Disclaimer: I own nothing and I don't see why we need one of these when the site it's on is called But, alas, it is not my opinion that counts after all; just the people with the big money that can sue the poor people like me.

The Curse of Albus Dumbledore

By Patilaputra Jeanne

Chapter Three

The Accident

The next morning, Harry woke up to two bright round orbs hovering over him. He yelped, flipped over and shouted a stunning spell at what had startled him out of instinct. What his instincts did not tell him though was 'know how to successfully undo a curse before you cast it.' Harry had accidentally stunned a house elf.

"Dobby?" Harry asked, forgetting for a moment that the house elf would not be able to respond to the question.

That was when Harry started to panic, not knowing how hard of a stunner he had cast, and not knowing how bad it could effect a house elf. Harry searched his memory for the counter curse but the only thing that he could remember was the spell 'priori incantatem' and he doubted that the reverse spell effect would work. He certainly didn't want to cause any lasting damage on the poor house elf that had saved his neck (although he'd taken an arm) on many occasions. He decided to go find Remus or someone to help so he gathered the house elf in his arms and set off down the hall.

Harry was quite relieved when a door opened just in front of him, knowing that he was the youngest one in the castle and that all the others would know the simple spell to undo it. To his disappointment though, William entered the hall. You can't always pick and choose Harry thought to himself and jogged to catch up with his cousin.

"Hey William!" Harry said loudly so that he would have to turn around. When he did, and saw Harry with a house elf in his arms, he gave Harry an odd look and then laughed.

"What in Merlin's name?" William muttered, shaking his head in dismay. Harry could feel his cheeks getting slightly red.

"I woke up to him hovering over me," Harry explained. "It just startled me so I grabbed my wand and shouted the first curse that came to mind, only I can't remember the counter curse." William laughed at him again, making Harry shift his weight with impatience.

"What spell did you use?" William said taking out his wand. He could undo whatever curse the boy had thrown; after all, he was just a student.

"Stunning spell," Harry said evenly. He was somewhat confused however by the strange look that William gave him.

"Aren't you just going into your sixth year?" he asked. His face and his voice were unreadable.

"Yes," Harry stated. "Why?"

"That isn't a curse that's taught for the O.W.L.'s," William said. "I'm not even sure if it's on the N.E.W.T.'s."

"I'm Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the one who defeated Voldemort the first time," Harry said. "Don't you think I need to know it? It's the most common spell I use."

"It's the most common spell you use and you don't know the counter curse for it?" William asked unbelievingly. "You said that you have been looking up defense stuff all summer!"

"Yes I know," Harry said. "We looked it up, but as we had nothing to practice on, so we couldn't try it and I've never been in the position to use it until now, so will you just please give me the incantation?"

"The incantation is 'Ennervate,'" William explained. He was about to walk away when he thought of something. "And what do you mean when you say 'we?'"

Harry immediately realized his slip up about the D.A. "Me, Hermione, and Ron," he supplied.

"No," William said, catching Harry off guard. Did he know about the D.A.? "It's Hermione, Ron and me. You always say all the other names before yourself."

He walked down the hall away from Harry and Dobby as soon as he had given Harry his grammar lesson. As soon as he was out of earshot, Harry let out a large sigh that he hadn't known that he'd been holding in. He set Dobby gently on the floor and spoke the counter curse. Dobby woke up with a squeak.

"Sorry Dobby," Harry said as he helped the poor house elf to his feet. "I guess I'm getting as paranoid as Moody, cursing everything that startles me."

"Harry Potter should not apologize to Dobby," the house elf squeaked. "Dobby should apologize to Harry Potter! Sir said not to wake him like that! Bad Dobby!" The house elf hit himself on the head and continued to do so until Harry grabbed him by the wrist so that he couldn't harm himself anymore.

"Dobby, I order you not to harm yourself," Harry scolded. The house elf looked up at Harry with a big grin on his face as a way to thank Harry. "Now, I'm sorry but I have to get ready to go to breakfast because I have a meeting with the Headmaster as soon as it's over."

"Dobby remembers now!" Dobby squeaked as Harry turned back to go into his room. "Dobby was sent to bring Harry Potter his trunk and then to report back to Professor Dumbledore. Dobby hopes that Professor Dumbledore will forgive him for being late." The elf's ears drooped at the thought of the Headmaster being angry with him.

"Just tell him that Harry Potter held you up," Harry told the elf. "If he asks, I tell him at breakfast." With that, the house elf scuttled out of the corridor and Harry went back into his room to get ready for the new day.

He now saw that his trunk was resting at the end of his bed and Hedwig's cage sat near the window. Harry quickly got cleaned up and dressed and headed downstairs to have some breakfast. As he entered the Great Hall, he saw that only Dumbledore, McGonagall, and his acquaintance of a cousin, William. Harry sat down at the only other place set out that was unfortunately next to William. Harry filled his plate up with food and glared at his cousin as he stifled a laugh.

"What took you so long Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked. "You normally have no problem getting up for breakfast."

"I just over slept," Harry answered glancing at William to see if he was going to be trust worthy in this situation or if he were going to like embarrassing Harry in front of his Head of House and Headmaster. "I guess the attack yesterday took more out of me than I thought."

"That's reasonable I suppose." Professor Dumbledore said. "However it won't happen again." Harry looked confused for a moment. Was the Headmaster telling him off for being late? "We have found a suitable arrangement that I'm sure will prove to be safe for both you and those around you."

"Albus," Professor McGonagall interrupted. "I thought we were going to discuss this after breakfast."

"Yes, that was the plan," the Headmaster agreed. "But I have a feeling that we will need to put this plan into action now, rather than the timeline that we had decided on since the Death Eaters are getting restless."

"If you are just going to discuss Harry's safety plan," William said, standing up from his place at the table. "I think I will take my leave."

"Sit down, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said sternly. It took Harry a second to realize who she was talking to but tried to not look confused. "You are just as much of the plan as any of us are here."

"What?" Harry accidentally asked. He had not meant to, but was very thankful when no one noticed as William had asked the same thing at the same time.

"What is this plan anyway?" Harry asked.

"Ah, that is the question isn't it." Professor Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "Now that we have all settled down, we may proceed. First, Harry I think you will need this." He handed Harry a strange looking case, that anyone else would (and did) recognize.

Harry took the case cautiously and opened the silver latches on the sides. Inside the velvet lined case was a black violin with silver ornamentation on it. Harry picked it up, but as he did so, the violin changed to a guitar causing him to almost drop the instrument.

"This was Sirius's violin, or guitar I should say," Professor Dumbledore said as Harry examined the black instrument in awe. "He never really liked classical music." William snorted.

"Uncle Sirius was the one who taught me how to play guitar when I was only five years old." William said. "But what on earth does his guitar have to do with this wonderful plan that we are discussing."

"Just about everything, William," Professor Dumbledore said. "Harry is going to pose as a member of a world famous band."


Well, another chapter. I have been up in Ely and Duluth for the past week so I hope you all understand the delay although it has been longer than a week. I know where I'm going with this story (although the house elf thing was a bit a surprise) and its just a matter of getting down. Please Review if you have the time.