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Woolgathering

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "I need a library!" she exclaimed, an edge of desperation in her voice.

CRACK!

They leaped to their feet, wands raised, until they saw Dobby emerge from the other side of Harry's bed.

"Oh great and wonderful Harry Potter, sir! I got your owl message and came right away, kind Harry Potter, sir. Dobby will be delighted to serve in any way he can, sir!" Dobby genuflected.

"Hi Dobby," Harry grinned. "I need a few favors. First thing, and probably easiest, could you get us some food for a few days? Here are some Galleons. The girls can make a list for you. We'll need stuff that is easy to eat and doesn't require cooking or refrigeration. We're trying to avoid using magic because we don't want the Ministry to know what we're doing here."

"Oh yes Harry Potter sir! Dobby would love to fill your list for you!" The little elf hugged himself, seemingly overwhelmed with excitement.

"Thanks Dobby, you're a lifesaver. Next I want to ask about your magic. I know you can Apparate in and out of Hogwarts, which is supposed to be impossible. Could you tell me about your magic sometime? I think you could help us. Voldemort would never think of house-elf magic as a danger."

Dobby bowed so low, the tip of his nose brushed the floor. "Oh great and good Harry Potter sir, you is making Dobby's dreams come true, sir! Dobby has dreamed of helping defeat the terrible and wicked evilness that is thinking he is more powerful than Harry Potter! Dobby will tell you about house-elf magic! And Dobby will help defeat the bad, bad wizards!

"Mostly, house-elf magic help to protect wizard family, and do cooking and cleaning... And sometimes," his ears drooped and his voice dropped fearfully. "Sometimes masters is making us to do bad things..."

Harry grabbed the elf's arm before he slammed his head into the wall. "And you can make socks," he said quickly, hoping to distract Dobby from his determined attempt at self-harm. "What kind of magic did you put in the socks you made me?"

"Ah, Harry Potter, sir, that is a most ancient magic!" Dobby stopped struggling and grinned. "You see sir, socks is special. Socks protect soles."

Harry frowned. "Oh... Right." He cleared his throat and blinked. "Next question: Would the rest of the house-elves help us with the Death Eaters and Voldemort? Would they be willing to lend some of their magical powers to help defend Hogwarts?"

Dobby pondered. "House-elves is not trained to fight battles, Harry Potter, sir. House-elves is bound to their house or master. But if Hogwarts was attacked, house-elves would protect… Dobby will talk to other house elves. It would be a great honor for Dobby to fight alongside Harry Potter, but Dobby cannot speak for the others, sir."

Harry was struck by a sudden inspiration. "Dobby, I'm looking for certain items and I'm wondering if you might have seen them, like at Malfoys' mansion. These items would be full of Dark magic, and probably heavily protected. Do you remember the diary that Malfoy had? The danger you tried to warn me about my second year?"

Dobby's eyes widened. "Dobby will try to help," he said falteringly. "What else is you seeking to find?"

Harry explained the Horcruxes to Dobby, and cautioned him to keep it secret, for his own safety. "We need to find the other magical objects that have parts of his soul, the same kind of Dark magic as that diary, so we can destroy every piece."

"Dobby will think, and Dobby will look for things of Dark magic."

"I don't suppose you can get us some books," Hermione asked wistfully.

"Dobby can bring anything from the library!" Dobby squeaked enthusiastically, clapping his little hands.

"Brilliant! Dobby, you are absolutely brilliant," Harry exclaimed. He grabbed the house-elf in a one-armed hug.

Dobby gazed reverently at Harry. "Anything, Harry Potter, sir, Dobby would do anything…"

"Did Hedwig go to the Burrow after she gave you your note?" Harry asked the elf, interrupting his effusive praise.

Dobby nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, Harry Potter sir! Dobby told Hedwig that Dobby would go to Harry Potter and Hedwig should go stay at the home of the Wheezys."

"Good work, Dobby. Hedwig will enjoy a little holiday in the country."

Harry asked the girls to make lists for Dobby and took the opportunity to draw Ron aside. "Ron, mate, I need to talk to Ginny," he began, swallowing nervously. "I need her to understand what this mission is about, and why I want her to stay somewhere safe."

Ron nodded. "Maybe you could convince her to stay at Headquarters and find some way for her to help us from there. Research or something. Hermione and I will head over to Mrs. Figg's after dinner and Ginny can stay here with you to talk."

Dumbfounded, Harry could only nod.

Ron sighed, running a hand over his face. "I trust you, you know. And Ginny already made me agree to this arrangement. She said none of us know how much time we have left together, and we need to try to find whatever happiness we can, and spend time with people we care about. And I think she wants to tell your horrible relatives that she's moving in with you." He grinned, looking much like Fred and George.

Harry just blinked. "Erm. Thanks. I'll go grab a sleeping bag so I can kip on the floor." He paused, then turned back to Ron. "Dare I ask where you are sleeping tonight?" He ducked out the door quickly, chuckling to himself over the crimson flush that had flooded Ron's face. He knew they'd started dating in secret right after Ron and Lavender's disastrous breakup; Ginny had told him. He knew they'd decided to keep it quiet because they were prefects, but with school out for the summer, Harry figured they were fair game for a little teasing.

Dobby's huge, pointy ears wiggled with joy as he grasped his precious lists in one hand. "Dobby will be back as soon as Dobby can, sirs and misses!"

"No rush, Dobby, we're going to Diagon Alley for a bit this afternoon," Harry said, cringing inwardly at the thought of the elf alone in the house with his relatives. "We have some errands we need to run. We'll meet you back here later."

"Harry Potter is good to Dobby, Dobby is so happy to help!" Dobby's grin stretched ear-to-ear.

"Hermione, do you have a D.A. galleon on you?" Harry asked. "We could give one to Dobby so he'll know when we get back here."

"Oh, Dobby will knows, sir! Dobby always knows where Harry Potter is, sir! T'is part of house-elf magic to always know. T'is like owls' magic to know how to find their masters."

"Do you always know where Ron, Hermione and Ginny are, too?" Harry inquired hopefully.

"Dobby knows where Harry's Weezy is," Dobby indicated Ron. "Because Weezy gave Dobby his most wonderful jumper. And Dobby knows where Weezy's Miss is, because she made Dobby's hats."

"Okay, so you need something from Ginny then?" Harry asked. It would be reassuring to have their own personal elf tracking device, he thought.

"C'mon, cough up." Ron grinned. "He prefers socks."

Ginny gave Dobby her socks, which sent him into another delirium of ecstasy.

Ginny shook her head after Dobby Disapparated. "Should I be concerned that an elf with a foot fetish took my socks and now has instructions to stalk me?"

The teenagers met Tonks and Lupin at Mrs. Figg's and Flooed to Diagon Alley. Gringotts Bank was the first stop. Ginny liked riding in the carts and accompanied Harry while Ron and Hermione found Bill for a chat. Tonks and Lupin waited for them in the lobby for a few minutes, until Tonks convinced Lupin that he needed to accompany her on an official Auror inspection of a broom closet.

Harry opened his vault and noticed it was bigger. He asked Griphook about it, and was informed that the goblins had enlarged his vault because of his inheritance from Sirius.

"Ginny, could you come in here, please?" Harry's voice echoed in the vault.

Ginny hesitated, then clambered out of the cart and into the vault. She politely averted her gaze from the piles of gold, silver and bronze coins, tucking her hands in her pockets self-consciously.

"Gin, can you help me with these boxes? I've never seen them before." Harry poked his head out of the vault and addressed their goblin chauffeur. "I'm sorry to keep you, Griphook, do we have a few minutes? And is there a way to get more light in here? I'd use my wand, but I don't want to set off any alarms for doing magic."

Griphook blinked. He nodded at Harry and obligingly lit up the vault for the young couple. Harry thanked him and promised to hurry.

Ginny had opened two small boxes that contained various necklaces, watches and jewelry. "Let's take those," Harry decided. "They might make good emergency Portkeys that people could wear." They glanced through the other trunks and boxes, choosing a few things they thought would be useful, then headed back out to the cart. Harry scooped up handfuls of coins on the way out, filling three money pouches.

He gave Griphook the little key they'd found. "Sir, we, er, found this key in a trunk that belonged to my parents," Harry explained. "Do you happen to know if it's for a vault here? Could we go to it?"

Griphook inspected the key. As he stroked it, a tiny number appeared.

"This is the key to the Potter family vault," the goblin said. "You will inherit the contents when you come of age." The goblin paused. "If you do not remove anything, I could take you to it now, however."

Harry glanced at Ginny questioningly before turning back to the goblin. "Just a quick look then, please?"

The Potter family vault was quite large. There was a trunk containing deeds to properties, more piles of gold than Harry could count, and trunks that seemed to contain things like geneology information and family history, documents pertaining to various investments, and other personal matters. There was a trunk with the Ministry of Magic crest that had Harry's mother's name on it. Harry couldn't open that one, and wondered if he'd need a drop of blood to do so. He supposed if anything else from his parents' house had survived Voldemort's destruction, it had been brought here.

"Well, it's interesting," Harry sighed, "but nothing urgent. Let's head back, I'm starving!"

As the cart rocketed over the tracks at break-neck speed, Harry draped an arm protectively around Ginny's shoulders. She smiled and snuggled closer.

Harry was lost in thought as the cart finally slowed, approaching the mouth of the tunnel that brought them back to the bank's lobby.

With a thoughtful glance at Ginny, Harry asked Griphook if he could talk to him for a moment after the cart stopped. The goblin acquiesced, and brought the cart to a smoother-than-usual halt. Ginny saw Bill, and Harry motioned her over to her brothers and friends. "I'll be right there, I just have a question."

"Griphook," Harry began when Ginny had gone, "what would happen to my vaults if I died? How can I make a will?"

"Ah, yes, young sir," Griphook nodded. "A wise concern. Ragnok would be the one to assist you. I will take you to him."

Harry glanced at his group of friends, pointed at the goblin, and mouthed "Be right back," to Hermione, who nodded.

Harry's meeting with Ragnok left him feeling better. Ragnok advised Harry to appoint Bill Weasley and Griphook as managers of his investments and accounts, and he drew up documents hiring Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks as personal advisors and trainers.

"Very good, trustworthy choices, sir," Ragnok approved. "Now, about a will…"

Harry composed a rudimentary document quickly and signed it, with Ragnok assuring him he could complete a more detailed one at any time and Bill would ensure it was updated. He promised Harry inventory and net worth documents to assist him with his decisions.

"Thank you, sir," Harry said gratefully. "I appreciate you and Griphook taking so much time to help me today."

Ragnok bowed slightly and Harry ducked his head, bowing in return. Goblins didn't seem to be a hand-shaking kind of folk, so he simply returned the goblin's gesture of respect as he left Ragnok's office.

After joining the others, Harry outlined his plans for the afternoon.

"First thing, we need to eat!" Harry grinned as Ron's stomach growled. "Then we're going to do a bit of shopping."

"Hermione, Tonks, could I talk to you?" Harry asked, handing each of them a money pouch. "I think we will need to split up to run some errands, d'you mind? Tonks, I want to hire you and Lupin as our personal tutors and trainers. Please get yourself and Lupin some spell-protected robes, clothes and an owl if you want. Also, pick up any defence books, Dark detectors, supplies, and anything else we might need. Whether we go back to Hogwarts or not, you can help us pass our NEWTs. I think we need to concentrate on wandless magic, ancient magic, and anything else that could help us take Voldemort down." Tonks nodded.

"Hermione, you and Ron hit the bookshops and the twins' shop. Ask them if they need any funding to invent protective devices. Buy anything we might be able to use. Maybe you should stop at the apothecary and pick up anything we need there, too. We should have first aid potions and stuff like that. Just buy anything you want. Will anyone need brooms besides Hermione and Ginny? Oh, and where do we get Floo powder? When we're done shopping, let's meet back at Headquarters to drop off the stuff before we go back to the Dursleys'. Say, 4 o'clock then? Is that enough time to get all that done?"

"Right-o!" Tonks nodded. "We'll catch you back at the twelve at four."

"Hermione, do you think your parents would be interested in becoming advisors for the Order? I think we could really use some smart Muggles with connections. And they could stay at Headquarters, which ought to keep them safer than their house…"

Hermione's brow furrowed. "I will check with them. Tonks put wards on the house and office last summer, but I still worry. What did you have in mind for them to do?"

Harry shrugged. "I was actually hoping they'd help with giving us ideas. They're smart and they'll be up on the latest Muggle technology--maybe have some contacts who can help us. Dumbledore said Riddle underestimates what he doesn't understand. I doubt he'd ever lower his standards to learn about Muggles or use anything they made. There are a lot of things in the Muggle world that are pretty amazing. Maybe there's something that'd give us an edge."

Hermione nodded and Harry could almost see the wheels already spinning in her head.

As the others left to complete their errands, Ginny looked at Harry curiously. "So where are we off to?"

Harry flushed. "I'm fairly sick of wearing Dudley's old castoffs."

"You've never even owned your own underwear?" Ginny sounded shocked.

"Well, once I got to Hogwarts, I figured out how to owl order some stuff," Harry muttered, staring off into space, determinedly avoiding Ginny's gaze.

"I'm sorry." Ginny flushed crimson. "You're right, let's just go." She snatched his hand before he could change his mind and hauled him to the nearest clothing store.

The clerk was delighted to assist them, and soon Harry had accumulated a new wardrobe, including new trainers and sturdy steel-toed, dragon-hide boots, charmed to be lightweight and watertight.

Ginny wandered around the store, choosing a few things. Harry insisted she pick up anything she needed, or thought the others could use. With a quiet word to a clerk, her selections were packaged separately, and quickly shrunk in a separate package.

After the clothing store, they moved on to purchase a broom for Ginny before stocking up on Floo powder and owl treats.

Back at Order Headquarters, they sorted and shared their finds. Harry gave Lupin and Tonks contracts to sign, which required them to live at Headquarters and take a salary. Lupin protested, but Harry eventually brought him around. Ron and Ginny went on a quick inspection of the house, performing quick dusting and cleaning charms as they went. Kreacher had died at Hogwarts, but the lack of his efforts at the house was unnoticeable.

Hermione grabbed Lupin's arm. "The cabinet! Where is the other Vanishing Cabinet from Borgin's shop?"

"Ah, it's here, actually," Lupin answered. "Tonks confiscated it as part of her Auror duties, but didn't take it to the Ministry. She was concerned about who might have access to it there. She and Kingsley wrote up their report as saying it was being stored in a 'secure off-site storage facility.' She thought it might come in useful as a portal between here and Hogwarts. She also put a password on both sides and warded them. We'll show you how to use them later."

"Oh, that was a good idea," Hermione said approvingly. "They could even be used to evacuate either place in an emergency."

The teens left Grimmauld Place together, taking the Knight Bus to Mrs. Figg's house. After waving farewell to Ron and Hermione, Harry and Ginny walked to Privet Drive. "No magic, remember," Harry whispered warningly. Ginny ducked under Harry's Invisibility Cloak, so he missed seeing her eyes roll in exasperation. He smuggled her into the house and up to his room, sighing in relief as he shut the door. The male Dursleys were in the sitting room, watching television. Petunia had been in the kitchen, but pointedly ignored Harry when he came in.

"So, Potter..." Ginny let the Invisibility Cloak slide to the floor. "You seem to be pretty practiced at smuggling girls up to your room…" Her tone was light and teasing.

Harry rolled his eyes and drily muttered something about Ginny having plenty of practice sneaking around Hogwarts' corridors. Her eyes narrowed and nostrils flared dangerously. Harry flushed and apologized, fingers running through his hair. "Did you have to date Dean?" he groaned. "You cannot imagine… having to listen to him and Seamus talking about their 'conquests'…" he shuddered.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "All lies. Don't tell me you believed him."

Harry shook his head. "I nicked a pair of Sprout's earmuffs to wear. I Disillusioned them so I didn't have to listen--until I learned the Muffliato spell."

Ginny chuckled and began kneading Harry's shoulders. She slipped her hands under his shirt, then pulled it up over his head and whispered for him to relax and lay down. She pulled the string on her package from the store to expand it and selected a bottle of massage oil. She sniffed it as she poured a bit on her palm. She rubbed her hands briskly together to warm the oil, straddled his waist, then began Harry's first backrub. Slowly, he relaxed under her gentle ministrations. Her fingers and palms kneaded high on his shoulders, ending with her strong thumbs rolling up the back of his neck. He could not recall ever feeling so content and relaxed. Ginny continued, following his spine down, kneading with the balls of her thumbs, heels of her hands, and knuckles, finally sighing and collapsing next to Harry on the bed.

"Mmmmm," Harry sighed. "I never want to move again." He shifted to his side and she immediately took the opportunity to snuggle. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "Thank you."

They dozed lightly until Ginny woke with a start at a noise in the hall.

"Dudley," Harry whispered. "Shh." He waited tensely until he heard Dudley's door slam.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "We should talk," he muttered reluctantly.

"Yes," she agreed, giving him a defiant look.

Harry told her everything. He explained the Horcruxes, and how the rest of them had to be destroyed before Harry could even attempt to kill Voldemort. He agonized over how many innocent lives would be lost while they searched, and how even Dumbledore had not been able to destroy one without suffering injury. The whole mission seemed hopeless. He pleaded with her to understand that she could not sacrifice her education or safety. She deserved a better life and a better future.

Ginny listened attentively. "I understand how you feel," she said simply when he finally stopped talking to await her reaction. "But I will not sit around twiddling my thumbs. I want to help. We can do this together, but it's going to take a lot of research and planning.We can work from Headquarters, or even Hogwarts. You can't tell me you three are going to be able to fulfill this thing by living on the run. You need resources."

She paced awhile.

"How about this: We all move to Grimmauld Place for the rest of the summer. We need to research a safe way to destroy the rest of the Horcruxes, besides just finding them, and I don't believe it's safe here. We also need a backup plan. I think if you get the chance to take out Riddle before the rest of the Horcruxes are destroyed, you have to do it, and we need to find a way to trap that bit of his soul. There's always the chance that he has more Horcruxes than Dumbledore guessed, and we can't take that risk. I don't think there's any way you can just kill him and think he'll stay dead. We should destroy any other bones of his ancestors he could use to reanimate himself, too. It's difficult when we don't know what other precautions he may have taken towards immortality. Too bad you don't have a pet dementor you could drag around like a Muggle floor cleaner, sucking up his random soul bits.

"Anyroad, when it's time to go back to school, we go. With Lupin and Tonks as our personal tutors, we will all be ready to take the NEWTs by the end of the year. I am already a fair bit ahead of my year, it wouldn't be hard to study and take mine early with the rest of you. We can re-evaluate and proceed from there."

Harry was dumbfounded. He was so relieved to finally unburden everything, and to have her not only accept what lay ahead, but start making plans to help... He was amazed. He wasn't sure what he'd expected her reaction to be, but he was so relieved, he echoed the statement he'd once heard Ron use in a moment of fervent gratitude:

"I love you."