Not Again//Harry Potter [2]

30

Harry grabbed the book from Dumbledore and slipped his shoe off quickly, then his sock. He slipped the sock into the notebook with haste then put his shoe back on. Dumbledore watched, intrigued.

Autumn and Harry ran out of his office to follow Lucius and Dobby.

"Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy!" Autumn shouted.

"What is it, girl?"

"We have something of yours," Harry handed him the journal.

"Mine? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do sir, I think you slipped the diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron, that day at Diagon Alley," Harry stated.

"Oh you do, do you?" Mr. Malfoy got closer to Harry. "Why don't you prove it?" He shoved the book at Dobby and walked away. "Come, Dobby."

"Open it," Harry mouthed.

Dobby opened it, and it landed on the page that Harry put his sock in.

"Dobby?" Lucius turned around.

"Master has given Dobby a sock."

"What, no I didn't-"

"Master has presented dobby with clothes. Dobby is free!"

"You lost me my servant!" Lucius shouted, grabbing his wand from his cane.

"You shall not harm them!" Dobby said.

"Avada-" Lucius hissed.

But, his spell was shortly taken over by a snap of Dobby's fingers.

"Harry Potter and Autumn Grey freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly, gazing up at Harry, moonlight from the nearest window reflected in his orb-like eyes. "Harry Potter and Autumn Grey set Dobby free!"

"Least we could do, Dobby," said Harry, grinning. "Just promise never to try and save my life again."

Autumn smiled.

The elf's ugly brown face split suddenly into a wide, toothy smile.

"I've just got one question, Dobby," said Harry as Dobby pulled on Harry's sock with shaking hands. "You told me all this had nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, remember? Well–"

"It was a clue, sir," said Dobby, his eyes widening, as though this was obvious. "Was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be freely named, you see?"

"Right," said Harry. "Well, I'd better go. There's a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by now. . ."

Dobby threw his arms around Harry and Autumn and hugged them.

"Harry Potter and Autumn Grey are greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Harry Potter! Farewell, Autumn Grey!"

And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared.

Hogwarts has many feasts, but this one was different. Everyone was wearing their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night. Many announcements were said. Such as: the six hundred points that Autumn, Harry, and Ron earned from going in the Chamber of Secrets which secured the house cup for Gryffindor, the fact that exams were cancelled, and the fact that Lockhart wouldn't return.

Almost every student clapped at the last announcement, including a few teachers.

"Shame," said Ron, helping himself to a jam donut. "He was starting to grow on me."

Autumn laughed then shook her head.

>>>

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, Autumn, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic. Harry was getting very good at it.

Harry pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron, Autumn, and Hermione.

"This is called a telephone number," he told Ron, scribbling it three times, tearing the parchment in thirds, and handing it to them. "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer. He'll know. Call me at the Dursleys', okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to. . ."

"I'll try to," Autumn said. "Madam Dreace has the only phone in the building, and I can only get to it if she's on a date."

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"

"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious. . ."

Together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.

Autumn took the bus and walked herself back to the Orphanage, as happy as she's ever been. She set her stuff down, but was greeted by Vanessa. "We-we tried to write to you, but we didn't k-know the address." Vanessa looked as if she was about to cry.

"It's alright, you can just tell me now. What's up?" She asked, grabbing an apple from the kitchen.

"It's C-Cayden."

Autumn put the apple down. "What happened?"

"Y-You might want to see for yourself."

"Just tell me, I can take it." Autumn put her hands on her hips, feeling oddly confident.

But Autumn was not prepared for what Vanessa said.

"She's dead."

Autumn ran up the stairs, hoping it was a joke.  She pushed the door open, and looked at the bed that was Cayden's.

There was tape blocking it off, and a body bag with it. A small body bag. Autumn screamed as she cried.

She then understood how Ron felt when he thought he'd lost Ginny.