Danny woke up with a splitting headache — the expected drawback of ingesting copious amounts of alcohol. The halfa wanted to instinctively touch his forehead, but found himself unable to do that, for something was lying on his right arm. Slowly turning his head to his right, Danny saw that Ember was there, out cold. While not needing to sleep, the drinks had gone to her head, too. He needed to confirm something. Looking under the shared blanket, he saw the confirmation that he was definitely a man now. Not the way he had envisioned it, certainly, but he most certainly had enjoyed it. At least, he thought he had — the memory was somewhat fuzzy still. Danny rubbed his face with a free hand and sighed.

He honestly had had no idea that Ember was infatuated with him. He went along with it, neither being able nor wanting to stop it. But he enjoyed every second of what had been, and could only hope that the unusual tandem of a ghost prince and rock diva could work out. As Danny arrived to that conclusion, he felt a stir to his right, as Ember groggily woke up as well. She rubbed her eyes, pushing away the grogginess, and met halfa's look.

"Hey," she mumbled.

"Morning," Danny smiled. "How is the alcohol-induced sleep thing working out for ya?"

Ember groaned. "I may have overdone it with booze this time," the girl rubbed her forehead, her memories coming back. "Ancients, we...actually did this?"

"I think the fact that we are both naked in bed is enough," the halfa chuckled.

He said it and kissed the girl in his arms — a move that was reciprocated by the blue-haired diva, as the tips of her loosened hair flickered with tiny flames. That was an answer to an unspoken question, a confirmation enough that every word that had been said in an alcohol-induced delirium was sincere. Ember smiled.

"Look who's gotten bolder."

"We are a couple now, aren't we?" Danny smirked too. "Still feels odd on the tongue, but I think we'll get used to that."

"Yeah," Ember chuckled. "You didn't do half bad for a virgin," she nudged him lightly.

"There will be time to learn," Danny shrugged lazily. "Think the guests just went away?"

"Knowing some of them, they might still be partying," Ember rubbed her forehead. "We'd better check. You'd better."

"Sheesh, she is already bossing me around," Danny smirked. "Alright, don't keep me waiting, though."

"Good boy," she tapped him on the nose and cackled, before dropping her head in the pillow.

Chuckling, the halfa got up and dressed, before leaving the room. He proceeded to make his way to the hall where the celebrations had been, but found it largely deserted and in the process of the cleanup. Only Johnny Thirteen was there, barely awake, mumbling something incomprehensible to the poor middle age woman.

"I could pretend being surprised, but I won't," Danny said, more aiming to get Johnny's attention.

"You know this litigant?" Asked the lady.

"To my everlasting dismay," the halfa responded dramatically.

"Danny, my man!" Johnny finally recognised who was in the room. "Don't be using dat duplication now. There are humans 'ere."

The halfa sighed. It wasn't a hangover, the man was still drunk as kite. If that man had a liver, it would have packed up and left.

"I'd like to apologise for his transgressions, since he is obviously not in a condition to do so himself," Danny spoke as politely as possible.

The woman huffed. "Just make sure he doesn't break anything."

"I will try. But his nickname is Thirteen for a reason."

As the lady went on to clean elsewhere, the halfa looked at Johnny.

"What happened while I was gone?"

"You mean tapping those pale rocker che...ouch!" Johnny felt a zap of electricity that Danny had let loose. "We were just partying to da end. Klemper left only an hour ago."

"I'm surprised you are still standing. Wait...how do you guys know?"

"Heh, I be to these parties before your ma and pa met, kid," Johnny hiccuped. "What's the last question...oh, it was Kitty. She'd gone to check on you and found ya out cold butt naked."

Danny flushed. "That's one way for rumours to spread."

"Ha, our prince got laid at last!" Johnny laughed.

"Where's Kitty by the way?"

"Dunno. In our room maybe..."

"Then go to her and stop bothering the staff," Danny commanded. "And have a nap. I need both of your brains' in one piece."

"Will do, double boss. Since you know, you the prince and we make revolt thingy."

The halfa waved the ghost off, and prayed to the Ancients that the man would not accidentally use his ghost powers in front of everyone. Well, with the knowledge of how the party had ended, Danny was free to return to his room...or Ember's. The latter sounded more appealing at the moment.

"Man, after working for so long you start to appreciate holidays even more," Danny mumbled, exiting the hall.

As the halfa went, his mind occasionally drifted to something he was taking rest from. The school and the revolution. If the former was a nonissue for quite some time, the latter was something far more pressing. He remembered what scheme Voldemort had in mind. The Dark Lord was planning to stage a breakout from Azkaban, and now was the perfect time for it. Every official was currently busy getting their faces out of Christmas dishes they had fallen asleep in. The reaction time would be very slow, even for the bureaucracy of the Ministry. The halfa would have to check the intel later. But right now, perhaps he wanted to set some things straight with Ember. Such start of relationship was certainly her style, but to be frank, the novice that was Danny Fenton was completely unprepared. He had always imagined that such things would require a lot from him, be it attention, occasional presents, some boundaries...

"I hear you, Babypop."

Danny was snapped back to reality when he saw the cheeky ghost girl by his side.

"What do you mean?"

"You were rambling," she cackled. "I don't need much, Dipstick. Just...stay with me when I need you, alright?" She asked quietly.

"I...well, now I can't ask for anything else either," Danny tried to joke, red in the face. "But that is more than enough for me, too."

"Here. You got your talk. Now that we settled this matter," Ember was back to her usual self. "Let's get some grub."

The halfa smiled. "You read my mind."

Danny managed to get in touch with his agents only in the evening. Not because he couldn't establish contact, but because the diva wanted to spend time with him. And his hormone-infested brain could not say no. Nonetheless, the halfa had what he wanted on his desk before the sun set. Several Death Eaters of the highest calibre were ordered to go north, to Aberdeen in Scotland. The location was the closest to Azkaban. Since the Dark Wizards didn't wish to be tracked via floo network, the apparition was impossible there, nor did they have a portkey, that left only brooms. A daring move, considering the guards of that horrid place. But if Voldemort had dementors in his pocket, it would not be so difficult. The other question was about who would embark there as well.

"Why am I not going?" Ember objected.

"Because Dementors and ghosts have a nasty tendency of harming each other beyond reason," the halfa explained.

"Feel like running what these things are by me?" His now girlfriend asked.

"Soul-sucking demons that make you relive the worst moments of your life," Danny responded. "And what happens when a ghost is forced to relive THAT moment?" He inquired.

Ember gulped. "Sheesh. That's nasty."

"Yes, but ghosts can kill them with a strong blast, unlike humans. Personally tested. Us ghosts, not the incorporeal ones. Those are largely unaffected. That's why it was better for everyone but mortals that the dementors were driven out of the Ghost Zone."

"And how do they affect you?" The ghost girl asked.

"I don't lose control when I get a flashback. Although nobody feels pleasant being near them. That's why I'll take only a handful of our members who can cast patronus charm. You should stay behind for this one."

"Fine, Babypop-dearest. Go ahead," Ember rolled her eyes. "Give 'em hell."

"No 'come back alive and well'?" Danny smirked.

"You are already half-dead, Dipstick," the diva nudged him. "I would know that it is hard to finish the job. So I know you will be fine."

The halfa chuckled as he got another kiss on the cheek. He really was getting used to that affectionate side of hers.

But there was no time for that. Sending the message via the mysterious muggle technology called inter-fax, Phantom set out north himself. The flights across entire Britain had become a common occurrence, and he made it to Aberdeen before any of his followers, in the morning of the following day. It was perhaps for the better, for it gave him the chance to scout ahead and look out for Death Eaters. However, Aberdeen was a huge city, and thus the chances of them encountering were abysmal. Especially since Danny purposefully stayed out of the local wizarding communities. Not that he knew of any, to be honest. Thus, his scouting involuntarily turned into some nice round of sightseeing.

He still hatched a rough plan of action. The halfa knew not how the breakout would be staged, he could only theorise. Dementors were the sole guards of the prison. With certain arrangements the Death Eaters could probably waltz in unopposed. Still, to be on the safe side, they would probably take boats. Dementors could, after all, attack before thinking, and falling off brooms was a possibility. Phantom and his followers would take the same route, because they faced much greater dangers. He needed to keep the soul-devouring demons away on the approach. Or perhaps even distract them. All he needed to do was to pose greater threat, and that he was capable of. His followers in the meantime would get inside the building, and in the close environment they would be capable of defending themselves, allowing the halfa to rejoin them in the fight against Voldemort's servants. Yes, that sounded like a good plan.

Eventually, in a small cafe by the sea arrived a group of tired and shady-looking people. Danny blended with the crowd as much as his ghost form allowed. He was still not ready to show his followers his true persona. Chiara was amongst them. A brief exchange of pleasantries was made, before Phantom laid out his plan before them. Needless to say, they weren't happy with the prospect.

"If I knew I would be coming to Azkaban..." one of them muttered.

"I wouldn't turn down an opportunity to write myself down in history, Mr. Cadogan," Phantom responded calmly. "I assure you, all of you will come back with souls still in your bodies. And a story to tell your descendants."

"Heh," Chiara huffed. "Not that I question the leadership capabilities here, but the plan seems a bit...lacklustre."

"Oh, have I forgotten to mention?" Danny took a list of paper out of his pocket. It was a map. "I have every corridor of that place memorised. Borrowed it from the Ministry during the last visit there, along with the list of inmates and the numbers of their cells."

"Bloody hell..."

"He is a ghost, remember?" Asked Chiara, rolling her eyes. "Gets in and out whenever he wants."

"And that includes Azkaban," Phantom added. "If needed, I can just pick the walls apart until we get what we need. What matters the most here is the message we send to everyone. That we are a powerful organisation, which can defeat Dark Wizards while spitting into the face of the Ministry as well. We've long sought our chance to make an entrance, and this. Is. It."

"Yeah, CAN we actually defeat the Death Eaters like this? You said yourself that we are fighting the top brass here."

"We have an element of surprise on our hands. And as long as they don't free the captives, the numerical advantage."

"We also got our boss," Chiara added. "And he is more powerful than any of them."

Danny smirked. He would not deny that part. The halfa ordered everyone to wait in a rented cabin that had an overlook over the entire harbour, particularly the part where boats to Azkaban were located. Taking turns, the rebels kept watch. They were to give pursuit, not to sit among dementors waiting for the Death Eaters to come. And, finally, in the middle of the very next night, a large magical vessel the size of a speedboat set out in direction of the sea. One of the rebels sounded the metaphorical alarm, and they immediately hurried to the actual speedboat they had rented.

They kept distance from the Death Eaters, the noise of the motor drowned out by the strong waves. A couple of spells gave extra durability to the transport, and the lights were reduced to the minimum. Thankfully, the night was cloudless, and the sky was clear. Phantom in the meantime ordered his subordinates to study the map of the prison, as he himself was studying the instructions for driving the boat. Couldn't be harder than driving a flying Speeder from his parents' garage. The sail was lengthy, but the signs of Azkaban's increasing proximity were there. The humans in their improvised crew were shivering more often, eventually they could even see their breaths. And, while the plummeting mood could be attributed to the arduous ride, it could also mean something else.

"Hm, looks like we'll finally meet the welcoming committee," the halfa smirked, glancing up. He couldn't see anyone in the gathered storm clouds. He could also hear the distant thunder. "Brace yourselves. I also have some stored chocolate in the bag. Take them and don't hesitate to extort the dopamine."

"The what?"

"Happiness hormone. Chocolate causes its production," Danny calmly explained, before his hearing caught an awfully familiar sound. The dementors were too close, yet still out of sight. He saw the wizards reach for their wands. "Not yet. Blasting them with spells will alert everyone too early."

"So we are just letting them come and suck our souls?" Asked Cadogan incredulously.

"If they get close, I can at least punch them without ruining our cover. Chiara, you see the land yet?"

"Yes, chief. I see something tall on the horizon," the werewolf responded after looking into the binoculars.

"Hm...that's around two miles, if I'm not mistaken," Phantom mumbled. "We are close."

Suddenly, his ghost sense was triggered in a way he did not feel pleasant about. It was...different from usual. Instead of a single gasp he experienced the desire to vomit, so foul was the creature that suddenly emerged from underwater. The tall, gaunt figure dressed in black torn robes now floated near them, keeping up with the speed of the boat. Everyone present could feel it: the emptiness, the piling despair within that a single one of those vile demons was capable of causing. Before it became too much to bear, Danny got over the initial surprise, and in a surprise motion he jumped to the edge of the boat and grabbed the Dementor by its slimy hand, for in its feeling of security it had gotten close enough.

With a smirk, Phantom sent a surge of green energy up the creature's arm. With a soul-freezing scream, drowned by the wallowing sea, the Dementor was reduced to mere smoke in a matter of seconds. Disgust plastered on his face, the half ghost wiped his hand with the metal railing of their transport.

"What...what was that?"

"Dementors may be creatures of ectoplasm just as your humble servant," Phantom explained. "But their cores can handle only this much. A single discharge of this energy in any shape is enough to send them to whatever form of afterlife they have."

"Then we do have a fighting chance," mumbled Cadogan.

"Was there ever any doubt?" The halfa chuckled. "I defeated creatures much more dangerous than these second-hand bathrobes. But you people, too, are not rookies. You all know the way of keeping them at bay. Then show them what you can do!"

His encouragement finally erased the effects of the short Dementor exposure, but it would only get harder from that moment on. Because the feeling of emptiness grew ever stronger. The Death Eaters must have already reached Azkaban and were already too far into this to back down, and thus the pretence of stealth became meaningless. The assault of the Dementors began when the boat first started hitting the rocks hidden in the shallow, but murky waters. Like a swarm of wasps they descended, hellbent on feasting. Before they got too close, the wizards pointed their wands upwards and simultaneously chanted the spell of Patronus. The blinding barrage made the organised swarm scatter, and some even perished. Phantom charged a lighting bolt in his hand, before sending it into the smaller group of beasts, annihilating them on the spot.

"Let these bastards know fear for the first time in their miserable lives!" Exclaimed Phantom and laughed and fired another chain lighting, before jumping back into the captain's seat. They had to properly 'park' their boat if they were to leave the conventional way. With the corner of his eye he saw a couple of Dementors flying right towards the side of the boat. Phantom snapped his fingers and the grim demons hit the green barrier at full speed.

The boat was stopped at the precipice of the gargantuan triangular structure known as Azkaban. The pillar of black rock ominously observed the newcomers, but they had no time to do the same. When the boat landed, the intruders quickly jumped off on the cold rocky beach. At Phantom's orders, they all stuck together as Phantom conjured a green dome that shielded them from the onslaught. And after several tries, Dementors stopped their attempts at breaking through.

"Would you look at that," Cadogan laughed miserably, "These suckers can actually learn."

Not liking his tone, Danny took a look at his subordinates. Dementors' mere presence was already taking its toll. And it would be a lie if he said that he didn't feel the same way underneath his mask of confidence. But this momentary respite could help them regain some footing, munching on chocolate bars.

"You know," Danny tried to jest. "In retrospect, hiring guards with clear countermeasure was a moronic idea."

"One misstep and they will eat your soul," Chiara responded dryly.

"Wonder how they will try with mine. Come to think of it...am I actually my own Horcrux?" Asked Danny.

"Wha..."

"Chiara, be a dear, make sure that our friends inside have no way out."

Their leader pointed towards two large boats of black wood that rested near the worn-out docks. The message was clear, and to that end the halfa switched off the barrier. A well casted Bombarda spell reduced the boats to a pile of wet planks, before the werewolf girl retreated under the protection of solid ectoplasm. The humming shield of swirling green energy was oddly comforting, giving shelter from the ice-cold sea wind, the dangerous beasts and potential ambush.

Finding the entrance to the prison was a task in and of itself. Part of the reason Phantom had opted to bring his subordinates along was a myriad of magical wards that only wizards could pass through. True, he could go through walls, but there was a reason he always asked Tom to open the Diagon Alley entrance. Perhaps those that had built the place had been aware of the true power of Phantom's kind. Nonetheless, the first obstacle was the lack of any doors. From the information Danny had gathered thanks to the efforts of several Ministry moles and his own intrusion, he knew that several bricks had to be tapped in certain order. The bricks were located far away from each other, so any intruder would have his time cut even shorter, with even longer exposure to the local guards. For Phantom's group it meant leaving the security of the dome and fighting off the predators waiting to strike.

"I have an idea," said Chiara. "Phantom, you know which bricks to activate, I can set them off. Carry me to them quickly."

"And the rest should hold their ground...yes, this will work," responded Danny. "Cadogan! Make sure you guys are alright for the next couple of minutes. Make your ancestor proud."

"Will do, boss," the redheaded man sighed.

On the count of three the shield once more dispersed, and every ran to their positions. Their backs to the wall, the wizards that stayed behind could see any approach. Phantom in the meantime grabbed Chiara and rapidly flew to one of the prison's corners. Danny quickly started counting. Third row of bricks, twenty second from the left. Upon finishing, he quickly pointed to the brick in question. A tap of Chiara's wand made the black brick retreat inside the wall. And from there, to another end they departed.

"Say, how's the Christmas party been?" She asked suddenly.

Danny blinked. "Why are you..."

"Fighting off the pressure. There's one on the right!"

Phantom used his free hand to fire a blast at one of the beasts. So far they were hesitant to come at him, opting instead to lunge at the rest of the wizards, who were lighting up the place with their myriad of guardian angels called Patronuses. So far they were doing what they could.

"It was...interesting," Danny played along. Thinking about undoubtedly pleasant memories was a great. "Me and Ember are a thing now."

The werewolf stared at him wide-eyed. "Wow. What did she do?"

"We had sex," came a blunt answer, as Danny didn't know how else to deliver this piece of news.

"This sounds like her," Chiara deadpanned.

Now was the time for the tenth row, sixteenth brick. A tap of the wand, and it was the same way as before. The Dementors finally gathered up the courage to attack in all their numbers, no less than a hundred, decided to descend upon the intruders about to get inside. There was still one brick remaining in the middle. The first attack of the swarm was repelled by the bear-like Patronus of Cadogan himself. But the spell demanded a heavy price, you could not cast it forever. Phantom knew he had to hurry. He flew towards the group and dropped still fresh Chiara nearby to hold the beasts off.

"Let's see...the pillar is here, so it's one...two..."

"Hurry up, Phantom!" Chiara exclaimed after casting another spell.

Danny quickly began his count, trying to find that last brick.

"Here!" He pointed to one. "Someone activate it already!"

But he found the wizards either too exhausted or separated from him by a group of especially sneaky Dementors. Phantom gritted his teeth.

"When will you learn?!" He yelled furiously, before his white aura itself exploded in a bright flash that purged Dementors away.

Without thinking, he then grabbed a wand from one of the fallen wizards and tapped on the brick himself. The piece of wood did not obey, neither did the brick. Instead, he felt a burning pain in his palm so severe that he had to drop it.

"Damn it!" Phantom cursed.

"Watch and learn, spook!" Chiara exclaimed, suddenly appearing by his side and repeating what he had done.

Immediately a multitude of bricks vanished, revealing a doorway to go into. Phantom commanded everyone able to get in, carrying the rest with telekinesis. Once inside the dark corridor, Danny turned around and summoned his ice powers to block the exit with a glacial wall. Only then, in utter silence could the intruders take a breather. Phantom looked towards an unlit and old torch and ignited it with a small blast.

"This is bullshit!" Cadogan exclaimed. "We have just walked into an inescapable trap!"

"No need to be so dramatic," Danny sighed, glad to be away from the guards even for a moment. "Dementors are dumb predators. They won't touch our boat, so our way of escaping is secure. Also, the prison is built in a way that they can't get inside without permission. The occasional personnel wants to stay away from Dementors, hence the lack of windows. That's also why every sell has those. So that the guards can come for a snack. Dementors can't go through walls, after all."

"Finally some good news," Chiara sighed. "Now that we are in, what are we looking for exactly?"

"The Death Eaters obviously came to rescue their own. The warden showed brains, so he tossed them around. Part of the whole mood of this place is complete seclusion. We are not going to chase them around. Whether they like it or not, there is only one way in and out," Phantom pointed towards the currently frozen exit.

"So we are waiting until they come to us," Chiara finished.

"Yep. Let them trigger all possible traps," Danny nodded and crossed his hands. "Take a breather in the meantime. That's what we will do: there's an entrance hall ahead, I'll be there. This corridor is very poorly lit, so you can wait here until you hear the fighting. We'll set up an ambush."

"On it, Phantom sir," Cadogan responded.

Phantom nodded once more and strolled forward, the sound of his white boots hitting the marble floor were the only sounds to grace that desolate place. Soon he entered a round room with a single table in the centre, visually resembling the halls of the Ministry, Wizengamot in particular. Usually it would be occupied by a very unhappy secretary who kept the prison documents in order. But the Death Eaters probably needed a guide. Wardens rarely visited their prison, which was as laughable as it was abhorrent. True, it should not be a resort, but it was the only proper prison they had, for crying out loud. And yet the conditions here were abysmal, he had his confirmations soon enough. For some criminals of the low calibre had the luxury of staying relatively close to the exit, which was a meagre consolation.

Phantom could not resist the curiosity and started exploring close to the office room. Even so he saw the living conditions of the inmates, who eyed him with wonder and fear each time he opened the lids of huge iron doors. Tiny, grimy and poorly lit —fitting epithets for places that were their homes for many years to come. There was a reason solitary confinement was considered a punishment, leaving humans alone in a cell was a torture on its own. Here, such things were reserved for good boys and girls. Phantom felt disgust when he saw it. Dementors were a common spook, the most surface level danger. And the one that could be defeated by a single person. The tragedy of it all was the fact that the bigger danger to a man was the Ministry. They were the ones to come up with the idea of Azkaban. They had put Dementors there, and they were the ones subjecting people to psychological torture in every sense.

"I'll include this in the next speech," Phantom mumbled. "We'll do something about that."

Knowing that he had no time to dawdle, the half ghost turned around, returning to the main room. Now he had to wait.

-Linebreak-

The Death Eaters did a quick job. With the involuntary help of the secretary, they swiftly liberated their comrades from their cells, and luckily they were all sane enough to wield their wands that were brought to them. Well, Bellatrix was not any crazier than she had been beforehand, at least. However, currently she was overly excited, just like other nine inmates.

"I knew the Dark Lord will never abandon those devoted to his cause," she said triumphantly, fiddling the wand in her hands, recalling the memories they shared. "I knew he will come back!"

Her excitement was not shared by every Death Eater, but those liberated were as loyal to their master as was Bellatrix.

"Wait before I get my hands on that damn whelp," muttered Grayback.

"Keep up, you moron," said one of the rescuing party, referring to the terrified secretary.

"Why don't we just kill him?" Asked Bellatrix.

"The corridors rearrange themselves occasionally," Answered Antonin Dolohov tiredly. "We still need him."

Eventually, the group of over a dozen Death Eaters reached the overly spacious office. But before they could even turn towards the exit, they heard slow sarcastic clapping.

"Bravo, my little genocidal maniacs."

They turned towards the spinning chair, as the cross-legged half-ghost revealed his presence with a toothy grin on his face.

"You made it quite far."

"Who the hell is this brat?!" Asked Bellatrix, before everyone could hear Grayback's growl.

"YOU!" He roared. "Phantom!"

"Lord Phantom to you, Grayback," responded the halfa. "Fancy meeting you here. Did Dementors build a little doghouse for ya? You know, after I threw you in here?"

Fenrir would have lunged at him with bare hands, but the firm hand of Rockwood stopped him.

"What's going on?" Bellatrix demanded to know.

"Ah, Miss...Missis Lestrange. Sorry, always forget due to how cucked your hubby is by the Dark Lord."

Somewhere in the ambush cover, Chiara thought that he was spending too much time with Ember.

"I'm here as a herald of poor news," Phantom continued. "You are not going anywhere."

"You think you can take a small army of killers, brat?" Bellatrix was as always at the helm, pointing her wand at him. With a huff she swished her weapon. "Crucio!"

The blast of crimson energy was, shockingly to all, held within the half-ghost's palm.

"Yes," Danny responded bluntly, as all the candle fires turned deathly green. He then flicked the spell aside and it hit the wall. "Honestly. They never learn," he complained dramatically. "Anyways, people get tired of my self-adoring speech," he grabbed the edge of the table. "So let's get this over with."

He flipped the giant piece of wood over, and blocked what came next. From behind the Death Eaters came a barrage of spells that immediately put several wizards out of commission. Grayback, who managed to dodge, felt Phantom grab his neck through the table. A single pull and the following impact that cracked the thick piece of wood knocked the werewolf out. Danny had no time for the man actually capable of close-combat fights. The ambush served its purpose well, but now they were tightly packed sitting ducks. Phantom quickly left his cover, and was instantly attacked by Bellatrix.

"Reducto!" She exclaimed and fired the spell.

Phantom's chest quickly gained a gaping hole through which the spell went. The spell vaporised the wall behind, leaving a gaping hole to the outside. The half-ghost shortened the distance in a blink. And grabbed the witch's wand.

"Nice twig," he said and snapped it.

"You..." Bellatrix screeched, trying to claw his face off. She was unable to touch the untouchable, however.

Phantom turned towards Antonin and casually blasted him, ignoring the witch's pitiful attempts.

"I'm very disappointed," he commented loudly. "Is this the best the Dark Lord has in store?!" He exclaimed, before a gust of air escaped his mouth.

His eyes darted towards a freshly made hole, through which poured the first Dementor. The light inside the room was completely extinguished, only Phantom's own aura remained. Danny wasted no time, summoning a glacial blade. Lunging forward, he made a stabbing motion and beheaded the creature, before his lingering ice powers were used to seal the entrance. Rockwood tried to fire at the half ghost's back, but Cadogan's stupefy made the dark wizard go on the defensive instead. Phantom turned around and started bombarding the opponents with his blasts. Protego could not hold forever, and eventually the shields were shattered, and two more criminals were put out of commission. Only the Lestrange couple were still standing, with Bellatrix holding the wand of her fallen comrade.

"What the hell are you?!" Asked the husband.

"A ghost. Whose only reason for staying behind was the desire to shield the people from the likes of you. And so powerful it was that wizards are now completely incapable of challenging me," Danny opened his arms and grinned. "As you can see, I have some followers of my own, united by a purpose of weeding out trash like you, like your Lord, like the Ministry in its entirety. For your society is rotten in its core, and the Magical Liberation Front will bring about the much needed change! We bring liberation and equality to all races of this world, goblins, elves, werewolves! Make sure to remember this, dearest underpaid clerk," he looked at the short man that was cowering in the corner. "You shall be the one to make our greatest achievement known when the aurors finally arrive. Now," his hands glowed. "Time to mop up."

-Linebreak-

In the following weeks Danny and his followers were overtaken by a sense of triumph. The Liberation Front and its leader were now the talk of the entire Wizarding community of Britain, and on the international stage people were intrigued as well. The previously impenetrable fortress-prison of Azkaban was breached by a small group of wizards, all lead by a ghost whose power left all specialists shocked and confused. They defeated Dementors, the most dangerous criminals, and then simply left. The revolutionaries could not ask for a better introduction to the world.

The Ministry was forced to do damage control, for such a reputation hit could be ruinous for Fudge. They couldn't sweep it under the carpet, because the information was leaked almost immediately, spreading like wildfire thanks to the efforts of loyal Ministry workers. The fact was evident, not only the Death Eaters could get into the prison and almost escape, but there was another group around, with its clearly stated goal being nothing short of a total overthrowing of the existing order. Even Voldemort was not as radical in his political ideas back in the day. And undoubtedly, all Ministry efforts would now be directed at erasing the Liberation Front, with their complete disregard of Voldemort's return. An expected, but unpleasant outcome. They never linked the escape attempt to the desire of restoring the former power of their group. It was also bound to get more paranoid, and for a good reason, too.

For the Ghost Prince set his eyes to the main prize of the operation. And to that end, he had a meeting arranged. A mansion in an all-goblin settlement northeast of London was to host it. It was...quite an experience from the get-go. It looked like an ordinary village, hidden by many charms from the muggles, just...twice as small. The halfa could only hope that he could fit into the mansion. And he was lucky, for the owner of that fine place was accustomed to meeting taller guests. He of course used the back entrance, so as not to let any suspicions fall on the owner. And finally, here he was, under the scrutiny of several pairs of beady goblin eyes.

"I thank you for granting me this audience, gentlemen," Phantom bowed politely. "I understand how risky it must be for you to receive me."

He knew that prostrating himself in such a manner would get him on the good side of the prideful creatures such as goblins.

"Yes. And we don't have much time either, so speak your word, ghoul," said the grey-haired, balding and old goblin.

"I am not an Inferius, you know," Phantom put a hand over his chest, but still kept the smile. "As you must be aware, we are a resurgent group, advocating for a greater equality among all people of this world."

"Such a noble person and still not in prison," another goblin huffed.

"The events of the previous days must have clearly indicated that prisons cannot hold me," the halfa chuckled. "And to that end, we have a great need of allies."

"And funds, no doubt," the old goblin, Bogrud, spoke. "Otherwise why else would you seek an audience with the heads of Gringotts."

"An astute observation. Yes, to further our goals, we need finances to boot."

"These are dangerous things you are suggesting, Phantom."

"I understand that none of you wish to be known as the second coming of Ranrok. The rebellion of his tarnished the name of your people for decades. But this was also a useful pretext for wizards to shackle you even more, wasn't it? Or did they not force you into even further isolation, so hard that nearly all interactions happen through your bank?"

The goblins exchanged glances, but said nothing.

"This also reminds me," Phantom smirked, going for a sport bag on his shoulder, "I have come bearing gifts."

He put an object wrapped in cloth on the coffee table. Slowly he unwrapped it, revealing a masterfully crafted, encrusted with gems, steel helm.

"You recognise this thing, don't you?" Asked the halfa.

"The Helm of Urtkot..." Bogrud breathed out, his boney hands reaching for the invaluable artefact.

"And it's yours, as it should be," Phantom made a theatrical step back. "You should decide what to do with it. My job was to find it once more, in the caverns not too far from Hogwarts, and give it back to show my honest intentions. And perhaps, the good times of your race may in some way be returned."

For the next minute the goblins were busy carefully examining the relic, seeking to confirm its authenticity. Upon realising that it was the true one, the goblins went to their seats, remembering that their benefactor was still there.

"Ranrok was a fool," Phantom continued, now that their eyes were once again on him. "Little different from a bandit, who only set back the abysmal progress made over the previous two centuries. There is a lesson to be learned. Goblins alone, for all their merits, are not strong enough to declare their right. Now you won't be alone. We have allies among every discarded race...well, you know how centaurs are. We couldn't convince them, because they care not. And even many wizards sympathise with us, due to the Ministry dominated by complete and utter biggots. You have no love for Cornelius, I presume."

"Bah. The incompetent fool. But he takes many loans, so we don't hold much grievance against him."

"Because he is no more of a bigot than his predecessors?"

"That too," the goblin conceded.

"But we are not talking about simply replacing the Minister, are we? This is about bringing down that ugly statue in the Ministerial atrium. What was that about loans? Don't think I read that part in the Prophet."

"Their budget is a sorry sight. And don't think that him being gone will erase those debts."

"Never had the gall," Phantom chuckled. "Furthermore, the Liberation Front will have tangible effect on your lives. We do have certain propositions. As such, goblin craftsmanship will be distributed according to your concepts of ownership."

"This will cost the owners money they cannot hope to pay in their lifetimes."

"I understand. That's why I have a request — I'd ask that that law will not work backwards. They will start paying, but you said it yourself, you won't be receiving those enormous money in any case. And you, as shrewd economists, must understand the danger of depriving people of their last piece of bread. No money in their pockets means no taxes, no taxes means no payments on the loans. And no functioning economy to keep lending money to."

"Please, our artifacts are too valuable to be in possession of simple workers."

"The wealthy will stop being called as such when you take their last coin. My point stands, gentlemen. I reaffirm my devotion to your values, as I am already willing to overturn the practices which have persisted for ages. Goblins will get seats in the governing bodies as well. Let us translate the economic influence into another sphere."

The goblins hummed. "We'll consider this. Go on."

So they still needed more. It WAS a miracle they even chose to consider. But their greed was legendary for a reason.

"Another point is the mutual exchange of magics. For we cannot take without giving. Wizards shall teach you the art of wands. But your metalwork is legendary."

"Absolutely not. We have safeguarded the secrets of our art for millenia, this is something wizards will never take from us!"

"Wizards have hidden their magic from you as well. This exchange is more than equal, respectable goblins. And after all. If the wizards can't learn your art, can you really call it a wrongfully biased deal?" Danny smiled.

"Well...they are completely useless at that, I'm certain," Bogrud huffed. "We can't decide that one on our own. Goblin clans have to agree."

"I understand. We'll leave that matter for later. But what say you, as the heads not of all goblins, but specifically of Gringotts, about our deal?"

"You make a tempting case, Phantom. But you haven't clarified what exactly you need."

"We need money for bribes for the officials, living arrangements and propaganda. As we grow, financing is indispensable. So far everything was coming from our pockets, and it limited our options. We will also appreciate the help of your armed men. Goblins can do more than humans gave you credit for."

"Very well," Bogrud cackled. "Goblins of Gringotts will give you their backing. Don't disappoint us."

"You won't regret it," Danny responded. "I also have my own, personal request. And it involves goblin metal..."