Chapter 2: Dobby's Warning

"Okay. Maybe we'll be in this one" Fred said. "Dobby's Warning."

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"So a house-elf" Remus recognized.

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Fred, George, and Ginny pretended to gag.

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"Well, at least it answered your 'what' question" Tonks pointed out.

"But that leads to the question of WHY is there a house-elf at a muggle home?" Remus said.

"Yeah. Sure doesn't sound like Spunky" Sirius said.

"And it's been pointed out that this elf's name is DOBBY" Remus reminded his friend.

"Who's Spunky?" Harry asked.

"The Potter family elf" Sirius said as if it was no big deal.

Harry winced as he felt Hermione's eyes bore into him in a deadly glare.

"You are to meet him after you graduate" Dumbledore explained.

"I'll talk payment then" Harry said more to Hermione than anyone else.

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Those who had little to no experience with house-elves looked confused.

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"So a 'Dark' family" Sirius realized knowing that typically families like his treated their elves like crap. The only reason he did personally was because his elf hated him and constantly insulted him (even during childhood) so there was no love. When Sirius had been in school, the relationship between Sirius and Kreacher was a you-ignore-me-and-I'll-ignore-you.

In fact, now that Sirius thought about it, the only one to treat Kreacher nicely in the Black Family had been his brother, Regulus.

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Harry started chuckling.

"Harry!" Hermione scolded. "It isn't funny!"

"Sorry" Harry apologized. "I know it's not, but…just…hearing this happen again after so long…it brought back the memory and…it was a funny sight. Especially when it came from nowhere."

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"What?" Sirius gasped. "I may have no love for Kreacher, but I would NEVER do something like that. These people must be worse than my family. And that's saying something."

"Can't be the Lestranges" Remus mused. "They're in Azkaban."

"But they're evil enough" Sirius added. "I wonder if it's Malfoy."

"How about I hint?" Harry offered.

"Okay" Sirius said having a background in learning which families would sympathize with Voldemort.

"You'll learn later on in the book" Harry said.

"That doesn't help" Sirius said.

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"OW!" Ron exclaimed after Hermione whacked him for nodding in agreement jokingly.

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"It is for most everyone" Fred stated.

"OI!" Ron exclaimed before pouting half wishing Percy was here to give the twins a different target.

Percy was their favorite and Ron was their second favorite target for teasing and pranks.

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There was a silence.

"Did that elf just say that Harry shouldn't go back to Hogwarts?" Flitwick asked.

"Yes." Snape answered.

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"You should have mentioned this to either me or the Headmaster, Potter" McGonagall said.

"I didn't think I should take him seriously" Harry said. "And by the time…well, I…I didn't think to."

McGonagall was able to read between the lines and made a silent promise to talk to Harry about it.

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"Oh Merlin Harry. Don't even SUGGEST that!" Sirius gasped. "One's bad enough."

"Yeah. Might make certain people even more paranoid" Tonks said motioning her thumb towards Mad-Eye.

"Meaning?" Moody asked glaring at her.

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"Oh no" Ginny gasped.

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"Wait…How did he know?" Sirius asked suspiciously.

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"Uh oh" George said.

"Harry got mad" Fred said.

"RUN FOR COVER!" the twins shouted.

"You shut up" Harry said pointing at Fred before pointing at George. "You read out loud."

Fred and George looked at each other and sighed.

"He figured out how to work us."

"I'm so proud."

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"This explains the hover charm I heard so much about" Arthur mused.

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"If he lays a hand on you, I'll commit one of the muggle murders I was wrongfully imprisoned for" Sirius said.

"Sirius" Dumbledore warned giving the godfather a look.

The two sat in silence as if talking mentally and Sirius sat back with a pout.

If Harry didn't know any better, he'd say that Dumbledore had told Sirius he was going to deal with Vernon himself.

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"There's got to be a way to fix the trace so that it can detect just WHO did the spell" Flitwick muttered as he realized what had happened.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"The way the trace is set up" Remus explained. "You see, if an underage wizard is living in a muggle community where no other witches and wizards are present, then it's assumed that it was the underage wizard that used magic and the Trace detects it and alerts the ministry."

"And if you live in a pureblood home?" Hermione asked with an edge of danger in her voice causing those around her to back away slowly.

"It's the parents' responsibility to make sure that the underage wizards abides by the rule. Otherwise, those watching the Trace assume that the magic is done by parents or older siblings" Arthur explained.

"So Purebloods who parents don't care are allowed to practice while Muggleborns and Muggleraised are stuck having to practice ONLY eight hours a day during the school year with the exception of practicing spells for homework!?" Hermione exclaimed. "That's not fair! It's discrimination against muggleborns!"

Ron and Harry just gave Arthur a glare as they will no doubt have to deal with this for the rest of the school year on top of SPEW and OWLs.

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"I don't get it" Ron said. "If he hates you, then you going to school would get you away from him and he wouldn't have to deal with you, right?"

"True, but Harry's also learning magic and Dursley doesn't want Harry learning magic. Besides, I think making Harry miserable trumps having Harry out of the house" Hermione answered.

"But last summer…" Ron started.

"There's a difference between last summer and the summer before second year" Harry said with a smirk.

"And what is that Potter?" Snape said.

Harry leaned his arm on Sirius' shoulder with a smirk.

"I have a mass murdering convict for a godfather who likes to make sure I'm happy."

Sirius ruffled Harry's already messy hair glad he could help put those muggles in their place.

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"WHAT?!" Molly and Sirius exclaimed.

Molly then turned to her three youngest boys.

"I thought you three were exaggerating with that!"

"You know Molly," McGonagall spoke up. "I think from now on, anything we hear about Potter's well being, we should take seriously and don't you start with that old joke Mr. Black."

"I had almost forgotten about that. Thanks for reminding me Minnie."

If looks can kill, Sirius would be joining James and Lily in the afterlife.

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"So what if you had to go in the middle of the night or the middle of the day?" Tonks asked.

"I learned to hold it" Harry answered.

"That's not good for your bladder" Hermione said.

"Well, it's not like I could change into a cat and go out the cat-flap" Harry argued.

He was too busy glaring at Hermione to see the thoughtful look crossing between Remus and Sirius.

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"If I EVER get my hands on that woman…" Molly threatened.

"Get in line" Sirius, Remus, McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick, Arthur, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, and Ron chorused.

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"Of course" McGonagall said making a mental note that if the Dursleys did this stunt again either next year or the year after, she was going to set Hagrid on them again. Maybe join him herself for good measure.

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"Again. Weird dream" Bill said.

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"I wonder who THAT could be" Sirius said sarcastically as he smiled at Ron.

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"Forgetting someone?" George asked.

"Namely two dashing pranksters" Fred said.

"I was in Azkaban and Remus was….where WERE you the year before you taught?" Sirius said.

"Teaching at a muggle school in Yorkshire" Remus answered "Preparing for the upcoming year when this happened."

"We knew we liked you" George said to Sirius smirking.

"I saw Ron before I saw you two" Harry informed the twins. "I'm sure you're mentioned next chapter."

"HEY!" Fred exclaimed after doing a quick count. "You were interrupted less times than me!"

"Who wants to read next?" George asked.

Ginny made to grab the book, but froze.

"What's the chapter?" she asked.

"Uh…the Burrow" George said turning the page.

"Maybe later" She said changing her mind for some reason.

"I will" Molly said taking the book from her son.