Note: In Harry Potter: Takes place during Order of the Phoenix. In Danny Phantom: Slight AU in that Danny's older, and all the events (with the exception of the Disasteroid) have already occurred.

Disclaimer: I'm a broke college student. I own nothing.

Chapter One: An Awkward Entrance

"He's nuts," Ron muttered, staring angrily at his mashed potatoes. "Completely, utterly nuts."

The rest of the Great Hall seemed to share the redhead's sentiment, considering the harsh, angry whispers that raked across all four houses. A new, fifth-year-mandatory class had been added by Dumbledore just a few weeks before the start of Hogwarts term, throwing off both students and professors alike.

What was even odder was the subject it was involved in.

Rolling his eyes, Ron mocked, "I mean, really, who in their bloody right mind makes a ghost hunting course? Ghosts can't even touch us!" To emphasize his point, he discreetly tossed a small pea at Nearly-Headless-Nick a couple seats over, the pea harmlessly passing through. Nick didn't even look up as he continued talking to a couple of Gryffindor first-years about his dream to be one of the horsemen.

Shaking his head sadly, Ron looked forlornly into eyes of his two best friends and said, "Guys, I think Dumbledore's officially off his rocker."

Harry Potter, having had a few issues with Dumbledore himself with the events that had occurred over the summer, glanced at the old man in question, wondering just what, exactly, he could be planning. If past experience was anything to go by, Dumbledore usually had a reason and motive for the things he did, regardless of how odd or sporadic they may seem to an outsider.

He redirected his glance to Hermione Granger. Seeming to pick up on his silent question of what-do-you-think?, she stated, "I believe there's a more troubling matter that we should be concerned with right now."

"Like what?" Ron outburst. "The color of our socks?"

Glaring, Hermione crisply responded, "No. For the record, I'm talking about the stranger sitting next to Dumbledore."

Sure enough, next to Dumbledore, there she was—a strange woman wearing a pink suit, a peculiar, cheery smile plastered on her toad-like face.

Harry felt the blood drain from his face as he recognized her—one of the Ministry officials from the trial over the summer. She definitely hadn't sided with him, if her demeaning words and vote were anything to go by.

"She's from the Ministry," Harry muttered, catching Ron and Hermione's attention. "She was at the hearing."

Hermione looked like she was about to say something, but the sudden clinging of glasses brought everyone's attention to the front of the hall. Dumbledore was standing up, a glass and fork in his hands, smiling pleasantly at the students.

"With another year of Hogwarts begun, I beg a few moments of your time to make a couple of important announcements.

"First-years should know the Forbidden Forest is, as its name implies, forbidden. Upper year students should know this as well, though some of you seem to forget from time to time…"

Harry pointedly ignored this.

"Mr. Filch would like me to pass on the message that no magic is permitted in the hallways, nor are many other things that you can find on a long list outside his office door.

"Now, as most of you know, there has been a new addition to the school courses this year: Ghost Hunting is currently a mandatory fifth-year class, one of which will be taught by a new staff member. I would introduce you to him if he were here right now, however, it appears he is running a tad late…"

The trio looked at each other anxiously. No one ever ran late to Hogwarts' feast.

"But in his absence, I will introduce a returning Professor Grubblyplank—our new Care of Magical Creatures teacher. Also, I'd like to show you the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor: Dolores Umbridge."

The hall applauded, albeit unenthuisiastically, during which Harry felt a sinking feeling in his chest. If Grubblyplank was the new Care of Magical Creatures professor, where was Hagrid?

"Quidditch tryouts will take place…" Dumbledore trailed off then, glancing sideways at Professor Umbridge. She had coughed a little 'hem-hem' and immediately, the headmaster went silent, stepping back as if to hand over the spotlight to her.

"What the…?" Ron whispered, glancing back-and-forth between Dumbledore and Umbridge. "Did she just hush Dumbledore?"

Evidently, she had. Walking towards the front of the Great Hall, an eerie smile on her face, the toad-like woman began, "Greetings, one and all, to another fresh year at Hogwarts. I am just so delighted to see all your warm, inviting faces!

"I would just like to take a moment to…educate you of the importance of my presence here, as well as remind you of the significance of the Ministry's involvement. The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction…"

People were already chatting as if she wasn't in the middle of a grand speech. Even Ron had gone back to eating his meal, completely oblivious to whatever Umbridge was rambling about. Harry had tried to pay attention—really, he had—but hearing the toad cheerily discuss all of the achievements of the Ministry with elaborate and in-depth detail?

Yeah, he could pass on that.

Harry did notice Hermione, surprisingly, was at rapt attention, staring attentively at the Ministry official the entire duration of the speech. He had to mentally applaud her—regardless of level of intelligence, listening to a rant worse than a lesson in History of Magic took extreme effort.

Fortunately, it seemed as if Umbridge had finally finished. With a perfect, pink-lipped grin still occupying her face, she exclaimed energetically, "With that said, I'm sure we're all going to get along just fi—"

Cutting her off, the doors of the Great Hall crashed open, resulting in a large BOOM resonating through the hall. The sudden rush of air caused all the enchanted candles to flicker wildly and the napkins on the tables to drift away. The students and teachers gasped in panic, searching for the culprit…

...And finding one lone, scrawny teenager huffing tiredly in the middle of the doorway, bent over with his hands on his knees. His bright, baby blue eyes stared apologetically at the Headmaster.

"I…I am so, so s-sorry…"

Clumsily, he grabbed his luggage and walked at a brisk pace up the staff table, his gravity-defying black locks adding more to his frazzled demeanor. The entire Great Hall, save Dumbledore, was staring at him in shock, and already the rumor mill was beginning to turn.

Once he reached the staff's table, he promptly chugged his belongings to the ground, turned around, and looked over the rest of the Hall with a nervous smile.

"Hey guys, I apologize for the whole tardiness thing…you know how confusing airports can be." He attempted a laugh at this, but upon realizing no one understood the joke, he continued on, "Name's Fenton, Danny Fenton," again, he seemed to be referencing an inside joke, but at the descending silence he finally just gave up and concluded, "I'll be your 'Ghost Hunting' professor, so to speak and I, uh, can't wait to work with you guys."

With that last piece, he went to go sit at the staff table next to Grubblyplank, a bright, red blush following him to his seat.

Seeming to feel a bit sympathetic for the sap, Dumbledore explained, "Mr. Fenton is, if you can't tell by the accent, American, so do please try to make him feel welcome, as he is far away from home. That being said, I'd like to end off on just a few words: lemon drops, butternuts, and spaghetti squash!"

The whispers from earlier were nothing compared to now: Umbridge, no more Hagrid, and an American Ghost-hunting Professor?

This, Harry reflected, noticing the bright, red flush on Umbridge's face and the oblivious look on the new professor, is going to be an interesting year.

WOW. I finally got this out of my head! If I had a penny for every fanfiction plot bunny I had typed up, hidden away on my computer, I'd be filthy rich!

In reading a bunch of Danny Phantom and Harry Potter crossovers, I noticed not one of them involved Danny being a teacher. Thus, with a little spark of creativity and a sudden desire to see the results of mixing Hogwarts with a bunch of crazy ghosts, this was born!

I kind of rushed through writing it, and haven't edited anything yet. Plus, I'm not up-to-date on Harry Potter (unfortunately). It's been way too long since I've read it…if anyone is interested/knows of someone who can beta-read for me, please let me know. Lord knows I could use it…