… - …
Chapter Three
New Problems
Sixth try
Harry was up at his usual time. He rushed through his usual morning tasks and was in front of the trolls dancing painting well before seven. He stood frustrated, looking at the painting.
"Dobby, I need you."
"Dobby is here, Harry Potter Sir!"
"Dobby, I need the room filled with junk. The room with piles of junk to the ceiling. I'll explain when we're inside. I found it yesterday but I was asking for a room to help me. How do I get that room again?"
Dobby looked at Harry with a sideways tilt to his head. After a long moment: "Dobby knows. You just walk back and forth asking for the room of lost things and you find it."
Harry did as instructed and the door appeared in the wall. Picking up a picnic basket he said, "Follow me."
Dobby followed him inside the room. Again, Harry was amazed at the sheer scale of the mountains of junk piled nearly to the ceiling. Just inside the door, they were on one end of the long hall, smack in the middle. From wall to wall, left and right, there was a pile of broken and castoff items, collected since the castle was built. The room had twelve long rows. Each was a good ten feet thick with a five-foot-wide path between each. Every fifty feet or so there was a cross path that bisected the long rows. This created an orderly grid pattern. The smell of mold, mildew and dust hung heavy in the air. The lighting seemed to come from the ceiling which looked like the outside sky. This was an effect almost like the Great Hall.
Harry was excited. "I need to find a particular item. Give me a moment."
Harry paced back and forth concentrating. I need the Diadem, I need the Diadem;'he repeated over and over in his head. He waited but nothing appeared.
Dobby asked, "What's the matter?"
Harry explained what he wanted and Dobby replied, "The Room of Lost Things doesn't work that way. We'll have to search until we find it."
Dobby's face brightened. "This means we're going on a treasure hunt!" Dobby snapped his fingers and bandannas appeared on both their heads. He handed Harry a pair of opera binoculars. "Take these, helps to look at piles, makes everything closer." Dobby was trembling with anticipation. "Let's go Harry!"
"We need to be methodical in the search. We need to mark the rows and piles and go row by row. Maybe we'll get lucky and find it early in the day, Little D."
Dobby asked, "What does methodical mean?"
…
"Okay, first things first let's make some signs for the rows and piles."
Harry then put a sign on the end of each row numbering them one through twelve.
"Let's start looking in row one. Start here and we'll work our way down."
When they came to the end of the second row, Harry sighed. "Time to rethink this search. It's almost noon and we have been blundering around in the dark all morning. We don't even know what it looks like. We've spent almost four and half hours rummaging around in this dusty maze. I'm going to go take a shower then have lunch. Join me in the kitchens in fifteen minutes. Then maybe we can sneak into the library and see if we can find a picture of a diadem."
They walked out of the room and started toward the Gryffindor tower when Luna Lovegood stepped out from behind a tapestry hiding a secret passage.
"Hello, Harry Potter and Dobby."
Harry was startled out of his musing. "Hello Luna." He was surprised; she looked a bit off, not her normal self. Like she was not all there mentally.
"It is hard to find what you are looking for if you don't know what it looks like," she said a bit dreamily.
"What?"
"Very articulate, Harry Potter." She seemed more focused then. "What you seek starts with knowledge. A diadem is a lighter headpiece, normally worn by ladies, or elf lords. Like a princess crown. It's typically adorned with three jewels, all held together by worked braided wire or thin metal."
"Luna, I still have no idea what you are talking about."
She hung her head to the side and looked at him with now startling clear bright blue eyes. "I'll draw you and Little D a picture."
She took out a scrap of parchment and a pencil and quickly made a picture of the diadem. "Here you go. Oh, by the way, you have Hermione worried, she's been looking for you today since you didn't meet her for breakfast."
"Thank you, Luna. This is quite good."
"I like to draw and paint."
"I appreciate everything you do for me. You don't know how much of a help this is to me."
She became stiff and glassy eyed. "You're on the right track, Harry Potter." Then returned to her usual self. "You should have dinner with Hermione today. I have to run now." She turned and skipped off in the opposite direction they were going.
…-…
Harry had showered, changed his rank clothing, met Dobby in the kitchens, ate a hearty lunch, then returned to the room of requirement in only forty-five minutes.
"OK, time to start searching again. I'll take row two and you take row three. Call out if you find anything. Remember, don't touch it. We don't know what kind of protections are on it."
Time slowly dragged on as the two searchers rummaged through the rows and piles of dusty so-called lost items. They looked, climbed, moved items methodically as they slowly searched row by row and pile by pile.
"Mr. Harry Potter sir!"
"What is it?" asked Harry as turned around and climbed down a pile he was searching.
Dobby snapped his fingers and two cushioned chairs with a small table appeared.
"Time for a break. I have cold butterbeer, Scottish shortbread biscuits and a lemon cake. Let's eat and drink and get back to work in five minutes."
Harry took a long pull on his bottle. "Ah! This is so good. I was parched. Did you get this from the kitchens? I didn't know the elves stocked butterbeer."
Dobby blushed but smiled. "Butterbeer came from the red headed twin menaces' secret stash, biscuits come from Miss Kitty Cat's tin in office, and lemon cake was in Headmaster Whisker"s office. They'll get them back tomorrow. No special pudding for the headmaster tonight!"
Harry fell over holding his stomach laughing. "You're the best. Way to go. Thank you for thinking of this, it was a real treat. We've spent the entire day searching for the diadem. Let's get back to work, we've got only about an hour before dinner in the Great Hall."
They picked up where they left off earlier. The slow meticulous work was grating on Harry. 'Oh Merlin, I hope we don't need another day to find this,' he thought.
Harry continued down row seven. He'd cleared eight of the piles. It was right before dinner as he started looking at pile nine, he felt a tugging and mild pain in his scar.
"Dobby! Come here! I think I'm close to it!"
The remarkable elf was walking slowly ahead of Harry as they moved down the row looking carefully at the piles on both sides. Dobby stopped abruptly. "Harry stop. Dobby feels it too. It feels just like the diary old bad master gave to little Weasley witch."
Harry moved forward a few paces, closed his eyes and concentrated pushing his magic out. After a minute, he felt a pull to his left and about ten feet away. He turned in that direction, then saw an ugly marble bust of a very ugly hag with a broken nose. Sitting on top of the head was something that looked remarkably like the picture Luna had drawn them. Harry pulled the drawing out of his pocket and handed it to Dobby.
"Take a look. Seems like a perfect match."
"I don't need the drawing, Harry. It feels very evil. Dobby knows that feeling. Now we knows where it is. We can get it any time. This be row seven section nine, Harry. The Webley is in row five, in the second pile in about half way down. You best be remembering it as Dobby won't remember tomorrow. Now time for you to go to the Great Hall to eat and get ready for tonight's task."
…-…
Harry walked into to the Great Hall and his eyes immediately met Hermione's. She jumped up with a look of relief and walked over to him. Grabbing his arm, she led him to the round table.
"Come sit here for dinner. It's your reserved family table. I missed you today. Not even breakfast. I know you must have been nervous today, I just wish you weren't hiding all day."
She continued to chatter, not letting him get a word out. He just smiled and ate a light dinner, nodding at the appropriate times. As they were eating, he realized that she'd been worried sick by the fact that he'd disappeared for the entire day. He felt a strange fluttering in his chest at the thought. He felt bad about hiding from her, but knew that he needed the time with Dobby if he were to survive.
Harry finished his pudding - a big slice of lemon cake left over from Dobby's afternoon break. He laughingly put a big slice on a plate and handed it to her. "Have pudding for once, it's a special lemon cake."
What he didn't say was it was a breaking-the-rules cake, stolen from the headmaster.
A few minutes later, he got up and headed out of the castle for the last task. As he passed out the front door to take the path down for the maze, Luna surprised him, stepped up and hugged him. Before she turned away, she added, "Good luck tonight." As he walked away, she had a sad look on her face that such a remarkable item had been corrupted and would never be the same.
… - ...
After the task, Harry successfully and secretly made it back to the room of requirement and called Dobby. They walked into a bedroom and sat at two small couches in front of a fireplace.
"Dobby, my mother has told me about all of the horcruxes that Tom made. She told me, 'Slytherin's locket is in the library at Sirius' home at number 12 Grimmauld Place. He should ask Kreacher about it. Also, the cobra that's always near Tom is another one. She looked like she wanted to say more, but I accidentally broke the connection and ran to the cup."
"Any idea what she wanted to say?"
"No, but we know the diary was one and that's already destroyed. Then we have the ring at the Gaunt's shack, Hufflepuff's cup in Bellatrix's Gringotts vault, the diadem in the Room of Lost Things, the locket in Sirius house, and the snake."
"Dobby is concerned. How do we get at the horcruxes in the bank and Sirius house?"
Harry replied, "I don't know. Perhaps we need to bring someone else into the secret."
Dobby suggested, "Maybe your godfather, Sirius? Would he help you, or even believe you?"
"I don't know, I'll think about it overnight. I'm exhausted. Thanks for your help. You're the best. I'll call for you in the morning. Thanks again." Little D beamed at his friend.
…-…
Harry sat in his bed with the hangings closed, gripping a new notebook and a biro. He began to write what he knew, so it stayed clear in his mind. After a few minutes, he reviewed what he'd written. Three lines caught his eye
The Death Eaters are Riddle's strength. He still wasn't certain exactly what Tom had meant.
Malfoy and John Dawlish must not be allowed to leave the cemetery. He'd been put in one of the Ministry holding cells each time that they'd left the maze and talked with Fudge. He mentally added Snape to the list as well.
Proudfoot occasionally checks wands. He could only cast spells that he could easily justify while in the maze or cemetery, or he'd be caught.
As he finished writing his notes, he realized that while many problems remained, they'd clearly made significant progress.
… - …
Seventh Try
Planning
10:30am
Harry had finished giving his Basics of Do-Overs and Horcruxes presentation to Dobby and Sirius. With practice, it had only taken 90 minutes. While Black was doubtless cleaner, better fed, and weighed a few kilos more than the night that he'd flown off on Buckbeak, he was still too thin and still had that thousand-meter stare into nothingness that some combat veterans and those who've faced continual stress pick-up.
Sirius pointed out, "I have the sinking feeling that Tom Riddle initially acquired the information about horcruxes from one of my parents, grandparents, or their siblings."
Harry replied, "If that's the case, apologizing about it is moot. You didn't help make them, but we're in a position to get rid of them."
Sirius committed, "I'll do what I can to destroy them." Dobby's head bobbed up and down in agreement. While he was comfortable talking with Harry as an equal, he said far less so in front of the soon-to-be Lord Black.
Harry nodded in thanks and observed, "When I killed the one when I was twelve, it seemed like it was genuinely painful to the part of Tom that was destroyed. My question is, as we destroy the others, will the toddler version of Voldemort be able to notice, or be affected?"
Black thought another minute and commented, "It's really two different issues, but do we know if he realizes that his diary has already been destroyed? What do you calculate Lucy's life expectancy would be if you mentioned to Riddle that Blondie gave his diary away to an eleven year-old girl and it was destroyed?"
Dobby and Sirius looked at each other in silence at Black's off-the-wall, random thought. Neither wanted to think about to do-over effect totally collapsing over the momentary thrill of literally seeing Malfoy being drawen and quartered.
Finally Black added, "You have the perfect test-bed to observe if there are any changes, or if he notices. If he happens to, I seriously doubt that he'll actually understand what happened, or associate the action with you. He's bound to underestimate you; that's his nature. It's equally likely that he'd believe it to be a temporary result of the re-embodiment ritual. If he doesn't notice, we can destroy them as we find them, tell you about the experience, and collectively learn from our actions."
Harry thought about Black's words and the older man continued, "If, for example, he loses half of his magical strength, or stamina when half of his horcruxes are destroyed, the time that it takes to push the connection point of the connected spell should shorten. Since you've fought him so many times, you're more likely to notice the change than he would be."
"True," replied Harry, "But it also might cause him to change his actions somehow."
"Point taken," admitted Sirius. "If he does seem to notice, then Dobby and I would have to destroy them all at once, as soon as you've engaged the golden dome. Long-term, we don't want to take the chance of something horrible happening if they're not already destroyed before you fight him."
Harry didn't immediately say anything negative, but had his doubts. He'd have to get more information on the ring and its traps. After a minute, he replied, "I'll try to get more information from Mum tonight and we can take this up again in a few days.
He didn't mention that he'd tested the theory previously and hadn't noticed any difference. He also recalled Dobby's observation that the do-over loop could break at any time. Thinking of another issue, he asked, "How are you planning on getting from your home to Gringotts without being seen?"
"Years back, my grandfather was gifted a reuseable portkey watch from the Account Manager You can set five different locations, including a secure location at Gringotts. I'm never seen by the public."
Harry replied, "That's good. Stay safe."
… - …
After Sirius had left to go to Gringotts to do his projects, Harry and Dobby continued to discuss if Riddle would be consciously aware when one of his horcruxes was destroyed.
Dobby pointed out, "Bad Tom Riddle probably didn't check on the horcruxes the year that he was possessing Professor Quirrell. Dobby thinks that Bad Riddle believes them to be sneaky sneaky hidden away and that no one is looking for them."
Harry agreed. He added, "I think Sirius is also right, and if there are any effects, Riddle would probably attribute it to being in a toddler's body. Riddle is probably positive that no one would even consider the idea that he'd learned of them and managed to make any, let alone six of them."
To test the theory, they destroyed the Diadem by scratching it with the basilisk tooth.
After that, Dobby tested if he could read the location of the graveyard from one of Harry's memories. He couldn't. At his point, the only means of getting him there would be for Harry to call him when he was already at the cemetery. They needed to improve that situation.
… - …
Just before dinner, Dobby disappeared for a minute and popped back to Room of Requirement. He said, "Sirius Black went to the bank. It took two hours to claim his lordship, dissolve the marriages and claw back the dowries of Narcissa and Bellatrix. It took another hour to get into the Lestrange vault, find and destroy the cup. You should draw him a picture next time. Also, Dobby thinks that you should tell him to put the cup back on the shelf after scratching it, then leave the vault as fast as he can."
Harry didn't ask why and let it go.
Dobby added, "Good luck, Harry Potter, sir."
… - ...
That evening, in the cemetery, as the spells connected, Harry was ready with his question. "Mum, what can you tell me about Slytherin's ring?"
With a determined look on her face, Lily replied, "Three things. It's a horcrux. The stone is the resurrection stone of the Beedle the Bard tale, and the ring has the Black Withering curse/potion cast on it. A person who puts it on without casting Scourgify a few times would die a horrible death within three minutes. Go now."
"I love you both. Thanks mum." He ended his side of the connection, then with practiced ease, ran as fast as he could to the crystal cup and vanished.
… - …
Upon returning, Harry asked Dumbledore if they could speak together. After a begrudging nod from Proudfoot, the Champion and the old Headmaster headed to his office.
They sat in their respective seats and out of habit, Dumbledore popped a couple of his calming potion-laced Sherbet Lemon candies into his mouth and offered the dish to Harry, who refused.
Harry had a few questions. He asked, "That diary that had Tom Riddle's image; why didn't you tell me that it was a horcrux? My mother told me about them."
Dumbledore replied, "It doesn't matter, Harry. You were too young; you still are."
Harry got up and left. He was developing serious doubts about Professor Dumbledore. Fortunately, he had a plan.
… - …
Eighth Try
Graveyard
That night, after the wands connected, Harry asked his mum, "What can you tell me about Slytherin's Locket?"
She replied, "Sirius' brother, Regulus stole it from Voldemort, at the cost of his own life. The last thing that he did before dying was to give it to Kreacher and ask him to destroy it. It's in the library at Grimmauld Place. Go now."
"Thanks. I love you both." With those words, the teen broke the connection, ran to the cup and disappeared.
… - ...
When Harry returned to Hogwarts, he went to see Professor Dumbledore. After giving the old headmaster a very brief rundown on the cemetery Harry asked, his question. "Professor, how is it that you had my Dad's cloak when they were attacked? It probably could have saved one or both of them."
"It doesn't matter, Harry. We can't change the past."
In a less-than-warm voice, Harry replied, "No, but actions have a way of catching up with people. Good night, Professor."
… - …
Ninth Try
"Harry! Why are you so distracted this morning? You have to eat something. You've got a long day ahead of you." Hermione handed him a plate with three bacon and tomato sandwiches on toast. "Now eat. I don't want you collapsing from hunger today."
"Thanks. I'm sorry; just worried about things." He didn't mention that he was mostly worried about Little D, who was much more to him than a bonded elf. He thought of the little guy as family, not a servant. He wondered how Little D's day would go, as it would be very different than that of the last try. I hope he takes care of himself, he thought.
"Harry, are you coming to class today, or are you off to self-study? Pay attention. I won't nag you; I'm just worried about you."
Harry smiled, but tuned her out as she rambled on about who knows what. Finally at the classroom Hermione turned to go in and Harry stepped up giving her a hug and a chaste buss on the cheek. "Thanks, Hermione. You're the best. I'll see you later," then turned and walked away from the shocked and speechless witch, who was touching her face. He headed to the seventh floor and the Room of Requirement to try and practice and think while he waited for Dobby to come back. He paced back and forth inside and thought about what happened earlier that morning.
…
Earlier
As usual Harry went to the seventh floor and called for Dobby for a quick Introduction to the do-overs and to confirm were deciding what to do today.
Fifteen minutes later, the brave elf stated, "Dobby wants to go to old Gaunt shack and try to find Slytherin's ring. What did Miss-is Lily say about it?"
"Mum told me that Slytherin's ring is hidden at the Gaunt's shack just off the road on the left side, a kilometer north of the old Riddle house. Now remember three things. One, it's a horcrux. Two, the stone is the resurrection stone of the Beedle the Bard tale, and three, the ring has the Black Withering potion or curse cast on it, so be extra careful. A person who puts it on without casting Scourgify a few times would die a horrible death within three minutes. So be sure to clean it well before even picking it up with your hand. Take something to hold it so you don't have to touch it. We can destroy it here."
"Dobby understands, Harry. Where is Small Hangle Ton?"
"I don't know, let's find a map later. Can you go someplace from a map?"
"Yes. But I may have to make several jumps to get it right."
"Wait, Hermione has a road atlas in her trunk. It's a book of maps of all of Great Britian. Sneak it out and use it. She'll be in breakfast and won't know it's gone."
Grinning he said, "Dobby can be sneaky, sneaky, Harry. No worries."
"I need your help before you go and try to find the ring. Please go ask Sirius to meet us in the Shrieking shack at 9am and come back as soon as you can. I want to talk to him about helping us. Tell him to be prompt and no fooling around. This is serious business. Tell him Harry solemnly swears he's up to no good. Now go."
Dobby popped back in less than fifteen minutes. "Harry, doggie man will be in shack and will not fool around. He said he owes you and your parents."
"OK, great. Now we need to visit the Chamber of Secrets." He looked at his watch. "Let's make it fast."
In a few minutes they were in Myrtle's bathroom. "Little D. No time for stairs - we're sliding," said Harry as he went feet first. Dobby looked at the hole and pushed his magic out. Harry was laughing and whooping as he slid down the pipe. When he hit bottom he landed on his bottom and cried out, "Ouch."
Dobby popped in beside him and looked at Harry with a smirk. "Lead the way, B'wana."
"Where did you pick up that word?"
"Tarzan in the Jungle movie. You should get an elephant someday. A mighty Tantor."
"Stay focused, Little D. Let's go get some basilisk fangs. We need to hurry and get back to the room and kill the diadem."
Back in the room of lost things Harry and Dobby covered their ears when the wraith screamed its high-pitched wail as it exploded into a thousand bits of black dust.
"Thanks for the help, Little D. Please bring some food and tea for Sirius."
… - ...
"Merlin, Harry, that's the most fantastic story I've ever heard. If I wasn't sitting down, I'd have to. But I believe it. Only because of the shite that's already happened to you. I can tell when someone is lying and you're not. I'm game to help you. So, let's revise. I need to clean up, shower, shave and dress to the nines with the best robes I can put my hands on. I'll go to Gringotts and claim my head of house ring and see the Black Account Manager, Steelclaw. Then I'll claim my lordship, dissolve Bella's and Narcissa's marriages and reclaim the doweries. For Bella, I need to get into her vault and destroy what you call Hufflepuff's cup with this basilisk fang. You want me to leave it in the vault? Then I'll come back here and call for Dobby. Do I have it all down correctly?"
"Yes, Sirius, get going. Dobby and I have other things to do."
"Little D, it's almost eleven o'clock. You have your task, I'll see you in the Room of Requirement when you're done. I need to go to the library to research the Tale of the Three Brothers."
"No, you don't, Harry. Go to the room of lost things. Ask the room for it. There be many copies of Tales of Beedle fairy tales there. Get an old version. It has illustrations that Whiskerface had removed in the new version that's in the library."
… - ...
"Dobby be back, Harry!"
Harry looked at a very bedraggled elf, who was covered in dirt, singed leaves, had smoke rings around his eyes and his clothing looked like moths had a convention with an open buffet there were so many holes. He had a small cage with a three-foot viper in it.
"Thank Merlin, Little D. I was very worried about you. You've been gone more than four hours. And look at you; what happened?"
"Dobby found the road atlas from trunk, then reached to the mansion OK. Dobby had a hard time finding the Gaunt Shack. You listen closely Harry, and write down, so you remember tomorrow. Stand with back to Tom Riddle mansion at iron gate. Turn left and go 645 Dobby-sized steps. Stop walking when you come to big dead oak tree on left side. Hug the tree and inch around until you see pathway of bricks. Strong charms to make you pass by. Charm not work close to tree. Dobby walked past five times before he figured out what was happening. Walk 39 steps on the path. Strangle vines attack from sides, Dobby kills with flame charm. Many snakes come out and try to bite Dobby. They no bother anyone now. Dobby catches one for you to ask questions. Very big dead snake nailed to door. It lifts up and hisses as you walk up the path. The door has very bad charm on it. No touch. Dobby hops though window that was missing. Ring is in box behind big stone on fireplace hearth with big G on it. Dobby cleans ring with six elf cleaning charms like wizard scroungy. The ring is safe to touch now. This would be easier if Dobby spoke snakey."
He handed the ring box to Harry and said, "Dobby didn't think it would take so long to find house or get through traps and get back to Harry. We should rethink this idea."
"I agree."
"What did Harry Potter learn from the Tale of Three Brothers?"
Harry replied, "I spent an hour reading and thinking. I believe the tale has some truth to it and the items are real, but I'm not certain that they were given to the Peverel brothers by Death. I also believe that Dumbledore wants the hallows for some reason. I remember in my first year, talking with him when he found me with the Mirror of Erised. I think he may have someone whom he desperately wants to speak with. Perhaps we can use that as leverage somehow?"
Dobby observed, "Well, we can't get all the horcruxes in one day without help. You already destroyed the diary, We need Sirius for the cup in Bella's vault and the locket in his family home. We can get the diadem in the room of lost things at the beginning of the morning. The snakey has to be done in while your're in the graveyard. The ring is the tough one. We don't have time to do it all by ourselves."
Harry considered Dobby's words for a minute and replied, "Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone. Maybe use the ring as bait for Dumbledore? Maybe we could get lucky and he could destroy the ring for us? We have to be careful how to introduce it, but I think mentioning the ring would be the perfect bait. The ring is easily the most time-consuming of the horcruxes to acquire; sending Dumbledore after it feels like it is solving several problems all at once. What if he finds it, but doesn't destroy the horcrux for some reason that only he would know? We need to think on this, Little D."
"Doggie man is calling me now. Let's go see him."
...
Sirius was sitting at a rather beaten looking table when Harry and Dobby came in through the tunnel of the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack.
Harry said, "You look good, how did it go?"
"Better than I expected. It took about three hours to get cleaned up and changed into good clothes then get to the bank, then almost two and half to get the job done. I just finished about fifteen minutes ago."
Harry sighed and sat up straight and was thoughtful for minute. "OK, what we learned today is Sirius is a narcissist. It shouldn't take you three hours to get cleaned up and dressed. I need to light a fire under your arse. What took you so long to get there? This took too long. There will be another task you will have to help me with. This will happen again tomorrow."
"Ok Harry. I get it, I'm too slow. I'll be faster tomorrow. You just have to tell me to be faster."
"How did it go with what you had to do?"
"I had no problem with the Goblins. I offered SteelClaw a boon - a bag with a thousand Galleons to got everything done and filed immediately. I had no trouble. He was a bit concerned when I left the cup in Bella's vault. As you suggested, I told him that it wasn't the cup that I was looking for. Are you sure that scratching the metal will destroy the horcrux?"
Harry replied, "Absolutely. It takes the basilisk poison about three minutes to work. That's long enough for you to set it back on the shelf, get the door sealed and be back in the cart before the dying horcrux image screams. I don't want the goblins to know what happened. I have to go; it's dinner time, then the last task starts. Sirius I'll see you tomorrow morning. Dobby, I'll see you after the task."
… - …
After returning from the cemetery, Harry snuck back into the castle and called Dobby from the Room of Requirement.
The remarkable elf hugged his friend and asked, "What happened, Harry Potter?"
"Basically the same. I want to be able to get to the graveyard without using the portkey. So, we have to learn how to apparate, use the Knight bus, or learn how to make portkeys."
"We need to be concerned about how long things take, Harry."
"OK, let's plan take ten from the top, Little D. I can't wake up earlier than 6:30 and I feel compelled to meet Hermione at 8:00am for breakfast."
Dobby replied, "We need to use the time from 6:30 to 8:00 wisely. Instead of a leisurely shower, which you criticized Sirius for earlier today, you need to do whip out your wand then scrurgy, scrurgy yourself, get dressed, go to Mrytle's bathroom and call Dobby when you get there. We need to get the Snaky fangs, then go to the Room of Lost Things room to kill Diadem and perhaps get the Webly gun. You go to breakfast with Hermione then be at shack at 8:45. I'll get Sirius up, cleaned and dressed. When you meet him, just focus on what he has to do that individual day."
"That's brilliant. We'll pick up a bit of time that way."
"Doggy man can be dense, so we meet with him for two hours or less starting at 9. It will take him a perhaps four hours in the bank, then he'll need to go to Grimmauld to take care of the locket. I think that's the best we can hope for with him. He doesn't need to know all of the details; just the summary and what he needs to do himself."
Harry replied, "You're right. Sirius won't have time to spend another four hours trying to find a ring, and frankly, I wouldn't trust him with it, as he'd probably kill himself with it trying to apologize to my dad."
He added, "You and I have our own tasks. We should find someone else to go get the ring and destroy the horcrux. What about if I talk to the Headmaster and point him in the direction of the ring?" Would that work?"
"Maybe, but we not have time for that tonight; it's getting late almost time up. You remember and bring it up tomorrow. Now what else did you learn from your mother?"
"Death Eaters, as in the key Riddle lieutenants. Mom told me both Malfoys, both Parkinsons, Thomas Felsenthal, Pettegrew, Ogden and Dawlish are the most important ones"
"Dobby knows all these bad peoples."
"How?"
"Old bad master tells me to get out of his sight! Tells Dobby not be seen when his tattoo friends come to house. Dobby makes himself invisible ands watches and listens. Dobby learns much."
Harry replied, "Tell me what you know."
"Lucius spent much much gold bribing people to do things that he wanted. Fudge, Crouch, Umbridge, Wizzie Members, School Governors, Greasy Potion Teacher, Ministry Employees; he'd bribe them all. He kept a book listing all of the people who he paid gold to. Very dangerous.
"Narcissa is worse than Lucius, very cruel. Magically and financially, she is more powerful than Lucy and has far more gold. He spends lots of gold and uses it for Tom and to bribe people to get what he wants. He paid Felsenthal a big bag of gold every month when Tom Riddle had a body. Felsenthal's the one who keeps track of Riddle's money for him. He collects the payments from the other Death Eaters, both marked and unmarked. He manages a vault for Tom. There be lots of gold in that vault. He be crooked banker person. He also bribes Fudgie with it."
"Parkinson is very wealthy. His wife Alice also is marked. A true believer, but magically, she is not more than a hedge witch. She has little power; just a bit more than a squib. He has extensive real estate holdings and makes much money renting flats to magicals, squibs and nonmagicals. He gave much gold to Felsenthal, but has far more squirreled away. Beyond that, his rental business generates a good income."
"Ogden is rich too, all from Fire Whiskey. He pays a lot to Felsenthal also. He's a bad man. He funds the killing of muggleborns. His business is also profitable."
"So, Malfoy, the Parkinsons, Felsenthal and Ogden are the money men for Tom and collectively their vaults are full of coins. I wonder if there is a way to take that away? Something to think about, Little D."
Dobby had a sneaky smile flash across his face. "We'd have to get their vault keys and that's a problem. I heard Felsenthal say the Dark Lord has millions of galleons. Taking their gold will hurts them much, Harry." Dobby became silent as he thought about stealing the gold and what it would mean. Would his friend Trader Ed help him?
Harry asked, "Do you know anything about John Dawlish?"
"John Dawlish is a corrupted Auror who is a close personal friend of Fudge. They has been friends for 30 years and both have looked out for the other. Dawlish has been a Marked Death Eater for nearly the same length of time. He bought into the pureblood supremacy early on."
"How about Peter Pettigrew?"
"Only that he can turn into a rat and is marked. It's getting late. You should go back to the tower and sleep. Call me tomorrow early."
Little D nodded happily. He loved adventures and believed that this one would be a doozy.
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A/Ns
Thanks for reading.
Harry's enemy list continues to grow while his allies list appears to have topped out. He has a known dark lord, 35 very dangerous Death Eaters walking around, and another 15 currently in Azkaban. Beyond that, he's working against Fudge, Umbridge, and corrupt employees. Then there's Dumbledore. What's second prize?
At the same time, Lily has been providing extraordinary useful information that will lead to some useable solutions. Hopefully he'll continue finding solutions, rather than additional problems. The pace will pick up a bit for several of the future chapters; only the new material will be illustrated.
My recommended Storyteller is Vashon Beader. She helped me write The Debate a few years back. Her new story, Dumbledore's Greatest Mistake is delightful to read.
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