By the time it stopped it was the next day and the first trip to Hogsmeade was that day. Since he didn't have his permission slip signed he only went to see Ron and Hermione off but he only made it after everyone started leaving. Ron and Hermione had waited for him and McGonagall was still there, she looked slightly worried.

When Hermione saw him she gasped and cover her mouth with her hands, Ron looked over and he seemed to freeze. McGonagall looked at him and she took a sharp breath, "Oh my."

Danny looked more pale then anyone had ever seen him, there were dark circles under his eyes since he hadn't slept, and he looked like he could barely stand. Despite that Danny still smirked, "I can't exactly go with you guys but I figured I might as well see you off."

Hermione spoke, "Danny what happened to you?"

Danny shrugged, "Nothing you need to worry about, now go before everyone else is gone."

McGonagall stood in front of him, "Mr. Phantom, I believe it would be best if you went to see Madam Pomfrey."

Danny looked slightly confused, "Why, she can't help, there's nothing that can, just forget about it." Before anyone could say anything Danny turned around, "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go and sleep for the rest of my life."

Danny walked away and the three looked very concerned but they had to leave so they did while hoping Danny would be okay. Danny soon ran into Lupin and Lupin smiled a little, "Hello Mr. Phantom." He then noticed how Danny looked, "You don't look well."

Danny looked at the teacher, "You don't look so good either, you look a little pale."

Lupin smiled a little, "I suppose that's true, care to take a walk?"

Danny shrugged, "Why not, I'm not doing anything right now." Danny followed Lupin and they started walking across one of the long bridges connecting two parts of the school. Danny looked at Lupin, "So why did you look surprised?"

Lupin looked confused, "You mean when you fought that boggart, I think everyone was surprised."

"But you looked surprised after it turned into that thing, why?"

"I would have thought it'd be obvious, I assumed it would take the shape of lord Voldemort."

Danny shook his head, "I've never been scared of Voldemort, there are very few things that scare me. But that thing that the boggart turned into wasn't scary to me either, I hate it, but I'm not scared."

Lupin looked at him, "And what was it exactly?"

Danny paused, "I thought it would turn into a dementor, those things aren't the most fun to be around. But then I remembered what I really hate, the one thing I hope to god never happens, and it's that thing. The one you saw, it was me, well, a version of me, the one that snapped, the one that couldn't take it anymore, the one that hurt the one thing it always cared about."

Danny suddenly looked confused, "But why am I telling you this, I've only told one person any of this."

Lupin looked straight at Danny, "So you thought it would be a dementor, that suggests that what you fear the most is fear itself. But then it changed into you, this other version of you I mean, and you say that it hurt someone, that it snapped?"

Danny mentally sighed, "It's screwed up and complicated, but when I saw that dementor I heard someone scream. Then I felt pain, there was only one time that I felt that much pain, so what did the dementor do?"

"Dementors force us to relive our worst memories, our pain becomes their power."

Danny hesitated, "I think I heard my mother screaming, when she was killed."

Lupin was quiet for a second, "You know the very first time I saw you Danny I recognized you immediately. Not by your scar, by your eyes, they're your mother Lily's, yes, oh yes, I knew her, your mother was there for me at a time when no one else was. Not only was she a singularly gifted witch, she was also an uncommonly kind one, she had a way of seeing the beauty in others, even, and perhaps, most especially when that person could not see it themselves."

"Your father, James, on the other hand, he had a certain, shall we say, talent for trouble, a talent, rumor has it, he passed on to you. Your more like them then you know Danny, in time you'll come to see just how much."

Danny laughed a little, "You know, I used to try avoiding learning about them at all cost."

Lupin looked slightly confused, "Why?"

"Because I didn't want to find out that they were bad people, that I would have been this screwed up anyway. At least now I know they weren't that bad, I don't think they every thought I would turn out like this."

Lupin frowned a little, "Danny, why did the boggart turn into that version of you, who did it kill, and why did you feel pain when you were close to the dementor?"

Danny shook his head, "The answers to those questions are very complicated, that version of me snapped. It snapped because it became too much for it to handle and it killed the one person I always knew I could trust. As for the dementor that's not a fun story, if you want to know ask McGonagall and Pomfrey, I had to tell them last year."

With that Danny walked away and he went to his dorm room and sat on his bed, he didn't feel like sleeping yet. He grabbed his violin from under his bed and he played a song or two, it usually helped settle his emotions if he got too overwhelmed. Later that day when Ron and Hermione got back from Hogsmeade Ron told him all about the stuff there.

Danny was only half paying attention since he was still tired and he was a bit preoccupied. Danny then noticed that something was wrong and spoke, "Anyone know what's going on?"

Ron spoke, "Probably Neville's forgotten the password again."

Neville spoke from next to Ron, "Hey!"

Ron looked at him, "Oh, look at that."

Percy spoke ahead of them, "Let me through please, 'scuse me, I'm head boy." When Percy saw what was wrong he looked at everyone, "Get back, all of you, no one is to enter this dormitory until it's been fully searched."

Ginny moved through the crowd toward them, "The fat lady, she's gone."

Ron spoke, "So's her pipe, she was a terrible singer."

Hermione looked at him, "That's not funny Ron."

All of the other portraits were making noise, they seemed distraught about the whole thing. Then Percy spoke, "The headmaster's here." Dumbledore made his way to the portrait and when he saw the damage he looked shocked, the picture was cut up and it didn't look good.

Dumbledore spoke, "Mr. Filch, round up the ghosts, tell them to search every painting in the castle and find the fat lady."

Filch spoke, "There's no need for ghosts Professor, the fat lady's there." He pointed to one of the paintings and the students ran to see her, Dumbledore had to tell them to keep moving so he could get to her. Dumbledore looked at her, "Dear lady who did this to you?"

The fat lady peaked out from behind a large pig she was hiding behind, "Eyes like the devil he's got, and a soul dark as his name. It's him headmaster, the one they all talk about, he's here, somewhere in the castle, Sirius Black!"

Dumbledore looked at Filch, "Secure the castle Mr. Filch." Dumbledore looked at the students, "The rest of you, to the great hall." The students started heading to the great hall and they ended up sleeping there, all of the kids soon fell asleep despite what happened but Danny couldn't. He wasn't worried, Death assured him that everything was fine, but his insomnia was making it difficult to fall asleep.

Dumbledore stayed with the students to keep an eye on them while the others searched and Filch eventually walked in. "I've searched the astronomy tower, even they owlery, you can be certain nothing's there."

A teacher spoke, "Third floor's clear too sir."

Snape spoke, "I've done the dungeon's headmaster there's no sign of Black, nor anywhere else in the castle."

Dumbledore spoke, "I didn't really expect him to linger."

Snape spoke, "Remarkable feat don't you think, to enter Hogwarts castle on one's own completely undetected."

Dumbledore answered, "Quite remarkable yes."

"Any theories on how he might have managed it?"

"Many, each as unlikely as the next."

"You may recall prior to the start of term I did express concerns about your appointment of Professor-."

Dumbledore cut him off, "Not a single Professor inside this castle would help Sirius Black to enter it. No I'm quite convinced the castle is safe, and I'm more then willing to send the students back to their houses."

"What about Phantom, should he be warned?"

"Perhaps, but for now let him sleep, through dreams we enter a world that's entirely our own. We can swim in the deepest ocean, or glide over the highest cloud."

The teachers then left and Danny mentally sighed, he definitely wasn't going to be sleeping tonight. As Danny thought he didn't sleep, the next morning he got up and one of the classes he had that day was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Snape walked into the classroom and flicked his wand to make the windows shut and stood in front of the class.

"Turn to page three hundred and ninety four."

The students looked confused but they did as they were told and Danny raised his hand, "Quick question, where the fuck is Lupin?"

Snape looked at him, "That's not really your concern is it Phantom, suffice it to say your Professor finds himself incapable of teaching at the present time, turn to page three hundred and ninety four."

Snape tapped a projector with his wand, Danny rubbed his eyes, his head hurt like hell since he hadn't slept well since his last episode. After all the shit that had been going on he was not happy, he felt like his head was going to split open. He didn't even care when Hermione suddenly appeared next to him and Ron looked confused.

He only started paying attention when Snape spoke to the class, "Now, which one of you can tell me the difference between an animagus and a werewolf?" Hermione raised her hand and Danny noticed a necklace hanging around her neck, it looked odd. Snape spoke again, 'No one, how disappointing."

Hermione spoke, "Please sir, an animagus is a wizard who elects to turn into an animal, a werewolf has no choice. With each full moon when he transforms he no longer remembers who he is, he'd kill his best friend if he crossed his path. Furthermore the werewolf only responds to the call of one of it's own kind."

Malfoy then howled and Snape didn't look happy, "Thank you Mr. Malfoy." Snape turned to Hermione, "That is the second time you have spoken out of turn Miss Granger, are you incapable of restraining yourself or do you take pride in being an insufferable know it all."

Ron leaned closer, "He's got a point you know."

Snape continued talking but Danny wasn't paying attention, a paper crane landed in front of him. When Snape gave them their homework everyone groaned and Danny rubbed his eyes again before opening the crane. Danny looked at the drawing and he just rolled his eyes and crushed the paper, Malfoy seemed mad that he didn't get more of a reaction from Danny.

The next day they had a quidditch match against Hufflepuff and it was raining, heavily, which meant everyone had to wear goggles to see. Danny had to avoid one of his teammates who's broom had been struck by lightning, unfortunately Danny had to focus on the game. He and the Hufflepuff seeker were chasing after the snitch when the other seeker was struck by lightning.

He stopped briefly as the other seeker fell and he looked in the direction of a lightning strike just in time to see one of the cloud form into what looked like a large dog. He was brought back to reality when the snitch flew in front of his face and he chased after it again. As he was flying he noticed that his broom was icing up and he felt his skin get cut up a little by sharp pieces of ice.

He then noticed a dementor behind him but he continued on and Death was ready to defend him if need be. Danny continued to chase the snitch while the dementor's followed him and he came up with an idea. He flew higher into the sky before suddenly flying down again and the dementors seemed surprised by the sudden action and Death seemed happy.

Danny then noticed the other dementors ahead of him and Danny felt himself start to lose consciousness. Death forced the dementor away from him but Danny still fell, he knew this feeling, he had fallen from greater heights before. He instinctively reached for Death and he felt Death grab his hand just before he hit, it hurt but he would live.

Seconds later he blacked out, he tried to stay awake, he really did, but he was tired and everything went dark. When he started to gain consciousness again he heard people talking and it took him a minute to make out what they were saying. "What do you expect, he fell over a hundred feet."

"Yeah, come one Ron, let's walk you off the astronomy tower."

"And see what you look like."

Danny spoke, "He'd probably look better then normal." The people that were crowded around his bed laughed a little and Danny looked confused, "Where's...?"

Danny felt a familiar hand grab his and Hermione spoke, "Where's what?"

Danny shook his head, "Never mind."

Danny sat up and rubbed his eyes a little to clear his head and Hermione spoke again, "How are you feeling?"

Danny shrugged, "Believe it or not this isn't that bad."

Fred spoke, "You gave us a right good scare there mate."

Danny raised an eyebrow, "And does someone want to tell me what the fuck happened?"

Ron spoke, "Well, you fell off your broom."

Danny then remembered that he did indeed fall off his broom, "Oh yeah, and let me guess, because of that royal fuck up Hufflepuff won."

Hermione stood up, "No one blames you Danny, the dementors aren't supposed to come inside the grounds. Dumbledore was furious, as soon as he knew you were okay he sent them straight off."

Ron hesitated, "There's um, something else you should know too Danny, um, when you fell your broom sort of flew into the whomping willow." Ron held up some of the pieces of his broom, "I'm sorry Danny."

Danny just sighed and stood up despite everyone trying to stop him, he walked out of the hospital wing. He changed out of his quidditch robes and decided to go for a walk, he ended up running into Lupin outside. Lupin smiled a little, "You look better."

Danny smirked, "That little fall wasn't going to keep me down for long."

Lupin laughed a little, "Care to take a walk?" Danny shrugged and followed his teacher, they ended up walking into the woods a little before Lupin spoke again. "I'm sorry to hear about your broomstick, is there no chance of fixing it?"

"Hell no, the damn thing would only be good for toothpicks at this point." Danny was quiet for a second, "So tell me, why do the dementors affect me so much?"

Lupin looked at him, "Listen, the dementors are amongst the foulest creatures to walk this Earth. They feed on every good feeling, every happy memory until a person is left with absolutely nothing but his worst experiences. You are not weak Danny, the dementors affect you most of all because there are true horrors in your past, horrors your classmates can scarcely imagine, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

Danny mentally sighed, "And do you know about everything?"

Lupin paused before looking at him, "I did ask McGonagall and Pomfrey, they told me what they believe to be the truth and they said the same thing."

"But what do you think?"

Lupin stared at Danny for a second, "Do they really hurt you?"

Danny rolled up one of his sleeves to show the numerous scars he had, "You tell me." Lupin looked shocked and Danny put his sleeve down again, "I'll ask the same of you what I asked of them, please don't tell anyone."

Lupin looked shocked and confused, "But why, why would you want to keep this a secret?"

Danny sighed, "It's complicated, everything is, but I've survived this long so there's no need to worry." Lupin didn't seem to agree but Danny didn't give him a chance to speak, "Besides, the dementors freak me out more then those two."

Lupin was quiet for a second, he wanted to try and figure out what Danny was hiding but he decided not to push it, for now. "I'd consider you a fool if they didn't."

Danny looked at Lupin, "I need to figure out a way to make them leave me alone, but you did that with that one on the train."

"There was only one that night."

"But you still did it."

"I don't pretend to be an expert Danny, but as the dementors seemed to have developed a particular interest in you perhaps I should teach you. But after the holidays, for now I need to rest."

Danny nodded, "After the holidays it is." Danny thought for a second before he decided to head back to the castle, he was tired too.