Harry hadn't thought of that. Even without Dobby's warning this was already shaping up to be a horrible year at Hogwarts.
"He's going to be getting all kinds of unwanted attention once the case goes public anyway," Lichfield said with an apologetic look. "I'll try to limit it by getting the courtroom sealed, but that won't stop leaks - the Ministry's always leaked like a sieve," he said with a look. "I'll throw a 'cease and desist' at every bookshop we've got though. I should send several more out too," Lichfield said nebulously.
He seemed to disregard it with a wave as a thought for later.
"It'll probably scare them enough not to restock their shelves," he continued. "But if Bumblebee Press is still set up somewhere with an owl order then new copies might still make their way out to the public, and that's discounting all the old copies that're still out there. You might want to buy a beater's bat just to keep the girls away," he said to Harry. Harry didn't know whether he really meant it or not.
"I think that leaves only one other issue to talk about," the grizzled old bailiff said.
"One?" the shocked goblin asked, gesturing to the large stack of files still beside him. "There's Damages, Estate Planning, Inheritance, Investment Opportunities-"
"All of which can wait until the case is over," Lichfield said. "The girl's right. Damages won't matter unless we win, and if Bumblebee Press pans out then the damages will only increase. Besides, we're already pushing our luck with the rental agreement with the Weasleys as it is. You go running off playing Account Manager like you've always wanted to and the Ministry's not going to see him wanting to stand on his own, they're going to see the entire case orchestrated by you, and that's not what we want."
Harry thought Barchoke looked particularly dispirited. The goblin must've really been wanting to follow in his father's footsteps.
"I'd love to hear your advice as soon as we win though," Harry said to him. "I've really come to value what you think."
That put a genuine smile on the goblin's face.
"What were you wanting to talk about?" he asked Lichfield.
The old bailiff looked to Barchoke for support.
"Don't look at me," the goblin said, throwing his hands up in front of him. "I've already stepped in it once on that subject. You do it if you want to."
With his eyes flickering back and forth between him and the goblin, Lichfield seemed to have a change of heart.
"On second thought," Lichfield said, "now's not the best time. I should investigate further before I bother you with it."
Harry looked at him oddly. With everything he's been sharing about the investigation, Lichfield's been strangely tight-lipped about some things. Still, Harry reckoned, he always did tell him much more about what he didn't tell him before a lot quicker than Dumbledore ever did. Even facing Voldemort a second time wasn't enough to get the old headmaster to tell him why the dark wizard was after him in the first place. Lichfield would've told him that at least.
"So, I think that's us done," Lichfield said cheerfully.
"That didn't take so long after all," Barchoke said standing, before looking at his watch and making a disgusted face. It must've taken a lot longer than he'd thought.
"I'll see you at the Hopefuls thing tomorrow, won't I?" Harry asked Lichfield as he and Hermione got to their feet as well.
"McGonagall promised a meal," the bailiff said as if that had decided the issue.
"You're meeting the Hopefuls?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," Harry said embarrassed. "McGonagall thinks I deserve the credit for the program more than Dumbledore does, and I must admit, it feels good to take something from him for a change."
"Pity this is only a day-trip for me," she said with a smile as they headed for the door. "I'd love to be there for you when something good happens. It'd make a nice change."
As they made their way back towards the wandering way up Lichfield spoke again. "So I take it you'll be asking Dobby about this warning of his once he gets some sleep?" he asked.
"Yeah," Harry said. "I didn't want to keep him up longer than I had to."
"I don't see how things could possibly be any more dangerous than they were last year," Hermione said judiciously.
"What happened last year?" Barchoke asked behind them.
"Nothing much-," Harry said, looking to Hermione with a grin.
"-Just You-Know-Who possessing our Defense professor and trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone from Hogwarts," Hermione finished for him.
"The what stone?" Barchoke cried, causing them to look back at the Overseer.
"Possessed by You-Know-Who?" Lichfield asked.
"Quiet!" the Overseer commanded before pointing to them with a fierce look in his eye. "The what stone?"
"The S-sorcerer's Stone," Hermione said uncertainly. "The one made by Nicholas Flamel."
Barchoke took off toward the door as fast as his legs could carry him.
"What's going on?" Harry asked. "Doesn't everyone know about this? Dumbledore said it was all over the school."
"I think I should visit you from now on," Lichfield said to Harry. "Every time you're here you end up wrecking the place."
"BREACH!" Overseer Barchoke's shout drifted back to them from the wandering hallway they'd been about to enter. "BREACH!"
"Hands up," Lichfield said stoically as he raised his towards the ceiling.
Faster than Harry thought possible a flood of goblins carrying weapons filled the hallway as Harry and Hermione's hands quickly sprang up to join Lichfield's.
"Now, Hermione," Harry said, starting to panic a little. "I think you need a lawyer."
.....
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