Part of Your World| D.M., M.R., C.D., H.P., F.W., G.W., and N.L.

Chapter 32- Dobby

"The wizard family Dobby serves, sir...Dobby is a house-elf— bound to serve one house and one family forever..."

"I reckon that he's probably Lucius Malfoy's house-elf. Wouldn't be surprised if an evil wizard like him traumatized poor Dobby," I said to Harry. I turned to Dobby. "Was I right? Does he know you're here?"

Dobby shuddered. "Y-yes ma'am. Correct indeed. And no, oh, no, ma'am, no...Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see the both of you. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, ma'am—"

"But won't they notice if you do something like shutting your ears in the oven door to punish yourself?" Harry asked.

"Dobby doubts it, sir. Dobby must always punish himself for something, sir. They let Dobby do it. Sometimes they remind Dobby to do extra punishments..."

"But why don't you leave? Escape?" Harry asked, confused. It seemed to Harry like it was Dobby's fault for continuing to stay with his bad family.

"A house-elf must be set free, sir. And the family will never set Dobby free... Dobby will serve the family until he dies, sir..." Dobby explained to Harry.

I elbowed Harry and to lighten up the air I jokingly said, "And here I thought you had it bad having to stay in this hell-hole for another four weeks."

Harry took me seriously and added, "This makes the Dursleys sound almost human. Can't anyone help you, Dobby? Can't we? Can't I?"

I smacked Harry on the arm. He turned to me, confused. I gestured that it was a bad idea to say something kind like that, but it was already too late, again. Dobby crumbled and began to wail once more.

"Dobby! Please, be quiet!" I sharply whispered.

"Harry Potter and Y/n L/n ask if they can help Dobby...Dobby had heard of your greatness, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew..."

I saw Harry beginning to grow hot in his face. He said, "Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish. I'm not even the top of my year at Hogwarts; that's Hermione, she—" Harry abruptly stopped ranting. I knew why. Since Dobby had intercepted all of his letters from her and Ron, it was painful for him to think about her. He probably thought she and Ron had ghosted him and didn't want to be friends with him anymore. That's also probably why he was so sad and melancholy when I snuck him out that one night.

"Harry Potter is so modest and humble," Dobby said reverently, his orb-like eyes shimmering. "Harry Potter speaks not of his triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named—"

"Voldemort?" said Harry. I smacked him again.

Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned fearfully, "Ah, speak not the name, sir! Speak not the name!"

"Sorry," Harry said quickly, "I know lots of people who don't like it. My friend Ron—"

Harry stopped abruptly again. I winced, since I was empathizing with him.

"Dobby heard tell," he said hoarsely, "that Harry Potter and Y/n L/n met the Dark Lord just weeks ago...that Harry Potter escaped yet again with the help of Y/n L/n."

Harry and I both nodded and Dobby's eyes shone with tears. He dabbed his face with the corner of the grubby, disgusting, and old pillowcase he was wearing.

"Harry Potter and Y/n L/n are both so valiant and bold! They have braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter and Y/n L/n, to warn them, even if he does have to shut his ears in the over door later...Harry Potter and Y/n L/n must not go back to Hogwarts."