Harvest Moon

Sorry this is so late and so short. Work is diligently trying to kill me.



***

Severus breezed into Lucius’ study where Draco and everyone else sat waiting for any news. Draco and Hermione stood simultaneously, looking expectant.



“I know where he is,” Severus said, waving a hand for them to sit down again. “However, it will not be an easy task to get to him.”



“Where is he, Severus?” Draco asked, tensing even more than he was previously.



“He’s at the castle at Marauder’s Cove.”



“Oh, gods!” Draco said, shoving his hands through his hair.



“What’s Marauder’s Cove?” Hermione asked, looking at her partner oddly.



“Just what it sounds like, Granger,” Draco said. “Was used for centuries as a place to stash or market stolen goods. Anything from pirated art, gold and artifacts to slaves went through there.”



“What does that have to do with your reaction though?” she asked, looking puzzled.



“You’ve seen some of the wards the cursebreakers had to undo on just minor things, right?”



Hermione nodded, getting the gist of what he was saying. “Something used for illicit activities would have literally hundreds on it by now because they would have been added to and reinforced through the years. Fine then, how do we get in?”



“If I may offer a bit of advice,” Severus said.



“Since no one has ever been able to stop you while you were alive or dead, go on,” Hermione grumbled.



“I suggest, since you are going into the lair pirates and marauders, that you think as they would have. Providing you and Mr. Potter are capable of that Miss Granger,” he said with a sneer.



“I hardly think we’ll have any trouble with that considering what happened while we were at Hogwarts under certain people’s noses,” Hermione said airily.



Harry’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “How did they get in initially, Malfoy?”



“There’s a small cove that’s hidden from any view on land. It can only be accessed by water,” Draco said.



“Then we go in by boat,” Hermione said.



“Fortunately, I happen to have one of those, Granger,” Draco said, grinning. This should be fun, he thought.



***

“Out! Cowards,” a gravelly voice said behind Magenta and Columbia. Both house elves squeaked and turned slowly to stare at the one who had spoken to them.



“We can\'ts, sir!” Columbia squealed, quaking in fear of the one standing before her. “The Master says . . .”



“Master of this house is chained. Now, out! Or turning you into toadstools I\'ll be.”



Lucius raised his head, trying to see what was going on in the corner of the room when he felt something small clamber up next to him on the rack. He turned to look at Dobby with a lifted brow.



“What kept you?”



“Sorry, Sir. Dobby is still working in the Hogwarts kitchens, sir.”



Lucius let his head thump back on the wood. “The war has been over for a decade now, Dobby. You don\'t have to keep track of Potter or be a spy anymore. Just come home.”



“Oh, but Dobby likes it in the kitchens at Hogwarts, sir,” Dobby said, fiddling with the ring of skeleton keys he\'d brought with him. Trying and discarding the ones that didn\'t fit into the manacles iron locks one by one.



“Do as you please, Dobby. You\'re a free elf after all,” Lucius said, shrugging as best he could in his bindings.



The little elf looked sad for a moment. “Master knows that it was an accident Harry Potter freed Dobby. Dobby never intended . . .”



“I know that, Dobby,” Lucius said. “I thought I heard Bubble as well in here. Or was I having auditory hallucinations?”



“Master knows that house elves only listen to other house elves if theys Seers,” Dobby said, finding a key that fit and grumbling when it wouldn\'t turn.



“That is true enough.”



“Police miss coming with young Master,” Bubble said over his shoulder. He was still trying to oust the other two house elves from the room. But as terrified as they were of him, they were still more afraid of their overseer.





“How soon, Bubble?” Lucius asked.



“Coming into the cove,” Bubble said with a shrug. “No stopping them now.”



“Bloody hell! They\'ll be killed coming in that way,” Lucius said, starting to struggle in his bonds.



“Killed faster coming in other ways,” Bubble remarked.



Dobby put a hand to Lucius\' chest and pushed him back down. “Nothing Master can do until he\'s free,” Dobby said.



“Someone please wake me up,” Lucius grumbled. “I\'m obviously having quite the nightmare.”