Chapter Twenty-Seven, A visit from Dobby

Izzy had been sleeping fitfully as her arm throbbed painfully with the bones growing back causing a pins and needle type of feeling. Rolling onto her back with a sigh, she was just reaching for her glass of water when she heard that dreaded voice. The glass falling from her slack fingers smashing on the cobblestone floor; the water trickling like a stream over the crevices.
"Kill! Kill! Time to kill!" Izzy suddenly bolted upright, looking at the ceiling as she heard a rather loud sound, a sort of slithering coming through the ceiling and the walls. Immediately, a niggle formed in the back of her mind as if telling her she knew what it was. But she couldn't place it.
"Hello."

Izzy screamed, jumping back against her pillows, magic flaring, as Dobby suddenly appeared before her at the bottom of her bed.
"Dobby? You scared me." Izzy exclaimed, trying to calm her erratically beating heart.
"Sorry miss." Dobby apologised. "But Izzy should have listened to Dobby. Izzy Potter should have gone back home when she missed the train."
"It was you." Izzy realised. "You stopped the barrier from allowing Ron and me through."
"Indeed. Yes, Miss." Dobby said apologetically.
"You nearly got Ron and me expelled." Izzy whispered harshly, her hair slowly changing from her dark brown/black to a blood red.

"At least you would be away from here!" Dobby exclaimed urgently. "Izzy Potter must go home. Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make Izzy Potter see -"
"Your Bludger!?" Izzy asked sharply, interrupting Dobby's rambling. "You made that Bludger chase after me?"
"Dobby feels most aggrieved, Miss. Dobby had to iron his hands." Dobby showed Izzy his injured and bandaged hands, blood seeping through the poorly wrapped bandages. Immediately, Izzy deflated as her anger turned into horror. Carefully she took Dobby's hands into her own, non injured hand, willing her magic to heal them. As soon as she heard Dobby gasp in shock she slumped back against the pillows tiredly, watching as Dobby stared at his healed hands in awe.

"Thank you, miss. Miss is too kind to Dobby." Dobby exclaimed emotionally, his large green eyes filled with tears.
"You're welcome, no one should be abused and to be in that kind of pain - or any pain." Izzy said tiredly, but her words held a familiarity to them as she knew all too well what it was like to be abused and to be in agony with no one caring. "I don't suppose you could tell me why you tried to kill me?"
"Not kill you, Miss. Never kill you!" Dobby insisted, creeping up the bed closer to Izzy. "Dobby remembers how it was before Izzy Potter triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. We house-elves were treated like vermin, Miss. Of course, Dobby is still treated like vermin!" Dobby cried, bursting into loud sobs while using the dirty pillowcase to blow his nose, despite Izzy holding out a tissue.

"Why do you wear that thing, Dobby? Who does that to poor house-elves!? I would make sure my house-elves at Potter manor wear clean, decent and proper clothing." Izzy said in disgust, not at Dobby but at whom his Wizarding family were.
"This Miss? It is a mark of the house-elf's enslavement. And miss is most kind. But Dobby can only be freed if his master presents him with clothes." Dobby gasped, when they heard the door to the main entrance of the Hospital Wing rattling. Creeping closer still, Dobby whispered frantically to Izzy, towering over her now. "Listen. Listen! Terrible things are about to happen at Hogwarts. Izzy Potter must not stay here... now that history is to repeat itself!"
"Repeat itself? This has happened before?" Izzy asked sharply, keeping her voice low.

"I shouldn't have said that!" Dobby gasped sharply, covering his mouth with his hands as his eyes darted around. Lurching forwards he snagged the Skele-Gro potion bottle off of the bedside cabinet and proceeded to beat himself over the head with it, yelping in pain as he berated himself, "Bad Dobby! Bad! Bad Dobby!"
"Stop it, Dobby! Stop it! Please!" Izzy begged desperately, seeing as he wasn't listening to her, she snatched the bottle from him placing it under the covers out of his reach. "Tell me, Dobby. When did this happen before? Who's doing it now?" Izzy asked.
"Dobby cannot say, miss. Dobby only wants Izzy Potter to be safe." Dobby apologised, picking up Izzy's hand and stoking it.

"No, Dobby. Tell me. Who is it?" Izzy asked desperately, worry and fear surging through her. Izzy never got the answer she desired as the door opened, interrupting them and allowing Dobby to click  his fingers and disappear. Sighing, Izzy quickly put the bottle back and laid down feigning sleep, as light filled the room. 
"Put him here." Madam Pomfrey gestured to one of the many empty beds. "What happened?" She asked Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress Augusta Longbottom, Professor Andromeda Tonks and Professor Sirius Black, the two who were levitating the stretcher into the room. Once it was beside the bed, all of them carefully eased the young boy onto the bed.

Andromeda and Sirius had found him while doing their rounds and had immediately informed Minerva and Augusta.
"There's been another attack." Minerva gravelly informed her colleague.
"I think... I think he's been Petrified, Madam Pomfrey." Augusta informed her. "Perhaps he managed to take a picture of his attacker." Augusta suggested, noticing the camera held tightly in his Petrified hands, revealing to an awake and attentively listening Izzy that it was Colin Creevey that had been attacked. A moment later the Hospital Wing was filled with the acidic smell of burnt plastic.
"What could this mean, Minerva?" Sirius and Andromeda questioned at the same time, their tones wavering with concern as they chanced a glance over at Izzy - who had her back to them feigning sleep - before focusing once more on the poor First year before them. 

"It means our students are in grave danger. We need to have an emergency staff meeting tomorrow morning. Hogwarts is no longer safe. It is as I feared, the Chamber has been opened again." Minerva gravelly informed her staff, Izzy's eyes widened in shock as she listened attentively. "Oh, how I wish I could blame Albus for this as a way to explain everything." Minerva moaned.
"Don't we all, Minerva. I'll send a missive to all the staff before I retire once more." Augusta states just as gravelly.
"Thank you, Augusta." Minerva said gratefully, leaving the Hospital Wing. The last thing Izzy heard as she drifted off to sleep was Madam Pomfrey being questioned by Sirius and Andromeda as they asked after her.

***

"Izzy, now that things have calmed down for you, I want you to meet someone." Madam Pomfrey said, once Izzy returned from the bathroom fully dressed in - a green, lace skater dress that had a black belt around her waist, skin coloured tights, black ankle boots and a black cardigan, her charm bracelet and Heiress rings adorned her wrist and fingers and her hair was up in braided ponytail - a another woman was standing besides Madam Pomfrey, this woman was around Sirius and Remus's age give or take a few years with strawberry blonde wavy hair and blue-grey eyes.

"This is Felicia Fawley and she is a Mind Healer from St Mungo's. Now, I know this is later than what we said last year, but as you had far too much turmoil during the summer we gave you a relief. We did not want to add more to your plate. I'd like you to see her once a week and talk about anything that is troubling you. Particularly about your relatives." Madam Pomfrey explained gently.
"I understand." Izzy whispered softly, shyly, looking down at the floor not able to meet the new person's eyes.
"Hello Heiress Potter. My name's Healer Felicia Fawley but you can call me Felicia." Felicia introduced herself, holding out her hand which Izzy hesitantly shook.

"Now, don't worry we'll be having our meetings in Madam Pomfrey's office as she's so kindly lent us, which means we will not be disturbed." Izzy let out a sigh of relief at that, and nodded with a small smile on her face. "Shall we head in there now? Refreshments have already been laid out for us if we need them." Felicia added, smiling as Izzy relaxed a little more, leading the way into the office.
"Thank you Madam Pomfrey." Izzy thanked her politely.
"Nonsense, sweet girl. If it helps you get better you can use my office for your therapy sessions as often as you'd like." Madam Pomfrey refuted, with a tender smile.

***

While Izzy was with the Mind Healer in Madam Pomfrey's office, Sirius, Remus and Fred waited for Izzy out in the main part of the hospital when Fred nervously broached a conversation with Sirius.
"Professor Black, I was wondering.... I was wondering if we could create a Betrothal contract between Izzy and I?" Fred asked nervously, wringing his hands in a very unlikely display. Normally he was joking and very relaxed, apart from when it contained his precious Izzy, then he could be as serious as the need calls for.
"Is that something you'd be interested in genuinely, and not because of the soulbond between you?" Remus asked, concerned and slightly sceptical.

"No! No, I genuinely want a life with Izzy!" Fred exclaimed, with a fondness and love that was very similar to how James had looked at Lily.
"Very well. I'll visit Gringotts and have a contract drawn up, then at Christmas after I've shown Izzy Potter Manor, we will speak to your parents and the four of us will sign it. I suppose Potter Manor will be your home as well, as you'll take on the Potter name as you have other brothers and Izzy is the last Potter and my Heiress." Sirius explained seriously.
"Thank you Professor." Fred beamed, almost jumping with joy.
"You know, now that your father has apologised to the Malfoy's, Bill can take on the Weasley Lordship while still being able to be a Curse Breaker." Sirius informed Fred.

"While Percy can take on the Prewett Lordship as no doubt Charlie will want to stay with his dragons." Sirius laughed.
"You'll have to speak to them about that." Fred said, shrugging not knowing exactly what his brothers would want to do with the exception of George that is. "And I don't mind becoming a Potter." He added, to prove he was serious about Izzy. He had started developing feelings for her but he wouldn't do anything before she was ready. He cared about her too much for that.
"Good." Sirius and Remus said with wide grins, relief filling them like a warm bath.

***

When Izzy finally returned to the main room once the hour was up, a wide smile spread across her features when she saw who was waiting for her: Sirius, Remus and Fred.
"Izzy -"
"Pup are you okay?" Sirius asked concerned before Fred could finish his sentence, enveloping his pup in his arms, she looked so tired and so drained, and he hated it. But he knew from personal experience the Mind Healer will help her in the long run. "I am so proud of you for your flying yesterday, Izzy. You are a much better Quidditch player than your father." Sirius added.
"Really?" Izzy asked, shocked; her eyes wide with wonder.

"Yes Cub. We are both so, so proud of you." Remus added, joining in the hug. "And Lily and James would be so proud of you too. He always proclaimed his little Princess would be the best Quidditch player ever, whenever you got on your toy broomstick." Remus reminiscences, smiling sadly as Izzy seemed to be eating everything up.
"I had a toy broomstick? He really said that?" Izzy asked tearfully.
"Yes pup. They loved you so, so much. You were their whole world and they'd have done anything for you. I got you the broomstick for your first birthday." Sirius said, pulling a photo out of his pocket; of a tiny Izzy on a broomstick giggling happily, her hair changing colours rapidly, with James and Lily following behind Izzy with proud and worried smiles on their faces.

"You look a lot like your Mum, Izzy. No wonder you're a natural." Fred teased, causing Izzy to laugh wetly.
"You keep it." Sirius insisted, when Izzy went to hand it back.
"Thank you Siri, thank you Uncle Moony." Izzy said happily, gratefully, not noticing as Fred's eyes widened at the familiar term.
"You're welcome Cub." Sirius and Remus said, hugging her tightly and kissing her forehead.
"Siri, I was wondering if you'd be my Proxy for my account and on the Wizengamot until I'm of age?" Izzy asked nervously.
"I'd be honoured, pup. I'll get the paperwork sorted at Gringotts and at Yule we can visit Potter manor and sign the courtship contract Fred wants to instigate between you." Sirius beamed at her, drawing her into another hug.

"Thank you Siri." Izzy returned the hug tightly, a blush upon her cheeks.
"Izzy, would you like to go for a walk with me around the grounds?" Fred asked nervously, only for his breath to catch in his throat at Izzy's beaming smile.
"I'd love to." Izzy said excitedly, a blush upon her cheeks, as she hurriedly put her coat on and carefully slipped the photo into her pocket so it would be safe until she could put it into her photo album. "See you later." Izzy waved to Sirius and Remus, not noticing as she turned around; the dark glare the pair were giving Fred as the boy led their Cub from the hospital wing.

As they walked through the halls, and out onto the grounds Izzy was humming softly to herself in between their talks, filling the comfortable silence with warmth. She wasn't quite sure where she'd heard it before as she knew Aunt Petunia had never sung to her or this song to Dudley, but Izzy couldn't escape the feeling that someone had sung this particular song to her once before.
"What song is that, Izzy?" Fred asked curiously, a blush upon their cheeks as their hands brushed against each other's as they walked the grounds.

"I'm not sure where I've heard it before, but I know I have, and Petunia never sang it to me or this song to Dudley." Izzy muttered confused, a cute pout upon her lips as she tried to place it.
"Perhaps your Mum sang it to you when you were a baby." Fred suggested hesitantly, not wishing to upset her, while trying to keep his eyes off her pouting lips.
"Maybe." Izzy conceded, a small smile on her lips as she thought about it.
'Could Mum have sung it to me?' Izzy wondered. 'I'll have to ask Sirius and Remus.'
"Could you sing it for me, please?" Fred asked eagerly, his brown eyes shining in delight. The pair were unaware that Professor Flitwick was also out patrolling the grounds - after the meeting that morning they had increased the security measures - and was close to hear their conversation.

"Okay." Izzy agreed, blushing brightly, her hair a bright pink in stark contrast to her cherry red cheeks but she had a delightful smile upon her face, taking Fred's breath away. She was so happy at the attention Fred was giving her, that he was truly interested in spending time and getting to know her. Taking a calming breath, Izzy started singing, shocking both Fred and Professor Flitwick at the beautiful but powerful voice this young girl had. They were truly amazed by her and Fred was becoming even more besotted with his soulmate the more they spent time together and worked to become ever closer.

"The other night, dear
As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you, in my arms
When I awoke, dear
I was mistaken
So I hung my head and I cried
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are gray
You'll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
I'll always love you
And make you happy

And nothing else could come between
But if you leave me to allow another
You'll have shattered all of my dreams
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are gray
You'll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away." Izzy finished, blushing as Fred cheered and whooped loudly, causing her to laugh shyly.

"That was amazing, Izzy. You're amazing." Fred said sincerely, staring into her eyes. Unbeknownst to the pair Professor Flitwick had crept closer the moment Izzy had started singing while listening attentively. 
"Thank you, Freddie. I think you're amazing too. Your inventions are beyond amazing." Izzy said shyly, staring into Fred's eyes, as if the pair were under a spell.
"That was amazing, Miss Potter. You truly have a beautiful voice." Professor Flitwick said sincerely, from behind them, making them jump and breaking the sort of spell they were under. "My apologies, I didn't mean to startle you. I heard you singing and had to ask; would you like to be a part of my choir, Miss Potter? I've been looking for someone to add to the harmony and I think you'd fit right in." He declared passionately.

"Oh, thank you Professor." Izzy muttered shyly, her eyes turned down towards the grassy hill, a scarlet blush upon her cheeks and her hair now a bright neon pink. 
"You do not have to give me an answer right this second. Just promise you'll think about it and let me know before the end of the week." Professor Flitwick asked.
"I promise Professor." Izzy whispered, Professor Flitwick nodded and left the two alone regretting that he'd interrupted their moment but he'd been too excited to wait.
"Izzy, that's amazing!" Fred cried, enveloping her in a big hug and spinning her around, startling a laugh out of Izzy.

***

"Again?" Hermione questioned rather confusedly. After the walk with Fred and the surprise chat with Professor Flitwick, Izzy had met her friends in the second floor girl's bathroom - Moaning Myrtle's bathroom - a little later than planned, and had filled them in on all that had transpired during the night as Izzy and Hermione started the PolyJuice Potion. "You mean the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermione clarified.
"Of course. Don't you see? Lucius Malfoy must have opened the Chamber while he was at school here, and now he's taught Draco how to do it." Ron suggested, his arms crossed over his chest while he leaned against the wall. Neville was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall opposite him, and the girls had their backs to the sinks working on the potion.

"Maybe." Neville said, shaking his head in a so-so manner.
"We'll have to wait for the PolyJuice Potion to know for sure." Izzy said, adding some Lacewing flies to the potion.
"Enlighten me. Why are we brewing this potion in broad daylight... in the middle of the girl's lavatory?" Ron asked.
"I'd like to know that, too." Neville added. "Don't you think we'll get caught?" He asked worriedly.
"No." Hermione said firmly, almost laughing at the ridiculous question. "No one ever comes in here."
"Why?" Neville and Ron asked, confused.
"Because this is Myrtle's bathroom." Izzy answered.
"Moaning Myrtle." Hermione added at their confused looks while ignoring Izzy's glare. Neville gave a pointed look behind Ron as the ghost appeared out of one of the stalls.

Taking the hint Ron closed his mouth not wishing to appear insensitive, giving Izzy's glare towards Hermione it would be if he questioned again. Good thing too as the ghost suddenly appeared in front of him startling him. Despite none of them being insensitive once more, Moaning Myrtle started wailing dramatically.
"I'm Moaning Myrtle!" She suddenly shouted in Ron's face before floating above the sinks. "I wouldn't expect you to know me. Who would ever talk about ugly, miserable, moping, Moaning Myrtle!" Finishing her spiel, she suddenly screamed, flew past Neville at a fast pace before diving down into one of the toilets flooding that particular stall.

"She's a little sensitive." Hermione explained.
"Can you blame her, dying at our age?" Izzy asked. "Plus, I have a feeling she didn't really have any friends when she was alive." Izzy whispered, her eyes vacant as she remembered her life at the Dursleys and how nobody cared for her or stopped Dudley and his gang, not even the teachers.
"Hey. Izzy." Ron and Neville exclaimed, noticing the signs and quickly kneeling before their sister. "You're not alone now. You have friends and family who love and care for you and you'll never be hurt again." Ron and Neville said passionately, each holding one of her hands as they brought her out of the flashbacks.
"Sorry." Izzy whispered, her hair a dull blue-grey colour.
"No, don't be sorry. I was being a little insensitive calling Myrtle by that horrid nickname and not thinking." Hermione apologised.

Wanting to distract her best friend, a small teasing smile spread across Hermione's lips.
"Why were you late, anyway, Izzy?" Hermione asked, watching interestedly as Izzy blushed brightly.
"I had a meeting with a Mind Healer. She seems nice and I'm meeting her every Friday afternoon in Madam Pomfrey's office." Izzy whispered softly. "And afterwards, Fred asked me for a walk on the grounds with him. I was humming this song that I... well I think my Mum used to sing it to me. Fred asked me to sing it and Professor Flitwick heard and he asked me to be a part of the School Choir. He told me to think about it and give him an answer by the end of the week." Izzy admitted shyly.

"That's amazing!" Ron and Neville cheered, hugging Izzy and making her laugh. "Are you going to say yes?" They asked curiously before adding seriously. "I'm glad you're getting help you need, but if you ever need to talk -"
"I know I can come to either of you, Fred, George, Luna, Hermione, Percy, Sirius and Remus." Izzy said with a small but happy smile.
"And my gran, Hagrid, Ron's parents and older brothers, Lee, Oliver, Kellah, Celeste, the Chasers and Ginny." Neville added, hugging Izzy.

"Ron and Neville are right, Izzy. I think you should do it. Don't let the Dursleys win by avoiding your potential. I told you last year, you're amazing and we will all support you." Hermione added, setting the cauldron to simmer. Izzy smiled appreciatively at her best friends, as they hid the cauldron before leaving the bathroom for the Clock Tower courtyard where they were to meet Luna. Izzy knew one thing: she definitely had some thinking to do.
do.