Harry rubbed his little fist against his eyes before yawning and stretching. Uncle Danny always told him to stretch and to stretch often because 'nimbleness can save his life'. Harry don't really get it but he trusted Uncle Danny to know what he was talking about. Once he finished stretching, he went to his closet and pulled out his swimming trunks. He loved the pool. He wished Nanna and Uncle Danny would join him but...

But Nanna grew weaker and Uncle Danny was always busy. Harry can't help but worry that when Nanna was gone, Uncle Danny will turn into Uncle Vernon. Harry didn't want that to happen so he tried to be the best little boy there was. He ate all his greens and he helped around the house, even if Pepper doesn't like that.

At least the cupboard under the stair didn't seem like it can fit him in there, even if it was more spacious than the one with Aunt Petunia. Uncle Danny often told him not go in there because the cleaning chemical there can kill his lungs.

Yeah...Uncle Danny can be very morbid but he's the Ghost King. Though he told Harry not to tell anyone about it because he didn't want people to hurt him or Nanna. People thinks that being dead made people evil, which was just nonsense! They didn't change just because they died!

Nanna chuckled when Harry walked out to the pool from the laundry room where there was a shower head for him to use, "Swimming, Harry?"

Harry smiled at her, wanting to be as sweet as he can be so Nanna didn't have to worry and Uncle Danny won't hate him, "Yeah!"

He loved swimming because that was the day where he felt like Uncle Danny can be his Dad. But he didn't want Uncle Danny to hate him because he wanted his uncle to want him like a son. So Harry said nothing and he watched what he say so that he won't slip and say it. But the memory of being taught was special to Harry. Uncle Danny was patient with him, not like Uncle Vernon, and didn't call him dumb just because he made a few mistake. He was to Harry like Uncle Vernon was to Dudley when he was teaching his cousin how to throw a punch. Although Harry didn't like it when Dudley used what he learned on him.

On that afternoon day, Harry felt like he have his own Dad.

So even if Uncle Danny didn't want to be his Dad, Harry will cherish that memory in his heart.

Still, Harry was a little sad since it felt like Uncle Danny was pulling away from him and Nanna. He spent more time in his office than with them. And sometimes he was just gone. Nanna looked sad but she also smiled like she understood something that Harry missed. Sometimes, when Uncle Danny was away, they will sit in the library and she will teach him the letters through the books in the library. Harry liked that she taught him like he's a big boy. It made him feel smart, even if he still can't read.

Harry wanted to show Uncle Danny that he's smart so Uncle Danny will praise him and maybe...maybe Uncle Danny will show Harry how to throw punch too? He saw it when Uncle Danny went up in the attic where the gym was. Harry thought Uncle Vernon can throw a punch but he got nothing on Uncle Danny. Uncle Danny make the world shake whenever his fist met the punching bag. He even have one set that circles him and swing around, making Harry panic whenever he thought it would hit Uncle Danny from his blind spot.

But Uncle Danny was so cool! He used more than his fists! He used his elbows, his knees, his legs, and even his shoulders and his head! But he used his head rarely. When Harry asked him one day, he just smiled and told him that the head was a last or desperate resort.

He poked Harry's head, "The brain is soft, Harry. It is very sensitive to shaking. Take good care of it,"

He promised to teach Harry how to kick but...that day never come. Not after Nanna collapsed one day. She was fine and was checking on the plants in the music room when she suddenly sway and collapse. Luckily Uncle Danny had Pepper follow her everywhere. Nanna didn't like it but she understood it after Uncle Danny told her that he worried about her.

Harry knew Nanna was sick. He have ears! He listened when people think he wasn't. Nanna was sick from cancer and she didn't have long. That's why she called Uncle Danny.

Still, Uncle Danny pulled away after that. He spent lesser and lesser time with them. These days, they didn't even eat at the dining table. Does Uncle Danny hate them now? Harry have heard stories from his time with Aunt Petunia how family stopped caring when one of them fall sick. Harry didn't want Uncle Danny to hate him or Nanna. Harry can be good but Nanna was sick and nothing helped. She can't just stop being sick.

After he swam to his heart's content, he climbed out of the swimming pool and went into the laundry room to wash up and put on his bathrobe before throwing his wet swimming trunk into the drier. After that, he ran up to his room. He have to cross in front of Uncle Danny's library office to get to the highest floor where his room was. That was how he noticed the tall ghost in purple floating in the room. A large grandfather clock that wasn't there before was suddenly there by his uncle's big work table.

Harry slipped on the side of the door to the office, squatting down to listen;

"...one person could fit exactly what you needed in wife. Sure, you might get into a fight with the Other Lot but she doesn't belong to them. She is just loved by them,"

Uncle Danny sighed, "I'm not sure, Clockwork. It sounded too good to be true. Besides, what if Harry doesn't like her? It will be all for naught,"

Clockwork, the tall ghost, chuckled, "When have I ever lead you wrong, Dante?"

Harry didn't know uncle's name was Dante. Danny must be his nickname. He decided to go to his room when he felt his chest shiver. He didn't want to fall sick too. As he climbed the stairs up to his room, he wondered about the thing they were talking about.

Uncle Danny needed a wife. Why? Harry wasn't so keen on the idea. What if she was nice in front of Uncle Danny but was actually mean? Aunt Petunia was like that. When people saw Harry, she acted like a troubled mother before lying about Harry. Like Harry was the bad one. Harry wasn't dumb. Aunt Petunia tried lying to Nanna too but Nanna was scary smart! Maybe Nanna will be able to keep bad women from digging their claws into Uncle Danny!

After putting on clean clothes, he ran a brush through his short hair. His hair was growing back. Unlike Nanna's. Nanna said her hair wasn't coming back. Harry felt sad whenever he saw Nanna's bald head. He tried learning more about cancer so he had Pepper read him books that was inside the library. Apparently only some types of cancers cause hair loss. Pepper won't read anymore because she get sad and started crying so Harry felt bad and won't force her to read more. Pepper loved Nanna too.

Still, he stared at his face in the mirror. Nanna said he looked like his Uncle Danny when he was young. The old wizard Nanna called Headmaster also gave her a photo album full of moving pictures of his real parents. Nanna said that his Mama Lily have red hair like hers. But she swear that Mama Lily have Uncle Danny's green eyes, just human. Harry have her eyes. He looked at his Papa James and though he supposed he looked like Papa James with the messy black hair, without his glasses he took after Mama Lily who also looked like Uncle Danny.

Nanna liked joking that Uncle Danny used to look like a girl when he was younger. He was bullied for that. Nanna advised Harry against bullying people just because they looked different. Harry understood that. He hates bullies too because Dudley always bullied him. Still, he can't imagine a girly looking Uncle Danny. Uncle Danny was so big and so strong after all. But Papa James have very little muscles and nothing like a mountain like Uncle Danny. There was a gigantic man in the photo and he was possibly the largest man Harry had ever seen. Larger and taller than even Uncle Danny!

But sometimes, when Uncle Danny joined them to watch the big telly in the fun room with the game consoles that would make Dudley green with envy, Harry would stare at his uncle. Uncle Danny as the Ghost King have snowy white hair with icy antlers. His skin will also be tan like an Egyptian. Not the dark ones. The pale ones. But Uncle Danny as Uncle Danny have black hair like Harry and pale white skin with bruises under his eyes. Nanna said he looked like a vampire. Harry also noticed that Uncle Danny didn't have a shadow.

Did he lose it like Peter Pan?

When he asked Uncle Danny that, Uncle Danny was surprised to see that too. He didn't even notice that his shadow had ran away. Poor Uncle Danny. Harry will keep an eye out for his shadow.

His reflection in their mirrors and windows glitched between the Ghost King and Uncle Danny. It was cool and creepy.

But the one thing that Harry liked the most about Uncle Danny was his eyes. Like he can't decide between icy blue and arsenic green. Harry liked watching them because they looked like the blue sky have green clouds or the green sky have blue clouds. It was weird but fun. They were his favorite colors, especially when they sparkle whenever Uncle Danny laughed. Harry didn't know if anyone else have eyes like Uncle Danny but Nanna said no so Uncle Danny have special eyes. When he told this to Uncle Danny, the man blushed blue.

He was so cool!

Still, if Uncle Danny come home with a wife, he hoped that Nanna won't be fooled by her sweet words. That Nanna would not hate Harry or push Harry aside. Although...Harry hoped that Uncle Danny will find someone that won't hate Harry for being a freak.

He pinched himself for thinking that.

Uncle Danny made it clear to Harry that he didn't want Harry to ever think of himself as a freak. And if he still do, then everyone in their family must be freaks too. After all, Uncle Danny was the Ghost King and Nanna was a time traveler. At least, that was what he gleaned from whatever they talked about. Nanna sometimes reminisced things that will happen in the future because she won't be there to see it happen. She would feel sad and sometimes she asked Uncle Danny to not let it happen again if he could help it. Whatever it was.

Harry knew that although they didn't keep anything from Harry, to his humble knowledge, they tended to speak in circles around his head. Something like an inside joke that Harry was too young to pick on.

He sat in the music room to wait for his music teacher. Nanna wanted him to learn a musical instrument because it can help his brain grow or something. Uncle Danny asked a friend of his, a Princess Dora, to help there. Princess Dora told Harry to call her Dora though. She taught him violin and he was not very good at it but he tried to practice as much as he was able. Uncle Danny sometimes join them and played the cello.

Nanna was surprised that he knew how to play anything. Harry had to stop himself from laughing when Uncle Danny leveled a deadpan look her way. Nanna liked teasing Uncle Danny and Harry liked watching them go back and forth. He wondered if he will ever be a brother to someone but that seemed impossible.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up, "Hi, Dora,"

Dora smiled at her, "Alright. Let us continue from last week,"

She picked up her own ghost violin and started playing haunting notes. Harry watched before he echoed her as best as he could. When he played the violin, his mind went silent and he could only float and fall with the notes. When they were done, he thanked her like how Fright Knight taught him.

Fright Knight was usually silent but he would talk to Harry if Harry talked to him. Fright Knight was a real Knight and he taught Harry how to hold himself like a proper Knight. Nanna sometimes joked about the first time Uncle Danny met Fright Knight. Harry didn't know what to make of it. The Spirit of Halloween was both a decorative armor and the guard of their home.

Like Uncle Danny always said; his life is weird.

Still, Uncle Danny refused to let Fright Knight teach Harry how to swing a sword. He also told Fright Knight to not use his Soul Shredder anywhere in the Shrieking Shack. Apparently one cut from the sword will send Harry to the Nightmare Realm where he will live through his worse nightmares. Since then, Harry will stand at a polite distance from the sword. He also knew that Fright Knight would keep their home safe.

Today, he sat across from Fright Knight on the large circular rug that was placed on the entrance hall. He remembered when Uncle Danny first came on last Halloween. Nanna was nice but Harry was bored. When Uncle Danny appeared, things grew exciting. Nanna was more confident at going out and Uncle Danny taught him about the stars. The stars were awesome. They were certainly better than the back of the stairs of his little cupboard under it.

He even personally added the little network of stars on Harry's ceiling so when Harry turned off the light, the ceilings will light up with pinpricks of stars that made it feel like he was outside. Harry loved his room. The windows were big and spacious, making him feel freedom. They were really the opposite of his cramped little cupboard. Nanna was insistent that Harry have as much space to grow as possible, unlike Aunt Petunia. And Uncle Danny would share stories about the stars, epic tales of courage and tragedies.

Harry thinks that heroes were unhappy lot.

Uncle Danny looked at him, "Only if you see the bad things that happen. If bad things doesn't happen, no one needs a hero. And you can't be a hero if you didn't want to. You can always choose to run away instead and survive that way. Or you could join the bad people so you can be on the side of winners,"

Harry thought about that a lot. Nanna told him not to ask Uncle Danny about Danny Phantom. Uncle was a hero too, once, but being a hero didn't always come with applause and happy faces. Sometimes people hate heroes or fear heroes because they were too different or too strong. Although Uncle Danny was no longer the hero of Nanna's bedtime story, Harry still think that his uncle was a hero.

He did the impossible and won.

He saved people even though they weren't appreciative of it.

He turned enemies into allies.

Best of all, he was Harry's hero.

But if Uncle Danny didn't want to be Danny Phantom, that was fine with Harry. It just mean that Harry didn't have to share his hero with the world!

Even if Uncle Danny didn't want to be his Dad...

"Harry,"

Harry yawned as he slowly came around. He looked up to see Nanna smiling down in him. He groaned a little, green eyes looking out the window and saw that it was still dark. Nanna booped his nose and whispered, "Want to surprise Danny? It's his birthday today,"

Harry's sleepiness immediately fled from his eyes at that as he grinned widely in excitement, nodding his head as if he have springs in his neck. Nanna giggled at his enthusiasm and pulled him out of bed. He remembered a second later, "Wait! Nanna!"

Nanna looked at him, "What is it?"

Harry started stretching, "Nimbleness can save my life,"

Nanna giggled again at him. Harry didn't get it. After all, Uncle Danny was a hero once. He would know what's what about saving lives. So Harry should practice what Uncle Danny told him. After a moment, he finished his stretching and followed Nanna to the kitchen.

Pepper was already there and Harry greeted her before joining her in making the batter for the cake. Nanna had her promise to only make that one tier instead of 3 or 2. After all, there were only the 3 of them. Harry hoped that Uncle Danny was sleeping instead of awake. Though he's the King of the Dead, he was a really light sleeper. Which was funny because he should be sleeping like the dead. Even when he fell into a deep sleep, he would be on his feet and ready to fight from the slightest noise.

Harry think it was cool.

Nanna think it was sad.

When Harry asked her, she said that Uncle Danny was like that because when he was Danny Phantom, ghosts attacked him at night when he should be sleeping. She said something about trauma and many other things about the mind that flew over Harry's head. But Harry get it that even though it was cool, it wasn't fun for his uncle.

Being a hero sounded like a lot of work and even though it was cool to be a hero, it wasn't fun to get there. Uncle always told him that being famous was not fun and was more curse than blessing.

If Harry could live a normal life, he should, was what Uncle and Nanna told him.

Harry think he won't understand the importance of their advice for a very long time.

Harry helped Nanna made the marshmallow web. Nanna liked making death related themed foods, like this all black cake with crumbled chocolate chunk on top with a tombstone shaped candle with his Uncle's initial on it. He didn't know how the candle flame can be green. The sides were covered with the melted marshmallow web and tiny spiders made out of chocolate chips with little chocolate legs. White melted chocolate was hardened to look like little ghosts with little sparkling dust wiped on it to make it pop over the solid black background.

Minted chocolate moist cake was ready to surprise his Uncle Danny with!

Harry was very proud by the design and all. Though maybe he should be worried with how enthusiastic Nanna was with all this death themed foods. Still, the look on Uncle Danny's face was priceless when they cheered 'Happy Birthday' to him. It was weird since Uncle Danny was dead but also not so it was okay to celebrate his birthday. But Harry won't think too much on that. Uncle Danny's weird but he's Uncle Danny.

Since Uncle Danny never shared what his actual age was, often time brushing it off and saying that it was nothing, Harry supposed one tombstone shaped candle was enough. He didn't need a graveyard of candles on his cake to celebrate whatever his age was. Harry knew that come July, he will be 4. As long as he knew his age, he was fine. Time was weird for his Uncle and Nanna. Nanna's birthday was in March. Which was next month. She said she'll be turning 69.

Uncle Danny joked at Nanna, "Man, you're old,"

Nanna smeared cake on his nose, "Says the guy who don't even know his own age anymore,"

Uncle Danny grinned as he wiped his nose, "Hey, at least I stopped aging around my mid 30's!"

Nanna snorted, "At least, hm? I thought you would be stuck age 14 forever,"

Uncle Danny blushed blue, rubbing his neck, "Uh...I was stuck...for a while. Then my power grew and puberty finally decided to introduce themselves! Which was nice,"

Nanna smirked, "And you turned into a hunk. Oh, I wonder just how many hearts you broke,"

Uncle Danny grinned at her, "Plenty,"

Harry decided to zone out as it sounded like things only adult will get. He instead focused on his cake while Uncle and Nanna talked about his Uncle's messy love life. Apparently Uncle was quite a player in his 20's. Once he was done with his cake, he excused himself to play in the garden. Uncle won't let him swim after he ate. Harry didn't get the reason why but he didn't want his Uncle Danny mad at him so he listened.

He was just coming back in when he heard Nanna;

"...need a mother, Danny. Every child do. Just as every child need a father. One to handle his emotional needs and the other to handle his discipline. I am aware that you can be both for him but you are distancing yourself for our own health. That is no way for a child to grow,"

Uncle Danny sighed, "I understand, Jazz, but..."

Harry ran to his room. It seemed that Uncle Danny wasn't so keen about taking a wife. But it also seemed that taking a wife was more for Harry to have a mother than for him to have a wife. Which was...nice, Harry supposed? Harry never knew a mother.

Well, he knew Aunt Petunia and...if he can be a little selfish? He was jealous of Dudley. He have Nanna but Nanna is his Nanna. She's his grandmother, not his Mum. Nanna was right, as always, that Harry do want a Mum in his life. But he was also afraid that whoever Uncle Danny took in as his wife didn't want to be his mother just like Aunt Petunia didn't want to be his mother like she was to Dudley. He remembered when he first called her 'Mum' like Dudley and she smacked him across the face before correcting him.

It hurt, being rejected like that.

"Please give me a Mum that loves me,"