"Just because you brought a friend doesn't mean I believe you any more than I did before," Vlad stated irritably. He folded his arms and looked at the pair. At least they were not wearing bathrobes this time.

Jenny smoothed the highschool uniform she was wearing. She wasn't happy that her supervisor, Ruth, had been called in, but at least she was going to get answers. Jenny watched the boss lady lean forward with a challenging smirk. "But you'll find our credentials are quite legitimate, Mr. Masters."

"Hmmm…" She had him there. "Very well. What do you want?"

Jenny perked up. Finally she was getting somewhere with this case. "We've been getting reports about ghosts here in Amity Park," she began.

Butter Biscuits! Vlad thought. His deal with Desiree should have prevented any unwanted attention. After this mess was sorted, he had some choice words for the ghostly genie.

"Before you say anything, Mr. Masters," Ruth cut in, "I just want to add that we've seen these ghosts for ourselves today." Vlad held back another pastry curse. He silently swore recompense on the blasted perpetrator for his childish grabs at attention. The boy would get all the attention he needed if he'd just agreed to join Vlad. Fool.

The new FBI agent had inadvertently reminded Vlad that he also had to talk to the Department of Transportation about their abysmal performance in snow removal. A migraine was forming and these 'agents' were not helping.

"Right, well, as you probably saw, no one was hurt in the ghosts' escapades and besides a brief delay in the morning's activities, the town moved on," Vlad stated flippantly.

"Is it normal to have ghosts flying through the city?" Jenny asked. "I was surprised to see the citizens unfazed."

"Amity Park has learned to deal with the unknown. As much as I hate to say it, ghosts have become commonplace here." Vlad narrowed his eyes as suspicions rose. "Shouldn't you know this from the Ghost Investigation Ward?"

Jenny looked stricken, recalling her last conversation involving the GiW. Those two kids had called her bluff right away. Ruth subtly elbowed Jenny to calm her down and gave Vlad a disarming smile. "Interagencies don't get along very well," she stated simply.

Vlad was not buying it. "I question your involvement here, seeing as they're the ones who have authority over the supernatural." Before he could question them further, an alarm went off. Paying no mind to his shifty guests, Vlad pulled out his phone and scanned the alert. The migraine grew the further he read. After a moment, he snapped the phone closed and grabbed his coat. "Excuse me, but we'll have to cut this meeting short."

Ruth stood sharply. "What do you mean? You can't just leave! Mr. Masters, I must say, this is very unprofessional."

"Says the woman in a private school uniform," Vlad muttered before plastering an apologetic smile. "My apologies, agents, but you see, there's a personal matter I must attend to. I would rather stay, but it's a bit of an emergency." The emergency being a certain badger who had the audacity to sneak into his mansion. The boy would regret that decision soon enough.

Without further words, Vlad stormed out of his office grumbling under his breath.

"That was quick," Ruth commented. "But we got all the information that we needed."

Jenny stood excitedly. "Did you hear him? 'Ghosts are commonplace here.'"

Ruth raised a brow. "That's what I was implying."

"Oh."

Ruth sighed. She stood and straightened her own school uniform. "It's a good thing we already have a troop on the outskirts of town. I'll send a messenger patronus for them to mobilize, then we can finally cross this town off our list." It had been a slight annoyance that this case was left open for so long. It soon turned into frustration when Britain's Ministry of Magic had sent a messenger owl telling them they weren't doing their jobs properly. Arrogant pricks.

"Right, and what exactly are we erasing?"

Jenny knew it was the wrong question to ask when Ruth pinched her nose. A headache was threatening to form. "Any and all things connected or having to do with ghosts, Jenny," she replied, irritably, wishing that good help wasn't so hard to find these days. Jenny shuffled hesitantly and waited for Ruth to straighten once more. "We might as well get started here," she continued, taking out her wand. "Are you well versed in the memory charm?"

Jenny nodded excitedly, happy to provide a response that would not cause further scrutiny. "Yes! I just finished my training for emergency memory wipe last week."

Ruth hummed with approval. She looked back at the doors. "A pity the mayor couldn't stay longer. I had hoped to be the one to cast the charm on the pompous fool. Nevertheless, we have work to do here."

What once had been a tumultuous inferno had become a flickering flame. Steam and smoke blended together to form a thick blanket of fog. It was hot and suffocating, yet Danny released a shiver. Frozen tears clung to his face as his glazed eyes roved over the only place he had ever called home. They had tried to block his view, but it was pointless. The destruction was everywhere.

A sharp pain. The air began to chill. Ash began to mix with snow as flurries dusted his hair. A blanket soon found its way to his shoulders and a hot drink was placed in his hand. Its warmth never reached - could never reach - him. To feel meant acknowledging the empty void growing inside. A void that had once held something special, important. Its center had been wrapped in the warmth of a hug and woven with love. It had been a cherished place. One that should have been protected at all costs.

A wince and quick intake of breath. He shouldn't have dug. Shouldn't have thought. Thinking hurt too much. He took a deep breath, wanting to feel nothing. Embrace the cold. Let the numbness settle in.

Danny looked at the firefighters scattered across the carnage. Some were digging through the rubble while others called out to potential survivors. He knew they wouldn't find any. The limits of the infrastructure had been ignored when his parents installed the illegal laboratory under the house. Their bodies were buried under the remains of the living room, Danny's and Jazz's bedrooms, and the dented shell of the Ops Center.

There was irony somewhere in this mess. Two parents had died in the place they had hidden away from their duties, crushed by the weight of where their neglected family had gathered, but Danny wouldn't think this for years to come. Instead, he focused on the two words from the thought before.

Their bodies.

The pain was becoming too much and Danny clutched his chest in agony. Someone grabbed his shoulder and spoke to him urgently. He wasn't listening.

He was starting to feel as though the pain was justifiable. After all, if he had just let the wizards do what they wanted, he could have grabbed Jazz right before the portal exploded and turned them both intangible.

Way to go Fenton, he thought bitterly, if you had stopped and used your brain for once, Jazz wouldn't be-

Danny cried out and stood sharply, shocking the EMT personnel that were attending to him.

"I-I have to go," he stammered before bolting. He didn't care that they were shouting after him. He had to leave now, and get away from the place that was no longer his home. Where his family-

Think of something else! he urged himself, feeling the familiar rings turn him into Phantom. He thought being a ghost would numb the pain, but it only brought more. Opting to continue running instead of flying, Danny let instinct take over and sprinted in the direction of Nasty Burgers. It wasn't until he was a couple of blocks away from his house that he realized why. He had planned to meet Sam and Tucker for lunch and they would both be there, probably already eating. It was the only place he knew to go and he needed to make sure they were safe.

He rounded a corner and skidded to a halt when he spotted a large group of people in wizarding robes marching down the street. Danny barely had time to dodge a blast sent his way.

"Woah, what are you doing?!" Danny shouted. A jolt of fear went through him. These were the people that killed his-

No focus. Sam and Tucker need you.

"You're a strange ghost," a man said in lieu of an answer.

The spike of fear was replaced with anger. Danny bared his teeth and took a defensive stance. The ever present pain receded as the urge to protect took over.

"This is my town," he snarled.

"Not anymore," the man stated, getting straight to business. "The Statute of Secrecy still applies to you and your… kind… despite your death. Consider this your cease and desist order."

Another spell was sent his way. Danny dodged easily.

The man released a bored sigh. "We're almost finished here, anyway. You want us to stay away? Then don't cause so much trouble in the future," he said irritably, as though Danny was a petulant child complaining about a confiscated toy.

"What do you mean 'you're almost done here'?" Danny asked. An uncomfortable feeling grew in the pit of his stomach.

The man gave Danny an unimpressed look. "The number of no-majs spouting wizard secrets on magical creatures?! Unbelievable."

Understanding dawned as horror grew on Danny's face. "You're erasing their memories." It was a statement, not a question.

"Like I said, we'll get out of your glowing hair soon enough, but we need you to get out of theirs."

But Danny wasn't listening. "How could you do that?" he accused.

The man faltered. "You make me sound like a villain, kid. It's a standard procedure." Suspicion then grew on his face. "Are you even registered?"

But Danny was preoccupied with his own panicking thoughts. "You said you were almost finished..." He looked in the direction they came from. His heart jumped to his throat as it was the same direction as a certain fast food joint.

"Look, if you're not regist- and he's gone." The man gave a long-suffering sigh toward the sky. "Why do they always run?" He looked back at his crew. "Let's finish up here and start looking for stragglers. If you find our delinquent ghost, detain him for questioning." The group nodded and continued on with their mission.

Danny reappeared around the corner and unwillingly turned back into Fenton. He clutched his chest as the feeling of failure threatened to stab his insides. Ignoring his shaking legs, he persisted forward. He was determined to reach his friends, despite dreading what he might find.

The air feeling like you were breathing tiny icy daggers was a perfectly normal occurrence in Amity Park this time of year. Snow, however, was rare until mid-December. Though nowadays, with the resident ghost hero frequently using it in his attacks, an argument could be made that snow was never uncommon.

No, it was not uncommon for snow to fall in Amity Park. However, the snow that fell upon the town today gave its pedestrians reason to pause and gaze up listlessly. Perhaps it was the way it fell, slow and silent as a solemn witness of the world below, or maybe it was just the pollution from the factory district mixed in with the flurries.

Regardless, this snow was unusual. While the people of Amity Park were unable to put their fingers on the reason, the mayor could sense the ectoplasm within its wintery composition. Vlad watched the snow fall from his front door with a calculating look. What was Daniel playing at? His investigations into the breaking and entering of his mansion were fruitless, but Vlad was determined to see it through.

Spotting a couple in billowy cloaks walking up to his driveway, Vlad turned invisible before they could see him. The last thing he needed was to discuss charity donations with a pathetic group of money mongers. He took to the skies immediately and began to make his way downtown.

The ectoplasm in the snow was unsettling and didn't bode well after the phone call he had just received from emergency services. An explosion? Downtown? Questions kept rising and the one person who held all the answers was eluding him. Vlad narrowed his eyes. He'd get his answers soon enough. It was only a matter of time.

Both too quickly and not quick enough, Danny pushed through the double doors of his favorite fast food place. He spotted the familiar beret and gothic updo partaking in a good old fashioned banter and let out a sigh of relief. He wasted no time sliding into the booth.

"Guys! I'm so glad you're alright!"

Sam raised a brow. "Right back at you, random homeless kid."

Danny pushed away his growing unease in favor of confusion. He opened his mouth to respond but was cut off.

"Be nice, Sam. He doesn't look that bad," Tucker placated. He gave Danny a wry grin and a nudge. "Who hasn't gone a few weeks running through the smokestacks of the factory district? Am I right?"

"W-What?" Danny sputtered.

Tucker faltered. "I was only joking, but seriously, dude. Why are you in our booth?"

The sweat that had formed during his mad sprint froze. This must be a joke. Tucker's confusion and Sam's uncomfortable side glances were too natural to be fake.

"W-What are you talking about? It's me Tucker, Danny," he gave a shaky laugh.

Tucker's eyes widened while Sam turned hostile. She pointed her plastic knife threateningly. "How do you know Tucker's name?"

Danny looked between the pair. "W-We're best friends."

"No, we are not," Tucker squawked back.

"Yes, we are!" He knew in his heart what had happened, but couldn't keep the desperation out of his voice. He neededthem to remember. "We met when Dash stole your PDA. You've had like five of them at this point and you've named them popular girl names from the 80s. Heck, you even make out with them in your sleep! And DOOM! We play all the time together!" He was starting to sound frantic but he didn't care. "Your name is FryerTuck and mine is SpaceAce. You gave me the cheat codes for level nine after Technus raided our party and tried to take over the world. And- and- the ghosts! You help me keep the ghosts from coming through my parent's portal. W-When they do, you're always there to make sure we get them back. Please Tuck, you have to remember!"

The more Danny talked the more vigorously Tucker shook his head and inched backward. When his back finally hit the window, Tucker stammered, "I-I don't know you, man."

"You're clearly delusional, or psychotic. I don't care," Sam spat. "If you know what's good for you, you'll leave my friend alone." And just to add salt to the wound, she muttered, "Stalker."

That threw Danny for a loop. "Stalker?!" he parrotted.

Sam forged on with narrowed eyes. "The stalking ends now. Get your kicks from somewhere else."

Danny opened his mouth to argue, but a stubborn voice cut in. "Is there a problem?"

Danny turned around. "Valerie!"

Valerie gave Danny a flat look. "So you've read my name tag. Good for you." She pointed at said name tag.

Reading the cliche 'Hello, my name is-', Danny concluded that Valerie must have been hit too. He was beginning to wish this all was just a horrible horrible nightmare and that Jazz would wake up at any moment.

Valerie huffed irritably and crossed her arms. "Look, you're not ordering anything and you're bothering my customers. I'm gonna have to ask you to leave," she stated firmly.

Danny gazed back at his friends. Tucker was glancing at everyone with anticipation while Sam glared threateningly at Danny. Valerie tapped her foot impatiently. Not knowing what to do, Danny slid out of the booth. Right as he stood an idea came to him. "Valerie! Your dad's job! How did he lose it?!" he asked, grabbing her shoulders.

Valerie narrowed her eyes and pushed him off. "That's none of your business."

But Danny wouldn't back down. "I'm serious, Val! I know what happened. It was a ghost dog! He attacked Axiom Labs after they killed him! That's why you hunt ghosts!"

"How dare you!" Valerie seethed, stepping back. "Making fun of me and my father that way! My dad lost his job because some dumb activists thought it would be funny to wreck the place and leave behind a bunch of stupid chew toys!"

Sam smirked, and Valerie rounded on her. "I know it was you, Manson!"

Sam shrugged. "I'm with 'ghostboy' over here, it was the dog's ghost who came back for righteous revenge against those sick and cruel scientists."

Danny winced. Okay, Sam's apathetic tone hurt more than it should have. Something was definitely wrong with him. He took a moment to recuperate as another stab of pain hit him.

"It really was a ghost!" he spouted indignantly.

Valerie was clearly done with this conversation. "And you're on something, freak. Get out of my restaurant or I'll call the cops."

How the situation escalated so quickly, Danny wasn't sure. He wanted to stay. To argue and force the truth on them until they finally understood, but deep down he knew that him staying here wasn't going to solve anything.

"I'll leave," he said with resignation. He gave one last look at his best and only friends. "I'm sorry to bother you."

As the doors swung shut behind him, Danny tried to embrace his earlier numbness, but it didn't provide any comfort.

.

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A/N - I don't usually use my phone to look at fanfic, but when I opened it today I realized that there were so many comments I've never seen! Thank you so much for all your support!

When I had first thought of this story, I had intended for Sam and Tucker to die with the Fentons in Nasty Burgers during the Dan arc, but having wizard involvement instead brought so much more depth to the story that I decided to go that route. Harry remains blissfully unaware of his family's downfall and his involvement for now, but that will change soon enough.

Danny and Vlad will be having a nice little chat next chapter so I'll see you then!