Magic | Lily Potter x Draco Malfoy

20 | An Elf With a Plan

LILY

Early the next morning, I wake up with the feeling of someone watching me. I open my eyes groggily and nearly jump out of my skin when I come face to face with . . . 

"Dobby!" I whisper-shriek, nearly jumping out of my skin. "Don't do  that!" I sit up. 

"Dobby's deepest apologies, Mistress Lily Potter," the house-elf squeaks quietly, his yellow eyes seemingly glowing in the dark, "but . . . Master Harry Potter has told Dobby about the problem, miss . . . Dobby has done it, miss! Dobby has told Mister Harry Potter of the Room of Requirement!" 

"The Room of Requirement . . ." I think aloud. That name sparks a memory. I scratch my head. "Dobby, what exactly are you talking about?" 

"Dobby has found the right place for you to practice, miss! You see, miss, when Mistress Lily's brother Harry Potter told Dobby ―" 

"What?" I interrupt. "You knew Harry was my brother?" 

"Yes, miss, but Dobby was under orders not to say anything to Miss Lily Potter! Dumbledore thinks it is wise to let these events 'unfold', Dumbledore says. But Dobby must explain to Mistress Lily Potter, before breakfast is served in the Great Hall, miss!" 

I'm fuming. The fact that Dumbledore knew about Harry and I and never told us is just outrageous. But I let Dobby continue. "Please go on, Dobby." I say. 

"Thank you, miss. When Master Harry Potter told Dobby about Dumbledore's Army, Dobby was thinking, miss! Dobby was thinking of the Room of Requirement, miss. Dobby knows about the Room because the other house-elves are needing it sometimes, miss." 

"So . . . what does the Room of Requirement do?" I ask curiously, leaning back on my elbows. 

"Things appear," Dobby says, "in the Room of Requirement, depending on what Mistress Lily Potter wants! If Miss Potter wanted a place to practice spells ― poof! Miss Potter has a place to practice spells!" 

"This . . . this is brilliant, Dobby!" I say. "Thank you!" 

"It is not a problem, Miss Potter." Dobby says, bowing obediently. He snaps his fingers and just like that he disappears into mist, apparating to the Hogwarts kitchens. 

I blow a strand of hair out of my eyes and sit up again, hugging my legs to my chest. Thank Merlin for Dobby and his sneaky house-elf secrets. There are probably so many hidden places in Hogwarts, just waiting to be discovered and used ―

"Psst! Lily!" a voice whispers, causing my heart to race abruptly for the second time this morning. 

"What in the name of Merlin ― oh, Harry," I breathe a sigh of relief, and I'm grateful that I have a tank top on. "Okay, why  is everyone so obsessed with sneaking into the girls' dormitories ―?" 

"Who else has been in here?" Harry asks, his eyebrows raised. He leans against one of my bedposts, fiddling with a loose thread on his striped pyjama bottoms. 

"Dobby," I answer. "Oi, speaking of which . . . how did you get in here? Boys aren't allowed in the girl's dorms." 

Harry shrugs, a smirk playing on his lips. "I may have overheard Hermione talking to Ginny about how Flitwick was having a bit of trouble with the charms this year." 

I open my mouth, then close it, not knowing what to say. "So you . . . you'd actually try  to come in here . . . Harry, what!?" 

Harry laughs quietly through his nose. "Lily, I was kidding, I wouldn't actually do that. In a mean way. I mean, I wouldn't try to . . . er . . .never mind, just forget it, I came in here to talk to you." 

I sigh and look around the room at the other girls' sleeping figures. I'm surprised none of them have actually woken up. Then I notice the glint of Hermione's eye in the moonlight, which sort of gives me a mini heart attack. For the third time this morning. 

I wink at her and she nods. She's clearly listening to mine and Harry's conversation, so I jerk my head in the direction of the stairs, signaling that the three of us should go into the common room. She understands and begins to crawl quietly out of bed. 

"Harry, let's go," I whisper, nodding to Hermione. "Common room." 

Harry notices her and seems confused, like he's wondering whether or not to look away ― I suppose seeing your friend in pyjamas is different than seeing your sister somehow. 

"Since when did she ―" Harry starts, pointing to Hermione while walking backwards towards the staircase. 

"Shh," I whisper, beginning to climb out of bed. "Let's go, shall we?" 

Harry appears to be uncomfortable in this situation, so he nods and quickly retreats down the stairs. 

"What's up with him?" Hermione asks. Her curly brown hair is even frizzier than usual, and she starts tying it into a bun. She's wearing blue-and-white tartan pyjama bottoms and a rather tight-fitting Gryffindor shirt, which accentuates her subtle curves. 

I smirk in the direction Harry disappeared from our dorms, knowing my brother is easily flustered. "He's uncomfortable. Speaking of which, you should probably change your shirt . . ." 

"Why, what's wrong with it ―?" Hermione looks down and blushes. "Oh. Yeah, alright." 

I decide to throw on a hoodie as well and I leave the room so Hermione can get changed. 

"Harry?" I run down the stairs and look around the common room. 

My brother isn't there.