The House-elf's Shadow and the Guardian of Orange Cake

Returning to the Granger house, the warm light in the foyer and the aroma of roasted chicken filling the air instantly enveloped them, like an invisible healing barrier. Aunt Monica immediately came to greet them, her eyes anxiously scanning the faces of the two children. Seeing that they were tired but otherwise unharmed, especially the rare, not-yet-faded gentle curve on Linley's face, she finally let out a long sigh of relief.

"Everything's fine, Mom," Hermione answered first, her voice carrying a lightness of having survived a disaster. "The Ministry of Magic... they clarified everything, it's okay now!" She deliberately omitted the cold surveillance clauses and scrutinizing gazes.

Uncle Wendell also put down his newspaper and walked over, patting Linley's shoulder firmly (still carefully avoiding his chest): "Well done, kid! I knew they wouldn't have any reason to cause trouble! Go wash your hands, dinner's almost ready, Monica made your favorite lasagna!"

The atmosphere at dinner was more relaxed than in the past few days. Hermione vividly described (omitting the tense and dangerous parts) the grand atrium and elevators of the Ministry of Magic, drawing exclamations of amazement from Wendell and Monica. Linley ate quietly, occasionally a barely perceptible smile would tug at the corner of his lips when Uncle Wendell told a joke or Hermione made exaggerated gestures. The Star Stone under his collar continued to emit a warm, stable fluctuation, slightly clearer than when they were at the Ministry.

After dinner, Hermione didn't immediately pull Linley aside to discuss potions or read as usual. She mysteriously brought out a covered dish from the refrigerator – Monica's signature orange cake! The cake was fluffy and golden, adorned with glistening candied orange peel, exuding a fresh and enticing sweet fragrance.

"Strategic reserve!" Hermione announced, her eyes sparkling. "To celebrate our victorious return! Half each!"

She carefully divided the cake in two, pushing the slightly larger piece towards Linley, then picked up a small fork herself, cherishingly spearing a small piece and putting it into her mouth, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction. Linley looked at the cake before him, radiating a sunny hue and aroma, then at the girl opposite him, her cheeks slightly puffed out with contentment. A strange, heart-warming current slowly spread through him. He picked up his fork and speared a piece as well. The sweet orange fruit aroma bloomed on his tongue, mixed with the soft cake and just the right amount of frosting, like concentrated summer sunshine, dispelling the last trace of lingering coldness from deep within his body.

"Is it good?" Hermione asked vaguely, her fork in her mouth, her brown eyes looking at him expectantly.

"Mm," Linley nodded, his gaze falling on the corner of her lips, where a bit of frosting had landed. "Very sweet."

The rain outside had stopped at some point. The cool moonlight streamed through the glass window onto the dining table, mingling with the warm yellow lamplight. The two of them quietly shared the cake, the air filled with the sweet scent of oranges and a silent, tacit understanding of peace. The tranquility and sweetness of this moment were more comforting to their taut nerves than any potion.

In the following days, the shadow of the Ministry of Magic seemed to truly dissipate with the sweet scent of orange cake and the warmth of the Granger home. Linley's physical recovery entered a stable phase. The scorched scar on his chest faded in color, and the spiderweb-like cracks also closed up considerably, leaving only faint pink marks. The most delightful change came from his depleted magical source.

With Hermione's tireless "Mind Guidance" and improved potions, a faint but real trickle of water finally began to emerge from the depths of that silent desert. At first, it was only a faint silver glow the size of a rice grain at the tip of his finger, flickering out after a moment. A few days later, he could make a feather pen move a few inches extremely slowly across the tabletop. Every tiny bit of progress made Hermione so excited, as if she had discovered a new continent, her eyes shining astonishingly.

"Look! It moved another centimeter!" She leaned over the desk, using a Muggle ruler to precisely measure the distance the feather pen moved, and neatly recorded the data in her notebook. "The combination of lavender and chamomile really works! The intensity of the Mind Guidance has also increased by 0.3 standard units!" The "standard units" she referred to were vague metrics she had set herself based on Linley's description of "concentration."

Linley looked at her focused profile, her fluffy curls falling down, gently swaying as she wrote. He didn't expose the unscientific nature of her "standard units," merely cooperating by feeling the faint but steadily flowing magic within him, like clear spring water seeping from beneath a dry riverbed. The Star Stone resonated with a steady warmth, as if also rejoicing in this slow recovery.

"Try this!" Hermione presented a small crystal bottle, wound with silver thread, as if offering a treasure. Inside, a pale golden liquid swirled, refracting fine halos of light in the sun. "Formula No. 3! With a trace amount of diluted (legal!) Phoenix Tears! Madam Pomfrey sent it via owl! She said it might have miraculous effects on deep magical trauma!"

Linley took the bottle. The crystal bottle felt warm to the touch, and the liquid inside emitted a pure and warm aura. He pulled out the stopper and tilted his head back to drink. The liquid slid down his throat without strong irritation, but brought an indescribable comfort, as if he were bathing in warm sunlight. A warm and powerful force instantly permeated his limbs and bones, gently washing away the subtle blockages in his Magic Circuits. He clearly felt that the faint stream of magic within him seemed to be revitalized, its flow speed increasing slightly, and becoming more refined.

"How is it?" Hermione watched his expression nervously.

Linley closed his eyes to feel for a moment, then slowly opened them, looking into her expectant eyes, and clearly uttered two words: "It's effective." He even took the initiative to extend his finger, a slight mental nudge, and a brighter, more stable silver glow instantly lit up his fingertip, lasting for a full three seconds before slowly extinguishing!

"That's amazing!" Hermione was so excited she almost jumped up, grabbing Linley's wrist, feeling the faint magical fluctuations remaining at his fingertips, her face beaming with immense joy and a sense of accomplishment. "I knew it! Phoenix Tears! Headmaster Dumbledore is truly great!"

Linley's gaze fell on her hand gripping his wrist, feeling the warmth from her fingertips and that pure joy. He didn't pull his hand away, simply quietly feeling the real, tangible warmth and strength she brought him.

The afternoon sun filtered through the branches of the apple tree, casting flickering patterns on the wooden floor of the study. Hermione sat at the desk, diligently writing a reply to Harry and Ron, recounting her summer vacation (omitting the Ministry of Magic part), complaining about the boredom of holiday homework, and asking about the Weasley family's news. Her quill scratched across the parchment, making a soft rustling sound.

Linley sat on a single sofa by the window, holding a well-worn old book from Camphor House – the Basic Star Atlas (a Muggle introductory astronomy book). His gaze seemed to be on the pages, but his mind was focused inward, carefully feeling the magic flow that had become slightly more active under the catalysis of Formula No. 3. It traveled arduously but tenaciously through the dried-up circuits, like a trickle of water carving through ice. Each cycle seemed to bring a faint but real sense of nourishment, and the warmth of the Star Stone responded in kind.

Just then--

An extremely faint, yet intensely distorted magical fluctuation, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, suddenly shattered the tranquility of the study!

This fluctuation did not come from the outside, but rather seemed to appear out of thin air within the room! It carried an aura of panic and recklessness!

Linley looked up sharply! Hermione also stopped writing, her brow furrowed in confusion: "What was that sound?"

Almost simultaneously as the two of them sensed something amiss, the air less than a foot above Linley's desk, as if violently torn open by an invisible hand! A piercing "ripping" sound, like fabric being forcibly torn apart, rang out! The space violently twisted and fluctuated!

Immediately after, a small, skinny figure dressed in clothes like a tattered pillowcase, as if roughly thrown out by an invisible giant hand, accompanied by a terrified, distorted scream, smashed down headfirst onto the desk in front of Linley!

"Bang--Crash!"

The books on the desk, the ink bottle, Hermione's carefully prepared potion vials, and the half-eaten orange cake... were instantly sent into disarray! The ink bottle shattered, black ink spreading like a venomous snake; glass vials broke, various potions mixing and flowing; the cake was smashed into a mess, the golden cake body and white cream mixed with ink and potions, smeared all over the desk and the suddenly appearing small creature!

"Dobby!" A sharp, pained cry, filled with immense fear, came from the small creature lying amidst the mess.

It was a house-elf! He had green eyes the size of tennis balls and bat-like ears. They were now covered in ink and cream, looking comical and pathetic. His emaciated body trembled violently from extreme fear, and he struggled to get up, only to slip again on the sticky cake and ink, becoming even more disheveled.

Hermione was stunned by this sudden turn of events, letting out a short gasp as her quill fell to the floor.

Linley's reaction, however, was incredibly fast! The moment the space tore open, in the flash of an eye as the little elf smashed onto the desk, knocking over the ink bottle and sharp glass vials, he instinctively, recklessly, mobilized the magic that had just become active within him!

Buzz!

An extremely thin, yet instantly formed silver halo, like the most resilient protective film, suddenly unfurled less than half a foot in front of Hermione!

Splat! Crash!

Splattering ink and glass shards violently struck the silver halo, and were completely blocked! Black ink splashed across the surface of the halo, like ugly fireworks, but couldn't penetrate an inch, finally sliding down powerlessly.

Hermione was unharmed! She was merely startled by the sudden spectacle, stepping back and covering her mouth.

As for Linley, the moment he forcibly activated that faint magic to form a shield, his face instantly turned ashen white! A tearing pain erupted from the scar on his chest that had just healed! It was as if the riverbed, which had just been cleared, was forcibly jammed with a boulder! He let out a muffled groan, his body swaying, his hand gripping the armrest of the sofa tightly to prevent himself from falling. Fine beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and his breathing became rapid and difficult. The Star Stone under his collar pulsed violently, with a burning sensation, like an overload warning!

"Linley!" Hermione's gasp immediately turned from shock to immense fear and distress! Disregarding the messy desk and the strange house-elf, she rushed to his side, supporting his swaying body. "How are you?! Is it magic backlash?! Don't scare me!"

Linley gasped for breath, forcibly suppressing the taste of blood surging in his throat, and shook his head with difficulty. His gaze, however, was as sharp and cold as a blade, fixed on the house-elf – Dobby – who was struggling to get up by the desk, covered in filth and looking terrified.

Dobby finally managed to struggle to his feet from the mixture of ink and cake. Tears streamed from his huge green eyes, filled with fear and an almost desperate guilt. He looked at the messy desk, then at Linley, who was being supported by Hermione, his face pale, clearly injured because of him, then at the silver barrier in front of Hermione, which was slowly dissipating, leaving behind traces of ink.

"Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" He suddenly let out a piercing cry and began to frantically bang his head against the edge of the still intact bookshelf nearby! "Dobby has harmed the respected Son of Stars! Dobby almost killed the great Harry Potter's friend! Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby must punish himself!" The banging sounds echoed in the study, chillingly.

"Stop it!" Hermione shouted, both shocked and angry. "Who are you? What do you want?!"

Dobby was startled by her shout and stopped harming himself, curling into a ball. His huge green eyes looked at them in terror, tears mixed with ink and cream streaming down his face. "Dobby... Dobby is Harry Potter's friend! Dobby must come to warn you! Hogwarts! There is a terrible danger at Hogwarts this year! Harry Potter cannot go back! You... you cannot go back either!" He spoke incoherently, his voice sharp and trembling. "There is a conspiracy! An ancient evil! People will die! Many people will die!"

"Danger? What danger? Explain!" Hermione pressed, while also worriedly helping Linley sit down and quickly checking the wound on his chest. Beneath the bandage, the faint pink scar seemed to be showing an ominous dark red hue again.

Dobby, however, curled up even more fearfully, shaking his head frantically. "Dobby cannot say! Dobby is forbidden... Dobby can only warn! Harry Potter cannot return to Hogwarts! You... you must also be careful!" His huge green eyes glanced fearfully out the window, as if something terrifying were pursuing him.

"Who forbids you? Who sent you?" Linley's voice rang out, low and hoarse, with a coldness born of suppressed pain. His gaze was like a tangible blade, locked onto Dobby.

Dobby trembled all over, his gaze towards Linley filled with awe and deeper fear. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then suddenly covered his mouth, making muffled sounds. He looked at Linley in terror, then at Hermione, and suddenly seemed to make a decision.

"Remember Dobby's warning! Danger! Hogwarts is dangerous!" he let out a sharp scream, jumped up, and snapped his fingers, which were covered in filth, with a loud crack!

Snap!

A loud bang, like air being popped! Dobby's small figure instantly distorted and vanished from his spot! All that remained was the mess in the study, the pungent mixed smell, and that warning echoing like a curse.

Silence fell over the study. Broken glass, spilled ink, ruined cake, overturned books... like ruins after a storm. Hermione supported a pale-faced Linley, their gazes falling on the spot where Dobby had disappeared, then slowly shifting to the clear sky outside the window.

Hogwarts is in danger? Ancient evil?

Dobby's terrified, distorted face and his shrill warning coiled around their hearts, which had just found a moment of peace, like cold venomous snakes. The sweet scent of the orange cake seemed to be completely masked by the acrid smell of ink and potions. The Star Stone on Linley's chest pulsed with a cold, heavy throb, like an ominous premonition.