The Boy Who Couldn't See: Year 2

Dobby's Warning

"Harry Potter!" the high-pitched voice says and Harry hopes it won't carry downstairs and reach his relatives.

He manages not to scream, his hand flying up to cover his mouth.

"So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir... Such an honor it is..."

"May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?" Harry hears Dudley say downstairs.

Harry's hand falls to his side, "Who are you? How did you get in my room? Are you a person?"

That last question seems slightly rude but considering the fact that this thing is in his room and is speaking in the third person, he thinks it's only right to ask.

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf."

Harry blinks, "House-elf. Right. Well, not to be rude or anything, Dobby, but this really isn't the best time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom."

He hears Aunt Petunia's high, false laugh and grimaces. The elf doesn't respond and Harry quickly begins speaking again, "Not that I'm not pleased to meet you but — er — is there any particular reason you're here?"

The brief thought of this might be a serial killer pretending to be a magical creature to gain my trust crosses his mind and he takes a step away from where he assumes the elf is standing. You can never be too careful.

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

"Sit down?" Harry suggests, gesturing to his bed as he drops into his desk chair. His elbow knocks into Hedwig's cage and she wakes with a start, flapping her wings a few times before settling down when she realizes what just happened and hooting a soft apology. Before Harry can tell her it's okay, though, the house-elf bursts into noisy tears. Harry jumps.

"S-sit down!" he wails. "Never... never ever..."

Definitely not a serial killer then. He hears the voices downstairs falter and quickly jumps into action.

"I'm sorry," he whispers urgently, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything —"

"Offend Dobby!" Dobby interrupts him. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard — like an equal —"

Harry knows he's not good at comforting or encouraging looks but he gives it his best shot while saying, "Shh," over and over and ushering Dobby onto his bed. It takes a minute but Dobby calms down.

"You can't have met many decent wizards," Harry says, attempting to cheer him up.

There's a beat of silence before, suddenly, there's a loud repetitive banging that makes Hedwig screech and beat her wings against her cage again.

"Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" Dobby shouts over and over.

"What are you doing?" Harry leaps up, grabbing Dobby and pulling him back onto the bed, giving him what he hopes is an incredulous look.

"Dobby had to punish himself, sir," Dobby says and Harry's incredulous look turns into a shocked expression. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir..."

"Your family?" Harry asks tentatively. Hedwig settles back down, but not without an indignant squawk at Dobby, one with actual heat behind it.

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

"Do they know you're here?" Harry asks, hoping they do because he doesn't want the elf to start banging his head on things again.

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