Snakes and Anagrams (Part Three)

After everyone had been arrayed onto their separate cots the story of how they came to be down in the Chamber was delivered to those assembled. Fawkes remained on Harry's shoulder the entire time occasionally letting out a trill and headbutting Harry's neck. Hedwig appeared in the window to the infirmary a few minutes in and stared at the baby phoenix before giving a hoot of approval and turning her head, to all appearances looking like she was settling in to hear the story as well as the humans. Harry could only chuckle at his familiar.

"And so we ended up stabbing the diary with the sword," he finished with a shrug.

"I find this all very hard to believe, Potter," Snape said with narrowed eyes. "Surely you exaggerate. There is certainly no way a mere child such as yourself could destroy a creature such as a basilisk."

Before Harry, Shiva, Neville or Tracey could say anything a low growl floated through the room. Daphne stood from her bed and walked over to stand in front of Snape with her fists clenched. "You pathetic, spiteful, hate-filled cretin. Harry Potter and I just faced down a creature a thousand years old and 60 feet long. A creature that was intelligent enough to taunt us when Harry tried to reason with it. A creature whose fangs were longer than my forearm. A creature whose gaze we only survived because Harry was smart enough to come up with an effective counter. A creature that could've swallowed us whole. We nearly died at least six times in under two minutes by my count. We faced down an apparition of Voldemort himself. Do. Not. Insult. Us. Professor Snape. Do not insult the struggle we just walked away from. Do not insult that danger we were in or the risks we took to help my friend. Make no mistake, Professor. Harry performed something that nearly every adult witch or wizard I know would run from screaming with soiled pants. Do not deride him in my presence sir!"

Daphne finished her speech with her features twisted somewhere between resignation and fury but she got in one further jibe. "It is common knowledge that you praise Slytherins and disparage Gryffindors, as it is common knowledge that you bear some sort of grudge against Harry Potter. Do not let your hatred blind you to facts, Professor." Snape looked completely dumbstruck. His hand was clenched hard enough to turn the knuckles white, eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open.

"Daph…" Tracey said quietly. Daphne sighed and turned to pad back to her bed, giving Tracey's hand a short squeeze on the way.

"Be that as it may," Dumbledore said filling the sudden silence, "I am still uncertain how Fawkes was able to come and assist you, Harry."

Harry shrugged. "Search me. The Feedback Blastor didn't do squat, I asked for help and then, boom," he waved his arms wide, "he showed up in a burst of flame with the Sorting Hat. Thanks again, buddy." Fawkes headbutted him again and gave a short trill of approval. Hedwig bobbed her head and hooted in reply.

"Most curious…"

"Headmaster," Shiva asked sitting on the edge of her own bed, "do you have any idea what that diary thing that Riddle created was? I know Voldemort is stupid powerful but I've never even heard of binding a spirit memory to an object before. At least not one that could both think for itself and attempt a full possession."

"I…am unsure," Dumbledore replied slowly. Both Harry and Shiva narrowed their eyes at the old man. Harry couldn't help but think back to Dumbledore's responses to his questions from last year with Quirrell. The Headmaster knew far more than he was letting on. "Voldemort was certainly familiar with arcane branches of magic. I will have to do research on this subject to ascertain the extent of what was done." Dumbledore turned and met Harry's gaze with his twinkling eyes. A moment later the man held a hand to his forehead with a groan and slumped down in his chair.

Pomfrey rushed to the Headmaster while Snape turned on Harry. "What did you do, boy?" As Harry glared at Snape intending to tell him off the potions master also yelled out in pain and fell backwards. His hands clutched his head and he twisted towards Harry though he kept his eyes clenched shut. "Potter!" the man roared.

"I didn't do anything!" Harry yelled back.

Most of the residents of the infirmary just stared between the three completely lost. Only McGonagall and Shiva seemed to figure out what had just happened. The Deputy Headmistress scowled and stalked towards Dumbledore while Shiva wore a furious expression and put herself in-between Harry and Snape. As Pomfrey moved from Dumbledore to Snape, McGonagall hauled the older man to his feet. "What has the boy done to warrant that attempted intrusion, Albus? Save the life of a classmate? Slay a danger to the entire student body? Gain the favor of a Founder? Question one too many things? Never attempt to read a student or any minor without cause in front of me again, Albus, or I will see you run out of here before you can say 'lemon drop'! I would expect such foolhardy behavior from Severus but not from you! And you, Severus!" McGonagall turned to the potions master who simply glared back at her. "You are a fool. If Albus Dumbledore was summarily rebuffed what makes you think you could get through. Go do something productive and make a healing draught! Get out!"

"I have every right to – "

"GET OUT!" McGonagall screamed, pointing at the door. Snape snarled but stalked out of the room.

McGonagall turned back to Dumbledore rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Perhaps you should leave as well, Headmaster."

"Minerva, I – "

Whatever Dumbledore was going to protest was interrupted as the doors to the infirmary swung open again with Lucius Malfoy waltzing in, cane in hand. Harry's eyes widened as he saw Dobby trailing behind. 'Of course…of course it'd be Malfoy…Tracey said she had the diary when she got back from the bookstore. Malfoy was there at the same time I first saw Tracey and Daphne. He planned all of this,' Harry thought his surprise fading away and being replaced by fiery anger.

"Ah, Dumbledore," Malfoy said, his voice like silk. "I was informed you were here. As the head of the Board of Governors it is my duty to inform you that the death of Tracey Davis has led us to remove you from – "

"Eh, I'm not dead," Tracey said waving her hand from the nearby bed.

Malfoy's head snapped to Tracey so fast his silvery hair whipped his face. "What?! You are…"

Harry's world dissolved into red. 'Head of the Board of Governors' the man had said. The board that had prevented Harry from getting the mandrake potion. This man had set Tracey up to let loose a basilisk. He had prevented the healing of the victims. He had nearly gotten Shiva and his friends killed. He had hurt Hermione. 'Where's the Reductor,' Harry thought searching the table for his rune stone. From his shoulder Fawkes started to quietly trill and a feeling of calm settled over Harry. Breathing deeply he left the table alone and turned to Fawkes. "Thanks," Harry whispered to the bird quietly. Fawkes' song stopped and Harry breathed deep. 'New plan. I'm not the only one who wants to beat Malfoy.'

While Harry had been wrestling with his control Malfoy had been carrying on a short conversation with Dumbledore and McGonagall. "…well I suppose that concludes my business here. Good day." As Malfoy swept out of the room, Harry leaped out of his bed and jumped past Shiva to Daphne's side.

"Daph, I need a glove!"

"What?" the girl stared up at him like he'd gone crazy. Maybe he had, this wasn't exactly the best of plans.

"Harry…?" Shiva came up behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I have an idea! That was Dobby. Please, I need a glove!" Harry admitted he did sound a bit frantic but there wasn't much time to get back to Malfoy and Dobby before the man left the castle.

"Here…" Daphne pulled out a glove from her bag on the side table. "How did you know that I – "

"Tell you later! Thanks! Shiva, I'll be right back!" Harry sprinted out of the infirmary and bounded down the stairs two a time. He caught up to Malfoy and Dobby as they walked into the Entrance Hall. "Hey, Malfoy!" As the man turned Harry tossed him the glove while eyeing Dobby and jerking his head to the side.

"What is this, Potter?"

"You Purebloods follow the old rules don't you? A tossed glove is supposed to signify a duel. Since you weren't man enough to do it when you started this round I figured I should toss my own now at the end. I won this fight Malfoy. Stay away from my friends in future."

Malfoy sneered and threw the glove over his shoulder. Harry smirked as Dobby made a flying leap for the sailing clothing item snatching it out of mid air before it could hit the ground. "Do not play above your station, boy. You are not prepared to fight in the circles I travel in. Come, Dobby!" Malfoy had walked about ten paces before he realized his servant was no longer following and he turned to glare at the house elf. Harry had the pleasure of watching the man's eyes as he realized exactly what Harry had just done.

"YOU! You cost me my servant, Potter!" Lucius Malfoy tried to draw his wand on Harry but was immediately flung back into the wall of the Hall with a crack. Dobby lowered his hand and glared at Malfoy.

"You will not harm The Great Master Harry Potter Sir!" the little house elf said, fury evident.

'Oh, my name's gotten even longer,' Harry thought with a chuckle as he watched Dobby walk toward Malfoy. The man was laying crumpled on his side against the wall groaning. Before he could move to sit up, Dobby reached him and lashed out with a vicious little kick. 'Don't mess with the little guy!' Harry cheered as Dobby continued to lay into Malfoy. After a few more kicks Harry sighed and walked over laying a hand on Dobby's shoulder. "As fun and justified as this is, Dobby, you really should stop. No need to get into trouble over this guy. Let's head back to the infirmary yeah?" Dobby cast one last vicious glare at Malfoy before nodding at Harry and following along.

The two walked back into the room greeted by stares of confusion. Dumbledore seemed to have left with the Sorting Hat and Fawkes before Harry had returned though all the other teachers and Hedwig were still present.

"Harry? Care to explain?" Shiva said the anger in her voice barely controlled.

"Had to free Dobby," Harry said cocking a thumb at the little elf who nodded enthusiastically.

"The Great Master Harry Potter Sir has freed Dobby from Bad Master. The Great Master Harry Potter Sir declared a completed duel and tricked Bad Master into setting Dobby free! Then Dobby protected him from Bad Master. The Great Master Harry Potter Sir is the greatest wizard to ever live!"

Harry groaned as the rest of the room just turned to him. "Hey, I've tried to get him to stop with names. Dobby, how about you head off to enjoy your freedom for a bit and you can come back to chat sometime later after you get settled yeah?" Dobby nodded, hugged his leg and then popped away. Harry trudged back to his bed and hopped up.

"Do I even want to know?" Shiva asked letting out an explosive sigh.

Harry just shrugged. "Honestly, probably not. I'll tell you later though."

"How did you know I carried gloves?" Daphne asked.

"You're a Pureblood heiress. I've picked up a few things from Neville."

Neville blushed but didn't respond.

"So…Professor McGonagall, Professor Babbling, what the heck happened before Malfoy barged in that got you both riled up and knocked Professors Snape and Dumbledore on their asses?" Tracey asked.

Shiva rubbed the bridge of her nose again and sat down looking exhausted. "Both tried to perform legilimency on Harry. It's basically mind reading. Very few people can do it well but they're one of the group. It's not supposed to be done except with very good reason or consent. Their reasons weren't very good and neither asked Harry hence why we were angry. Dumbledore probably wanted to know what Harry was thinking about the diary while Snape likely just wanted to see how Harry had ejected Dumbledore."

"And both were fools!" McGonagall spat. Harry's eyebrows rose at that. His Head of House was continuing to impress him this year. "Honestly, you all just finished a tale where Harry's glasses were used to effectively reflect a basilisk stare! What idiot would think a simple legilimency spell would break through that sort of protection?!"

The students looked at each other. Every one of them started to laugh hysterically while McGonagall, Flitwick, Shiva and Pomfrey just shook their heads in exasperation.