Standard Disclaimer - not mine.
Notes: Sorry it took a week...even though I missed school most of this week because of the forth Artemis Fowl Book I borrowed I still didn't finis this chapter till today. Hopefullyby the next chapter I will have Harry's problem announced and Harry enrolled in school. I was also thinking of not really covering book 3 that much but spend a little more time with Harry at Madeline's house before 4th year. Is that okay? I hope you wont mind what is wrong with Harry.
Chapter 8 – End of the Summer Holidays
Harry and Danny's birthdays flew past and were relatively normal. On the morning they received presents then went for a family day out to a theme park with just the family. Madeline stayed home during that time so she could be with her fiancée. Soon though the months of the summer holidays were over and Danny was getting ready to go back to school. Day before leaving though Vernon and Petunia were holding a small dinner party and Dudley, Danny and Harry had all been sent to bed early. Dudley and Harry lay fast asleep but Danny lay wide awake and flipping through the pages of Quidditch Through the Ages. Suddenly there was a loud 'pop' sound and Danny shot up straight and looked sharply around the room. He didn't have to look far because there at the end of his bed was the weirdest looking creature he'd ever seen.
"What are you?" Danny asked not bothering to be polite. The creature's wide eyes glanced nervously around the room before settling on Danny again. The eyes were wide and fearful but also full of determination. Bowing low the creature spoke.
"So long has Dobby wanted to meet master Daniel Potter Sir…such honour it is…" Danny frowned in confusion.
"Uh…Thank you…" He said uncertainly. "I think." Danny added under his breath.
"You is famous sir…even among us house elves you is famous. Such an honour! Dobby so lucky!" The creature chirped and Danny thought he was going to start bouncing on the spot or wake up Dudley or Harry.
"Not that I'm not pleased to see you but why are you here Dobby? And could you be quiet because my brother is sleeping." Dobby's eyes went even wider, if that was possible, and he snapped a finger over his lips in the universal sign for 'shh'.
"Dobby has come to warn you master Daniel Potter Sir. You must not go back to Hogwarts sir. If he goes back he will be in mortal danger!"
"I have to go back! My friends are there and I have to learn! I have to go for my brother and for Dudley! I have to!"
"No sir! Mustn't go back! Mortal danger! No! No!" Dobby started shaking his head violently from side to side and continued saying 'no' with increasing volume. Danny tried to shush him and shoo him but nothing worked until something stirred on the bed besides him.
"Dan…wha's goin' on?" Harry's sleep thickened voice muttered groggily. Danny spun to look over at Harry who was rolling onto his back,
"Nothing Harry. Just reading bad news in Quidditch. Nothing to worry about. Go back to sleep."
"Okay." Danny turned back to Dobby once Harry had rolled over again and his breathing evened out. Narrowing his eyes at the house elf Danny glared warningly.
"I will be going to Hogwarts. I thank you for the warnings but there are many people at Hogwarts so I doubt much can happen to me without another person finding out immediately about it. Besides, if there is something big going down at Hogwarts then I shall come home. End of discussion. You can't stop me. I have to go."
"But sir…"
"No Dobby. I have to go. Thank you for warning me, I shall keep a look out. If you ever need a favour ask me and I shall help but I must go back to Hogwarts, at least for a little bit." Dobby sighed and hung his head. Danny suddenly found his heart weighed down with guilt. Smiling weakly Danny tried to get the house elfs attention once more. "Come visit me at Hogwarts okay? It would be nice to see you again, without any warnings though."
"I will try sir. You is most brave, most gracious. Better go else masters will have Dobby iron his ears again…" Dobby disappeared with that same 'pop' noise he arrived with and Danny felt piteous. Putting his book on the bedside table Danny laid down under the covers and tried to get to sleep all the while thinking over the warning and Dobby.
Dear all.
You know you had to drop me off at the station to catch the train on my own? Well me and Ron met up and couldn't get through the barrier so we had to use Ron's Dad's flying Ford Fiesta to get to Hogwarts. We followed the train tracks to Hogwarts but I have a feeling hat there was a reason for people not being allowed to drive till they were seventeen. Ron crashed the car into the Whomping Willow. When we finally got free of the car, the crazy blue Ford drove itself into the Forbidden Forest.
Snape caught us though and we nearly got expelled but thankfully that didn't happen and they didn't take house points either because I managed to convince them that school hadn't started yet so technically they couldn't take house points. I mean all we did was fly the car to school. We couldn't get through the barrier and we HAD to get here! We got left with detention and don't even bother telling me that I deserve it!
Ron's younger sister Ginny has started school with us this year and she got put in Gryffindor too! I can't wait to see what'll happen for the rest of the year.
Danny.
To Harry.
Detention was horrible! I had to help this stupid teacher called Lockhart (he's taking Defence) write to his fans! He's so stupid. He thinks he's the eight wonder of the world!
Anyway, say 'hi' to Madeline for me and make sure she lets you go flying. You're a brilliant flyer! Just promise to not do any dangerous stunts like the one you pulled a few weeks ago and you'll be fine.
Better go, I have a potions essay to do and an essay on why Lockhart is such a 'star'. Honestly, pathetic or what!
Love Danny.
Harry,
Can I stay for Christmas? It's just I've been invited to a ghost's birthday or dead-day party and I promised I'd go if I could. Would that be okay?
Danny
Harry,
Tell aunty and uncle thanks for me? Nearly headless Nick is pleased I can go.
Oi, you remember I told you that the caretaker Filch had a cat called Mrs Norris? Well that cat was found petrified in the hall way and Filch tried to blame me for it all because I was coming along the corridor after a detention with Lockhart. There was also a message on the wall. It said something about the Chamber of Secrets being reopened and for enemies of the heir beware or something stupid like that. Everyone thinks it's me now because I spoke Parsesltongue to a snake in duelling club.
Better go. I have homework to do. Teachers are real slave drivers.
Danny.
Harry.
The party was boring and I'm kind of upset I decided to stay here for Christmas. But, on my way back from the party we, Ron and I, found a ghost petrified and Justin, a boy in my year, petrified. It was horrible. Dumbledore asked me whether there was anything I wanted to tell him but I mean how would I know anything about what's going on! I'm not the one doing it!
Danny.
Can't talk much Harry. Hagrid's been arrested, I got hit by a bludger in Quidditch and Colin Creevey the boy with the annoying camera has been petrified. Dobby visited me again, told me it was him who stopped me and Ron getting onto the platform and that it was his bludger that hit me. I could have killed him! The nerve of that house elf!
Anyway, well done on beating Madeline in that duel. How's potions with Sidonie now? Any better than they were?
Danny.
To Danny,
Potions with Sidonie are great now. She is much nicer than she was before but she said that she was only being mean because she was upset about her fiancée cheating on her or what ever. Suffice to say her now ex-boyfriend is now enjoying his time as a bat chained in the sunny conservatory.
About the petrifying at school, perhaps you should go home or come to France. I'm sure Madeline won't mind and I know Auntie and Uncle would like for you to be safe. Think about it.
Love Harry.
You'll never believe it Harry! Lockhart was a fake! He never did all those things he talked about. Let me start at the beginning. Ginny got taken by the heir of Slytherin into the Chamber. Ron and I went to see Hermione who has been petrified and we found a piece of paper in her hand that talked about Basilisk snake and how it's eyes can kill people with a single look but would only petrify them should the person see only the reflection of the eyes. That all made sense because Hermione had a mirror in her hand, Colin had the camera, Justin had the ghost but since a ghost can't die it just got petrified and Mrs Norris had the water on the floor.
Anyway, at the bottom of the piece of paper Hermione had was the word pipes. The basilisk was using the pipes to get around Hogwarts. So, Ron and I figured that the person who died when the chamber was last reopened had never left the bathroom they died in so it must have been Myrtle. We went to Lockhart only to see he was running away. We took his wand and made him go down to Myrtle's bathroom with us after he told us that he never really did those things. Myrtle told us how she died and we found a picture of a snake on one of the taps. I spoke parseltongue and the sinks moved out of the way revealing a tunnel. Ron, Lockhart and I went down the tunnel and Lockhart tried to obliterate us using Ron's wand. The spell backfired because Ron's wand is broken and Lockhart lost all his memories. There was a cave in and I got separated from Ron and so I went to find Ginny.
When I found Ginny Tom Riddle, the boy whose Diary I found, said she was dying and then told me that HE was Lord Voldemort. He took my wand and called the basilisk out. Fawkes the Phoenix blinded the phoenix and I pulled Godric Gryffindor's sword from the Sorting Hat and killed the Basilisk. But, I got one of it's fangs stuck in my arm. Fawkes healed me because phoenix tears have healing powers and if Fawkes hadn't have healed me then I would have died! Anyway, I used the fang to get rid of Tom Riddle by stabbing it into the diary. Tom disappeared and Ginny woke up.
Then a bit later Lucius Malfoy came to Hogwarts and had a go at the Headmaster. Since the diary was at Hogwarts because of Lucius Malfoy I offered to return it to him. I put my sock inside the diary gave the book to Malfoy who threw the sock away and Dobby caught it. So Dobby is now free of Malfoy and he made Malfoy fall down the stairs when protecting me.
In the vial attached is Basilisk venom. I thought perhaps you'd like some and there's another vial for the Tremains and for Sidonie. Don't spill it Harry, it's very dangerous. See you in five weeks!
Danny.
Harry just finished reading Danny's letter with a smile. He was proud of his brother even if Danny was stupid he was very brave. He'd leave the telling off to Aunt Petunia when she'd read Danny's letter but for now he was going to show Sidonie and Madeline their two vials of Basilisk venom. Leaving his own on the desk next to his wand Harry jumped out of his chair and ran downstairs. Unbeknown to him the vial he left on his desk fell over and the glass shattered disappearing completely. Some of the very runny liquid spilled onto his wand that soaked the venom into the wood whilst some spilled onto Harry's hair brush.