After Harry and Hermione found the diadem and destroyed it, Harry made sure to tell Neville about the strange room he found. He figured it would help Neville if he could study and practice spells without others around. Neville was already changing, especially when he stood up for himself. So Harry and Hermione wanted to make sure Neville had the spells he needed for any type of attack. Naturally they did not teach him dark spells, just spells that first, second and third years would learn. Harry did tell Neville about wands and how they chose. He figured if he let Neville know that using his father's wand might be why he has problems casting spells then he would talk to his grandmother about a new wand.
The moment Draco Malfoy began making derogatory remarks about muggleborns, Harry and Hermione were ready to put their first lot of plans for Malfoy in order.
As the Gryffindor's and Hufflepuff's walked out in the grounds, heading for the greenhouses, Hannah Abbott screamed. Everyone turned to see what was wrong. They all saw her looking up, so they all looked up as well, to see Draco Malfoy hanging by his ankles from one of the tallest towers.
'Miss Bones, maybe you should find a teacher to rescue the bloody git,' Harry said.
'Um, okay, but why did you choose me?'
'Well, your aunt is head of the department of magical law enforcement, I just figured you might understand how things work, more than people like Hermione and myself. We're muggle raised so we're not fully aware of all the laws and things. I also figured your aunt would have taught you about the law.'
'Alright, can you tell Professor Sprout the reason I'm late.'
'We will,' Harry smiled before he glanced once more up at Malfoy, 'How in the name of merlin did someone put him up there?'
'I think we'd all like to know that Harry,' Justin said, 'But I can't say it doesn't make me happy seeing the pounce suffering.'
'So he's said things to you as well?' Harry asked as they students began to walk towards the greenhouses.
'Yes, like how purebloods are superior and more powerful.'
'I think we've proven who has more power Justin. Harry and I get the spells first in every class, many of the others like us, halfbloods and muggleborns usually get them before people like Malfoy and Parkinson,' Hermione said.
'My gran said it's due to inbreeding, they like to marry cousins,' Neville said.
'Yeah, Sirius told me the same thing. He said most purebloods are related, some closer than others, but the close ones are the ones that seem to marry and have kids.'
'So you think since they marry relatives that are too close it causes a drop in their magical ability?' Hannah asked.
'Sirius seems to think so. We were talking about all this before we started at Hogwarts. He took us to his family's home to show us the Black family tapestry. It shows how everyone is related. Like Sirius is cousin to Malfoy's mother, she's a Black by birth. Sirius is powerful because his parent's realised what was going on. Even though most Blacks are dark, they still didn't want to lose most of their power so they made sure any marriage was more than second cousins or further apart. Sirius did say that sometimes they keep their power but end up insane, like one of Sirius' other cousins and sister to Narcissa Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange. Sirius said she's just as crazy as her old master.'
'What I don't get Harry is why people like those purebloods that believe they are better than us, followed a halfblood?' Hermione asked.
'What do you mean?' Dean asked.
'Voldemort was a halfblood, his father was a rich muggle and his mother was almost a squib due to inbreeding,' Harry said, 'The moment I found out about my parent's I wanted to know more, so I began to study everything I could on Voldemort. His real name was Tom Marvolo Riddle, if you mix those letters up you get I am lord Voldemort, which means flight from death. He made himself a scary name but he was just a normal wizard, powerful yes, but nothing special. I mean he was the last direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin, just like I'm the last direct descendant of Godric Gryffindor, but that doesn't make me or him better than any of you. He uses dark magic where we won't, but that doesn't mean light magic can't beat dark magic.'
Harry and Hermione smiled, they finally released the information about Voldemort's birth parents, and they could already see that this news would be spread throughout the castle before dinner. So even though Voldemort was contained and very soon sent on to hell where he belongs, they hoped this information would make those purebloods realised just how big a mistake they made by following Voldemort and taking his mark.
Sirius had already retrieved the goblet from the Lestrange vault. Since Sirius was now head of the Black family he brought forth an old law. Any Black by blood that went against the head of the family would be disowned and their money and properties would go to the family. Sirius destroyed the goblet the moment he left Gringotts.
Harry explained to Professor Sprout why Susan was late. At first she looked concerned but then she just went about her lesson. Harry and Hermione realised that Sprout already knew what Malfoy was like.
Harry felt a tap from Hermione, he knew what it meant. Lucius Malfoy was bound to turn up, they just hoped he had Dobby with him. Harry had an old book ready to hand to the death eater and again he hoped Lucius would hand the book off to Dobby, which would set the elf free. Harry made sure that the book had the dirtiest, smelliest sock slipped over it. He knew Malfoy would be disgusted so he wouldn't keep hold of it. If he went to drop it and not hand it to dobby, then Hermione planned to levitate it into Dobby's hands. She would be hiding under the invisibility cloak, waiting and watching. The only thing they weren't sure about was would Dobby be magical free if Hermione helped Dobby get the book.
Susan returned, she explained that the teachers were taking care of Malfoy.
Harry and Hermione couldn't stop smiling at Neville who was given points to almost every question asked by Professor Sprout. Others were given the opportunity to answer the question so if they got it right they got the points, if they didn't, then Sprout knew to ask Neville, who always got the questions correct.
As the students were walking back to the castle, they caught a glimpse of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, with Dobby trailing behind them. Hermione made the excuse that she needed the bathroom, Harry said he would follow since he didn't trust Malfoy or Ron. When they got to a secluded corridor, Hermione slipped the cloak on then they headed up stairs to a corridor that would lead to the headmaster's office.
Their plans worked perfectly, Harry shoved the book into Malfoy's hand by saying Draco had tried to curse them with it. Lucius sneered then quickly shoved the book at Dobby the moment he saw it was covered in dragon dung. Dobby instantly saw the sock which set him free. Just as Malfoy went to curse Harry for interfering and allowing Dobby to be freed, Minerva walked up to them. Lucius sneered again, Harry smirked then moved away with Dobby and an invisibly Hermione following.
'Dobby knows the great Harry Potter helped free him, Dobby wants to know why?'
'We found out how they treat you Dobby, that's wrong. You see, I was abused by people I had to live with so I know what it's like. We knew we had to help you in some way. But we would like to ask, you can remain free and work for me, Hermione, her parent's and my godfather, or you can bond to us, if you want. This is your choice Dobby, we'll work on paying you if you want to remain free, and if we give you gifts it won't change whether you work for us or not.'
'Dobby would like to belong to the great Harry Potter and his Mione.'
'If you're sure Dobby, just know if you do then you will be treated like a friend, yet you can still work since we know house elves like to work,' Hermione smiled down at Dobby who had burst into tears.
They waited until Dobby calmed down then bonded him to Harry, the Granger's and Sirius, since they were all family. Harry then asked Dobby if he could search for anything that might belong to him in the headmaster's office. After that he could go to the Granger's to help out, if he wanted, or remain at the castle to help Harry and Hermione while they were there. But Harry promised to call Dobby if they needed him so he could stay with the Granger's and Sirius. Dobby decided to help the Granger's and Sirius, but would always listen for Harry and Hermione to call him. He smiled, hugged them before popping away.
Harry and Hermione headed for the great hall for lunch, 'I wonder if they found out who put Malfoy up there,' Harry said casually.
'I doubt we'll find out, but he was heading back to the Slytherin rooms just before curfew. We saw him walk off as we left the library.'
'Yeah, so really, it could be a Slytherin or any other student who happened to be out last night,' Harry and Hermione sat with Neville, 'Lucius Malfoy looked pissed.'
'Did you find out anything?' Neville asked.
'Nope, but he wanted to curse Harry, until McGonagall arrived then he and his wife left, and in a hurry,' Hermione said. 'So we still have no defence teacher, or potions teacher and now Malfoy was hung from the highest tower. McGonagall never said anything about danger or missing out on classes when she spoke with my parent's about Hogwarts.'
'So far I haven't been impressed, let's hope we get the teachers soon or we might have to work on transferring to another school.'
'Would you really leave Hogwarts?' Dean asked.
'We're paying for this education yet we're not being taught two major classes and Binns just puts everyone to sleep. If things don't improve we will talk it over with my parent's and Sirius during the holidays. I just hope they get decent teacher's or we might just transfer to get a decent education,' Hermione made sure she spoke just loud enough to Ron and others would hear what she said. It might just make Dumbledore hurry in finding other teachers. All they could do was hope the teachers he finds are good enough to actually teach.