Hospital Wing, a diversion, and the game changer.

Misty paused for a second as her options ran through her head.

Yes, that feels like the best option. Though both Dumbledore and Ginny's parents should be notified that she is saved. "Ron, while harry leads us to the hospital wing, could you send your parents an owl that you and harry saved the day?"

Ron's eyes glazed over at the thought of his tale saving ginny. He was a hero! And he could let his parents know. "I better run over to the owlry. I'll be back," ron called over his shoulder as he ran with his opportunity to tell his mom of his heroism.

"Harry, before you go up to let Dumbledore know what has happened, can you accompany us to the hospital wing?" Misty said, planning the perfect strategy to stall dumbledore but not taint Harry's opinion of her.

Ginny latched onto Harry's right arm, holding it between her quickly expanding breasts. Already her previous flat chest was on its way to a beginner's B-cup.

The Dark Lady Misty had no such need to latch onto her Harry when her ginny-pet was staking their claim. Shortly, they reached the hospital wing.

(The group had completely forgot about the unconscious professor lockhart who had been shoved off the platform and onto the restroom floor by the stones and sinks.)

Upon entering the school hospital, Madam Pomfrey paused in surprise as Harry Potter led the missing Ginny Weasley and an older girl in a much older cut of Hogwarts robes into the hospital wing. After whispering something to the weasley girl, she nodded, and harry blurted, "here they are, we saved them from the chamber, i have to let professor dumbledore know, but i'll be back!" And at that Harry took off before poppy could stop him.

"Oh, that boy. I'll end up tying him to a bed. Miss Weasley! Please have a seat on a bed as well as your friend, miss?"

"Hello, i'm Misty, unfortunately I don't remember what my last name was."

"Gracious. Well, lets start with you Miss Weasley." as she started a series of diagnostic spells.

Misty used her skill with legilimency to follow Poppy's surface stream of consciousness.

A familiar bond? Something else that looked similar to an incomplete animagus transformation? Magical exhaustion but an expanded magical core? Some clear evidence of soul magic, but there was no spell damage or dark magic scarring like Mr. Potter's famous scar, very strange. Primary treatment should be bed rest. Animagus issues are odd but not pressing at the moment.

Missy smirked behind the healer's back, knowing that Madam pomfrey had no way to recognize that Ginny had been infused with soul energy from a thousand-year old Basilisk, after having a large portion of her own soul energy drained into Missy.

Poppy poured Ginny a dose of common nutrient potion to aid with stabilizing her core, and after dosing the youngest weasley, she turned to Missy. "So, lets see what we can figure out."

"How far back do you remember?"

I remember flashes of being a Hogwarts student, but then a boy named Tom Riddle trapped me in a book. Then the next thing I know, Ginny was also in the book and that Tom was trying to escape the book and I taught her to use the obliviate spell when she got out of the book. Then I was out of the book, and Harry rescued us and here we are."

"Hmmm, well lets do some tests."

Again Missy listened in on poppy's thoughts.

Hmmm, there are traces of recent memory spells, evidence of some kind of energy transfusion? Core energy? Magical core exhaustion? A very odd familiar bond its like a single familiar bond, but somehow got split, odd. Some minor remnants of dark magic residue. Very similar to Mr. Potter's scar, but thar energy has been dissipated. Definite evidence of magical core fracturing and trauma, but something has regenerated most of the damage.

"So, there's nothing that requires immediate treatment just rest and a nutrient potion."

After taking the potion, Misty decided to take a nap until her nemesis/hero returned.

Meanwhile...

Harry had just finished explaining what happened, and gave Dumbledore the diary.

Dumbledore pondered this story. So much of what Harry said was unlikely, but completely plausible. The diary was soaked in the dark magic of a Horcrux, but it was empty.

Dumbledore had used the point me "Tom Marvolo Riddle" spell, and the direction had not changed from continental Europe, Albania if his assumption was correct.

So Tom Riddle had not been resurrected. Instead Ginny Weasley had released a prisoner also contained in the Horcrux. Again, unlikely, but not inconceivable. The creation of a horcrux requires a murder and the act of murder splits the soul so that part of the murder can be sealed.... but what if the victim of the murder is somehow used to power the sealing?

But why would Dumbledore not remember a girl going missing, its not like something of that magnitude could be kept secret...no... that wasn't true.

Fidelius. Tom could have concealed the murder if he used a secret keeper. But would it not have broken? Unless there was some sort of interaction? The entirety of the secret had not been revealed, perhaps? Or a layered spell combining Fidelius with other secrecy spells.

And this was Tom's first horcrux. Of that there can be no doubt.

More worrisome is this exchange of soul transfusion involving Ginny and this girl Misty, and then the transfusion involving a basilisk and Ginny.

Oh, and there is a basilisk under the school. Again, so unlikely that it would turn out to be good, but then it had lived here a thousand years without incident but for the involvement of Tom Riddle. So not an impossible story.

Dumbledore needed a plan. First, he needed to test Harry, Ginny and Misty's intentions. He still had the artifact, and the truth compulsion charms had not been removed from the room... no. One person being "guided" to that room was random, three would be obviously manipulative.

Dumbledore smiled as he realized he conveniently had the perfect patsy. The truth compulsions would not be available in the hospital wing, but the shock could shake some things loose.

At that moment, Dumbledore felt the ward sensors to his office trip, and prepared to deal with the elder Malfoy.

That was an interesting discussion between Dumbledore, Harry, Lucius Malfoy, and an abused house elf.

As Lucious left, Harry asked for the Horceux, rather than give up the original, Dumbledore duplicated it and handed the duplicate to Harry. While saying "your friend will be welcome to stay, but i will need to speak with you both in say 10 minutes? Good luck Harry."

Almost exactly 10 minutes later a grinning Harry Potter returned to Dumbledore's office less one duplicated diary, but with a skittish house elf in tow.

"Dobby, you are welcome to work at Hogwarts, you may choose to bond with the school, or not bond at your discretion." Dobby looked up at Harry with puppy dog eyes, but Harry clearly had no idea what the elf wanted.

"Or, if Mr. Potter is agreeable, you could bond with him."

Harry looked at the tiny creature and Dobby began nodding so fast that Harry feared he might get hurt.

"Professor, what does that mean?"

Dumbledore smiled. "A house elf bond would allow an elf to sustain his magic by siphoning some from you, similar to what you explained happening with Ms. Weasley. In return, Dobby would swear to serve you and your family, and indeed would become part of your family."

Harry knelt down and looked into Dobby's huge eyes. "Dobby, would you be willing to join my family?"

"Oh! Greatest Wizard Harry Potter! To join your family would be the happiest moment of Dobby's life!"

Harry looked to Dumbledore, who smiled a grandfatherly smile with a twinkle in his eye. "Now repeat after me: ' i, state your full name"

I, Harry James Potter"

"Do offer Dobby the house elf entry into the House of Potter"

"Do offer Dobby the house elf entry into the House of Potter"

"That Dobby will serve the House of Potter to the best of his ability"

"That Dobby will serve the House of Potter to the best of his ability"

"And in return the House of Potter shall provide for Dobby's magical needs.

"And in return the House of Potter shall provide for Dobby's magical needs as he will be part of the family."

"Dobby?"

"Dobby accepts this offer by The House of Potter."

And with that a small whirlwind appeared around Dobby as his features looked more elvish, and his tea towel loincloth transformed into a greek toga with the seal of House Potter on the shoulder.

Dobby hugged Harry and looked up in awe at the power and love he could feel in the family bond. Through the bond, he could feel Harry Potter's ladies. Both the most kind and strong red haired snakey Mistress Ginny, and the most naughty but not evil Slytherin Mistress Missy. Harry Potter turned the most evil wizard into his naughty girlfriend?!

Greatest Wizard Harry Potter is the greatest wizard ever!

Dumbledore spoke up, "Now Dobby, can you check in with the head elf, so you can learn the rules for house elves at Hogwarts?.

Dobby looked up at the great wizard harry potter, who nodded and said "Yes, thats probably a good idea if you're ok with it Dobby."

"Great Wizard Harry Potter cares about whether Dobby is okay with orders!" Dobby hugged harry again, and said "Dobby will work to be best house elf ever!" As he popped away to learn from the hogwarts house elves.

Dumbledore smiled a true smile of joy seeing how Harry constantly exceeded his expectations. The smile began to dim as thoughts of his end game once more began to darken his mood, looking down at his desk and the pristine former horcrux, he, wait... the undamaged former horcrux. The UNDAMAGED former horcrux!

Dear Merlin how did he not see it sooner! It could be done! A Horcrux soul could be extracted without destroying the vessel! And this was the prime horcrux, the first split containing 50% of Tom Riddle's Soul. With each split, the horcruxes would have less power, less ability.

Oh Dumbledore had no idea how it was done, but IT HAD BEEN DONE! he needed to get started on the research.

"Harry my boy, what say we get down to the hospital wing, and let Madam Pomfrrey confirm that all is well." Dumbledore would still test Ms. Weasley, and the new girl Misty, but he was certain Harry was on the side of light. (He would still confirm that, but he had no doubt Harry would pass with flying colors.)

Harry looked askance at Dumbledore's sudden glee, but rolled his eyes and simply wrote it off as the headmaster being his normal weird self, they then left his office to visit the girls.