Disclaimer: I own nothing!

AN: It's been a while, and I've been competing in the QLFC. Between that and school, there's been very little time for leisurely writing. I do promise that chapters will be longer and more informative. Just not this one...Sorry.

Year 2

August 3

Harry had just settled down to study his new Potions textbook (no need to get on Snape's bad side any more than necessary) when he heard a loud crash from his bedroom. Minnie was cooking dinner in the kitchen for the two of them, but she quickly came running with her wand in her hand.

"Harry, what was that?" she inquired, heading towards his bedroom.

Behind her, Harry shrugged. "I don't know, Minnie. I was in the library!"

The two eased around the corner, Minnie holding Harry behind her. A silent spell sent the bedroom door flying open, and a small scream erupted from an even smaller elf. Minnie pointed her wand at the harmless-looking creature.

"Who sent you, elf?" Minnie liked her privacy, and unwelcome visitors were not tolerated.

"Harry Potter! I is looking for Harry Potter, ma'am!" The house elf was terrified.

Minnie looked even more worried. "Who sent you?" Her voice took on a sharper edge.

Harry peeked from around his guardian and studied the elf closely. "You're the Malfoy's elf, aren't you? Dobby, right?"

Dobby looked as if he were about to cry. "No! Master mustn't know Dobby is coming here! He will punish Dobby!"

Feeling a bit more sympathy, Minnie knelt down to the elf's level. "Dobby, we'll keep this between us. However, I need to know why you are here. What does Lucius have planned for Harry?"

With tears in his eyes at Minnie's kindness, Dobby swallowed hard. "Something bad will happen to Harry Potter if he goes to Hogwarts this year! He mustn't go!"

"What's going to happen, Dobby? Tell me, and I can stop it." Minnie frowned.

"Dobby can't tell! Dobby must stop Harry Potter from going to Hogwarts!" he reiterated.

"Harry will be safe, Dobby. He'll be with me."

Harry sat down on his bed beside Dobby. "Dobby, Minnie will look out for me, as will the other professors and my friends. I'll be safer at Hogwarts than here alone," he reasoned with the elf.

Dobby looked between the two. "Harry Potter will be safe?"

They both nodded. Dobby nodded slowly to himself and stood. "I must go back to my family." And with that, the small house elf disappeared.

Minnie sat beside Harry. "What are we walking into this year, Harry?"

September 1

The first ones on the train, Harry and Neville found seats easily. After stashing away their belongings, the two discussed the coming school year.

"Merlin, can you believe we have Gilderoy Lockhart for Defense this year? Minnie swears that all of his 'adventures' are pure fiction. We're not going to learn anything this year." Harry leaned back on the seat and opened a chocolate frog.

Neville nodded. "Gran says the same thing. His books read like those Muggle romance novels that those older girls read in the common room."

Harry glanced at Neville from the corner of his eye. "You've read those novels, Neville?" A grin split his face.

"Um...ah...I was bored one night before bed, and I saw it on the table. I didn't know what it was." Neville turned red, glancing up happily when he saw Hermione opening their door. "Hermione, thank the gods you're here!"

Hermione laughed and sat down by Neville. "Not that I'm not pleased you're happy to see me, but I sense something else caused that reaction."

Harry had finally broken out into a chuckle. "Oh, not much, Hermione. Just our friend Neville here likes to read cheap romance novels when he's not with us."

Neville shook his head. "I accidentally picked up and scanned a romance novel last term. He's never going to let me live it down."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll figure out a way to embarrass Harry, Neville." Hermione patted Neville's hand. "We just have to wait." Taking out her bag and opening it, Hermione pulled out Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart and turned to a marked page.

"Wait." Harry looked over at his friend questioningly. "You're actually reading that trash?"

Hermione looked up, looking over to Neville to see what scandalous text he had picked up this time. Seeing none, she looked back over to Harry. "You're talking to me?"

"Hermione, you know ten times more about trolls than Lockhart could learn in a lifetime. Why are you even reading that?"

"It's a required textbook, Harry. We must be prepared for class." Hermione pursed her lips.

Harry laughed. "This is exactly what I was talking about with Neville. His books are pure fiction, Hermione. There's no truth in there, especially when it comes to Lockhart's contribution. Minnie says she doesn't know what Dumbledore was thinking, hiring him."

Nevilled nodded. "I remember that Floo conversation. Gran was furious; the board was not happy with the professor's decision."

Hermione looked torn. "Professor McGonagall doesn't think he's a good professor?"

"She really doesn't. She doesn't know we heard their conversation, so I haven't asked her. However, it does sound like he's pretty useless. She bought the books for me, but she wasn't happy about it."

Looking back down to her open book. "Shouldn't I still prepare for his class? What if he quizzes us the first day?"

Harry shrugged. "He might. I guess it wouldn't hurt to at least glance over his books…" he trailed off, looking at Neville, who nodded.

"Guess it wouldn't hurt."

Just before the train left the station, Ron and a small red-haired girl entered the compartment and sat by Harry. The girl, Ron's sister Ginny, couldn't even look at Harry without turning red.

"Sorry, mate." Ron looked at Ginny with an annoyed grimace on his face. "I promised Mum that I'd look after her until the Sorting." At this, Ginny turned to Ron and forgot her embarrassment.

"You look after me? That's laughable, Ron. Remember who you hid from for over an hour last night!" She grinned, twirling her wand in her hand.

Ron's face turned red as the others laughed.

"Don't worry, Ron." Neville patted the redhead on the back. "Harry and Hermione have already given it to me this morning."

For the rest of the ride, the group of friends caught up. Ginny overcame her nerves and began joking around with Harry, though it was obvious she still had a crush on the young hero. The school year was off to a great beginning.

Unfortunately, the great beginning was cut short after Harry received detention from none other than Minnie herself. Caught wandering the corridor after curfew, Harry stood shame-faced before his Head of House and guardian.

"Harry James Potter! You were warned by Lucius Malfoy's house elf himself that someone was a threat to your safety this year. I cannot possibly protect you if you deem it necessary to wander around late at night. Where could you have possibly been going?"

"I...uh...I heard a voice." Harry felt his sanity slip as he was saying it. This was Hogwarts. Of course there were random voices. RIght?

Minnie looked confused. "A voice? What sort of voice? Like a ghost?"

Harry, relieved his guardian didn't think him crazy, shook his head. "No, I'm familiar with the ghosts of the castle. This one was different. I couldn't determine where it was coming from."

Concerned, Minnie pinched her mouth together. "I'll look into this. However, this is all the more reason for you to stay in the tower. I can't let this go unpunished. Detention tomorrow night, and I have just the punishment in mind."

"You have to what?" Neville sat up in his bed after Harry walked back into the dorm.

"I have to help Lockhart respond to fanmail. How could Minnie do this to me?" Harry flopped back onto his bed dramatically. "I'd rather go into the Forbidden Forest...face Fluffy again. Anything but this!"

Ron shook his head. "Mate, I don't envy you a bit. I don't know why all of these girls are flustered by the man."

The next morning at breakfast, Hermione was less than sympathetic. "Guess this will teach you to stay in after curfew. Besides, how bad could detention with Professor Lockhart be?"

Harry stopped mid-bite. "Have you met the man, Hermione? And besides, this has shown me nothing more than I need to be more careful next time."

The year passed by a bit uneventfully, at least in Harry's eyes. Minnie was pleased, especially after Dobby's dire warning. The two continued to have their weekly teas, with the only change being Hermione's inclusion. Officially her magical guardian, Minnie wanted to keep in touch with her new charge.

"How are your other classes going, Hermione?" The older woman set a teacup in front of the girl.

Hermione poured a bit of milk in her tea and looked at her favorite professor. "They're going well, Professor. All of them except Defense, that is."

"Oh?" Minnie smirked a bit, then frowned. "Why is that?"

Harry laughed. "Oh, come off it, Minnie. You know exactly why that is. We have an idiot for a professor!"

"Harry!" Minnie scolded, still trying to hide her smile. "You mustn't call your professors names!"

Hermione laughed at the two. "I have to say, though, Professor, he's not far off the mark. Lockhart does not know what he's doing . Those books of his have to be pure fiction."

Minnie took another sip of her tea. "I've talked to Professor Dumbledore, but there doesn't seem to be anything to do right now. That position is hard to fill, to say the least. You two just keep reading and practicing, and if there's anything you need additional instruction on, just come to me. I'll try to fill in the gaps."

Hermione looked confused. "But isn't that sort of like cheating, Professor? Getting extra help from other professors?"

Minnie smiled a bit. "Not if that professor's your guardian. Also, all professors are to be available to students to aid them at any time. Some are more willing than others." Another sip. "Speaking of, how is Professor Snape treating the Gryffindors this year?"

Harry shrugged. "As long as we stayed well-read, he can't really do or say too much. We rarely complete what he deems to be 'good' potions, but they're not wrong."

Hermione agreed. "We just keep our heads down and try to learn. He's a brilliant man; just a bit biased and angry."

Minnie smiled at her two charges. They looked at the bright side of situations, even when odds were stacked against them. They would be fine. They had to be.