Elves on Patrol

Y/N didn't make any more late-night escapes from the Hospital Wing. Or anymore escapes in general.

Minerva came to visit him the next day, making sure he was okay and also dropping in that Tonks had mentioned something about Madam Rosmerta. But Y/N acted politely incredulous at this and Minerva was forced to leave it be. Apparently, Tonks hadn't actually given Y/N's name, simply stating that she wasn't the one to discover the Imperius curse.

Tonks' letter also lay under his pillow. Not that it carried much information.

'Y/N

I wish I could write to you with better information but I'm afraid that person we saw running off wiped Madam Rosmerta's memory. She doesn't remember anything from the last 12 months, not even whether she was the one giving out those items.

For what it's worth, you scared off whoever that was in the pub and I'm fairly sure that counts for something. It was a good find, but we were too late to reverse the effects of the charm. I hate to say it but there's not much more we can do.

Rosmerta will be taking a week or two off and then wants to go back to normal, we'll be keeping someone stationed there now. Won't let this happen again. We'll also be checking over the other shopkeepers.

In case no one has said it to you yet. Good work. Glad to see even poison doesn't stop you from saving the day.

Tonks'

To be honest, the frustration Y/N felt at the figure getting away was masked slightly from how warm Tonks' letter had made him. He didn't feel like he'd done much to deserve the praise, but getting it was nice either way.

Especially with how Tonks was at the moment thanks to Remus still trying to avoid her.

Y/N didn't understand why. They'd had the talk earlier that year, and he'd seemed prepared to try. Maybe he'd simply said that to get Y/N to back down. He'd have to pester him about it the next time he saw him.

He had several more visits from his friends, and as per usual his girlfriend barely left his bedside. But even the other's visits were infrequent.

The match against Hufflepuff was right around the corner and from what Ginny and Ron were telling him, their chances were slipping because Harry seemed distracted.

Whilst he wouldn't mention whatever was on his mind when with Y/N, he knew what it was, and why Harry wouldn't tell him.

It was hard not to know when his nose never left the Marauder's Map.

Harry was undoubtedly still mad at Y/N for throwing off his accusations, but quite frankly Y/N could deal with that. He had been right, Rosmerta had been the problem. And whilst Malfoy was evidently plotting something, it was hardly to the same degree as what had been planned with Rosmerta.

On the morning of the match, Hermione and Ginny stopped in to see him. Ginny looking extremely nervous. Hermione, slightly bored.

'It'll be weird going and not seeing you up there,' said Hermione. 'You're normally either with me or playing.'

'Yeah well, if I could I would,' said Y/N, 'but Madam Pomfrey would have my head on a skewer. And quite frankly she's one of the only people at this school who legitimately terrifies me. How are you doing Gin?' he added to the redhead.

'Okay... I think. Just pre-match jitters. I really want to beat Zacharias.'

'Oh hey, I was like that last year,' smirked Y/N. 'Go out there and kick his ass, show him what it really means to be a chaser.'

Ginny smiled and nodded, Hermione bent down and gave Y/N a quick kiss before the two of them left.

Madam Pomfrey walked past and opened one of the windows facing towards the pitch, waving her wand so that the noise outside was amplified.

Y/N could practically hear the bird song from the forest. Or at least he would have been able to, if not for the chatter of students heading down towards the pitch.

'If you start jumping around, I'll close it,' she said warningly, throwing him a challenging look.

'I'll behave,' said Y/N, 'and thank you.'

She nodded and made her way back towards her office.

Y/N settled himself into bed, listening to the steady stream of students get louder and louder. The cheers and boos ring through the window as the teams no doubt walked out, and then the swell of noise as they took to the skies.

And then, the last voice he'd been expecting to hear rang through from the commentator's podium.

'And that's Smith of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle,' said the dreamy voice of Luna Lovegood. 'He did the commentary last time, of course, and Ginny Weasley flew into him, I think probably on purpose, it looked like it. Smith was being quite rude about Gryffindor, I expect he regrets that now he's playing them- oh, look, he's lost the Quaffle, Ginny took it from him, I do like her, she's very nice.'

Y/N could help but smirk as he settled himself back to listen to the match, thoroughly enjoying Luna's commentary.

Forty-five minutes later and all of the team bar Harry and Hermione were gathered around his hospital bed.

'Well, congratulations,' said Y/N, his hand wrapped in Hermione's as he smiled around at them all. 'A comfortable win.'

'I'll take anything over Zacharias. Especially with how atrociously he played today,' said Ginny.

'I head Luna call it "Loser's Lurgy",' said Y/N, laughing gently. 'I'll have to use that. But still 200 – 60 is a good end score. Nothing to frown at.'

'Leaves us as front runners again,' said Katie. 'If Ravenclaw loses next match, there's almost no way we can lose the cup. If they beat Slytherin... well. We'll have to see. But you should be back for then anyway.'

'Speaking of, where is our illustrious captain?' said Y/N. 'You'd think he'd want to celebrate.'

'Dunno, he seemed distracted when he first arrived,' said Ginny. 'Mentioned something about seeing Malfoy walking around with a couple of girls. I think he went chasing after them.'

'Beginning to think we need an intervention at this point,' said Y/N. 'It's getting weird now.'

The chat amongst the team was jovial and happy for a time before one by one. Peakes, Coote, Demelza and Katie all left, leaving just Ginny, Ron, Y/N and Hermione.

'So, you don't think there's any truth to his Malfoy theory then?' asked Ron. 'You've got to admit it's a bit weird.'

'Ron, I've told him that it's weird and that Malfoy is up to something, but there are bigger concerns right now. I still need to get back and clear my third trial, and we still need that memory from Slughorn. Until those are done, I don't have time to be worrying about Malfoy.'

'Besides, didn't you guys say he's not on the Marauder's Map?' asked Ginny. 'So what are the chances Harry is even going to be able to find him? He'll probably just come back all moody again.'

'Then get cross at us for not caring when he goes on a wild goose chase for 2 hours. It's hard to be sympathetic when he can be such an arse about it,' said Hermione.

Just as she finished, the doors opened and Harry came striding up the ward towards them. Sure enough, his face was a mask of frustration and disappointment.

'No sign of him then?' asked Y/N.

'No,' said Harry moodily, taking Katie's vacated seat. 'I don't get it. How does he just keep vanishing like that?'

'If it bothers you that much, just have him followed,' said Y/N, leaning back slightly so that he could readjust. 'That way you know where he's going.'

'Oh yeah? And how am I supposed to do that? We've all got classes.'

'Harry. You own a house elf.'

Harry's mouth fell open and he stared at Y/N for a solid 5 seconds.

'You know, sometimes I wonder how you lot would survive if I wasn't here.'

'But... how do I... like what do I do to bring him to me? Am I meant to just say his name? 'Cause Dumbledore had me do it at the Dursleys.'

'In theory yeah, it's another reason we're so against it. Being summoned by simply having your name said sounds horrible. Same with I'd rather you pay him for doing this, but I feel like he'll try to kill you for it.'

Harry pointed his wand at Madam Pomfrey's office door.

'Muffliato.'

Hermione sniffed disapprovingly.

'Kreacher!'

There was a very loud crack, and the sounds of scuffling and squeaks filled the silent room.

'Protego!'

Y/N's wandless shield charm sprang up between the two brawling figures and they were pushed apart.

One was wearing a filthy old rag strung over his hips like a loincloth.

The other, a shrunken maroon jumper.

Then there was another loud bang, and Peeves the Poltergeist appeared in midair above the elves.

'I was watching that!' he told Y/N indignantly, pointing at the fight below, before letting out a loud cackle. 'You should have seen the ickle creatures squabbling, bitey bitey, punchy punchy-'

'Kreacher will not insult Harry Potter in front of Dobby, no he won't, or Dobby will shut Kreacher's mouth for him!' cried Dobby in a high-pitched voice throwing himself at the shield charm.

'-kicky, scratchy!' cried Peeves happily, now pelting bits of chalk at the elves to enrage them further. 'Tweaky, pokey!'

Y/N raised his hand at Peeves and with a bang like a gunshot, the poltergeist was blasted up the ward. He gave them all one nasty look and then swept away.

'Kreacher will say what he likes about his master, oh yes, and what a master he is, filthy friend of-'

'Silencio!' snarled Y/N.

'Enough!' yelled Harry, 'Kreacher, I forbid you from using the word mudblood.'

Kreacher glared at Harry as Dobby straightened himself, smiling around weakly at all of them.

Y/N let his silencing and shield charm fall.

'Right, I'm forbidding you to fight each other!' said Harry 'Well, Kreacher, you're forbidden to fight Dobby. Dobby, I know I'm not allowed to give you orders-'

'Dobby is a free house-elf and he can obey anyone he likes and Dobby will do whatever Harry Potter wants him to do!' said Dobby, tears now streaming down his shrivelled little face onto his jumper.

'Okay then,' Harry let the silence hang for a few seconds, making sure the elves were not about to continue fighting, before sighing.

'Master called me?' croaked Kreacher, sinking into a bow even as he gave Harry a look that plainly wished him a painful death.

'Yeah, I did,' said Harry, glancing toward Madam Pomfrey's office door, no doubt to check that the Muffliato spell was still working; there was no sign that she had heard any of the commotion. 'I've got a job for you.'

'Kreacher will do whatever Master wants,' said Kreacher, sinking so low that his lips almost touched his gnarled toes, 'because Kreacher has no choice, but Kreacher is ashamed to have such a master, yes-'

'Dobby will do it, Harry Potter!' squeaked Dobby, his tennis ball-sized eyes still swimming in tears. 'Dobby would be honoured to help Harry Potter!'

'Come to think of it, it would be good to have both of you,' said Harry. 'Okay then. I want you to tail Draco Malfoy. I want to know where he's going, who he's meeting, and what he's doing. I want you to follow him around the clock.'

'Yes, Harry Potter!' said Dobby at once, his great eyes shining with excitement. 'And if Dobby does it wrong, Dobby will throw himself off the topmost tower, Harry Potter!'

Hermione let out a small squeal and Y/N glanced at Harry.

'There won't be any need for that,' said Harry hastily.

'Master wants me to follow the youngest of the Malfoys?' croaked Kreacher. 'Master wants me to spy upon the pure-blood great-nephew of my old mistress?'

'That's the one,' said Harry. 'And you're forbidden to tip him off, Kreacher, or to show him what you're up to, or to talk to him at all, or to write him messages or to contact him in any way. Got it?'

Y/N thought he could see Kreacher struggling to see a loophole in the instructions he had just been given. Quite frankly, Y/N didn't trust Kreacher after the previous year, hence why he'd never brought this idea up sooner. But if Harry was so insistent on finding out, they may as well do it this way.

After a moment or two, Kreacher bowed deeply again and said, with bitter resentment, 'Master thinks of everything, and Kreacher must obey him even though Kreacher would much rather be the servant of the Malfoy boy, oh yes.'

'That's settled, then,' said Harry. 'I'll want regular reports, but make sure I'm not surrounded by people when you turn up. This lot are okay. And don't tell anyone what you're doing. Just stick to Malfoy like a couple of wart plasters.'

'Pay him,' said Y/N.

'What?'

'Pay Dobby.'

'That is not necessary Harry Potter sir-!' began Dobby, but Harry shook his head.

'No, Y/N is right, I will pay you for doing this, Dobby. And I'll offer it to you, Kreacher.'

'Kreacher will not accept payment for betraying his rightful masters-!' began the elf.

'Well then that's settled,' interrupted Harry.

Kreacher glowered at Harry. Dobby beamed and with two loud cracks, the pair of them vanished.

'Good thinking, Y/N!' said Harry, looking very excited now. 'Can finally get something substantial.'

'Just don't blame me if they come back with nothing,' said Y/N. 'I've done my part to help your chase.'

Two days later, Y/N was released from the watchful eye and care of Madam Pomfrey, under careful instruction to behave himself and not be back within a few weeks. Unfortunately, Y/N wasn't sure if he could follow that order.

The call of the tomb was returning.

Knowing that he only had one trial left, one of wits, and that now the person he'd be taking was not only right next to him but delighted at the chance to go. Quite frankly the only thing that was stopping him was a minor fear of the Matron.

Deciding instead that, at least for tonight, it would be wise to simply ignore the nagging feeling, he settled himself in alongside Hermione and Ginny, going over some homework he'd missed with Hermione as Ginny spoke to them more about the arguments she kept having with Dean.

'Sounds like he isn't right for you, Gin,' said Hermione, idly flicking through one of her textbooks. 'I mean, most of what I hear you say about him these days is complaining.'

'Yeah I know,' said Ginny heavily. 'I just want to give him a chance you know? He apologised and said he'd be better-'

'Like the last four times?' Y/N asked gently.

Ginny hung her head.

'Look Gin, there's a point where it stops being worth it. You need to ask whether you've hit that point yet. While I don't mind giving you relationship advice or hearing you out, these conversations are getting more and more common.'

Ginny settled herself back, looking deep in thought just as Harry and Ron joined them.

'Just ran into Luna,' said Harry as the two of them sat down. 'She gave me this.'

And he held up a scroll of parchment, reading the contents aloud to reveal that his next lesson with Dumbledore was to take place that evening.

'Odd that he always manages to find a student to give that to instead of you,' said Ron.

'Good luck telling him that you haven't done what he asked you to as well,' said Y/N.

'You got a bit poisoned; I was distracted,' said Harry.

'First of all, I got poisoned, not you, that's my excuse. We both know you were more distracted by Malfoy. And secondly, that doesn't excuse the weeks before I got poisoned. You've had since January to do it, mate.'

After a few hours, Harry departed. Shortly before his departure, Lavender came over and sat down alongside Ron. She chatted with him quietly as Y/N and Hermione kept working together. Ginny had left not long after Harry's initial arrival to sit with Dean, when Lavender turned to Y/N.

'How are you doing, Y/N?'

'Hm? Oh yeah I'm fine, thanks Lavender. Nothing Madam Pomfrey couldn't fix. How about you? You doing okay?'

'Yeah, it hurt a bit to begin with, but Hermione helped me understand. Besides, after you got poisoned, I felt like I couldn't really be mad over a misunderstanding like that. Felt childish in the grand scheme of things, you know?'

'Don't be silly. Opinions and feelings are always valid. Just glad Hermione could help ease yours before things kicked off. Besides, I've been through worse.'

'You have?' asked Lavender, looking surprised.

'Well no, but it's a close run thing. That was one of the closest I've ever come to dying. Definitely the most painful.'

Lavender looked shocked, glancing across at Ron who nodded looking slightly bemused.

'I forget that the stuff you've done isn't common knowledge sometimes.'

'I don't, you remember everyone last year when forming the D.A? Half of them didn't know I'd killed the Basilisk.'

'Um... would it be okay if... well... could I hear some of those stories?' asked Lavender. 'Stories of all of you together? I've been a bit all over Ron and kind of neglecting you guys. If I want to make this thing long term with him, I should probably get to know all of you.'

'You feel like helping me in a dramatic retelling of my heroic tales, love?' asked Y/N, smirking down at Hermione.

'Yes, I would be happy to help keep your ego in check whenever you begin exaggerating,' smirked Hermione.

And so, using Ron and Hermione to help confirm and collate parts of his story, Y/N recounted many of his adventures from the years prior to Lavender, including his appearance in the Ministry, though he didn't give the full story of what had happened.

As he spoke, he did... embellish some aspects and was swiftly brought back to humility by Hermione, but she seemed to be thoroughly enjoying this nonetheless, nodding and shaking her head accordingly with his tale.

'-and then, a great pillar of flames sprang up before the Death Eaters! The song ringing out across the room-'

'Oh, come off it,' said Lavender with a small laugh, 'even I know that's an exaggeration.'

'Actually, that one was real,' said Hermione.

'It was quite impressive to be honest,' said Ron.

Lavender looked between the three of them as though expecting any of them to break into laughter. When none of them did, she looked back at Y/N.

'But... how?'

'Eternus!'

The orange phoenix burst into being, soaring gently overhead before fluttering down onto his shoulder.

'Go say hi to Lavender, would you?'

Eternus did as he said, lifting off of his shoulder and flying over to Lavender, landing gently on hers instead.

'Eternus has been a life-saver, in more ways than one,' said Y/N. 'They're also where all this "Rising Phoenix" bollocks came from. They can transport me over distance and their flames don't hurt me.'

'I remember seeing them all last year in the D.A. meetings,' said Lavender, 'but somehow it just never clicked that I was seeing an actual real-life phoenix. It just seemed like another one of those things that was just happening you know?'

'God yeah, I know that feeling. But no, they're very real.'

Eternus gave a soft cry before soaring back over to Y/N, settling back on his shoulder.

'You've all done so much...' said Lavender, looking around at the three of them. 'Like I knew you had but... wow.'

'And we've still got another year left and a war on the horizon,' said Y/N, leaning back and running his hand through Hermione's hair. 'It's why I can take a poisoning quite well, at this point I'm lucky to even still be here.'

'Thank you, all of you, for sharing these stories. Especially about the Ministry. I know you won't even tell the Prophet about that.'

'The Prophet don't deserve to know,' said Y/N, 'but if Ron likes you, I see no reason not to tell you. Just don't go spreading it around, okay?'

'Yeah no, of course not,' said Lavender quickly. She stifled a yawn behind her hand before glancing at her watch. 'I should probably be heading off to bed. I'll see you for breakfast tomorrow?' she asked Ron, he nodded and leant in to kiss her.

Y/N wretched.

'Oh wait, we can do that now,' he said suddenly.

Ron scoffed at him, Lavender looked embarrassed and with a wave, she hurried off.

'She isn't used to you yet,' said Ron.

'Nor should she be. I am a bit much.'

'Yeah, but we love you for it,' said Hermione.

'Speak for yourself,' said Ron.

'Excuse you?' said Y/N, tilting his head at him. 'Didn't see you complaining when I told Lavender about how you valiantly chased Sirius Black under the waving arms of the Whomping Willow. I can always tell her you got dragged there by your broken ankle.'

'Yeah no we'll keep it as is, thanks,' said Ron, smiling softly.

It was a fairly nice and relaxed end to the day, which quite frankly was what Y/N needed. His mind was still locked on that tomb, and recounting some of his old tales had helped push those thoughts away. He'd also purposefully avoided talking about his encounters within the tomb for that reason.

Around thirty minutes later and Harry returned.

Hermione gently pried herself up from Y/N's lap, choosing to sit in it instead, leaning back against Y/N's arm cradling her and resting her head against his chest as Harry took his seat, took a deep breath, and then told them all about what he'd seen.

His lesson had begun with Dumbledore checking up on his progress. As expected, Dumbledore had been disappointed upon hearing that Harry had not managed to collect the memory, but Harry had sworn to try his upmost to retrieve it going forward and Dumbledore had let the matter settle there, instead agreeing to show Harry the next sets of memories.

This, Dumbledore had warned, would be where they were getting into the area of guesswork. And Y/N could already tell what was coming. No doubt, theories about what the other Horcruxes may be.

Tom Riddle had graduated Hogwarts with top grades in all classes, many of his fellow students spoke keenly about where life would take them after school and, naturally, everyone expected Riddle to go on do great things. However, Tom refused all job and reference offers. And before long, he'd begun working at Borgin and Burkes.

However, Dumbledore had a theory about this. Tom Riddle wanted to be a teacher. He'd approached the headmaster before Dumbledore to ask if he could stay on and teach following his departure. Y/N felt a surge at this, not particularly comfortable that his own ambitions seemed to mirror Voldemort's.

Armando Dippet, the previous Headmaster, had refused the offer, stating that Tom was too young, but inviting him to apply again in a few years time. And so, the young Tom Riddle had not chosen a career, merely a job, to tide him over until he tried again.

Dumbledore had been highly against this appointment, going so far as to advise the old Headmaster against it. However, Armando Dippet had seemed sold on both Tom Riddle's honesty and capability, though Dumbledore still did not trust him

However, that did not mean that Tom Riddle remained stagnant with Borgin and Burkes. His natural talents and charisma soon earned him more specialised jobs, the types of things you'd expect from an establishment dealing in dark and illegal goods. Tom had been sent to convince people to part with their treasures, normally for considerably less than what they were actually worth.

Not many people still alive knew much, if anything, about that time of his life. However, Dumbledore had managed to procure two memories. The first from a House Elf called Hokey, who had worked for a lady called Hepzibah Smith.

This memory had shown Hepzibah fussing over herself as a guest was due to arrive, ordering Hokey around and doing her best to look good for her incoming guest. Three guesses as to who that was.

Sure enough, as if counted in, Tom Riddle had appeared on her doorstep looking better than he ever had at Hogwarts according to Harry... strange observation.

He had worked her over with his charms, complimenting her looks and offering her flowers before getting to business, attempting to persuade her to part with a set of goblin-made armour.

Hepzibah however, did not seem interested in this and instead seemed to want to try and impress Tom, offering to show him something she'd never shown anyone, telling Hokey to bring "both".

Hokey brought them out as commanded and Hepzibah took them, opening the first and showing it to Tom.

Inside nestled a small golden cup with two finely wrought handles.

Apparently, a change had come over Tom as he'd been invited to look it over, a flash of red flicking through his eyes and a look of greed over taking him. And the why became apparent.

Engraved on the cup was the symbol of a Badger, it had once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff.

Hepzibah claimed she had been distantly descended but that she would never part with the cup, simply leaving it safe and tucked away. And she did so as she said this, taking it from Tom and causing a shadow to pass over his eyes.

Next, was one that she'd acquired from Burke already. A heavy golden locket, inscribed with a serpentine S. The mark of Slytherin.

As Harry told them this part, Y/N could see where this was going. A mark of Hufflepuff, Tom could ignore, not easily, but for a while, waiting for his moment. A mark of Slytherin however, he'd feel as though that was his right to own. Not Hepzibah's.

Apparently, Voldemort had parted with the locket, but not before Hepzibah had seen a shadow of something cross his eyes. Dumbledore had pulled them from the memory at that time.

Hepzibah Smith died two days after that particular encounter. Hokey had been convicted of poisoning her Mistress' evening cocoa by mistake.

Whilst this was obviously a lie, Hokey confessed much as Morfin had, admitting that she remembered adding something different to her Mistress' drink, and the Ministry had no problem accusing her...

'Because she's a House Elf,' spat Y/N, his eyes locked with Hermione's, a rage burning behind both sets.

And by the time Hokey had been convicted, her family had noticed two treasures that had gone missing. The cup and the locket. It took them a while to confirm fully and when they had, Tom Riddle had already resigned his post at Borgin and Burkes before vanishing.

Ten years then separated Hokey's memory and the next one. And this time, they were using one of Dumbledore's own.

The past Dumbledore seemed to be waiting for someone, and as a knock on his office door sounded, he called for them to enter. And in walked Tom Riddle.

Though not the Tom Riddle from ten years prior. His features had seemed oddly burnt, almost waxy and strangely distorted, his eyes bloodshot and face pale. The mark of his first few Horcruxes.

Dumbledore and Voldemort had exchanged pleasantries, Voldemort congratulating Dumbledore on his appointment as Headmaster, and Dumbledore offering Voldemort drinks.

Dumbledore had continued calling Voldemort, Tom, during this meeting. A point that he had taken great offence to, attempting to change how Dumbledore addressed him but Dumbledore had refused.

Exchanging some small back and forth, Voldemort had then gotten to the reason he had returned. To ask, once more, for a position to teach at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore had questioned his methods since leaving, questioned whether he was fit to teach and Voldemort had retorted stating that he had 'pushed the boundaries of magic further than they have ever been pushed-'

The message was ominous.

However, Dumbledore had seemed unphased by this, in fact going as far as to call Voldemort ignorant.

Voldemort had taken this in stride, stating that if he was so ignorant why not return to the home of magical learning, impart his knowledge on whilst learning from his peers. Dumbledore however, had questioned his followers, his Death Eaters.

The fact that they already existed and were calling themselves this even that far back was concerning, perhaps this memory was the turning point.

And that was when Dumbledore had challenged Voldemort's motives, asking him why he had travelled all of this way for a job he did not want, stating that whilst he wanted to be in the castle, he did not wish to teach.

Voldemort had challenged this with indifference, stating that if Dumbledore did not wish to give him a job, to which Dumbledore had interrupted stating that he absolutely did not.

Voldemort had not elaborated on his end goal, choosing instead to stand and leave Dumbledore's office. And that was where the memory had ended.

Harry and the current Dumbledore had spoken a little more, Dumbledore divulging that Voldemort had always wanted the Defence against the Dark Arts position, and that ever since he'd refused the position to Lord Voldemort, Dumbledore had not been able to keep a teacher for longer than a year.

Y/N sat there, his fingers drumming lightly against Hermione's thigh as his mind reeled.

'So, what's going on in there then?' asked Ron, glancing up at him.

'Why would Voldemort want to come back to the Castle?' said Y/N. 'I mean, he must have had some reason. Doubt it was the Chamber... so what else is here?'

'There's all sorts here,' said Harry. 'So many rooms, passageways and stuff and it's a hub for young magical students, he could raise students to think like him.'

Harry had a point, and no doubt that was part of it. But deep down, Y/N thought there must be something else.

'Why does that matter anyway?' asked Ron, 'I mean, he didn't get the job, so he didn't find whatever he wanted.'

'That's the concern,' said Y/N. 'It was something he wanted enough to try and get a job here. Something he wanted to search for or use regularly. What was it? He hardly asked to be the janitor.'

'Well no but he's... him, isn't he?' said Ron. 'He wouldn't ask for a job like that even if he only wanted to stay for five minutes. He's all... egotistical.'

'I think you're both right,' said Hermione. 'Whatever he wanted is probably still in the castle somewhere, which is something to be worried about, but there must be so many secrets to this place that even Dumbledore doesn't know. We can't just sit here and guess.'

'Need to do a proper sweep of this entire castle some time...' said Y/N. 'Might see if I can get mum to let me have a poke around over the summer.'

'Why not Dumbledore?' asked Harry.

Y/N raised an eyebrow.

'Oh right... yeah.'

'We're not exactly on speaking terms at the moment.'

'We should probably head up to bed,' said Hermione, stifling a yawn as she leant further into Y/N. 'It's getting late.'

'Yeah, come on you,' said Y/N, lifting her gently. Hermione did not argue and in fact threw her arms around him as he did so. 'Night guys.'

Throughout the next week, Y/N was pleasantly surprised to see that Harry's attention had actually shifted. Now he searched tirelessly for a solution to getting that memory from Slughorn.

Unfortunately, after two days of this, his solution became reading the Half-Blood Prince's potion book.

'I really don't think you're going to find anything in there,' said Y/N, idly making two loose bits of fluff chase each other around the floor of the common room with his hand. 'Nothing legal at least.'

Harry ignored him.

The common room was quiet tonight, though there had been some excitement earlier when they had come back from their evening meal, only to find a new sign on the notice board that announced the date for their Apparition Test.

Those who would be seventeen on or before the first test date, the twenty-first of April, had the option of signing up for additional practice sessions, which would take place (heavily supervised) in Hogsmeade.

Ron had panicked on reading this notice; he had still not managed to Apparate and feared he would not be ready for the test. Hermione, who had now achieved Apparition twice, was a little more confident, and Harry, who would not be seventeen for another four months, could not take the test whether ready or not. Y/N had basically passed half a dozen times now already and in the last few sessions had been called up by Wilkie Twycross to help demonstrate in front of everyone.

Though Harry had less concern to be worried than Ron did, Harry had managed it during their last lesson.

Y/N turned his eyes onto Ron, who was scribbling away at a Defence against the Dark Arts essay for Snape when he raised an eyebrow, glancing at the parchment.

'Um... mate. That's.... that's not how you spell augury.'

'What?' said Ron, glancing up the parchment at the word. 'O-R-G-...? Oh for Merlin's sake.' His eyes worriedly scanning his essay. 'It's all like that! This stupid spell-checking quills from Fred and George. The charm must be wearing off.'

Y/N waved his hand, and the essay came soaring towards him. He began reading it through, passing his finger over incorrectly spelt words and correcting them, whilst also rearranging some of them to make a bit more sense.

'Thanks Y/N,' said Ron gratefully, rubbing his eyes.

'Easy for me, wordless wandless magic is basically just easy mode for stuff like this. Here.' And he threw Ron his bag. 'Should be a spare quill in there for you to finish it off with.'

The four of them fell into another quiet silence as the last students headed off to bed, leaving just the four of them.

Finally, Y/N passed the essay back, and Ron began scribbling away when there was suddenly a very loud CRACK.

Kreacher had apparated between them, his eyes combed over them all, finding Harry before he bowed.

'Master said he wanted regular reports on what the Malfoy boy is doing, so Kreacher has come to give-'

CRACK

Dobby appeared alongside Kreacher, looking slightly put-out.

'Dobby has been helping too, Harry Potter!' he squeaked, casting Kreacher a resentful look. 'And Kreacher ought to tell Dobby when he is coming to see Harry Potter so they can make their reports together!'

Harry reached into his pocket and withdrew a few Galleons which he passed to Dobby.

'Excellent job, both of you, have either of you found out anything?' Harry asked quickly.

'Master Malfoy moves with a nobility that befits his pure blood,' croaked Kreacher at once. 'His features recall the fine bones of my mistress and his manners are those of-'

'You've got some competition there, Harry. Another one trying to steal your boyfriend,' said Y/N.

'Draco Malfoy is a bad boy!' squeaked Dobby angrily. 'A bad boy who- who-'

He shuddered from the tassel of his tea cozy to the toes of his socks and then ran at the fire, as though about to dive into it; Y/N waved his hand, lifting Dobby from the floor before he could get anywhere too close.

Dobby struggled for a few seconds then went limp. Y/N slowly put him back down.

'Thank you, Mister L/N,' he panted. 'Dobby still finds it difficult to speak ill of his old masters.'

'That's quite alright, Dobby,' said Y/N warmly.

Dobby straightened his tea cozy and said defiantly to Kreacher, 'But Kreacher should know that Draco Malfoy is not a good master to a house-elf!'

'Yeah, we don't need to hear about you being in love with Malfoy,' Harry told Kreacher. 'Let's fast forward to where he's actually been going.'

Kreacher bowed again, looking furious, and then said, 'Master Malfoy eats in the Great Hall, he sleeps in a dormitory in the dungeons, he attends his classes in a variety of-'

'Dobby, you tell me,' said Harry, cutting across Kreacher. 'Has he been going anywhere he shouldn't have?'

'Harry Potter, sir,' squeaked Dobby, his great orblike eyes shining in the firelight, 'the Malfoy boy is breaking no rules that Dobby can discover, but he is still keen to avoid detection. He has been making regular visits to the seventh floor with a variety of other students, who keep watch for him while he enters-'

'The Room of Requirement!' said Harry, smacking himself hard on the forehead with Advanced Potion-Making. Y/N snorted with laughter. 'That's where he's been sneaking off to! That's where he's doing... whatever he's doing! And I bet that's why he's been disappearing off the map, come to think of it, I've never seen the Room of Requirement on there!'

'Maybe the Marauders never knew the room was there,' said Ron.

'I think it'll be part of the magic of the room,' said Hermione. 'If you need it to be Unplottable, it will be.'

'To be fair, they never told us about it when we were planning for the D.A., Dobby did,' said Y/N. 'There's a good chance they didn't know.'

'Dobby, have you managed to get in to have a look at what Malfoy's doing?' said Harry eagerly.

'No, Harry Potter, that is impossible,' said Dobby.

'No, it's not,' said Harry at once. 'Malfoy got into our headquarters there last year, so I'll be able to get in and spy on him, no problem.'

'But I don't think you will, Harry,' said Hermione slowly. 'Malfoy already knew exactly how we were using the room, didn't he, because that stupid Marietta had blabbed. He needed the room to become the headquarters of the D.A., so it did. But you don't know what the room becomes when Malfoy goes in there, so you don't know what to ask it to transform into.'

'There'll be a way around that,' said Harry dismissively. 'You've done brilliantly, Dobby.'

'Kreacher's done well too,' said Hermione kindly; but far from looking grateful, Kreacher averted his huge, bloodshot eyes.

'Yes... good job both of you,' said Harry slowly. Kreacher bowed low, Dobby beamed and with two loud cracks, they vanished.

'How good's this?' said Harry enthusiastically, turning them the moment the room was elf-free again. 'We know where Malfoy's going! We've got him cornered now!'

'Harry, you won't be able to get in. You can't just ask the room to show you what Malfoy's been doing. It doesn't work like that.'

'It's got to! He got into our headquarters, I just need to think of how to phrase it, be careful of how I do it. But I know it will work.'

'Slughorn's. Memory.' said Y/N forcefully. 'The bigger priority right now, Harry.'

'I need to think about that anyway,' said Harry dismissively. 'This can be investigated immediately.'

'But what's all this about him going up there with a 'variety of students'?' said Hermione. 'How many people are in on it? You wouldn't think he'd trust lots of them to know what he's doing.'

'Yeah, that is weird,' said Harry, frowning. 'I heard him telling Crabbe it wasn't Crabbe's business what he was doing, so what's he telling all these... all these...'

Harry's voice tailed away; he was staring at the fire.

'God, I've been stupid,' he said quietly.

'Been?' said Y/N, raising an eyebrow, Hermione giggled.

'It's obvious, isn't it? There was a great vat of it down in the dungeon. He could've nicked some any time during that lesson.'

'Nicked what?' said Ron.

'Polyjuice Potion. He stole some of the Polyjuice Potion Slughorn showed us in our first Potions lesson. There aren't a whole variety of students standing guard for Malfoy, it's just Crabbe and Goyle as usual. Yeah, it all fits!' said Harry, jumping up and starting to pace in front of the fire. 'They're stupid enough to do what they're told even if he won't tell them what he's up to, but he doesn't want them to be seen lurking around outside the Room of Requirement, so he's got them taking Polyjuice to make them look like other people. Those two girls I saw him with when he missed Quidditch, ha! Crabbe and Goyle!'

'Huh... okay I'll give you that one,' said Y/N, slightly impressed. 'That makes a lot of sense.'

'He's got Crabbe and Goyle transforming into girls?' guffawed Ron. 'Blimey, no wonder they don't look too happy these days. I'm surprised they don't tell him to stuff it.'

'Well, they wouldn't, would they, if he's shown them his Dark Mark?' said Harry.

The respect Y/N had felt, evaporated.

'Hmmm. The Dark Mark we don't know exists,' said Hermione sceptically.

'We'll see,' said Harry confidently.

'Yes, we will,' Hermione said, getting to her feet and pulling Y/N up with her. 'But, Harry, before you get all excited, I still don't think you'll be able to get into the Room of Requirement without knowing what's there first. And I don't think you should forget-' she heaved her bag onto her shoulder and gave him a very serious look, '-that what you're supposed to be concentrating on is getting that memory from Slughorn.'

With that, she turned and pulled Y/N off towards the Dormitory, him simply giving the other two a bemused wave.

As they entered the dorm, Hermione stepped over to her wardrobe, sighing slightly.

'He just won't let it go. It finally seemed like he was paying attention to the right thing and now this happens.'

'We need to push for it, been giving him liberty with it so far but we need that memory. We need to know what Voldemort is planning,' Y/N sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. 'Getting sick of this, so many unknowns and so many questions, feels like the same thing that happens every year is going to happen again. We reach the end, and everything kicks off. Quite frankly, I'm beginning to dread that time of the year.'

'Hey, we'll face it together, like we do every year, yeah? And we'll come out of it even stronger,' said Hermione soothingly, dropping down next to him and wrapping her arms around him.

'Don't tell me that, I don't need to be any stronger,' laughed Y/N gently. He leant back into Hermione's safe grip, allowing the two of them to collapse back onto the bed covers. Hermione turned to lie to his side, tracing her hands along his chest.

'You know...' she said slowly. 'I can think of a few ways to take your mind off things...'

He raised an eyebrow at her, and she bit her lip, her eyes seeming to have a deep-seated hunger to them.

Without a word, he waved his hands and the curtains around their four-poster closed as he threw himself at her.