Because You Love Me

41. Dobby

Harry was waiting for her when she got onto the platform. Alaina figured that the Weasley family would be waiting there with him, but he was all alone. Horrified, she rushed up to him.

"Harry, where are Ron and his parents?"

Harry grinned and pointed to a nearby car. It was a light blue Ford Angelina. Standing in front of it were Ron, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Percy, and a small little girl she didn't recognize. Of course she knew her name was Ginny because she had heard Ron talk about her over the summer. Harry threw his arms around his mother at once.

"I missed you."

Alaina smiled. "I missed you too."

"I figured Sev- I mean, Professor Snape would be here too."

"No. He had some things he had to get caught up on." She bent down and whispered in his ear. "He told me he loved me."

Harry's eyes widened. "Really? What did you say?"

"I told him that I loved him too, silly."

"Does that mean that you're going to get married?"

"Not exactly. We're still...getting acquainted."

They both laughed.

Alaina guided Harry over toward the Weasley clan. Alaina shook Arthur and Molly's hands and greeted the kids cheerfully.

"Thank you for taking such good care of Harry," Alaina said.

"Oh, we were only returning the favor!" Molly exclaimed. "Harry is such a good boy and Ron seemed to enjoy himself at your house."

"He's welcome anytime," she assured her. "All of you as a matter of fact."

"I would love to come and inspect some of your Muggle household items if I could sometime," Arthur confessed. "Of course you will have to explain what they are and how they work. I find it simply fascinating."

Alaina giggled. For some reason, that did not surprise her. Arthur Weasley seemed like a quirky little man. "I would be delighted."

Harry told the Weasley's goodbye and he and Alaina walked back to their car. After spending a lot of time in the Muggle world, she had to keep up appearances. Plus, Harry was accustomed to driving around in a car, not to apparating. One the drive home, he talked about nothing but his stay. He told her about de-gnoming the garden and him and Ron practicing flying on brooms. Needless to say, he had fun.

"What did you do while I was gone, Mum?" Harry asked her.

"I spent a lot of time with Severus. We watched movies and spent a lot of time together."

He suddenly got quiet. "Ron and I were wondering if the two of you are going to be together at school. He asked me and I didn't know where we stood on that."

"Not to the point where anyone will bother you about it. We are both going to make sure of that."

Harry smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Alaina told him.

The moment they got home, Harry got his luggage out of the car and drug it inside. He could hardly wait to get up the stairs to his room. He fell backwards on his bed. As much as he loved visiting Ron, there was nothing like laying on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling for a moment, enjoying the peacefulness. Then he sat upright. That is when he saw him.

It was the strangest creature he had ever seen. It was short and lanky with bright and round green eyes and pointy ears. For clothes it wore what looked like a old potato sack. Harry's eyes widened in alarm. He gasped out loud. What in the world was this creature doing in his bedroom of all places? Did his mother know the creature was there? Was he there for a sinister purpose?

"W-Who are you?" Harry stammered.

The little creature tilted his head to the side. "The name is Dobby, sir. Dobby the house elf. Harry Potter! It such an honor to meet you!" He bowed slightly.

Harry got to his feet. "You know me?"

"Of course Dobby knows you, sir. You are the one who triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Dobby has heard many times of your greatness."

He was surprised. Not only had everybody in the wizarding world heard of him, but it seemed every creature had as well. "How did you find me?"

"Magic." The house elf sighed. "Dobby has come to give you a warning. He has come to save Harry Potter."

That statement immediately got Harry's attention. "Save me? From what?"

"A plot to make most terrible things happen. He has come to warn you that you mustn't got back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year."

"Hogwarts is my home. I have to go back."

"You musn't."

"What terrible things are you talking about? Who's plotting them?"

"Dobby can't say, sir. Dobby is bound to a family forever or until his master presents him with clothes. To speak ill of them, Dobby would have to punish himself."

"Don't do that," Harry told him swiftly. He frowned. "My mum works there, Dobby. I can't just stay home. Besides, I will be safe there."

The elf shook his head. "No you won't. Not if what is being planned comes to pass. Dobby must insist, sir."

Harry reluctantly told Dobby that he would definitely think about what he had told him, but he couldn't make any promises. The elf left a few seconds later with the snap of his fingers. Harry couldn't get down the stairs fast enough. He ran into the kitchen where Alaina had just started to fix dinner.

"Mum! I have to tell you something!" Harry exclaimed. He was breathing heavily.

Hearing the urgency in his voice, she dropped what she was doing immediately. "What is it, Harry? Are you alright?"

He frowned. "I'm not sure."

"What do you mean?" She gave him a onceover with her eyes. "You look fine."

"There was just a house elf in my bedroom."

Her eyes widened. "What? Who did it belong to?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me that. He only told me that I couldn't go back to school, that it would be dangerous."

"What do you mean?" Alaina repeated. She suddenly got very nervous.

Harry told her the whole story, what Dobby had told him about danger at Hogwarts. "He couldn't say who was plotting them or he said he would have to punish himself."

She frowned. "Well, don't worry. You're going back to school and there is nothing that's going to hurt you. I'm going to have to tell Severus about this."

"Why?"

"I know he would want to know. He's grown close to you this summer, Harry."

"I know. I saw a whole different side of him."

"That side of him will be gone. You know that, don't you? The two of you will return to Hogwarts as professor and student and nothing more."

Harry nodded. "I know."

"Okay. I'm just making sure. I'm glad you told me about all of this Harry. I'm going to finish cooking dinner, okay?"

"Okay."

He headed off into the living room. Alaina bit her lower lip worriedly as she wondered just what kind of danger the little house elf had been talking about.