AN: While I should be working on my homework, I find myself unable to stop writing for this. I made an ambient mixer called 'Deep in the Ghost Zone' that features Dora humming in her fathers study that I find wonderful to listen to while writing.

Also, I appreciate all of the feedback from the last few chapters! I have the next two or so chapters lined out, so all that's left is to write them. After that I'll probably sit down and think more on where I want to go with this. I have a fairly good idea of the general premise, it's just coming up with all the bits to lead to it that I sometimes have trouble with. As always, I hope you all enjoy. Thank you for reading!

Chapter Six: Planning and Preparing

As Danny passed through the strange swirling wave of energy that made up the Fenton Portal he came up short as he instantly had three armed Knights floating before him. With a mental facepalm he remembered his request that Dora go ahead and station the guard. Immediately relaxing his stance he gave a slight wave.

"Uh, hi. I'm Danny, um, thanks for watching the Portal for me." All three knights simultaneously knelt to him and crossed their armor clad chests. The trio wore classic chainmail with pale blue tunics lined with a pale green and emblazoned with a roaring dragon that he supposed was expressive of Dora's kingdom. The one furthest to the left lifted his helmet, and the rest followed suit. He bowed his head to Danny even as he rose from his kneel.

"Greetings Sir Phantom, I am Sir Everard of Princess Dorathea's realm. We are humbled to be of service to you." The knight had a strong face that was lined with age, his silver hair and green tinged skin served to make his kind yellow eyes contrast boldly. "These are my fellow knights and companions, Sir Ailwin and Sir Gerard." These two knights seemed to have passed at a younger age, both had dark blond hair and purple eyes that held the slightest twinkle of mischief that brightened their otherwise ashen grey skin tones. Danny had a feeling they were twins. They each nodded at Danny in turn and gave him matching fanged grins. The one to the right, Gerard Danny thought, spoke.

"It's a pleasure to meet Pariah's Bane, and like Sir Everard mentioned, an honor to lend you our sword and skill." Danny blushed and ruffled the hair at the back of his neck out of habit. He really was quite frazzled by all of the positive attention he had received as of late.

"Really, the pleasure is mine. You guys have no idea how much I appreciate you doing this. Sorry to just jet off, but I really need to go see someone. Um, thanks again!" Holding still only long enough to see them all nod and resume a defensive position around the portal, the halfa flew away in the direction of Clockwork's Tower.

As Danny soared through the cloud like structures of swirling greens and around the violet doors and landmasses that dotted the ectoplasmic landscape he felt a sense of determination steadying itself within him. By the end of today he would have an answer for Dora. Either he would help her and make a difference for the Wizarding World, or he would stay here and do his best to help ghosts and human alike with even more vigor. He flew for nearly an hour before the mist around him began to grow more dense, and without fanfare he started spotting old gears and bolts drifting aimlessly through the atmosphere. He rounded one last dense bit of viridian fog and Clockwork's Lair loomed before him. He remembered the first time he had seen it, how eerie and desolate it had seemed. The closer he became the louder the ticking and chiming of thousands of clocks became. Some of them seemed fast, others slow, and a few perfectly balanced.

As he neared the towering front doors they began to open on their own. Of course he couldn't surprise the omniscient Master of Time with an unscheduled visit. He lightly floated through them, taking a moment to get used to the cacophony of so many clocks ticking in his vicinity, but after a few minutes it all came together in a lull of peaceful white noise. The main chamber of the room housed Father Time's three viewing portals as well as gears and bells galore.

"Hello Daniel." The ghost spoke without turning, for he knew exactly who's presence was floating into his home. Danny rolled his eyes a bit with a smile.

"Hey Clockwork, I'm sure you know why I'm here. Shall I get my cryptic advice now, or do you want to actually hear my question first?" The ancient specter shifted from wizened old man to a childlike form as he turned, his white beard dissipating into chubby blue cheeks. He gave a buck tooth grin that formed dimples to compliment his mischievous scarlet eyes.

"I suppose I'll humor you this time." The squeaky child like tenor always made the halfa smirk.

"I want to know if the war in the wizarding world would benefit from me helping." The ghosts smiling expression didn't change, but his form shifted once more. His purple cloak growing to fit the now strong adult form he hosted. His rich baritone replied,

"As you know Daniel, I cannot tell you which path to choose. However; I will say that following your instincts and intuition has always saved many lives in the past, and will continue to do so in the future." Danny mulled over his words, taking them to heart. After all, Clockwork had never steered him wrong before. Glancing at the three screens he saw a small black haired boy crying in a dimly lit cupboard taking up the first. The middle screen revealed an ebony haired teen brandishing a stick as he guarded a chubby peer from creatures that reminded him of Johnny 13's Shadow only darker if possible. As a brilliant white light erupted from the stick and what seemed to be a ghostly stag charged the veiled creature. The final screen showed a blur of colors, Danny supposed it was the future that had yet to be solidified in this timeline.

Clockwork waved his hand and the three screens went dark. He smirked back at Danny, "Now now Daniel, you know better than to peek." The halfa smiled, knowing that the fact that he had seen anything at all was Clockworks way of giving him a little nudge. He was letting him know that the future was completely up to him, nothing was set in stone yet. With a final moment of thinking, the snow haired teen smiled, his decision made.

"Thank you for your time Clockwork. I think I should go tell Dora my choice." The now elderly ghost of time gave one last smile and a wave. As the halfa drifted out of his tower and back into the Ghost Zone to start his journey to Dorathea's realm, the ancient ghost turned back to the viewing screens. Smiling as he gazed upon the once blurry third screen, he observed the best possible outcome solidify before him. While the Observants would scoff at his meddling, this old coot got a kick out of seeing things align so well.

"Until next time Daniel." The old voice echoed into the corners of the grand room, fading away and leaving nothing but Clockwork and his responsibilities, surrounded by the melody of time.

Dora was enjoying some downtime in her fathers study, as she was so apt to do as of late. The once dusty and forgotten tower room was spotless and organized now, with a constant fire cracking merrily in the hearth and the lullaby of whistling wind outside to sooth her. Having the companionship of her father helped as well. She sat back in a chair near the fire and talked about all manner of things. It had been lighthearted for a while, but as she glanced back over to the lively portrait she noticed the worry and consternation upon the King's brow.

"Is something the matter Father?" He glanced at her, his viridian eyes clouded in a way that she had not seen since a time that a neighboring kingdom threatened war for rights to more land. He took a deep breath and sighed as if to steady himself.

"Why is it that Aragon has not come to see me? You mentioned to Sir Phantom a gratitude and debt for him overthrowing his reign? Why would you need to escape such a thing?" A look of sorrow shrouded Dora, as this is a talk she wished not to have- not due to pain it would cause herself, but the despair the feared it would bring to her father.

"After your death.. while we were both still among the living… Aragon was a good benevolent king. He occasionally needed to be reigned in at times, but I did so without difficulty. When a plague overtook the kingdom, so many of us fell ill. Aragon passed within weeks of it reaching the castle, and I died only days after. I awoke in my room in the castle, only we were both here in the Ghost Zone. The strange skies and miasma around us terrified and confused us, but we quickly realized what must have happened and came to find peace in the swirling mists of the Zone. As more and more of our people arrived and a village began to materialize around the castle, we understood that our duty to the people was not complete- even in death."

"If the duty remained, how did Aragon become twisted enough to warrant removal from the thrown?"

"What you must realize Father, is that every ghost of my form has an obsession. Some of them are benevolent and inherently good, and some of them… are not."

"I take it Aragon's was not?" His shoulders drooped as Dorathea's head sank and shook in confirmation.

"My obsession is loyalty to my people and their happiness. Aragon's was control and power. He ruled with an iron fist- and soon not even I could get through to him. It became a torturous many years, as he took even the most basic freedoms from our people. Our obsessions conflicted and we warred with one another, but after some time he managed to break my spirit. I became nothing more than a glorified servant. It wasn't until only a few years ago that he decided he must have what no other ghost had- a human bride. I was sent to the human realm to retrieve one for him, and fearing what would happen should I deny him, I returned with a young girl. She was not what he had hoped for, she spoke of non-conformitive ideas and challenged his word, far from the perfect bride he had dreamt of from our era. He locked her away in a tower and instructed me to teach her proper behavior. Rather than do so, we began talking. She spoke of freedom and rights, the need to fight for what is just. I still didn't see any way I could defy Aragon. It wasn't until she fought back herself and I saw our people cheering her rebellion that I began to wonder if I could fight him. Sir Phantom arrived, and as he fought Aragon to save his friend, Lady Sam Manson, she finally managed to convince me that I had just as much right to the thrown as he. Sir Phantom and I fought him together, and by the time the battle was over he had destroyed much of the castle in a fit of rage and anger. He has… been in the dungeons since. I know not what else to do with him, his obsession has destroyed too much of the brother I once knew to believe that he can change. I am sorry Father."

"Do not be sorry my primrose, it sounds to me that you have done all you could. I am sorry that you had to experience such things. If I may ask one thing though?"

"Of course Father, ask anything." Her father seemed to consider his question for a moment before voicing it,

"May I see him? I know he may not be the son I remember, but I still desire speaking to him, to further understand why he has become so dark and tainted." Dorathea considered it, it would be dangerous to risk removing Aragon from the dungeons, but as she had proved- she was the stronger of the two, and she had loyal and happy citizens to support and aid her. It seemed the least she could do for her father.

"I shall see about scheduling something, maybe once this issue in the Wizarding World has been dealt with, if that is alright with you Father."

"Of course it is, thank you Dorathea." The Father and daughter shared a look of love and acceptance for one another, and they faded back into small topics of things they had experienced while apart. The crackling fire soothed frazzled nerves from the emotional talk, and as the hours continued to pass Dora relaxed and felt closer to her father than she ever had before.

Danny touched down on the cobbled stone of the courtyard, enjoying the odd feeling of sunlight that filtered through Dora's realm warming his naturally chilly skin, unlike so much of the Zone. A few of the ghostly citizens waved and curtseyed as they passed, seeming happy to simply go about their day and walk freely through the grounds of the Castle while cherishing one another's company. The little girl that had given him the flower gave an ecstatic wave from behind her mothers skirts, a familiar icy flower tucked into a braid that decorated her hair. The halfa felt a smile form on his face and returned the wave. As he drifted towards the castle he returned the nods, waves, and well wishes of each ghost he passed.

He lightly pushed open the grand doors that lead into the castle and made his way up the stairs higher and higher, assuming that he'd find Dora in her fathers study. As he neared the old door he knocked on it lightly, the ancient wood feeling worn and smooth beneath his knuckles. As he heard Dora's soft soprano call out a "Come in!" he pushed the door open and eased his way inside. The princess sat behind the grand old desk, reading through some parchments that rest in a neat stack upon the corner of the desk. She looked at ease there in the soft light, her skin a pale soft green, her golden hair swept back into intricate braids. She looked younger than Danny had ever really noticed. He always assumed she was well into her twenties since she was a princess, but as he studied the soft line of her jaw and the doe like scarlet eyes that observed him in turn, he figured she couldn't have been older than seventeen when she died.

Realizing that he had been staring longer than polite he cleared his throat and rubbed at the back of his neck. Looking around the room his eyes passed the empty frame that usually held her dads portrait.

"Uh.. your dad is gone." Seeming to shake herself from her own thoughts she glanced back at the dark canvas behind her. Smiling she turned back to the halfa in front of her.

"He's able to hop between the two frames enchanted to hold his spirit. He's likely at Hogwarts speaking to others and spending time with friends there. He shall return soon. In the meantime, is there anything I can assist you with?"

"I've made my choice." Dorathea turned her full attention to the teen before her. "I want to help, I trust that Amity will be safe, and it sounds like these ghosts you know and the Wizarding World needs all the help it can get. So what's the plan?" The Draconian ghost felt a wave of relief wash over her. As confident as she was in her own strength after standing up to her brother, she was a mere flickering match next to the bright brilliant blaze that was Sir Phantom's power. Unable to restrain her joy she jumped up from the desk and came around it to wrap him in a hug. She felt him tense awkwardly before relaxing a mere bit to return the hug gently.

"I apologize for the spontaneity, but you've just given me such hope for the future I could not resist." She backed away to a reasonable difference before sinking into one of the chairs before the merry fire. She muffled a slight laugh at the obvious glow of a blush upon Phantom's cheeks as he sank into the other chair.

"Uh, no worries. So um… what exactly is our plan?" She pondered over what she knew of the Wizarding Worlds situation to aid her in voicing what she believed to be the best course of action, happy that she had spent a while speaking back and forth with Helena through use of her Father as a messenger between the two.

"We know that the Dark Wizard has returned, but he has not yet made an attack on the good since his revival. My friend Helena believes that we should come forth to the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore in honesty with our offer of assistance. As well as being the head of the school under threat, he is also an upstanding leader of the light in the magical world. Helena has said that he is fair and just, and will treat us with respect. Of course, we need not disclose the source of your powers; the secret of your human half would remain so." The halfa nodded, his blush fading as a more serious set to his shoulders took over his posture.

"How do we know that he won't just immediately attack or mistrust us? You said we're different from the ghosts they know. No offense to your friends or anything, but most people tend to be pretty unaccepting of what they can't explain or don't know." Dorathea nodded in understanding.

"I had similar fears when I first started considering this venture, as it is something my father warned me of before I began my flight to Hogwarts. He and I have been speaking with Helena discussing the best course of action we should take. It is of their opinion that Professor Dumbledore is a man of many years, and open to all forms of magic and new discovery. He is known for being an activist in regards to peaceful dealings with other species and creatures that inhabit the Wizarding World, even going so far as to be fluent in Mermish to stand as a communicator for negotiations."

"Uhhh, what's Mermish?"

"From what I've been told, it is the language of Merpeople." Danny rose his eyebrows in shock before slowly nodding and seeming to accept what had before been an impossibility.

"Right. I keep forgetting, mermaids, magic…. right. I don't know why it seems so shocking, I guess it's since everything unusual I've ever encountered has been linked to ghosts." Dorathea smiled and replied,

"It is understandable, it's one thing to find new things of a world you know- and another to discover a new world completely." Danny's face shone with a quick flash of gratitude before continuing.

"So Dumbledore is a good guy, we can most likely trust him. The main issue is that I'm not sure I can keep my human half a secret. I still need to eat, sleep… I don't know what would happen if I just stayed in my ghost form for weeks without taking care of my human half as well."

"Perhaps I could state that I require food as well to throw off suspicion? I doubt they'll go as far as to observe that we're eating, especially as we'll do our best to remain in shade form when near any individuals other than Dumbledore or others he deems necessary to inform. Sleeping wise, from what I saw of the castle it is overwhelmingly massive- perhaps Dumbledore could supply accommodations if we request them. He wouldn't know that I had no need of sleep either." It was a long shot, but as Danny considered it he could see it potentially working. As long as they were careful.

"Or you could just take a liking to the Room of Requirement." The jolly voice startled Danny more than Dorathea, and they both swiveled in their chairs to see that Dora's Father had returned. The princess asked before Danny could,

"What is the Room of Requirement?" The king smiled at being involved and able to contribute in the planning.

"It is a room that I have long heard students whisper of as they passed. It's astonishing the things you learn when people assume that you're merely a painting with no use of information. The room is enchanted to only appear when someone asks for it specifically, and within their request they can require any manner of things. The room is able to materialize whatever is needed. I'm not sure of whether or not food would be an issue, as the laws of magic prevent its creation from nothing- but perhaps the House Elves of the castle could be discrete enough to send it without explanation." Both options had their merits, and the inclusion of two possibilities rather than one gave the two ghosts an added sense of security.

"Shall we consider it and decide once we meet with Dumbledore and have a better understanding of how our presence is taken?" Danny nodded at Dora's suggestion.

"So recap- we schedule a meeting with Dumbledore, explain that we want to help, figure out what he needs us to assist with, and do what we can?"

"Yes, unfortunately we do not know all of the current information in regards to the war as Dumbledore does not wish to burden Helena with his troubles. Until we speak with the Headmaster we won't know the full extent of which we can provide aid."

"So what's our cover story? Who are we and why do we want to help? We may be telling Dumbledore the truth, but I'm sure students and other ghosts will be curious." Dora nodded, she had already thought of a vague story to tell.

"I was thinking that we would express that I was who I am, a Princess and dear friend to Helena from our time alive, and you were a member of my royal guard, a knight bound to protect me even in the afterlife."

"One issue with that." Dora looked at Danny with expectant cardinal red eyes. "Won't they find it strange that I'm with you? I mean, I don't exactly scream 'ghost from the dark ages', how do we pull that off?" Dorathea wanted to smack herself as she realized she had given way to such an oversight. She took note of Sir Phantom's modern apparel; snowy combat boots that shielded his legs from damage that his enforced suit of ebony couldn't, fingerless white gloves with padded portions to support and brace wrists. A unique belt that supplied utility hooks and pockets to store technology far advanced, even by normal human standards. Even his signature emblem emblazoned upon his chest seemed oddly modern. Of course the wizarding world would be confused, he wouldn't even pass as a normal wizard that had passed on and found a friend in her company. From what she could tell, the wizarding world seemed to be centuries behind their muggle counterparts in regards to technology and even simple things like electricity. As she pondered a solution she realized it was also the funnest one.

"Simple, we change your outfit." Danny blanched and clutched at the front of his suit protectively.

"A makeover? I uh, I don't even know if I can change my outfit. I mean, it's kind of changed with me over the years." This slight comment made Dora chuckle, finding it odd to be reminded of how much Danny still didn't know of ghosts.

"We control our own appearance to some extent, maybe not something that would be indicative to power levels, but small simple cosmetic changes, like our clothing and hair. For example;" Dorathea focussed on her appearance, remembering a smooth coronation gown she had worn in life. She remembered its soft silken feel as it flowed elegantly around her. The simple blue daywear dress she wore began to change before the Halfa's eyes. The high quality cotton seemed to shimmer and tighten its weave until it was a silk of a paler blue. Splits began to appear in the skirt at even intervals, laced intricately to give a hint at an equally soft pale cream skirt beneath the panels of blue. A final touch was the squaring of the neckline and lengthening of the sleeves to trail past her wrists. As she opened her eyes, another braid formed in her golden locks, serving almost as a crown.

"Wow, that's a pretty neat trick." The princess smiled, enjoying the shocked look on the halfa's face.

"It's not all that difficult- you've been doing it subconsciously since you've made changes to your own apparel. You merely need to focus and imagine a shift in what you're wearing. Think of the textures and functions of what you wish to wear, how it will make you feel." Danny did just that, closing his eyes he thought of what he should change his outfit to. A part of him didn't want to lose his suit that was so uniquely identifiable as Danny Phantom, but the realization that he could call it back at any time gave him some peace of mind.

As he thought, he knew he needed to match Dora's era, so he pondered on the fashion of those in the village that surrounded her realm, and more specifically the knights. He didn't want clunky armor or noisy chainmail, as he often relied on stealth- so he focussed on remembering the two knights he had seen practicing out in the courtyard as he had walked in today. He knew they were both knights, as they had their emblazoned shields off to the side, but they wore no armor for their playful sparring match. The halfa considered the soft feeling of a worn of a white undershirt, a high quality cotton but not stiff and new- well used and loved. As he did so, the tight feeling of comfort and stability he recognized as his reinforced suit faded away, and the soft lightness of the very shirt he had been imagining appeared.

"Whoa.." He whispered. Dora's gleeful expression sent a smile onto his own, and she kindly pointed out the flaws in his design, stitching a bit too tight to match her era, the cut of the shirt was a bit short, and so on. With her small words and pointers, he made changes and added layers to his outfit. By the time he was done, he felt like a knight. His white undershirt had a thick grey laced vest over top that hung as a sleeveless tunic. A corded braided belt kept it from feeling too baggy and supplied him with a feeling similar to the comforting weight of his utility belt. He wore tight fitting black trowsers, a little tighter than Dora said was usual, but more comfortable to him than the usual loose fitting pants that were common in her age. His white combat boots were replaced with white leather boots that laced and matched what he had seen the other knights of the kingdom wearing well enough to pass according to Dora. When all was said and done, she was beaming at him in approval.

"All that is missing is a sword! You pass as a knight brilliantly." Even the king seemed to approve as he smiled down at Danny. With a grin the halfa activated his cryokinetic powers, his eyes flaring the deepest glacier blue. A snowy mist condensed in his hands, and as he poured further power into it a shard of ice began to appear. It's icy form condensed further and further, until it appeared to be a perfect blade of the deepest silver, if only a bit blue. With a quick smirk, Danny added a sheath to the ensemble he wore, and stowed his sword away at his hip.

"Amazing! I didn't realize you were capable of such powers!" Dora's Father seemed to be scrambling for words, a gleam of childlike excitement in his eyes giving way to an openly hopeful gaze. "Thank you for offering your help Sir Phantom, I fear that I did not truly appreciate the extent to which you and my daughter would be able to offer aid." Blushing again Danny further messed up his hair, leaving slight patches of frost where his hands roughed up the snowy locks.

"It's really not that big of a deal.. but thanks." Glancing out the window, the halfa noticed the darkening of the skies as night began to fall. Being mirrored in a way, Dora's realm followed the current time of day that the human realm experienced. He needed to get home, he still needed to tell his parents about his 'NASA trip'. He also wanted to say bye to Sam and Tucker and work out some form of communication. "So, I need to get going, but I'll be back tomorrow sometime. Before we go I'd like to check in with Frostbite to see if he'd be able to supply some help to guarding the portal as well to make things easier on your Knights. Other than that I think I'll be ready to leave by tomorrow at the latest."

"That sounds wonderful, I'll contact Helena and we'll inform Headmaster Dumbledore of our need for a meeting. I shall see you tomorrow Sir Danny." The halfa rolled his eyes at the addition of the title despite his insistence on 'just Danny' and waved, beginning to make his trek through the castle so he could fly back to Amity.

Tomorrow would be a long day, but soon they would be making a real difference in a world Danny could hardly believe existed.

AN: I hope this chapter made some sense and didn't seem too filler-ish. I'm hoping to have them on their way to Hogwarts and some talking with Dumbledore in the next chapter. As always, I hope you all enjoyed, feel free to ask questions and provide suggestions. Thanks for reading! Also, I'm going through and trying to fix up some odd formatting here and there, so sorry about any weird extra emails!