The Adventures Of Harry And Dobby Chapter Seven
Harry couldn't believe what Hermione just said, "You want to try and get down the trap door after we find a way to get past FLUFFY. Who are you and where is the real Hermione Granger, the one who isn't looking for trouble and doing her best to keep us out of it?"
"If you don't want Quirrell to get the stone, then we have to be ready to stop him. We can't do that if he gets in and we don't know how he did it? I know what I said in the past, but back then we were kids trying to fit in with school. Since then you have shown me that the threat is real and it is happening all around us. I have been attacked by a troll and have seen a person taken control of and sporting a second face which was controlling the real him. I have seen where Unicorns were being slaughtered just to feed off their blood to keep himself alive. I was told to stay away from a certain area unless I wished to die a most horrible death. I thought this was a school and I come to find out it is a death trap for those who try to avoid it by challenging it. If I wish to survive, I need to stay ahead of the game. Now, are you going to help me or not?"
Dobby felt like all of this was his fault for bringing Hermione in on it all. "I'm sorry for dragging you in on all of this Hermione. I should have left you alone and let you do what you do best, and that is to stay out of trouble. You should be safe from all this, and we brought you in for the ride we sere taking. You should stay here while Harry and I go see what is down there."
"The hell I will. I didn't say no to anything you asked, so it is much my fault as yours. Maybe I have felt a little scared so far, but I have also seen myself do things I never thought I would do, and do you know what? I like what I see in myself. I am confident and brave as well as being intelligent and caring. I never saw that side of me before. Now that you brought it out of me , I want to see more of it. Now, when do we go check to see what we have to face? It's only seven right now, so why not do it?"
"OK, but you have to listen to what we tell you Hermione, so you don't get hurt. I don't know what we are going to see down there, that is if we even get down there, but if we do, then it will probably be rough and dangerous."
"Any rougher than what we have already gone through this year, Harry?"
"I'd say a lot rougher than what we have already gone through this year. We have all walked away from everything without a scratch. I don't expect that to be true after we go down there, before we have to go down there, which will be even tougher."
Harry wanted to bring his cloak with him, but they all wouldn't fir under it, so he left it in his trunk under a protective spell to keep everyone out while he was gone. Otherwise it was always with him.
They made it to the door to the long hallway and entered it without making a sound. The twins, Hermione, Neville, Harry and Dobby all did their best to keep silent in case someone else was down there. They made it to the door hiding Fluffy and Harry went to turn the knob when he heard something on the other side. He held his hand up to stop the others as he listened. "There's music playing in there."
"Why is someone playing music in there?" George whispered to anyone listening.
Hermione asked a more specific question, "What kind of music, Harry?"
"Soft and soothing music."
"Harry, someone is already in there or has already left there. The music is to put Fluffy to sleep. We have to hurry if we want to stop Quirrell or Voldemort." so Harry opened the door to see Fluffy laying down and snoring. He also saw the trap door open.
"Why didn't he wait until the Professor was gone to go down there?" Neville asked.
"Maybe he left early, for some reason?" George answered.
"What ever the reason, someone is already down there and has a head start on us. So let's move faster, shall we." Hermione went to the trap door and jumped down in to the room below.
The others followed and felt the same thing Hermione did. They were all being captured by a vine that circled around their bodies, applying pressure that was starting to get uncomfortable. Devil's Snare was starting to bind them all. Neville got his wand out and fired a Solaris spell creating a bright light that caused the vines to retract from the group. They all dropped to the room below the one they were in. They all patted Neville on the back for his quick, smart thinking.
Their next challenge came from a locked door and about 100 flying keys, one of which presumably unlocked the door. The trouble was, which one was it? Hermione was the one to point out the one key with a broken wing. "That one has to be it, Fred, get on one of the brooms against that wall and try to catch it."
Fred did this and after 5 minutes, he had it in his hand and flew down and landed, handing the key to Dobby and the door was unlocked. The next challenge was in a dark room that lit up once they entered it, showing them a giant chess board with the game pieces being bigger than them. There were many broken pieces on the board, as if who ever played the last game tried to destroy the pieces so another game couldn't be played. When Neville tried to step on the board, all the destroyed pieces disappeared and the game reset to play again. When Fred tried to play the game from off the board, nothing happened, so it looked each member had to be on a piece in order for the game to be played. With the queen being the only female piece, Hermione took that piece. The twins each took a knight, while Harry and Dobby took a bishop and Neville took a rook. The group was black and the school was white. When Fred called the pieces to move, they were all surprised when white attacked and took a pawn and it was destroyed. Hermione almost became sick when she what happened.
The game was a long drawn out game the had destruction all over the board, but as yet, no one was injured. That is until everyone saw what Fred was doing and Dobby wanted to change pieces with Hermione, but it wasn't allowed. Fred had it set up for Hermione to give herself up and let Dobby move with his bishop and win the game with his checkmate. When Hermione's queen was destroyed, she was thrown from her back and was struck by a flying piece on her head, knocking her out. Once the white king laid down his sword, Dobby jumped off his bishop and went right to Hermione. He stayed with her, while the rest went on. The next challenge wasn't a challenge at all, as a troll lay dead on the floor.
The next room had a table sitting in the middle of it, covered by seven bottles and a parchment leaning against them. Harry went to the table and read the parchment and stopped the others from entering the room. He explained to them, "Listen guys, if you all step in this room, you may be trapped here for who knows how long. These bottles are filled with potions and only two of them allow a person to leave the room. One allows the person to go forward and the other allows him to go back. Two are poison and the other three are dummy potions that do nothing. You need to figure out the riddle in order to move on or go back. I don't know how much potion is in each bottle, but I doubt there is enough for all of us. I think you all need to see what we need to do to get us out of here, while I try to figure out these bottles." and there was no complaint from the others as they all wanted to see how Hermione was.
When the others turned back, Harry knelt down to examine the bottles and saw where all the bottles on the table had the same amount of liquid in them, so he couldn't cheat. Now he really had to figure out the riddle and try to end this entire affair. He finally figure out the riddle and drank the potion that allowed him to move forward, and pocketed the one that allowed him to return to his friends. When he walked through the entry to the next room, he saw Quirrell standing in front of a mirror, pacing back and forth trying to figure something out. He turned around when he heard Harry enter and he stunned Harry and bound him up. Then he awakened him and had him move to the front of the mirror.
"Tell me what you see in the mirror Potter?"
Harry was taken back when he saw his mother and father standing on either side of himself with Voldemort standing behind them all threatening them if Harry lied. "I see my mother and father standing around me, with you in the background threatening us. I have a tear in my eye, because I can't see what you want me to see."
"You're lying. I know you see the stone on the table behind you."
"I do, but I can't touch it. It's like something is protecting anyone from trying to pick it up." then Harry felt something drop into his pocket and patted it to find the stone there. He also found the binds around him drop off, setting him free. When he felt this, he turned on Quirrell and punched him in the face, causing him to fall and loose the turban. The face of Voldemort was exposed to Harry.
"He has the stone in his pocket, kill him and get it from his body." Harry saw Quirrell reach for his wand and Harry kicked it away and grabbed his hands to keep him from reaching for it. When he did this, Quirrell screamed in pain as his hands were burned by Harry's touch. Harry didn't know what caused this, and he let Quirrell go when he saw what he had done.
Once again Quirrell went for his wand and Harry grabbed his face from behind to pull him away from the wand. This time Harry burned Quirrell's face and kept his hands on it. Quirrell was soon limp in Harry's grip and a dark mist left the form of Quirrell and fled the room. Harry lost consciousness when he saw what he did to Quirrell.
When the dark mist left the room, it ended the the spell on it and the others were able to enter the room Harry was in and saw Harry laying on the floor beside the burned body of Quirrell. It was Fred, George and Neville who came through, as Dobby took Hermione to see Madam Pomfrey. This is what the three did for Harry, and the night became a busy one for the healer.
After her examination of the two, she knew Hermione was the one in the worst shape, so she tended her first, after she made sure Harry would be alright.
She found a broken arm, a fractured skull and other smaller problems with Hermione. Skele-grow was in full use that evening for Hermione.
With Harry, it was another story. He was resting comfortably when he was disturbed by a calling in his head. {Potter, you will never interfere with another of my plans, do you hear me? Never. If you try, you will die, earlier than I planned. Yes, I have plans for you, but I will not tolerate your interference again. Your friend is in a vulnerable position right now. If you continue to be a problem, more like this can happen.} and Harry felt it in his mind the pain Hermione was going through. He thought it was real and tried to wake up to help her, but he wouldn't respond to his own calling.
(I'm so sorry Hermione. I wish I could help you, but I swear, he will feel ten times the pain the next time we meet.)
Hermione slept well all night and was never in any pain. It was all in Harry's mind and he wouldn't find out until he woke up.
Harry knew he was getting under Voldemort's skin by just living and if he could find another way to irritate him he would try harder. Threatening his friends only made the matter worse with Harry and he knew between himself and Dobby, they could inflict a mess of disruption upon his plans. He would get his revenge on the pain he inflicted on Hermione.
Dobby sat between the two beds in order to be right there if either of them woke up. He was expecting Harry to awaken first, but so far neither of them wanted to wake up. He knew it was good for Hermione to stay unconscious because of the pain she would be feeling once she awakes. Harry should be feeling no pain when he wakes up, as all he had a magical core depletion.
Twenty four hours after Harry's encounter, he woke up to see Dobby sitting there holding Hermione's hand. "How is she Dobby, after Voldemort's attack on her?"
"Harry! You're awake. About bloody time. I didn't think you were ever going to wake up. I saw what you did to Quirrell. I know he was evil Harry, but I don't think it was worth burning him that bad? What did you use on him, a Solaris, Like Neville did on the vines?"
"All I did was touch his face and he lit up like a torch. I didn't use any spell on him. I don't know what caused it. Now what did Voldemort do to Hermione?"
"Voldemort? Nothing that I know of. Why would he single out Hermione to do anything? She wasn't there for the end. Just you were there and the body. Even Voldemort's face was removed from the body."
"I know. I saw him leave in a form of a mist, a dark mist and it left through the door. I thought he attacked Hermione on his way out."
"How long were you down there before he left, Harry?"
"About forty or forty five minutes."
"We were already in the ward by then. We came back down to get you and found the mess you left us to clean up. Neville and George took you to the ward, while Fred and I cleaned up. Did you happen to look into that crazy mirror down there? I did and I saw Hermione and I dancing at a ball and you, Luna and Ginny were dancing as well, together. Neville was there holding two glasses of punch, smiling at the three of you."
"Did Fred look into it as well?"
"Ya, and he liked what he saw. It was him and George sitting in a room designing something on a table in front of them. It must have worked, judging by the smile on their faces."
"As soon as Hermione wakes up and we can be alone with the six of us, we need to talk. I have to tell you what happened to me. It changes everything. Did you ever find out why the attempt was made early?"
"The message we got was different than the one Dumbledore got. I think Voldemort was the one who did that, to keep us out of the way. Hermione was the one who saved us by making us go down there early."
"Dobby, she is so much smarter than we are, it's scary. It's great that she is on our side, but she is bloody scary."
"She's not scary, Harry, she's brilliant. She's not afraid to speak her mind either, and that's where you might think she's a bit scary."
"Ya, calling all men idiots did bite into me ego quite a bit. I think it did the others as well."
"Thank goodness I'm not a man then, because I wasn't affected at all."
"I think you were still included because her lack of placing you on the human list was lost at the time."
The others decided it was time for bed, but Dobby stayed with Harry and Hermione, in case she woke up and to talk more with Harry.
The talk didn't last long as Harry started to fade into sleep, so Dobby was left alone, thinking. Did Hermione think of him as something other than human, and if so, why was she so interested in him? She knows he was an elf and that he was once a house elf, but changed. She knows his history with the Potters, so she knows he is protective. But what did she think of him otherwise? Does she really care for him. He was so into thought, he missed Hermione's first sign of waking up, when she moaned from her pain and discomfort. Then she opened her eyes and saw Dobby sitting next to her and she got his attention by asking, "Dobby, water please."
He jumped up when she asked that and ran to get her the drink she asked for. He was back and held her head up for her to take a small sip. He did this until she said, "Enough."
"Does it hurt very much, Hermione?"
"A little and I can't stand being trussed up like I am. Did I break something?"
"Ya, you're arm and a fractured skull, but Poppy gave you something for both injuries. I think your pain is from lying still for so long, so it should pass quickly."
"How's Harry, and did he stop Quirrell from getting the stone?"
"Yes he did, but it was what he did to Quirrell that I don't know if he will ever get over it? When we got into the chamber to see if he was alright, we found him and Quirrell lying on the floor. Harry was out cold and Quirrell was burned to a crisp. Harry said all he did was grab his face to keep him from getting the stone, and Quirrell started to burn and it didn't stop until he was dead."
"Harry killed someone? I can't believe it. Are you sure it was Harry who did it?"
"That's what he said. He also said that when Quirrell died, a black mist left the body and fled from the room. He also has something to tell us when you are both back to health. He says it is important for all of us to know."
"OK, is he as serious as you sound?"
"Probably more so. Something changed down there and I don't know if I'm going to like it. But before he wakes up, can I ask you something?"
"You don't want Harry to know my answer?"
"I'm not sure if I want to know it, but I need to ask. Do you think of me as a house elf, a normal elf, or human?"
"Well, we both know you're not human, but that doesn't make me change how I feel about you, if that is what you fear. Dobby, if I didn't like you for who you are, I wouldn't give you hope of us possibly being together. Yes, I like you and I feel you like me. Of course I like Harry, Fred, George and Neville as well. Probably not the same way I like you, though. Does that answer your question in a way that helps how you feel?"
"Helps it, yes. I was hoping you didn't think of me as something other than human, who you put up with. Now, I think you need to go back to sleep and build up your strength and I can go get some sleep. I don't like myself when I don't get my sleep. We'll see you in the morning." and he kissed her forehead and then left the room. Hermione looked to her right to see Harry sleeping soundly. She wondered if he changed that much that he was now serious about things around him. His playing around with Dobby worried her because of the dangerous things they faced and laughed about how they handled it.
"I feel you drilling a hole in the back of my head, Hermione. If you wish to ask me something, go ahead and ask so I can get some sleep too."
"I didn't know you were awake, Harry. I'm sorry, but I do want to ask you something and you said you were going to talk about it later. How much did it change you down there with Professor Quirrell?"
"OK, first, he wasn't a Professor. Second, it wasn't him that changed me, it was Voldemort. Finally, it changed me quite a bit. I see where we have to be more serious about how we approach things. Voldemort told me he was going to start killing those around me, to show me how helpless I really am. He even told me he was in your mind causing you pain. He showed me what he was doing, and since he was in my mind, I assumed he could be in your as well. That was what made me realize we have to be stronger if we are going to survive this. I am going to tell everyone that starting next year we will form a club of people we trust and train together so that we are all equal in every facet of magic and some muggle training as well. I will be starting tomorrow, or when ever I can leave here and start by running every day, and exercising until I can't go any further. I mean it Hermione, we need to be better than those we face and have more endurance and stamina if we hope to stand a chance."
"Will it be alright if I join you as soon as I am able? I could start by exercising while I'm laid up here?"
"That should help you Hermione, in your recovery. Not too strenuous, though. We don't want you hurting yourself. It could probably help if you started reading for all seven years. We will be needing that information to train. I can ask mum and dad about getting other training guides as well. I know they want me to be safe and those around me as well." Harry saw Hermione perk up after that message. She would be in her element. Possibly even teaching some of them, to help Harry and Dobby. Hermione never thought she would love to see a school year end, but that was what she wanted right now, so she could begin her research.
"Harry, thank you for the talk and believing in me. But most of all, for taking the time to be my friend. I never had time for friends before and you have shown me what I was missing. I even enjoyed you adventures, even if they almost got me killed. Believe it or not, it didn't bother me, but missing the adventures would have and that would have hurt me. I have more friends than I ever imagined I would and please don't tell Dobby this, but I enjoy having him around me all the time."
"Sorry Hermione, I didn't hear that last part as I was falling asleep. I think I am going to sleep for real now. Good night Hermione and I will see you in the morning."
"Good night Harry. I hope I'm able to go to breakfast with you in the morning."
"I'll put in a good word with Poppy." and that was it for talking for the rest of the night.
Harry's attempt to talk Poppy into letting Hermione go to breakfast was doomed to failure. Hermione was still affected by her head injury and her arm was not at full strength. Hermione had to watch Harry as he backed out of the ward saying he would be back after classes.
Hermione's stay lasted until there was one week left to the school year. Once released, she ran out of the ward and headed for Gryffindor house before everyone headed for breakfast. She almost missed Harry, Dobby, Fred, George and Neville who were leaving for breakfast. She was ready to call out to them, when Dobby turned and saw her headed their way and he had them all stop to wait for her.
Hermione was still a little light headed and when she tried to stop, her feet went out from under her and she went flying into Dobby's out stretched arms. He caught her and held her in his arms longer than he should have, but no one said anything. He then righted her and asked, "Are you alright?"
"Still a little off balance, but I feel fine. I was hoping to get here before you all left. I was ready to beg Poppy to let me go and she came in and said to leave, but watch out for headaches, dizziness and balance. Are we still on for tonight Harry?"
"Now that we got you back, we are. I was beginning to wonder if I would have to wait until next year for the talk. Have you been keeping up on your exercises?"
"Yes, and now I'm looking forward to running. Unless you haven't started yet?"
"Every morning, up at six and run for an hour then shower and breakfast. We are all doing it. We even have a few from the other houses run with us. Just Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, though. Maybe next year it will be more. I think Ginny and Luna will join us and maybe a few of their classmates."
The day went quickly for them after meeting up with Hermione and after dinner they joined up again and had their meeting in the first floor empty classroom. What Harry didn't know was that Albus would be there as well. Harry began to notice him being more aware of what his friends and him did and he wondered where he was getting his information from. He asked Albus, "Sir, why are you here?"
"I think I can be anywhere I wish to be in Hogwarts, Harry. Don't you? I heard there was going to be a discussion here tonight, and thought I might like to hear what was said."
Harry knew there was nothing he could do about it and then he thought it might be a good idea for someone else to know about what happened in the room with the mirror. "Alright then, since we have company, are there any questions before I begin?"
"I have one for you Harry. I have noticed you and several of your friends have taken up running in the morning. May I ask why?" Albus wanted to let Harry become calm before he went into his bigger talk.
"Easy enough, Sir. I noticed in the mirror room I tired quickly and it cost me my magic temporarily. If Voldemort had been at full strength, I would have been doomed. I think we all need to build up our stamina and running is a good start. Later I intend to add to the running, but that will be next year."
"Excellent idea Harry and it is good to see you notice your weaknesses. Perhaps I should make it a part of every students training?" Albus really did like the idea.
"That would be up to you sir. Are there any other questions?" and there were no more, so Harry began his thoughts, "Another thing that happened down there was when Quirrell died, a black mist departed his body and left the room, but visited me later while I was unconscious. It was Voldemort, and he showed me what he was doing to Hermione, or what I thought he was doing to her. Come to find out it was all in my mind, but it also showed me that we are all vulnerable to his thoughts. I think we need to find a way to protect ourselves from a mental attack. We also need to build our magical strength somehow. I know we have not seen the last of him and I want us ready."
"I might have an answer for your mental attacks Harry, It is called Occlumancy. It is the secret to blocking mental probes. You have to build a wall and set traps for someone trying to enter your thoughts. It is hard to do, but I might be able to guide you through it." Albus came here to offer his help and it was a good way to start.
When Harry and the others all agreed, Albus began by having everyone empty their minds of thoughts and then begin to build a wall, one piece at a time using what every material they thought would be their strongest. The twins thought their pranks would be their strongest defense. Hermione used books and problem solving. Harry used the walls of Hogwarts and Dobby used love as his defense. Neville used magical plants for his wall. Dobby's was the easiest to build because it was already there. The love he had in this room and the love he had from home created a wall that could only be breached with love. A direct attack on it would attempt to fill the attackers mind with love and it was stronger than the magic being used to control him.
Albus could see who was doing OK and who was having problems and he went to Neville first as he was becoming frustrated. He also saw where Dobby was practically done with his, as was Hermione. Harry's was taking time to complete, but Albus could see where his could be the strongest one of them all, as he was combining magic and mortar to build his and was making it thick. He could see the twins using both their minds to build theirs and saw it was strong, but if breached then both might be controlled. He showed this problem to them, but was trapped in their mind and they were using their twin speak to rattle him. It was quite effective and Albus had to pull out before he went mad from the insane meandering of the two. Except for Neville, he could see they were all doing fine. It took more time then he thought it would and he had to escort them all back to their dorm so there would be no trouble. That was the end of their day.
