Hindsight

In Ollivander's

The next day after classes, Harry and Hermione made their way down to the kitchens. Harry tickled the pear on the painting of the fruit bowl as he had remembered and stepped inside.

Immediately, he was hit by a house-elf sized missile.

'Harry Potter, sir!' Dobby squeaked, 'I is heard you were here!'

'Hello, Dobby,' Harry greeted kindly. He could not help remembering the same elf dying from Bellatrix's knife years ago in the future. He pushed that image out of his mind. The 'old timeline', as he and Hermione had begun calling it, no longer mattered.

'Hello, Harry Potter, sir. It's an honour!'

'It's great to see you, Dobby.' Harry gestured to Hermione. 'This is my…girlfriend. Hermione.'

'Dobby is honoured to meet Harry Potter's girlfriend! Mister Harry is a great wizard. Miss Hermione must be the same!'

Hermione blushed bright pink. 'Uh…nice to meet you too, Dobby. How come you're here?'

Harry knew that both of them knew the answer, but it would sound suspicious if they did not at least act curious as to why Dobby was working at Hogwarts.

'Dobby is look for job, Miss!' he squealed excitedly, 'Dobby is be free. He wants paying now! But no family wants to pay a house-elf. They be slam door in Dobby's face. Then, Dobby heard that Harry Potter was at Hogwarts, so he came asking for a job!'

'And you got one?'

Dobby nodded vigorously. 'Professor Dumbledore be paying Dobby one Galleon per week and give Dobby one day off a month!'

Harry noticed that the other house-elves backed away from Dobby when he said that.

'Dobby, would you be able to help us with something?' he asked.

'Anything, Harry Potter, sir!'

'We need to talk in private,' Harry said, 'Can you meet us in the…the Come-and-Go Room in half an hour?'

Dobby's eyebrows shot into his forehead. 'How is Mister Harry know about the Come-and-Go Room?'

Harry struggled for an alibi, but Hermione saved him.

'We stumbled upon it,' she lied skilfully, 'Harry needed the toilet and it just appeared for him. We went back and experimented and found it could change into anything we want.'

Dobby looked impressed. 'Harry Potter's girlfriend is be very smart witch. Harry Potter must be honoured to have her.'

Harry leaned over and pecked Hermione on the cheek. 'I am, Dobby. So can you meet us in thirty minutes?'

'Dobby will meet Harry Potter and Miss Hermione in the Come-and-Go Room in half an hour!' Dobby chirped before he bounded away.

Harry turned to the other house elves. He had an idea. 'Would you happen to have some food?' he asked, 'Maybe some chicken? A few meat pies. Some pudding would be nice, too.'

As the house elves dashed off, Hermione turned to Harry and raised a questioning eyebrow.

'I was thinking we should send Padfoot some food,' he explained, 'That's why I told Dobby to give us some time before meeting us. We can go up to the Owlery.'

Hermione beamed and kissed him. 'You're so sweet.'

'I just don't want Sirius to starve,' he said shyly.

Five minutes later, Harry and Hermione made their way up to the Owlery, arms loaded with food. Harry was delighted to see Hedwig again: he had not seen her for almost seven full years.