Hiding a Phantom book 1: at Hogwarts

Chapter 8-Dealing with Death

Walking through the mirror felt like walking through a portal, tingly, but once through I felt the temperature drop, which I didn't mind (thank you ice core).  I was now in an old room with an old lady on her bed struggling to breathe with tears falling freely down her face.

"Now to absorb her soul, hold out your hand, and when you feel her essence start to gather don't flinch.  Let it pool in your hand.  Once it has all been gathered, guide her soul into your scythe for storage until we get into the Ghost Zone." Death said, gesturing for me to try.

Holding out my hand, I was surprised when I felt her soul start to gather, it felt blazing hot which made it really hard for me to not flinch or move once I felt it.  Once I couldn't feel any more of her soul adding into the ball of her soul in front of me I directed it into my scythe, which absorbed it. (Which some how didn't freak me out.)  Following behind Death into the portal back to his lair I waited for more instrutions as surely I wasn't going to keep her in my scythe for the rest of time.

"So, Phantom, now that we are back in my lair it is time to release her from your scythe. Swirl it in front of you and let it lead you as to what to do.  Trust your instincts." Death said, totally making me nervous, but I started anyway. (The sooner you start, the sooner you finish.)

I swirled it in front of me and started dancing and swirling it throwing it up in the air sometimes before catching it an continuing until I stopped and threw it high into the air in which it was still spinning and sending green sparks that were gathering below the scythe.  The sparks were taking a shape, into a ghost.  As the new ghost was done forming the scythe returned to me, and I looked at the new ghost and then to Death.

Death spoke breaking the silence first, "Throw out your old name, Amanda Hobbs."

"OK"

"Your new name is Jonah, use it as you find and wish your daughter well before moving on."

"Thank you," Jonah said before leaving through a portal that Death a created without my knowledge. 

Realizing how much time must have passed I asked Death, "May I leave now,?I don't want to worry the family who is hosting me."

"Of course, I expect to see you tomorrow for more training?"

"Of course," I say before creating my own portal and going through it landing me in the alley that was right by Hermione's house.  Still pondering how 'Jonah' had already accepted her death.

~

"Hey, Danny, where were you all day?"  Hermione asked as soon as she let me into her house.

"Out and about.  I will be out tomorrow as well."  I reply.

"Meet anyone nice?"

"I did meet someone, but he likes to hide his emotions. so I don't really know."

"Don't forget stranger danger! By the way, dinner is in 5.  Don't forget that we leave for Hogwarts in a few days, please remember to pack your stuff."

"I am already done packing, I have already read all of the books too, so I am looking forward to seeing what Hogwarts is like."

"Well first off Hogwarts is a huge Medieval castle."  I shudder thinking about all my travels to the past and let her continue. "No technology works there, all mail is done by owls, there are ghosts everywhere-"

"What kind of ghosts?" I ask before I can stop myself, even though I already knew.

"Well the only kind, the see-through kind, oh and there is a poltergeist who can turn tangible if he really wants to, his name is Peeves.  Anyway, the teachers are really nice..."

And this was the point in which I zoned out because knowing Hermione, she could talk about classes for hours.
~
I woke up a little later than my normal time but still an hour before Hermione. I was nervous about spending my whole day with Death, because for, one, I doubt he cares any about safety because he only deals with the dead and dying, two I am still somewhat under his jurisdiction, and three I hardly know him.

~

After a silent breakfast, I left for Death's Liar.

Today I made a mistake. I addressed Death as a guy, now that would have been fine, but... as it turns out Death is a woman. Death revealed her gender by pulling down the hood revealing her semi-long auburn hair in a ponytale, red eyes, small pointy nose with thin black eye brows. After she had pulled down her hood she said, "don't always assume someone's gender by their reputation, or how they act. Also because you so rudely assumed my gender I'm giving you homework."

"What! But---" I started to say before I was interrupted.

"No, more complaining or I'll double it. Your homework is to read this book by next Saturday. Yes I under stand that you leave for Hogwarts soon but you can still sneak off and talk to me and stuff. I still expect to see you tomorrow Phantom."

"Yes, Dea."
~
The next day Death started my training (which always seemed to push me past my limits which was good for me, but definitely left me sore).  

My training  was interrupted sometime in the afternoon by the mirror flashing, in which Death sent me to deal with the new soon to be soul. It went something like this:

I walked through the mirror portal to find a young boy stabbed and bleeding out in an alleyway. He had crazy curly red hair and amber eyes. He had a tan  and was wearing a plaid shirt, kakis, and black shoes. Standing before him I felt bad that I had come here to help him pass. He clearly still had much to look forward to. Sighing, I was startled when I felt myself absorbing his soul without my hand out.  This isn't good!  Hoping that that was ok I started directing the soul into my hand making it leave me.  Once I had gathered all the boy's soulby my hand I placed it in the scythe. Leaving through the portal and started releasing the soul from my scythe. 

When I finished releasing his soul I started to look for Death to do this part, but I didn't see her so I decided that I could try and do what Death did yesterday. (I mean she did tell me to take care of it, right?)  Looking at the new ghost I realized that he seemed to have much more power than Jonah.

"Discard your old name..."

"Derek Riley"

I nodded and continued"Your new name shall be Kato, may you use your powers to help all your cats find a proper home."

"Thank you."

I opened a new portal for Kato and let him leave.  Turning to leave I was startled to see Death leaning against the door frame, looking at her face I realized oh, I'm screwed.

~