Chapter Fourteen
Harry dreaded getting back on the train to Hogwarts and he was only too pleased to accept Severus's offer to take him directly that morning.
He waited in the empty dorm room for the other students to arrive. On schedule, house elves began popping into the room bringing people's cases.
"Excuse me." Harry said to an old looking house elf.
"Dusty, at your services sirs!" He beamed giving Harry a low bow.
"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?" Harry asked.
Dusty shook his head, "Sorry sirs but I is very busy right now. Not so busy tomorrow though, pop by the kitchens and you can asks away."
"Where are the kitchens?" Harry asked.
"Near classrooms 38, just find the picture with the fruit bowl and tickles the pear." Dusty smiled, and popped out of the room with a bow.
Harry wondered downstairs planning on waiting at the Slytherin table when he heard the voice again. Over the Christmas holidays he'd forgotten just how terrifying the voice was.
"Crush them…..hurt them…..they're back….must rip….must kill….."
Harry took several deep breaths and felt his heart rate rising. He ran back up the corridor and turned on the spot but the voice was gone.
He made his way slowly down to the great hall listening as hard as he could for the voice but it was long gone. He sat shakily at the table with the few others that where still at school over the holidays.
"Are you all right Harry?" Pansy asked sitting down next to him.
Harry waited for the other two to sit down and leaned in closely, "I heard it again." he whispered, "The voice. It knows people are back."
"But no attacks over the holidays?" Daphne said
Harry shook his head, "Nope. Not that Dad's been told of anyway."
"Well that's something I guess." Draco said shaking his head.
"I do have a plan though. I have a theory that someone is controlling Dobby. Putting thoughts into his head that's making him act all strangely." Harry told them.
"I don't even think that's possible Harry." Pansy said, "House elves are stupidly powerful, it would take a lot to control one like that."
"I know, that's why I need to talk to the house elves here; there's loads of them so they should know just about everything." Harry explained, "I know where the kitchens are so we can go tomorrow."
They nodded and turned their attention to Dumbledore who had stood up to make his welcome speech.
The next day they found themselves squished under the invisibility cloak heading for the kitchens.
"Are you sure about this?" Daphne whispered, "I heard that the Hufflepuff common room was booby trapped if you try and go in, how do we know the kitchen isn't the same?"
"Why would it be booby trapped? None of the other dorms are." Pansy pointed out.
"The girls dorms in the Gryffindor tower are. You can't get up there unless your a girl. Uncle Sirius told me." Harry whispered.
"How does he know?" Draco said.
"I didn't ask." Harry answered giving Draco a look to put two and two together.
They quickly reached the picture and waited for the corridor to empty before Harry reached out and tickled the pear, feeling rather stupid.
Much to their surprise a door shape swung open in the wall allowing them in. They waited until the door was firmly closed before pulling off the cloak.
"Can we be helping yous?" A young house elf asked.
"Umm someone called Dusty said I could come by to ask him a few questions." Harry said, looking a round the huge kitchen that had dozens of house elves rushing around. The air was hot and steamy from several pots, big enough for a person, simmering on the stove tops.
"Of course! Students are always welcomed." The house elf said, leading them down a set of stone steps and over to a long, wooden bench where a group of house elves were cutting vegetables.
"Hello Dusty." Harry said.
Dusty gave a low bow and waved his hand summoning several chairs for them to sit down in.
"Thanks you for coming todays sirs. We always has a little party after a feasts. Lots of work." Dusty explained, "You had some questions?"
Harry nodded, "I was wondering if it was possible for someone who wasn't the house elves master to give them orders."
"Well if they is serving that someone at a party or such. We can take orders from all at Hogwarts afters all." Dusty said.
"No I mean bad orders, ones that hurt people or go against what their master or mistress has said?" Harry asked.
"That would be very difficult, dark dark magic that I don'ts thinks even Dumbledore could do." Dusty shook his head.
"What...what if the house elf was meant to belong to someone else? But things changed so they went to another family?" Harry asked. The air felt very still around him, despite the hustle and bustle of the kitchen.
Dusty nodded, "Yes if thats person was desperates enough but it would be dark. Would hurt both elf and person. I would fear for any caught in that situation."
Harry knew from the fear in Dusty's eyes that should such a thing happen, should Harry be right, they were all in trouble.
"Thank you Dusty. You've been really helpful, thank you so much." Harry smiled.
Dusty beamed, "Please takes some of this with you." he handed them a basket of cakes and cream buns. Pansy took the basket gratefully and they headed out. Once out of the kitchens, and with a basket of food as an excuse for being in there, Harry shoved the cloak into his bag and they stated to walk back to the common room.
"You think it's Aunt Bella." Draco said pulling Harry to the side, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wasn't sure if it was even possible, I'm not sure it is now. It's...it's barely even a theory." Harry shrugged, "I'm going to find Hermione though and ask her to look into the laws that govern house elves."
"Ask Neville." Draco said.
"Why? Hermione is-"
"Hermione is a muggle born Harry." Pansy said, "The more we drag her into this, the more WE put her in danger."
Harry nodded, "I'll tell Neville then. You guys go back to the dorm I'll be there soon."
They nodded and left Harry wondering alone to the hall.
"Rip the pretty girl"
Harry's heart leapt in fear, he forgot all about finding Neville and followed the voice.
"Hurt her….kill...her..."
Harry had reached a dead end. He pushed against the walls as hard as he could but they didn't give, the voice had to be talking about Hermione. Whoever was doing this was targeting him; he knew it. He wondered to the library knowing that Hermione would be there.
"Hi, umm, can I have a word?" Harry asked.
Hermione smiled and nodded standing up and walking with him to a quiet spot.
"You have to stop looking into all this stuff." He told her bluntly.
"What are you talking about Harry?" She asked.
"It's been fun being 'friends' and all but now it has to stop. You're only a muggle born and you just need to stay away from me. It's not safe." Harry told her.
A look of betrayal flashed across her eyes before she coughed nervously, "I get it. But you can't stop me from hanging out with MY friends or looking up whatever the hell I want. But I'll be careful and I'll stay away from you if you think it'll help."
Harry threw his arms around her and wrapped her in a huge hug, "It's bad enough people getting attacked but I know they're after me which means you're next. Stay away!" he pulled away and rushed from the library, he'd only made it past one stack of book when he ran into Ginny.
"Sorry Ginny I really must start looking where I'm going." he gave a small laugh. The small girl looked a little better that she had lately, at least there was some colour in her cheeks, "You look better."
She blushed, "I didn't think you would notice." She looked over to where Hermione was looking though another bookshelf, "You like her?"
Harry shook his head feeling suddenly embarrassed, "She's just a friend. I should go." he said seeing Ron and the twins marching over. He dived out the door and walked quickly down the corridor not really caring where he ended up he just needed a few moments to himself.
There was water splashed all over the floor of the corridor he'd ended up. He could hear Filch up ahead and didn't really want a run in or another detention. The only escape was Myrtle's bathroom, not brilliant but better than Filch. Harry took a deep breath and dived inside.
He could hear crying coming from one of the stalls and moved forward slowly. Several of the taps had been switched on and were running across the floor.
"Myrtle is that you?" he asked stepping forward slowly and beginning to turn off the taps.
"Have you come to throw something at me as well?" She sobbed emerging from the toilet with another torrent of water.
Harry shook his head, "Someone threw something at you? Who?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" She wailed "I was just sitting in the U-bend thinking about death and then smack!"
"It smacked into you?" Harry asked shocked.
"No!" She shouted, "It fell through my head! Then it got washed out." She pointed down underneath one of the sinks, "But that doesn't mean it didn't upset me even if it didn't hurt."
"I'm so sorry Myrtle, that's horrible. You must have been very upset." Harry said, he walked over to the sink and knelt down. Under the sink was a very wet black book that he was sure looked familiar, "You must still be very upset..." he said absently.
He looked over the leather cover and saw the faded year, 1942. On the first page the ink had run but Harry could just read the name T.M. Riddle and that the book had been brought in a Vauxhall road newsagents. Harry turned it over confused and tried to open the pages, it wasn't easy with how wet they were but even when he managed it they were completely blank.
Not a single birthday or dentist appointment. Nothing.
"Are you sure that you didn't see who through this at you?" Harry asked.
Myrtle looked like she might explode, "Yes I'm sure! Of course I'm sure! No one ever cares about stupid Moaning MYRTLE!" she screamed at him and dove back into the toilet, causing a wave of water to wash over his legs up to his knees. Harry could hear Filch going nuts outside over all the water and stomping off to find Dumbledore so Harry quickly made his way out.
Pansy, Daphne and Draco were waiting for him in the common room playing chess.
"You took your time," Pansy said taking one of Daphne's knights, "Did you find him?"
"Find who?" Harry asked, "Oh Neville, no I got completely distracted. I.." he moved closer to them and sat down so he could whisper, "I heard the voice again. It was talking about a girl. I think it meant Hermione, so I went to find her to tell her to stay away from me. She's the only girl I know it had to be her."
"Really?" Pansy said glaring at him.
"I meant I only know one who could be in danger from the monster. You two are both about as pure blooded as you can get." Harry said, "But I would like it if you guys could stay close to her. I'm really worried. I just don't know what to do. I feel like I should be able to stop it because I can hear the voice but…"
"It'll be OK Harry. The mandrakes are growing really well. You don't need to worry." Daphne assured him.
Harry nodded, "I also found this." Harry pulled out the soggy diary and put it carefully on the table, "It's blank but it's fifty years old and Myrtle told me that someone threw it threw her head, so they were clearly trying to get rid of it but...it just doesn't make any sense."
"That is really odd." Pansy took the book, "You're right. It's completely blank. But why get rid of a blank book? Especially one that's fifty years old."
"T.M. Riddle….I'm sure I know that name." Daphne said rubbing her fingers over the letters.
"Sally?" Harry called over, "Have you ever heard of T.M. Riddle?"
"Yes of course. He was a Slytherin, who earned himself an award for services to the school, about fifty years ago. His award is on display in the trophy room." Sally said gathering her books up to go up to her room, "Why do you ask?"
"No reason, just knew we'd seen the name somewhere but couldn't place it." Draco smiled.
She looked at them suspiciously but said nothing before shaking her head and walking up the smooth stone staircase.
"Shall we go have a look?" Pansy asked.
Draco shook his head, "I remember the trophy now, all it says is T.M. Riddle and 'services to the school'."
Harry sighed, just when he thought they might have had a chance it felt like they'd hit yet another dead end.
"You should get rid of it Harry. That book gives me the creeps." Daphne said pushing it back towards him.
All had been quiet for a while now. Maybe The Heir had grown shy, given up or was scared because apart from the two students and poor Mrs Norris still stuck in the hospital wing you'd think nothing was a miss.
Severus was mostly trying to avoid Lockhart who was going around telling everyone, loudly, that he was the one who had fixed everything. He kept tapping his nose and smiling, "Best they stopped when they did! They knew it was only a matter of time before I found them and they didn't want that to happen!" he let out a large laugh.
Professor Sprout was shooting daggers at him every chance she got. Apparently he'd snuck into the greenhouse and given the mandrakes a potion he'd brewed to make them stronger. It had given them terrible acne which would delay them getting harvested for at least another two months, but apart from that the school seemed to have settled down for the most part.