Chapter 7

The next morning Harry awoke and headed out for his exercises, after disabling the noise maker ward and the silencing wards from the rest of the dorm and putting up a two hour silencing charm on Weasley's bed. When Harry got back he woke Neville as agreed and they headed out to start the day after both had showered and dressed finding Hermione once again waiting for them at the bottom of the boy stairs

"So what is it today Harry?" questioned Hermione as the three headed down to be the first arriving for breakfast.

"Well I've got the secure courier coming with a pensive and memory vials to gather evidence against Snape, apart from that we have got History, Charm's and Transfiguration today, so we have the morning free. I was thinking of, seeing as we have no homework left to do, spending it increasing our spell knowledge and then exercising before History starts at 11." Harry said

"Sounds good to me what about you Hermione." Neville asked.

"Ok it should be fine but are the others going to also join us?" Hermione asked

"We'll have to check there schedules but if they are free their welcome as always." Harry replied.

As they moved through the school to reach the Great Hall where they set down and chatted, till the food appeared in front of them 10 minutes later "Thank you House elves." Said Harry as he did before every meal so far at the school but it was the first time Hermione got up the courage to ask about it.

"Harry who or what are House elves you say thank you to them at every meal?" Hermione questioned as the other students were making their way into the hall.

"House elves are a race of magical beings very intelligent even if they insist on talking in a basterdized form of whatever language they speak that derive a form of sustenance from the act of service. Without it they starve to death no matter what they physically ate. In most of the world House elves are bound to serve one family and live there whole long lives doing so. But some especially in England the blood purists treat their House elf helpers as slaves beating and forcing them to punish themselves for the smallest mistakes. And they threaten elves with cloths breaking the bond and that means no other blood purist would accept a free elf into their service, but no normal family has enough work to sustain a house elf.

So the elf if they are kicked out by the blood purist masters die within a year from a form of starvation. The elves' at Hogwarts are an exception they bound not to a family but to the school as a whole and can only be released from there service at their own request. I will take you to meet the elves if you want to talk to them and prove that they need to work to live." Harry explained not only to Hermione but to a number of first year students.

"Ok I can see that but why do you thank them. Before every meal and when you get your washing back?" questioned Dean Tomas. Who had just arrived at the table

"Well by thanking them I verbally give them a greater source of sustenance then simple work alone, being praised for work they do gives them a feast and loses us nothing but the breath it takes to say thank you to them." Harry said before he started to eat putting an end to the conversation, leaving the others to think on what he had said. Nervously almost shyly as one by one they started to eat they said thank you to the house elves.

After several minutes of eating in silence Hermione said "I would like to meet the Hogwarts House elves."

"We can go after breakfast if Neville has no objections."

"No objections but I did not know about thanking elves at home we do it but I never knew it gave them a source of food I just thought it was polite as they do so much for us." Neville said

"Well we just have to check with Susan, Hanna, Daphne and Tracy to see if they have the morning off or not and weather they mind visiting the house elves in the kitchen," Harry said getting up to do just that as more students were coming into the hall and taking there same places as a few days before meaning there was a gap on each table without students it was in this gap on the Hufflepuff and Slytherin tables that Hannah, Susan, Tracy and Daphne were sat.

Walking up to Hannah and Susan Harry came to a stop and said "Good morning lady's how are you today?"

"We're fine I hear your instigating another debate over the treatment of House elves." Susan said

"Well it is true that I talked to Hermione on this matter I have not talked to anyone else I just pointed out widely available facts and my conclusions drawn from those facts. Now to the reason I came over here first to ask if you A- had the morning free till 11 and B- to ask if you did would you mind if we visited the House elves first before we got to some exercise and spell work." Harry questioned

"Yes we do have the morning free till 11 and no we don't mind visiting the House elves." Hannah replied.

"Very well after breakfast if you join us at our table I will take you to the school kitchens. Now if you will excuse me I need to go and talk to Tracy and Daphne" Harry said

"Your excused see you after breakfast." Susan said waving Harry off, chuckling Harry headed over to the Slytherin table. When he go there he went up to Daphne and Tracy and asked "Good Morning Tracy, Daphne would you mind if we took a group meeting to introduce Hermione to House elves, she's a little put out that some are treated as slaves and I would like her to meet the one's here before she goes off half cocked on some sort of crusade."

"I don't mind at all Harry but you'd best hurry on Snape looks upset that you're talking to us." Said Dephne with a nod Harry turned and it was as he was leaving the table he was accosted by the blond boy who had asked about the staffs during the pre-sorting wait in the entrance hall and who said "what are you doing at my table Potter?"

"It's Lord Potter-Carter to you and I was inviting two friends to an educational meeting. Now I have breakfast to get to Mr. Malfoy" Harry replied as turned to walk away seeing Snape approaching from the staff table Harry had only gotten a few steps when there was a shout of "Rictusempra"

Causing Harry to dodge and avoid the spell that had been cast on him causing it to fly past and hit a seventh year on the Ravenclaw table as Snape got to the scene he said "MR Potter for attacking another student a month of detention."

"Two point sir one it's Lord Doctor Potter-Carter and two I did not fire that curse it was the blond over there with his wand out." Harry replied as he saw McGonagall and Flitwick headed there from the staff table.

"That's another month of detention and I think a 100 minus points for besmirching the good Name of Mr Malfoy." Snape snapped as McGonagall and Flitwick arrived on the scene.

"What on earth is going on over here?" asked McGonagall.

Before Snape could open his mouth Harry said "I came over to invite two friends to a educational meeting and then as I was leaving Mr. Malfoy accosted me demanding to know why I was at his table I told him then turned to leave I had only gone a few feet when someone presumably Mr Malfoy fired a tickling charm at me I say presumably Mr Malfoy because when I dodged I turned to see who cast at me and saw Mr. Malfoy with his wand out and pointing at me. Unfortunately when I dodged the spell hit one of the seventh years on the Ravenclaw table. Then professor Snape arrived and gave me a month of detention for attacking one student then I pointed out my correct name and who fired the cures he gave me another month of detention and 100 minus points for besmirching Mr Malfoy's good name."

"I see the detentions are cancelled and 100 points to Gryffindor. We saw who fired the curse and I think if that is the punishment it should be put on the guilty party two months of detention and 100 minus points from Slytherin." Flitwick stated

"You can't do that Its Potters fault for coming over to a table where he is not welcome 400 minus points from Gryffindor and three months of detention to Potter." Snape said.

"I think not Mr Potter–Carter return to your table and you will not have any detentions." McGonagall stated, sending Harry on his way leaving the two teachers telling Snape that they would be discussing this with the headmaster after breakfast.

As Harry was approaching his table he saw a group of twenty goblins enter the hall causing quite a start. When they got to Harry the lead goblin said "Lord Doctor Potter-Carter we have a secure delivery for you." Said the Goblin into the suddenly silent hall as the headmaster sent McGonagall back down to find out what was going on Harry said "Yes I was expecting a secured delivery of a pensive and 300 memory vials. Here is my ring as proof of identity." Harry said showing the goblin his hand containing his Potter ring.

After examining it the goblin nodded and said "We have your pensive here and the three hundred memory vials though we are curious as to what you intend to do with this as it is a most unusual purchase for one so young."

"I intend to gather memories' of Professor Snape acting in an unprofessional manor to present at the school board hearing tomorrow morning hence the rush order how much did it come to by the way?" Harry asked the surprised Goblin but quickly figured out what Harry might be up too and said "it was very expensive with the 200 galleon fee it came to 9,987 galleons."

"Thank you but no amount of money is too much when it comes to getting decent teachers or an incompetent one fired." Harry said

"That's minus 1000 points for you cheek and a year of detention Potter now hand that cursed object to me." Screamed Snape as he stormed down from the head table and passed McGonagall to arrive to the razed axes of the Goblin guard as the lead Goblin growled. "Who are you sir to insinuate that we the goblin nation would curse a completely legal but prohibitive expensive artefact that has been paid for in full."

"Don't take that tone with me filth your nothing but thieves who stole everything from me."

"We did not all that was taken from your accounts and those others were what you stole form Lord Potter-Carter in the first place now as the artefact is still in goblin hands and you have accused us of cursing it Auror's must be summoned and if your claims are false you will be handed over for Goblin justice unless you wish to withdraw your accusations here publically." The lead Goblin stated.

"Fine I withdraw my accusation of that thing being cursed but it is a banned item within the school."

"Really I was not aware of this fact please enlighten me as to where it say pensive and memory vials on the band list MR Flitch could you go and get us a copy." Stated McGonagall as Snape looked towards the head table for assistance from the headmaster who was sitting there and shock his head slightly to say no help would be coming this time.

Fuming at the fact he could do nothing to stop this Snape growled menacingly "Anyone I see giving Potter memory's that are blatant lies against me will receive a month of detention with me!"

"They will not Professor Snape there is nothing wrong or against the rules in giving a copy of any memory in this way to be used as evidence therefore you cannot impose punishment." Stated Flitwick from the head table as Sprout and McGonagall nodded causing Snape to huff and storm out of the hall. While the student s sat shocked at what had just taken place

"So we can just give a memory about Professor Snape acting in an unprofessional manor without getting punished for it?" asked Cedric Diggory from the Hufflepuff table.

"That is correct the memories if I remember right are extracted with the spell Memoranda and a tap of your wand at the temple then a slow pull away." Stated Flitwick

"Hey potter I've got some memory's for you." A seventh year Ravenclaw called.

"And I will be happy to take them as soon as I have gotten the pensive and memory vials from the Good Goblin Guards." Harry said as the two Goblins who were carrying a chest placed it on the table next to Harry and opened it to reveal a gold carved Pensive and a shrunken rack that they pulled out and un-shrunk revealing it had three chests in it opening each they revealed it held 100 vials in custom made racks.

"Is everything to your satisfaction Lord Potter- Carter" asked the lead goblin

"More than take an extra 100 galleons for the hard work that obviously went into finding such a pensive and the vile containers."

"Oh we could not find a pensive for sale so the Goblin smiths made one for you to King Ragnoroc's Orders Unlike all other goblin crafted artefacts this one will remain in Potter hands until the line dies out or you or your ancestors deem to sell it back to the goblin nation as is befitting a friend to the nation." The lead Goblin stated causing quite a stir with those that stayed awake during the history lessons.

"Then I thank the goblin nation and there hard working smiths and offer a further 1000 galleons as the reward to them."

"The reward is welcomed now we must go have a good day Lord Potter-Carter." Stated the lead Goblin as all the Goblin's in the hall turned and marched out the hall leaving the place in silence where Harry said

"I will take all those who witch to donate memory's but do not have class's this morning first then everyone else at lunch and dinner causing half the hall to forget about their half eaten breakfast and converge on Harry and the Gryffindor table including a number of Slytherin's.

After some finagling Harry had it set up that each person would step forward with the memory ready on the end of the wand and place it straight into a vile he was holding as Harry said a number Hermione would write it down and then the person's name as Neville took the caped vile and passed it to Hannah to put into the numbered rack while Tracy handed Harry the next Vile and Daphne stood back waiting to help anyone who had a problem pulling a copy of their memory's out. By 10 o'clock the they had gotten thru 150 students and just short of 200 veils before the last one was done and they packed everything away into the trunk that McGonagall said she would keep in her office for them.

Before Harry in the last hour before history class lead the group to the kitchens where they were introduced to the Hogwarts house elves that seemed to really like Harry and called him "My Lord" all the time but Hermione finally realised that the elves were truly happy to be as they were and as long as they were happy Hermione was content to let them stay that way. After one elf was particular vocal about not wanting to die if they were free. Harry called the situation and the group head to McGonagall's off to drop off the trunk before they headed to history.

Sitting through a class where most struggled to stay awake for the whole hour the group had another subject to study on their own. At lunch the group was beset by the older years with more memory's for the cause of sacking Snape as one of the red headed Weasley twins had said and by the end Harry had filled not only the remaining 128 vials but also the bulk of the pensive capability's leaving only enough room for about 5 more memory's before Harry called it to a close stating he had run out of room to store the memory's.

At which point Professors Flitwick and McGonagall approached and offered to permanently conjure more vials Which Harry gratefully excepted so he could continue gathering evidence after dinner before Harry, Hermione, Neville, Tracy and Daphne followed McGonagall back to her office where the left he trunk.

Then rushed to charms arriving there at the same time as Flitwick said "The class is now I session please take your seats and we will begin." It was Halfway through the class that a bleary eyed Weasley was marched into the room by a six year Prefect "Sorry Professor I found this first year wondering towards the hall he claims something kept waking him up and he wanted breakfast so I took his time table and found he was due here."

"That's all right but Mr. Weasley will have to lose a full 10 points for being late to the lesson." Causing a groan from the Gryffindor's as Weasley had just cost them the ten points Harry, Hermione and Neville had gotten so far that lesson. By the end of the lesson Weasley was awake and complaining that he had missed breakfast and lunch.

As they walked towards Transfiguration Harry had had enough "Shut up Weasley its no one's fault but your own for over sleeping."

"It was not you hexed me and I'm telling." Said Weasley as they approached the transfiguration class

"Telling who what Mr Weasley and don't think I have not been informed about you being late to charms class and absent in history. This is the thirds day you have been late to classes." McGonagall Stated

"Its Potters fault he hexed my bed to wake me up all night then without my alarm clock that he destroyed I missed breakfast and lunch I'm starving." Weasley wined.

"Is that True Lord Potter-Carter?" Questioned McGonagall

"No the only beds I have hexed or cast a spell on are my own and the rest of the dorms to cut out Weasley's incessant snoring. Which kept most of the dorm awake the first night he was here." Harry replied

"That's Right Professor without Harry none of us would be getting any sleep." Shamus Finnegan stated to calls of affirmative from the rest of the first year Gryffindor boys.

"That's a lie their out to get me they caused this they want me to get in trouble it's all Potters fault." Shouted Weasley

"I will have none of your tantrums in my class Mr. Weasley and don't think you have gotten out of anything we will be having words after class. Now the rest of you into your seats we have much to cover today." McGonagall stated as she began the lesson.

After a good lesson Harry, Hermione and Neville picked up the 100 vials McGonagall had conjured along with 150 that Flitwick had conjured and headed to the hall where during dinner the twins showed them the sticking charm and Hermione with her ever present bag of school supplies made another 250 labels that were stuck to the vials before they started to collect memory's again with another hour after dinner they had almost used all the new vials and the last person a seventh year Gryffindor that was in Snape's NEWT Potions gave them close to 20 memory's leaving Harry just enough vials to empty the pensive.

Once all that was done Harry pointed out that some of the memory's might not be relevant so Hermione suggested going through them all and making a list of the most blatant activities of Snape and the ones that we not so good or outright useless which took the group sitting in the Great hall till curfew to do and they barely got back to their dorms after dropping the trunk and sack of vials with McGonagall, who was still dealing with Weasley, who had hit someone at dinner cutting the unfortunate second years face as the moron still had his fork in hand, for trying to tell him to eat like a human, which earned him another week of detentions.

While this was going on Harry and the rest headed up to bed after thinking it over Harry was going to leave Weasley alone that night Just encase he convinced McGonagall to check his bed. Harry lay down and went to sleep dreaming of raking Dumbledore and Snape over the coals the next day at the emergency Board meeting.