Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter 19

A week at Gateshead was enough to drive anyone crazy. When you lived there, you had to get used to it, but after a year of living in a magic castle, sleeping in a four poster bed and having the finest cooked meals by house elves, the cold halls, narrow beds and plain food seemed unbearable. However, Celeste and Harry cherished every moment of it, since they were completely free. No pretense, no sneaking around, they were at liberty to be the best of friends, and after a day, it was like the whole year at Hogwarts had never happened. They treasured each and every day, since after Harry's birthday, Celeste was going to go and stay with the Malfoy's and Harry was going to the Granger's.

The days turned to weeks, with them running through the streets of London causing as much trouble as possible. One day they stood on Tower Bridge eating chips, talking about nothing in particular. It was the day before Harry's birthday, two days before they would go their separate ways, and both were trying to forget about it. It wasn't really fair, but they had to, to keep up the act.

"You know," Celeste said, munching on her chips "We are probably the safest people on this bridge right now"

"How do you mean?" Harry asked; thinking this was a weird thing to say.

"Well, if a Muggle fell off, they'd have to swim, or they'd drown. We'd be able to save ourselves quite easily" Celeste said, not taking her eyes off the murky water.

"Speak for yourself" Harry snorted "I can't do any magic, or the ministry would come and snap my wand, whereas no one would have any idea you did anything"

"I suppose…" Celeste said "But you know how every human has a survival instinct?"

"Yeah"

"Well, ours are enhanced by are magic, so we perform it by accident when we're in danger. Course, it wears off as we get older" Celeste said, polishing off the last of her chips and chucking the bag in the river.

"Well thanks for that random fact" Harry grinned and copied her.

"OI!" a random Muggle policemen yelled "You can't chuck stuff in the river! Where are your parents?"

Both Celeste and Harry grinned at each other before running off, Celeste yelling things that would have landed her in detention for a year had a teacher heard her.

"Happy Birthday Scarhead!" Celeste dropped a four pack of Mars bars in front of Harry as he sat in the middle of the first flight of stairs. Harry looked at the gift lying in his lap for a second, the same as last year, the same as every year and for a moment it was still his 11th birthday, before everything changed. Because in that moment it was all the same, only as soon as he lifted his head and looked at Celeste nothing was the same. She was not the scrappy little kid she had been a year ago, but Harry was still touched that she had continued the pathetic childish tradition they had made together.

"Thanks psycho!" he grinned and ripped the chocolate open as she sat beside him. As if she could read his mind she said in a hushed voice that as almost lost in the thundering sound of feet on the steps

"It's almost as if nothing changed. Like its last year again. But then you look at the details and realize nothing will ever be the same again"

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Harry stood up and said "Come on! What shall we do today?"

When they arrived back that evening they went straight up to Harry's room while everyone at dinner. Celeste went to her room very quickly and Harry went into the empty boy's room.

At least he thought it would be empty.

There sitting on his bed was a really odd looking creature. It had large, bat like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls, with a long thin pointy nose and wore an old pillowcase with holes for the arms and legs. Harry really didn't know what to think of it, let alone say to it so he just stared.

"Harry Potter?" the creature said in a strange, high-pitched voice.

"Yes" Harry just about managed to say.

"Dobby has come to warn Harry Potter of great danger, although he is a great and noble wizard and…" the weird little thing then began to ramble about how wonderful Harry was, making him get all hot in the face.

"Look, um… what are you?" Harry interrupted his little speech and the thing sat up straight.

"Dobby is a house-elf, and Harry Potter must not return to Hogwarts!" Dobby said.

"What? No! That's so dumb! I have to go back, I can't stay here! Look-" Harry began to argue but he was interrupted by the house elf.

"It is not safe! We have no time, she is coming! Dobby must protect Harry Potter. You must give your word that you will not go back!"

"Who's she? Voldemort hasn't got a sister has he?" As soon as Harry said the Dark Lords name Dobby shrieked and jumped a foot in the air.

"You say his name! You- you" the elf looked ready to pass out "she is only around the corner, she must not see me, she is coming! There is danger! She is coming! Your word Harry Potter"

"Do you mean… Celeste?" Harry asked slowly "She's not a danger to me, although it might look that way, I guarantee it"

"She is dark, there is a plot. She is too powerful, even for elf magic! Terrible, terrible things will happen at Hogwarts!" Dobby was getting awfully muddled, but there was no time because Celeste footsteps could be heard in the hall.

"Please, please do not go back to school!" Dobby begged before he disappeared with a loud crack, just as Celeste swept in through the door.

Please Review!

Again I want to ask for your opinion on how you thing the second year should go. I already know how it is mainly going to play out but I want to know:

Should Celeste know about the Chamber of Secrets plot with Tom Riddle and start working on her plan to bring back Voldemort through that? Or Should she be like Malfoy and only know the history, and be working on her plans through other sources?

And

Should Harry and Ron become friends? I don't have anything particularly against Ron, and now that Harry and Celeste are supposedly worst enemies should they start to get along?

Pm me or leave your opinion in a Review!