Chapter 33: The House Elf

Ivan watched Harry fall into the mud, splashing water everywhere.

The rain was falling on Harry's face, his arm dangling at an odd angle. Ivan hurried to the center of the field. He didn't want to see Lockhart use a spell to get rid of Harry's bones.

When he made it through the crowd, Lockhart was standing in front of Harry.

Lockhart said in a reassuring tone, "Don't worry, leave it all to me, kids! It's just a simple spell that I've used countless times."

As Lockhart spoke, he rolled up the sleeves of his emerald green dress.

Harry said weakly, "No, don't!"

But it didn't work, Lockhart was already twirling his wand. A second later, he pointed his wand at Harry's arm.

It was too late to stop him, so Ivan had to cast a spell to save Harry.

Ivan shouted, "Protego!"

The next second, a red light flew out of Ivan's wand tip, arriving at the same time as Lockhart's pale blue spell hit Harry.

Perhaps this time his training was adequate, or perhaps Lockhart was terrible at incantations. In short, everyone saw Lockhart's spell bounce back.

The arc of pale blue light traced a beautiful trajectory through the air and hit Percy, who was standing next to Lockhart, with unerring accuracy.

Percy fainted, and the people around him gasped.

They saw that Percy's left arm, which had been hit by the spell, was limp and boneless.

Someone in the crowd shouted in alarm, "My God, are his bones gone?"

Lockhart looked just as frightened, but still said, "Yes, yes, sometimes that happens, it must be some reaction to the Protego spell Ivan cast and mine. But don't worry, which classmate can take him to Madam Pomfrey, she can help him."

Fred and George shot Lockhart a stern look before taking Percy to the school infirmary, with Ginny following with a pale face and tears at the corners of her eyes.

At the school hospital, it only took Madam Pomfrey a second to heal Harry's bones, but she looked disgusted when she saw Percy's arm, so she started muttering, "What did they do to him? Poor boy, all his bones are gone, and I have to grow them back now!"

Ivan looked at Percy's condition and apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, Percy, I didn't think this would happen."

Percy shook his head as he said, "It was an accident, Ivan!"

Ivan, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys gathered around Percy's bed, and although Gryffindor won the Quidditch game, no one was happy.

Fred said, "It's all Lockhart's fault."

Hermione, trying to defend Lockhart, said, "It's not his fault, it was Ivan's Protego spell and Lockhart's spell that produced a horrible effect."

George said, "Everyone knows that Protego only returns the spell," George said.

Hermione continued to defend Lockhart, "But..."

Ron interrupted her, however, saying loudly, "Why do you keep defending Lockhart, Hermione? If Harry or Percy wanted to remove his bones, they'd find a better way."

Hermione blushed and said, "We all make mistakes, Professor Lockhart was just trying to help."

Ron replied, "He wasn't helping, if it wasn't for Ivan, Harry would be lying in this bed right now."

Madam Pomfrey came over with a giant bottle of Skele-Gro, put it by Percy's bedside, poured some into a glass and handed it to Percy as she said, "Shut up kids! You should let him rest, when the bones grow back it's an excruciating process!"

They all looked at Percy's pained face as he drank the potion, coughing and spitting repeatedly, and Ginny hurried to give him a few gulps of water.

By the time Percy felt better, Madam Pomfrey had made them leave, while the Weasleys had insisted on spending more time with Percy.

But Madam Pomfrey didn't agree with too many people staying here. Finally, Ivan, Harry and Hermione had to go back to the common room first.

Harry patted Ivan on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Ivan! It's not your fault. Percy was very unlucky, he shouldn't have gotten so close to Lockhart."

Hermione said, "Harry, Professor Lockhart just wanted to help you, the problem was the mad Bludger, someone must have hexed it."

Harry remembered the mad Bludger and said confused, "But who is...?"

Ivan took them to an empty classroom and explained, "I think I know, it's Dobby, the house elf, he hexed the Bludger."

Ivan told him what he saw, and when he was halfway through what happened, then Dobby suddenly appeared in front of them.

Inside the dimly lit classroom, Dobby was staring at the trio with his two large, tennis ball sized eyes, looking pitifully at them, a tear rolling down his long, pointed nose.

Harry, a bit surprised, asked, "Dobby, what are you doing here?"

Dobby whispered sadly, "Harry Potter went back to school, I warned Harry Potter repeatedly. When Harry Potter missed the train, why didn't you go home?"

Harry suddenly asked, "Wait, how do you know I missed the train?"

Dobby's lips were trembling and he looked unsure.

Harry said slowly, "Did you do that? you were the one who sealed the wall and wouldn't let us through!"

Dobby nodded his head and said, "Precisely, sir. Dobby waited off to the side, and when I saw Harry Potter, I sealed the entrance and then ironed my hands with an iron!"

He held up the ten long fingers full of bandages for the three people to see.

Hermione said in surprise, "Why do you have to iron your hands?"

Dobby said pitifully, "Because Dobby must punish himself, Dobby thought Harry Potter was safe. Dobby never dreamed that Harry Potter and his friends would find a way to go to school."

Dobby jerked from side to side and began to bang his head, which made Ivan wonder about Dobby's IQ.

Then Dobby started muttering, "Hearing that Harry Potter was back at Hogwarts made Dobby burn the Master's dinner! The Master gave me a lot of whipping like never before, sir..."

Harry shouted angrily, "You almost got Ivan, Ron and me expelled! You'd better leave before I strangle you!"

Dobby smiled slightly and said, "Dobby doesn't mind, Dobby has gotten used to death threats, Dobby is threatened more than five times a day at home!"

Hermione, who was frowning as she looked at Dobby, asked, "Wait, who is threatening you?"

Dobby shook his head as he said, "Dobby cannot reveal the master's name. Dobby cannot reveal the master's family secrets."

Dobby blew his nose into a corner of his dirty pillowcase as he looked miserable.

Harry, having calmed down a bit, asked curiously upon seeing Dobby's clothes, "Why are you wearing that, Dobby?"

Dobby looked at his clothes and said, "This symbolizes the slave status of a house elf!"

Hermione, frowning even more, said, "Slave?"

Dobby nodded and said, "Yes, Dobby can only be free when his master gives him clothes to wear. People at home are wary of giving Dobby even a pair of socks, because if Dobby is free, he would be free to leave home forever."