It took several more weeks for the curse breakers to finish their work. Although the Room of Requirement, as that room was officially named, didn't contain as many unique treasures as Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets, it still contained quite a few things of value. Many old books, some in Latin and some in ancient English were found there. Although most were either torn or lacked some pages, they were still extremely valuable.
The team working there also found quite a few old wands, some still in good working condition; two non-functional staffs, probably failing attempts at making one; many pieces of cursed jewellery, only a few of any real value. They still cleansed them all. Sirius would have to decide what to do with them. Just like the finds in the Chamber of Secrets, they all became Sirius's, as the one who ordered the search and financed it. Dumbledore was surely fuming inside but had only himself to blame for missing so many treasures.
This didn't mean that Dumbledore didn't try to gain some access to the finds. Luckily, Sirius, who'd been quite disillusioned by the way Dumbledore had acted since the fateful Halloween, didn't let the old man manipulate him. "You knew the rules. You also knew that there was a very good chance that once the search started, it would find some other long hidden objects. It was your decision to let me tackle this on my own. You can't change your mind after the fact."
Actually, the search proved to be very good business. The carcass of the Basilisk alone, once processed, covered all the expenses and left a very nice profit, even after giving the Goblin team a generous bonus. While most of the other finds in the Chamber could not be sold, being unique artefacts of one of the founders, Sirius could still lend them to museums or other institutes and get well paid for the right to display them for some time. Many of the finds in the RoR also fell into that category.
Sirius didn't want to lend the books, though. He explained that to Harry and Hermione. "Such old books are very fragile and could be damaged even while in transit to another place, despite all the protections we can give them. I had the Goblins make three exact copies of each book. I asked Remus to check each book for any dangers, in case it reaches inappropriate hands. When he finishes checking them, I'll donate a copy of the ones that he deems safe to Hogwarts library and another to the American school organization. They'll probably make additional copies, to have one in each of their magical schools."
"What will you do about the ones in Parsel?" Harry asked.
"I'll have an exact copy of each saved for you. I'll allow the Goblins to make another copy for their use."
Harry thought these were very good ideas. Just like Hermione, he didn't think that knowledge should be hidden or restricted, unless it was explicitly harmful or dangerous. Having copies of these ancient books available at all magical schools was very welcome, as far as he was concerned. It also served some poetical justice, making something that was initially intended to harm and kill students turn into something that could help them gain more knowledge. Harry liked it.
\/\/\/
With the dangers of the diary and the Chamber of Secrets removed, Harry's mind came back to the conversation that had made him aware of the dangers, to start with. He remembered Dobby the house-elf, his abused appearance, his frightened behaviour and his courage. Dobby had clearly been unhappy, unlike the Potter house-elves, and Harry wondered if he could do anything to help Dobby in return. As usual, he first talked about it to Hermione.
"We must free him from the Malfoys!" she exclaimed.
"Yes, but how?"
Hermione thought for a bit. "We must trick Lucius Malfoy to give cloth to Dobby. Then you can offer him to work for you."
Harry smiled. "Alright. How can we trick Malfoy?"
It took them awhile to come with some ideas. It then occurred to Harry that Ginny's memories could also help. While searching for the right memories, he had also glimpsed at her memories from shopping for the school supplies. Malfoy also appeared there, and he had a feeling this was not merely a coincidence. Still, he couldn't find anything in there by himself.
"Maybe you can pass that memory to me, so I can also check it?" Hermione suggested.
"How would I do it?"
Hermione smiled. "We've both learned Legilimency. We can now use it. You can either plant the memory in my mind or I can take it from yours. Then we may also use memory extraction, like that used for pensive viewing..."
"We can use the pensive in Dumbledore's office!" Harry interrupted her. "We can even show Sirius and use his talents. He'd surely see this as a Marauders-worth prank."
"Sure, but do you want Dumbledore involved?" Hermione countered.
Harry grimaced. "No. Not really." He then thought about it a moment longer and sighed. "Actually, Dumbledore may even help, if we play it right. We may present this as Ginny's memory, since we already know how to extract copies of one's memories. Then, if Malfoy had really slipped that diary to Ginny, Dumbledore may like to question him." He then frowned. "But how can we make sure Dobby comes along?"
Hermione gave it a thought. "Didn't Twinkle say that Dobby is mostly Lucius's personal elf? I don't think that the story of the diary got public. Not even Parvati and Lavender know what happened. They only know something was found and removed, but no details. Ginny's involvement seems to have also been unnoticed. Dumbledore may say he found the diary and summon Lucius at a time when Lucius is bound to not be ready. He'd want Dobby to groom him up to the last moment, taking him along."
Harry felt a bit unsure. There were too many unknowns in this plan and that made it doubtable. Well, they could work the details later. They first needed to view that memory.
It took them a few days to find the right time, despite Sirius's enthusiasm. Once inside the memory, it became very clear that the cursed diary had been planted by Lucius Malfoy while distracting the Weasley parents with the usual Malfoy taunts. They could all see, once alerted to it, that Lucius grabbed a second-hand book from the Weasley pile, leafed through it, sneaking the small diary in, and put it back on the pile.
"We can tell Malfoy we found his lost book," Harry suggested, once out of the memory.
"The book was destroyed, along with the curse," Dumbledore told them.
"Can't you conjure something similar?" Harry asked. "I'm sure he won't want it back, so even a rough similarity should be enough. Besides, I think I'd like to be the one to give it to him."
Dumbledore frowned, not quite sure why Harry would want to confront that very unpleasant man. Sirius, who was only a bit more informed, smiled. A Marauder never tells, he knew.
Surprisingly, their plan worked out quite well, although not exactly the way they anticipated. Dumbledore had prepared a similar booklet and even added on the last page, "Dear Lucius, I trust you to keep this safe until the day I need it. This may be even more important if I seem to disappear for a while. Protect it with you life, if necessary, V."
While this message was clearly a fake, Dumbledore was able to replicate Tom's handwriting, the way he remembered it from the numerous papers he had to read while Tom was still a student. This was considered enough to plant a serious doubt in Lucius's mind and help their plan.
Dumbledore Floo-called Malfoy manor after dinner, expecting Lucius to already be relaxing at home. "I've found something of yours hidden in the castle. I suspect it has been stolen. Can you come and check it, please?"
"May I pass through now?" Lucius asked, somewhat disappointing the children, who hurried to hide under Harry's invisibility cloak. As Lucius came out of the Floo, it was evident that he'd either just returned home, or was ready to leave. Dobby didn't come along.
"This was found in some student's trunk. Evidently, it doesn't belong to that student. I suspect it's yours," Dumbledore said, shoving the fake diary towards his guest.
Malfoy looked with disdain at what looked like an old notebook of Muggle make. "I don't think it's mine. I wouldn't keep something like that!"
Dumbledore smiled benignly. "Maybe not intentionally, but it was clearly gifted to you by Tom. You may check the last page to make sure."
Malfoy paled. He grabbed the diary and checked the last page, paling even further. "It must be a fake!" he insisted, although his voice trembled a bit.
Dumbledore shrugged. "I don't know how close you were with Tom, but I'm sure he wouldn't like you to lose this. Even if this is a fake, won't it be safer to keep it, just in case?"
"It's not mine!" Malfoy insisted.
Sirius, who'd been silent until that moment, decided to intervene. "Why don't you ask your house elf to make sure. It this is a fake, then you must still have the real thing. He can check and inform you in a matter of minutes."
Lucius accepted this advice, quite reluctantly. "Dobby!" he called.
The small house elf appeared immediately, bowing low. "Master called?"
"See this?" Lucius pushed the booklet in front of Dobby. "Go to my safe room, you know which one I mean, and see if another one like it is on the shelf. It has 'Tom Riddle' written on the front. Go now!"
Dobby popped away immediately and Lucius threw the diary back on the table, where it slid and fell near Sirius, who bent down and put it back on the table a moment later. Lucius Malfoy, on the other end of the table, couldn't see the two children hidden under the invisibility cloak, who quickly put a sock inside the book, before Sirius took it.
Dobby appeared a short while later, wringing his hands as if expecting punishment. "Dobby is sorry, Master, but Dobby couldn't find any such book in that room nor in the other rooms where Master keeps such stuff."
Harry, anticipating what was to come, moved stealthily, along with Hermione, to stand behind Malfoy, a bit to his side. Malfoy looked livid as he was practically forced to accept the book. "Well, maybe it was somehow taken." He grabbed the book a threw it at Dobby with so much force that Dobby almost fell backwards when he caught it.
"Oh, it should be quite safe now," Dumbledore added, as if in afterthought. "You see, it was full of dark magic when it was brought to me. I had it cleansed, of course, so it should be alright now."
Malfoy seemed to pale even more, but Harry was too busy to notice. He partly removed the cloak and was miming to Dobby to open the book. The elf seemed bewildered at first, but then understood and opened the book, easily finding the sock.
Malfoy was looking with pure hatred at Dumbledore. He then turned to Dobby. "We're going, Dobby!"
But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's sock and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure.
"Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."
"What's that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?"
"Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby – Dobby is free."
Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf. One could easily see that he wanted to curse somebody, but neither Dumbledore nor Sirius would let him. Both were holding their wands leisurely, non-threateningly, but clearly ready to defend themselves. Harry, in the meantime, moved behind Dumbledore, well hidden by his cloak. With a last, incensed stare at the two adults, Lucius swung his cloak around him, grabbed the book from Dobby and hurried out of sight.
As soon as the door closed, Harry removed his cloak and turned to Dobby. "Dobby, would you like to come and work for me? You don't have to be bonded, though. I'm perfectly willing to hire you and pay you a salary."
Dobby's face broke in a happy smile. "Yes, Harry Potter Sir, Dobby is willing to work for you. Dobby is not yet ready to negotiate the terms. Can we do it next week?"
Harry smiled. "Sure, Dobby. Until then, please make sure to have all your injuries treated and to get well. Do you need a place to live?"
Dobby shook his head. "Dobby will go to Potter Manor and join the elfs there. Master can call me whenever he wants."
Dobby didn't wait for an answer. He just popped away.