Ch172- Precaution
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Within moments, he was standing back in front of the Evans house, the quiet hum of the suburbs a stark contrast to the vibrant magic of the Flamels' castle. He tucked the ring safely into his pocket.
As soon as Harry opened the front door, Petunia, with her hair in a brisk ponytail, welcomed him with a tight embrace. "Welcome back, Harry," she said warmly. Harry, returning the hug, replied, "It's nice to be back, Aunt Petunia."
Almost immediately, Misty appeared with a pop, her eyes wide with excitement. "Misty is so glad to see Master Potter return!" she exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Crookshanks weaved between Harry's legs, purring loudly.
"I've missed this," Harry chuckled, scratching Crookshanks behind the ears, while Misty hurried off to get tea ready, her form a blur of enthusiasm.
Petunia smiled, a rare expression that lit up her features these days. "Let’s get you settled in, and you can tell me all about your summer," she suggested, leading him into the living room where the evening light cast a soft glow.
As they sat, Harry began recounting his experiences, carefully omitting the more secretive aspects of his magical education. Petunia listened, genuinely interested, which was still a bit surreal for Harry to see after their rocky past.
"And the legendary Nicolas Flamel, taught you personally?" Petunia asked, her tone mixed with awe and curiosity.
"Yes, he and Perenelle taught me loads about alchemy and the deeper laws of magic," Harry explained, his mind still processing all he had learned.
Petunia got up to check on the tea Misty was preparing. "I'll be right back, Harry."
Left alone with his thoughts, Harry's mind wandered to the ring Nicolas had given him—a Portkey with a direct line back to their castle. He pulled it out of his pocket, examining the intricate carvings and the faint, pulsing glow of the embedded gem.
Looking at the ring, Harry's smile faded into a more serious expression. "Just like the letter, this ring has a tracking rune. If I place it in my inventory, Flamel will know instantly. It seems that despite teaching me for months, he still has reservations," Harry thought aloud in his mind.
"Seems about right, Master Harry," Nigel responded with a touch of amusement. "Perhaps he’s worried you’ll start turning lead into gold in your backyard and ruin the economy."
Harry chuckled softly, his mind racing with the implications of Flamel’s gift. "I couldn’t even study the replica Philosopher’s Stone in France because Flamel would sense its magic and pinpoint my location. Now, this ring... it’s like a leash, in a way."
"Indeed, and let’s not start on what could happen if you actually tried using that stone. You’d probably have half the wizarding world on your doorstep by dinner time," Nigel quipped.
Harry’s thoughts shifted as he contemplated the security of his current residence. "I need to fortify this place better. We’ll need anti-apparition, anti-portkey, and anti-phoenix runes at the very least."
"None of those are child's play, Master Harry. You might need to either hire some serious muscle or become a prodigy in protective enchantments overnight," Nigel advised, his tone only half-joking.
Ignoring Nigel's comment, Harry asked gently, "What brings you here, Dobby? It's quite early."
Dobby wrung his hands nervously, almost vibrating with anxiety. "Dobby has come with a warning for Harry Potter. There is a plot, The Great Potter. A plot to make terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered the elf, glancing around as if afraid of being overheard.
Harry furrowed his brows, concern mounting. "What kind of terrible things, Dobby?"
Dobby looked terrified at the question but pressed on. "Dobby cannot say, sir. Dobby can only warn Harry Potter to stay away from Hogwarts. It is too dangerous."
Nigel's tone was skeptical. "Ask him who's plotting these things. This sounds like an overcooked cauldron of trouble."
Harry nodded slightly at Nigel's advice. "Dobby, who is behind this plot?"
The elf's eyes filled with fear, and he shook his head violently. "Dobby cannot say, sir! Dobby only wants Harry Potter to be safe."
Harry considered this. "I appreciate your warning, Dobby, but I can't stay away from Hogwarts. It's my home, my school. But I will be careful, thanks to your warning."
Then, without warning, Dobby began to beat his head against the floor. But Misty swiftly caught him by his bony arm, "Dobby spilled the secrets of my family. Bad Dobby. Bad." He tried to punish himself, but Misty's grip was firm.
Frowning, Harry cast, "Immobulus!" freezing the elf in place. "Your family?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"The wizard family Dobby serves, sir... Dobby is a house-elf—bound to serve one house and one family forever..." Harry's eyebrows knitted together in concern.
"Do they know you’re here?" he pressed.
Dobby's eyes widened with fear. "Oh no, sir, no... Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, sir. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, sir—"
Harry interrupted, "But won’t they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?"
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