually ended with an explosion.
"Sounds expensive," Tucker commented.
"And wasteful to use that much jet fuel for such a short trip," Sam added with distaste.
"Not if I stay there until school starts," Harry said, looking pleadingly at his mom. She was too busy reading the letter to notice.
"That's presumptuous of you," Sam commented.
"Not if your friend is like family," Harry replied.
Sam glared at him. "Is that who you are trying to replace Danny with?" She heard Danny breathe sharply.
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Danny's not even my original family. In case you forgot, mine is dead."
"And if you keep chasing after the ghosts of your past, then you'll lose what you already have," Jazz pressed. The seriousness in her voice matched her face.
"Did someone say ghost?!" Jack yelled, wielding Danny's wrist wray. He pressed the trigger without realizing that most of its parts were scattered across the table. Danny watched with resignation as the device let off a few half-hearted sparks before sputtering out completely.
Jazz gave her dad a flat look before looking around the room and swallowing thickly. "I don't think Harry should leave us so quickly," she began slowly.
"What?! Why?!" Harry exclaimed angrily. "Are you trying to make my life miserable?!"
"No, Harry, I'm trying to help you," she replied calmly back. "You have some things to work out here, and running away will only make them worse."
"Work out here?" Maddie asked, perplexed. "What are you talking about?"
"The fact that you need to ask that explains what I'm talking about," Jazz stated, rounding on her parents. "Which brings me to another point. I think you should take a break from ghost hunting." Maddie and Jack looked at her, affronted. "You are losing your children with your lack of effort in this family. If you want to keep your son, you better start paying attention because he's at the point of leaving and never coming back."
"Oh, honey," Maddie said, wrapping an arm around Jazz. "I know living with a progressive family has its ups and downs, and we've missed a couple of things here or there, but that's just how things work with two working parents."
"We went to your graduation… what else is there?" Jack asked, puzzled. The graduation itself was a shoddily put together ceremony in city hall that was scheduled between a finance meeting and a press conference with the mayor on the ghost situation. Danny wasn't sure if his dad went to the graduation for Jazz or to support his 'best friend.'
"We don't need you here only for special occasions. That's not what a parent does," Jazz grumbled, pinching her nose. "We need you here on a daily basis."
"You're always welcome to come down and talk to us, hon," Maddie said sweetly.
"Did we miss Harry's graduation?" Jack asked, still hung up on the recent ceremonies.
"Hogwarts graduation won't be until I'm seventeen," Harry commented. "There's a couple of milestones here or there, but you don't really need to worry about those," he added, thinking of the OWL and NEWT exams.
"How could we when you won't tell us what they are?" Danny asked accusingly. "Besides, will we even be allowed to attend your graduation?" He glanced at Sam and Tucker who were giving him confused looks. "They don't like Americans very much," he explained.
Sam furrowed a brow. "Why would you choose to go to a place that discriminates to the point where it sounds illegal?"
"My thoughts exactly," Danny grumbled.
"Stop influencing your friends, Danny, they know nothing about what we're talking about. You only hate Hogwarts because it took me away from you, and you're still angry that I left," Harry argued.
Danny glared. "I hate Hogwarts because of how it's changed you," he seethed.
"That wasn't Hogwarts, Danny. It's called growing up, and it was going to happen with or without Hogwarts," Harry stated firmly.
"Harry, Danny has a point…" Jazz began, only to be cut off.
"Of course you're taking his side. You used to be more level-headed than this," Harry scoffed.
Jazz sent him a glare. "You hardly talk to us anymore, and when we've brought it to your attention, you act like that's what you want. And honestly, it hurts. I want to be there for you in the good times just as much as the bad times."
Her sharp gaze went to Sam and Tucker. Though Sam had gone back to fiddling with her ecto gun, it was clear she was still listening intently. Tucker, however, showed no subtlety, his gaze shifting from person to person mid-sip with wide eyes. "Sam, Tucker, the Fentons need to have a family meeting. You can hang out with Danny another time." She left no room for argument.
Maddie looked up from the letter, confused. She and Jack were the only ones who had ever called a Fenton family meeting. Usually, it was to discuss an upcoming ghost convention.
Danny shrugged at his friends. "We can finish this later," he said, giving them a smile.
Sam spotted Mr. Fenton's hand trying to grab another device from their bag. Snatching it quickly before he could destroy another one, she lugged it over her shoulder and began walking through the living room. Jack trailed behind her with a pout.
"You know, that lipstick gun could use another discharge. I could take a look at it for you," he all but begged on their way out.
Tucker stopped at the kitchen entryway. "Mrs. Fenton, your security network is something to die for. I'd love to go over your setup sometime."
"I can tell you a little on your way out," Maddie offered pleasantly. She followed Tucker into the living room, not noticing Jazz's deepening frown.
"Ten bucks they don't remember to come back," Danny grumbled.
No one took him up on that.
Harry turned to leave until his arm was grabbed.
"Where do you think you're going?" Jazz asked.
"You said Fenton meeting. I'm not a Fenton," Harry replied, petulantly.
"Since when?"
A part of him knew he was being stubborn, but another exasperated part wanted him to hold his ground. "Since home stopped feeling like home."
Jazz narrowed her eyes. "It's only stopped because you chose to see it that way."
"You think it was my choice? Jazz, your parents hardly even care that I'm home."
" My parents?" Jazz asked.
"Well, Jack and Maddie aren't mine," Harry stated firmly. "I spend most of my year overseas and they don't even notice when I'm here! Heck, they didn't even notice us arguing!"
"What about us?" she gestured at herself at Danny. "After all these years, will you choose to disown us, too?"
Harry laughed. "You? You've been keeping things from me for weeks! Danny for years! You think I don't notice you and Danny sneaking out at God knows what hour? Since when have we stopped talking to each other?"
"Since you decided we weren't worth talking to," Danny accused, stepping forward.
"What do you even mean?" Harry exclaimed with exasperation.
"You've been distancing yourself from us for years. Sure, being a Fenton has its embarrassments, but we had each other and that was enough. Now, we're never enough for you. Too muggle to understand your high and mighty magic."
"You being a muggle has nothing to do with this."
"Doesn't it? It's why you left last year."
Harry crossed his arms. "There's a difference, Danny, and I'm not the only one doing the distancing. You and Jazz have been pushing me away since I got home. What's your deal against wizards?"
"Harry, all we've been trying to do is show you the issues we have been facing as muggles," Jazz reasoned.
"You're the one ignoring the concern and taking it personally," Danny added.
"Well what can I do? I'm just a kid! It feels like all you ever do is criticize me and who I hang out with."
Jazz's face softened, but Danny scowled. "You do your own share of criticism. What about all those comments about hating the muggle life and wanting to run away to live as an outlaw with the wizards?" he asked.
"Sirius is not an outlaw and neither would I be. He was falsely accused," Harry defended before deflating a bit. "Besides, the ministry would never have allowed it," he added, remembering Hermione's words with displeasure.
"What are you talking about?" Danny asked. He was talking about Harry's nonsensical plans to live on the run last summer but realized that Harry was talking about something else. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
Harry realized he had messed up the second he saw Danny's confusion. He looked at Jazz pleadingly, but her firm gaze held no shelter. It wouldn't take Danny long. He had told Danny all about his godfather's innocence and the ministry's response. To Danny, it was one of the few things he did talk about, besides his longing to go back to Hogwarts. Seeing his brother connect the dots, Harry braced himself. "You're still trying to leave us!" he seethed.
"So?" Harry asked boldly. "It clearly didn't work." Seeing Danny's unwavering glare, Harry had had enough. "You know what? I don't have to explain myself to you. Try all you want, Jazz, but I'll get Mom to say yes to me leaving."
"I thought she was Maddie to you, Potter," Danny retorted.
Harry ignored Danny and continued on, "You even made it easy for me. In telling them to quit ghost hunting, you've invalidated your argument." He scoffed, "Like they could ever do that."
Jazz's face was unreadable. "The same could be said for you and magic. Even if it is only a couple of months in the summer."
"Well, you won't have to worry about that for long." He felt Jazz release his arm. "It was nice seeing you, but I have a real home to get to." He turned to leave.
"You've grown to be just like them!" Danny called out coldly.
Harry continued to storm out of the room before anyone could get another word in edgewise.
True to Harry's prediction, Maddie Fenton caved pretty quickly. All it took was a couple of hours listening to Jack's incessant ramblings and a promise to complete all the chores in the lab that Danny had failed to do himself. Harry sighed with content as he scoured the lab supply closet for a new ecto filtrator. Soon he wouldn't have to deal with the dramas at home.
Harry paused mid-search as Danny's voice echoed through the lab. "Don't even think about worming your way back out. The security system is still very much active and the last thing I need is twenty different weapons shooting point blank on the both of us."
Curiosity got the best of Harry, and he poked his head out of the closet. A peculiar scene unfolded in front of him. Danny was giving his best 'no nonsense' expression to a familiar thermos before inserting it into the wall next to the portal. With an ominous swirl, a ghost formed in the fog of the portal. She could have blended right into the punk rock crowd, if her glowing aura and fiery hair didn't give her ghostly nature away.
The ghost crossed her arms. "I was just trying to have a bit of fun, dipstick," she complained.
Danny deadpanned. "Your 'fun' was setting fire to the fire station," he stated bluntly.
The ghost shrugged as though she had done nothing wrong. "I thought the irony would grab your attention," she admitted, looking at her nails.
Danny pinched his nose. "What do you want, Ember?"
"I'm bored," she let out with an exploded sigh.
Danny was unfazed. "Go play with Klemper."
A pout formed. "You're no fun."
"And you're no good at having fun without causing chaos."
"How about a gig?" she innocently asked.
"Absolutely not."
Ember did not let his quick refusal get to her. "I'll tell you what. You let me hold a concert in the park- one that does not include mind control- and I'll make myself scarce for a week," she offered.
Danny looked unsure. "Now's not really a good time," he began, rubbing the back of his neck. He wasn't sure when Harry was leaving and didn't want to deal with ghost antics before he left.
Ember crossed her arms with confidence. It was clear she was about to give him an offer he couldn't refuse. "Fine, I'll add Skulker to the mix and keep him from chasing your white-haired counterpart for a week."
Danny frowned. "Make it two."
"Deal," she said with a smirk.
Danny returned the smile and stuck his hand into the portal. A firm handshake sealed the deal. "I want a free ticket for me and my friends, too."
Ember laughed. "You can get yourselves in without one, but fine. I'll get my band together and go over specs. Once I know more I'll find you."
"Like you did today?" Danny asked sarcastically.
Her mischievous smirk told him he had guessed correctly. "Later, dipstick."
"It's Danny!"
"Whatever!"
With her departure, a silence fell in the lab. Danny took a moment to watch the swirling abyss before sighing to himself.
"All ghosts are scum, eh?" He turned around and found Harry with his arms crossed.
"How long have you been standing there?" Danny asked with a raised brow.
"The whole time," Harry admitted.
"So much for common decency," he muttered. By his tone, he wasn't upset by the intrusion, though his high shoulders gave away his tension.
"I'll be courteous when you've earned it," Harry commented in the same uncaring tone. He watched Danny eject the thermos. "That's Phantom's."
Danny shrugged. "Mom has the same one."
Harry frowned. "But Ember even talked about your 'white-haired counterpart'. Who else could that be?"
Danny started walking towards the staircase. "Grandpa?"
"Grandpa disowned us years ago," Harry pointed out.
"Glad to see you following in the tradition," Danny retorted without stopping. Harry moved in his way and blocked the path. Frowning, Danny asked, "Shouldn't you be packing or something?"
"I'm already done packing."
"Really?" Danny asked, surprised.
"I leave today."
Danny let the information sink in with a deepened his frown. "I forgot how eager you are to get away from us," he commented, noticing that Harry hadn't budged. "Do you mind?" he asked, making a scooching motion with his hands.
Harry's gaze went back to the thermos in his brother's hand. "You stole it then," he reasoned, gears working overtime. "No, Ember knew you. You must be working with Phantom."
"I'd never work for such scum," Danny retorted.
Harry met his reluctant gaze head on. "You're blatantly lying to my face," he angrily accused.
"Would you rather I say 'you wouldn't understand'?" Danny asked. "It's what you do whenever I ask about Hogwarts."
"That's not even relevant!" Harry exclaimed. He resisted feeding into Danny's deflection, though his temper wanted him to retaliate. "How did the son of ghost hunters even start working for ghosts?"
Danny gave a patronizing smirk. "You wouldn't understand."
Harry wanted to pull his hair out. Or Danny's. Definitely Danny's.
"Why do you even care? You're leaving," Danny asked.
Harry felt his will crumble as he succumbed to his emotions. "You're right," he seethed. "Besides, what can you do for a superhero besides taking care of his dirty laundry?" He gestured at the thermos.
Danny's face soured. "Right, because all those without magic are useless."
"No, just you." Anger fired through Danny and he balled his fists. He was ready to lunge at his brother but was interrupted by a voice.
"Harry, the Weasleys are here to pick you up," Jazz called down.
Harry looked up to respond but was harshly bumped in the shoulder. "Can't keep your new family waiting," Danny spat, moving past him.
Danny walked into the kitchen and spotted the red-headed family.
"You must be Danny Fenton," Mr. Weasley beamed, quickly shaking his hand. He gestured to the other two visitors in the room. "These are my sons, Fred and George."
"Hi," Danny greeted, recognizing them as the two boys in the car that Harry had driven away in a couple years before.
"Hi," the boys replied in unison.
"I'm sorry my parents are not here. I'm sure they would have been if they had known you were coming to pick Harry up today," Jazz said, shooting a pointed look at Harry as he entered the room. Harry withheld a snort. His departure would not have stopped Jack and Maddie from bulldozing their way to that firehouse.
"Harry!" Mr. Weasley greeted. He clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Hi, Mr. Weasley," Harry smiled.
"Your sister and I have been having the most charming discussion about the use of bulbous lights."
"Light bulbs," Jazz corrected in a bemused tone.
"Right!" Mr. Weasley's excitement was barely contained in his smile. "It's a way muggles can see in the dark."
"Imagine that," Fred drawled sarcastically, before wrapping an arm around Jazz. "But I'd rather know what kind of practical jokes you pull around here. Want a piece of candy?"
"Sure," Jazz replied politely, taking a piece of toffee from him. "I'm sorry to tell you, but I'm not much of a prankster myself." Fred let go and looked appalled.
"No pranks?!"
"Must explain Harry's dull sense of humor." George sent a grin Harry's way.
Harry rolled his eyes and ignored the twins. "I'll grab my stuff, Mr. Weasley."
"No rush, Harry!" Despite Mr. Weasley's words, Harry sprinted upstairs. The sooner he could leave, the better.
Danny turned to Mr. Weasley with a grin. "If you think light bulbs are neat, wait till you learn about flashlights. Have you ever heard of a battery?"
Mr. Weasley perked up. "No, please explain."
Danny excitedly rambled about the transfer of chemical energy to electricity as Mr. Weasley listened eagerly. The only subjects Danny still thrived in were the physical sciences. Despite his lackluster grades, Danny still desperately clung to the unlikely hope to still become an astronaut. A part of him knew he'd never pass the physical, but he couldn't give up on the one thing he wished for himself. So what if he sounded like his father rambling about ghosts? Danny couldn't deny himself this. That is, until he heard a strange gagging noise from across the room.
Danny's and Mr. Weasley's attention was drawn to the center of the room where Jazz and the twins stood. Their conversation had come to an abrupt halt when Jazz's tongue started growing larger than her mouth could hold and turned a deep shade of purple. Danny watched in horror while Mr. Weasley gaped in shock. Harry was just making his way down the stairs with his things when Fred and George busted out laughing. Spotting Jazz, Harry smirked. He should have known they'd try their pranks on his family, especially after Danny sent all those ecto-dogs to him.
Danny noticed none of this, but watched Jazz's panicked eyes as she coughed uncontrollably. It wasn't until she fell to her knees that Danny took action.
"What did you do?!" he cried with panic. He shoved Fred and George out of the way and kneeled next to Jazz. "Jazz, are you okay? Can you breathe? Please tell me you can breathe." Jazz looked at Danny with fear, but nodded. Danny sighed with relief and tried to calm his racing heart. Glaring at the two laughing boys, Danny stomped over to them. "What did you do?!" he repeated angrily. "And why would you do it to Jazz ?"
"It was just a bit of mischief," George said, wiping a tear. The boys were not phased at all by the turn of events. Danny stepped forward with a clenched fist, but a hand landed on his shoulder.
"Not to worry!" Mr. Weasley stated nervously, giving Danny a shaky smile. "It looks like a simple engorgement charm. I think I can fix it," he explained rather unconvincingly. Danny looked at him appalled.
"You think?!" he shrieked with an embarrassing crack in his voice. The twins exploded with renewed laughter and heat flooded to Danny's cheeks. "You're horrible people!" he yelled angrily. He felt his power at his fingertips ready to burst.
"Now just wait a second… Fred and George meant no harm…" Mr. Weasley stammered. He waved a placating hand.
"No harm?! No harm?! Look at her! She's defenseless to magic and they attacked her!" Danny continued, gesturing at the still struggling Jazz.
"It's called a prank for a reason, mate, relax," Fred shrugged.
"Then fix her," Danny exclaimed, jabbing a finger in Jazz's direction. Rounding on Mr. Weasley, he added, "And none of this 'I think' nonsense either."
"I don't know George, I think she looks better this way," Fred snarked with mirth. George grinned in response.
Anger boiled over and Danny lunged at Fred, only to be caught by Harry.
Harry, who had been standing off to the side watching with humor which quickly turned to horror, grabbed Danny and started pulling him away from the Weasley twins.
"Let me go! What is wrong with you?!" Danny shouted, struggling in Harry's arms.
"Danny, you don't know Fred and George like I do. They do this kind of stuff all the time. It's their way of having a bit of fun."
A sigh of relief left Harry as he felt Danny's struggles stop abruptly. He let him go and took a step back.
Danny turned, and in one motion punched Harry in the face. In his blow, he released all his pent up anger that had been building over the years. He was sick of it all, especially Harry's blatant disregard for his family and his blind loyalty to magic. He felt used and abandoned by someone who he had once looked up to. The person who taught him everything he knew about being a hero was now the one defending the villain. He couldn't take it anymore.
"Hey!" Fred shouted. He and George ran to Harry's aid, but Mr. Weasley blocked the path.
"You are not helping the situation," he sternly told them. "Grab Harry's things and go home. We'll meet you there."
The twins looked like they wanted to argue, but reluctantly followed their father's command. Flames cast a green glow in the living room as George left the house. Fred stepped into the fireplace and tried to give Danny a parting glare, but Danny was too busy attempting to burn another scar on Harry's face with one of his own to notice.
Once the pair left, Harry took action. "What the hell, Danny?!" he shouted, rubbing his throbbing cheek.
"That's my line," Danny growled. "These are the people you hang out with?! They're just some big thugs who prey on the weak for a good laugh!"
"Fred and George aren't thugs! They prank everyone! They wouldn't do it if it was harmful."
"It's one thing when you're 'pranking' with friends, but when it's a defenseless stranger, it's called bullying!"
"Mr. Weasley even says it's an easy fix!"
A glower formed on Danny's face. "Just like Vlad's memory was an easy fix?"
Harry roared in frustration. He met Danny's glare head on. "You need to let that go! You don't even like Vlad!"
"Just because I hate the guy doesn't mean he deserved to have his mind taken away," Danny retorted, crossing his arms. "You told me a long time ago that I had to protect others who could not protect themselves." He looked over at Mr. Weasley who was helping Jazz. "You've forgotten."
Harry opened his mouth to retort, but stopped when he noticed Jazz's tear-stained cheek. Why was he defending this? Sure Fred and George were being silly and immature, but it was clearly hurting someone. Was this how Dash acted?
Mr. Weasley spouted a few words and Jazz's tongue returned to normal. She stood up on shaky legs and gave Mr. Weasley, who was looking frantic and apologetic, a grateful smile. She softly patted his shoulders to ease his troubles before turning her gaze towards her brothers. Her eyes were heavy with the weight of their brokenness.
"You should leave," Danny said sternly, looking at Mr. Weasley with disapproval.
Harry frowned at Danny's rudeness and a fire rekindled. Fred and George were not Dash and Mr. Weasley did nothing wrong. Dash was a jerk that constantly put people down. Fred and George picked on everyone, including themselves! Sure they might've pranked Jazz, but they did that to everyone. Their hearts were in the right place; it was their execution they needed to work on.
"I have not forgotten," Harry said suddenly, venom in his voice as he glared over at Danny who returned it with a frown. "You have no clue what I've been through these past few years. What I've had to go through, had to bear. I've faced death more times than I'd like to admit. I've had to deal with crazy psychopaths who were supposed to be dead, constantly trying to kill me! I've had to fight against giant monsters that you couldn't even fathom , and horrible beings whose sole purpose is to suck the very happiness from you. I've dealt with peers who were terrified to even look at me because they thought I was evil. Peers who laugh and mock me on a daily basis for something that was out of my control and will haunt me for the rest of my life. You know nothing!"
Danny grit his teeth as Harry spoke, wanting nothing more than to point out the irony of his speech, but stopped himself. He couldn't blame Harry for his ignorance, since Danny had chosen not to let Harry in on his secret, but that didn't excuse his arrogant assumptions. Instead, he shrugged, showing indifference. "I forgot, muggle problems could never amount to a wizard's," he mocked coolly.
Before Harry could give an angry response, a shaky voice cut in.
"Harry," Jazz started weakly from her place next to Mr. Weasley. Harry's anger lost all its steam as he looked at his sister. She was pale and sweaty, with bags under her eyes. Nothing at all like the confident level-headed person he was used to seeing. "You shouldn't speak as if you know what we've gone through while you're away. It makes you sound pretentious. Danny knows Hogwarts isn't perfect and that you've had to fight for your life on multiple occasions. You'd be surprised at how similar that is to our lives." Harry looked at Jazz skeptically. If she was talking about Dash, that hardly counted as similar. Jazz, however, forged on, "And Danny's lashing out because he's scared for me. Fear causes us to act brashly." She looked knowingly at Danny.
Danny huffed and frowned at Jazz. If she kept hinting his alter ego to Harry, he was going to put the pieces together eventually. She gave him a pointed look. "Danny, I'm okay. I understand that the Weasley's were just trying to pull a trick, however…. untasteful it was."
Her attempt to lighten the mood with the pun went ignored. "Well I don't," Danny replied bitterly. "Harry, I do not like your friends or their stand on using magic on muggles. I'm surprised you don't share the same sentiments seeing as it was your sister they attacked." For good measure he added, "I also do not like your Ministry of Magic. They think they can rip away a muggle's memory when it conveniences them."
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Well I don't like your constant judgement on my life. Ever since I left for Hogwarts you have refused to see the good in magic. Well you know what? I'm done. I'm sick of this family where all you ever do is make me feel worse. Tell Maddie and Jack I quit. They can find another son."
With that Harry stormed towards the fireplace.
"Er, Harry-" Mr. Weasley began, but Harry had already grabbed a fist full of powder. Before leaving, he gave Danny one last look. There was anger and sadness in his eyes.
"Why do we always have to fight when I leave?" he asked bitterly. Emerald flames enveloped him as he left. Danny looked at the empty fireplace.
"Because you always choose to leave before working it out," Danny replied solemnly.
Mr. Weasley coughed, bringing attention to the fact that he was still there. Danny composed himself and turned to Mr. Weasley. With his hand outstretched, he said, "Thank you, Mr. Weasley, for helping my sister. It was not your fault, but you stayed and used your talents to fix the problem."
Mr. Weasley cleared his throat and grabbed Danny's hand. "Glad I could help," he replied. "I'll, er, talk to Harry back at the Burrow…" he trailed off.
Danny shrugged. "Don't bother. It was inevitable," he said.
Mr. Weasley gave a tight smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Weasley," Jazz stated, gaining his attention and shaking his hand. "If you ever want to learn more about the muggle world, we're only a chimney away."
Mr. Weasley's smile turned genuine. "You are most gracious, Ms. Fenton. When things calm down I'll send over an owl."
Jazz beamed. "Looking forward to it."
The room lit with an emerald glow before darkening with the setting sun.
"They left Hedwig," Jazz mused, breaking the growing silence. Danny watched the owl sleep peacefully in her cage wishing he could do the same. He felt utterly spent and all he wanted to do was sleep without a care in the world. How nice it was to be an owl, he thought. With the wind in his feathers, he could soar through the sky all day. His only task would be delivering a piece of paper tied to his foot.
"I have a few things I want her to deliver before sending her back to Harry. He'll just have to wait," Jazz stated, coming to a decision. Her voice pulled Danny out of his elevated thoughts. He came back to earth to find her staring intently at him.
"What?" he asked, perplexed.
Her face softened with concern. "How are you?"
And wasn't that a loaded question. He skirted her gaze. "I should be asking you that," Danny told her. Jazz had a tendency to always put herself second, and hid her feelings by helping others work through theirs.
Jazz looked at the fireplace. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't shaken," she began slowly. "so instead I'll say that I've been better."
Danny followed her gaze bitterly. "Same."
Jazz gave a heavy sigh. "Look, when someone is placed in an uncomfortable position, they can act bullheaded and defensive. Even if the thing they're defending is flawed."
A frown began to form on Danny's face.
"It's hard to think outside of yourself," Jazz continued. "What I'm trying to say is that I think we came on too strong. It was only natural that Harry became so defensive."
Danny released a sigh of his own. "Jazz, he didn't want to be here. Anything against his precious magic would have been met with the same stubborn loyalty." He shook his head. "I don't really want to talk about this."
Jazz gave him a long stare before relenting. "Fine, but despite the outcome, I think we sowed the seed of doubt in Harry. We can only hope that it'll grow."
"Whatever, Jazz."
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A/N - Well the drama llama has left the train, leaving behind a whole mess to clean up. I originally had planned to do this in two sections, but I won't be able to post for a while so here is another big chapter.
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I know Harry was a big angst muffin here, but he does get better (don't hate me too much!)