"Sir," Anthony said. "Dobby is a Malfoy elf."
"Oh, is he?" Dumbledore said, his voice calm yet filled with interest. "Have a seat, Henry. I take it you came to me the moment you found out?"
Anthony sat across from him, a little embarrassed. "Yes."
"Don't misunderstand, I'm very pleased to know I have your trust and confidence," Dumbledore said. "Brave men are never afraid to ask for help, Henry, as long as they know where to find the right kind. But let's talk about this Dobby first. How did you discover his origins?"
"I didn't, sir. The answer came to me." Anthony explained about the "Mudblood," the slugs, Professor Lockhart, and the photograph.
After Anthony finished recounting his conversation with Malfoy, Dumbledore pondered. "Dobby cried?"
"I think so," Anthony said, puzzled. "Like he couldn't believe you'd vouched for me out of Azkaban. But I don't remember ever seeing him before."
"Did Mr. Malfoy have any thoughts on Dobby's unusual behavior?"
"No. I doubt he truly cares what Dobby is up to," Anthony said. "Though Mr. Potter told me they did suspect Dobby was sent by Mr. Malfoy to make him drop out. The two of them don't seem to get along very well."
"The boy, Draco, warned Harry that dark magic had entered the school and told him not to return?" A glint of amusement shone in Dumbledore's eyes. "Forgive me for saying so, but that doesn't sound quite like Lucius's style."
Anthony smiled too. "I thought it was rather unlikely as well."
"Let us think," Dumbledore said, steepling his fingers. "Dobby is a Malfoy elf. He warned Harry before term began…" As if reading Anthony's mind, Dumbledore smiled. "Let's assume it was a warning, shall we? He warned Harry Hogwarts had become a dangerous place, and mentioned dark magic that could evade me… Well, I don't believe I've missed anything."
Anthony considered. "Assuming Dobby genuinely meant well, is it possible Mr. Malfoy knew something we don't, and Dobby overheard it?"
"Lucius?"
"I've heard some rumors. People," he meant Hagrid, "seem to believe Mr. Malfoy once served You-Know-Who."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. Anthony hesitated. "I've been wondering, could Professor Lockhart actually be You-Know-Who, or have served him? After he accepted the post, Mr. Malfoy might have discussed it in his home."
He stopped, looking at Dumbledore for his opinion.
"An interesting conjecture," Dumbledore said. "Go on, Henry."
"You know, Professor Lockhart is already a famous adventurer and author. I hope I'm not being prejudiced, but several professors seem to share my view: his performance at the school doesn't quite match what he wrote in his books." Anthony watched Dumbledore's expression. "Well… I heard Professor Quirrell's Defence Against the Dark Arts was quite well-regarded before last year…"
Dumbledore looked up at the ceiling, thought for a moment, and shook his head. "No, Henry. Sadly, Gilderoy doesn't seem to have changed much since I knew him. We had hoped we'd regret judging him too soon."
"Professor Dumbledore," Anthony said, "could that be the 'dark magic that evaded you'? Because you believed he was a braggart from the start, so You-Know-Who used that? If someone's performance differs so obviously from their reputation, something must be wrong, right?"
Dumbledore chuckled softly. "Alright, Henry. Then why did Dobby start sobbing?"
"Well… because he didn't expect there to be another dark wizard at Hogwarts?" Anthony guessed with some self-awareness. "Maybe he discovered the school was even more dangerous than he thought and couldn't help blaming himself for failing to stop Mr. Potter?"
As he said this, Anthony paused. A guess he'd never considered before flashed through his mind, like a leaping unicorn whose tail he'd managed to grab.
"Professor Dumbledore," he asked cautiously, finding it incredible himself, "do you think the dark magic Dobby meant… was me?"
Amusement practically overflowed from behind Dumbledore's half-moon spectacles. "Good heavens, Henry, if someone asked me to name ten dark wizards I know, I assure you, your name would certainly come before Nott, Rosier, Mulciber, or Dolohov. And if you asked Fawkes, he might even award you a championship trophy."
Fawkes heard his name and sleepily lifted his head from under his wing, suddenly seeing Anthony staring at him. The next second, the great gold-and-red bird shook his head, flapped his wings, and flew to a high cabinet. He looked down at Dumbledore reproachfully, as if complaining he hadn't been warned sooner.
"Dobby meant me?" Anthony was still somewhat disbelieving. "Not You-Know-Who?"
Dumbledore chuckled. "I wouldn't swear to it, but I heard Harry missed the Hogwarts Express, and you were right there at the time. Dobby must be feeling quite regretful now."
"Right, sir. Why would Dobby lock Harry Potter in with the dark wizard he was warning him about?"
"What do you think, Henry?" Dumbledore said cheerfully, offering him a few biscuits. "Tea?"
"Perfect, thank you." Anthony took a biscuit, absently dunking it in his cup. "My guess would be Dobby didn't know who the dark wizard was. He might have just known there was a dark wizard at Hogwarts, and that this wizard had become a professor. To Dobby, that might count as evading you. But no, Mr. Malfoy clearly knew you'd vouched for me." He shook his head, rejecting his own thought.
"But Dobby might not have known who they were talking about," Dumbledore suggested. "Cornelius told me Lucius inquired about you, Henry." He said slyly, "Oh, I can imagine Lucius's bewilderment when he learned I'd vouched for a dark wizard out of Azkaban and hired him as a Hogwarts professor (a Muggle Studies professor, no less)."
"You think Lucius Malfoy would tell his son about the Azkaban matter?" Anthony asked. "Isn't that a bit odd?"
"Odd?"
"It must have been a delightful conversation. 'Come here, Draco. Listen carefully. That point-deducting professor is a dark wizard. He was a fellow inmate to some of Father's friends, but Dumbledore got him out.' Meanwhile, Dobby is pouring wine into goblets engraved with the Malfoy crest."
"No wine needed, Henry. People tend to overlook house-elves," Dumbledore said seriously. "No, they possess power we wizards can scarcely imagine. To my knowledge, most elves try to fulfill their masters' needs without appearing before them. At Hogwarts, that means not letting students notice them while tidying or delivering meals. Lucius may not have realized every word he spoke was heard by an elf in the shadows."
"That sounds rather frightening," Anthony said. "Coco, are you listening?"
With a crack, Coco appeared in the Headmaster's office. He looked terribly embarrassed, his bare feet shuffling on the wooden floor, head bowed. "I heard, Professor Anthony."
Anthony hurried to stand. "No, I apologize, Coco."
"Coco, do you know Henry is a necromancer?" Dumbledore asked gently.
Coco wrung his hands, refusing to look at either Anthony or Dumbledore.
"A good house-elf does not tell secrets," he said.
Anthony crouched down. "It's alright. It's not a secret from Professor Dumbledore."
"A good house-elf does not tell secrets," Coco insisted. He glanced up at Anthony, gave an infinitesimally quick nod, then squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head violently, his large ears flapping.
"How did you know, Coco?" Anthony asked softly. "It's alright, you don't have to say. If you don't know what to do, you can Apparate away."
Coco opened his eyes. He looked at Dumbledore—sitting in his high-backed chair, smiling at him, his silver hair and beard glittering in the sunlight—then at Anthony—crouched before him, seeing his own distorted reflection in Coco's large, bulging yellow-green eyes.
"Professor Anthony keeps strange pets," Coco whispered, twisting his long fingers. "We do not enter professors' bedrooms without permission, but Coco found no cat hair or mouse hair in Professor Anthony's office. Professor Anthony often comes out of his room late at night and walks around the castle. Professor Anthony sometimes forgets to light the fireplace in winter. Professor Anthony's chair is always cold."
"Ah, Henry," Dumbledore said. "You've left quite a trail for the observant."
"Coco also hears people talk," Coco said, looking ashamed, the words tumbling out fast. "Coco heard Professor Dumbledore tell Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape about Professor Anthony. Coco heard Professor Dumbledore and Professor Anthony discuss necromancy. Discuss He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Coco should not tell Professor Anthony what Coco overheard. Coco is a bad elf!" He stuffed his fingers into his mouth and bit down hard.
Dumbledore said calmly, "It was I, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, who asked you to speak. It's alright, Coco. Please continue."
"And—and—" Coco hiccupped a sob. "Coco heard other house-elves talking."
"What did they say?" Dumbledore asked gently.
"They said Professor Anthony is a necromancer," Coco said. "All the house-elves know. They wonder what Professor Anthony could do to the elf heads mounted on the walls. Or how he would reward an elf he likes." He looked at Anthony with hopeful curiosity.
Anthony pulled himself from his surprise at how spectacularly he'd failed to hide his identity and declared, "I would praise an elf I like. Thank him for everything he does for me. Smile at him." He gave Coco a smile. "I would want him to live happily."
"That's what Coco told the other elves!" Coco said proudly. "But they didn't believe it! Now all the elves have heard!"
Dumbledore smiled. "Excellent, Coco. Just to confirm, all the elves know Henry's identity, yes?"
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore," Coco said respectfully, heaving a great sigh of relief at being allowed to tell the truth.
Anthony already understood why Dumbledore had asked. "Do you know Dobby, Coco?"
"No," Coco shook his head. "Coco knows Professor Dumbledore and Professor Anthony are talking about the elf who does not belong to Hogwarts. He is a bad elf. We do not speak to him."
"He's a bad elf?" Anthony asked curiously.
"Yes! He actually wanted to speak ill of his master!" Coco said indignantly. "His master ordered him to protect his young master, so we let him in, but he actually said he did not like his master! He is mad. His mind is broken. He is a bad elf!"
"Dear me, that sounds rather like the adjectives people use to describe me," Dumbledore said. "Very well, thank you, Coco. I think I understand now."
Coco bowed deeply to him, then to Anthony, and vanished with a crack.
"House-elves," Anthony murmured, even though he knew the whole castle was listening regardless of volume. "I still underestimated their capabilities." He noticed Dumbledore seemed lost in thought. "Sir?"
"Henry," Dumbledore said. "Have you considered what this means for how many people know you're a necromancer?"
"You, Minerva, Snape, Mr. Fudge." Anthony counted. "Some Aurors… and all the house-elves. Well. I see your point."
───── ⊹ ⊹ ─────
📖Read up to (100+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
🔍 Search:p a t r e o n.com/GoldenLong
───── ⊹ ⊹ ─────