Chapter 5
An Elf, a Coat and a Cat
Harry was unsure of how long he had sat alone with his thoughts, but however long it was, he felt sure it was enough. He removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes and ran his hands through his unruly hair several times before finally getting up and heading out of his new room.
'Maybe I'll finally get to leave the Dursley's.' Harry mused as he walked down the hall. 'I can just imagine the look on Uncle Vernon's face when I tell him I've got a house of my own…'
A sudden banging noise from within one of the rooms to his right startled Harry out of his reprieve. He remained still until he heard more noises from behind one of the closed doors and discovered that they were coming from within the room that Hermione and Ginny had used during their visits the past year.
He crept as silently as he could and placed one ear on the door. It sounded as if someone were sweeping the floor and moving furniture around.
'That's odd.' Harry thought as he moved his ear away and cautiously pushed the door open peering inside.
It seemed to Harry that the night would be full of surprises and he should definitely get used to seeing them before long, but to say he was taken back would be an understatement.
Standing in the middle of the medium sized room with his back to Harry and waving long fingers about the air as if conducting an orchestra was a house-elf. In between long pointed ears he wore several small hats perched upon each other atop his head. On his feet - one black sock with orange pumpkins and white ghosts traveling up and down its length and one dirty grayish looking thing that was clearly too large for the elf as it had fallen to a skinny ankle. And in place of a Hogwarts uniform he wore what appeared to be a bright velvety crimson colored pillow case with gold trim that matched the ones in Harry's new bedroom.
The house-elf had obviously sensed a presence because he quickly turned around, shrieked and ran forward to hug the lower half of Harry's body.
"Master-friend Harry Potter sir!" Dobby exclaimed whilst looking up with overly large eyes.
He then quickly let Harry go and pointed one long finger upwards, waving it back and forth as he placed his other hand firmly on his hip much - like a mother scolding her child would, "You is not to be in this room till Dobby has finished with it!"
"But Dobby… what are you doing here?" Harry stumbled with a bewildered expression as he scanned the room.
Two brooms swept opposite corners as a giant mop busily washed the middle of the floor. Twin beds, two dressers and a couple of nightstands were pressed up against a giant wardrobe on the far side of the room.
"Dobby has chosen to serve Harry potter and his family sir!" Dobby exclaimed as he held his head high and pulled the bottoms of his new pillow case so that he wore it taught in proud display.
"But Dobby I don't need a servant…" Harry began but was quickly rebuffed.
"Master does not need a servant?" Dobby asked incredulously spreading his long arms and waving them about the room, "Masters house is messy! There is lots of cleaning that needs to be doing! Who's doing cooking? Who's taking care of Harry Potters' family? Of Masters home?"
Dobby rested his hands on his hips and began to breathe faster than Harry liked. He began to worry that if Dobby didn't soon calm down he would hyperventilate and pass out.
"I didn't mean to upset you Dobby - It's just that you're my friend! I couldn't possibly ask you to be my servant! What about your freedom?" Harry implored hurriedly before Dobby could cut him off again.
Dobby clasped his hands together and drew them up to a wild grin. His eyes grew wider as he cried;
"Master Harry Potter sir is truly the greatest wizard! Dobby is honored to be called friend by his Master! You is in need of serving and I is choosing to serve! See? I is choosing! Master has taught Dobby years ago he can be choosing so he is!"
Harry once again was at a loss for words so he simply stood and stared at the hopeful expression on Dobby's face. He didn't want to upset him, and it seemed that Dobby was pretty determined to stay.
Wanting to avoid any hard feelings Harry gave in and said with as much authority as he could muster;
"All right Dobby - but you are not my servant. You will continue to be paid twice whatever Professor Dumbledore was paying you back at Hogwarts."
If it were possible, Dobby's eyes became even wider.
"That is paying too much Master Harry Potter sir! What is Dobby going to be doing with such?" he supposed in wonderment.
The look on the house-elf's face gave Harry a small smile as he replied;
"It's your choice Dobby," and then as an after-thought he added, "and please stop calling me 'Master' or I'll fire you."
Harry knelt and, looking straight into Dobby's eyes, proffered his right hand for a hand-shake.
Dobby, still unsure of himself, hesitated only a second before grasping Harry's hand and shaking it with an embarrassed smile.
"By the way Dobby, how did you get into this house? I thought you needed my permission first."
"Dobby is a house-elf sir." He shrugged, as if that explained everything.
"I see…" said Harry, though he was certain he didn't see at all and wasn't about to confess it.
Somewhat satisfied, Harry rose and surveyed the room yet again, not failing to note that the brooms and mop had not stopped their cleaning before turning to leave once more for the kitchen.
When he got to the door Dobby called out causing him to turn back around and give a questioning look.
"Dobby is almost forgetting Harry Potter sir!"
Harry watched as Dobby sprinted to the wardrobe and pulled out a small feminine looking tan coat with faux-fur lining. He quickly ran to Harry and pushed it into his hands.
"This is Mas - I means Harry Potter's girlfriends' sir!" Dobby emphatically stated.
'Girlfriend?' thought Harry. He looked closely at the jacket and immediately recognized it as the one Hermione wore when she 'convinced' him to leave Buckbeak's room last Christmas; apparently she had left it behind in her haste to leave at the end of the holiday.
"Dobby, Hermione's not my girlfriend - She's my best friend."
Dobby looked at Harry as if he had just proclaimed that the Loch-Ness Monster had asked him to tea and biscuits.
"Dobby is very busy and Master's friends are waiting!" Dobby managed to proclaim before turning Harry around and pushing him out the door.
Harry felt the door close roughly behind him and he wondered what on earth had gotten into his house-elf friend.
He looked down at the soft jacket and decided he would hold on to it until he saw Hermione as he made his way back down the stairs.
He stopped half-way down when the hair on the back of his neck rose and he experienced the same sensations he had when he 'felt' Moody's presence earlier outside. He looked in the general direction of where the kitchen should be, in the lower level and through the wall past the grand entryway on his right, and was pleased to see the familiar light blue 'beam' coming through the wall and resting on himself.
Harry felt his temper rise when he realized that privacy was something he was going to lack as long as Moody was around. He had the sudden inspiration to see if could do something about it.
He focused his mind on the beam for a long moment until he could feel the energy of it. He focused on the light until he could see the tiniest of waves and sparkles, appearing very much like shiny pearls in glowing water.
He was quite startled when he suddenly heard Moody's gravely voice in his head.
"The boy's caught me looking Dumbledore."
"Interesting indeed." replied the Head-Master.
Harry swore he heard Dumbledore's response through Moody. 'This is too weird.' He thought.
"Go on Harry, keep focusing." Dumbledore said.
"You mean he can hear us too?" gasped Tonks.
"Through Alastor he can - at this moment - yes." Dumbledore replied.
"Oh." He heard Tonks say as Moody growled.
Harry closed his eyes and focused on the sensations of the light blue beam. He concentrated on the tingling and attempted to suppress them. Slowly they began to fade and soon he couldn't feel them at all.
He opened his eyes to find the beam wildly searching about the stairs as Moody calmly said;
"I've lost him. I don't see him at all."
Harry couldn't help but grin at what he had just accomplished. He was amazed and elated as he strolled into the kitchen amongst Moody's scowl; Tonks look of amazement, Lupin's smile and Dumbledore's praise.
"Excellent Harry, well done! Now is definitely the time to discuss your training schedule. Please have a seat."
"Training schedule?" Harry asked as he sat carefully folding Hermione's coat and setting it atop his cloak on the seat next to him.
"Yes Harry, but not just yours. I thought it wise to include your friends as well, though I must warn you - your schedule will be particularly grueling."
Harry nodded. 'Finally!' he thought.
"Very well; Alastor, Remus, Kingsley and Professor's McGonagall and Flitwick have all graciously volunteered to work with you on varying days - I also will be training you myself of course." Dumbledore said as he stared at Harry over his half-moon glasses.
Harry nodded once more but this time acknowledging both Moody and Lupin, as both nodded in return.
"As I mentioned earlier, Grimmauld Place has had many wards and protections set in place during its occupation by the Black family. It is no secret that they practiced the 'dark' arts. I had long suspected that the house would shield it's occupants from the prying eyes of the Ministry, that is, all sorts of illegal magic, including underage magic, could be practiced here - untraceable. My suspicions were confirmed when Sirius informed me that his parents gave him lessons in a specialized training room in the basement level of this house. His parent's intention, naturally, was to give him a 'leg up' as it were, so that he would easily excel in his classes when he was ready to attend Hogwarts. Remus has located this room and I believe it will meet our needs."
"You mean I'm going to train here?" Asked Harry perplexed. "I can do magic in this house?"
"Yes Harry - you can and should. You will need to practice as much as possible. The return of Voldemort dictates that we make haste. It is imperative that we do everything necessary to prepare you, for his attack is certain."
"You're not alone in this Harry." Lupin said with certainty. "I don't know what's with you in particular, but we're going to fight him together."
Tonks and Moody nodded in agreement.
Harry locked eyes with Dumbledore for a brief moment as he thought 'they have no idea what the prophecy said do they?'
Dumbledore gave the slightest shake of his bearded head for an answer then asked;
"Do you have any questions for us Harry?"
"Well…" Harry began as he looked up deep in thought to find a spider spinning its web in a ceiling corner, "what's going on with Voldemort? Where is he and what is he doing? Are the Death Eaters that you captured still in Azkaban? What is the Order doing and where have they been meeting if not here? When does my training start and what will I be studying? How much longer do I have to live with the Dursley's? How soon can I visit the Burrow? How come I can feel and see all these funny things now when before I couldn't?"
"Jeez Harry! And all in one breathe too, I'm impressed!" teased Tonks from the opposite side of the table.
When she saw the glare Moody had given with both his real and magical eye from next to her, she quickly amended;
"Just trying to lighten the mood is all! Sheesh you're moody!" Tonks stated as she turned from Moody's continued stare and lifted her left hand to shield her face from him before flashing Harry a another grin and a wink.
"I saw that you know!" Moody grunted.
"Damn eye! If you weren't so old and decrepit I'd be concerned!" retorted Tonks.
"Decrepit?" questioned Moody - as his face had been so deformed from years of curses, it was now contorted with what Harry assumed to be incredulity, had the image not been frightening, he would have laughed.
Dumbledore amusedly cleared his throat and began speaking once he had everyone's attention.
"Ok Harry, I will answer as much as I can and in some semblance of order. First, we do not know where Voldemort is, though we suspect he is still in the country. We do know however, that he intends to rescue the Death Eaters who are currently imprisoned in Azkaban and renew his efforts to obtain some sort of 'weapon' that I believe still resides in the Department of Mysteries. We are also certain that he has made some sort of an alliance with the giants, has recruited foreign dark practitioners, including vampires, and is currently in talks with the centaurs. Second, the Order is continuing to monitor any unusual activity within the Ministry as well as any unexplained disappearances of both wizard and muggle alike. On that account, nothing has stood out thus far. As for the Order, we have been meeting haphazardly here and there. We cannot meet at Hogwarts for obvious political reasons nor did I wish to intrude upon the family members of any in the Order as it would unwittingly endanger them as well."
"Why don't you continue to meet here? I don't have a problem with that." Harry interrupted, causing Dumbledore to smile proudly.
"Thank you Harry, but as I said I didn't wish to intrude…"
"But it's alright Professor. Won't it make it that much easier for all the training if the Order members were already here or due to be here?" Harry questioned. It would be easier Harry reasoned, especially since he was afraid to be left out of the loop again.
"Thank you Harry, this is most generous of you." Dumbledore replied with a small bow of his head.
"Don't mention it." waved Harry. What else was he going to do with this place anyway? He then crossed his arms and leaned back into his chair allowing Dumbledore to continue.
"Third, your training regimen will be difficult and draining at best. You will be studying some theory but performing practical application mostly. Your power resides in the strength of will, and we will be working on that more than anything else. I am presently in communication with someone whom I believe can instruct you in wand-less magic, as I am no means an expert on the subject. This is one area in which Voldemort far surpasses me and I wish you to have the utmost education on this subject in particular. Nonetheless, Alastor will provide Auror training, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick will provide instruction on advanced transfiguration and dueling, respectively, and Remus will provide further tutoring on all the subjects we will cover."
"What will you be teaching me?" asked Harry, curious and excited at the prospect of be taught by Dumbledore himself.
The Head-Master's enigmatic smile returned as he answered.
"I won't speak of it here, but I can give surety that you will be far from disappointed."
Harry hoped Dumbledore would elaborate but realized he wouldn't as he continued to answer Harry's earlier questions.
"Fourth, you must remain at your relatives until your Birthday." Dumbledore raised his hand to stop Harry before he could protest, then continued "I'm sorry Harry, but that is how the protective magic works - not even I can change that. As for the Burrow, I'd rather you stay here in your own house simply to accommodate your training schedule, but I do not begrudge you a visit every now and then - you will need a break."
"Thanks." Harry muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.
"And finally, the reason for your sudden outburst of talents may be summed up in one word - puberty, and I am most certain you will find that some 'funny' feelings can be quite profound."
Dumbledore shook his head slightly and smiled at the table while Tonk's cheeks flushed and Lupin shifted uncomfortably in his seat, hands and eyes glued to his empty mug. Moody seamed completely oblivious and appeared to have understood as much as Harry had - nothing.
Harry scrunched up his nose as he tried to understand just how a funny feeling could be profound when Dumbledore rose and announced that it was well past time to leave.
"We will return tomorrow evening to begin your training and to tend to Buckbeak Harry." He said while everyone else stood and prepared to leave.
The Head-Master then pulled out the box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans from his robe pocket and handed it to Harry.
"When you're ready it will return you to the bedroom in your Aunts house. Keep it on you, it will activate once more tomorrow at 4Pm, bringing you directly here in this kitchen where both Alastor and Remus will meet you. Dobby will allow them entry, he knows your wishes. I will see you next week, sooner if there is news. Take care Harry, call for Fawkes if you need anything." And with that Dumbledore walked over to the giant fireplace on the far side of the kitchen, lit it, grabbed a handful of Floo Powder from the jar on top of the mantle, stepped inside and yelled "My office!" and with a swoosh of brilliant green flames, disappeared.
Call for Fawkes? How was he supposed to do that?
"I'll see you tomorrow boy. Be ready." Moody grunted as he pulled on his invisibility cloak.
The shimmering opalescent colors came in to view once more as Moody exited the kitchen and out the front doors of the house. Now that Harry thought about it, he couldn't actually see through Moody's cloak, he could just see that it was there, well that and the eye he supposed. He'd have to look that one up.
"Good bye Harry, I'll try to see you some time this week Ok? My shift is going to start soon and I better get to the office before all the coffee's gone." Tonks giggled as she formally shook Harry's hand. She too left by Floo yelling "Ministry Headquarters!"
"Alright Harry, you'd better go first, I can see my self out." said Lupin as he again placed a fatherly hand on Harry's shoulder.
Harry really took the time to take in Lupin's appearance now that he had more light than when they had first met outside and became immediately alarmed by what he saw. He did look terrible! The whites of his gray eyes were blood-shot and had large dark circles underneath them. His hair was disheveled and the unshaven hair on his face stood out significantly against his overly pale skin. His robes looked even shabbier than usual and Harry could see that Lupin had lost some weight.
"I have been much worse." Lupin said with a slight smile.
Harry wasn't convinced and was struck by an idea.
"Why don't you stay here and help me with the house? There's so much still that needs to be done and I'm not really all that sure what Sirius' plans were for the rest of the house…"
Lupin gave Harry a side-ways look and responded;
"You have Dobby to do that, you don't need me."
"Yes he'll clean up the place but I won't be here most of the next couple of years. You know this place better than anyone else; there are all kinds of rooms and things that need sorting. I don't know what half the stuff in this house does! I'm sure some of them are even dangerous!"
"I don't know Harry; I don't want to be a burden…" Lupin answered looking down at his shoes.
"Are you crazy?" Harry almost yelled. "Dumbledore told you to tutor me! How are you supposed to do that if you're not here? You said that you'd be there for me if I needed you - well I need you to stay here and not only help me look after this gargantuan place but also help me to defeat Voldemort." He finished emphatically.
Lupin returned his gaze upon Harry and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"You say that like you're the only one that can beat him."
"You know what I mean!" Said Harry hurriedly, "so will you stay?"
Lupin's stance relaxed and he stuck out his right hand grinning broadly.
"Alright, it's a deal for now then."
As soon as Harry reached for Lupin's hand, Lupin pulled him into a fierce hug and after a brief moment let go.
"You'd better get going Harry, It's going to be dawn soon and I need my beauty rest."
Relief washed over Harry knowing that Lupin would be well sheltered and cared to by Dobby as he grabbed his invisibility cloak and Hermione's jacket off the chair and draped them both over his left arm. He was just about to activate the port-key when he heard Lupin speak.
"Thanks Harry. I know what you're doing… and I appreciate it." He said sincerely.
Harry gave Lupin his best Weasley twin impression of 'you can't prove that we owl-posted that bit of pixy dung!' and said "I don't know what you're talking about!", and then disappeared.
Harry didn't realize how tired he was until he reappeared into his old bedroom. He glanced at the clock on his nightstand and saw that it was just past six in the morning. Hazy sunlight was already creeping through his bedroom window so he pulled down the shades and tossed his cloak across the room and onto his trunk.
He then threw himself onto the bed before realizing that he still held Hermione's coat, but he thought he'd just rest his eyes for a second and put her jacket on the chair in a minute or two…
Harry lay in the softest bed he had ever been on in his life. He was incredibly comfortable and warm and he didn't ever want to get up. He rolled over to his side and something tickled his nose. A mixture of the most wonderful concoction of scents wafted into Harry's nostrils; vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and lavender, strangely recognizable and both calming and exciting at the same time. He couldn't explain it, he just knew he never wanted to leave this bed, never wanted to stop the tender and enticing feelings that were stirring from someplace deep within his soul.
He could hear a distant door bell ring as his nose was tickled once more by something fuzzy. Familiar voices could now be heard muffled as he snuggled his face against the warm fuzziness still tickling his nose. Knocking could be heard now and someone was calling his name.
"Harry! Get up! You have a visitor!" Aunt Petunia yelled through the door.
"Go away!" Harry half yelled in his dream like state.
"I told you he didn't want company!" He heard his Aunt say as her footsteps echoed back down the stairs.
"Harry are you Ok? Harry please open the door!" came a girls voice followed by more knocking.
"What the…?" Harry exclaimed as he opened his eyes to see that he had buried his face into the faux fur lined hood of Hermione's jacket and jumped immediately awake.
"Harry?" came the girl's voice again.
"Hold on!" Harry yelled as he kicked the covers that he had somehow gotten under and sat bolt upright on the edge of his bed. He looked down on to the bed and noticed Hermione's coat had gotten completely wrinkled and didn't look nearly as nice as when he had first gotten it from Dobby.
'I can't give that back to her looking like that!' Harry thought as he hastily tried to cover it with his bed sheets and then ran to the door, throwing it open.
With her hair pulled back into a loose bun and dressed casually in pair of light blue jeans and a white blouse stood a worried looking Hermione Jane Granger with Crookshanks in her arms.
"Hermione… what are you doing here?" asked Harry perplexed, still holding the door.
"Well…" stammered Hermione whose hand shook as she petted her cat, "you haven't answered any of my letters and I really needed you to look after Crookshanks for me because my parents are taking me to France for a couple of weeks and I can't take him with us. I couldn't ask Ron because you know how they don't get along and I didn't feel comfortable leaving him with anyone else. So I asked my parents to bring me here so I could drop him off, they said I could stay for about an hour - because they have a last minute errand to run, if that's Ok with you, and Kingsley's down stairs running interference for me, since Dumbledore insisted that he accompany us to the airport anyway. And how come you haven't written back to me? Not that you could these past few days as Hedwig has been staying with me, it's been a blessing really as my Mom has been using her for errands, she seems quite happy actually. And… oh Harry I was so worried at first when I didn't hear from you!" Hermione finished completely winded.
She dropped an unexpected Crookshanks (who hissed indignantly as he ran past and jumped onto Harry's bed), and threw herself into Harry nearly knocking him flat, squeezing him until he could hardly breath.
Harry tried desperately to steady himself by leaning into Hermione's embrace; hints of vanilla, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin (and mince pies?) assaulted his senses once more as he felt a commanding rush of warmth radiate from his core and his stomach growled hungrily.
He then remembered that he hadn't eaten properly in days and subsequently couldn't recall a word she had just said… something important… something about… Crookshanks?