"So were you surprised?" Sirius changed the subject.
"Why didn't you tell me you were going to teach?" Harry asked.
"I wanted it to be a surprise." he replied teasingly, "You didn't even notice, what were you so intent on I wonder?"
"I didn't want to miss their sorting." he said, "Last years was a bit wild."
"Grant you that mate." Neville said, "When Pettigrew grabbed you I thought Professor McGonagall was going to have a heart attack."
"Wait, I thought he grabbed Ron." Sirius looked worried.
"Didn't Professor Dumbledore tell you?" Harry asked, "Half way out the door he saw me, dropped Ron and grabbed me saying he was going to take me to the Dark Lord. I waited until we were away from other kids so he couldn't hurt anyone and then kicked him between the legs."
"No he didn't tell me that." Sirius glared at the back of the headmaster as he left the hall.
"It's what made them call the Aurors." Harry said, "Without that happening who knows what they would have done with him. They might have just said welcome back Peter, here's your Order of Merlin and left you in Azkaban."
"True." Sirius nodded, "Well off to bed you lot."
"See you tomorrow." Harry called.
In the common room the six of them sat in a corner and Ron addressed them first, "So what are we going to do this year since the regular excitement is already taken care of?"
"Finish the mirrors, see about the cup, get Dobby free, work on our Animagus transformations and anyone who isn't finished needs to complete the occlumency training and upkeep." Harry said, "Anything else?"
"Talk to the Goblins about the Theif's Downfall and whatever Ron's surprise was." Hermione looked at the list.
"Oh is that all." Ron slumped back into his chair.
"What surprise?" Ginny asked Ron.
"Just a little something I've been working on." Ron said evasively.
Ginny quirked an eyebrow at her brother's evasiveness. She looked at the other four and found Luna looking dreamy, Neville and Harry looking amused and Hermione seemed to be grinding her teeth in frustration.
"When are you going to tell us?" she asked.
"Whenever you're ready." he smirked.
"I'm ready." she ground out.
"Ok, I was looking at Wizarding law." He started.
"Law?" Hermione was flabbergasted.
"This is going to take a long time if you repeat the last word of each sentence." Ron chuckled. Hermione shut her mouth and motioned for him to continue, "Thank you. Now I was looking at some books on Wizarding law and I think I've figured out how to get the cup. I wanted to talk to Bill and Dad before I brought this up but, Neville should be able to go after Crouch Jr. and the Lestranges to get damages for his parent's injuries."
"No one knows about Crouch Jr. yet." Harry said, "But the Lestranges are fair game."
"How do I do it?" Neville asked eagerly.
Ron gave a rough outline of what he thought should happen and when it should be done. Hermione listened intently through the entire conversation never uttering a sound. Finally Ron began to worry.
"Are you ok Mia?"
"I'm shocked Wings." Hermione answered, "But in a good way. That's brilliant. If they try to give him any trouble about it being a priceless heirloom then he can tell them his parents are priceless too, as anyone without parents will tell you."
"You won't have to do that this time." Harry interjected.
"I know." Hermione said, "I'm counting on that. I think it's one of my reasons for not worrying about the time line."
"You can't think of it that way." Harry said, "This is our life."
"Yes and this time Wings is having the brilliant ideas." she grinned and hugged Ron tightly.
"I learned from the best." He whispered just loud enough for the others in the group to hear.
"Time for bed first and second years." Percy called.
The entire group of six frowned at the red headed boy but started to gather their things. Ron was able to sneak a kiss to Hermione while Ginny got one from Harry. A few hugs were passed around and the group started to leave.
"Wait!" George yelled as they reached the steps, "I didn't get a hug Gin Gin."
"Me either and I know you gave Ron one." Fred continued.
"What are we chopped liver?" George pouted.
"Come here Percy you need one too." Fred grabbed the older boy.
Ginny grinned at her two friends and the three girls ran at the three boys. First they all jumped on George and gave him hugs and kissed his cheeks, then Fred and finally Percy. Harry, Ron and Neville were leaning on each other laughing at the three red faced boys who hadn't expected to be attacked in such a way. Percy had even tried to escape and was chased down. When they finished they turned on their own three friends and did the same. Neville was the only one in the group that turned red at the attack. Harry was actually able to sneak in another kiss from Ginny during the exchange.
"You girls are a menace." Fred laughed at them.
"Next time you'll think twice before trying to embarrass me." Ginny flipped her hair and went up the girl's side.
The three younger boys were still laughing at the three older boys as they went up their own side.
A few weeks later Hermione slammed the book shut that she had been reading through breakfast, "There isn't anything else."
"What?" Ron asked bewildered.
"That charm I've been researching. There isn't another way." she scowled at Harry.
"I'm glad I didn't do whatever you did to get looked at like that." Dean leaned into Harry as he sat down.
Harry chuckled, "It's not me. A book failed her."
"Catastrophe." Dean agreed and went to his breakfast.
"Don't worry Mia. It will all work out."
"But…"
"We can talk later." he shook his head and she noticed Dean sitting close by.
"Right." she said in a defeated tone.
After dinner that evening the group gathered for practice in the room of requirement, as they had many times the year before. They had all begun to work on wandless magic this year. Harry was by far the best at it but the rest were off to a good start. After working for an hour Harry called them to stop.
"So what were you angry about at breakfast?" Ron asked.
"I can't find another spell to enchant the mirrors." she huffed, "It doesn't say there is a limit to the number of mirrors but I can only get two to work."
"Maybe you just need more power." Neville suggested, "Have Shadow do the charm."
"Excellent idea Bear." Hermione agreed and arranged the mirrors on a table top in a circle. She conjured a piece of chalk and drew lines from each mirror to the center of the circle and then wrote a rune in between each line, "Point your want at the center and then say this spell. No wand movement to it. Hold the spell as long as you can."
"Ok." Harry shrugged and did as she told him to.
The lines immediately began to glow. Harry focused on the spell and poured more magic into it. Suddenly there was a sound like thunder and a flash of light. It knocked Harry back a step and caused him to lose focus on the spell and it stopped. After a few tests to prove they worked Hermione gave Harry a hug.
"If I was still a prefect I'd give you twenty points."
A pop shocked all of them and they turned with wands pointing at the intruder.
"Dobby!" Harry called and put his wand away, "Sorry I didn't get to thank you for helping me this summer."
"You did thank Dobby several times." the elf bobbed his head.
"Well thanks again anyway." Harry said finding a seat on the floor, "Have a seat we have something we want to discuss with you."
"Sit down and talk with you?" Dobby was shocked, "No one has ever asked Dobby to sit and talk before."
"Well I have some questions only you can answer and I want to sit." he said, "Will you sit with me?"
"Yes Harry Potter Sir. Dobby would be proud to do whatever you ask."
"First you belong to the Malfoy's correct?" Dobby nodded his head miserably, "Do you like any of them?"
"Master Draco has seemed to become kinder." Dobby shrugged, "I don't mind helping him."
"Excellent." he said, "Now if something happened and Draco left his parents, could you go with him and be his house elf? That would mean not belonging to Lucius and Narcissa any longer."
"I is bonded to the family." he said, "I will always answer to any of them."
"Is there any way to change the bond?"
"Clothes would make me free. Dobby would like to be free." he then got up and tried to bang his head into the wall, "I said bad things about my family."
"Please don't punish yourself." Harry stopped him, "Just one more question please. If Draco gave you clothes would it be the same as one of the adults doing it?"
"No." he replied dejectedly, "I have to be going they is calling for me."
"Come and talk to us again sometime." Harry said, "We are going to try to get you free ok?"
"Thank you Harry Potter, you is a great wizard." the elf popped away.
"No wonder you freed him." Neville said, "I've never seen such a miserable elf."
"You would be too if Lucius Malfoy owned you." Harry sighed. Ginny gave him a hug to make him feel better, "Any luck with your Gran?"
"She's looking into the law." he replied, "She did find out that she could only do it if they were minors. There doesn't seem to be a precedent for this."
"That's ok." Harry said, "Are you sure you want to pursue this?"
"Absolutely." he said, "If they escape I don't want them to have anything to come home to."
"I hope they won't get the chance to escape." Harry sighed, "We better get going. It's nearly curfew. And before I forget, Sirius wants us in his office tomorrow after dinner to work on our animagus transformation."
"I'll tell the twins." Ron offered.
During breakfast a few days later Harry received a letter from a strange owl. He almost didn't accept the letter until he saw it was from Gringotts. Reading it thoroughly he knew he had a problem. They wanted the guardian with the key to come pick up the other seven keys. But now Harry had no way to travel.
"What's wrong?" Ginny asked concerned. Harry handed the letter to her and went back to thinking. She scanned it and handed it back, "How are you going to do it?"
"Don't know." he shrugged, "I guess I'm going to have to tell them I'm unavailable for a bit and that I'll contact them when I am back."
"Luna and I were talking about this the other day." Ginny whispered, "We think you should still be able to apparate."
"I think I can physically, but can they trace me?" he asked.
"I don't know." she admitted, "I'm planning on asking Sirius."
"You can probably get away with it." he grinned, "You have him wrapped around your little finger."
"It's an art." she chuckled, "I've been practicing it for years. I already had Dad, Bill and Charlie. I've been working on Sirius and Remus all summer."
"You've got Harry too." Neville chuckled.
"Of course." she smirked, "I just refrain from rubbing it in."
"Maybe you can get the goblins to arrange to buy Dobby." Hermione suggested, "I can't see any other way to get him."
"If I phrase the letter back to them stating I can't come as my Guardian persona for a while due to security reasons it should mollify them for a bit. Then I can ask what the going rate for house elves are and if they could help me procure a certain one. Once I have him he can take me for the keys."
"No more items though." Hermione shook her head.
"No the ones we have left I won't involve him like that." he said, "No more Kreachers."
"It's wasn't your fault." Ginny rubbed his back.
"It feels like it." Harry sighed, "But it's getting easier."
By Halloween they had hammered out the deal to buy Dobby from the Malfoys. The Goblins had approached Lucius with a generous offer on the specific house elf. The only stipulation was that the elf had to be in perfect health at the sale. At first he was reluctant to let that elf go but he was convinced that he could purchase one more to his liking. The Guardian named Predator would be meeting the elf at the bank to pick him up. Dobby popped up a few days before the sale to talk to Harry again.
"I is being sold." he stated warily, "I don't knows who it's going to be."
"It's me but I'll be in disguise." Harry said, "I need to ask a favor of you."
"Anything!" the excited elf promised, "I be happy to work for Mister Harry Potter sir."
"The day of the sale I need to get to Gringots." he said, "Can you come here and pop me to the apparition point near the wand shop?"
"Yes sir." Dobby's grin was huge, "I am most happy to be helping you."
"Thanks." Harry sighed, "We were afraid I was going to have to sneak out through a floo."
The day of the sale arrived and Dobby popped Harry to the apparition point and then went on to the bank as he was told to do. Lucius didn't want to be seen in public with the dirty elf. Harry was under his cloak when he approached the bank. He took the potion and transformed his clothes as he grew. In the shadows just off to the side of the doors he removed his cloak and stowed it in a pocket. He was wearing his Guardian uniform under a plain brown cloak. He had also chewed on Neville's plant to change his voice. He quickly entered the bank and walked up to a free teller and showed him the key. The teller bounced a little when he recognized the crest on the key. He jumped off his stool and led the way to a private room. Harry had been very interested to find that the larger vaults had keys with family crests mounted on them. Between the shed skin and the extremely large snake the Guardians had warranted one of the oldest and largest vaults and between the eight of them they had designed a crest to be mounted on the key. In the private room a nervous looking Dobby waited. Harry showed his key and the elf was turned over to him as were the rest of the keys. Harry showed Dobby the key.
"Please clean yourself up and get a new garment of your choice with this crest on it." Harry stated.
Dobby snapped his fingers and was instantly wearing a perfectly clean white pillow case with the Guardian's crest emblazoned on his chest.
"Well done." Harry patted his head, "Sir Goblin do you need anything else from me?"
"No Sir Guardian." he replied, "Do you need to go to your vault?"
"Yes please. Come along Dobby, remember do not use my name." Harry instructed.
"Yes Master." Dobby squeaked.
"How about just Sir." Harry said, "I don't really like being called Master."
"Yes Sir." Dobby bowed low.
Once at the vault Harry opened it and stared for just a moment. He had thought his school vault was full but that was paltry when compared to this one. Waving his hand he summoned eight hundred galleons to the bag he was holding. It was a small bag that had an undetectable extension charm on it. Hermione had been right it was a wickedly hard spell to do. Back on the surface Harry and Dobby walked out of the bank together. They moved to the apparition point and Dobby popped them both back to the room of requirement.
"That went well." Harry grinned as he took off his outer robe, "How are you doing?"
"Wonderful Sir Harry Potter Sir." Dobby bounced on his feet.
"Ok we have about fifteen minutes before my potion wears off. Let me just contact Ginny first then we'll talk." Harry pulled out his mirror and said, "Ginny."
"I'm here." she replied, "How did it go?"
"Perfectly." he said, "We have to wait for a few more minutes before the potion wears off. I'm going to explain everything to Dobby before I come back."
"See you soon." she signed off.
"Ok your first question was how do we know your name." Harry sat in the chair that appeared for him and waved Dobby into a chair of his own, "When I was almost eighteen I was hit by a spell that sent me back in time. The other Guardians were attacked at the same time except Fred and George. We know we'll never get back to our own time so we're making this time better. I was able to get you free at the end of the school year last time but I didn't want to wait that long. Now you won't be able to be seen as our house elf unless we are in our Guardian disguises. You may contact us only if we are away from other people or in disguise. We can't let them know who the Guardians are and you are known by the Goblins to be the elf of the Guardians."
"Yes Sir, Dobby can do that." he nodded vigorously.
"Next we have purchased a place to be our headquarters." Harry said, "But it's a mess. I bought it as is and there are some dark magics in the place. Your first task will be to make the place livable."
"Yes Sir." Dobby continued to nod.
"The Guardian headquarters is at number twelve Grimmauld place. Eventually we will need to put it under some heavy protections but for now you are the only guard we have." Harry explained.
He grinned when he thought back to his summer and the three weeks they spent cleaning out the worst of the dark magic. He'd grown so sick of it he written the Goblins as the Guardian and asked them to purchase the place as is. The worst of the dark objects had been removed but the place was still dirty and full of junk. The really good things, like the silver, Harry had talked Sirius into removing and having them altered. They'd spent a fun afternoon throwing the old silver goblets and things into the cauldron at the Goblin foundry and watching them melt.