Music was floating around Grimmauld Place, making the place a bit more heart-warming than it actually was. Hermione had found the piano in the sitting room and had begun playing it, bringing her some small comfort. Ron was sitting on the couch at the far side of the room, listening. Hermione felt his eyes on her back and she felt slightly self-conscious.
"That sounds nice. You're really good," Ron said.
Hermione flushed a little but kept on playing. "Thanks," she replied timidly. "My parents had signed me up for lessons when I was a kid."
"It paid off," Ron said. Hermione could hear the smile in his voice and she felt rather pleased.
Crack!
Ron yelped and Hermione shrieked as she stumbled over the piano keys. Something had suddenly materialized inside the house, something neither had counted on. They had believed that they were safer in Grimmauld Place than anywhere else; it seemed unlikely that something friendly had come to meet them.
"Do you hear something?" Ron asked, scared.
Hermione strained her ears. There was, indeed, a sound and it was coming closer. It was high-pitched and it resembled small squeals of pain. Hermione looked questioningly at Ron but she did not need to wait long for her answer: Kreacher suddenly came bursting in, wrestling with Dobby. Hermione and Ron quickly went to separate them.
"You will not remain in Kreacher's mistress's house!" Kreacher yelled, trying to hit every inch of Dobby he could reach.
"Dobby does not care about what Kreacher wants! Dobby has been given a task to accomplish by Harry Potter!" Dobby yelled angrily.
Ron and Hermione stared at each other with their mouths open as Ron held on to Kreacher and Hermione gripped Dobby.
"My so-called master sent you? Kreacher should not be surprised. Kreacher's master like to work with the scum and the disgrace. He is –"
But whatever Harry was, they never knew. Dobby had sunk his tiny fist into Kreacher's mouth, knocking out some of the rest of the teeth he had not managed to break the last time he and Kreacher had met during Harry and Ron's stay in the hospital wing during their sixth year. With great effort, Ron and Hermione pulled the two house-elves apart.
"All right, you two, settle down," Hermione said calmly.
"Miss Granger!" Dobby exclaimed cheerfully. He freed himself from her grasp and bowed low to her. "What an honor it is to be in the company on one of Harry Potter's friends."
"Dobby is proving Kreacher's point about his master taking pleasure in being around the scum and the disgrace," Kreacher snarled. "Talking to Mudbloods and bowing to them is the lowest –"
The rest of the sentence was lost when Ron grabbed Kreacher by the scruff of the neck and hurled him out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Dobby applauded Ron as Hermione glared at the ginger as he returned to them.
"What?" Ron snapped. "I don't tolerate the term 'Mudblood' whether it comes from a human or a house-elf and neither should you!"
"Mr Weasley is correct, Miss Granger," Dobby said. "Kreacher gives we house-elves a bad name. He is the disgrace by calling you rude names and Kreacher needs to learn that is not the proper way of conduct."
"See, Hermione?" Ron continued, sending Dobby a grateful look. "Even Dobby says so! You need to tell Kreacher off every time he insults you in order for him to understand that he can't get away with it."
"He calls you a blood-traitor but you don't call him out on it," Hermione replied in defense.
"That's not an insult. Being called a blood-traitor just means that I don't support pure-blood supremacy despite being a pure-blood; being called a Mudblood stands for having dirty blood, worthless blood in case you've forgotten. If doing the right thing means earning the title 'blood-traitor' then so be it but no one needs to have their heritage discriminated."
Silence fell after Ron's words. Hermione, stunned, did not know how to answer. Looking satisfied, Ron turned to Dobby, who bowed to him in turn.
"You said that Harry sent you?" he asked.
"Yes, sir. Dobby is delivering a message from Harry Potter to his friends," Dobby explained.
"Let's hear it, Dobby," Hermione said.
"Harry Potter wanted Dobby to tell you that he is being kept inside of Hogwarts and he is locked inside the headmaster's office –" Dobby began anxiously.
"Yeah, we already figured out where he was when we learned Snape was headmaster," Ron interrupted.
"That may be but now we know where in Hogwarts Harry is being held captive," Hermione told him. "Go on, Dobby," she added kindly.
"Harry Potter had also asked Dobby to pass a warning to his friends: you must not call He Who Must Not Be Named by his name."
"Why?" Hermione asked, startled, as Ron looked relieved. Harry was the last person she expected to tell them to not call Voldemort by his name.
"Because the name has been bewitched, miss. If Miss Granger calls He Who Must Not Be Named by his name then his followers will be able to find her and her companion, miss."
"A Taboo," Hermione whispered. "How ingenious."
"That must be how they found us at that café!" Ron exclaimed loudly.
Dobby's eyes grew wider than tennis balls.
"Harry Potter's friends were attacked by He Who Must Not Be Named's followers?" he squeaked, horrified.
"Yes, but we're fine," Hermione replied hurriedly. "Thanks for giving us the message, Dobby. Is Harry all right?"
"Oh yes, miss. He is safe and sound," Dobby replied.
"For now," Ron intervened. "He's with Snape, remember?"
"Headmaster Snape has surprisingly not harmed Harry Potter. Dobby has been watching Headmaster Snape and is wondering whether he had imagined it when he had seen Headmaster Snape look at Harry Potter with a sad expression when Harry Potter isn't aware he is being watched."
"Snape doesn't have feelings and you've been watching him?"
"Yes, sir. Dobby is the only one who cleans the headmaster's office since the other house-elves do not want to be near Headmaster Snape. The few times Dobby has seen Harry Potter in the same room as Headmaster Snape he has noticed that Headmaster Snape's whole demeanor changes when Harry Potter has his back turned: he goes from cold to sad, sir."
"Are you sure that is what you saw, Dobby?"
"Dobby is positive, miss. But, as Dobby has said, it is possible that he has imagined it. But since he has seen this more than once or twice, Dobby doubts it."
Hermione contemplated the house-elf's words. If what Dobby had said was correct, then this was odd behavior for Snape. Why would a murderer, a Death Eater, would be sad over a broken friendship? Every Death Eater Hermione had encountered had only looked out for his or her interests and the ones of their master.
"Maybe you've inhaled too many fumes from those cleaning fluids, Dobby," Ron said reasonably, earning an exasperated look from Hermione.
"Anyway, thank you for coming to us, Dobby," she said. "We really appreciate it."
"Yeah, thanks," Ron added with a smile.
"Do you have any more questions for Dobby before he goes?" Dobby asked cheerfully.
"As a matter of fact, yes. How can we get into Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"Apparating is the only way in, miss," Dobby replied.
"But we can't –" Hermione began.
"Hermione, if Dobby says that's the only way in then we obviously can," Ron cut her off, rolling his eyes. "Uh, right, Dobby?" he added uncertainly.
"That is correct, sir. Headmaster Snape has removed the enchantment that prevents anyone from Apparating in and out of the grounds. Of course, none of the students know this: it is for the sole use of the Death Eaters after all," Dobby explained. "But Dobby does not recommend that you Apparate directly into Hogwarts. He suggests that you Apparate into Hogsmeade and make your way to the school from there."
"Sounds good," Ron said, nodding. "Thanks, Dobby."
"Any time, Mr Weasley. Dobby is always willing to help Harry Potter's friends."
"Before you go, Dobby, can you tell Harry that we're okay and that we'll come for him as quickly as possible?" Hermione asked.
"Most certainly, Miss Granger. Dobby must report back to Harry Potter and he will tell him," Dobby replied, smiling.
"Thank you."
"Dobby must go now and he will see you soon!" And with that he was gone. Hermione turned to Ron.
"Well, at least we know what to do," she said.
"Do you want to go there tonight?" Ron asked.
"No, not tonight. Tomorrow night we'll go."
Ron nodded and sat back down on the couch. Hermione joined him, trying to form a plan in her mind that will permit them to break into what will be a top-security school.
Ron and Hermione to the rescue! Let's see if they can break into Hogwarts unnoticed.