Harry Potter and the Portkey of Time

BOOK 2 - CHAPTER 1

Harry felt very awkward. He was used to people being excited at meeting him, they just weren't usually so direct about it.

"Haha," Harry laughed uncomfortably, "I'm Harry... What's your name?"

"Oh! I'm Lukas! Nice to meet you!"

Lukas held out his hand for Harry to shake. It reminded him of his first meeting with Malfoy. Harry took it.

"Nice to meet you too."

~✦~

After being grounded for three weeks for 'that little stunt!' Harry had pulled, he was determined to spend the rest of his holidays out of the house, talking to his new friend Lukas. As the days passed, Lukas became less and less starstruck, which made things much less awkward for Harry. He did hate the fuss people made over him. What boggled him though, was that he had never even met Lukas before. After living at 4 Privet Drive for years on end, he had never so much as made a single friend. Nonetheless, it was great finally having one on the street. He was so distracted that he almost forgot about Dobby. Almost.

After yet another day spent with Lukas, talking about Hogwarts, magic and anything that came to mind, Harry headed home ready to celebrate his birthday alone. Lukas had bought him a present, but he didn't have much use for a videogame when he couldn't use a console.

"Remember dear, today is very important," Vernon said as Harry walked through the door. A puzzled expression formed on Harry's face, though he doubted they remembered.

"This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career."

Of course, they hadn't, the Dursleys wouldn't care to remember his birthday. Some people from Vernon's workplace were coming over tonight so that they could make a business deal. he had been talking about it for weeks.

"I think we should go over the plan one more time," Vernon said and Harry rolled his eyes, drowning him out. He was expected to be in his bedroom pretending he didn't exist. It was always the same whenever the Dursleys had company. Not that Harry minded, he didn't want to spend any extra time with them anyways. He had tried to persuade them to let him stay at Lukas' but, just like always, they refused, making sure Harry was as miserable as possible.

When night arrived, Harry was in his room feeding Hedwig when he heard the front door open and Dudley's sickly sweet voice saying

"May I take your coats, Mr and Mrs Mason?"

Harry kept checking the window for an owl from Ron and Hermione. Neither of them had sent anything over the holidays and he was starting to think they had forgotten how to use the post or something. Though that didn't make sense. Something must have been stopping the owls. Stopping owls...a memory began to form in Harry's mind, just out of reach, but before it was fully formed, a long crack came from behind him, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Dobby...?" Harry said in a quiet voice, not quite believing it. He was on the verge of tears. He thought back to the last time he had seen his loyal house-elf, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from spilling over.

"Harry Potter!" A crack sounded through the room again and this time Dobby was on his bed. "You know who I am..." Dobby's round tennis-ball-like eyes filled with hope.

"Yeah... yeah, I do," Harry responded, not caring it was weird he knew who Dobby was.

"Oh, sir! Such an honour to meet you sir... so long Dobby had waited. Dobby has heard all about you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Dobby. Why are you here?" Harry asked despite knowing exactly why.

"Dobby has come to tell you, sir... it is difficult sir... Dobby wonders where to begin."

"Would you like to sit down?" Harry asked, pointing to his bed.

Dobby burst into very loud tears.

"No... you don't have to sit down," Harry was panicking. He didn't want the Dursleys to hear Dobby crying.

"Sit... down," Dobby said between sobs, "Dobby had never been asked to sit down by a wizard; like an equal."

Harry tried to look comforting while shushing Dobby at the same time. He was becoming very loud.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Harry asked, hoping this would calm him down.

"Harry Potter asked if he can help Dobby...Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew..." Something in that sentence stopped Harry short.

"My greatness..." He muttered to himself. "Dobby who has told you of my greatness?" Harry knew Dobby belonged to the Malfoy's so where would he have heard things about Harry's greatness? Unless...

"Master Draco, sir, he- Bad Dobby, bad Dobby." Dobby started hitting his head on the wall, but Harry had heard enough. Malfoy talked about him to Dobby?

"You don't have to tell me, please be quiet," Harry said, ushering Dobby to calm down.

"Dobby almost told masters secrets... bad elf, bad elf." Now talking about Harry was a secret? He couldn't wait to find Malfoy on the train. Harry smirked, before returning his attention to the elf in front of him.

"The Malfoy's... do they know you're here?" Harry asked. Dobby's eyes widened.

"Oh no, sir, no. Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, sir."

Harry was taken aback. He had forgotten how Dobby was treated by Lucius.

Dobby and Harry chatted for a few more minutes, Harry being careful to avoid saying anything that could cause Dobby to break into sobs of gratitude or despair.

"Harry Potter is courageous... but Dobby must warn him. Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."