"I couldn't help but notice several absentees today."

The young professor put down the parchment containing the list of students and took a look around the classroom. It wasn't the first time he noticed said absences, kids tended to get sick or be held up by something else. However, on that day, he was starting to see a pattern, and his curious mind was itching to find an answer here and then.

Perhaps his agitation was due to him getting only a meagre amount of sleep that day. For the first time in a long while. After all, he had to get from London to the middle of nowhere before the sun rose, and on his own, too. Lest more people saw him out of school on that night.

Whatever the reason, the facts were right before him, on the list and in the classroom. Harry was nowhere in sight, and while fine on its own, his friends were also missing from the lesson. Furthermore, he didn't see any other members of the redheaded family on that day. Something was going on, and Fenton wished to know what.

"Any ideas as to where they can be?" Danny said as he reached for a cup of room-temperature coffee.

He didn't even have time for breakfast that day.

"Professor McGonagall said that Weasleys had to go home for some family matter," answered Dean Thomas.

No connection with his last-night endeavor was made in Fenton's sleep-deprived mind, and nothing clicked back then. Making a gulp of rancid-tasting drink, Danny threw another look at the empty seats.

"And Ronald's friends chose to tag along," he concluded. "Well, not my problem if the Headmaster allows it. However, you people," Fenton smirked. "Are stuck with me for the next hour."

Finally getting up from the desk he had been sitting on, the professor commenced his lesson, in the meantime making a small mental note to check out the newspapers later.

"Alright. Today we will get close and personal. Some of you have seen a version of this charm before, when a kind auror made a visit to yours truly. The Human-presence-revealing Spell, jeez," he grumbled as a piece of chalk danced across the board. "That's quite a mouthful."

On one hand, he probably should have refrained from teaching wizards those few spells that worked against ghosts. Well, more like him in particular, as he still was half-human. But his own safety came second when it concerned the kids under his tutelage. It wasn't that critical for him to begin with, but it could potentially save their lives.

"The name of the spell is self-explanatory: Homenum Rivelio. Its purpose? To learn of any human presence around you. It doesn't matter if your stalker has an invisibility cloak or had cast a disillusionment charm on themselves. They will be busted pretty easily, even if you first have to actually suspect a foreign presence."

Danny got up and clasped his hands. "I may be unable to teach you proper awareness, but we'll get this spell out of our way in no time. It's pretty easy to understand. Here is how you move your wand."

As he spoke, the piece of chalk drew a sign that resembled a keyhole, or a pawn, lacking the bottom part and turned upside down.

"This spell is quite useful in many situations. Unlike simple Rivelio, which you studied during your Charms lessons, it is very specific, designed to spot human presence only. However, it compensates the lack of versatility with its power and range."

This was a plan Chiara came up with. If people thought Phantom to be a hundred percent poltergeist and Fenton a human, he would have a proper alibi. Nobody would ever suspect that he was in fact an amalgamation of both. Danny himself was eager to get to the practical part, so the lecture in general could come off as too short.

However, there wasn't much he could tell, really. The spell was necessary for an auror, be it a raid on some criminal's hideout, a rescue mission or anything else of the sort. Danny had been quick to realize that littering his students' minds with incessant information would do little good. The O.W.L.s usually did not contain questions about the history of spells or their creators. Fenton still told the students where to find that knowledge, but it was not something he chose to waste time on.

Soon after finishing the lecture, the half ghost moved the desks away as per usual, preparing a stage for his students to practice.

"All right, folks, let's get to the good part," Fenton grinned. "First you practice your wand movements, just like we did before. Don't pronounce the words yet, just try to swish your sticks according to the chicken scribbles on the chalkboard. I'd like to see those first."

The students followed the Professor's instructions. Danny himself had got himself a stick, approximately the size of a wand. Everyone knew it was just a random piece of wood, but it served the purpose well - he could demonstrate the movements in person rather than simply leaving a drawing.

"You are being too quick, Mr. Finnigan," the teacher commented after looking at the student. "The movement and the incantation must go together, always. You won't have enough time to finish saying the spell. Move a bit slower."

"Got it, sir."

Danny smiled and nodded, continuing his examination. He passed several students, remarking on their performance, occasionally taking their arms in a soft grip and guiding it in a proper pattern. After making sure that every student got at least some form of understanding on how to move their hands, the professor then called out a student to have a go.

"Mr. Longbottom, if you would."

"M-me?" The boy in question asked shakily, earning himself snickers from particular students in green cloaks.

"I promise it won't turn anyone into a puffskein," Danny chuckled. "Come now, please stand in the front."

Under the watchful gaze of everyone present in the room, the Gryffindor boy went towards the front of the class, right by the teacher's desk.

"What I want of you, Mr. Longbottom, and everyone who dares to try, is this."

Professor Fenton snapped his fingers, before vanishing from sight. Many were once again amazed by how nonchalantly the man before them could do so much without words or wand.

"If your spellcasting is successful," the disembodied voice seemed to be coming from everywhere. "Then it won't be any trouble for you to find me. Remember, in either of two words emphasize the second syllable. You can focus on a particular person you want to find and the spell will find that person. In this case, that would be me. Have a go."

Neville gripped his wand tighter, his palms covering the piece of wood in a layer of sweat. Everyone was watching, with some at the ready to mock him. It was one of the simpler spells. He needed to focus.

"Hey, Longbottom!" Malfoy called. "Maybe this kind of spell will help you find your toad next time! Be sure to do this right, unlike the last hundred of times."

His goons began to snicker at the boy as usual, but very soon Draco felt something lightly slap him at the back of the head. Turning around, the blonde saw nobody there.

"Were you too busy to listen to my lecture, Mr. Malfoy?" Asked Fenton sarcastically. "This doesn't work on anyone but humans. Please, do pay attention from now on. Proceed, Mr. Longbottom."

Neville nodded and took a deep breath. He turned towards the chalkboard, seeing both the pattern and the incantation.

"Homenum Rivelio!" He exclaimed, swishing the wand.

At first nothing happened, but everyone had to withhold their judgements for now, because it would be more concerning if the absolutely invisible spell made Longbottom's wand glow. However, soon everyone present in the room could see themselves surrounded by dim white light. That caused some degree of panic, and the most distressed of them all was Neville himself, but he then heard clapping.

Turning around, he saw the white light coming from Professor Fenton's desk. A second later, the teacher reappeared, having been sitting on said desk for some time. After the light dispersed, Danny chuckled and got up.

"You were very close, Mr. Longbottom," he started explaining. "However, I asked you to reveal only my presence and thus I asked you to concentrate. I give Gryffindor a point for a successful spellcasting, but you will need to work on that part to earn more. Alright?" Fenton smiled.

"Yes sir!" Neville said in a high voice.

The professor turned towards the rest of the class. "Okay, everyone! Let's get this show going!"

-Linebreak-

During the lunchtime, Danny made sure to go and satiate not only his stomach, but also his curious mind. Phantom unfolded the recent issue of "Daily Prophet", trying to find a mention of the incident that took place the previous day. It never hurt to know what his enemies were doing.

However, as he was digging into one delicious mushroom casserole, Danny eventually discovered that there was no mention of the nightly events. He probably should not have been surprised, for the sole reason of how shameful it would be to admit everything.

After all, the Ministry would resemble a square, where everyone entered and exited as they pleased. Not only was an official of the government attacked in the middle of the night, there was also some third party rummaging through their halls. To admit that their security was not just subpar, but nigh non-existent, was ruinous to Cornelius Fudge's administration.

The encounter would not bring their little revolution any fruits. Voldemort was most aware that someone killed his beloved snake. And at that time Phantom certainly did not envy those around the Dark Lord, as he was bound to be throwing stuff around in a fit of unbridled rage. Nonetheless, Voldemort knew about him, he knew what Phantom was capable of.

The Ministry, as secretive as they were, could go two ways. It could either go in denial so hard that relatively little would change, and the poor worker's condition would be written off as a run-of-the-mill workplace incident. Or they would actually increase their security and make Phantom's job much more difficult. Hopefully it would be the former, but he couldn't make plans whilst basing them on some preconceived, pejorative notions.

"Are you alright, Daniel?"

Looking up from his reading, the halfa saw Professor Sprout standing by his table.

"You look awfully thoughtful," she said and beamed.

"It's nothing, Pomona. Just spacing out as per usual," Danny scratched the back of his neck.

"What, the rascals giving ya a hard time?" Asked the plump professor jovially as she sat nearby.

"You can say that," Phantom responded.

Only those were man-children instead of the actual ones. His students were usually well-behaved.

"Don't worry. I can say they've grown on you."

Danny turned towards her and smirked. "It is very hard not to be charmed by yours truly."

Pomona chuckled at the young man's childish boasting. He possessed that certain boyish charm none of the teachers had, and it was certainly a refreshing change.

"But I've seen them betting on how I would go," Danny took a sip of pumpkin juice. "From the school, I mean. The most popular options are: Our beloved inquisitor finally sacks me and my reputation will force me to go."

"This doesn't sound very sympathe"

"I bet on the latter," Danny did not let her finish.

"Daniel!" Pomona exclaimed in shock. "You must not encourage such things."

"Dunno, it seemed fun. Kids really need something to unwind, especially with the toad banning everything around."

"Hem-hem."

"Speak of the Devil," Danny grinned, spinning on the chair to face the dreaded woman. "Sup."

"Mr. Fenton," Umbridge smiled. "Did I hear correctly that you encourage something that is forbidden within these walls?"

"Yep. I also called you a toad, will you record this?"

"But of course, Mr. Fenton, your profanities are all well-recorded."

"That's neat. But did you write down..."

"Answer me, Mr. Fenton," Umbridge snapped. "Who are those people you made bets with?"

"Yeah, the first one was Mr. McNotYourBusiness, if I recall correctly."

A tick mark appeared on the inquisitor's forehead. "Then I will have to check myself."

"You do you."

Seeing Umbridge walk away without finishing her lunch, Pomona couldn't resist a snort. Another great thing about their newest colleague was that he wasn't afraid to be the scapegoat whenever Umbridge was pissed. Since Fenton was going to leave at the end, he really was the perfect person to mock the insipid woman on everyone's behalf. It brought Pomona some satisfaction.

The conversation between the two teachers came to a halt, however, as either was too busy eating. It was also quite awkward to go back to the topic after the rude interruption. As Pomona was done with her salad, she noticed how Fenton was staring at the ceiling and the decorated hall. The Christmas was just around the corner, and a question soon arose in the Herbology professor's mind.

"Say, Daniel," she asked in a peppy voice. "Are ya looking forward to the holidays?"

To her surprise, Fenton let out a heavy sigh. "Can't say I am."

"Why so?"

"When my family was still around, they constantly argued on every single issue. Each year on Christmas Eve I saw our loving family turn into a loud chickencoop, and my parents would always spat and go to sleep with wounded feelings. I hated when a single day made it unbearable to stay in the house. I even stayed at my friend's on some of those nights."

"Oh, you poor thing. I can see how it will damage your opinion. But what about now?"

"Now my family is six feet under and it became awfully quiet," Danny's lips thinned. "Usually I just look forward to Christmas foods. You have those here, right?"

"We do, but... are you staying here over the holidays?"

"Don't look into a gifted horse's mouth," Danny shrugged. "Beats any other place."

Suddenly, an envelope was dropped on his plate by a simple post owl that landed at the edge of his table. The gray bird stared at the half-ghost with expectation. Blinking at the owl, Danny then looked at the envelope. It had no seal, but it was addressed to him and none other.

"Come on, why do I have to pay for services?" Fenton moaned, noticing how the owl was visibly displeased.

"Hey, don't give me that look. I'm not angry with you. Uhm...Professor Sprout, could you lend me a couple of knuts?" Danny rubbed the back of his neck.

"Is it that bad?" Pomona asked in shock.

"Snape forces me to buy ingredients myself now," the Ghost Prince looked at the ground in shame.

The witch dug out a few coppers and Danny handed those to the impatient bird.

"Ouch!" he yelped as the bird did not hesitate to bite his fingers before flying away. "Stupid bird-brain."

"It IS a bird."

Sighing once more, Danny opened the envelope, and from the first word written with a blue pen he could easily realize who was the sender.

'Dipstick,

I know that you're busy and all, what's with the job I'm still shocked you have, but I have an offer for you. The Christmas is just around the corner, so I was wondering if you'd like to hang out with people you know for once. Can't say that you will be surrounded by friends, but I promise to keep your butt safe there if someone gets drunk on spectreberries again. Oh, you gotta try that booze, by the way, the shit is gonna knock you out cold.

Anyway. Next time we meet, just tell me what ya think. I'll get the show on the road,

Ember'

Danny blinked. That was an awfully good timing to send an invitation. And coming from Ember it appeared downright surreal. Since when had she cared that he visited some ghostly party?

"Who is Ember?"

The halfa finally remembered that he wasn't alone.

"Pomona, it is rude to read over someone's shoulder."

"I know," the witch said sheepishly. "I'm sorry, couldn't resist the curiosity."

Danny nodded in surrender, glad that Ember was using a very neutral language, just as he had instructed her precisely for this kind of a situation.

"She is... a friend of mine."

"A friend, eh?" Pomona smiled. "I find it very sweet that she is actually ready to defend you."

"AFTER exposing me to said danger," Danny shrugged. "Not that I am afraid or need protection... But yeah, it's nice."

"What's she like?" Asked Pomona like a doting grandma.

"Badmouthed, hot-headed and also cute."

Danny stopped mid-sentence, realizing what he had just said.

"I see. Are you going to take it? It's not often that a girl sends out an invitation."

"Especially so for our lovely musician. I have half a mind that it is a trap to kill me, but the rational part of my mind is at odds with my natural instincts."

The fellow professor sweatdropped. What an odd conclusion to make out of this.

In reality, with encouragement from her newest friend Chiara, Ember decided to make a move on the half-ghost. She was sincere in her desire to bring Danny along for the annual party she and her friends took part in. Phantom had visited the place only once before, and from his look everyone could see it was the best Christmas he had ever had. To make the halfa experience this once more, was something he would probably appreciate.

"I know she isn't trying anything nasty," Danny told the fellow professor. "Still, I never expected this."

"Well, maybe she is trying to give you a hint."

Danny looked back at the letter, suddenly noticing something odd. The piece of parchment was way too big for a message this short. It wasn't like those A4 lists of paper, no. Wizards cut them from a bigger roll of parchment, so it was made on purpose. The typical old trick with invisible ink!

This had got to be a hidden message.

"You are right, Pomona. I'll try to get this done before the lessons start."

As the professor got up from his chair and left in a blur, Pomona was getting the impression that the young man had completely misunderstood everything.

How clueless could that boy be?

-Linebreak-

Needless to say, Fenton's search proved fruitless. Using several types of decoding invisible ink, he still hit a brick wall. Perhaps he was too rash in his assumptions, and it was probably nothing. Or he just did not search thoroughly enough. That contemplation made the half ghost very thoughtful, and it even pushed the thoughts about the Christmas party from his mind. He had already made a decision to come, and thus he was not that preoccupied with the matter.

"Focus, Fenton," came Snape's aggravated response.

Danny blinked and looked at the cauldron by his side. He was supposed to stir the contents properly, but he was becoming too slow.

"Sorry, been wondering about stuff," the halfa rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm sure this is all quite interesting," the Potions professor sneered. "But I am not sure why I am supposed to be present."

"Because you are worried I may take something I'm not supposed to," Danny said without missing a bit.

And he was also too busy being a go-to spy for Dumbledore. The halfa was aware that Snape hanged around the Death Eaters and reported to the Headmaster. And he was performing the same task with the suspicious professor.

"I told you to get your own ingredients."

"Yeah... you could just take those out of my pay. I'm being ripped at every shop, and my go-to place lost any trust from me."

"You went to Gorbin and Burkes, didn't you?"

"Yep, that's the prick... wait a second, how did you know that?"

"It was obvious," Snape answered with a prepared response. "You are a cheapskate."

"Not by choice!" Danny complained.

"And the best way for purchasing such dubious substances at a cheap price is that place."

Phantom appeared to have bought the excuse, but the red flag was still waving inside his head.

"Speaking from experience?" Danny acted as if he had bought it.

"I am."

"Oh, right, you were a Death Eater, I get it."

"Stop bringing this up," Snape growled lightly as he dropped a mandrake leaf in a cauldron. "I will have none of this."

"I remember, I remember. Sore spot. In any case, I ain't shopping there anymore. Because the little fanclub is after my pelt now, too."

"And why do you think this is the case?"

Of course Phantom knew why. Because Voldemort suspected him to be at fault for destroying a Horcrux within the diadem. He was not wrong, but now Danny was worried that the Dark lord might have actually seen the connection between the two new adversaries of his.

"No idea."

"Do you mind if I join your lovely discussion?"

"I thought you were too busy writing new convoluted degrees, Dolores," Danny greeted her.

And then felt Snape stepping on his foot. Unlike Pomona, Snape was not in the mood for testing if the dog could bite harder than it already had.

"Professor Snape, I wasn't aware you are spending your time with this miscreant," Dolores stepped deeper inside the room, barely hiding her disgust at the smell permeating it.

"We are..."

"Filling the gaps I have in my education," Danny finished instead.

"Oh?"

"I simply figured that since I am already at a school, my colleague has a lot of things to teach me and which I can use."

"I don't think there is much point in doing so. You will never attend a proper NEWT exam."

"And you will never find a husband, but you don't hear me discouraging you."

Another attempt at squashing the young man's feet. But this time, Fenton turned it intangible.

"I am married to my work, Mr. Fenton."

"I can already see the divorce papers."

At least the banter stopped Umbridge from questioning why Snape even agreed to teach the colleague that he did not appear to have much love for.

Snape coughed loudly. "Miss Umbridge. I'd ask you to leave. This is not a normal lesson you are obliged to observe."

"I'm not obliged to, but I am simply curious as to what exactly you are doing here. I think I should stay."

Danny gritted his teeth, having half a mind to fry her on spot, having all the ability to commit a criminal act. First that insipid woman came for his teaching, then his reputation, afterwards she rid him of what little social activity he had in the form of SPEW. Now she wanted to ruin the research that could determine his future.

No matter. They could go with it.

"Alright, Severus, what's the next step?"

Severus immediately realized what Danny was going with. Umbridge could not possibly have known many potions, she was not going to realize that all they had been doing was an experiment with an otherworldly substance. And the potion that resembled the concoction currently in the cauldron, at least at first glance, was...

"Wolfsbane potion cannot do without wolfsbane, Fenton. You ought to have realised this much."

While grateful for Snape playing along, he didn't have to word it this way.

"Got it!" Danny nonetheless grinned, reaching for a purple flower. "We need around... three petals, am I right?"

Severus slapped the man's palm. "It is poisonous, you buffoon. Put on your gloves."

"Put on your gloves," Fenton muttered mockingly, knowing full well that some plant was not going to kill him. Well, not that one, at least.

Still, he obliged, before throwing the petals into the cauldron. The two researchers suspected that the poison that could affect the changes within one type of supernatural creature could also agitate the ghostly substance. It was a dubious matter, because Wolfsbane served to lightly mitigate the effects of lycanthropy, not enforce it. Thus, there was also some doubt about why should it enhance ectoplasm.

Umbridge herself, however, was confused.

"Why are you teaching Mr. Fenton something that is not a part of the program?"

"Because..." Snape appeared to visibly struggle with the upcoming lie. "Fenton seems proficient enough."

He did not see this, but he could feel that brat grinning behind his back.

"I fail to see how knowing the makings of a useless potion is going to be of help."

"It isn't useless," Danny countered. "This is the only way to help those with lycanthropy."

"Did I stutter?"

Fenton sighed, noticing Snape's glare. The latter wanted him to concentrate. If Umbridge got fed up with watching something uninteresting to her, then she would probably leave. No need to feed the pigeons, the flying rats always come back for more.

'I defeated gods and even the apocalyptic version of myself. Why do I hate her even more than them?'

Those were the thoughts circulating in the young man's mind as they were making the supposed 'potion'. Danny wrote down their observations, pretending that it was him writing down the instructions and not keeping a journal. Umbridge appeared to become increasingly bored, and, admittedly, Phantom himself was less enthusiastic without being able to tease Severus here and then.

Eventually, Dolores got up.

"Well, I see that at least one teacher here is competent. I'll leave this to you, Professor Snape."

Once the cardigan-wearing menace left the room, Danny grinned.

"Hm, I guess you were right, Severus."

The Potions professor huffed. "Keeping your mouth shut has its uses, doesn't it?"

"Not really my style, but I admit that yours works, too," Danny shrugged, looking down at the concoction they brewed.

Suddenly he noticed that the substance had turned the correct color, as if a vial of ectoplasm they had added at the start had been multiplied. Out of curiosity, the half ghost moved the mixing spoon a bit, noticing the gooey consistency. Snape noticed the spark of enthusiasm in the halfa's eyes.

"You think that we have reached the proper result?"

"Not exactly," Danny responded. "But from my time-traveling experience..."

"Your WHAT," Snape snapped.

"Long story. Point is, there is one key component we should try to add."

Danny dug in the bag he had always been bringing to their experiment sessions. From there, he dug out a gray aluminum can.

"What's that?"

"A diet coke," Danny grinned, popping open the lid and making a sip. "A non-alcoholic beverage for muggles with misguided concepts of sugar abstinence. Not sure which ingredient activates ectoplasm, phosphoric acid perhaps. Or maybe a certain combination within the drink."

"Is it...even save for consumption?"

"Certainly safer than Fire Whiskey I bring to you every other experiment session. Most things are good only in moderation," Danny shrugged. "Alright, if I recall correctly..." he shook the can, approximating the amount of brown liquid still remaining. "This should be correct."

At this, the halfa dumped the contents into the cauldron, missing how Snape's heart was being ripped apart at such careless technique.

At first nothing happened, but only after a couple of seconds, the cauldron burst into explosion of emerald light. The excitement flashed in the half-ghost's eyes, but then, after the initial flash subsided, the concoction they made returned to its initial state, also gaining strange spots, like an oil spillage under a car.

"It's... not supposed to do that," the halfa mumbled.

"And what is the supposed end result?"

"Y'know, all glowing, like what we just saw," Danny put a hand on his chin. "Perhaps it did not emulsify, and hence we get these oily dots. Still, we are obviously on the right track," the young professor grinned as he wrote the findings down in the journal. "Finally I... we are onto something!"

The excitement of the half ghost, even despite his ash-covered face, was hard to conceal.

"Jee, look at the time," Danny said after looking at the grandfather clocks. "I guess we will continue later, right?"

"Obviously," Snape responded, not sharing the enthusiasm of his colleague.

To be fully honest, the Potions master never had much hope in the project. He participated in this seemingly endless endeavour solely to fish out information little by little. If it was to end successfully, he would give a suspicious professor something potentially dangerous. Although, Fenton never appeared as anything but slightly immature, yet intelligent man. The harmless air he exuded was honestly impressive. If not for his more than impressive display of power Snape might have actually believed that Fenton did not have any menacing agenda. There had been enough accidents during the last several years. A Death Eater had been teaching the students for a year and nobody noticed. The staff would not make the same mistake twice.

While Fenton was not a Death Eater, he had some skeletons in his closet. No wizard at the young man's age could master such devastating forms of magic without needing a wand or even spells. Besides, the combat experience was not something that could be found in the books. And if Dawlish's besmirched reputation was any indication, Fenton had more than enough to stand his ground. And yet, looking at the professor that must have gone through so much radiating with joy at making some rancid slime, Snape couldn't help but think how polar opposite they were.

Despite that, Severus was actually getting the idea that he was enjoying wasting potion ingredients. Perhaps Fenton posed a certain break from his duties before the Headmaster, controversial it may have sounded. After all, just as he was spying on the Dark Lord, so was the same procedure applied here. But Voldemort would not forgive remarks at his expense, he would kill his servant at a moment's notice. Fenton, unbeknownst to the Potions Master, knew what he was trying to accomplish by joining the effort, at the same time not holding any grudge against the man, enjoying the experience nonetheless.

If anything, it was the Headmaster Danny felt somewhat bitter towards.

"Whelp," Fenton rubbed the back of his neck. "I just realized I never properly thanked you for helping me, Severus. Seeing actual results makes my conscious gnaw on me?"

"Gnaw?"

"Stay with you brits for long enough and anyone may start speaking Shakespearean," Danny rolled his eyes. "Anyway, thanks a bunch. How do you feel about a couple of Brandy's? The workweek is over."

"I don't take outings, Fenton."

"See? What did I say? Who says 'outings' anymore?" Danny chuckled. "Come now, don't tell me you never leave the castle. You get your stuff from somewhere."

"Oh, I suppose didn't make it clear enough, Fenton. I don't take outings with anyone."

"Harsh," Danny hissed. "Come on, let's get drunk and gossip like a bunch of elderly aunties!"

Fenton wondered if baiting Snape with his supposedly untied tongue could bear any results. He simply wanted Severus to unwind somehow. Danny himself, once again, did not have to fear babbling out some secrets of his own. At least one of them would be sober by the end of it.

And did Snape feel like an idiot after agreeing to the proposal. The two of them walking down the corridor certainly caught the eyes of several students. Usually those parted before Severus like Moses and the Red Sea, but Fenton just ruined all the intimidation by his carefree appearance.

It became dark very early that time of the year. The front yard of the northern exit, and the subsequent path towards Hogsmeade was lit only by lanterns following along the path. The fresh snow crunched beneath their feet, and Severus, who under several layers of his cloak still felt shivers, glanced towards the unbothered professor. Still wearing his white shirt with a poorly-looking tie, fingerless gloves and black pants, he didn't seem all that concerned.

"How are you doing this?" Asked Severus.

"Do what?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Did you drink a warming potion beforehand?"

"Not really. I ain't stealing the ingredients from you, pal."

"They do disappear in an unknown direction, however."

Danny smirked. "Lemme guess. These ingredients can also be used for a love potion."

"It won't be the first time," Snape mumbled thoughtfully. "How would you know?"

"They keep adding those to the chocolate sweets they give me," the halfa rubbed the back of his neck.

"This is a rule violation, Fenton," Severus scolded.

"Don't look at me, I am not the one making those. It's not like I would play along with a fifteen year-old's misplaced feelings."

"And who sends you those?"

"They don't write their names," Danny shrugged. "I was supposed to fall in love with the makers of those sweets and cookies."

He really believed that his approach was the correct one. Since he was immune to the potion, the best he could do was to just eat what those girls sent him. Danny really didn't want to confront such things directly. Even if he knew the names, he was not looking forward to having several awkward conversations.

The past experience taught him that much.

"So if it is not the potion that keeps you warm, what is it?" Asked Severus.

From one contentious topic to another.

"Magic," Danny shrugged.

"That same bizarre magic that seems to be capable of too much."

"Jealous, Severus?" Fenton smirked. "There are a lot of things you and I do not know. I am an amateur potion maker compared to you. But no wizard can beat me in combat," he pointed at himself.

"Where does such confidence come from?"

"Isn't that obvious? I faced some strong enemies and bested the man who used this very magic for decades. From then on I practiced to become even stronger. Imagine if I had a functional wand!"

"Which reminds me. You were presumed innocent in the end, were you not? Why did you not buy a new one?"

"Meh," Danny shrugged. "I can do just fine without a piece of wood. Also, ever since that gruesome accident I mentioned, I was largely incapable of normal spellcasting," he mumbled.

"How so?"

"Even before they broke my wand, I fell behind in my studies a lot. No matter what I did, it's as if it was no longer my own. It simply refused to do anything right. You know how it is with someone else's wand."

"Then there is all the more reason to find a new one."

"Alright, alright, I admit I tried! I tried so many wands that I have given up trying to find the one!" The professor shouted in exasperation.

The professor did not appear very willing to continue the conversation in that direction. Snape decided to wait just a bit until the alcohol managed to penetrate the mental shields in the young man's brain.

He wasn't lucky initially.

"I'll take another mug, please," Danny asked the waitress of the Three Broomsticks.

Snape wasn't sure how he felt about what he was seeing. That boy's liver was stronger than a troll's and his brain certainly had some cells to spare. Because Fenton had downed more than a gallon of strong booze without as much as hiccupping. That resilience was almost frightening.

"Can you even pay for what you drink?" Severus asked.

"Nah, these are free of charge, I took the owner on the offer. Had to kill a bothersome troll for that."

Whatever the arranged deal had been, it wasn't going to end well if that's how he treated his organism.

"So you take job offers like this?"

"Yep," Danny made a gulp. "I welcome any sort of income. Especially if it involves beating someone up."

"So, a thug for hire."

"That was mean, Sev," Danny moaned.

"What did you just call me?"

Snape's tone became very low, cold, and air itself seemed to become extremely heavy. And Fenton picked up on the man's change in mood. He had gone from grumpy to furious, displaying it in a way only Snape was capable of. Slowly the younger professor raised his hands in surrender.

"I got it, I got it," he said slowly. "Salt in the wound. Severus it is."

As the Potion master seemed to calm down, Danny decided to ease the tension.

With the power of relativism.

"I too prefer only being Danny," Fenton mumbled. "Two other variants bring back some nasty memories. Only my main nemesis called me by full name."

Severus snorted. "Nemesis?"

"I wouldn't have underestimated that man. He was the richest muggle in the world. Hell, Vlad became the mayor of our town solely to spite me and turn my life to hell."

"Aren't you overthinking that."

"I am not. He said so. The idiot came all the way from his castle out in Wisconsin to us. Seriously, how much of an ego must you have to build yourself a castle in America? It's one thing to do so in the Old World, but there... stupid cheesehead."

Snape wondered if the alcohol actually managed to get into the man's head after all.

"That man was deranged, foul and unpredictable. And he was just dying to adopt me when I was younger. To do so he certainly did some ingenuous things, like dumping me in the forest with dangerous beasts, or releasing some ancient leech, or stealing an ancient magical artefact."

"I thought you said he was a muggle."

"A squib, I should have clarified. Although those are admittedly different things. But that would explain his constant search for power he felt he had been deprived of since birth. And that's what killed him in the end," Danny's expression soured. "It's a shame really. I was starting to enjoy the constant back and forth."

"How did he die?"

"He was faced with danger he underestimated for quite some time. And when the push came to shove and it was a do or die moment, he was the loser."

Perhaps the boy was not drunk enough yet to stop thinking up metaphors.

"Stupid cheesehead," Danny mumbled. "But being called Dan is even worse."

"How so?"

"Oh, no, pal," Danny pointed his finger at him. "For someone who wants to know a lot, you aren't giving me nothing in exchange. It's always just me talking."

That indeed was a dilemma. So that was the paywall Fenton installed. Severus could, of course, simply drop the matter. At the first glance, it did not appear as if though the information would be worth it. However, that Vlad person seemed to give Fenton a backstory, something worth looking into, also making Snape suspect that that 'danger' was the boy in front of him. They were enemies, after all.

"Very well," Snape sighed. "Let's play our little game of metaphors. Is used to be called that way by a person close to me. Someone who has been dead for some time, but not before we went our separate ways for certain reasons."

A person more observant in the matters of the heart would have pointed out that that 'person' sounded more like a love interest, for it is a loss of a very rare friend would reduce a person to a husk that doesn't even bother to clean themselves up properly and shuts themselves off. The love theory was far more likely.

However, being 'observant' in such things was something Danny was pretty inconsistent about.

"Is that right?" Danny asked. "And you reserved such right to that person, huh? Makes sense, I suppose. Sorry about your loss."

Snape did not respond to this. A simple word from an uninvolved person was not going to change anything. And Fenton seemed to know that.

"I guess my demand is met," he shrugged. "It's just... I know another person under the same name as mine. We were similar, and per chance, he also had the same powers as I did. To differentiate between us during conversation, and to draw a line between me and that murderous maniac, me and his current jailor call him Dan. He is a reminder to me."

"Of where your abilities can lead," Snape finished.

"That's right. This power can easily kill, you have to realise. Even simple levitation can twist a person like a rope and rip them apart. I mustn't let it get to my head. Or you guys will all be dead," Danny gave a sad smile.

The fact that it was his own future self made it even more haunting for the half ghost. That nightmare would never become real again, he would make sure of it. Above anyone, it all depended on him.

"That's why I am feared by many people I know. Why I left my homeland where everyone around knew who I was... very few don't judge me. I guess Ember doesn't..."

Snape sighed, rubbing his temples. Perhaps it was time to switch on his counsellor mode.

"Nobody here does, Fenton."

"Really now?" Danny narrowed his eyes. "And you can swear that Dumbledore never was concerned? Never wanted to know if I am not a threat?"

Severus had a growing concern that Daniel was onto them.

"It is natural for him to be suspicious. Don't mistake a simple double-check in these turbulent times and personal distaste towards you. In fact, the Headmaster is the person who holds few grudges and preconceptions. And you did withhold a lot from us, it was only logical."

Danny hummed. Perhaps Severus was right. The half ghost had largely cooled down since that time and admittedly he might have been overthinking that. Fenton was just felt like his old wound was being open, even if compared to everything else it was relatively minor.

"Maybe you are right. You can tell the Headmaster that I forgive his suspicions and you spying on me."

Snape froze for a moment, having processed everything that had been said.

"You... know?"

"Since the start, actually," Danny made a sip of his drink. "But I did need help with my project, so I swallowed up my pride. I think that if we are being more open to each other, I should tell you this. I hope this won't stop you from helping, knowing that I am aware of your plan. Because I am always vigilant of what I say."

Severus gave the boy a small glare. If he had been found out by a simpleton professor, how could he fool the Dark Lord?

"Do you per chance know occlumency?"

"Nope. But I have hardened my brain so much that no Dark Lord can get in," he pointed at his temple. "So...ehm...are we still partners?"

Snape sighed. "That is up in the air for the time being."

"Come on, Severus. I told you things even though I knew your reasons. Nothing really changes now. If anything, now that there are fewer secrets between us, I'd say  that we have a whole path ahead of us."

He did make a fine point, Severus thought, despite not liking the wording Fenton had chosen. And besides, their research was finally showing progress. His pride as a potion maker would never allow him to back down from the common project.

"Fine," the older man sighed. "We'll see if what we did amounts to anything."

"Believe me, pal," Danny grinned. "This project will change the world."