Danny didn't want to believe it at first. But he decided to give it a chance. He had tried looking for Jazz but she seemingly dropped off the planet. His parents, Jack and Maddie, naturally blamed him and thought that he had done something to Jazz. He didn't. She was just...gone.

Clockwork was absent and not even his right as King can summon the oldest Ancient.

So when he felt the summon, a very uncomfortable feeling, mind you, he prepared himself for disappointment. Only for fate to laugh in his face when it was really her. Except...

"Damn, you're old,"

Jazz threw a candy at his face, one that he instinctually just let pass through, "I aged, duh," She then looked at him, "Huh...I thought you took after Maddie but it turned out puberty kicked in Jack's dormant gene after all. I hope you didn't suddenly lose what few brain cells you have in that glowing dome of yours,"

It was her.

It was really her!

He stepped through the Veil fully, becoming fully solid, and hugged her, "Oh, Jazz! Where did you disappear?!"

Jazz returned his hug but he can feel her slight frame shivering from the death chill he carried with him, "It's 1983, Danny,"

Danny pulled back, "What?"

Jazz shrugged, "It's 1983...and you're finally here," She smacked his chest, "Took you long enough, little brother," She then started feeling his torso up, "Huh. You're not so little anymore, huh?"

Danny pulled away from her, his almost forgotten sibling annoyance back online, "Jazz~!"

Jazz laughed, "Oh, you have to excuse me, Danny! I'm old and my husband lose his muscles when he aged!" She looked him up and down, "You've grown up well,"

Danny sighed, "Why...why are you? I mean...when did you?" He grumbled, "You know what? My life is weird...afterlife...whatever this is!" He flapped his arms helplessly before finally noticing the old man and the little boy clinging to his very magical robe. Well, what else was he supposed to call it when there's bats flying around before a sparkly violet background and actual twinkling stars? Magical.

Damn...he wanted something similar but for bed.

Jazz's pinch on his cheek brought him back, "Danny, I know that look. You can ask him where he get his pretty robes later. Right now, I need to give you the down low," Once his glowing eyes returned to her face, she dropped the nuclear, "I'm dying...of cancer. Third time return,"

It took Danny a moment to process that before slumping, "Jazz...I think you have grown into a troll,"

She shook her head, "I'm not joking,"

He stared at her before leaning back. A glowing stylized black and green throne appear behind him as he sat down to process this. He stared at the dark ceiling with a black unlit chandelier before raising his hands and rubbing his face, "Great. I just found you and you're old and apparently on your last leg," He looked at the baby by the old man before cursing, "Cheese crackers, Jazz. Why are you doing this to me? I thought I finally have my...family back. Even if it is just you," He looked at her, "Why?"

Jazz smiled before looking behind and gestured at the tiny boy. He hesitantly came close, crossing the distance with a dash and clinging to her skirt. He just realized that Jazz was dressed like a witch, complete with a pointy hat. She was really dressing for the occasion, huh?

Jazz pulled the boy forward, "Danny...this is Harry. My grandson," She looked at him, "My biological grandson," She looked at Harry, "Harry, say 'hi' to Uncle Danny?"

Harry waved one chalk covered hand shyly, "Hi, Uncle Danny,"

Danny stared at the boy before his eyes zoned in on the scar that reeked of something that shouldn't be. He decided to deal with that later. Instead, he asked, "Where's his parents?"

Jazz sat down on the ground. Danny noticed that Gandalf sat on the floor with a bag of candy on his lap. He opened a hand and the man simply chuckled before handing a handful of candies. He opened the blue pentagon box and chomped on the thing that jumped out by instinct. Chocolate melted in his mouth. What? He had eaten a lot of squirming blob ghosts. Food that moves won't phase him any.

At least Gandalf looked impressed.

Who was this dude anyway?

Jazz sighed, "Danny...I need you to listen to me,"

Danny turned his focus on her, "All ears,"

He wiggled his rather long elf ears, causing little Harry to giggle before his green eyes widened at seeing Danny focus on him and hid against Jazz's chest. Danny smiled at the sight but noticed that the boy was too shy. He wondered if there was a story. Was his parents like theirs? Or worse?

Then Jazz started telling him the life of her daughter Lily Evans, showing him pictures, and telling him about her stepdaughter Petunia Evans. She told him how Lily turned out to be a witch, an actual wand waving witch, and how her relationship with Petunia soured. They weren't close but at least they were friendly. Petunia seemed to be jealous of Lily's beauty as people often overlooked her for Lily. She grew sullen from that and from a young age, showed her jealousy towards Lily but it wasn't so overt that she would bully her. She would say a snark remark here and there but was still sisterly. But when Lily goes to Hogwarts, their relationship deteriorated. Then...the war happened.

Danny's felt a sinking sensation in his chest. His eyes found Harry's scar once again. As he listened to Jazz, he hated the scar more and more. When Jazz confirmed his worse fear, he clenched his jaw. Lily, the niece he never knew, targeted by a Wizard Hitler just for being born special. Harry was all that was left of her.

He clenched his fist, shoving his fury deep inside as to not frighten Harry who already looked disturbed, "That wasn't the end, was it?"

Jazz nodded, explaining what Lily did to keep her safe. He hid a smile at that as Jazz ranted how she took after him so much even though they never met and she only thought of him as a mysterious fairytale hero that Jazz made up. Apparently, she was disappointed with the ghosts of Hogwarts because they were nothing like him. Well, he prayed to the Ancients and the power that be that nothing like him ever happen again. That Voldemort guy don't know what he was asking for. Immortality wasn't fun when he was stuck in a cage dipped into an active volcano. Being slow cooked was not an experience he wanted to revisit ever again.

Then she explained to him what Petunia did and why she needed to take Harry away from her. Not only was the woman's paranoia and fear would made her a terrible caretaker for Harry, who was a target for the same people that murdered people like her, she was powerless and her family would be helpless. But also because Lily's blood ward could not work with her because they were only related through their father but a mother's blood would work better as they shared one womb. Magic was weird like that. So Jazz's decided to take up that duty but...

Jazz patted Harry's sleeping back, "I have cancer. I can't be there long enough for him to be independent. That is why I ask the Headmaster to help with you. I need you Danny. I need you to help Harry live," She reached to him, her head low almost like a beggar, "Please, Danny,"

Danny sat on the floor and sighed, "Jazz. I want to. You know I want to...but my aura. It will kill you faster and Harry...he won't be able to grow up healthy,"

He might not be the Grim Reaper but he was dangerous to the living. He was completely attuned with Death. He will slowly steal her life and Harry's vitality. He wanted to care for them but...

Gandalf suggested, "I have a phoenix familiar. Perhaps his tears can keep the worse of your aura at bay?"

Danny sighed, "Perhaps..."

After putting Harry to bed, he looked around the house and hummed, "You know...with me, being the literal Ghost King, here, this will place will be seriously haunted," People will notice, especially since he knew most of the ghosts were a nosy lot. Eternity can be extremely boring. It was why some can get extremely excited at the prospect of fulfilling their Obsession because fulfilling it could bring them 'rest'.

Gandalf had an 'aha' look on his face before smiling, "Don't you worry! This is the Shrieking Shack! Everyone in Magical England knew this place to be the most haunted place in all of Europe!"

Danny blinked at him, looked around, and looked back at him, "This place is as haunted as an empty office during the holiday,"

Gandalf grinned at him, "Well, you're here now and this place will be haunted properly! Finally, a truth to a lie!"

Danny hummed while Jazz bid him goodnight. Should he tell her? No. Let her feel his misery with him. This place will be swarmed with ghosts once news about him settling there spread. Meanwhile, he needed to get to know Harry.

For the next few months, Jazz pouted at him while the ghosts decided that the Shrieking Shack was not remarkable enough for him the Ghost King. He refused to take over Hogwarts as his new abode so they have to do some redesigning on the Shrieking Shack. Somehow, Fright Knight decided to take post there by the fire place. He didn't get it until Jazz told him about the Floo Network. Not wanting surprise visitors, he let the Knight take the post. Although he was sure that someone needed to add his fireplace to their network. Something like the internet connection. But just to be safe...

Harry was fun to be with. He had Jazz show him around London, since he rented an apartment to live there while the ghosts scare the rest of their nearest neighbors with their renovation, and they used his money to buy Harry things. The boy wasn't sure what he want so Danny decided to introduce him to NASA and the space. He's going to make a Mini Me one way or another. Jazz only watched on in amusement as he took Harry everywhere with space things, even buying an expensive telescopes and reading stories about the constellation. Somehow, at his age, doing this soothed something inside him that he often overlooked.

He figured that being immortal meant that he can't exactly have children. Well, not easily. Frostbite told him he can but the chances were low. Not because of him. He have a healthy sperm count. It would be because of his partner. Her eggs might die...if not her womb.

As for ghostly manner of creating ghost children? Well...there wasn't anyone he wanted to create any with and most were just incompatible with him. Not many ghosts have a core as cold as his. Those with neutral core will be consumed by his, killing them, and those with fire core will be doused by his, killing them, while those with ice core will turn to solid ice like he once did when his core first 'awaken', killing them. Nocturne was the only other one that have a core almost similar to his and he's not touching that hornet nest with a pole longer than the Infinite Realm was spacious.

So, no wife for him.

Meanwhile, he managed to stop the overexcited stonemasons, blacksmiths, and carpenters from Dora's court from completely changing the Shrieking Shack and expanding it into a full blown castle. He didn't want a castle! He argued this point to the ghosts working on the place until he was foaming at the mouth, at which point they noticed the frost creeping up so they relented before he plunged another ice age on the planet.

Harry asked him after warming up from his victory, "Why not?"

Danny looked at him and gave an easy answer, "Cleaning will be a hassle,"

So they ended up making a Gothic manor with African blackwood to furnish the wall, the floor, and ceilings as well as the furniture. The front part that looked the most 'in your face' was the large protruded window of his office/library that was designed to look like a coffin made out of glass and black iron. The back also have the tall wall of Gothic arced glass window that lead to a natural swimming pool that looked like someone was trying to create the Yggdrasil motif out of iron. He honestly have no idea what aesthetic they were trying to create here. Something Nordic and something Celtic and something death related. Definitely death related, what with the giant coffin shaped window for his office/library...that also have a coffin shaped floor plan.

Sheesh. Calm down, people. He's the Ghost King, they get it. No need to express it further.

He even have a sun room full of plants that he was sure will just die since none were poisonous that also worked as the music room with the surprisingly pale white piano with black keys. The fireplace in the middle of the hall after entering the front doors was grand and tall and he worried that Harry might wander in but Fright Knight somehow decided to stay and play the part of a guard beside the fire place that also won't look out of place as a rather medieval Gothic armor decoration...as long as his flaming plume doesn't flare purple.

The stairway was a beautiful mix of black iron and more African blackwoods that goes up one floor and then a smaller set of stair closer to the wall that goes up to the third floor. Under the spiral grand staircase was a door that lead to the cleaning supply closet with a hidden entrance behind the cabinets that lead to the basement that became his laboratory...with a hidden passage that Jazz said lead straight to Hogwarts. Apparently the other end have a homicidal tree that certainly discouraged any curious students from coming close to the hole under its root that will lead to his new home.

Just what was going on with that school?

But with his laboratory there, won't he be worried about people stealing his work? Well, it wasn't like he didn't have his own security there. Not to mention, he have yet to worry about Ghost Investigation Ward and the Unspeakables won't be concerned with his work since their society couldn't exactly work with Muggle contraptions. Though they will also be deterred when they realized that he worked everything with ectoplasm, his own, so stealing his work would still be useless. As much as he had thrown away his old identity, he somehow managed to become an inventor of sort on his down time.

His home actually have all the technologies that can be found in a Muggle home years in the future, thanks to himself and Frostbite's help. Since none used electric but ectoplasm, which was rather magical in nature, it worked perfectly. That, and African blackwood was perfect for him as not only does it block outside energy, making it useless as a wand but perfect as shield against magic, but also since it also acted as medium between the physical realm and the Infinite Realm, making it the perfect conduit for ectoplasm.

Anyway, because the ghosts decided to make the whole house black because of their chosen wood medium, he decided to get creative with decoration. Everything have a nod towards his space obsession. Sure, he didn't put up any NASA things that looked tacky up front. He put those in his laboratory as eye candies to ease his stress. Everything else will only looked as though he's every enthusiastic with astrology. The black ceilings were painted with constellation lines with gold leaves.

He had Harry choose what he wanted for his room and in the end Danny managed to make him interested in astrology enough that the boy now have a space themed bedroom with magical starry nightlight. He grinned at Jazz in victory, to her exasperation. But he still encouraged the boy to have his own interest because as much as he loved a Mini Me, he wanted Harry to be his own person. So far, his personality have yet to really develop but it was slowly forming. For one, after Danny helped Harry learned how to swim a few days after moving in, the boy will now visit the large natural swimming pool behind their house almost daily like a ritual. He was certainly more active than Danny was at that age.

What did he do at that age anyway?

The large elder trees surrounding the front of their home made sure everything was private and Jazz sighed as she relaxed under the shade of their deck. Danny have commissioned a detached area for his grilling station, the glass roof and the open concept will allow him to make anything no matter the weather. The family enjoyed the random need to grill things by Danny though he needed to change the menu when Jazz grew even weaker due to her cancer. She recently shaved her head due to losing so much hair.

Harry looked at Danny, "Can I shave too?"

Danny smiled while Jazz burst out in tears, "Sure buddy,"

It saddened him since he couldn't do it because his hair will just come back when he shifted forms. So instead, he kissed the sweet boy for his love for Jazz. He even wore matching hat with Jazz!

But this caused Danny some internal pain.

Jazz entered his office one day, and sat on the sofa near the fireplace. It looked like a fireplace but it was really a portal to the Infinite Realm with the exit in the Far Frozen. Once he completed his work, stupid politicians, he looked at Jazz, "Jazz?"

Jazz sighed, "Danny... you're avoiding us,"

Danny sighed, "I'm sorry...but it's for the best. I know that the phoenix tears Gandalf gave should have helped but Jazz...my presence it suppressing its effect on you. You shouldn't even be here,"

Jazz hummed, "Harry need a mother," She looked at him, "I can't be here forever,"

Danny frowned, "Does he really need one? I mean, Bertha was fine watching over him. So does Dora. And some of the visiting female ghosts,"

Jazz chuckled, "But Danny, they aren't mothers. They are ghosts and they come and go. I am his grandmother and I am dying," She lifted a finger, "Danny, I know you don't like me talking like that but you need to accept it. When I am gone, Harry need more than an absent father. Like it or not Danny, that is what you're becoming to him. You know he bite back what he really wanted to say, right?"

He did. He knew. He caught Harry putting his little hands over his mouth, trying not to say the one word he wanted to say the most. Because as much as they loved each other, Harry was afraid that Danny didn't want him the way Harry wanted him. Damn Petunia and her log of a husband really scarred the poor child.

But he thought about it, thought about what having a mother for Harry meant. She won't be a proper mother unless he married her and...what sort of woman can he marry? Sam won't even be born. Neither would Valerie. Two girls that he fell for. Two girls that age taught him would be bad for Harry. Sam was not good mother material. As much as he loved her once, she was irresponsible. She tended to pretend that her actions have no consequences. When Desiree ranted about one of Sam's wishes and what she did to 'correct' it, Danny felt betrayed by her. As for Valerie...she was too petty. As kind as she can be, she focused too much on what she wanted and what she felt rather on what was right. After all, she didn't think what it meant for a ghost of a dog to come back. All she focused on was that it 'ruined her life' and she wanted 'justice'. Sure, they were kids and they have room for growth but...sometimes these sort of things weren't really noticed and there was hardly any growth due to that. Not unless something traumatic and in the face happened, like him and his cheating on his test leading to the extinction of all life. Not to mention, he needed a wife now and not whenever they grew up into a woman.

Besides, his aura...

Jazz said, "Danny...if you are someone who attracts Death, surely there is someone out there that attracts Life?"

Danny blinked at her suggestion and grimaced. He knew that besides the Infinite Realm, there was another realm. One for those who lived an almost eternal life. He knew it as Tir Na Nog, Land of Eternal Youth. Sometimes known as Alfheim. But Danny just know them as the Other Lot.

Spirits. Faeries. Immortal things. Well, almost immortal. They can die but they don't return to the Infinite Realm. They returned to the land and nourish it.

Problem was, ghosts and spirits have terrible relationship. Spirits, as being the very children of nature itself, looked down on ghosts for not accepting death. Ghosts, on the other hand, just find them rude and would often tell them off to mind their own business. They weren't wrong. But to the fey, ghosts were killing the land and should move on as their presence were wrong and unnatural. Basically, they just wanted to survive and take care of nature but ghosts were like pollution. Ghosts weren't helping with the image either as they can get carried away with their Obsession that can become very destructive.

Basically, they were natural enemies. Neither were welcomed in the other's realm. And Jazz wanted him to find a wife from the Other Lot?

He mumbled, "I can't even die but I'm pretty sure they'll find a way to accomplish that,"

Jazz looked at him, words slurring from sleepiness, "What?"

He smiled, "Nothing..."