"You tricked me, Potter!" he roared while drawing his wand from the cane.
"You shall not harm Harry Potter!" Dobby proclaimed. The little elf threw his hands forward and a magical force pulsed out. It smashed into the surprised wizard and sent him flying out the front doors of the school. The doors then swung shut with a solid thud.
Dobby turned to look up at Harry with an adoring gaze. "Great Harry Potter has freed Dobby. Dobby hasn't even kept his promise to Harry Potter yet! Truly Harry Potter is as wise and kind as the stories tell!"
Harry had to smile at that. Dobby was always good for his ego. "What promise?" Harry asked.
"Why to get Harry Potter a new family so Harry Potter sir doesn't have to stay at Hogwarts all the time! But Dobby will soon! Soon the Dogfather will be back! And Dobby will take care of great Harry Potter and his Dogfather! I can't wait!"
Before Harry could speak, Dobby was gone with a pop.
Harry could only look at the place Dobby had just been with an odd mixture of fear and anticipation. Dobby meant well but Harry was sure Dobby's good intentions often had wildly unanticipated side-effects.
"Maybe the basilisk will let me stay with her," Harry mused as he made his way back to his dorm. "It might be safer."
....
The next morning the recovery of Luna Lovegood was completely overshadowed by the arrest of Professor Lockhart. The gossips were running wild as three more students had supposedly come forward with reports of similar 'dreams'. The gossips were taking note of who missed breakfast as other possible victims.
It was not until just before the students were to leave for their classes that Dumbledore stood up to speak.
"As you have no doubt heard, Professor Lockhart is no longer with us. Your Defence classes for now shall be taught by a rotation of professors based on their normal class schedules. While I have no doubt the Daily Prophet will carry full details of Professor Lockhart's difficulties, please allow the investigation to continue and refrain from asking your remaining professors about it."
This caused a significant amount of murmuring to occur amongst the students. In the lack of real information, the students would make up their own.
"Finally, I would like to acknowledge Mr Harry Potter with 50 points for Gryffindor for his recovery of Miss Lovegood. Mr Potter also identified the person responsible for the petrifications the school has seen recently. It seems a former student was attempting to destroy Hogwarts using the old legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement is now hunting this individual. For those of you concerned with our petrified students, please relax as Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout assure me the required Mandrakes will be mature enough for harvesting in eight weeks so all of our students will be restored to us before final exams.
"Now, off to class with you."
Dumbledore's public announcement of Harry's role was met with mixed reactions. While a few members of the Boy-Who-Lived fan club cheered, most of the older students and all the Slytherins gave Harry looks that the mildest could be called distasteful and the worst outright hatred.
With long experience from Privet Drive, Harry ignored the looks in his direction as he joined Ron, Ernie and the other Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Second years making their way to Herbology.
"Well we better enjoy the next two months," Ron commented as they made their way outside.
The comment shocked Harry out of his thoughts. "How can you say that, Ron?" Harry demanded.
Ron looked at Harry with an incredulous look but his lips fought a slight grin. "Do you know what Hermione's going to be like when she wakes up with two months passed and exams just around the corner? She going to go spare! And Padma is going to be right there with her!"
Ernie snickered at the image. "Ron's right. It doesn't happen too often…"
"Oi!"
"… but he is. The girls are going to demand to see every note or assignment we do for the next two months. Then they are going to force us to revise with them every spare moment. And then they will still beat all of us in the exams," Ernie concluded.
"Exactly!" Ron said. "And still, oi!" Ron's protests got a laugh form Harry and Ernie.
The group of relieved students continued down to the greenhouses continuing to discuss the girls' reactions when they finally woke and to mock Ron.
...
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