Chapter 16
• A New Master •
The lack of noise in the room of requirements made it seem as if it were an empty hole. The darkness that had filled it didn't help the image.
Harry sat quietly, straining his mind, there was something he didn't understand. Voldemort knew he would know, Voldemort wanted him to know, why? If Blaise didn't have any idea why and she was telling the truth, which he instinctually knew was right – she was telling the truth no matter how much he wanted to deny it, then there was some ulterior motive, but what could it be?
Time ticked by as Harry thought, but nothing came to mind, besides Voldemort trying to lure him out. He wouldn't allow it though, not after what had happened to Sirius last year, he wouldn't allow for Voldemort to pull him into another trap.
A piece of parchment with a quill and inkwell appeared in front of him and Harry wrote down everything about the attack he knew – which was virtually nothing besides it was happening the following day. He didn't mention Blaise, as much for spite as the fact that he wanted to keep her a secret from Dumbledore. After all, she'd never told him to tell Dumbledore about herself.
When he finished writing it out he read it again. It almost made it sound like a scar attack, that he'd had some sort of vision. He didn't write any doubt into it though, because he knew that Blaise wasn't lying, she believe the Death Eaters were coming. Unless Voldemort had tricked her for some other reason he would come.
Exhausted by some unknown force he rolled up the parchment carefully and a stamp appeared before him. It was a good idea to seal the note; Harry certainly didn't want anyone else reading it other than Dumbledore. So, taking a nearby candle he dripped a slight bit of wax onto the parchment and pressed the seal against it.
Pausing, Harry sat the roll to the side, not really paying attention to it. If he was to really give the scroll to Dumbledore then it was likely that he'd be put into some secret room that he wouldn't be able to do anything from. No Fighting. No vengeance for Sirius's death. No way to help out against the Death Eaters. Dumbledore wouldn't allow anything of the sort; he already knew the answer without asking the question. Even though he should be included, he of all people had been one of the few people at the school that was qualified to fight against them other than the teachers.
However, not telling Dumbledore might be exactly what Voldemort was trying to get him to do. He couldn't do that; it would mean that the school would be relatively defenseless. He could tell the DA and hope they could defend the school, but that was even worse, he wasn't about to endanger their lives like that. Yes, he was going to tell them, but only because they needed to help keep the school in check. Dumbledore couldn't do everything. He had mentioned in the letter that he would be telling them. He'd also asked that Dumbledore left him alone, though he doubted it would make much of a difference.
Light filtered into the room as the door creaked open. A gust of air whipped through, but the door closed just as quick. No one appeared that he could see and he wondered who had come. He hadn't called the group yet and even then - they should all be in the feast still.
Feet padded across the stone floor, Harry could hear them as they closed in on him and he wondered if someone was under an invisibility cloak. He'd had years of experience with them, and because he hadn't seen anyone he figured it was the only way someone could be there. He was wrong when he saw Dobby appear around the side of the table.
Relieved somehow that it wasn't Ron or Hermione he smiled as best he could to Dobby. "Hello Dobby," he said quietly, thinking about how long it would be before his two friends went looking for him. Dobby didn't seem to notice his distraction, but didn't return the smile.
"Dobby is thinking sir, when Dobby is not seeing Harry Potter at dinner, Dobby is thinking he is angered Harry Potter. Dobby is not wanting Harry Potter angry with him," Dobby said before Harry could say anything else. It was then that Harry noticed the nervous look on his face.
"I'm not..." Harry began to say, trying to get Dobby to feel better. It made Harry feel worse to know that Dobby was feeling bad because of him. Feeling any worse would only lead to depression.
"So Dobby is thinking of how is he telling Harry Potter the things he is wanting to say, Dobby is thinking really hard about it. Dobby is thinking he is finding a way," he said.
From the look in his eyes Harry thought he was terrified, but he wasn't quite sure why. Harry continued to stare, mouth agape and he decided that Dobby was horrified, but not the same horror Harry thought about when he was scared. He was interested to, and he nodded slightly, wondering what it was Dobby had figured out. Even though the elf didn't have much, he was still Harry's friend and Harry wasn't about to risk their friendship to find out about the new teacher. Finally, he proceeded to speak, slowly, deciding that he would see what Dobby had to say before telling him yes or no.
"Alright Dobby, how do we do it?" he asked, trying to avoid the excitement he was feeling. For a moment the impeding battle had faded from his mind.
"If... if Harry Potter is asking... when..." his voice faded and his large green eyes stared at Harry for a minute searching for something. He gulped and his little body shook uncontrollably. "If Harry Potter is asking Dobby as his master," he paused just briefly. Before Harry could register what was being said he continued, finally finding the confidence and rushing through the rest. "If you is asking as Dobby's master Dobby must obey. Dobby is wanting too now, but Harry Potter is not his master and he is not allowed to tell anyone but his masters."
"Me?" Harry asked, startled, "your master? I couldn't have an elf," he said imagining for a second what it would be like to have his own personal elf. It didn't take long for a long lecture from Hermione to start. Ron wouldn't say anything, but he'd hate it anyway the same way he hated Harry's popularity. Even if he was a good friend he wasn't unable to feel. That wasn't to mention what everyone else would think, or what would happen if the papers got a hold of it. "Hermione would kill me. Not to mention you're a Hogwarts elf now, and your master is Dumbledore."
Dobby looked crestfallen, but his resolve had not faded at all, instead it seemed to have been intensified. "When Dobby is starting at Hogwarts he is asking Master Dumbledore if he can stop working when he is finding another job. Master Dumbledore is saying Dobby can leave anytime he and Winky wants. Dobby is asking these things because... because he is hoping that when Harry Potter is moved out of his muggle house that Dobby could go with Harry Potter and live there. He is hoping he could maybe help for a place to stay. Dobby wants to be friends with Harry and he wants to be free too," he finished and began to wring his hands nervously.
Instead of terror he looked nervous now, a look that Harry recognized quickly. Ron had that look a lot last year. It took a long time for Harry to digest all of the information that Dobby was giving him. It wasn't something that he had to read between the lines about. Dobby was saying, outright, that he wanted Harry to be his master - that he'd wanted to be way back when he had first come to Hogwarts. And, to top it all off, Winky was coming too. "I..." Harry said, but faltered. He didn't know how to respond exactly. "I don't know what you would do Dobby – I don't need you very much. I don't even have a home anymore."
"Dobby is hearing all this and that is why Dobby is thinking Harry Potter could be his master. Harry Potter turns 17 in the summer, which means that he is a legal wizard. So Dobby thinks Harry Potter could get a home for himself and Dobby could help there. If Harry Potter is getting a house Dobby could still work even without pay, but Dobby is hoping..."
Harry knew Hermione was going to ring his neck for even entertaining the idea. But he couldn't help it; the look was so hopeful that he would feel as if he were the bad guy if he just turned Dobby down outright. "What about Winky?" he asked – trying to pity Dobby outright and just saying yes. He knew he didn't have the sort of money to keep Dobby, and even if he did there was still Hermione and Ron... As for everyone else, he was beginning to care less about the rest of them. They had turned their backs on him enough times; next time no matter what it took he would ignore them all. "What does she think about all this?"
From the look on Dobby's face Harry wondered if he shouldn't have mentioned Winky. It wasn't something that he liked to do, but still it was better to ask now than to find out later. Winky hadn't seemed to like him very much beforehand and now, well he wasn't sure how she'd react to him being her master. He knew one thing; he couldn't let her go because she'd probably have a complete breakdown.
"Winky is not saying much Harry Potter, she is just crying and drinking more butterbeer. Dobby is trying to help, Dobby is doing his best to make her feel better but she is not listening. Dobby is trying to get her to work because all house-elves know that work is helping to forget, but the other elves is not giving her any tasks. They is thinking she and Dobby is both bad elves. They is not liking us at all. That is why Dobby is wanting to leave now Harry Potter. If Dobby could take Winky somewhere where she is always working then maybe Dobby could help make her better," he paused. "She is not a bad elf Harry Potter, she is just needing to forget."
"I know," Harry breathed, not truly understanding her exact circumstances, but knowing what she needed. The pain she felt in her heart was too much, and she didn't know any other way to live so she was now a raging drunk it seemed.
The last bit of resolve Harry had faded with a sigh. There wasn't any other way to make it out of it in good standings with Dobby. And he did owe Dobby a lot more than just a thank you. "Alright Dobby," he said slowly, closing his eyes and remembering what Dobby was being paid. "4 Galleons a month and whatever time you want off, good enough?" he asked, feeling tired again. The impeding battle was coming back into his mind no matter what was happening at the moment.
In the brief moment that Harry took to glance down at Dobby he was bowled over with tremendous force as the ecstatic house-elf squeezed him with superhuman strength. The chair he had been sitting in clattered on the stone floor but Harry couldn't do anything about it. The whistling of the wind was the only sound aside from Harry's breathing. Then, there was a sniffle and crying. "Dobby is so happy," Dobby said, his voice muffled in Harry's robes. He looked up as giant tears dropped from his eyes. It didn't take long for Harry's shirt to get soaked.
When Dobby finally let go and Harry was able to move again he proceeded to stand up the chair he'd been sitting in. Then, after straightening up his robes he looked at Dobby as professionally as possible. "No one is to know, not Ron, not Hermione, not Dumbledore. Not yet at least," he said, thinking of other peoples reactions. Luna might be the only one at the school who wouldn't make a big deal out of it and he certainly didn't want to talk about with her. Tonks... well, Tonks might be happy for him, he wasn't sure, and he'd like to tell her but she wasn't around at the moment.
Tonks.
Aurors.
Harry grinned, just barely, if they were coming everything would be alright. Surely that would be one of the very first things Dumbledore did, after contacting The Order. It would all be alright, all he needed to do was get the other members of the DA down here so that they could help keep the students safe. They needed to be around so that everything could be kept calm and in case the Death Eaters did make it into the castle, a last defense of sorts.
Harry heard Dobby speaking in front of him and he snapped his attention back to the present. "Don't you dare call me Master Dobby, Harry is still just fine."
"Yes Harry Potter sir," Dobby said grinning like a little boy who'd just gotten a brand new Firebolt. Harry had a hard time not grinning back even with the fight hanging over his head, maybe it would be good to have Dobby around. "Is there anything else that Harry Potter would ask of Dobby or Winky?"
"Yes," Harry said nodding. "I want you to act like nothing has changed. Go about your normal duties as a Hogwarts elf for right now until I figure out everything. There's a lot to think about now. When I do have something for you to do I'll come find you. And we need to find out a way how to help Winky get better."
Solemnly Dobby nodded. The mention of Winky had depressed him just a little and Harry hated it, but he hated it even more that Winky was in such bad shape. The first thing he planned on doing as her so-called 'master' was taking care of her. "Dobby is able to do everything sir asks. Dobby is wanting Harry Potter to know that all Harry has to do is call Dobby's name and he will come. There is other ways but Dobby is thinking they is too complicated. But the walls, they speak to the elves so to know when they is to come and work."
"One more thing," Harry said, taking the sealed scroll from the table. "I'd like you to deliver this to Dumbledore when the feast is over."
For a moment Dobby's head turned to the side and he leaned it over gently. His ears perked up slightly and then he turned back to Harry. "The feast is ended Harry Potter sir, the students is all going to their rooms."
Harry sighed he didn't think he'd been sitting around that long. "Alright then get it to him right away, and not anyone else, it is important that he is the one that reads it first." Dobby nodded then, Harry continued. "Tomorrow, after it's all done and over with we can get back to talking about the new teacher and more about what you're going to do now that you're my responsibility."
"It is hard to ask," Dobby said as he took the scroll from Harry's hand. He didn't seem to mind in the least bit asking his question though; it seemed more like something he had been taught to say before asking. "But what is happening tomorrow? Dobby is not hearing that anything bad might happen. Why is Harry Potter thinking that tomorrow he is not living?"
Somehow Harry knew he should have expected it instead of Dobby just following instructions, and he wasn't angry with Dobby at all, he knew who Dobby was and what he was like long before that moment. "The castle is going to be attacked tomorrow Dobby," Harry said quietly. "That's what I've been told, and though I don't know how or when I'm sure it will happen. Since I'm the only one that knows I have to tell Dumbledore so he can be prepared."
Dobby seemed extremely frightened. "They is Death... Eaters?" he asked slowly, almost afraid to speak the words.
Harry nodded feeling better that he'd told someone.
"Now I need that letter to get to Dumbledore right away. Do whatever he asks Dobby, remember you're suppose to act like a Hogwarts elf for now."
With a nod Dobby scurried out the door. "And Dobby," Harry said, trying to catch him before he disappeared. His words however fell to the empty walls and were lost in the rush of wind that opening the doors brought. Harry hoped that Dobby would be quiet enough that no one else would know, not yet. It would be bad if the whole castle got into a ruckus before Dumbledore even knew what was happening.
Silently Harry pulled the coin from his pocket, muttering the spell Hermione had taught him. The date along the side melted away and then formed a single word. Now. All Harry had to do was wait and see who would come.
The wait didn't last very long before the door creaked open and Harry could hear the wind pummel it as it closed. He looked up to see who had come and was a little shocked. Luna was standing their, her windswept hair only adding to the slightly lost look on her face. When she saw Harry she smiled lazily and walked towards him.
Harry did his best to smile back, but his mind was quickly filling with so much information that he was beginning to have trouble seeing clearly. He reached up to adjust his glasses nervously, trying to decide what exactly he was going to tell everyone and he found that his glasses had slipped from his face without him noticing it.
Taking a quick step back to check the floor for his glasses he heard a crunch that was dreadfully familiar. Another step back revealed a set of crushed glasses and frames twisted in odd angles. It took a moment to register that there was no way for him to repair them; he wouldn't be able to concentrate enough to get the glass to repair smoothly. Hopefully Hermione would be able to repair them.
"Uhm," Luna said quietly, but so close that she startled Harry. "Would you like me to fix those?" she asked, her voice still extremely quiet.
Harry looked up at her without the vaguest change in expression. Though she was waiting for a response she hadn't been ready for such a desperate look. She stepped back, so startled that she couldn't speak. The look on her face was almost like the final string and Harry's mind snapped and his mind blanked.
Someone was shaking him and there was a pungent smell of blood that filled the air. Harry sat bolt upright to the concerned face of a scarred brunette woman. "Are you alright?" she asked, anxiety overriding her normal facial expressions.
Harry shook his head and looked around, struggling to grasp where he was. He was at the edge of some sort of forest, with a cliff on the other side of him. Below lay a lake of...
"Blood," the brunette said and Harry remembered her name was Deborah. "After the last attack he slaughtered everyone, even his own soldiers. Then, instead of destroying the bodies he summoned them all to the lake and cast a spell to make them bleed completely. He's lost it completely, even the Aurors think he might be unstoppable.
"How long have I..." began Harry, wondering how long he'd been out. The words sunk in and he stopped momentarily, turning to the side and he was sick all over the ground. The lake of blood was, by far, the worst sight he'd ever seen.
"It's been a two and a half days since you were struck unconscious. You were struck with three separate stunners, and pretty strong ones too. James pulled you out before they were able to get a subjective potion down your throat. But he went out during the last siege... he's there somewhere," she said, gesturing sadly towards the lake below them. In the distance, somewhere below them and in the forest beyond the lake there was a scream that only sounded remotely human.
Harry felt the blood drain from his face and he recognized the voice. "Edward?" he asked rhetorically, not really wanting to hear the answer. The silence that followed was enough.
Using all of his strength, slowly he pushed himself up, trying to get to his feet. It took a great deal of energy to move at all and Deborah placed her arm on his shoulder gently. "Don't you dare," she whispered in his ear. "I may not be a superb healer, but I do know that you're in no shape to be moving around. You won't recover if you strain yourself now."
No matter her position Harry would have none of it. He'd already lost enough of his friends. Standing took a series of tries, but he was finally able to make it to his feet. His right hand instinctively went for his wand next, but found none.
"It was broken before James got to you," Deborah responded to his movement. "I'm sorry."
One step at a time Harry moved forward. The place was hideously empty, and at any other time it would have been a great relief, but now... Just three days ago hundreds upon hundreds of men had lined the forest battling. The blood and bodies had been splattered along the path, a sight that would burn into any mans memory. They were all gone now, donating blood to the lake no doubt
The night had barely fallen and the moon shown brightly along the path as Harry stepped down it. Nighttime was not the best time for him to fight, but it would have to do. Every day he spent resting the powers he fought against grew more powerful.
"You're just going go and get yourself killed, aren't you?" a voice spoke from the woods along the path.
Harry turned to him, groaning from the pain it caused. "Pierre," he said feeling a sense of anxiety fill him. "How are you?"
"Alive," the man named Pierre said, breaking away from the shadows that concealed him. "Unlike most of my companions. I passed the test it seems, I am my own master, no one can tell me what to do any longer. That means I may choose whichever path suits me best and I have come to believe that this one is far better suited for me."
He bowed forward wordlessly, much more formally than most people were able to do. Years of experience had perfected the movement. His hand flicked, just as silently and smooth, almost gracefully, a wand shot forward, falling at Harry's feet. Harry stooped to pick it up and when his eyes returned to the shadows Pierre was gone.
Each step forward was progress and somehow made Harry feel a little healthier each time until he was able to stand straight without effort. Somewhere behind him he could hear Deborah crying, but he ignored her, what he was going to do was set and he wouldn't allow anyone to stop him.
Gripping the wand that had been given to him he tried to think of the magic banishing spell. It was his only chance, and though the loss of his life was likely it was better than to allow the evil to sweep over the world. Whatever power Grindelwald had discovered obviously magnified his powers – so he had to strip him of that power.
The lake passed by on his right and Harry fought to look at it, he needed to focus. The path straightened out finally and in front of him a great castle seemed to rise out of the depths. It had not been there before and it was a testament to just how powerful Grindelwald had become.
Someone was laughing. "Albus," the voice said almost curiously, but cold at the same time. "Come to play one last hand with me?" He laughed again, sounding less and less sane as the seconds passed.
"Your army succeeded in destroying the few loyal followers I had left – and those who did survive were given to the powers that be. I have no need for followers anymore," he said and appeared suddenly in front of Albus without a sound. It was almost as if he had apparated, but he hadn't... it was impossible in this place.
"It seems you have finally..."
Harry awoke with a jolt, something was pressed against his head and he looked around finding the concerned eyes of the DA upon him. His body still ached as it had in the memory and he felt the sickening feeling he'd had when he looked upon the lake. Rolling over he puked on the stone floor once more.
Several voices raised concerned and one wanted to take him to the infirmary, Harry raised his hand. "I'm alright," he moaned, trying to sit up. Someone hand appeared with his glasses in them and he took them gratefully, placing them on his face. The faces sharpened and he saw Hermione among them, Ron at her side.
"Help me up," he choked. "And someone please get rid of that mess."
Hands reached to him, helping him to his feet and as he found his seat he heard the Scourgify spell behind him. "I am sorry," he said finding his strength again as he pulled the wet cloth from his forehead. None of the memories had ever affected him so, but none of them had ever been so gruesome. He remembered the bodies that had littered the ground and he remembered the lake vividly. And Pierre, no not Pierre, Wendell Hadwin, they were the same person. There was something else, something that was on the edge of Harry's memory, something about Pierre. But the thought eluded him and he was brought back to the current situation when someone cleared their throat.
Looking upon the table he found that the whole of the DA had already seated themselves and were waiting for something. Hermione sat just to his right and Ron to his left. "Is everyone here?" Harry croaked, fighting away the memory of the bloody lake.
"Everyone that's coming," Hermione said cryptically, but Harry didn't hear the sarcasm in her voice. He simply nodded and stood.
"I have been informed that sometime tomorrow Death Eaters will be attacking the castle. Though I am not sure of the source I have come to believe that the information is reliable this time. I called you all here tonight so that we can help the teachers keep the students in check. No doubt the Prefects will be assigned these duties from Dumbledore, but I thought it would be better if we had people who know what they're doing keeping track of the students."
"I know," Harry said, taking a long breath to keep himself calm, "it's been a long day for most of you and you're probably all tired. I am not forcing anyone to stay, but I think that we would have a better chance if we help. The headmaster has only just been informed of this information, he doesn't have a lot of time to plan a counter offensive. I do not know what he will plan, nor do I care, I simply want to make sure that we save everyone we can."
Silence filled the room when Harry quit talking. There were looks between all of the others and Harry noticed for the first time that several more of them now wore Prefect badges. He felt a since of pride, but didn't say anything, he only waited.
"Please leave if you don't want to help," he added finally, and waited to hear the squeaking of chairs moving. He feared the sound, but still the silence continued. Only added to by the muted beating of the wind against the walls of the castle. Still there was more to be said, and he hated to say it but he continued. "After last year I understand if some of you don't want to follow me, if you're afraid of what might happen. Even if we're the last line of defense we may still have to stand against the Death Eaters, but we need to show them that even though we are students we're not helpless."
"Ask anyone that went with me to the ministry last year, fighting with the Death Eaters is a lot different from dueling with other DA members, it's not going to be easy and it's not safe. You'll probably get injured or die if it happens, I don't want anyone to do it if they're afraid to take the risk."
No one even batted an eye.
"Alright," Harry said feeling tears well up in his eyes but he brushed them away, feeling more confident. "We're going to need more people. We may be strong, but we're no match for Death Eaters in number. Should we have to fight them I'd like other students prepared. Hannah, Ernie, Anthony, Padma, you're prefects still, right?" All of them nodded. He shouldn't have had to ask, but he still did. "Are there other students in your houses that are advanced enough to help us out? They'll have to be willing to fight if it's needed too."
Harry had his own idea about people in Gryffindor, and most of those who were capable were already in the DA. There was a couple of students that were formally sixth year Gryffindors who might be of some help. He watched as the two sets of Prefects spoke between themselves for a minute and then nodded to him. Harry nodded back, happy that there were more. He wasn't sure if it would come to battling for their part, but the larger the army the better the odds.
"Please, go get them," Harry said hoping that more students would be willing to help in the fight. "We're going to need everyone who'll help us. Oh, and if you know some level minded younger students I wouldn't mind having them either, they can help us get all of the younger students to listen. Don't tell anyone about what's going to happen unless you find it absolutely necessary, I don't want to worry anyone else yet."
The four nodded and made their way outside the door heading towards their common rooms. Harry hoped they got more than a few people. He would have sent off Hermione too if he didn't need her opinion right now.
Ron stood as they left. "Harry," he said hesitantly. "I think it might be a good idea to put the students somewhere else... somewhere where the Death Eaters won't look for them. Dumbledore will either lock students in the common room or the Great Hall, but neither is a good idea. If the Death Eaters do get in that'll be the first place they look. We should get everyone together, somewhere where the Death Eaters won't find right away, that way if the Death Eaters do break in there will be more time to stop them."
It didn't take much thought, moving them into one place meant that less people could stand protecting them because they wouldn't need to be split up between the common rooms. It was a strategic idea, an idea that Harry would not have thought of. He smiled at Ron and was rewarded with a smile in return.
"Harry," Hermione said in a more hesitant voice than Ron's. "You're sure this is going to happen, you're sure that's it's not another one of your..."
Even though he knew he shouldn't be angry he was. "No Hermione," he said venomously, but only loud enough for her and Ron to hear. "I have taken care of my scar attacks."
"But..."
Harry stood, the chair shooting out behind him. "What happened earlier was not a scar attack," he said, raising his voice so that everyone could hear. "Due to something that happened a couple weeks ago I have been having lapses of memories and they are quite violent sometimes. I can do nothing about them, they are triggered by events that happen around me. At the moment they are not important, I will find a way to get rid of them when I have more time to spare, but until then I have to deal with them as they come."
No one said anything and Harry was glad, he would have hated to explode in front of them, but the strain of what he'd seen only a few minutes before still weighed upon him. "Now, is there any other ideas? Where would be a good idea to move the student?"
Zacharias stood up quickly, but waited until Harry nodded towards him before he spoke. "I think that it's a good idea," he said, and it was odd to hear him agree with anyone. Harry just smiled as he felt the pressure start to release. Everyone had let go of the incident without though and were moving on. "If we do that then we could show some of the younger students how to use a basic curse, like a stunning charm, so they could protect themselves a little even if we weren't available. It wouldn't help much, but it could always get them a few more minutes if we were injured. It gives them a way to try and protect themselves."
Around the table there were murmurs of agreement. Harry liked both ideas, it would mean that even in the end, if everyone else was stopped that the students would have at least a small chance. "Alright then, where should we put everyone?"
There were more whispers between people as the members discussed where to put people. There were a few responses, but nothing that sounded like the best answer, some wanted them to be put in the dungeons, some in a tower, but the tower was not secure and the dungeons was too obvious.
"Here," Hermione said suddenly, "this room would be perfect, it'll enlarge if we need it and it will be impenetrable unless they have extremely strong magic. Everyone here will be safe and there aren't very many people that know the location – except for the Slytherins, and they won't know where everyone is."
More muted approvals.
Luna stood up lazily, looking as if she were just waking up. "Do you think they'll know we know?" she asked lazily.
Harry shook his head. "I don't know, they might and we have to be prepared for that. I told Dumbledore that exact thing."
"Maybe we could do something they wouldn't expect." She noted idly, "trick them."
Someone laughed but Harry didn't, Luna really had something. "No, she's right," he said as inspiration struck. "They won't be expecting to be attacked from behind by a group of children. If we sneak behind them and wait until they're fighting with the Aurors we can slowly pick them off. They might not even know it's happening until it's too late," at this Harry paused. There was a problem, Wormtail.
If Voldemort were really going to attack the castle it wouldn't be from above, but from within. That meant that he might try to sneak in, or... "There's one problem with putting all of the students into one room," he said pausing. "I don't trust the Slytherins to want the same things the rest of us do. Perhaps we should leave the Slytherins somewhere else, they're much safer than the rest of the students."
Cho stood up looking a little angry. "I don't think we should exclude anyone, even if they are Slytherins."
"That's because your new boyfriend is one of those slimy gits," Ron said under his breath, seeming much like his old self. "We wouldn't want to let poor helpless Slytherin to get harmed, now, would we?" he added sarcastically. It took most of Harry's strength not to smile, no matter how serious it was Ron always seemed to have something to say about it.
"There's an easy fix," Hermione said, her chair sliding away from her again as she stood. "When we tell the room what we need we'll make sure that there are at least two separate areas, to split up the Slytherins from the rest of them. We won't tell them they're all in the same area so they're won't be any conflict. As long as we have an Auror or two keeping guard they won't try and escape."
The door opened and Dobby entered into the room. "Dobby," Harry said smiling as best as possible. "Is there a way that you can seal the secret entrances into the castle so that the Death Eaters can't get in?"
"That won't be necessary," said another voice and Harry found himself looking into the Headmasters smiling face. "The castle has its own defense mechanisms, I can seal it completely with a few words, or I can seal every entrance accept for one. Nothing will be able to enter."
Harry gaped, slightly angry that Dumbledore had come when he had asked him not to.
The rest of the night breezed by with the DA, but Harry was not among them. Dumbledore invited him to come help with 'other matters' as he put it, but only removed him of the presence of the DA before imprisoning him on the other side of a mirror in one of the castle towers. "I am sorry," he said before he left looking aged and weary. "I cannot afford for you to do something stupid and get yourself killed tomorrow. Dobby was with him, looking frightful and not sure what to do, but Harry shook his head and Dobby merely followed Dumbledore away.
As the sun dawned upon the next morning and Harry was staring out a tiny protected window. A chill filled him, and he shuddered, fighting away the thoughts of his parents and the thoughts of the bloody lake which overtook him.
"They're here," Harry whispered to himself. He was angry that Dumbledore had done so much to stop him from fighting. He had after all, decided not to already, to help the others inside the castle, but Dumbledore wanted more than Harry's word – apparently it wasn't good enough for him now that he couldn't read Harry's mind.
There was a knock at the mirror and Harry turned to it surprised, he had been restricted from leaving. The mirror would not allow him to get through it no matter what he tried, even with some of the tricks he'd learned from Tonks and the memories he'd had. He couldn't see through it either, it was a mirror on his side as well.
So, instead of answering the knock, he ignored it. Staring out to see the great battle that was about to take place. Something happened on the other side of the door, but it did not open. Harry ignored it again, knowing that Dumbledore had almost indefinitely put a spell to keep him from entering. The mirror however was not able to keep the attacker back and, as a second noise came, it shattered to pieces
Dobby was standing just in front of the broken mirror looking quite surprised, almost as if he hadn't expected it to break.
"Dobby?" Harry asked, rather startled that Dobby was the one to be on the other side of the door. When he'd shook his head he expected that Dobby wouldn't return, that he'd do as Dumbledore asked.
Without slowing to give an answer of any sort Dobby bound forward and grabbed Harry by the arm. "We is being told sir, we is being told you are held here. We is being told that you is not able to save the Weazy and we is coming to help?"
"The Weazy?" Harry asked, even more dumbfounded, "Ron? He's already in trouble? I told him to stay in the Room of Requirements."
"Not Master Potter's Weazy sir, Weazy's Weazy. She is coming when you is in the maze sir. She is the Weazy's Weazy."
It didn't take too long for Harry to understand what Dobby was saying, but it was even more confusing. It had to be Mrs. Weasley, there were only two female Weasley's that he knew of and Mrs. Weasley had only been to Hogwarts once that he knew of, and that was during his third task of the tournament, right when he went into the maze.
"Mrs. Weasley's in trouble? What... I mean, how's she, is she here?" he said, finally getting something meaningful out of his mouth.
While Harry tried to resist Dobby's tugging he found that it was harder than it should have been. Dobby couldn't weigh more than 60 lbs, if that, and yet he was able to almost drag Harry behind him. The more Harry resisted the more his arm was bruised so he finally quit trying to pull against Dobby and followed him reluctantly. While he was being pulled along he made a mental note that his second wand was still hidden inside his cloak. No one, save Tonks, knew he was carrying it yet.
When they finally stopped Harry looked up to find a picture of Sir Cadogan in front of him. He was leaned forward on his pony, sound asleep while his armor was slowly falling off of him. His sword and gauntlet were already laying on the ground and his left arm piece was about to fall.
"Sir!" Dobby squeaked, prodding the portrait, "you is needing to open the door."
"The door?" Harry asked, not quite sure what Dobby meant. There was no door behind Sir Cadogan, he'd been used as the Gryffindor portrait for a part of the third year and there had been no door that his portrait had concealed, not that Harry had seen anyway.
Next to him Sir Cadogan burped, but continued to snore in his portrait. Dobby seemed slightly irritated and prodded him so hard that the knight sat up, reached for his wand and promptly fell off the other side of his horse.
"Scurvy knave!" roared Sir Cadogan as he tried to sit up. It looked as if he'd had a bit too much to drink though and he wasn't even facing the right Dobby, instead facing the rear of his horse. "Draw your sword so that I can have your head. You dishonor me, stealing upon me in the debt of night!" For another few seconds the knight stared at the rump of his horse and then realized that it had not been the thing to disturb him. He turned slowly, first away and then towards Harry and Dobby.
"Hark scoundrel and draw thy sword!" he growled when he saw Harry.
The hall was empty and it echoed down through the emptiness. Harry didn't like the darkness of the morning, the candles had not even be lit yet and it felt as if someone were watching him in the darkness. He shivered, but didn't look around for long. Instead, he turned to the angry knight. "Shut up," he muttered angrily, he was already angry at Dumbledore for trying to enclose him in the tower and this portrait wasn't about to get away with being so stupid.
"You is needing to open the door," Dobby repeated squeakily again. "We is needing the stairs so Harry Potter can save the Weazy."
Sir Cadogan eyed the elf and then eyed Harry for a minute. "To save a life, an admirable quest. What say ye sir, doth thou want entrance?"
Harry didn't immediately nod, he was surprised that the knight seemed so lucid, though he still looked a bit crazy, his helmet no longer on his head and his hair sticking up all over. He was balding and the hair he did have was extremely sparse.
"Yeah, sure," Harry said offhandedly, but turned to Dobby. "Where is Mrs. Weasley and why's she in trouble?"
The wall that was directly across from the portrait of Sir Cadogan moaned and creaked, then, suddenly the wall leapt to the side. Dobby head hadn't turned, but was standing directly in front of it, he knew it had been there. Harry wondered how many other passages he knew of, ones that weren't even on the Marauders Map.
"The Zabini lady is saying you is knowing about the fight because of her," he said quietly. "She is seeing me and pulling me to the side to say she is finding out something else sir. She is not being able to see you so she is asking Dobby to tell you. She is saying that the attack sir is a... distraction sir so that the... the man who is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is doing other things. One of those things is the Weazy sir, he is attacking the Weazy in Mungo's because he is trying to hurt you sir by hurting her."
"An attack?" Sir Cadogan asked in the background gleefully, but Harry ignored him. What Zabini had said was almost too much and he was suddenly wondering what her true intentions were. But then, he was still wondering about the attack on Hogwarts, there didn't seem to be any rational reason for it, was it possible that it was only a diversion so that he could get other things done? Dumbledore had notified the Aurors already and they would surely come in force. Perhaps they'd be leaving something under-guarded so that Voldemort could steal it.
There was the question of whether Mrs. Weasley was going to be attacked, and Harry wasn't sure if he could take the chance. But then Blaise knew she was in St. Mungo's. Ron had only known because she'd been headed there after dropping him off. If she was in trouble he wasn't going to stop and let her get hurt, she as after all the closest thing he had to a mother.
"Can you come too Dobby?"
"Dobby must sir," he sad sadly, "Dobby must take Harry Potter to Saint Mungo's sir, but he is not able to go with him while they is in the Hogwarts grounds. We is needing to go outside the magic area and apparating from there sir. But Dobby is needing to stay too sir," he huffed, indecisively, "Dobby is needing to make sure no one is getting through the barriers sir, Dumbledore has charged him with this task.
Harry sighed, he hated to go completely alone, but if Dobby was in charge of helping keep the castle safe it was better that he stay. Harry would go do his best and see if he could possibly save Mrs. Weasley. If this passage did lead outside the castle grounds he could do it himself. He had been to Saint Mungos before, so he was sure he wouldn't have too difficult a time getting there. "Stay Dobby, I can get there myself," he said and paused as he heard the galloping of hooves. When he turned to the portrait Sir Cadogan and his stead were gone.
"Are the rest of the students safe?" Harry asked when he turned back to Dobby. "Did Dumbledore really put them all in the same place?"
Dobby nodded. "He is listening to Harry Potter sir, he is thinking it is a good plan and he is moving many of the students even while the slept. No one is even knowing they is gone sir. It is like they is in their own rooms," Harry smiled and wondered exactly how big the Room of Requirements could become, it seemed that it had gotten quite a bit larger than it was physically. Maybe – if he couldn't go outside, they could use the room for a Quidditch pitch.
"Then, before you go make sure no one gets in please tell the other DA member that there are Dementors and they need to practice their Patronus charms as much as possible, just in case. And, tell them that I believe in them – and tell them I'll be alright, but don't tell them I've left," Harry said, staring at Dobby who was beginning to tremble. His head bobbed from side to side and he looked down at the floor when Harry finally heard a noise.
A cloak whipped in the darkness as a draft caught it and Harry turned to the slight noise. "It's alright, I'll personally make sure that the Dementors never make it anywhere close to that room. I can form quite a Patronus when there is need for it," said a figure who stood in the darkness a few feet from Harry. "Don't worry about any of them. You need to worry about making sure you get there and back safely. I do think there is little time to waste, hurry along."
Harry turned back to Dobby who was trembling so much that Harry himself almost shivered. It was disturbing that the teacher could move upon them so effortlessly and so silently. "Pierre," Harry said and he placed a hand on Dobby's shoulder. "You and I have to have a talk soon."
"Pierre?" asked Hadwin, thinking for a long moment. "Ah, Pierre! Such memories that name brings. So you know the truth. It is such a pity that you're mind is so strong, that you won't let me help mold it. But, it is not the time to discuss such things. For now there is work to be done. I trust you're not going to allow yourself to be trapped in that little cage any longer?" he asked, smiling brightly. Harry had to look away because the smile was so disarming. It had a lull behind it, and it was hard to stay angry at Hadwin when he smiled like that.
"Leave me alone," Harry demanded, keeping from eye contact but still staring at Hadwin. Dobby was still trembling beside him. Lupin appeared at the end of the hallway and Hadwin turned to face him. Harry wanted to stay, but he was afraid Lupin would try and stop him. "Tell Dumbledore where I've gone," he said to Dobby and then turned and fled into the open door.
The door closed behind him and with it went the light from the castle, but there was an ambient light that lit the dreary hallway. Not taking any time to allow for Lupin to catch up to him Harry started down the steps two at a time until he'd reached the bottom. He didn't hear anyone pursuing him, but he still needed to save Mrs. Weasley and the longer he spent in the tunnel the less likely it was that he'd get their in time. After several minutes of running Harry stopped and decided to try and apparate, hoping he'd gotten far enough from the castle that he could.
Closing his eyes he focused on the room he'd seen Mr. Weasley in, but he remembered Tonks there as well, and it brought other memories. When he stepped forward it wasn't Mrs. Weasley that he appeared next to, but Tonks instead. He hadn't known he could apparate to a persons side without knowing where they were, and he was certain he'd never been to wherever it was that Tonks was at now.
"Harry!" she said, surprised when she saw him. "How the hell..." but Harry closed his eyes, he'd talk to Tonks later. He concentrated hard on the room and then concentrated on Mrs. Weasley instead, trying to remember the hug she'd given him the year before, right before he'd gone to the ministry for his hearing. He stepped forward and felt a tug and was gone again, but he felt someone behind him and he turned and saw Tonks gripping his hand.
When they appeared in the hospital something was already happening, people were screaming and shouting, Healers were running everywhere trying to calm everyone down. After looking around and not seeing Mrs. Weasley Harry grabbed one of the Healers forcefully, almost yanking the poor woman off her feet. "Mrs. Weasley, where is she?" he asked, as if expecting that the Healer would know. But the Healer looked at him with utter bewilderment and tried to pull away from his grasp. Harry started to say something else but he felt Tonks grip his hand tighter.
"Is she in trouble?" she asked, whispering in his ear. Harry nodded and Tonks pulled him to the side. The Healer looked at him angrily, but took off down the hall again a moment later.
"She's going to be attacked... because of me. Voldemort is trying to get her because she means something to me. I have to find her, we need to get her out of here," he said, pushing out from the wall and reaching to grab another Healer.
Tonks held him back. "It's alright," she said, "I know where she is, she's just around the corner."
Squeezing Tonks's hand Harry found some of the courage he lost with the chaos and nodded his head. "Alright, let's go get her then."
Mrs. Weasley was in the corner of her room looking severely distraught. The color was gone from her face and her hair was a mess, but when she saw Tonks and Harry she began to look even worse. "They really are Death Eaters then?" she asked almost trancelike. Harry rushed forward and grabbed her, waiting for Tonks to join them. He planned on apparating away with both of them. Tonks didn't take his hand though and when Harry looked up at her she seemed to be ready to fight. "Go," she said quickly, "I'll hold them off until they can't follow your apparition signature."
"But," Harry said and Tonks shook her head.
"Just go, I've got a job to do here."
"Tonks," Harry said, "I'm not leaving you, there's probably two dozen of them, and they're only coming for Mrs. Weasley, when they find she isn't here they'll leave before they get caught."
She just shook her head and told him to go again. It didn't seem like Harry was going to be able to convince her. Mrs. Weasley was no help at all, she seemed to have taken something and still wasn't quite really aware of what was happening around her. She was barely coherent at all and hadn't said a word besides her first question.
"Now Harry," Tonks commanded, staring at him with every bit of hostility she could muster. "You're job is to save Mrs. Weasley, mine's to fight the Death Eaters and that's only harder with you around."
The words stung and Tonks regretted saying them as much as Harry hated hearing them, but it was enough for Harry to nod his acceptance of the situation. He wondered where he could take her, and only one place came to mind where they would be completely safe from the Death Eaters and Voldemort.
Closing his eyes and taking a step forward Harry dragged Mrs. Weasley through the hole and they appeared in burgundy room. "Well I don't suppose that you're just dropping by to say hello," a sarcastic voice said behind him.
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