16

Harry spent a fitful night tossing and turning on his couch in Hermione's room. He wanted her back and well. He wasn't really interested in what the others were talking about, he just wanted Hermione.

Around one in the morning he got up in frustration.

"I want Hermione back." He declared quietly.

Xander had achieved many things thought to be impossible. He could walk through walls, fly without a broom and teleport around the world. If magic could do all that without things like brooms and portkeys then magic would bring Hermione back.

Harry placed both hands on Hermione's sternum. He didn't really know what he was changing. He didn't know what exactly petrification did, but he figured that magic was intelligent enough to help him. After all, he didn't know how a needle was made up or a matchstick, let alone how to change one into the other.

So Harry, with both hands on Hermione's chest, closed his eyes and gently began pushing his magic into her and imagining her awake and happy.

Seconds passed and Harry felt no change. So he turned up the flow of magic. He kept increasing it until he heard a gasp and felt Hermione move… and mysteriously she felt very soft.

Harry opened his eyes and saw a very scared Hermione staring at him.

Harry smiled happily. "You're awake!"

Hermione's memories began filtering back. She remembered the ruddy big snake and the glowing eyes, and then… nothing. "I- basilisk! It got us!" She said. "Harry… what are you doing?" She said with a raised eyebrow as she looked pointedly at where his hands were.

Harry blushed and removed them quickly from where they were very comfortable and now felt… empty. "I was… you were petrified… I was waking you up."

Hermione looked confused at that. "Has it been that long already? I've missed the whole of the school year!" She wailed.

"No! You've been gone only a few days. I woke you up just now - what do you mean the whole school year?" Harry asked. There was less than two months left of the school year.

Hermione blushed. "Sorry, I over reacted. You woke me up?" She asked.

Harry nodded shyly and then found himself stuck in what Xander affectionately called a 'Hermi-hug'. She pretty much hugged the stuffing out of you.

"'Mione… air!" Harry wheezed.

"Hush you." She whispered into his neck, but she did relax a bit.

Hermione then demanded to know how Harry had woken her. Much to Harry's, delight she didn't doubt his story. She did question him on what it felt like, was he tired. Did he use up all his magical reserves.

This led to Hermione teleporting a protesting Harry straight to the infirmary where Hermione led Harry straight to Colin Creevey and demanded he give a demonstration.

"Do I have to?" He whined. "He'll be worse than before if he finds out the 'Great Harry Potter' saved his life. Can't I start with Justin… or even Mrs. Norris!"

Hermione just glared at him. Arms crossed, foot tapping expectantly.

Harry sighed and gave in. Placing his hands on Colin's chest. A minute later and Colin Creevey gasped for air. Harry moved his hands quicker… Colin wasn't as soft and nice as Hermione anyway.

"Not a word Colin. Your parents are really angry with you. You got yourself attacked by a snake. Now stay put." Harry growled.

Harry stomped away from Colin and moved over to the next bed. He went around the room waking people up. He found it very interesting that the girls were much softer and nicer than the boys. He also learnt to move his hands quickly after some very angry eyes.

Hermione, meanwhile had moved over to Mrs. Norris. She was fairly certain she didn't have anywhere near enough power to wake a human. But she did want to try and Mrs. Norris was small enough that she might accomplish it.

Harry had woken the entire ward by this point and was now staring at Nearly Headless Nick and the other ghosts.

"Should be the same theory, Harry." Penelope assured him. "Just put your hand on them or in them and imagine it."

Harry shrugged and found that it took much less power. Seconds later and everyone was shushing the ghosts who were ecstatic at the miraculous work of young Harry. Unfortunately this woke up Poppy who came storming out.

"What in Merlin's… name… how the devil?" She trailed off as she saw all her so-called 'petrified' patients were up and about.

"We blame him!" Penelope grinned as she pointed at Harry, everyone else thought this was funny and started pointing at him as well, even Professor Vector.

Harry started mumbling about ungrateful people and leaving them to rot next time. But Penelope gave him a hug followed by the rest of the girls. The boys settled for slapping his back… or shaking his hand in Justin's case.

Poppy looked ready to throttle the poor boy.

"Harry James Potter Harris McGonagall Summers Hogwarts! How could you be so irresponsible!" She screeched as she began running her wand over him. The other students and ghosts looked on in confusion and amusement.

"Oh man! How do you know my full name?" Harry whined.

"It's in your medical records young man!" She admonished.

"Now everyone is gonna know." He grumped. "And how can you remember all that? I know I can't."

Poppy snickered and then blushed for a second before a thump and a meow was heard.

All heads turned to the sound as Harry ran off. "Hermione!"

They found an unconscious Hermione being nuzzled and licked by a fairly distraught Mrs. Norris.

Harry was holding her hand as Poppy ran her wand over her. "Magical exhaustion. I assume she was attempting to do what you did? At least she had the sense to start small." She declared as she lifted her onto the bed.

"So… she ran out of magic?" Harry asked.

"Indeed. But she'll be fine with a few days bed rest."

Before she could stop him, Harry had both hands back on her chest and glowing. Hermione soon woke up with another gasp.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Harry likes girls." Penelope teased.

Hermione noticed Harry's hands and gave him a questioning look. He quickly removed them and was replaced by Mrs. Norris who was constantly nuzzling her.

"Harry, did you just 'give' Hermione some of your magic?" Poppy asked wearily as she ran more scans of them both.

"She needed it." He said defensively.

Poppy sighed. "No one is to ever try what Harry does without my permission. If any of us tried that we would be suffering with magical exhaustion. Harry just seems to have near unlimited reserves."

"That's what I keep telling everyone." Xander said as he, Minerva and Joyce appeared in the hospital wing. "Damn it Harry, now Minerva has to go visit all the parents again and explain why their children are awake early!"

"Ha! You and Harry are coming with me! We will take each child home to visit and stay if both parent and child wish. Salazar is coming as well. He can explain the dirty big snake!" Minerva scoffed.

"Salazar, Professor?" Penelope asked.

"Oh just show them the memory." Harry sighed. Then he started chuckling. "Then they can watch Dad get tossed by Slinky."

"In the morning!" Poppy declared authoritatively. "I want everyone in bed now. That includes you as well Harry."

The following morning introduced a party atmosphere. Dumbledore announced that the threat had passed. Xander interrupted him and stole his thunder by introducing his new brothers Rick and Sal. He did explain their identities. Xander became a true hero that day by declaring two days off from classes. Being a Thursday this gave them a four-day weekend.

Unknowingly they began a new tradition. The school pensive was set out in the Great Hall with a teacher on duty. Anyone who wanted to could view Harry's memory of the confrontation.

This caused a huge rush and much embarrassment to Xander as Godric took it upon himself to be the tour guide for each group and pick apart Xander's terrible attempt to defeat the basilisk.

"You never go for the tail, look at it. Swishing and flicking all over the place, it's a death trap! The head isn't much better, but the beast will be a little more reluctant in case it gets hurt.

"No, you go for the body where it is touching the ground. That is the safest and most effective route." He lectured.

Sal, fortunately for Harry, held his peace. He knew full well that Harry had no experience fighting as a dragon.

Amelia turned up soon after breakfast in a confused state. She had been so shocked by the tales of yesterday and the return of two of the Founders that she had gone to bed and woken up to believe it was a dream. So vivid a dream that she just had to come back and make sure. She spent the afternoon in Poppy's care whilst Susan explained that this was just a typical day with Xander and Harry around.

That afternoon, Xander took Harry to St. Mungo's to wake up Nym and Kingsley from their petrification. Nym was very annoyed as she and Kingsley became very interesting to the Healers who had never heard of someone being woken up from petrification without the Restorative Potion, which was only available in the summer months due to the maturation cycles of mandrakes.

Xander promised to make arrangements with Sal so they could find volunteers to be petrified and woken up. Harry was not happy to hear he would be spending more time at hospitals, even if it wasn't as a patient. He absolutely refused to come during his holidays, if he was going to be forced to help out some old stuffy men with research they could at least get him out of class.

Over the following weeks, Nym and Kingsley were pulled from the school. Nym had a slightly disturbing discussion with Luna. It was a very frank discussion on her future love life. Or lack of one should she ignore Luna's warnings.

Nym was gone for a few weekends much to everyone's disappointment. Only Luna knew why and she wasn't telling.

The 'secret' behind Salazar's little cubby hole also came out.

"Ah… yes, you see it was a little competition between the four of us." Salazar explained.

"And Sally was the first loser." Godric grinned.

Sal just glared at him. "As I was saying! The competition was that each of us would create an area within or around the grounds or castle. We had to hide it and ward it so no one could find it. The goal was for the others to find it."

"Just how old were you four when you started this competition?" Xander asked suspiciously.

"About 70 odd." Rick shrugged.

Hermione rolled her eyes with Minerva and Joyce whilst the others laughed and snickered.

"Did any of you discover the others?" Harry asked.

"No, Helga doesn't count. She told us hers as she was dying. Cheeky little girl she was." Sal chuckled. "The Magical Forrest."

"She created the Magical Forest?" Minerva asked.

"That she did." Godric said proudly. "Of course, we didn't know she had done it, we thought it was a natural by-product of the magic in the area. She swore on her magic with her dying breath that she did." He said fondly.

There was a few seconds of respectful silence before Neville spoke up. "What about Rowena?"

"She refused to say. Said that as we were going to stick around to meet our brother, he could help us." Sal shrugged. "She was a seer, so no telling what she knew."

"And no one has found mine yet." Godric preened smugly.

Harry looked thoughtful. "I have." He said quietly.

"Oh? Do tell little brother!" Sal grinned.

"It's in your hat. Where your sword was." He said firmly.

"Perfect!" Godric boomed happily. "Absolutely right! My hat was a part of the school and based upon myself. But the sword. That is now your sword. Part of the enchantments on the hat were that only my heir could pull it from the hat. It was actually a suggestion of Rowena's."

"Did Rowena know what and where your rooms where?" Hermione asked.

"Absolutely. She wasn't allowed to be part of trying to find them as her sight and seer abilities already told her. But she did make her own room for us to find." Sal explained.

"The Weasley Twins might know, they know tons of secret passageways." Harry said excitedly.

"Twins huh?" Sal grinned lasciviously.

"Really, Sal? I didn't know you swung that way." Xander grinned back.

Sal's face dropped as Godric roared with laughter. "That was very cruel Old Man!"

"For the record, I am only 13 years old." Xander said snootily.

"That or twenty something… but our memories are over a thousand years old… and that is what we measure by." Joyce smirked.

Xander stuck his tongue out. "Traitor."

"Do you think we could clean up the forest?" Harry asked. "Make it magical again for Helga?" Harry liked the idea of family and quickly adopted the two men as uncles. But only because Xander and Joyce trusted them.

"Clean it up?" Godric asked.

Joyce sighed. "The forest has become infected with Acromantula. A very large and dangerous spider not native to our island. They are tainting the magic of the forest. The Centaurs are hostile towards us as a result. Not to mention the fact that the Magical Ministry deems them as a lower class of being." She spat.

"That's outrageous!" Godric roared springing from his seat, Sal right beside him. "Let's go Sal!" He said as he headed for the door.

Only to find Xander teleporting in front of them. "Sit!" He ordered. Apparently his big brother gig paid off as the two 'older' men sat down grudgingly.

"This is a school full of children. You go and stir up that nest of monsters and they might head this way! The plan was always to go in the summer."

Sal and Godric looked very sheepish.

"Besides, we can ask the Centaurs and fighters from the werewolf village to help, hopefully make it quick and clean."

"Wait… did you say 'werewolf village'?" Sal asked incredulously.

"Why yes. I did say 'werewolf village'… would someone else like to say 'werewolf village'?" He grinned.

He was met with a chorus of 'werewolf village'.

Sal scowled as Godric chuckled.

Joyce decided to explain. "A cure was never found. Some of the infected couldn't make it to secure cells on the full moon and so the disease spread."

"Damnation!" Sal muttered in horror. He then roused himself. "Very well, I have all my notes in my office, I will continue my work on the cure."

"Maybe Xander and Professor Flamel can help." Hermione offered.

"Hermione, I do as well with the chemistry as I do with the math." Xander said with a grimace.

"No, because you're an omega wolf. Maybe you hold part of the cure. Like patient zero."

"Patient zero?" Salazar asked.

This lead Hermione into a lecture for Salazar onto muggle studies on epidemics and outbreaks and how patient zero sometimes held the key to the cure. Salazar was enthralled. For the last few days of the holidays he kept pestering Hermione until she agreed to show him around a muggle library. The summer holidays were likely to be a huge culture shock for the thousand year old man.

It was the day before Draco was due home on the Hogwarts Express. Lucius was settling into his large four poster bed. He had the entire thing to himself as he found it hard to think of his favourite partners with a woman in his bed. If he didn't need her as a beard he would divorce her and take multiple men to his own bed where he was the master. As it was, he was forced to visit the brothels.

He had received word from Draco that the so-called Lord Hogwarts and the boy, Potter, had entered the Chamber and defeated the Dark Lord's soul and the beast within the Chamber.

What was more astonishing was that both Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor had emerged from the mess.

The emergence of Slytherin was disturbing. What would this mean for purebloods like himself. If his Master did return, what would it do for the power structure. Lucius decided it was time for him to call up a few of his Death Eater brothers, don their cloaks and masks and pay the Mighty Slytherin a visit and offer him a place of respect and power in their cause. He was after all, the inspiration for the Pureblood movement.

Lucius was considering taking Draco back to the boys at the brothel just in case he decided he wanted to give it another shot. The boy insisted he wasn't interested but his choice of friends indicated otherwise. Then again, his Master surrounded himself with very few females and he didn't seem to approve of Lucius' secret lifestyle… or he wouldn't if he knew about it.

Lucius settled down under the covers with his long nightgown and sleeping cap. He closed his eyes in preparation for sleep and relaxed.

Lucius wasn't sure if he had fallen asleep and been woken or if he was having a nightmare. There was something ice cold and sharp at his throat. It was pressing firmly and something was trickling down his neck. He didn't dare gulp or open his eyes.

"Very smart, Lucius." A voice growled. A voice he feared. "You can open your eyes if you like, we both know you recognize me."

Lucius saw the angry yellow eyes of Lord Hogwarts glaring down at him. His hand appeared to be gripping a dagger at his throat.

"You made a very foolish mistake. You sent a very dark and dangerous article into my home. You endangered my friends and children. The only reason you aren't dead is because I don't have substantial proof."

Lucius relaxed and the hint of a smirk tugged his lips. It fell when the blade tightened and more liquid trickled down his neck. Lucius was very afraid. He would need to get to St. Mungo's quickly before he lost too much blood.

"We both know that I don't care about evidence and your justice system. I have my own. Remember this warning Lucius, cross me and mine again and I'll end you. And it won't be quick."

Lucius gave a very imperceptible nod, but it was obviously enough.

"Good. One last thing before we go our separate ways. It seems you are not very good to your House Elves. Call them and release them into my service."

That look of defiance returned to Lucius' face.

Xander chuckled. "I hold your life in my hands. Just little bit-" Lucius squeaked as the blade pressed harder and more liquid trickled. "-more pressure and all your worries are over. Are you really going to quibble over some House Elves?"

Lucius deflated and gave another slight nod. The blade released it's pressure and Lucius panicked as liquid trickled faster.

"Better make it quick." Xander warned.

"Dobby!"

The battered elf appeared. "Master calls?" He squeaked.

"I release you from my service." Very slowly, Lucius reached up and removed his cap and carefully tossed it to Dobby.

"Dobby is free?"

"Dobby. Go to Hogwarts and wait for me." Xander said firmly.

Dobby didn't answer, he just vanished.

"Very good, Lucius." Xander mocked. "You follow orders as well as your house elf. No one wonder old Voldemort liked you. Now. I don't want to find out you have other house elves. You can't be trusted with that sort of power. And you wouldn't want me to have to come back… would you?"

Lucius suddenly found himself alone in his bed and his nightshirt very wet. His hand shot to his throat and he leapt from his bed and ran to the fireplace in his study.

"St. Mungo's!" He croaked.

Lucius was nearly choking himself as he tried to prevent more blood leaving his body as he tumbled from the fireplace and into the lobby.

"HELP!" He screamed as he fell to the floor in panic.

Several people rushed over.

"What's the problem, sir?" A healer asked as he ran his wand over Lucius with a frown.

"My throat!" Lucius glared at the man. He was still holding tightly but he could feel the blood trickling down his hand. It wasn't pumping and flowing, but he assumed that was because he had a good grip. He had slit enough throats to know.

"Sir, you're going to have to move you hand so I can see." The healer said sternly.

Lucius paled at the thought and prayed the healer was quick enough and that he wouldn't bleed out on the floor of St Mungo's lobby in his nightshirt.

Slowly he moved his hand away and the healer leapt in casting diagnostic spells. Then he suddenly stopped.

"Sir… what exactly is wrong with your neck?"

"Bleeding!" Lucius hissed as he snapped his hand back in position.

"Sir, there is no wound and no blood. You are, however, very wet." The healer said holding up a finger with water dripping from it.

Lucius was very confused. The healer was a little worried. He put a surreptitious call into the mental care ward and Lucius found himself a guest of the magical equivalent of a rubber room. Which was a room with cushioning spells.

"That was so much fun!" Xander said as he stretched his arms and back. He had teleported straight into the apartment where the kids, Joyce, Minerva, Sal and Godric were waiting.

"What-"

Hermione was interrupted as Xander held up his hand to stop her. He removed his memory and dropped it in the pensieve.

"Have a look and then ask your questions."

There was a mad rush as they all made for the pensieve and vanished.

"Dobby?"

"Yes Master Hogwarts?" Dobby responded as he popped in.

"I want to bind you to my service. My personal service." Xander explained without preamble. "Your duties will include caring for my house and family. Which includes Harry, my son and Luna, my daughter."

Dobby had looked dubious at the first part, but instantly perked up at the mention of Harry. "Dobby accepts!" He squeaked as a bright light shot between them.

"Excellent. Your duties will include making sure that Harry and myself are aware of our appointments and that we have suitable clothes ready. Harry and I will be doing certain chores as we are both… muggle raised." Xander grimaced in distaste at the use of the word muggle, but he didn't want misunderstanding with the house elf at this time.

"Can Dobby still clean and cook?"

"Absolutely. But there are certain things that Harry needs to do himself. His room is his responsibility. He must put his own things away, as must I. But you can make sure it is dust free if you like."

"Yes sir."

"And none of this 'master' crap. You will call us Xander or Harry. If you use our names with respect then you won't need to use the word 'master'. Understand?"

Dobby looked uncertain.

Xander sighed. "Just do your best."

"Dobby always does his best sir."

Xander rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to remind him every time, as long as he didn't call them master he was fine. "Take a seat Dobby. I'll introduce you to everyone and explain your duties to them. They are just seeing what I did to your former master."

"Dobby is asked to sit with Mas-" He was stopped by a growl "Xander Sir?"

"Yes, you are bound to me, yes?" Dobby nodded. "Then that makes you family. Your job is to look after us. My job is to look after you. I seem to be making a habit of taking in the strays these days."

Xander picked Dobby up and the little elf cringed as if expecting punishment. But Xander merely placed the little guy on the sofa. Xander found it amusing as the elf inspected the soft material and how good it felt. Obviously he was used to such things being for cleaning, not sitting.

They were soon joined by the others emerging from the pensieve. Dobby was surrounded by Neville and Harry as they took a seat either side of him.

"Xander… explain the knife. Please." Hermione asked in bewilderment.

Xander grinned and conjured a replica knife. He handed it to Hermione. She began examining it.

"Looks like glass. Maybe diamond. It's very cold. EWW! And wet… is this… it's a blade of ice?"

"Yep. Very good 'Mione. The thing about ice is that if the person can't see what you are doing then all they feel is the cold. The human brain fills in the gaps, and with me standing there all menacing and like… poor Lucius thought I was making him bleed right there." Xander chuckled.

"My God! Your absolutely devious!" Sal said in awe.

"See… this is why you were our hero growing up." Godric agreed.

Xander just squirmed and blushed.

"Dobby!" He blurted quickly. Better to change the subject. Joyce and Minerva were simply chuckling at the pure hero worship of the two men for their 'older brother'. Harry wasn't far behind.

"What about Dobby? Is he staying with us?" Harry asked.

"He is. I have bound him to me. His duties involve cleaning and dusting, but not cleaning up after you. In other words, your room needs to be kept in order by you. He will also make sure we keep our appointments… I can't remember most of mine and Amelia chewed my ear off the other day."

"You made him a slave?" Hermione asked in horror.

"Hermione, you've known me for what… two years or so? Do you think I would treat Dobby like a slave? Do your research on the bond between elf and magical and you will see it is a symbiotic relationship. Only, we can live without them but they can't live without us."

"Then why save Dobby from Malfoy?" She asked indignantly.

"You know why, Hermione. Stop trying to pick a fight. You are stepping very close to implying that Xander would abuse another person." Joyce admonished.

Hermione looked caught between outrage, indignation and embarrassment. But she wasn't going to argue with Joyce. She had a thousand years of experience in all sorts of things. But she wasn't going to give up. There had to be away for house elves to be free and she would find and implement it.

School ended in the midst of so much confusion that Harry, Xander and their close friends and family didn't even realize it was done until they were on the train.

The revelations of the Chamber of Secrets were revealed in the wizarding press. Xander and Harry gave interviews with the Wizarding Wireless Network and gave Luna an exclusive for the Quibbler. The Quibbler became an instant equal in sales to the Daily Prophet.

Salazar and Godric where accosted by the Ministry and various other organizations for their support, information or time.

Having been told of Fudge's attempted framing of Hagrid, they gave the Ministry a short and curt dismissal. Amelia however was very welcome as she began clearing Hagrid's name. Xander set the half-giant the task of getting his wand fixed over the summer. Although he intended to teach him all the things he taught Harry, just to rub it in the Ministry's face.

Nym returned with a serious yet unusual question for Luna.

"Is she hot?"

"Very." Luna confirmed.

This short exchange left the rest of the completely confused as to what they were on about. Xander figured Luna had told Nym she would be getting a girlfriend. Neither female was saying.