Trading Aces

by Apprentice Tom

Harry has to get rid of sand. Lots of sand. Harry tells Dobby he can have it. Dobby see's an opportunity.

3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Vortices

Dreams

"What the matter Winky? You did not sleep well again last night. You look very tired today," said Dobby as he handed her a coconut milk, pineapple strawberry fruit smoothie for breakfast.

"I had the dream again Dobby. This is the third night in a row."

"A vision? What's it about. You never have it more than once."

"I'm confused. Usually, I know what it is about but not this time."

"Please tell me about it. Maybe I can help?"

"It's is same all three times. I see an old timey wagon pulled by big team of mules and the people are strangely dressed with very big straw hats in the desert. I see a powder called borax. I see a canyon with lots of images on rocks, deer, cats, hand prints, strange renderings of people with pointed ears. I see a cave with a very deep winding hole. Very, very old. I see the word, China Lake. The people could be Chinese?"

Winky shivered. "I always know who to tell. I don't know who in this case. I'm worried I'm missing something."

"Well, rest easy, you told me."

0o0o0

A job to do.

"Dobby and Ed, I want to talk to you," asked Harry in a low voice. He was sitting by the lake in a beach lounger with his feet dangling in the cool water. It was one that one of the young elves had painted. It was quite interesting covered in extremely accurate and detailed images of strawberries, blue berries with dollops of whipped cream scattered about. They were so realistic you wanted to reach out and pick one up to eat. It was his favorite lounger by the lake side. Dooby and Ed popped in and sat on the lounger by his feet.

"You rang, Mr. Harry Potter sir," smiled Dobby.

Harry smirked. "Yes, I need the two of you. We now are close to capacity in charging the firesticks and the rods used in the water plants. We are a little bit ahead but sooner than I ever thought we will not be able to build any more plants as what we can charge will only take care of what we have. So, no room to grow."

"So that means you want us to find places to charge the blue metal?"

"Exactly, here's a booklet I put together of known sites. The muggles call them Vortex's. They have all sorts of stories and legends about them. The fact is ley lines often intersect at these sites. Sometimes it is very deep and sometimes it's very close to the surface. The closer to the surface the better. These sites leak a bit of magic. That's what's charging our metal rods. The greater the leakage the faster the rods will charge. I've listed all the known sites. You should visit them and scout out a place to charge and decide if it would work for us. Remember we need secrecy. No one can know or we will lose our advantage for what we do. I also need you to search for a source of aluminum. I can buy, trade for it or find it for the picking. We will need a lot for the new projects coming up. So, see what you can do. Call me whenever you need help.

"Dobby an Ed will plan and tell you when we go, Harry," said Ed. "Come on Dobby, we's got planning to do before we go."

0o0o0

First trek

Winky and Emma were petting a few baby unicorns in the stable. Winky seemed a bit down.

What's wrong Winky," asked Emma?

"Dobby and Ed had a mission. They have to find another vortex. They started two weeks ago and put the word out, then started to visit places and chart on big maps. "

"Go on."

"Last week they took a short trip to the known major vortex's and took compass readings. They started here in the USA and went to White Sands, New Mexico. Unfortunately, we cannot use that site because muggle air force makes big boom booms there all the time. Then they went to Mount Shasta, in California, which is out too. The vortex is about two thousand feet down under the middle of the dead volcano. That deep way too hot to charge rods. They found a place in Palmdale California called the Skunk Works but Lockheed Aero Plane Company has building there. Ed asked if they were open to renting a room in the basement." Winky laughed. "They told the two of them to 'SCRAM!' But Dobby and Ed maybe go back. Four ley lines go under that buildings parking lot and close to surface. Big magic leaks. Ed and Dobby be scheming about a possible trade. They looking for a very old plane the company made early in their history. Ed says maybe a plane for a lease?"

"Next, they went all the way to Haleakalā Volcano Hawaii. Another no go. But they sent five hundred cases of macadamia nuts and 200 hundred pounds of Kona coffee back by port key. Told me they traded some pizza ovens and a carnival ride for the nuts and coffee."

"I was wondering where those came from. Dan and I really enjoy the coffee in the morning."

After that went to Central and South America and visited Machu Picchu, then Peru, Mayan Ruins and Tulum, in Mexico, Lago Atitlán, Guatemala. All places with lots of muggles and government places. Some good sites but most too weak to help. They sent home the hammocks from there and fair-trade coffee. Ed traded two Bobcat Excavators for those items.

Then went to Uluru, Australia, can't use as sacred place. Table Mountain, South Africa, is big tourist place. Now way to dig in into mountain and build a room. Too many people and government minders. I told Ed and Dobby not to send back kangaroos. I'm not sure they listened to me. Ed's been very secretive and won't let anyone in the barns except his cronies."

They came home for one day then went to Karak in Egypt. Very strong magic leak there. In middle of temple site. Another site is under the Great Sphinx where the Great Pyramids are located. It's a possibility. It has a secret tunnel that runs out to the dessert a mile away. But risky because ministry always digging, digging there looking for tombs and treasures. They traded the most wonderful cotton sheets and pillow cases for of all things salt.

Es Vedrà, Ibiza, Spain, but that is part of nature preserve and Spanish Navy be patrolling all the time. Ed really liked the beach there. They's got beautiful sandy beaches now. Dobby and Ed traded six thousand tons of nice clean sand for two boats and twenty-five surf boards, then went to Glastonbury, England. That's a no go because the ruins of the Abby are there and a national monument. Then they checked Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England, but the center point is in the middle of the monument. No chance to do anything there. Then they came back home."

"Go on."

"I'm worried. They be finding places but we can't use them for one reason or another. Then I've been having dreams I don't understand. I told Dobby but I'm worried.

"So tell me, maybe I can help."

"It has something to do with China, a lake, and an old wagon pulled by mules."

0o0o0

Dragons

"Harry, can I talk with you," asked Dobby.

Harry knew Dobby was serious when he asked like that. "What's up? How can I help?"

"Ed and I took Bonnie, who speaks Dragon with us to visit Charlie Weasley at the Romanian Dragon Reserve. We found a hot spot and it was in a cave. Coincidence it was occupied by Norbert, Hagrid's old dragon. We could put half a dozen big boxes in the cave and swap out every three months. Dragon only wants two tasty sheep per week or a two-ounce gold coin twice a year for us to rent the space as long as we want. What do you think?"

"I don't think it's a good idea. I think I can trust Norbert, but he won't always be inside the cave. Word will get around something is going on. I worry about the dragon handlers snooping around. I don't know Charlie well enough. Especially after the tournament and he did not say anything about the dragons. He could have sent a letter to warn me. We can't let anyone find out about the cobalt. We have an exclusive now. Let's put this aside for now and wait to see if we can get something better. If we can't we will talk about it then. Send Norbert a dozen sheep for talking to you and one gold coin from my vault. Tell him we will think about it."

0o0o0

Seeking help

Dobby was playing with his cranberry juice cocktail on the rocks with a sip straw while waiting impatiently at the Tiki Bar for Dan to arrive from the dental practice. He sighed with relief when he saw Dan sauntering over and sat at the bar. Willy the bar tender today asked: "The usual Mr. Dan?"

"Of course, Willy, A bit of Breath of Heather on the rocks, please."

Willy slid the Crytal glass with the 25-year-old amber liquid in it over to Dan who took a sip and sighed contently as he put his feet up on the bar stool next to him. "Been a long day dealing with halitosis Dobby, I'm glad to be home."

Dobby waited until he had finished his glass. "Mr. Dan can I be talking to you in private like? I've got something on my mind and need your help."

"Sure Dobbs, lead the way."

Dobby set off along the shore of the lake with Dan in tow. When they got to the Blue Whale slip and slide, they went to the tail section where Dobby snapped his fingers and a ramp slid down and Dobby pulled Dan into the tail section.

Dan whistled appreciatively as he looked around. It was much larger on the inside then the outside. One whole wall was covered with ten very large Mercator projection maps that made up the world. There were a number of bright blue, red, green and yellow dots across the globe. Most had a few inches long line running through them with a degree indicated. Some had a large movable red question mark next to the dot. There were several tables and they were scattered with books, papers, rulers and markers of every color in the rainbow. A number of folding chairs were stacked against the wall. A large overhead door was at the opposite end.

"Wow Dobby, there is a lot of room here. What is this all about?"

"Storage warehouse behind the big door for our trading stuff, and this be planning center. Do you want to see?"

The elves must have made liberal use of expansion charms. He could see the whale tail was at least three hundred feet long and thirty feet wide and twenty feet high with row after row of metal warehouse shelving stacked with all manner of things. "Was that five pallets of 'Chia pets', thought Dan? There were shelves full of the crystal glassware that was at the house and Tiki bar, hundreds of large boxes of barbecued meat under a stasis charm, cases of liquor of all descriptions, hula skirts, Hawaiian shirts, hockey equipment, at least ten classic muscle cars, an early biplane, two boats, a dozen jet skis, a D10 Catapiller bull dozer, the tail section of a B-24 bomber, a dozen different carnival rides in various stages of disrepair, old fiberglass advertising figures and leaning against one wall were more than a dozen airplane propellers. A fifteen-foot-high Mr. Peanut, a ten-foot-tall Ice Cream Cone and three full size fiberglass Texas Long Horn Steers with Top of the Hill House of Steak stenciled on the side, a twenty-foot-tall neon cactus. Then there was restaurant kitchen equipment, pizza ovens, steam tables, stoves and 4 ovens. A set of deep fryers. Three soft serve ice cream machines with a big neon sign that said Artic Ice Cream!

Dan stood there flabbergasted. Dobby took Dan by the hand. "Mr. Dan, come on its time to talk."

Dan meekly followed Dobby out. His brain frozen at the magnitude of what the elves obtained by trading sand and salt. Shaking his head, he laughed. "Dobby, I knew you "and Ed were good traders but now I have to say you are incredible. I am impressed."

That's not all we have. Another place almost full too. Ed and I now doing research to help Harry. He's got a big problem."

"I didn't know he had a problem, Dobby. Please tell me more."

"With the last water plants coming on line over the next twelve weeks, we will be at full capacity to charge and recharge blue metal sticks. The vortexes we have are now at capacity. We charge just as much as we use. No more room to build other water plants, or make fire sticks. Harry needs to find new vortex's to charge blue metal."

"You can't fit any more where you charge now?"

'No, Harry and little professor Flitwick do tests. You can only charge so much before it affected wards at Hoggywarts. Same at Salem. Other few places same thing. They haves one in Fresno, at the water plant, one in the cold Yukon and one in Washington state forest. All just keeping up with what we have now. Hard to get ahead on storage. The charge takes a long time the more you put there. Me and Ed think the big problem is the shape of the vortex, how close it to surface and how the magic leaks out. Vortexes occur when two or more ley lines cross chris. The more lines and nearer the surface they be, the more the magic leaks and charges the blue metal. Sometimes ley line cross deep underground and no magic leaks.

"So, what are you doing?"

"Me and Ed are searching for other vortexes and aluminum metal."

"So, what do you need from me Dobby?"

"Looks at the maps Dan. Ed and I go to the known places. Ed very sensitive to the magic in the ley lines. He finds the strongest points. We take compass bearings and put on postcard and drop in mail to you. You plot sites on map and draw the ley lines out. Soon you find where lines cross chris and then you direct us to the place to check out. Best places are more than two lines. Three or four be best."

"I can do that Dobby. How do I get in here when you're gone?"

"Same way we came in before, through the door Dan."

0o0o0

On the road again

"I told you I was going to check your bag's Dobby. You're going on a long trip. I don't want you to forget anything like the last trip with Ed. Galivanting all around the world with only one pair of boxers, and without saying goodbye. Where are your bags?"

Dobby looked sheepish. "In the tree."

Hermione laughed. "Do you think he's doing it on purpose Winky?"

Dobby snapped his fingers and his space expanded bag was on the table. "I'm ready, read the check list dear," answered Dobby with a little smirk.

"I saw that, Dobby. Bag?"

"Check!"

"Twelve cases of Ocean Breeze Cranberry Juice Cocktail?"

"Check!"

Twelve cases of Hula-Hula Pineapple Juice?"

"Check!"

Ten pounds of mixed nuts?"

"Check!"

Ten-pound bag of mixed Cranberries, blueberries, raspberries and dried banana chips?"

"Check!"

"Harry's baked pasta casserole?"

"Check!"

"White suit and Fedora for trading?"

"Check!"

"Extra clothes and Hawaiian shirts and straw hats? "Sun Glasses, extra power assist bracelets, maps, two compasses?"

"Check! Check! Check!"

"Portkeys?"

"Check!"

"List of all the extras for trading?"

"Check!"

"I guess you're ready to go. Be careful."

"Wait a minute," called Luna Lovegood as she walked into the clearing by Dobby and Winky's tree house with a backpack. "I've decided to go along with you on your around the world expedition. I think I may have a good chance in finding a Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

"How did you know they were going on an expedition," asked Winky?

"You're like me Winky, sometimes you just know."

"Winky who is that," asked Ed?

"Harry's friend Luna. You can go along Luna. Please keep an eye on these two and try to keep them out of trouble."

0o0o0

Area 51 and a bar

Coyote Springs Nevada. Dead Horse Springs Bar on state Route 93.

This was the groups seventh place in the last three days that Dan had recommended they check. They had found places that turned out to be weak vortices with two ley lines. They dutifully took readings and compass bearings. All had been unacceptable but the bearings hopefully would lead to better sites. They sent off post cards to Dan back in Chesterfield.

It was a few minutes before 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon as Luna and Dobby walked into the roadside bar while Ed took a stroll around the building and grounds to reconnoiter, then followed them inside. He whispered in Luna's ear, "They have a unicorn". Except for them, the bar tender, and perhaps someone in the kitchen, they were the only ones in the place. It was a typical bar for the dessert country region, some would say it had character, with its cracked linoleum floor tiles, dust, long fancy wooden bar with brass footrails, numerous spittoons in obvious spots scattered about on the floor, faded wallpaper, faded paintings and old, years out of date guns, ammo and hunting calendars on the wall. A dusty stuffed elk head with one ear missing but with a 15-point rack held pride of place in the middle of the bar shelving. Others would just say it was run down and seen better days.

A woman was tending bar, not young, not old but some would say well-seasoned. Her face was lined and tanned, her eyes crinkled from squinting from many years in the sun. She was wearing faded blue jeans and a smock with sunflower print. A green fabric apron with the bar's logo, a dead horse with its hooves in the air next to a bubbling spring, was on the center of the apron. The smell coming from the kitchen was intriguing and made Luna's mouth water. She had a large glass of lemonade dripping with condensation on the bar, next to a bowl of peanuts in the shells.

"Welcome friends, sit anywhere, as you can see you have beat the evening dinner rush."

Dobby and Ed sat in a booth against the wall and Luna skipped up to the bar. "We will have three bowls of the delicious chilli I smell wafting out of the kitchen with some bread and butter. Do you have fruit juice like Pineapple, Orange or Cranberry? My friends cannot tolerate alcohol."

"I've got all three dear."

"Ohh, how about making a pitcher with all three and throw in some ginger ale to give it a little fizz."

Once they had eaten and the Bartender was clearing away the dishes Luna said: Come and sit and talk. I'll buy you a drink, we are looking for some info."

"What can I tell you?"

"First off, I was wondering if you were interested in selling or trading your unicorn Ed saw out back."

The women didn't miss a beat and replied: "I'm sure you're mistaken. You saw a goat."

"I know you are a witch, a low power witch but one none the less. Don't be alarmed. I'm a witch and can sense it too. My friends are elves. We have sort of a safe haven preserve on the east coast with lots of unicorns. We are always looking for more among other things."

"I only have the one. Herbie is twelve years old and seems lonely. I had a second but it was very old and died a year ago. I'd sell or trade Herbie, it would be good for him to be around other unicorns. What can you offer me?"

"I take it a wand does not do much for you?"

At her nod she looked to Dobby: "Please take out the firestick box." Dobby handed the case to her from his disillusioned bag.

"Try each one of these sticks and wave it. Start with the middle one."

"She got a good-sized stream of sparks. After trying a few more, she found she could use the 26 julen model."

"This is a power assist device. Brand name is Firestick. It helps you channel your magic. Depending on use it could last 1-2 years. You can send it back to the maker and he will recharge for a very small fee. I'll throw in a book on basic household charms."

"I'm not sure. You three are all skilled in magic?"

"Luna nodded her head. You want us to refresh the bar like new? Give it a nice face lift and fix all the equipment and air conditioning and you get the firestick and we get the unicorn?"

Ed spoke up. "How about you throw in the old broken go carts behind the bar. Save you from having to junk them."

"Yes, OK, Deal. How did you know I was going to ask that?"

Luna replied: "Just a lucky guess. Now since that deal is done, tell us about Groom Lake, we want to go there."

"Well, its north west from here about thirty miles and you know there all sort of rumors and conspiracy theories about what goes on there. It's also called Area 51. And it is restricted space. The Airforce runs it. There are sentries that guard the place. Only one road in and out. They catch you trying to go in there you are in trouble so don't get caught…..

0o0o0

Unicorns and Stuff

Emma was keeping Winky company while she had life guard duty on the lake shore. The two were sitting in the elevated chair watching the numerous young elves playing on the beach and swimming.

"Emma, did you see the new unicorn, Herbie that Ed found?"

"Yes, he's very cute. How many do we have now? I think there are 25 adults and 15 kits now. The herd is growing."

"The little one's love playing with them."

"Did you see the Osca Mayer Hotdog Car and the LL Beanstalk Bootmobile in the driveway?"

"The Weinermobile is not staying. Willie and the car crew are going to restore it to like new. Ed and Dobby traded it to someone in Cleavland who collects Oscar Mayer Advertising for a truck load of hams, half of which he's saving for us, the rest he flipped with five pallets of assorted Chia pets, to someone in St. Paul, who gave him a beat up house boat, which about two dozen helpers restored in one night. Then he traded it to someone in Wisconsin who had a summer camp on Lake Superior, for the two formula one race cars in the garage. The Boot Car they are restoring to like new. The two traded the store for boxes of surplus bathing suits and sandals. Enough for all the little elves to have two each."

"What's he going to do with the race cars?"

"Once they are cleaned up, Ed says they have a possible deal on an old airplane which they want to use for leverage with Lockheed with someone in Zurich."

"That crew gets around don't they."

"I think perhaps Ed's wanderlust has rubbed off on Dobby. They love galivanting around the world to trade. I just worry about what they bring home next."

0o0o0

Groom Lake

Area 51, secret U.S. Air Force military installation located at Groom Lake, Nevada where there are no alien space craft absolutely positively.

"Dobby you and Luna stay here, I'll go. They won't see me. I'll check it out and take the compass bearings."

Ed faded from view as he walked towards the electrified fence with the skull signs reading danger, keep out that bordered the mysterious site. Dobby and Lunna sat under a tree. Luna took out her sketch book and began to draw the landscape around them. Dobby climbed into the tree to keep watch.

An hour later Ed returned. There be ten biggy buildings that have aero planes in them. I saw several take off. I didn't see any flying saucers. There are four ley lines that are near surface here. Unfortunately, it's right under the main runway. I took the bearings to send to Dan. "This be scary place. Army men walking around everywhere with big guns. I was scared to be caught. What if MACUSA is helping them? I guess we go onto the next spot."

0o0o0

Charting the lines

It was another triple H day. Hazy, hot and humid. It was not yet ten o'clock and already it was over 85 degrees F. At the Tiki Bar, Willie the bartender was fiddling with a new snow cone machine, filling it with ice and flavor liquids. The expanded Tiki Bar had become the meeting place and hangout for the property. The elves had put on a 12 x 14 addition and put a number of tables inside to be out of the sun and rain. It had a row of pin ball machines against one wall. The little elves were banned from playing them if the adults were in the room.

Dan was sorting through the mail that Emma just dropped in his lap while he sat at the Tiki bar nursing a big glass of Lemonade and snacking on the chilled fresh bowl of strawberries, pineapple chunks with a side of macadamia nuts on the bar.

"Dobby, Ed and Luna have been busy, eight post cards today. Did you notice the go carts that are in the drive way this morning? They look pretty beat up," mentioned Dan.

"Maybe now but wait until the elves start fixing them. Do you think Dobby and Ed will build a race course?"

Dan snorted. "I'm expecting it. It's a big boy toy. Look around."

Emma laughed. "It's amazing what they do."

"Did you see the elves bringing in the ten-foot-tall neon flying Pegasus sign into the whale yesterday?"

"I'd like to see it. I did see the Blue Nosed Bunnies Ice Cream sign though. I wonder where they got them and what they traded for? Want to join me in the Whale while I chart these coordinates and bearings?"

"Sure, why not, answered Emma as she grabbed a lemonade and a hand full of cashews from the bowl on the bar. "Let's go."

When they entered the tail of the Whale, Dan went to the big maps on the wall and carefully plotted the sites the team visited, putting a colored dot in each location noted on the post card. The dots signified what they found, indicating strength and or viability to use. A green dot held much promise, a red dot excluded the site due to a number of factors. Dan wrote corresponding numbers on the dot denoting the reasons on the key on the edge of the map. Then taking the map down he spread it on the table and plotted the bearings of the ley lines drawing them out on the map with the help of a large plastic protractor and a compass. His map of North and South America was now populated with over thirty dots. About 100 bearing lines had been drawn. Today's exercise revealed several places more than two ley lines intersected, strong possible sites for charging the rods. Dan pulled out his mobile and dialed Luna.

"Hello Luna. Where are you today? I've got several possible sites for you to check out."

0o0o0

Specialized transportation

Dobby and Ed were dressed in their trading clothes and waiting patiently for Filius Flitwick to finish class. Ed was looking at a charms book and taking notes on a small flip pad of bound note paper.

The professor walked in and was surprised to find two strange looking short people in white suits and Hawaiian shirts holding fedoras in their laps. "Hello, how did you get in here, who are you and what can I do for you today," as he palmed his wand?

Dobby waved his fedora. "Hi professor. Do you remember me, I be Dobby the House Elf? I used to work here. This be Ed. We came to ask a favor for Mr. Harry Potter sir."

Professor Flitwick relaxed and thought about the two visitors: 'These are the healthiest House Elves he had ever seen. Bigger than most and with great skin color. Perhaps being with Harry was a good thing for them.'

"What can I do for you and friend Potter?"

We's doing an aerial survey for Mr. Harry Potter sir. We's need to borrow a flying carpet. We's hear you have several. Are you willing to sell, trade or let us borrow one for about a week?"

"Hmm. May I ask how you know I have flying carpets? It's not common knowledge?"

"Ed shrugged his shoulders. Elf network. Heard it from a cousin in France who heard it from a friend in Austria who heard it from a friend in Istanbul. Word gets around."

"Oh, OK. For Harry, I'll lend you one. How many passengers? I have a one-, three- and five-person carpet." He thought: 'Another example of how elves are underestimated.'

"We's take the five person one. We need room for the maps and a table."

After saying thank you Ed left with the carpet to rejoin Luna, while Dobby used the port key watch and popped back to Chesterfield to speak to Dan.

0o0o0

Coaching Dan

Dobby found Dan and Emma on the couch munching popcorn and watching a movie. Dobby dropped onto the couch between the couple. He was dressed in his white trading suit, Hawaiian shirt and black bandana wrapped around his neck.

Dan looked at him. "This can't be too serious you are not wearing your Fedora."

"Don't be a smarty pants Dan. Emma told me it's not nice to wear your hat inside the house. Now you listen to me. I needs to talk with you. Dan, you needs to find out where you be sending us before you be sending us any where's. Past few places you send us we found USA Government, Navy and Airforce secret places and giant hole in the ground called Grand Canyon. We's almost got arrested at Area 51. And no, before you ask, we did not see any flying saucers or Martian peoples. Last place you sent us was China Lake. China Lake a big protected place. Airplanes and military people all over. Feel very strong magic there. National Park inside base called Little Petroglyph Canyon. Very old feeling. Strange feeling for me and Ed. Lots of possibilities there. Airplanes always taking off and landing, flying around. Many boom booms being heard."

"OK Dobby, I'll do a little research first before sending you out to investigate a potential sight."

"Speaking of research, can you do some about aluminum? Harry needs lots of it for the plants to be built in Arizona. When we were checking out China Lake we saw lots of broken up airplanes. Some big ones buried in sand in dessert. Forgotten long time. Maybe a good source of Aluminum. Old man in bar near there told story about after World War two the government destroyed thousands of surplus and obsolete planes by chopping them up and melting them to produce metal ingots at airfields. China Lake one of those. Find the places. Maybe they missed some? Maybe some are buried, or maybe they blew them up like at China lake and we could sorta clean up the scrap. Now I need to talk to Harry about survey. Too-dles."

He snapped his fingers and disappeared. Dobby went to the whale and recovered a large bag of rune inscribed mapping stones the elves had made and put a port key on them to send them to Ed.

Dan continued calmly eating his popcorn and watching his movie.

"Why are you not phased in the least with Dobby? He pops in gives you a talking to, gives you a major project, takes a handful of popcorn, then pops away?"

"I am used to Dobby and his excitable and quirky ways. He grows on you, the lovable little squirt."

Dobby found Harry in his garage workshop sitting next to his project board and fiddling with a ball of clay that kept changing shape as he pointed his wand at it, taking frequent looks at a very old book. "Hi Dobby!"

"Harry, can you make a trip with us? I needs your power to help with a survey."

"OK let me tell the folks I'm going out. When will I be back?"

"Tomorrow morning. I need to talk to Winky."

"Winky, I found China Lake. We going back to map it. I'll let you know what we find."

0o0o0

Mapping China Lake

Harry and Dobby arrived in a motel room. It was a few miles from China Lake air base and was in an old motel on Route 178. It was almost dusk. Ed had transfigured the bed to a four poster and had a hammock slung above the footboard. He was sleeping with his fedora over his face and quietly snoring, a rhythmic wheeze with an occasional gurgle. Luna was sitting outside the door on an old lounge chair and sketching a flock of birds that were coming down to feed on salted buttered popcorn she had spread on the ground in front of the door. She had spent the afternoon at the animal shelter and hospital a few hundred yards farther down the road. She had enjoyed helping out with the animals.

The team went to dinner at a local dinner than went back to the motel room for a nap. They would depart at midnight for their overflight.

At midnight Luna got everyone up and they disillusioned themselves and walked around the back of the motel. Ed shook out the flying carpet and they all got on. Dobby was in front sitting in a lotus position holding a large compass and dropping into a meditative state. Ed also held a compass standing right behind Dobby with his arms spread out side to side. Harry and Luna sat on chairs behind a small desk. Sticking charms held a large scale map to the tabletop. The map was divided into 16 sections with an auto quill floating above the map section at the precise point that they were flying. Harry used his staff to cast the strongest concealment spell he could on the them and the carpet and lifted off. They had a long night of mapping.

Ed had spent the several hours scattering the mapping stones Dobby had port keyed to him the day before. The small stones scattered about the perimeter helped triangulate with the large flat stone that was at Harry's feet. It was the master stone. This powered all the small ones. Ed told Harry to push a lot of magic into the stone. It glowed briefly and the quill began to move adding lines, dots, and symbols to the big map. The carpet was five hundred feet in the air traveling at about fifty miles per hour and performing a mowing pattern, at each boundary it would turn, travel one hundred yards and start back. At irregular intervals Dobby or Ed would call 'Mark' and call out a compass bearing. The quill would draw a small circle and record the compass bearings at each instance. It took slightly more than four hours to complete a full transit one way then again perpendicular to the first journey. They had covered the entire restricted area both ways before dawn. There was only the briefest hint of sun in the east when they returned to their motel room.

Dobby shrunk and stored the table, map and quill in his bag with the carpet following once it was rolled up. Ed hung their hammocks and they two elves popped into them for a much-needed rest. Harry took one twin bed and Luna the other. They were too tired to think about breakfast. Harry set an alarm for 9:00 a.m.

Harry woke with the alarm and saw Dobby and Ed pouring over the map from last night behind a silencing ward. There were three parchments floating in midair and dicta-quills sprinting across the parchments taking notes as the two elves pointed, gestured wildly and spoke rapidly behind their privacy bubble. They seemed very excited by whatever they had discovered.

"Time for breakfast, rise and shine Luna!"

0o0o0

Touring Petroglyph Canyon inside China Lake:

Luna, Harry and the elves arrived at the Maturango Museum to tour the Little Petroglyph Canyon at 5:45 a.m. They were a half hour early as they left nothing to chance. Luna had done the legwork yesterday and had paid fees to reserve their spots on the tour.

The tour guide called them together. "Each group of ten has their own guide. You stay with them at all times. It takes about an hour to reach Little Petroglyph Canyon, high in the Coso Mountains, part of the Coso Rock Art District National Historic Landmark. You will find that the Petroglyphs have been dated to be 10 to 16 thousand years old. It's estimated to number over 100 thousand! Remember this is a military base, operated by the US Navy. It's a big piece of real estate at about 1.1 million acres. You are not allowed to touch the Petroglyphs. You cannot take anything out with you. Your camera's must stay in your backpacks until you get to the canyon as you are traveling through a military base. The route we will take is mostly on a paved road that crosses the ancient China Lake bed and then climbs up a canyon into a high desert range. We pass though Joshua Tree forest on a decent graded dirt track. You will find the views amazing. If this wasn't a weapons testing range it could be a national monument."

A bit over an hour later they exited their van at the trail head. They set off into the canyon at a steady pace. The walking was fairly easy for people in shape and used to hiking. It's sandy in spots, rocky in others, overall, not too difficult to traverse. As the morning wore on it got hotter and hotter. Taking large water bottles were a must.

As they entered the canyon, they immediately began seeing petroglyphs on the rocks. They were high on the cliff face, down low, and on almost every flat carvable surface. Thousands and thousands of them! Dobby and Ed had remained invisible the entire trip. Harry and Luna acted like tourists and took many pictures, spending hours wandering in the canyon. They speculated at the meanings of the ancient rock art. Many of the petroglyphs were animals, many of people, usually as stylized designs that provoked Luna to speculate often, some even resembled some of the creatures she was searching for on this trip.

While Harry and Luna wandered about, took pictures and laughed a lot, Dobby and Ed quietly but quickly followed a nearly indistinct trail that led up a canyon wall at a steep angle to a small opening set back from the face. Both could feel ancient magic in the trail. It drew them onward. The opening was small and they would only be able to squeeze into the open space behind. The mouth of this neatly hidden cave opening had petroglyphs of hands and what looked like images of elves in concentric circles. Now magic seemed stronger inside the cave and to be urging them along. Squeezing into the cave they found it opened into a room about 10 feet square with 8-foot ceiling. At the back there was a narrow opening, a tunnel that wound ever downwards in a gentle curve to the left. Once in the tunnel it had a strange luminance that illuminated the tunnel as if was very early morning daylight. The walls were covered in all manner of pictures. Hands, feet, animals, stick figures hunting. It was amazing. The floor had a thick layer of dust on it. It was obvious to Dobby and Ed that this was an ancient undisturbed place. As they went deeper in the tunnel the magic felt even stronger. Finally, after traveling downwards several hundred feet and almost a mile inside the rock, they arrived at a large circular room about 100 feet across and 30-40 feet high. The entire chamber walls and ceiling were covered in thousands of petroglyphs of people, animals, hand prints and footprints. The very center of the ceiling had a circle 25 feet across that was blank except for the constellations centered around the north star, Polaris.

Clearly drawn was Polaris and Ursa Minor. Surrounding it were all the major constellations of the northern hemisphere. Around the circle were drawings of what appeared to be big elves. Between every elf there was an animal. Among the animals were magical ones including dragons, unicorns, bow truckles, and thestrals.

The chamber luminescence irregularly pulsated faintly, almost like a heartbeat. The feeling of magic was very strong in the chamber. Dobby and Ed's hair was standing almost upright from their heads. This vortex was the strongest they had felt at any of the almost 80 sites they had visited already. Dobby shivered.

"I feel the old ones Ed, like they are trying to talk to me. This is where elves started."

Ed nodded and pointed. There were two small alcoves cut into the walls of the cave at the far end opposite the tunnel. One was at floor level and the opening was about three feet tall and as wide. It was empty except for a thick coating of dust. The room was about 8x8 with an 8-foot ceiling. The second was further up the wall at about the 30 foot level. It looked like a simple indentation in the wall but Dobby levitated Ed up to look. Ed excitedly climbed into the indentation and then poked his head out.

"There is another opening on the side here. You cannot see it from the floor where you are. Come up and see."

He levitated Dobby up and the two went into another chamber. This was bigger than the one below as 20x20 feet and 10 feet high. All four walls had many small four foot long, two feet high and three feet deep niches carved into the rock walls. In the center was a stone basin that had clean cold water flowing into it. There was an overflow drain that took the water away in the floor. Obviously, no one had been in here in a very long time. Dust covered the walls and floor. There was an undisturbed coating of dust at least an inch thick on the floor and the niches. Dobby and Ed snapped their fingers and banished the dust. The room brightened considerably and with the dust banished revealed more petroglyphs covering every inch of the walls around the niches.

"This place would hold lots of boxes of blue metal rods to charge. They would charge in a month, maybe less. Magic leaks here much more than anywhere else we be using or seeing Dobby. I'll take the bearing readings you write them down. There be six ley lines here all just beneath the floor, maybe ten feet down."

"I be not feeling well here. I feel the old one's presence besides the magic. It feels heavy on my soul. I don't think we should stay here long. Let's go. We need to let Harry know what we found. This be good place for blue metal to charge. Let's set the port key coordinates on our watches so we can come back here easy."

With that the two elves returned to the surface and found Harry. Staying disillusioned they tapped him on the shoulder. "We have much to discuss, we are through looking."

0o0o0

Neon discovery and trade

Even at the end of the hot strenuous day Luna was her usual bubbly self, while Harry was tired, cranky and hungry as they boarded the van back to the museum. Once there Luna took charge as they entered their rented Ford Explorer.

"We are going out to eat Harry. I asked around and there a local place called The Way Station."

As they left the parking lot, Dobby and Ed appeared in the back seat and promptly went to sleep. It took almost an hour to arrive at the restaurant and Dobby and Ed wok up, snaped their fingers and were dressed in their trading suits. The parking lot was nearly empty, but it was a Monday night and early so it was not surprising.

There were two old western stagecoaches on display in the parking lot underneath a large neon sign flashing The-Way-Station in fancy cursive script. There was also a neon cowgirl with very large Stetson on sweeping her arm and saying Welcome. Next to that was a ten by 20-foot neon cowboy on a bucking bronco. It was a real throwback to an earlier age of advertising. Every window facing the parking lot had a neon beer sign: Coors, Death Valley Brewing Company, Mad Sam's Ale, The Witches' Brew Lagar, Joe Dutch's Sloppy Stout, Sierra Nevada, Bucking Billy Red, Gansett, Ballentine Cream Ale, Three Sheets to the Wind Ale and the Buck-N-Ear Brew by the Pirate Brewing Company with finally Bronco Buster IPA. It was an impressive display. The Buck-N-Ear sign was a large ear of corn with the silk and husk being pulled down. Ed whispered to Dobby, "I want that Buck-N-Ear sign."

Dobby and Ed's eyes lit up at the neon bronco. They looked at each other and said simultaneously: "Denver!"

"Luna, I hope the food is as good as the advertising signs," smirked Harry.

When seated they perused the menu and the waitress arrived to take their orders.

"I'll have the Colossal Prime Rib with baked potato and a side salad with a Joe Dutch's Sloppy Stout," said Luna.

"Harry waived. "I'll have the double bison burger plate. One with Lettuce, Tomato and pickles and one with the onions, mushrooms and green peppers, cooked medium with the fries done extra crispy. And I'll have the Buck-N-Ear Brew."

Ed licked his lips. "I'm feeling like veggies today. I'll have the French crudités platter with the hot sauce, then two slices of peach pie, two slices of apple pie, two slices of cherry pie, an order of the melon plate and one chocolate cake with reduced cherry and chocolate sauce. And bring us a pitcher of orange or pineapple juice, whatever you have."

The waitress didn't even blink and looked at Dobby. "And you sir?"

"I'll have what Ed's having but no chocolate cake. I don't have the sweet tooth he does. If you have both juices, just mix them together please."

Luna burst out laughing. Once the waitress left Harry looked at Dobby and Ed. "OK boys, spill what did you find?"

"This be the strongest sight we have found by far Harry. Very old place, far inside mountain. We walked a few hundred feet down but almost a mile inside. There be long tunnel with chambers at start and finish. Hidden room. Very old, felt the old ones there. Original elves. The magic very strong. It was like they were talking to us," said Dobby.

"I took the bearings. They be six ley lines intersecting here. I think a box of the big rods will fully charge in four weeks. We could probably fit 30 boxes at a time in the space. We set our Goblin portkey watches to the site."

Dobby continued: The mapping also showed many big pieces of metal on the site. Many kinds, mostly Aluminum, some copper, some steel, brass, a little bit of titanium. Some others like silver and gold solder from electronics and instruments. Some be buried, some just laying out in the weather. Looks like small pieces to whole airplanes are scattered around the entire base. Maybe we could do something with it?"

Harry was gob smacked. He looked at Luna, then Dobby then Ed. This would provide us rods for years. We could really get ahead and stockpile. I only see one problem. This is a military installation. It's restricted. What if MACUSA is helping monitor this place. Port keying in and out is sure to bring notice. I'll have to talk to Dana Stone, Dan and Ted, and maybe John Steel.

"I'll go home tomorrow morning and start talking about this with Dan and Ted."

After dinner Harry and Luna headed back. Dobby and Ed said they would be along later and lingered to almost closing time when they asked if the owner or manager was around. The waitress came back with a man in cooks' apron and three glasses of lemonade, who sat down opposite the two nattily dressed elves.

"I'm Max the owner. I'm a little nervous. So, what do you want to talk about boys?"

"I be Ed and this is my partner. We be in the trading business. Here's our card.

Max picked it up and read it out loud. 'D&E Trading. Anything, Anywhere, Anyhow. We make miracles happen. It's like Magic!'

Dobby interrupted: "We trade mostly sand and sea salt, but we's also have thousands of other things to trade. We have restaurant equipment, airplanes, classic muscle cars, boats, fine crystal, tons of barbecue. You want something we most likely have it. All certified in A1 Excellent condition if used or brand new still in the box. We's like your stage coaches and the Cowboy and Cowgirl neon signs out in the parking lot and some of the beer signs. Are you interested in doing a trade?"

Max blew out a long breath and leaned back in his chair. "I was worried. I looked at the white silk suits and black bandanas and thought you were some kind of protection racket."

The two elves looked at each other and sighed. "We get that a lot. I don't know why? They are just very comfortable suits. We's just simple traders. We want to make deals. We go all over the world to deal. First off would you be willing and if you are, what do you need? If not, we will just go. No trouble."

"I'm not particularly fond of the Neon Cowboy and Cowgirl signs. They are over sisxty years old and now and cost me a fortune in maintenance. I'll trade just one of the coaches. It's the symbol of the restaurant. I need new air conditioning compressors and air handlers. The system is shot. I need two 30-ton models to handle this place. You wouldn't have a new Blodgett Pizza Oven? I could use a new Hobart floor mixer as well. What kind of muscle cars you have?"

Dooby smiled. We got any kind of restaurant equipment you want. We have a 69 Mustang fast back in midnight blue, 72 Road runner in lime green, both fully restored.

"Wow, always wanted a Road Runner, but those cars are a bit beyond my pocket book. I'll give you one stage coach and the two big neon signs and your pick of three of the beer signs for the a/c compressors, the stove and the mixer."

"How about all the beer signs and the dozen or so fiberglass steers you got scattered around the ole corral out back? Give us the lot in the deal and you can have the road runner too."

"That's not a fair trade to you guys. You giving up far too much for what I'm giving you."

"No worries, Max. You have a deal if you want."

"Deal," as he held out his hand to shake.

"We will see you in two days with your stuff and a truck to take the trade goods."

0o0o0

Explaining Aluminum

Harry was looking out the back slider at the Tiki Bar. "Does anyone know where Dobby and Ed got the neon beer signs that are on the Tiki Bar now?"

A chorus of no's came from Hermione and Emma, who were sitting at the dining room table drinking expresso while waiting for Dobby, Ed and Dan. Finally, Dan walked in with a flip chart on a tripod stand. Placing the chart and stand in the corner he turned to a world map.

"OK everyone, thanks for attending. Dobby asked me to do a bit of research on aluminum because Harry is going to need quite a bit for his future projects. It's made form an ore called Bauxite. The map shows the world, countries in silver are the Bauxite producers. It shows their known reserves and annual output in metric tons. As you can see that does not indicate the USA is a major producer. There are known deposits in the USA in Arkansas, Alabama and Georgia but at this point in time very little mining production. The US gets most of its ore from imports. World annual production is about 327 thousand tons. Known worldwide reserves are estimated by the Aluminum industry to be in the range of 30 million tons."

"The biggest current producers are Australia, Guinea, China, and Brazil, though they don't all have the biggest reserves, which is not relevant to our discussion. The world according to the industry recycles about 70% of the already produced aluminum. Some is lost to combustion when refuse is burned and most of the rest is lost to landfills. Harry thought we could get what we need from Saudi Ariba through our contacts from the lake business but their production is sold via long term contracts, so none is available for us for at least three years, and they are already in talks to extend those arrangements. Harry has indicated we should not and cannot wait that long. In my research I find manufactures buy aluminum by either: long term contracts with the producers, through recyclers or the spot market which is usually more expensive than a contracted arrangement. The recyclers are also relying on long term arrangements."

Dan took a sip of expresso. "We will need a lot of aluminum to make those plants in Arizona you are contemplating building. It would be easiest to have already finished aluminum to give to the manufacturer for what you need to create, or you could transfigure something else to aluminum but you run the risk of it not being permanent as Harry has enough on his plate to be spending the next few years transfiguring scrap. If we had a large pile of scrap aluminum, or any metals, teams of magical's and elves could transfigure it to what you need, so that's another job to be created." So, supply is our number one issue. Bottom line you can easily buy it from a number of sources in the quantity you need, you're just going to have pay for it in the marketplace, unless you find a free source. With the state of the businesses, paying for the metal is not a hardship."

"The next problem is the charging locations. Dobby and Ed are working that problem now. The aluminum may be a moot point if we cannot find another place to charge the rods. Without another charging station we can't move forward."

"Now a few weeks ago when Dobby came to lecture me, he told me about an old timer talking about how at the end of World War Two the government had thousands of surplus airplanes. Following the war, the estimate of 150,000 surplus obsolete aircraft left he government in a quandary as to what to do with them. Some were sold to individuals and countries; some were used for target practice. There was consideration to storing airplanes, but the expense to store them was too great after the expense of the war. So, the government decided to salvage the metal by cutting the planes in pieces and putting them in a smelter on site. They removed guns and certain electronics like radios and bomb sites. This was called 'salvage and melt'. Aluminum, copper, brass and steel were the primary recovered metals. They produced ingots which were then trucked out and sold."

Principal places this occurred was China Lake in the Mojave Desert region of California, Kingman Field in Arizona, Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson and Pyote AAF in Texas for longer-term storage."

"Chana Lake is a military base and we'll consider that separately. Walnut ridge has been turned into a large modern airport and a college purchased the rest of the land. Nothing remains of the old base, I'm doubtful anything left there for us to find. Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson is still active military base. Finally, Pyote AAF in Texas is abandoned. Not much was done after the war and if fell into disuse over time. That site could be surveyed. We may find aluminum buried there. Harry, you're up."

"Hi, I want your opinions. Dobby and Ed have found three places that can help us out. One is only a stop gap measure. It is at the Romanian Dragon Reserve. It would ease our problems with the current needs but do little towards the planned expansion. I have reservations as we cannot ensure secrecy. The second is in Palmdale California at the Lockheed installation called the Skunk Works. There is a sight at the edge of their parking lot. We would have to build a room about 20 feet down but we could double our charging capacity and it would fulfill needs going forward for several more plants. Dobby and ED have been in contact numerous times with their head of Global Real Estate and they keep telling them to scram. I'm surprised the military police have not come calling."

"Finally, Dobby and Ed found an amazing location in an old, old place. It's called Little Petroglyph Canyon. Unfortunately, it's on a Military reservation called China Lake with very restricted access. It has the ability to recharge everything we need every month or so. It drastically alters our capability. The mapping, according to Dobby and Ed also contains a vast amount of aluminum scrap from almost two thousand wrecked airplanes on the bombing ranges. There are also indications of several dozen aircraft from World War Two and the Korean era buried in sand dunes. Finally, there are two deposits of what looks like aluminum ingots piled up in shed on one of the dry lake beds that is covered in sand. I don't know if the site is monitored by MACUSA or not. We can't take a chance, get caught and ruin our business. I'm looking for ideas."

Emma stood up. "Harry, I think we need to bring in Ted and Dana Stone. Let's have Dana reach out to John Steel for help with China Lake and we have Ted work Lockheed. Dobby and Ed can give them a list of what you have or are willing to do to trade.

Dobby snapped his fingers and a large three ring binder appeared on the table. "There be our current inventory. Ed and I have a hot trade going. We be gone a few days."

0o0o0

Denver, Colorado

Dobby and Ed had arrived at the big stadium on top of the mile high mountain and charmed their way into the executive offices. Ed was perched on the corner of the desk of Mr. Pat's administrative assistant chatting her up. Dobby was sitting quietly on a nice upholstered leather chair in the corner looking out over the team's field and idly flipped beads on his abaccas.

"Mr. Pat will see you now Gentlemen. It was very nice meeting you Ed. I appreciate the flowers and the Belgian Chocolates. I've never had any so fine before."

"My pleasure dear," answered Ed as he followed Dobby into the owner's office.

"Well gentlemen, my good friend Jerry in Dallas called me and said you were legit and encouraged me to talk to you. I like the look. Those Italian suits sure look fine. I think I may have the same Hawaiian shirt in my closet."

Dobby handed over their business card. 'D&E Trading. Anything, Anywhere, Anyhow. We make miracles happen. It's like Magic!' I am Dobby and this be Ed. We's come to trade, cause that's what we do. I've got something that would really add some class to the entrance of this here mile up on top of the mountain stadium."

"What would that be?"

"My friend and yours Jerry said you were looking for some neon. We have neon that is perfect for your football team."

"Are you telling me you got a vintage bronco riding cowboy sign that is animated?"

"Twenty foot tall, the hoss is in mid jump, the cowboy has a giant Stetson in one hand, holding a braided rein in the other, chap covered legs splayed out to the side and 'Wha-Hoo' coming out of his mouth. The sign cycles with the horse jumping up and down and side to side, it is quite detailed, one of a kind. Not only that we got a cowgirl sign that is the same size that sweeps her arm holding a Stetson and says welcome."

Ed piped up now: "Both signs, while old have been perfectly restored to like 'new condition' using new old original' parts. And we can deliver in less than a week. Here's a picture of them."

Mr. Pat let out a long low whistle. This here is exactly what I've been looking for. How much?"

"Oh, we don't generally deal in cash money. We prefer to trade, you know barter, cash only as a last resort," answered Dobby.

"Yes, Jerry said that. What do you want?"

"What do you have?"

"I don't know what you'd like. Tell me Mr. Dobby and Mr. Ed what would you like?"

"I'm glad you put it that way. We will trade the signs for one dozen tickets to each of the next three seasons Superbowl's, in a luxury box, and twenty-five official team jerseys from every NFL team with assorted numbers from each team. Mix up the sizes with small, medium, large and extra-large."

"I can do that. That's all you want?"

"Throw in a hot dog, a cotton candy and a popcorn machine from the concession area."

"Deal!"

"Deal!"

0o0o0

Meeting of the minds at Chesterfield

Harry was sitting at the Tiki Bar drinking lemonade and watching the elven children playing in the lake. In a half hour he'd be hosting a meeting that could potentially make or break his expansion plans. He finished his drink and headed inside when he saw Hermione come out on to the deck and wave.

"They are all here Harry, come on in."

Harry walked into the dining room and shook John Steel's hand. Dan, Emma, Hermione, Dobby, Winky and Ed all sat at the table. The buffet was set with all manner of drinks and finger foods.

Thak you for making the time John." Turning he went to Dana Stone and hugged her. "I really appreciate you attending this meeting. Ted, thank you. Everyone please help yourself to the buffet and take a seat."

When seated Ted Tonks slid a piece of paper over to John Steel. "John this is a confidentiality agreement. Harry really hates to ask you sign it but we have something very important to discuss and it's Harry competitive advantage."

John looked at it and pulled a pen out of his pocket and signed, then slid it back to Ted.

"Wow Harry, two lawyers at this meeting. It must be big," smiled John Steel.

"I'm sorry John. It's what I pay them for. Ted's been my personal lawyer, mentor, advisor since I was 14. Dana as you know has helped me with the businesses. John, other than the people here, you know more about my business dealing than anyone alive. I've kept much compartmentalized and secret. My biggest secret is how the Firesticks work. I use the same technology in the California Waterworks plants. I've found out that a cobalt metal rod can hold a magical energy charge. It's harmless to people yet it gives me a great advantage to help people. The problem I have is finding places to charge the rods. You know about ley lines. Sometimes they cross. Where there are three or more that cross, and if they are very close to the surface, they leak. Most of the known ones are ancient sites, monuments, tourist attractions. Non-magical call them vortexes and think they are ultramagnetic energy sources. But the fact is the ley lines leak magic. If I place a rod in one of these places it absorbs the magical energy. It takes time. It is finite. They more you put in a place, the slower the charge. An old place that uses it to power wards can be affected. I've essentially maxed out my charging ability. I cannot do further expansion without new charging stations. I'm just keeping up now with the expenditure."

"So, this means you will have to stop building water plants. The Arizona plan will be put on the shelf and you are in danger of having plants shut down if you have an interruption."

"Correct, I wanted to help people, make a difference. I made a mistake and expanded too far too fast."

"So, what can I do to help you?"

Harry sighed. "We have identified two locations that will go a long way to solving my problem of the next hundred years. The problem is one site is on Lockheed Corporation property and they keep telling Dobby and Ed to 'SCRAM'. The other site is inside a protected National Historic Landmark, Little Petroglyph Canyon, which is inside China Lake military reservation."

John Steel brushed his hair back with both hands and sighed. "You don't ever tackle easy problems kid."

"In the Canyon, there is a hidden cave. It winds downwards a few hundred feet over a curving one-mile path. At the end is a cavern and up the wall is another hidden cave. It would be enough to charge everything I currently use every four to six weeks. Dobby and Ed found it. They were drawn to it. They think it is where elve's originated from. They are both sensitive to magic. They felt the old ones calling to them. Does MACUSA help the military by monitoring the base? If we used a port key to get in and out would it trigger something?"

"I cannot tell you what protections are there as I'm not privy to them, but you'd get an almost immediate response."

"Is there anything you can do to get me a meeting with the powers that could grant access?"

"Ok Harry, let me bring this up with certain people in the highest levels of MACUSA. I think I can get your meeting and ensure an out come with Lockheed. No promises on China Lake. It will take some doing. Give me five days. I'll be back to talk it over with you and your advisors."

"Thank you, John. That's all I can really ask of you."

"Wait a minute, before you go," said Dobby. Mr. John. Dobby represents all the elves here. If it will help, we can do something in return for the Military base. I can bring over two hundred fifty qualified powerful elves to bear on a problem. With the Great and Wonderful Mr. Harry Potter Sir, we's can accomplish just about anything."

"There's that many elves here in the US? I did not think there were that many left in the world!"

"Yes, and we all be free elves. We's made our home on Mr. Harry's land."

"I will remember your offer." John stood and left.

Winky looked at Ted Tonks. "Mr. Ted. You should be looking for a big remote hanger and land for planes and aluminum scrape processing. Harry will need it soon."

Ted looked to Harry. "Do it Ted. Winky is never wrong about these things."

0o0o0

Got Milk?

"Dan did you see what the elves are doing by the lake?"

"No. What now?"

"The little elves are painting about two dozen fiberglass cows to look like Holstein's."

"I saw them in the drive way last night. They arrived by port key about 11:00 pm."

"Look at the finished one. They installed it next to the Tiki bar. It's got a milk chiller inside. It has taps of White, Chocolate and Strawberry Cow's Milk plus one for Coconut Milk."

"Well, the little elves need drinks too. The Tiki bar didn't serve milk."

"Did you see the new hot dog, cotton candy and popcorn machines?"

"No, where are they. The popcorn machine is in the Cookie Food Truck. And the Cotton Candy is in the French fry shack. Maximus is doing fired dough tonight. Willie is setting up the hot dog machine in the Tiki Bar."

"Dessert at the Tiki Bar tonight!"

"With all this activity and stuff around the lake has anyone from the town ever stopped by to inquire?"

"Nope, and I don't think we will ever see them unless we invite them in. Harry placed a big selective muggle notice me not charm on the lake and the elf's living area. If you're not keyed in to the house wards you won't see all the honky tonk, the lake, the unicorns. Plus, Dobby and Ed donated enough sand and salt to the street department for the next five winters plus they send over a barbecue platter and a case of fruit juice every Friday, gratis. You won't be seeing anyone from the town bothering us. As for the neighbors, we've bought the land around us. No one is close enough to see anything back here."

"OK."

0o0o0

Lockheed Decision

Five days later John steel arrived in Chesterfield as promised. I've made arrangements for a meeting at the Lockheed Skunk works facility in Palm Dale a week from today. You should bring Dobby and Ed and Ted Tonks. I'll be along as well as a few government officials. As for China lake discussions are going on at a high level. I'll let you know the outcome after the Lockheed meeting.

0o0o0

Meeting at the Skunk Works

Palmdale California, Executive floor, Lockheed Martin, Skunk Works.

"Mr. Drysdale will see you gentlemen now."

Mr. Alfred Drysdale's administrative assistant Carla, watched as the five men walked into the head of Global Real Estate and smiled with amusement. Of the two shortest of the group, Ed was quite the charmer. He had given her a red rose, said her beauty far eclipsed the flower and a beautiful Waterford Crystal paper weight for her desk. She liked their Italian silk suits, colorful Hawaiian shirts, black bandanas and fedoras. The last two of the group were dressed more conservatively. She was shocked to recognize the US Secretary of Defense. He was definitely not on her schedule for this meeting.

"Hi, I be Mr. Dobby, he be Mr. Ed, that is Mr. Tonks, and Mr. Steele and that is the Secretary of Defense, whom I believe you know. Mr. Drysdale we's here to bargain with you about renting some space on your property."

"Mr. Secretary? I did not expect you here today? I was humoring these gentlemen as they made almost one hundred requests for a meeting to rent a small space on this property. It wasn't until their lawyer Mr. Tonks, reached out to me that I acquiesced to the meeting."

"And where is the president of Lockheed, Mr. Steven Q. Roberts? I asked him to attend, said the Secretary of Defense."

"Now, now, Bob, I'm right here, I was right behind you," answered the Lockheed President. "Let's all sit down and we can talk. I'm intrigued to get a call from President Calvin Longhorn from MACUSA asking me to talk to Messrs. Dobby and Ed. I'm intrigued about you two. You've been quite persistent in asking to do a trade. Who the hell are you?"

"We are sort of jack of all trades. Consider us acquisition specialists. The people in the company call us The Traders. Here is our business card."

Mr. Roberts read it out loud. 'D&E Trading. Anything, Anywhere, Anyhow. We make miracles happen. It's like Magic!' Ok then, So, spill what can we do for you?"

Dobby answered. "We have identified a spot in the far corner of your parking lot that turns out to a perfect spot for us to build a concrete room 20x20x20 and buried about 50 feet underground. We is doing a, shall we say, a very long term experiment, we will put instruments in there and want to lease the space for 100 years.

Mr. Roberts raised an eyebrow. "100 years? Instruments huh? What company do you represent and why would you bring along the Secretary of Defense and a high-level official like Mr. Steel from the other side?"

"I'll answer that," said the Secretary. This is for California Waterworks Corporation. The folks who bring drinking water to more than half of California, they run the desalination plants up and down the coast. Your firm does top secret work for the government, so do they. One of their projects is a ultra top-secret project. Your facility happens to be in a prime location, we'd appreciate it if you would consider it a matter of national security."

Dobby spoke up: "We want lease for 100 years. We will bring sealed boxes to store in the room. We leave them there for approximately 8 to 10 weeks. Then we will come back and swap them put. This is matter of urgency for us."

"Can I ask what this is for?"

"I'm sorry, need to know only. And you have to forget we were ever here."

"Will there be anything dangerous in the room? Do we have to worry?"

"No totally inert material. No danger unless it falls on your toes when they move them. Just some heavy things that absorb random stuff and records it. Nothing radioactive if that's what your concerned about. It also won't blow up or burn." The secretary leaned back in his chair.

"What do you want us to do?"

"Just give them the space to build their concrete box below ground and access when they need it. Keep it secret and don't ask any questions about it."

"So, what's in for us, asked President Roberts with a smile? We are a private corporation, I wouldn't be doing my fiduciary duty to the stockholders if I didn't ask."

Ed spoke up. "Let's make a trade. We will build out what we need, no cost to you and we do it all in one night after you send everyone away. You won't even lose a parking spot. You give us a 100 year lease for a thousand dollars a year with access as needed. In return I will trade you three ground breaking airplanes Lockheed made early in its existence for your company museum. I can provide a 1927 Vega, numbered 2, fully restored flyable condition, and a 1928 Air Express Special, the only one in existence. Finally, a 1931 Orion in the original configuration. I believe this is the only example left other than the highly modified one in the Swiss Air Museum. Finally, I have a three volume set of engineering journals that record Allen Loughead's ideas in the early 1920's."

"Where in the world did you find them? We thought all examples were lost?"

"Trader's secret. Here and there," answered Ed with a smirk.

"The secretary spoke up. You'd be doing the country a great service by helping out here."

"Al, give them what they want," said Mr. Roberts with a sigh.

"Oh, I have to ask," said Dobby. "Mr. Drysdale, are you related to Milburn Drysdale who is president of a big bank in Beverley Hills?"

0o0o0

Archie AAF Base, South Dakota

"Hello Harry, it's Ted. I've found a place like Winky asked. "

"That's good, where is it?"

"It's in the middle of nowhere, about 30 miles north and east of Prairie City South Dakota so privacy is assured. There is not another building for miles. It's all open grasslands. It's a closed Army Air Force Base used for training in WW2 and the Strategic Air Command based interceptors there in the 50's. It's been mothballed since 1959 and only used for emergency landings as it's got a reinforced runway that can handle any jet in existence now.

The government is willing to lease it if you take care of the runway and the emergency lighting system. It has five very large hangers. An admin building, about a dozen Quonset huts for staff and a huge maintence facility. It has a good access road for trucks and it is fenced in. It's in excellent shape. You can do your aluminum collecting and transfiguration there. Do you want to see it?

"No thanks Ted. I don't have to see it, I trust you. Do the best deal you can. Let's see if you can get five years with three five year options for extensions. I don't know how long we will need it."

"Will do Harry."

0o0o0

Charting a course, China Lake solution

A few weeks later, Harry welcomed Johnn Steel back to his home in Chesterfield. He had his closest advisors sitting at the dining room table: Hermione, Dan, Emma, Ted, Dana, Winky and of course Dobby and Ed, whom John had specifically asked to be in attendance.

Winky and Dobby floated cups of steaming cappuccino to everyone. There were several plates filled with strawberries and chocolate dipped biscotti's as well as some delicious chocolate eclairs.

Thank you's came from around the table.

John Steel smiled. "I wish all my meetings were as pleasant as coming here. I have some news, whether it's good or bad is up to you."

"Sounds ominous John," opined Dana.

"Well, I had to go much higher up the food chain to get the deal I'm proposing to you. I had more leeway with Lockheed though my personal contacts and the fact they are a private company with private property. With China Lake we are dealing with a national landmark inside a military reservation that is site to some very sensitive goings on and testing. I had to engage the MACUSA President to talk to the US President when I hit a brick wall with the Secretary of Defense. He could not do anything without the Secretary of the Interior because of the Canyon and I did not want to bring another party into this without disclosure."

"So, what happened," asked Ted.

"Let me ask a few questions. Dobby and Ed, are you still willing to bring your elven friends to help Harry perform a job to get the lease?"

"I'll answer that for them," stated Winky. "We's all be very willing to help Harry, but we's need to know what you have in mind before we be saying yes."

"The president of the USA wants to meet you all and discuss this in person before he gives the final go ahead. The Department of Defense has a big problem at China Lake. If you didn't know over the years, they have done much weapons testing on various ranges. Have you ever heard of Depleted Uranian Rounds, or DU's? In the early 80's the military, tested shells capped with depleted uranium. They have great penetrating power due to their density being greater than lead. Unfortunately, they did not realize they were contaminating a very big area. The use of DU in munitions is controversial because of concerns about potential long-term health effects. Uranium is considered toxic with enough exposure, especially dust or smoke from combustion.

They issued a request for proposal dated July 2, to locate all the DU rounds and clean up six bombing ranges. Here is a copy. 'DECOMMISSIONING PLAN for NAVAL AIR WEAPONS STATION (NAWS) CHINA LAKE'. The cost estimates received are astronomical. I was told many, many millions of dollars with no guarantees they could find it all. The have tried scanning the ground from planes and helicopters with radiation detection instruments but it gets lost in the normal background response and natural uranium deposits found there as it emits less radiation, about 60%, than natural uranium. This is going to be grunt work on the ground to find them."

"The President who is in the know about magic, contacted MACUSA and asked if a team of magical could go there and summon the DU's. Frankly Harry, I doubt I could find ten people in all of North America who had the power to summon DU's and complete the project as group in ten years. I was about to say no when you came to me with your problem. I was thinking you had a ready-made group. You must have 20 or more people from the water business who can summon and guide it to a collection point. Plus, you have the amazing elven friends. This project is very doable with a group you can put together. What do you think?"

"How dangerous are the DU's?"

"I won't lie, having it next to you for an extended period of time can and most likely would be harmful. Very short incidental contact is very unlikely. It's less than back ground radiation. Protective clothing and breathing apparatus should be used and can be provided. I am thinking that your teams can summon from a big area and direct it into large lead lined containers we would provide on-site. You'd have no need to handle them, no matter the size. The government in return will give you ten million dollars to do the cleanup, a 100 year lease, which will annually renewable at your option after the first term, use of the canyon site for one dollar a year as long as you portkey in and out. No trucks and no traffic, no one sees you come or go and you don't leave the cave. All on the Q.T.

"Dobby wants to know if we find broken up aero planes and scrap metal, can we be taking it way for recycling?"

"I will have to ask, but I'm sure that if it's not an explosive they would gladly let you take them as part of the deal."

"I'll have to discuss this with my advisors, the water team, and the Elves, John. We will need a few days to get back to you. I think this is feasible and a solution." Answered Harry.

0o0o0

Decision time

After John Steel left Harry looked around the table. "What do you think Hermione?"

"I'm afraid of the health risk but it should be minimal if it is less than naturally occurring radiation and you wear protective clothing. You'd have to decontaminate afterwards but we can easily set up a clean shower room in the dessert."

"Ted what are you thinking?"

"You solve three things with this engagement. You secure your charging station for many years to support the businesses. You also get a ten-million-dollar stipend to give your help and the elves are sure that there is enough aluminum for them to recover to solve your expansion projects."

"Emma, your thoughts?"

"I'm ok with it as long as your careful. I don't want anyone touching any of it. Levitate it all."

"Dan?"

I'm good, but I want to come along to help manage our end of the project."

"Dobby and Ed?"

Both elves had a predatory grin and gave a thumbs up. "We's will provide our group."

'What was Dobby up to,' thought Harry?

0o0o0

China Lake clean up and Salvage

It was late afternoon and Dan Granger looked around the CH-53e super stallion helicopter that was taking them to their China Lake campsite destination. It had been two weeks since the last meeting with John Steel, a meeting in the Oval Office with the Presidents of MACUSA and the USA. They had driven a hard bargain. There was a no-fly zone within 50 miles of their campsite and the six ranges they were to clean up. The base was in lockdown, no one in or out. Everyone was to stay away from their location. They had ten days. Harry was determined to be out in seven.

Dobby and Ed were quivering with excitement. They were sure that Harry's team of witches and wizards would be able to summon the DUR's without elf help. His team of over 250 adult elves would scour the installation for wrecked airplanes and scrap metal. They saw a great opportunity to help Harry and also have something to repair and trade. Dobby and Ed were very secretive about their map and what their symbology on the map indicated.

He smiled at the excited group of magical's on board. Harry had brought fifteen members of his lake water team. His best most powerful flyers. He had tents, and supplies for ten days but wanted to be out the morning of the seventh day. He allocated one day per range to clean up.

He and Harry had gone over the range maps and picked a central spot to encamp. It was at a higher elevation in some low mountains that made up part of the military base. It would only be a short transit to each range to do the cleanup. Dobby and the elves would portkey in once the camp was set up. The President had readily agreed to the elf's desire to harvest the aluminum scrap. He had a feeling that there was more scrap than anyone contemplated. He had a decontamination tent set up by the Navy. There was a lead lined metal dumpster next to it for them to disposal of the protective clothing. Each range had dumpsters for their recoveries also. He had fifteen tents for the 25 people on the expedition plus a mess hall tent for eating and socializing. The elves would provide the food.

The helicopter landed at their camp site and discharged passengers and cargo quickly. The elves popped in and disappeared into a tent shaped like tree of their own. With in an hour all the tents were set up and a meeting inside the mess hall was called.

"OK listen up everyone," thundered Harry to get their attention. Dinner is here in one hour. Get your quarters squared away. I ask you all to get to bed early. We will start early tomorrow and have a long day. Breakfast is promptly at 5:00 a.m. We fly beginning at 6:00 a.m. We work until we are done on the range or the sun goes down. Thank you, enjoy the evening."

Once the evening meal was over and everything cleaned up and the camp became quiet Dobby called his own meeting in the tree.

"Ok everybody, Ed has the maps and the assignments for each team. You be going out in ten elf teams. We be starting in an area the non-magicals called the Bone Yard. They had many aero planes stored there and then dismantled. The Survey Says there still be a few full aero planes buried in the sand. Then there be many pieces parts of planes. We's want them whole ones first. We's gonna make a pile out back of the camp. Stay together, be careful and harvest that scrap. The elves disappeared in masse.

0o0o0

China Lake clean up and Salvage part 2

Throughout the night the elven teams brought back pieces of aero planes that were mostly aluminum. Some were just shredded bent pieces but some were whole wings, tail sections, engine nacelles, stabilizers, turrets and landing gear. Dobby and Wily carefully arranged the piles into junk and possible useful pieces of aero plane. Ed and his team arrived with 26 cast aluminum ingots, 34 brass, and fifty copper ones, each weighing about 50 pounds each that had been left behind by the smelting operation. Ed placed them on wooden pallets next to the pile of scrap. About an hour before daylight a worn but intact Martin B-26 Marauder showed up. It had been recovered from under ten feet of sand. Then a few minutes later a German ME-262. This was in two pieces. It had been cleanly chopped in two behind the pilot's seat, then was covered with windblown sand and forgotten. Intact F4 Phantom II and a Huey H1 Helicopter arrived.

"There were several large pieces of B-29 fuselages, wings, tail sections and engines. Wily the mechanic nodded his head. "There be enough here to build one may be two full planes."

Dobby called all the teams back. They carefully put the more intact pieces next to the full planes, cast strengthening charms over them, then a camouflage tarp, and finally piled all the scrape pieces completely hiding the intact planes and big sections of wrecks within the pile. There were pieces parts of more than thirty different aircraft in the pile. Dobby was smiling as the elves retired to the tree house tents to rest. He was sure that his crew could put together and restore more than twenty antique aircraft. He had serious trading opportunity with this lot!

The camp was bustling well before sun up and the crew fed very well as Harry led them off on their first recovery effort. The ranges were designated by letters of the alphabet A-F for the six ranges. They landed at the beginning of the first range A next to a metal dumpster that was lined with lead. A lead cover was on the ground next to it. The team was dressed in protective clothing and wearing respirators. They did not want to pick up any dust in this project.

"OK folks, mount up, spread one hundred yards apart and we'll fly at about fifty feet height. Let's keep the speed down to about 30 miles an hour. Cast accio DU in an arc in front of you. Just like we do with the lake refills. We will direct them into a mass and people will peel off and direct it back into the metal container. We are going to go from one end of the range to the other then move over and come back. After going one way we will go side to side so as to cover the ground twice. We need to get everything. We will cover all of this ground today. Any questions? No, let's go."

The first few minutes they found nothing then DU rounds and small particles started to rise up in the air and come towards the broom riders. Harry was in the middle and about 20 feet higher took over and directed the rounds into a cloud that gently swirled around. After twenty minutes they had come to the end of the first pass of the range and moved over and started back. By this time the cloud had become very visible and Harry passed it off to Fred Weasley who flew it back to the dumpster and directed it inside. Fred hurried to rejoin the crew. This went on hour after hour. At noon Harry called a rest for lunch. Landing they went through the decon tent and sat down to eat in the shade of rocky outcrop. They had covered more than two thirds of Range A and the Dumpster was almost full. He called for Dobby and sent him back to Dan with a message to get a second dumpster as fast as possible. After lunch they redressed, donned their respirators and took off to finish the range.

By six o'clock they had finished covering the entire range twice and filled a second dumpster entirely. It was a great result but tiring. They returned to the campsite for well-deserved showers and a scrumptious feast put up by Dobby and the Elves.

John Steel and the Secretary of the navy joined them for dinner at Harry's table with Dan Granger.

"This is simply amazing. I admit I had real doubts you could pull this off but you filled two 40-yard dumpsters and piled a mountain of scrapped blown up airplane pieces."

Dobby spoke up and slid an inspection form across the table to the SecNav. "Can you inspect in the morning sir and sign the release form, we's need to begin moving the pile immediately sir."

"Of course, Dobby, I won't hold you up."

Harry looked at Dobby and from his face knew he was up to something.

Over the next five days Harry's team had recovered 99.4% of all the expended ammunition from all six ranges. The Navy was very happy. The missing ammunition most likely burned up in the explosions and fires or was buried deeply in the sands. This was better than the best outcome they had hoped for happening. The elves had taken away a mountain of scrap metal. They cleaned up an embarrassing environmental concern, cleaned up the debris from hundreds of destroyed target aircraft that littered the dessert and cost far less than any of the estimates they had received.

The exhausted team was airlifted out and then returned to their homes.

0o0o0

Archie AAF Base South Dakota

Harry Potter port keyed into the hanger just about ten in the mroning. "Hello Wily. Tell me what you got? Dobby has been avoiding me. I know he was being sneaky, sneaky."

Willy the chief mechanic, not to be confused with Wille the Tiki Hut Bartender was whistling while he separated pieces of broken planes. He was very happy as he looked at the task ahead of him laid out inside a hanger. He had a section with floor to ceiling warehouse racking and colored bins that he was sorting spare parts onto. Another wall was stacked with aircraft engines! He had ten nearly fully intact aero planes and four that could be put together from multiple plane remnants. Then he had plenty of parts to fix up for sale inventory. They had years of work! One of the intact planes was a B-26 Martin Marauder. It needed lots of work after laying in the sand pile in the desert for years but was easily salvageable. It had everything including its bombsite and guns. Another one was a B-24 minus the tail section, but Dobby said he had one in the Blue Whale storage facility back in Chesterfield.

"We's found some intact and nearly complete planes at China Lake. Some from Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona, and some from Kingmen Army Airfield, in Arizona. From the pieces parts we can probably make another seven or eight very rare planes.

One of them is a very rare B-32 Dominator bomber. We think it is the only one left of 118 built in 1945. The National Air and Space Museum wants this and Dobby and Ed be talking to them.

There is enough Build a total of about 25 to 30 separate aero planes that are more common but still in demand. We could use some of the low mages help if they went to school for aircraft mechanics, electrical, machinists and sheet metal. Ed has already found museums and collectors around the world who are interested in the restored planes or just parts. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum is looking for parts for any of their planes on display, particularly B-29 parts. Our B-24 is the very last one that was built. The Smithsonian does not have a complete B-24 and they are hot for this one as it's the last one. Ed is working on a biggie trade with them."

"What could they have that you would want?"

"You'd have to talk to Ed, I just fix em Mr. Harry Sir.

"Ok." Harry thoughtabout all the goodies that had been brought to the house and decided it was better not to ask questions.

"What are you doing now?"

"I'm sorting pieces, parts, making an inventory and we will sell or trade what we don't need. We sell individual parts and assemblies. Now here is one that is already sold once I finish refurbishment. It is a ME two-six-two. A German jet! Almost all there. The English Imperial War Museum is the buyer. Ed took three of their spare tanks in trade. A Tiger, a Tiger II and an Elephant Tank Destroyer. He's already got a deal for those with the Museum of the Battle of the Bulge Clervaux in Belgium. He mentioned getting beer, chocolate and waffles in return!"

"I have sorted just one pile and found parts of three more that were blown up. I can fix this one from those parts, build a second complete one from the pile of parts in back of you, then refurbish about one quarter of the other parts for sale. Those other two piles are early Sabre Jets. I think we can build one complete plane from the two piles. I may be able to build four different fighter planes from all these parts you see spread out! I even have a rare Russian Yak fighter! We will see. Museums want these, not to mention collectors."

"That's interesting. How much aluminum did you salvage?"

"We's got almost 10,000 tons outside. We have four pallets, each holding 40 ingots weighing 50 pounds each, we found in the sand the smelters left behind. Then we got pieces parts we won't use. There is a big pile in back of the hanger that is just scrape to be transfigured or we can take it to a scrap yard for money to buy new finished ingots. I be thinking it best if you don't transfigure the scrap. Sell it and just pay the manufacturer to get new Aluminum to make your parts. We got enough that you be having lots of extra money when's we done."

Fini

The Omake

The Casino Trade

Dobby and Ed arrived in Las Vegas and made their way to the Scarlett Sandy Flamingo Hotel in time for their 10:00 am appointment with the management. Following directions, they approached the elevators and made their way to the thirty second floor penthouse. They were quite surprised to see two hulking men dressed just like they were standing in front of a double door to the executive offices. White Italian silk suits, but black shirts instead of Hawaiian, Black ties and black fedoras.

"Nice suits you got their boys. Who's your tailor, ours is from Milan, Giovanni's Bespoke on Garibaldi Way," asked Ed?

"Uh, we's got ours in da Bronx, Little Italy, Mike the Tailor is his name." (Think heavy Brooklyn accent here).

"Oh well, you got good taste in my opinion. We's be Dobby and Ed, we's be expected."

The two elves followed the guard inside to a well-appointed study. Nice paneling, Persian carpets, magnificent mahogany furniture and period Tiffany lamps dotted the room.

"Hi I be Dobby, this be Ed," said Dobby as he pointed to himself then to Ed.

A man was sitting at the desk, a silver-haired gent with a receding hairline was sitting on the couch, another man, a very large imposing man was leaning against a book case watching silently. The man sitting stood and extended his hand. "I'm Michael Corleone. This is my Consigliore, Tom Hagen, the man leaning is my associate Martello."

Dobby looked at him. "Martello? Doesn't that mean hammer in Italian? Are you a carpenter?"

The man scowled and shook his head. "Not hardly."

Dobby shook his head and smiled. "What does Consigliore mean, Mr. C?"

"You don't know? I thought you were Italian? It means advisor."

"Oh, I get it. We also have advisors, there be Dan, a Dana and a Ted too. We's not Italian. We's from everywhere. People of the earth." He handed over their card.

Michael C held it out and read it: 'D&E Trading. Anything, Anywhere, Anyhow. We make miracles happen. It's like Magic!' "Trading uh? What can I do for you gents today? I do say you were quite persistent in asking for this appointment."

"We's heard you plan on demolishing this fine building. We came to make an offer you can't refuse!"

Michael raised his left eyebrow and looked at Tom Hagen. "An offer we can't refuse Tom, he says. You ever do any trading with my father Vito?"

Dobby took out his notebook and started flipping through it, finally shaking his head. "Nope,no Vito in my book."

"Well back to the hotel. It's a bit old and needs a lot of work to bring it up to today's standard. It's far cheaper to tear it down and build new."

"That would be a shame to make it rubble. Well, we's like to help you. Tearing down, must cost lots of pretty pennies. We's like to make trade. Youse let us take building, lock, stock and barrel, with everything in it and we leave you clean site, hole filled in with sand. If youse agreeable I can have my crew here next week and we be done in just one maybe two nights."

"Just a moment boys." Micheal and Tom went to the corner and whispered for a few moments. "OK, you really mean you can remove the hotel, everything in just a few nights?"

"Of course. We have a big crew. It's like magic what we can do."

"That sounds like an offer I can't refuse. You got the job. I warn you, that if you don't deliver there will be consequences."

"Youse no worry Mr. C. When we's done you will think the job was like magic. Youse just have everyone out of here next Sunday and we's get the job done."

"DAWAETOO"

Three weeks later at Harry's house in Chesterfield.

"Hello Ted, I thought you were not coming until the weekend? Is Andy with you," asked Dan Granger.

"No, I'm here on business. Dobby sent a note asking to speak to me. Asked if you, Dan and Emma would sit in."

"What's he want?"

"No Idea, he didn't say but: 'Its important Ted'."

They walked into the dining room to find Dobby and Ed standing looking out the window at the lake. They were dressed in their 'sales' clothes, three-piece white Italian silk suits, Hawaiian shirts with a black bandana and black fedoras.

"Mr. Ted! Thank you for coming today," said Dobby!

We's have business to discuss. Sit please." He snapped his fingers and plates of chocolate biscotti and bottles of Orange Crush appeared on the table with cups of expresso in front of everyone.

"As you know Ted the elves have made a mountain of coins working with Mr. Harry Potter building his lakes. With the sand his clients threw away and told us to take, we's made another fortune TRADING. We made even more with the sea salt. We's used a lot of the coins to buy land next to Mr. Harry Potter, sirs land. Almost 300 hundred acres."

"I understand Dobby. I helped with those purchases. What do you need me for, it seems you are doing all right?"

"Ed and I made biggie trade. We saw a Mr. C who owned the Scarlett Sandy Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. We's traded pile of sand for old Casino in Las Vegas."

"How did you do that," asked Ted.

"Best leave what happened in Vegas, in Vegas Ted. We's moved it here onto our land in the back. We's going to fix it up nice, nice, then runs the casino, for magical peoples and muggles, by elves. We's want you to help declares us indigent to MACUSA so we can have license to open elf casino. Ted, we need you to have it proclaimed sovereign elf property."

"Do you mean Indigenous Dobby?"

"Isn't that what I said?"

Ted shook his head. "Never mind Dobby. To be an Indigenous people your origins have to be here. You are a British Elf."

"Nope, nope, nope. Elveses are from the earth. Mother earth. We be children of mother earth. So we in-dig-enous, even here."

"The government only recognizes established tribes to be categorized as Indigenous."

"One moment please." Dobby and Ed went in a corner and conferred for a few moments.

"Ted. We's from the DAWAETOO tribe then."

"What?"

"Dobby, please explain that. Ted looks a little shell shocked," asked Harry.

"DAWAETOO is short form of Dobby And Winky And Ed Too."

Harry spit a mouthful of orange crush across the table. "Sorry folks." He cleaned it up with a slight wave of his hand.

"What would you call the Casino Dobby?"

"Either Trading Aces or the Sand Pit. Have not decided yet."