"Why did you turn him down?" Ron asked as Holly sighed,
"I don't know it didn't feel right, not to mention this egg is putting me on edge something fierce." Holly sighed as Ron shifted unnoticeably by Holly as she poked at her food.
"Thrice queen strikes again can't find a boy worth your time?" Draco taunted as Holly flicked her wand under the table as he tripped. It got a few laughs but Holly was already back to business. She took a drink of pumpkin juice when she stopped she glanced at it.
"I am such an idiot," she dropped to the bench as Ron frowned at her. "I keep trying to find the answer why not try to alter how I hear it. I am thinking I'll start with water see if that works. Maybe putting it behind wood or something. Or high-speed something in the air." She had a few possibilities to work with.
"Sounds like a plan, in the meantime I would like some help," Hermione sat down.
"Sure," Holly was already in a much better mood with her own direction to go with. "What do you have in mind?"
"House elf's, I want to get into the kitchen," She admitted,
"Oh boy," Ron grumbled, only for the two girls gave him a glance. "All right I guess I'm in. But I must warn you I have absolutely no idea what we're doing where I'm going or why." He sighed
"I have to admit I am in the dark on this myself, but I can get us into the kitchen." Holly shrugged,
"Well I am using the baby steps approach but I feel it's best to get some, reconnaissance on this issue since the best way to solve a problem is to get as much information as possible."
"Sounds sensible to me, or all right I am in. Ron are you game at the very least you will know where the kitchen is."
"Can I come too?" Neville pipped up as she shrugged. The painting wasn't hard to find,
"So how often have you come down here?" Hermione asked,
"Not often like the twins only if I need to?" Holly ticked the pair as the kitchen opened up. The enormous high ceiling room spread out as Hermione glanced around. When suddenly Holly was rushed into.
"Holly Potter!" Cried out a familiar squeaky voice. Holly Felt the air leave her longs as Dobby torpedoed her,
"Dobby," she smiled as Hermione light up at the sight of him as well the two boys looked in confusion as the pair had never met him before.
"It is so good to see you, Miss Potter, Dobby heard you headed down on occasion, Dobby is so glad to see you." He squeaked,
"How did you get here?" Holly knelt down, Dobby has a run down the house elf's work issues to which when brought up got a few stink eyes. He had apparently gotten a lot of issues. "... then Dobby finds Winky," he breathed,
"Winky? Barty Crouch's elf?" Hermione blinked in confusion, they were lead in past about a hundred house elves and four tables. They paused near the fireplace with the sight of Winky.
They where given tea and biscuits, "Good service," Ron complimented as Hermione gave him a look.
"Yes Winky ma'am was set free, so Dobby says we should look together, she says where can there be so much work for two house elves. And so I thought of Hogwarts." He grinned, " I am even getting payings." He looked so gitty at the scandalousness of the idea.
"Why was Einky looking for a job?" Hermione backed up the conversation.
"Mr. Crouch freed Winky, Winky is not taking to freedom very well," He frowned,
"Is that common for free House-elves to get depressed?"
"Well, Dobby isn't sure Dobby hasn't met many. Most wizards families don't like to free us." Dobby admitted,
"It's a status symbol, most families that have House elves usually have to have a lot of things. House elves like to work so they only go to families, who can keep them busy." Neville explained as he blushed after realizing everyone was looking at him.
"Quite right," Dobby squeaked, as he adjusted the tea cozy hat, Hermione went silent as she looked at the crying House Elf,
"How long has Winky been free?" Holly asked,
"Not long Dobby thinks, Dobby has heard that Mr. Potter has been leaning on, them," he whispered as everyone got confused.
"My dad lean on who?" Holly frowned,
"The department, of creatures," he said in a hushed voice, "Dobby looked into in, Dobby saw more protections, so Dobby thinks Winky's old Master has to be careful," He hushed to them. "Winky doesn't understand, Winky is free and Mr. Crouch is not her master anymore."
Neville had wandered off as he and Ron were given all kinds of snacks and food.
"I have some questions, could I talk to you on one of your days off?" Hermione asked,
"Dobby, Can Dobby come visit?" He asked as Hermione gave Holly a glance.
"Sure just make sure you knock," she realized something, "and wait to be invited in if you want to visit. We have roommates that might not appreciate the surprise." She explained as she worried another early morning shock.
They said goodbye as Hermione glanced at Winky sympathy on her face, "I don't think we would be able to do much sometimes the best thing to do is leave them alone." Holly sighed something didn't sit well on the situation, but she doubted that Winky would be much help.
"Okay," much later Holly had the egg and was sitting in the bathtub. "Now that I am here this seems kind of stupid," She admitted as she put off the egg for a while as she cleaned up."
"Well let's see if this works, she put it under water and opened it up. She ducked under water as she found her answer she shifted her ear and dried off her hand as she wrote down it was uncomfortable but it beat trying to memorize the song.
Come seek us where our voices sound,We cannot sing above the ground,And while you're searching ponder this;We've taken what you'll sorely miss,An hour long you'll have to look,And to recover what we took,But past an hour, the prospect's black,Too late, it's gone, it won't come back
"Well, this is it, okay so water, hour time limit. What do I value?" She frowned at that last part as she looked at the paper, as she closed the egg.
"Well do I have the spells need to be underwater, well I have the bubblehead charm, but the temperature is going to be an issue. Especially in February may be the second spell to keep things warm. Maybe a second summoning charm with the firebolt to give some distance, if they only had an hour then it couldn't be more than a half hour away from the shore." She relaxed as she planned her actions out. She felt confident and the best part was she didn't need any help on this one.
The next day Dobby sat in the common room as Hermione educated herself asking every question she could think of, a lot of other students had to pause and a few Muggle-born students seemed just as surprised by the elf's story as Holly and Hermione had been. Holly left Hermione to it since she had her own project to Holly headed out to join Ron in his training.
"Hey Ron," she caught up with him as they jogged together.
"You look more relaxed," he noticed Holly felt a bit of a glow at his observation.
"Well I know what I am dealing with and I have a plan. The perks of a paranoid father," she grinned.
"Hey Neville," Ron greeted as the third member puffed along the other two slowed down to keep pace with him.
"So what do you have to do?" Ron asked as Neville kept his breath steady so didn't ask.
"Swimming," she pointed at the lake, "in February of all things, I got a charm to use but this is going fun all the same."
"Your kidding," Ron almost tripped at the surprise. Neville coughed, "Easy Neville don't push yourself."
"Can we stop?" Neville asked the other two obliged him.
"So water with the giant squid?" Ron frowned as he looked at the lake.
"That sounds terrifying," Neville frowned,
"As opposed to the Basilisk?" Holly brought up, "I have people able to help this is hardly more dangerous than our first year, we are even safer we have skills and abilities that most peers, most grown wizards don't have. Both of you got a kind of Auror training which is more than most." She pointed out.
The two looked at each other, they seemed a bit more certain. "In a straight duel, I would bet on either one of you over most if not the full student body. Now then let's go." She encouraged, they finished the run throughout the snow-covered path as they headed in for breakfast and classes.
They headed in for classes separating and regrouping for the classes.
"For today's match up Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Thanks to Holly's forced inclusion for the Tri-wizard torment so Neville Longbottom has stepped up he has big shoes to fill." Jordan went on as Holly sat down, she had a full look at the arena Moody stood off to the side. The match started up as Neville kept back with Dean as Shamus, Katie, and Ron rushed forward Dean didn't look happy about this development. Ron seemed more than ready as he blitzed into the Claws with little issue as it looked like they were halfway through setting up an ambush but they hadn't expected the hard blitz as Ron grabbed the flag and with a celebratory fist pump scored first.
The Second round Let Ron and Neville hang back as Holly frowned at the choice but Neville seemed okay to hang back as Katie took point Dean and Shamus of to the side ready for anything the Raven Claw team tried to be stealthy as headed around a corner. Ron got Nervous as he and Neville moved for some cover just to be safe, as Katie grabbed the Flag, the Raven Claw team heard the shout as they cut across, to catch the team. they five closed in on the three but Katie had a longer stride and left her support back as she raced in only to get stunned by Neville who must have mistaken her for an enemy. Neville froze but Ron placed the flag on as she fumed at him and the Slytherin section had a good laugh.
"Poor luck," Hermione said to Holly as she nodded,
"Agreed if that was one of the Claws he would have been a hero, he might hesitate next time and risk the flag." Holly frowned Hermione glanced back as Holly's perdiction came true the Claws had given up on stratagy as three broke in to take the flag and the slight hesitation ended with him being dropped as Katie had to deal with three atackers and once she sady took a blind stunner to the side and Cho Chang grabbed the flag it was a race back but a bad call on Ron's part sepperated himself as Dean and Shamus were taken down, Ron tried to recover but it was too late as the Claw's put a point on the board.
The final match everyone but Neville was going forward as Holly winced as it was Clear Neville was a bit hurt by this, but in the end, Dean got the final pointed as Moody called the match as Gryphondor won their second match ironically it was not as close as the one with Holly on it. She clapped but she watched as Neville headed out alone. Holly frowned as she glanced at Hermione, "Should we talk to him?" she asked, she wasn't sure she was normally one to wait for people to come to her.
"I think it would be safe in this occasion," Hermione frowned at her,
"Look I know when I am upset I prefer to be alone," Holly didn't like the look she was given. "Well let's go," Holly took the lead as she headed out, she was sure Neville needed a chat but she felt Hermione was needling her again, the two of them seemed to be getting more and more bristly nothing friendship ending but she was sure Hermione had something she needed to get off her chest. "But what if that is what ends the friendship," she mentally frowned but the concern was brushed aside as the managed to find Neville.
"Hey Neville," Hermione gave a kind smile as Neville looked like he was both wanting and loathing the coming interaction.
"I have to admit things went well, it wasn't even a close match." Holly smiled she deflated as Neville seemed to shrink under the comment. "Seems cheering up is not my strong suit," she glanced away and was sure Hermione had glared at her. Ron rushed in and almost vaulted over Holly as He jumped.
"What a matchup, everyone was in top form today," he announced as Holly couldn't help but be infected by the enthusiasm of her red-headed friend.
"Glad to hear," Hermione said in an icy tone which Holly felt was unfair even before the smile on his face fell.
"What, we won, and Katie is okay she was just upset she didn't score, Neville I wouldn't worry about it, all the same, it was a good shot I hadn't even noticed she had rushed in over the crowd but man you dropped her real quick." Ron clapped him on the back as he seemed to warm up a bit. "Pity you froze up poor Katie seemed to get bad luck on both accounts." Holly winced as he carried on as all good feels just dropped, Hermione rounded on him.
"Ron!" she scolded as Ron looked shocked at the sudden turn on him as Neville rushed away from the confrontation Hermione seemed to weigh yelling at Ron and running after Neville but decided Neville needed her more and with a single glare she took off.
"What did I do?" Ron looked mid shrug.
"You didn't quit while you were on top, that and I think Hermione is very angry with me, and you just so happened to be the poor straw that broke the camel's back." Holly sighed,
"What does that have to do with camels?" he frowned,
"It's a muggle saying you just didn't read the room, come one lets head to the common room, let's give them both some space, but try to be careful around Hermione," Holly advised,
"Can't you talk to her, I mean you are both girls," Ron jester but he didn't seem to have anything else.
"Truth is I would rather face the Dragon than try to force out whatever issue Hermione has with me, She's my first and oldest friend Ron I don't want to lose her." " the two walked along as Dean and Shamus cheered along the halls as they echoed.
"This is all too much, I would rather just jump in, rather all this jumping around, be direct about this stuff, hiding behind stuff just makes things more miserable," Ron advice and while Holly felt the truth of the situation but that was the odd thing about her Bravery came easy when she had a target some enemy on the other side she lacked the confidence to stand up to her friends. An issue that she noticed her Father had as well, Sirius and Lupin never had to do much to drag him into something if any of his letters came into. As Sirius had dragged him along for a few double dates that her Dad didn't like and Holly knew he was not one to remarry.
"I guess we can't all be brave like you Ron, although I am sure Hermione would consider it stupidity depending on the result funny how that works out?"
"Are you okay Holly," Ron had an intense look of concern on his face that warmed her up but she felt that now wasn't the time to indulge in her own selfishness she felt miserable enough.
"Just fine Ron, just worried about our mutual friends." Holly gave him the best smile she could muster as they headed in.
"Holly," Ron tried to get her to pause but she was already on her way to the girl's rooms as she headed away she was sure Hermione would be with Neville and she really needed to be alone right now.