Harry whacked at the grasses that bordered the house, stumbling over the garden gnome burrows because he had silenced the navigation from his staff…too annoyed with everyone to bear even the vibrations. When the sharp scent of mint replaced the more subtle grass aromas, he knew he was approaching the kitchen steps.
Someone came running up behind him.
"Harry, mate! You can't just run off again!" It was Ron.
Harry braced for impact, but Ron stopped short and didn't grab him. He let out the breath he was holding. He reached out his staff to find the steps to the back door that he knew were near and then sat down on them with a huff and slipping his staff into his holster. Harry pushed his hands through his hair and tried to remember how to calm his racing heart with measured breaths.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked.
Harry drew in a breath and let it out slowly before answering, "I'm trying to calm down."
"Why are you so worked up?"
Harry tried to shoot an annoyed glance at Ron… remembered he couldn't see and put his head in his hands.
"I can't stay here, Ron. I'm putting everyone in danger. I shouldn't have come here in the first place. You lot were safer when I was living off carrots underground."
"It turned your nose turned orange, mate."
"Seriously? Is it still orange?" Harry asked while touching his nose as if he could feel the oranginess.
"It's getting back to normal," Ron laughed.
"Well, at least you didn't have murderers and soul-suckers and aurors stomping through your garden! And I can't even tell my nose turned orange… so so what! I have an orange nose and your house isn't getting blown up!"
Ron sat down on the step, squeezed in next to Harry and leaned in to him and said, "It's not like that doesn't happen on a regular basis around here anyway… what between the twins' experiments in their room and dad's tinkering on muggle artifacts in the shed. And if Ginny wasn't in such a funk, she'd be doing her fair share as well."
"You heard what Auror Bones said… your house has been compromised. You all have to find another home! And what's going to happen then? This mess follows me everywhere… and one of you is going to get hurt or worse… and I just can't live with that. Look what happened to Ginny! Riddle was after me! He was using Ginny to get to me. She almost died!" Harry tried to swallow the sob that rode the words but it escaped anyhow and he put his hands over his mouth to prevent anymore from getting out.
Ron swung an awkward arm over his shoulders and pulled Harry into a tight side-hug. "You can't do this by yourself, Harry. We want to help you."
"That's right," Hermione said in a hoarse whisper and Harry whipped his head up. He hadn't heard her approaching, but he did hear others behind them and soon he was surrounded by the whole jostling group again trying to reassure him that they didn't care that he was Death Eater bait.
"I care!" Harry shouted, standing up and pushing them away from him. "I can't do this to you!"
He clasped his arms around his chest and turned in a tight circle, thinking hard about the safe coolness of the underground cave, the damp earthy smell almost invading his nostrils and suddenly he was being sucked through the compressing tube of apparition and landing in a heap on the cool compacted dirt of the cave. He reached out a hand and found the tiled edge of the pool right where he imagined it would be.
Nio squirmed against his belly and hissed at Harry, as angry as he'd ever heard the little snake. Harry put a protective hand over the bundle of snake at his navel.
"I'm so sorry, Nio!" Harry murmured. "I didn't mean to do that… except I did! How did I do that? I apparated! I don't even know how to apparate! I didn't think I'd be able to ever apparate… I thought it was a visual thing."
"You're not making any sense, Sthei," the snake said grumpily. "Don't do that again. I don't like it. I felt like I was being turned inside out."
As he pulled himself up to a kneeling position, Harry realized that he hadn't thrown up this time. "Maybe because I did it myself instead of being pulled along by someone else's spell?"
"Still not making any sense," Nio complained as he worked his way out of Harry's tucked-in shirt.
Harry put out a hand and Nio used it as a bridge to the ledge around the pool.
"I could use some big worms to get me through the trauma," the snake hissed.
Harry smiled and made his way over to the familiar alcove where the tangle of roots and loose soil hanging down from the ceiling also hid the slimy worms that Nio loved so much.
Before handing the worms over to Nio, though, he tapped them with is wand and muttered the duplicating spell that Hermione taught him that week until he had a squirming pile of worms in his palm. While Nio gummed his lunch, Harry held a couple of the worms up to the fringed roof of the alcove until they found their way back into the earth. He didn't know how long they would be living on worms and carrots this time and didn't want to risk running out of food for either of them. He wasn't quite ready to start eating the carrots yet.
Harry took a long drink of cool water from the pool and filled up his water bottle from his staff. He found the sleeping alcove, pulled the invisibility cloak back on, tying it to his wrists and ankles as he had done before. He then made a nest out of his school cloaks and then settled down with the slate tablet to assure his friends that he was fine and safe and well hidden away.
Harry heard the nearly imperceivable rustle of Nio's body pushing against the loose gravel and dust of the tiled floor as he entered the nook and he put out a hand so that the little snake could climb up it and join him.
"Even though the way we got here was unpleasant, I'm really very happy to be back in this cosy burrow," Nio sighed as he coiled next to Harry.
Harry's stomach gurgled and he thought about the carrots again… but he wasn't ready yet. He thought about the birthday cake Mrs. Weasley had been making for him and wondered if they were all eating it without him.
[break]
It had been at least a week since Harry's birthday and his accidental return to the stone circle cave. Hedwig had flown in through the distant cave entrance on the coast later on the same day that Harry and Nio had apparated to the dwelling. She grumbled at Harry at first, but soon was happy hunting rodents in the nearby fields. Harry mindfully duplicated the carrots, turnips, and beets before he harvested them. He spent his days reading his school books in preparation for school (he grudgingly admitted to Hermione that it did help stave off his boredom and loneliness), sending messages back and forth with Ron, Hermione, Gemma, and Peter, and swimming in the pool.
His ability to read Braille was improving quickly as he practised it so much with his slate… he also learned that he could read his books faster with his anagnóstis by passing it over the words quickly as long as he used the ruler to help him keep the tool straight on the page. It actually helped keep his focus on the words instead of wandering into daydreams when it read at a normal pace.
Harry practised apparating short distances now that he knew how to do it. Somehow, accidentally apparating had pushed his worries about ending up like Tony out of his head and the more he practised, the more comfortable he became. At first, he just tried jumping from the sleeping alcove to the foyer with the drinking pool and carrot alcoves, then he tried jumping from the foyer to the swimming pool, then to the opening of the cave on the cliff face overlooking the ocean. He explored the stone circle, rock by rock until he knew them all by touch and could run from rock to rock, naming them and recognizing them by their craggy surfaces. Nio would doze in the sun (only accompanying him when it was sunny—so not too often) and hiss encouragements as Harry grew more and more confident and then Harry practised jumping from stone to stone… they were all short enough for him to be able to clamber onto them… he imagined that some of the longer ones had been standing tall at one point but had toppled over.
If he heard an infrequent auto approaching on the distant gravel road, he would jump to Nio and gather up the snake to hurry down the entrance (Nio refused to join Harry on the practice jumps). Harry was pretty certain that it was far enough away that no one could see them… and he had to remind himself that was wearing his invisibility cloak. No muggles ever visited the site and he couldn't find any National History markers… so he imagined that the wixen who made this site had used muggle-repelling charms to keep it hidden.
Hedwig would perch on the stones and if he jumped too near to her, then she'd fly away in a burst of indignant squawks. It was hard for him to hear her unless she hooted to let him know where she was. On the surface, he could only jump to spots that he knew fully through touch… but in the underground dwelling, he could navigate into areas that he knew by the echoing sounds that defined the space as well, even if he wasn't as familiar with them as the stones in the circle.
Harry really wanted to hop back to the Burrow, if only for a meal… but he could read between the lines in the messages from his friends and it sounded as if the adults were only willing to tolerate his hiding in the caves if he stayed there. Any venturing out and he was likely to be convinced to stay at the Burrow or go to the Department of Mysteries… it was enough to keep him gnawing on carrots. Plus, they couldn't find him… he knew that he was untrackable where he was. If he ventured out, he might muck it up completely.
That didn't stop him from fantasizing about apparating to a muggle bakery or grocery store in the middle of the night when his gnawing hunger woke him up. He dreamed about packing his staff full of food… he could almost visualize the shop in Little Whinging or even Number 4 Privet drive… though he imagined that if he magicked his way into the Dursley's house that the Ministry of Magic would send more than letters after him this time.
His mind replayed the moment when Dobby had levitated the cake… the horror of it as it floated through the kitchen destined for destruction… even though Aunt Petunia tended toward the bland in most of her dishes, she did make delicious cakes. As he was drifting to sleep, he thought about the rich buttercream frosting and the spongy texture of the cake. And then he sat up and smacked himself on the forehead.
"Dobby! I could ask Dobby!" Harry said aloud to the sleeping alcove. And then he heard the pop of apparition. It was the same noise he had heard last summer when Dobby had been intercepting his mail… and now he recognized it for what it was.
"Harry Potter… are you here?" the squeaky voice of the house-elf inquired.
"Oh! Dobby! How did you do that?" Harry asked. "No one knows where I am."
"Dobby still doesn't know where Harry Potter is. Dark it is," Dobby said and then there was a snap and a sudden burst of light that sent Harry scrabbling back into his covers, with his hands over his eyes.
"Oh, ow!"
"What is it?" Dobby asked, distressed.
"Just… just bright lights hurt," Harry said.
"Dobby is so sorry. But where is Harry Potter? Dobby hears his voice, but can't see him."
Harry tried taking his hands off his eyes and even with his eyes closed, he could tell that the light in the little room was still too strong. He fished his glasses out of his staff, sighing in relief as they blocked the intensity of the light.
"I'm right in front of you," Harry said, forgetting that he was invisible.
"Harry Potter must be wearing his death cloak," Dobby said.
"What? Death cloak? What do you mean?" Harry asked, lurching forward.
"The cloak… it hides Harry Potter so well that wizards thinks the Great Harry Potter is dead. But Dobby knows you are not dead… just hidden."
"How did you find me?" Harry asked, relieved that the cloak wasn't deadly.
"Dobby heard Harry Potter call Dobby's name and came," the elf explained. "Don't worry… only elves can do it. Harry Potter is safe in his sacred dwelling." His voice was pointed down toward the floor and Harry reached out for him, finding his pointy ears and then his shoulder.
"Please don't bow to me, Dobby," Harry asked in a pained voice. "I didn't know that you'd be able to hear me… let alone that you'd come when I called. I'm sorry, Dobby. I'm sure you were doing something important."
"Only sleeping. Dobby is always happy to help Harry Potter. Harry Potter freed Dobby… even when Harry Potter couldn't see. Harry Potter is the greatest wizard alive! And even better than most who are dead. Dobby thinks often about Harry Potter and wishes he could help Harry Potter."
"You are very kind, Dobby," Harry said, tilting his chin down and feeling his ears and back of his neck grow warm with embarrassment. "I do need some help. I'm hungry and I can't leave this cave."
"Harry Potter needs food!" Dobby said and there was another pop.
"Dobby?" Harry asked the air in front of him, where the little elf had been, and moved his hand through the space.
"Dobby will be right back!" Dobby's voice answered. "Dobby is getting Harry Potter food!"
Harry sat back down on the ledge of his stone bed and called in Parseltongue to Nio, "Little Friend, are you close by?"
All he heard in response was a hissing snore coming from the bundle of cloaks on the sleeping shelf. He left the snake where he was and sat as patiently as he could, waiting for the elf to return.
Suddenly an ambrosial aroma filled the space… even before the pop of apparition alerted him to the return of his friend.
"Oh, Dobby! This is a feast!" Harry clapped his hands in delight as his stomach gurgled in response.
There was the sound of wood legs hitting the tile floor and Harry reached his hand toward the sound, finding the legs of a low table, covered in a silky cloth. Harry followed the table leg up to the surface and felt gingerly for the edge of a plate. His nose helped guide him as well and he could feel steam rising off the food as well as his face neared the table.
"Dobby will explain the plate," the elf said. "There is braised chicken with rosemary leaf at noon. At three o'clock Harry Potter will find the buttered mash, at six o'clock green beans, and at nine o'clock a slice of warm hearth bread.
Harry flicked out his wand and said the duplicating charm, holding out his hand to catch the plate as it sprung into existence.
"Dobby, please will you join me for dinner?"
The house-elf burst into sobs and Harry froze as he was holding the plate out to him.
"Did I do something wrong?" Harry asked tentatively. Dobby sounded quite distressed.
"No, no. That's not it. Dobby is just so ashamed… Harry Potter continues to offer Dobby friendship like Dobby has never experienced before… not even from other house-elves… and Dobby abandoned Harry Potter when his need was so great."
"What are you talking about? You risked your life to warn me about Malfoy's intentions… and you didn't even know me," Harry said, gesturing toward the elf with the plate. "Is there room on the table for your plate?"
Harry felt a ripple of magic pass through the air and heard the table legs skitter a bit as they grew.
"Now there is!" Dobby said as he took the plate from Harry's hand and set it down on the table. More wood sounded on the tile and then there was the tinkling of silverware settling next to the plates. Harry reached toward the sound and found a chair. He settled into it and felt around the plate, finding a place setting with an elegantly folded serviette.
He waited for a bit as Dobby sat across from him, his sniffles diminishing.
"May Harry Potter go forth in health!" Dobby declared and then paused.
It took Harry a second to realize that the elf had raised his glass in a toast and Harry felt around the table until he found a goblet. He raised it gingerly.
"And Dobby as well!" Harry said in response as Dobby clinked their glasses together. Harry took a sniff as he sipped and was overwhelmed with gratitude that it was pumpkin juice.
They settled into their meal. Harry tried to eat slowly and savour each flavorful bite, but he was so ravenously hungry. Even so, he couldn't eat very much before he was full. His stomach must have shrunk on the root diet.
Using the serviette to wipe the grease that had slid down his chin, Harry asked, "Dobby, what have you been doing since the Center closed?"
"Dobby has been helping put it to rights! But it will still be a long time until the Center is ready to open again," Dobby said, his tone drooping. "Dobby is sorry that it won't be ready before Harry returns to Hogwarts."
"But you still have a job? And a place to live?" Harry asked.
"Dobby lives quite comfortably… as Harry Potter does in this sacred dwelling."
Harry nodded in response… his eyes growing heavy now that his stomach was full. Harry leaned against the wall and drew his feet underneath him.
"And what about your family?" Harry asked. "Do you get to see them much?"
"Oh, Harry Potter is such a thoughtful wizard. Thank you for asking about Dobby's family. It is too sad a tale to tell right now and Harry Potter is very tired. Do rest. Dobby will bring more food tomorrow," Dobby said as he vanished the remnants of their meal.
"Oh, then I guess we have that in common. I'm sorry," Harry murmured as he stretched out on his sleeping shelf. "Thank you, Dobby. That was the best meal I've had in a long time."
"Sleep well, Harry Potter. Dobby is glad you called."
[Break]
Author's note: Dear Readers... if you are also reading "Harry Potter and the Forgotten Lady" the collaboration has ended and it is likely that the story will soon be deleted or orphaned.