Valour Rewarded
Both Harry and Nyssa received treatment at St Mungos where Megan, to her credit, refused Susan's requests to take statements from the pair on the grounds of mental health issues. Only when the Potters had had time to reflect and come to terms with what had happened was Susan allowed in to take statements from them, but mainly from Harry, concerning Gillyflower's death as Harry had been in a deep coma as a result from the incident that had derailed the sleeper. She also apologised for her rudeness before after speaking to Hannah – her wife having some strong words about having to deal with Harry in a way you wouldn't with others. Harry, more than anybody else alive, had suffered nearly twenty years of pain and suffering either at the hands of his Muggle relations, what happened to him at school with bullies and teachers, slandered in the press and, finally, having to fight a war with limited supplies, information and in a hostile environment. When one took that into account, along with Harry's years without a significant other either before or after Sue Li, Harry would be more inclined to identify that target and eliminate it.
"… at St Mungos. Now, Harry, how did you come to realise that Nyssa was in a fight for her life and losing?"
"I couldn't at first – I guess a combination of drugs, potions and the coma made me confused. Once I woke up, though, my connection to Nyssa 'woke up' and I knew she was in danger. I wandlessly changed my hospital stuff into robes, collected Ragnock and Gabby before blasting the doors and taking over the fight" Harry said, sitting in the hospital bed.
"The duel was against Nyssa" Susan's Auror escort said, but Harry shook his head.
"The duel was called against the Potter family and Gillyflower had no idea that I had married Nyssa since he wasn't given any newspapers to read. When I became incapacitated, it fell to Nyssa to carry it out in my name. The moment I awoke, I was able to call family members to me and move in"
"But they are not related to you"
"Neither is Susan, Hannah, Megan, Hermione, Cho and a number of others – family is not about people related to you, Auror, but those you love" and Harry sighed. "Madam Bones, please inform the Goblins that I will be claiming the House of Gillyflower by right of conquest and will start moving assets from there to the Potter vaults" and Susan nodded.
"It will be done, Lord Potter" she replied formally, knowing Harry was never one to stand on ceremony unless he really meant it. "Will you be draining it all?"
"No… I'm going to leave a quarter of what is there right now alone. By the time they come of age, it will give them a reasonable amount to live with. Anyway, I know I have asked much of your friendship with me, and for that I am truly sorry. Once I'm better, come for a stay at the Manor – Nyssa is getting rather good at making meat pies"
"I think we could all do with a rest" Susan said with a small smile as she gathered together the paperwork and put it into her satchel. "Using very little magic… It will be like the magic of normality"
"Oh, its magic for me alright" Harry laughed, "I haven't tried it yet. Now, can you go away?"
"That's rude"
"Nyssa said some bad things earlier – I wish to dress down my wife"
"More like undress her" Susan blushed as she spoke, bowed to Harry who frowned and gave her a special salute in reply, went into the corridor and put up a silencing charm.
"HARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYY!"
Clearly, Susan Bones was too late
#
For the first time in three months, Harry walked into Knapford sheds and booked on for a shift. Although he was officially booked on as a spare driver, word had been sent from on high, or the Fat Controller depending on who you asked, that Harry wasn't to take a footplate until he felt ready to do so. After making a mug of tea with the slight taste of coal, he went outside and lit a cigarette and watched engines leaving the shed, arriving or otherwise going about their business.
"Peep peep!" Thomas whistled as he came off an inspection pit and rolled forward to the shed's offices. "Harry!" he called out and Harry looked up to see him stopping.
"Hey, Thomas… Bill, George" he greeted Thomas's crew as they climbed down and went inside.
"Are you feeling alright, Harry?" asked Thomas. "Driver said what a coma was, but I still don't understand. Percy, Bill and Ben wanted to kidnap you and take you to the works for a new brain – you should have seen the face on the Fat Controller when he heard" the engine chuckled.
"I'm… I'm getting there" Harry replied. "I've been to the place it happened, seen the memorial and done some rubbish that is supposed to help me forget about it"
"Does it work?"
"Not a bloody chance" Harry drew out the last few puffs and then stubbed it against the wall and letting it drop into a bin. "I'm booked spare for a while to get me back into a pattern, but I have heard them whispering in the mess that nobody wants to fire with me"
"That's rude… Should I tell the shed master or even the big man?" Thomas asked.
"Just talk"
"Just rudeness" Thomas replied.
"Aye, there's truth in that… I wanted to thank you for doing what you did at the wedding – you put people on notice and saved many lives" and Harry would have said something else but he was interrupted by the chargehand sticking his head out of the door.
"Potter…! Telephone from Sir Topham" and Harry and Thomas exchanged looks before he went inside and took the call. When he came out several minutes later, he wore a look of confusion and amazement.
"What is it?" asked Thomas.
"Apparently, both you and me have been requested to meet a special passenger coming to the island very early tomorrow morning. We've got to pick her up from Barrow and bring her to Knapford without any trouble or stops along the way"
"Who is it?"
"The Queen"
"The Queen" Thomas gasped. "Why is she coming to Sodor?"
"An official visit, but, Thomas, she's also coming to award me a medal in secret"
"Why?"
"The paperwork" Harry shrugged.
"Oh" the tank engine was quiet for a while. "What sort of medal?"
"The Victoria Cross"
"I know that one" said Thomas, "One of my drivers got it for being really brave in the war"
"Oh? Which one?"
"I… I can't remember" frowned the tank engine, "There has been so many I can't remember. I think it was that one with the small man with a moustache and a really bad haircut. Don't you have to be in a fight for that?"
"Yeah"
"Well you don't look like a killer"
"I am Thomas… I've killed people in battle, I've gone into terrible warzones to save lives" Harry stopped to collect his thoughts.
"I'm sorry if that was upsetting" apologised Thomas.
"Its okay. Now then, we've got orders to pick up the train from Barrow in the morning, and I am to stay with you from this evening to ensure there is security"
"Wouldn't it be nice if everybody got on with everybody" the tank engine smiled.
"Even the diesels?"
"Some of them" Thomas smiled. "It will be nice to have you on the footplate – I've missed you, my friend"
"Thank you, Thomas" and Harry found it hard to hold back the tears from erupting from his eyes and a wave of emotion almost got the better of him. "I want to thank you for being there for me and for alerting people with your whistle at the wedding. If you hadn't, then many people could have been hurt"
"Life's full of ups, and downs just like a merry-go-round" Thomas reminded him. "Happy or sad, I will stick by your side – that's what friends are for after all"
"I know, but thank you anyway"
"I'm a Fat Controller's engine… It's what I do" and Thomas wondered what he had said for Harry to suddenly hug his front buffer beam.
#
People cleaned and polished Thomas until he shone like the sun itself – his buffers were freshly painted and his buffer beams had been repainted as well so that he was almost as good as the day he came out from his last overhaul. The night express was delayed so Thomas could be run in front of it so he used very little coal and Nyssa was safely placed into the First Class coach so she could return on Thomas's footplate with Harry and Thomas's crew. She wasn't supposed to be in attendance, but she desperately wanted to meet, or at least see, the Queen and so Harry had obtained a pass for her to travel for free at least part of the way. Once at Barrow, Thomas used the turntable first before moving over to the stabling siding so that Gordon could turn round and take the return journey. Nyssa had, by this time, joined Harry and Thomas's driver and fireman on the footplate though they were stood on the small platform provided on the stabling siding.
"Never thought I would get to travel on a Royal Train" Nyssa said.
"I remember the last time she came… Gordon pulled the train in with Edward running in front to make sure the line was clear – I wonder what he will say when he finds out a tank engine is pulling an important train" chuckled Thomas.
"You can do anything that Gordon can do" Nyssa said loyally.
"Damn, Harry – if she were older, you ought to marry her" the driver said.
"Nah… She's not my type at all" Harry replied, sending a sideways look at the girl who mock glared back.
"How long do we have to wait until the Queen arrives here?" asked Thomas.
"Another twenty…" Harry looked at his watch, "Twenty five minutes" and he shrugged. "You know, they should have given us a warning by now… You want me to cross over and find out what's happening from the BTP guys?"
"Nah" said the driver, "Give it a couple of minutes before you go over – gives you time to finish the tea" and the four of them drank the tea and had just finished it when a porter came rushing up along the track.
"There's been a problem with the Royal Train – according to the driver there has been a turbofailure and a flashover. He's not reporting a fire, though he's triggered both extinguishers on principal and he's requesting assistance to drag the train in. We have a loco on standby, but there is no driver qualified to run it"
"What sort is it?" asked Harry.
"Class 37"
"We'll do it ourselves" Thomas said. "I'm not letting a freight engine drag the Queen"
"Steady now" cautioned his driver. "You tell your station master what is happening, let the BTP know and we'll get in touch with the signaller to get us bang road working. Miss, you'll have to wait here" he added to Nyssa.
"You can't do that, driver" Thomas said, "Nyssa is only 15 and it is a cold night – do you really want to leave her cold and shivering until we get back?"
"I'm the driver"
"Yeah, and I'm senior to you" Harry said, "She is coming with us"
"This is my engine, not yours" the driver replied. "Hell, you can't even keep one on the track" and Thomas's eyes widened and the Fireman backed away with hands raised. Harry's eyes narrowed and he turned to face the driver with a rage building inside him.
"Apologise, or I'll knock the seven kinds of hell out of you and bury you so far into the ground they will have to fly your body back from Canberra!"
"No… For that matter, how come a single man is living with an underaged teen girl?"
"Nyssa?"
"Yeah?"
"Hold my tea"
#
"You shouldn't have done that" said the fireman.
"Yes I should" replied Harry. "At least there was another driver here to take Thomas to the Royal Train and drag it to Barrow"
"You know you might be up on the carpet for this?"
"Be worth it" Harry shrugged. "Besides, he shouldn't have hit me when three armed coppers came round the corner"
"Oh, that was funny" Thomas put in. "I say, I think the Queen is here" and the five of them looked to see the Queen walking up the platform towards them. "Peep pip pip peep! Hello, Ma'am"
"Thomas, it has been a long time" the Queen spoke softly.
"It has Ma'am, but you do not look any older"
"I don't know if I should be insulted or flattered" the Queen chuckled. "Now, who are you four?"
"Sidney Leaver"
"Jack Dawson"
"Harry Potter"
"Nyssa Mayerle" and Nyssa curtseyed for good measure.
"I just wanted to thank you for coming to my assistance earlier – I am told that the cause of the fault was due to the fire alarms going off without an actual fire"
"It was nothing more than our duty" the replacement driver said.
"Regardless, you are to be commended. Now, on to more pleasant things" the Queen looked at Harry and Nyssa. "Young lady, you had better ride in the train with myself, as for you, Mr Potter, I would prefer you also to attend me in the train so I may ask you questions about the railway. It is my understanding you recently had a major accident"
"Yes, Ma'am, though may I correct you on one matter?"
"You may"
"It was no accident… The rails had been cut through with a torch and there was no way of knowing before I was on top of it" Harry said.
"I see" the Queen understood the implications of the statement. "Is it the case the trials are due to start soon?"
"I believe that one is" Harry said, "But I don't want to think about it, Ma'am"
"Understandable" the Queen replied. "Well, you two had better come with me and we'll all have a nice breakfast whilst Thomas and his crew take us to Knapford"
#
The Fat Controller had, at little notice, got a number of engines polished up and sat at Knapford ready for the Queen's arrival. Gordon had, predictably, been annoyed he'd not been chosen, but understood when it was explained that it was a security measure and anybody seeing Thomas pulling the coaches would assume it was merely new ones being delivered.
"Oh, well… If it is to keep the Queen safe…" he blustered, "One must be willing to sacrifice after all" and the Fat Controller, not for the first time, wondered if it was possible to curse out an engine.
"Peeeeeeeeeeeep pip pip pip pip peep pip peeeeeep!" the familiar whistle had people turning their heads to see Thomas gliding into the station with his brakes off but his regulator opened slightly – clearly the tank engine was showing off his legendary ability to glide to a stop without the use of brakes. Shaking his head, the Fat Controller walked up to the door of the train, opened it and bowed.
"Welcome to Sodor" he said.
"I didn't realise that you got greeted by Sir Topham himself as part of travelling in first class" Harry commented.
"We're going to have to travel like this again" Nyssa cheekily said.
"Wha- How? Where is the Queen?"
"I'm here" the Queen said – from the next door down and she added a little wave to boot.
"Bugger"
#
Harry went home as quickly as possible, drank a dreamless sleep potion and got a good few hours rest before getting up in the evening and putting on a suit that Nyssa had laid out for him. As she gave him a light snack to eat to counter the effects of the potion, the girl asked Harry why he had been summoned to meet the Queen in a ceremony that evening.
"Is it a magical thing?"
"Yeah, I guess you could say that" Harry replied as he put on the trousers. "All of the awards I have been given are of a magical nature – this is the highest award you can get for bravery and courage under fire"
"You know, Harry, it almost sounds as if you were talking about the Victoria Cross" Nyssa laughed but suddenly stopped when Harry looked at her with such big and sad eyes.
"I don't deserve it" he replied, "Others think so, but I don't… People still call me a hero for fighting against Voldemort, but I just survived the whole thing. The real heroes? They were the ones that died while I hid away and tried to think of a way to live a little bit more. You know, I thought about killing myself because I couldn't cope with the pain and suffering that I was both experiencing and seeing through my connection to Voldemort. Anyway, when it got to the final battle at Hogwarts, dozens died because they thought it would help me – I never asked or demanded it, yet they did" Harry shook his head and reached for a suit jacket. "I went to face Voldemort alone, Nys, knowing that it was going to be the end of me – it wasn't, clearly, and I lived when so many better people died for an arsehole, a prophecy and an old man who ruined the life of a baby" and he fingered a coin that he always carried with him.
"But you lived" Harry snorted at Nyssa's words. "What you went through I can't begin to fully understand, but you managed to survive and do the right thing"
"Only because I had no choice but to do it. After it was all over, I was more or less forced into the Aurors where I met Sue and… Well, you know the rest" Harry shrugged.
"You can't refuse an honour from the Queen"
"Wanna bet?" Harry smirked before putting the jacket on and standing.
"From what I know about it from class, the Victoria Cross is given to those people who display extraordinary courage, bravery, valour, devotion to duty and dedication above and beyond the call of duty in the face of the enemy. I know people think it is a military thing, but we did a project about it for history class and some civilians won it" Nyssa looked at Harry with wonder and awe. "If anybody alive deserves it more then you, then I do not know them. What you did is the stuff of legends and her Majesty is correcting an error in that you should have been given it years ago" and Nyssa chuckled. "At least Thomas is going to be surprised"
"That bugger will bust his buffers if he isn't careful"
#
The fact that Harry was going to get the Victoria Cross was not exactly a secret that could be kept, so a cover story was made where everybody was told that he had, whilst serving under the orders of the military, battled against terrorists and helped to save hundreds of lives. That evening, the Queen arrived in an old fashioned car to present two medals and stepped into a specially cleared part of Knapford station with Harry's friends and work colleagues in attendance.
"Despite the passage of time, there are some details that must remain a secret until everyone has passed on to their rewards. What I can say, however, is that I stand here to perform this most pleasant of tasks to a person myself, my government and this nation is forever in debt to. Lord Harry James Potter, whilst under the orders of the military, battled and killed a huge group of terrorists that planned to do unimaginable levels of carnage and saved the lives of the people of this nation and of the world at large. After a few hours of sleep, Lord Potter was found to be seriously injured and was almost killed as a result – yet he refused all treatment until everybody else had been accounted for, dead or alive, and treated before seeking attention for his own wounds. Once awakened, he then left hospital quarters and continued to fight when pockets of resistance were found. Under such a strain, Lord Potter then fell into a coma for weeks before asking to be left alone to live quietly which we were willing to do. However, he was suggested for the awarding of a Victoria Cross in a letter signed by everybody else who took part in the engagement but, sadly, the letter was lost until recently – I am happy to award this medal to Lord Harry James Potter on behalf of a grateful nation and world" and Harry bowed his head and received the medal round his neck before smiling faintly, bowed again, and stepped backwards.
"It was nothing more than my duty, Ma'am"
"You almost died, Lord Potter – from what I was told in the reports, you actually did three times before you, and I quote, 'Got Better'. If there is anything your Queen and Country can do for you, it is a command that I would most happily discharge"
"Well, Ma'am, there are a few things I would like which will have to wait for now. There is one thing that I would like now, though, if possible…"
#
"Excuse me, are you Tony Blair?"
"Why yes I am"
"Good" and Harry swung his foot up hard and kicked the former Prime Minister right in the balls then pulled out a bat and started hitting him with it. "That's for taking us into Iraq on the advice of Kingsley Shaklebolt you massive dickhead"
#
Harry was very smug looking for several days after that little incident, he'd been cleared to work trains between the sheds and the station and Nyssa and himself looked forward to spending a little time together in a hotel courtesy of the Fat Controller who had arranged everything. On the last day of her visit, the Queen arrived in the small running shed sometimes used to stable Thomas, Percy and Toby when the main shed was full.
"Ma'am" Thomas said, wondering why she was there.
"Thomas, it has been brought to my attention that you helped to stop an assassination when Lord Potter married his Bride. By alerting the guests and providing some steam as a cover, you saved not only their lives, but the lives of dozens. It is, therefore, my pleasure, to award you, Thomas the Tank Engine, with the George Cross for bravery" and she hung the medal over his left buffer and patted it gently.
"Well… Um… Er… Thank you, Your Majesty" Thomas blushed, "I didn't know that I was being brave"
"It is my experience, Thomas, that people often don't realise it until afterwards"
"But I'm not people – I'm a tank engine"
"If you can defend this country and its citizens, as you have done for years on two separate occasions, then you are as real a person as any other. So what if you have wheels instead of legs? Many of my subjects do and that makes them no less a person. Now I realise you understand the concept of money, but I can not imagine what you might purchase with £10,000 a year" and Thomas had ideas fly around his smokebox before smiling to himself.
"I'd like some of it to buy a nice radio system – it can get very frightening after all" he replied. "After that, can you give the rest of it to all the poor kids and orphans? I imagine that they must be very upset not having parents"
#
Soon after returning from their real honeymoon and holiday, Nyssa gave Harry an extremely important looking letter. Opening it, Harry saw that it was a summons to give testimony at the court hearing for the three that had caused the accident. It caused a few sleepless nights, but Harry dressed in his suit – Nyssa thought it made him look dashing – and attended court with his wife after simply telling the school she was coming with him.
'I'm afraid she can't be absent without good cause' the Headmaster said.
'Oh, fair enough… I'll just tell the Queen you have displeased a winner of the Victoria Cross then, shall I? Nyssa? Be a sweetie and hit four on the speed dial' and the Headmaster had quickly changed his mind – then wondered who were positions 1 to 3 on the speed dial.
"Lord Harry James Potter VC!" the usher called out. Harry felt Nyssa give his hands a quick squeeze before he stood and walked to the witness box and gave an oath without swearing on a holy book as Harry was a devout atheist.
"You are Lord Harry James Potter VC, of Awry Manor, Wellsworth?" the Prosecutor asked.
"I am"
"May I call you Mr Potter, My Lord to avoid confusion with My Lord?"
"You may"
"Thank you, Sir… Mr Potter, you are employed as an engine driver for the North Western Railway sometimes known as the Sodor Railway?"
"I am"
"For how long have you been employed?"
"In total or as a driver?"
"In total"
"Two years yesterday"
"What sort of driver are you?" the Prosecutor enquired.
"I do all sorts from shunting trucks to hauling expresses" Harry replied.
"And qualified in both steam and diesel?"
"Yes"
"I understand you have been a driver for only a year"
"Yes… It is not common of for a fireman to become a driver after just a year, but it is not unheard of either" Harry explained.
"Thank you, Mr Potter. Can you tell me what happened the night of the derailment?"
"Certainly… Well, I had booked on duty to take the Up portion of the sleeper when I was told that the booked engine was cancelled for mechanical reasons. The next engine was also having trouble so the only locomotive left was a diesel engine. With it not being fitted with a steam boiler for the comfort of passengers, a plan was made to hook the steam locomotive up to the train to provide the sleeping coaches with their heating whilst I drove from the diesel"
"Is that common?"
"No, but it is well catered for in the regulations. Normally, another steam engine would have been brought in, but everything else was out on other work or stopped for exams"
"I see. What happened when you connected to the train?"
"We were a bit late setting off due to me wanting to check the coupling and come to an understanding with the fireman manning the steam loco and the guard of the train. We set off and made reasonable time before we came up to a signal that seemed to flicker"
"Flicker?"
"Yes, between all the different aspects. I wasn't happy, so I stopped the train and went to the SPT"
"SPT?"
"Signal Post Telephone" Harry explained. "It was raining hard, so I put on my overcoat and went onto the track but found the telephone there had been smashed to bits"
"Smashed to bits? As in utterly destroyed?"
"Yes"
"Did you suspect vandals?"
"OBJECTION!" the defence counsel said. "Witness is being led"
"My Lord, the railway has suffered a number of broken signal telephones recently – thirteen in the last six months with three of them reported either by cab radio on diesel locomotives and units or at the next station by Mr Potter alone. I submit that he would know what a destroyed unit looked like and who may have done it. I did not mention any of the three defendants by name"
"Overruled" the Judge replied.
"Yes" Harry said carefully, "I suspected vandals, said something very unkind, and returned to the locomotive and used the cab radio"
"Tell us what happened" the Prosecutor said.
"When I returned, I used the cab radio to report the damage to the SPT and the fact the signal was showing conflicting aspects. I was given clear instructions as to what to do and I followed them"
"What happened at the point of the derailment?"
"One of the diesel locomotive's warning lights came on and I looked down at it when the engine shouted that he could see the rails ahead had been cut. By the time I had seen it, worked out what it was and reacted to it, I was already heading off the tracks"
"And what was your first reaction?"
"My automatic reaction was to slam the throttle into idle and put the brakes hard on before hitting the horn to alert people of something happening"
"And what was the total time to do this?"
"Matter of seconds" Harry shrugged. "I can't say for certain and I'm not privy to the ORR investigation until it is fully complete"
"I see" the Prosecutor said. "What were your actions afterwards?"
"Well, Sir, I don't remember much of the derailment after that because I was thrown around the cab. When everything stopped moving, I heard the fire alarm bells sounding"
"Fire alarm bells?"
"They give an indication that there is either smoke or fire in the engine compartment. I fired both extinguishers to be on the safe side and called the signaller on the cab radio"
"Even though you had derailed and lost engine power?"
"Yes – the radios switch to being supplied by battery power when the engine is not switched on and running. I made an emergency call to the signaller telling them what had happened. I must have passed out because the next thing I remember was seeing Ann Oggly Bugger leaning over me"
"Mr Potter, please keep your comments tasteful" the Judge said.
"Your Honour, that was the name of one of the Doctors treating me – Consultant Ann Bugger"
"Oh, I see – continue"
"That's it…" Harry shrugged and sighed. "I don't have memories for a long time"
"Thank you… Your witness, though I reserve the right to recall the witness should it be needed" the Prosecutor said.
"Mr Potter, how many accidents have you had since you became a driver?" the Defence Counsel started. "Ah, not including this one of course"
"Two"
"Can you describe them for the record?"
"The first was a SPAD and the other was caused by a mechanical part failure"
"SPAD?"
"Signal Passed At Danger" Harry replied. "I was working an early train to Wellsworth when the signal changed to danger just as I was passing it. I put the brakes on of course, but I was too late to stop before hitting a dear. It was established that the cables had been eaten away by something and caused the failsafe to work"
"And the other?"
"I was bringing in a late passenger service into Tidmouth and a drunk decided to walk out in front of me. Fortunately for him, it's my habit of approaching at a bit below the station limit so he just bounced off the front of the train with a few cuts"
"And nothing since?"
"Not until the derailment"
"Are you a qualified accident investigator?"
"No"
"Then how do you know the rail was cut and not simply something dropped there?"
"At the time, I did not – however, the railway, the ORR and my fireman all told me about it. Besides, rails do not suddenly get cut apart"
"And how would you know it was torched in two with welding gear?"
"Your Honour, Mr Potter made no mention of it being torched… I submit that the Defence knows and is trying to cover it up" the Prosecutor said.
"I want to see you both in five minutes. Lord Potter, you may step down" the Judge said.
#
The Defence was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, taken off the case and the three defendants sentenced to whole life terms for murder, manslaughter, actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, vandalism, destruction of private property and the other charges. With the case closed and dealt with, Harry could get back to getting his experience up to scratch and doing driving turns by himself. One day, Harry was looking at some old photographs in his favourite armchair with a glass of Firewhiskey on the small table next to him. The pictures contained images of days at Hogwarts, at the Quidditch World Cup and from the Tri-Wizard Tournament. A couple of pages held snapshots of the graves of his parents, of Dobby's grave and that of Winky, the female elf had seemingly had a thing for Dobby and that of Kreacher – though Harry admitted to himself he could look at that grave simply by moving into the kitchen. As he flicked through the book, a small stone dropped out and he set the book down and picked it up off his lap. As he brought it up to eye level, he gasped as he felt a warmth running through his body and a flash of cream coloured light almost blinded him for a moment.
"Nĭ hăo, Harry"
A/N:
Oh yeah, I kept this under wraps from two people who thought they knew me well…!
Pixel and Stephanie Forever
