Chapter 3: A ghost floats into a bar

It had become a routine for him. People came in, asked for a favour, left. Sometimes, people's favours were easy, sometimes they were more complicated, and every time he'd simply ask for a favour in return, paid in the future.

He wasn't sure how he was going to get the favour returned by a ghost, but he always had a soft spot for beautiful women. The woman in front of him floated above him with a soft smile on her face. Giving her a once over, he could see the scars of battle on the pale clothes. If these were visible on her afterimage, then she must've died in anguish.

"I'd offer you a drink, but I don't think you'll be able to hold the glass."

She smiled. It was a wide smile, one that split her face and made her beam. He offered her a seat, and she floated into it.

"You need something," he said. It wasn't a question. Nobody ever came here without needing something, whether it was a drink or a favour. She nodded. "You can't just tell me?"

She moved her hands to her throat, moving away a piece of cloth. It was carved out in a way that even the good old Headless Nick wouldn't have been able to suffer. Usually ghosts would ignore the laws of physics, but maybe this world's ghosts were different.

The fact that she was the first one he met made that hypothesis quite reasonable.

"Soooo, is it easy to figure out?"

She shrugged. He shrugged back.

"You're not very helpful," he said. She smiled again. "Not many things a ghost could want. Something you left behind and need to pass on?"

She nodded, then shook her head.

"The former, not the latter? Alright, a person?"

She nodded. He smiled.

"Need me to pass on your last words? Give them some ancient artifact that used to be in your possession?"

She mouthed a word. Despite her silent voice, she could immediately tell what she wanted. It was the shape of a mouth he had seen a lot. People who have said the same word to him a million times before.

"You need me to protect them?" he asked, tilting his head at her. "That's a big favour. Protect who? Protect them from what? For how long?"

She pointed at the wall. The Gryffindor colors. Red and gold.

"I'm guessing I'd recognize them? I imagine they'd look like you, huh?"

Of course, a child. She nodded animatedly, floating towards the colors. She pointed at the red, and then at herself. "Alright, red, looks like you, sounds easy enough. Leaves the from what and how long, and how do you expect to pay me back?"

She huffed silently, putting her hands on her hips.

"Alright, alright, I get it," he said. "Let me keep guessing, alright? You'd probably not expect me to move near them, so they're coming here. Huntsman in training?"

She nodded.

"Ozpin's job, then. If there's something you know that he doesn't, that'd mean danger for the whole city. Should I tell him?"

She looked sad.

"Something you can't tell me or he won't believe me. Or maybe something even he can't stop?"

She winced at the last question. He smiled, giving her a thumbs up. "Alright, I'll try to contact him anyway. You got an idea how long I got?"

She shrugged, but gave him an awkward bow that could've meant 'thanks'.

"You're not going to pass, huh? Alright then, go back to your children. Ozpin is going to get warned, I'll protect them if I can. I make no promises, especially not with vaguely cute ghost women, gods know I've had to deal with too many of those back in the day."

Her shoulders shook as if she was giggling, slowly moving towards the entrance. He waved her goodbye. It took a while thinking about the whole mess before he realized they skipped over the whole 'repaying' thing.

Ah, maybe if he dies, then. Lots of ghosts who owe him something.

He wasn't sure why, but after the ghost came, Qrow hasn't shown his face in the bar for a while, which made it hard to contact Ozpin as promised. Fortunately, it wasn't a strange coincidence.

Qrow actually had a job besides drinking, and his took him on a long trip he couldn't return from for weeks. When he stumbled into the bar with an empty bottle, he did so with a noticeable limp and an annoyed look on his face.

"I'm out, Harry," he said, sitting down in his usual seat. "And it was the worst time of my life."

Harry put a bottle on the table, giving him a large smile. "Welcome back, my favorite customer."

"Aw, shucks," Qrow said, opening the bottle and pouring himself a glass. "I bet you say that to everyone."

His flat tone made it clear that he wasn't in a good mood, and even booze wasn't going to help with that. "You alright, buddy?"

"No," he said. "It's a lot of annoying people being very attached to the idea that you need to have talks for days before reaching an agreement. Back in my day we just agreed with whoever beat the others up."

"That'd give you the quickest solution, but not necessarily the best one," Harry said. Qrow shrugged, downing the glass in one swoop.

"You're starting to sound like Ozpin."

"Ho ho ho, I do like my coffee darker nowadays, perhaps he's rubbing off on me," Harry said, smiling. "Though there's something I gotta talk to you about. I need to speak to Ozpin, asap. Had some trouble reaching out to him at the academy."

That made Qrow look away from the bottle for just a moment. "Sounds serious, you alright?"

"I'm doing fine, I just had a weird guest recently, and she's asked me for a favour."

"Dangerous enough to involve the old man?" Qrow asked. Harry shrugged.

"She seemed to think even he won't be able to stop it, asked me to protect her kids if something happens."

"That's… who was she? Maybe we can track her down-"

"I'm afraid not," Harry said. "Didn't give me a name or anything, I'm just supposed to deliver the message and take care of some kids starting at the academy, I'm guessing this year."

"Black hair?" Qrow asked. Harry blinked. "Perpetually frowning? Kind of looks like me but with tits?"

"No?" Harry said. "Wore a hood, so I couldn't see a lot. Was very happy, though, smiling a lot. I don't think it matters who it was, though-"

"Not my sister then," Qrow muttered. "Wouldn't ask anyone to protect her daughter anyway. My nieces are going to start at Beacon this year, thought it might've been her."

"Your sister? The one who hooked up with Taiyang?" he asked. "He had blond hair, right? Gold?"

Qrow nodded. Of course. He had heard the whispers, some info here and there when Qrow was beyond drunk. That woman must've been Taiyang's second wife…

"Alright, I definitely need to talk to Ozpin and you, can you get him over or can I come by when I close up?"

"Well, sure, ain't nobody gonna tell you to fuck off, half the city knows you. Want Ozpin's personal number?"

"Ah, I'm not too big on phones and the like, it's fine. I'm closing in an hour anyway."

Qrow nodded, pouring himself another glass.

"Let me just say, I don't really care whether you believe me or not," Harry said, sitting in a chair in front of Ozpin's desk. Qrow stood behind the headmaster, leaning against the window. "But I got visited by a ghost, at least I'm reasonably sure it was one."

"A… ghost?" Ozpin asked. "Remnant of a living spirit? Trapped in limbo and unable to pass on?"

"Something like that, some ghosts are pretty happy not moving on, all things considered-"

"The woman you spoke with?" Qrow asked. "A ghost?"

Harry nodded. Qrow narrowed his eyes, the gears in his head turning. Grinding his teeth, he gave Harry a level stare.

"You better not be lying about this-"

"I know they exist," Ozpin said. "I can see outlines of them, facsimiles of people. You claim you can see them well enough for them to approach you?"

"She looked young. Her clothes were ripped apart, her throat carved out, but she smiled like an angel," Harry said. "And when I asked who she wanted me to protect from an oncoming storm, something she believed you can't stop, she pointed at the red and gold colors on the wall."

Qrow slapped his hand on Ozpin's table, making both of the men look up at him. "Harry-"

"I said, I don't care if you believe me or not, she asked me for a favour and I'm going to do what I can to let her pass on. That was Taiyang's wife, right?"

"Summer Rose," Ozpin said softly. Qrow's throat made a howling sound. It sounded painful. "I knew you weren't ordinary, but this is beyond my expectations. You're-"

"I'm a bartender," he said. "Got a wand and know a bit about ghosts, but besides that, I'm nothing more."

"About as much as Ozpin's just a headmaster-"

"Qrow, it's fine," Ozpin said, raising his hand. "You'll do it, then? Protect them?"

"If the city's in danger, I'd protect anyone," Harry answered. "It's kind of my home, you know?"

Ozpin smiled. "Of course."

"You owe me so many bottles for not just telling me," Qrow said. Harry smiled.

"Would you have believed me if Ozpin hadn't?"

"Probably not, but I can't deal with this shit sober. Hit me up."

Ozpin breathed out through the nose. Of course there was always a danger that the city would come under attack, it wasn't something he wasn't expecting, but for someone to announce danger from beyond the grave?

He'd have to ensure more alliances. Perhaps increase security.

"Harry, could I ask for a favor?"

"Oh?" Harry said, leaning over the desk. "What do you need?"

"In due time, I'll need your help with something. It might be dangerous, but I believe that power of yours might be the key to saving this city."

"If you need me, I'll help," he said. "If you repay it in kind, of course."

Ozpin nodded. "I'd not have it any other way."