Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 23 - At The Bottom of The Lake

It was much less difficult to keep my plan secret from Hermione than I had expected. She did not take Divinations, and we were much too busy in Transfiguration to talk. Somehow, the task became even easier in the evening because she was nowhere to be seen. She had probably retreated to the library to get even more ahead on homework. Harry seemed to take her absence as a personal offence, given that the task was now only hours away, but he had relaxed when I told him I had a plan.

Ron also seemed to have vanished after dinner. When I realized he was nowhere in the Tower, I began to worry. Combined with Hermione's absence, especially at a time like this, something seemed off. I could not tell Harry, however, as this would have only increased his already overflowing stress.

When the clock struck midnight and Dobby still had not come, Harry became even more fidgety, running his hands through his hair every minute. Annoyingly, I lost my train of thought every time he did so.

"Where the hell is that elf?" he said.

"Don't worry, he's probably waiting to make sure Snape doesn't find him."

At one o'clock, when Dean, Seamus and Neville went to bed, I stood to leave for my own dorm when a loud crack broke the silence.

"Dobby!" Harry exclaimed.

Dean groaned and Seamus muttered for Harry to be silent in a most impolite way.

"Where have you been?" Harry asked in a frantic whisper.

"Dobby had to wait for the coast to be clear, sir! Elizbeth said Dobby must not be seen by anyone!"

"Did you find it?" I asked.

Dobby nodded. "Gillyweed for Harry Potter," he said as he handed Harry the light green algae. "Harry Potter must take this so he can find his Wheezy!"

Harry and I exchanged a look.

"Find my what?"

"Your Wheezy, sir, your Wheezy — Wheezy who is giving Dobby his sweater!"

I gasped. "What?"

"They've got . . . they've got Ron?"

Even in the darkness of the room, I could see that Harry had gone very pale.

"The thing Harry Potter will miss most, sir!" Dobby squeaked.

"Dobby, are you sure?" I asked frantically.

"Dobby is quite sure, miss!" he said. "Dobby hears things, miss, he is a house-elf, he goes all over the castle as he lights the fires and mops the floors. Dobby heard Professor McGonagall and Professor Moody in the staffroom, talking about the next task. . . . Dobby cannot let Harry Potter lose his Wheezy!"

When I met Harry in the entrance hall the next morning, I could tell he had not slept. He hadn't eaten, either, having come down later. I offered him some toast I had saved, and he ate it with the look of a child being forced to eat their vegetables.

"Don't worry, Harry, you'll be fine," I said.

He merely mumbled in response.

"It's just a tournament, the worst that will happen is that you'll lose your position in the first place — "

"Liz, they've got Ron!"

"They're not actually going to leave him in the lake if you can't get to him in time! Dumbledore would never let something like that happen!"

He ignored me, seeming unconvinced. I rolled my eyes.

The seats that had encircled the dragons' enclosure during the First Task had been moved to the side of the lake. In front of the stands sat the judges at a gold-draped table. Cedric, Fleur, and Krum were there, too.