The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 2

"What are you doing?" Harry asked Dobby.

"Dobby has to punish himself, sir," said the elf, who must have been cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir...."

"Your family?"

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

"Do they know you're here?" Harry curiously asked.

Dobby shuddered and Delilah let him down, satisfied that he had stopped.

"Oh, no, sir, no... Dobby will have to punish himself most severely for coming to see you, sir. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, sir —"

"But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven doors? Delilah doubtfully asked.

"Dobby doubts it, mistress. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, sir. They lets Dobby get on with it, sir. Sometimes they reminds me to do extra punishments...."

Delilah felt a stab of pity for Dobby.

"But can't you leave? Escape?" Harry inquired.

"No, Harry. House-elves need to be set free by their family," Delilah said, glancing at Dobby, who nodded.

Another stab of pity went through Delilah.

"And I thought we had it bad staying here for another four weeks," Harry mumbled. "This makes the Dursleys sound almost human. Can't anyone help you? Can't I?"

Almost at once, Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude.

"Please be quiet, if the Dursleys hear anything, if they know you're here —" Harry whispered frantically.

"Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby... Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew..."

"Yes, Harry's a famous hero, we know, now, can you please be quiet? You still haven't told us why you're here," Delilah stated.

"Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter, to warn him, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later.... Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."

"W-what?" Harry stammered. "But I've got to go back — term starts on September first. It's all that's keeping me going. You don't know what it's like here. I don't belong here. I belong in your world — at Hogwarts."

"No, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Harry Potter must stay where he is safe. He is too great, too good, to lose. If Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts, he will be in mortal danger."

Delilah sighed, and went straight to the issue. "So why can't Harry go back to school? What is going to happen this year?"

"There is a plot, a plot to make the most terrible things at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over, "Dobby has known it for months, sir. Harry Potter must not put himself in peril. He is too important, sir!"

"What terrible things? Who's plotting them?" Harry asked at once.

Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head frantically against the wall. Interesting, that meant he had been forbidden by his masters to talk about it.

"Alright! You can't tell me. I understand. But why are you warning me? Hang on — this hasn't got anything to do with Vol— — sorry — You-Know-Who, has it? You could just shake or nod," Harry added hastily as Dobby's head tilted worryingly close to the wall again.