Chapter 019

July, 31st rolled around and Harry quietly sang to Hedwig and himself. Uncle Vernon was in the middle of a large business dinner so he figured he'd likely be missing dinner. Getting a soft hoot and gentle nip from his friend, Harry turned to head to bed early.

And found a small creature with very large ears, a long nose and bandaged hands standing on his bed. The creature was sporting several bruises and seemed to be dressed in a pillowcase with holes cut out for the head and arms. Harry's mouth dropped open and he just stared. 'And I thought my life sucked…'

"Err, hello?" Harry blinked in consternation at the strange little creature standing before him.

The creature burst into tears and cradled its head. "The Great Harry Potter speaks to Dobby! Dobby is not worthy, Dobby is – "

"Quiet!" Harry hissed frantically moving forward to attempt to shut the creature – Dobby – up. "Please, you have to be quieter! My Aunt and Uncle will hear you!"

"Dobby – is – sorry!" Dobby said between sobs at least attempting to lower his volume. "But yous is the – Great Harry Potter Sir. And Dobby is – just a lowly House Elf. Dobby – cannot believe the – Great Harry Potter would wish – to speak with him!"

Harry turned to Hedwig in confusion who just chuffed at him. "Glad you're amused. Traitor." Turning back to Dobby, Harry hesitantly reached out and clasped the little thing's shoulder. It just made the sobbing worse. "Look, Dobby? Look, Dobby, first off, it's just Harry. Not The Great Harry Potter Sir. Just Harry. Second, not to be rude or anything but why are you in this house?"

Dobby stopped crying almost instantly and turned sorrow filled eyes on Harry. "Dobby comes to give Harry Potter a message. Harry Potter must not return to Hogwarts."

Harry's compassion for the poor creature in front of him dried up and ice crept into his voice. "And who told you tell me that?"

Dobby cringed and held up his hands to cover his face. "Dobby comes by himself. Master would not want Dobby to tell Harry Potter. Bad Master would want to ensure Harry Potter is present. Dobby must shut his head in the cabinet for coming but Dobby will do it! Dobby will protect the Great Harry Potter!"

Harry froze for several long moments running over the house elf's words. His anger retreated somewhat as he realized some of what the little fellow was implying. "Dobby…" Harry cut off as he watched Dobby grab a lamp from the bedside table and swing it towards his head. Harry's mouth dropped open and he caught the lamp before it could impact the house elf. "Jeez, why did you do that?!"

"Dobby is bad elf! Elves should never refer to Master like that!" He tried to grab the lamp again so Harry dropped the lamp and held Dobby's arms instead until the creature calmed back down.

"Okay, Dobby, let's try this again," Harry said, cautiously letting the house elf's arms go. "I'm guessing you can't tell me who your master is?" Dobby shook his head so hard that his ears flapped. "Can I try to guess?" Dobby considered for a minute before shrugging. "Okay, well is it someone I go to school with?" Dobby paused before half nodding and half shaking his head. "So it's the family of someone I go to school with then." Dobby nodded. "Gryffindor? Ravenclaw? Hufflepuff? Slytherin? Okay, Slytherin. Now is it – " Harry was forced to break off again as Dobby ran headfirst towards the wall. Harry just barely managed to grab the little guy before he knocked himself out. "Okay, guess we're done with that line of questioning. How about a different tack. Why can't I go back to Hogwarts?"

"The Great Harry Potter Sir must not go back! It is not safe at Hogwarts now!"

"Yeah, kinda figured that out already, Dobby."

"No, Harry Potter does not understand. Hogwarts will not be safe! Master will make certain!"

Harry swore under his breath. 'Oh perfect, someone is going to try something again this year. And now I won't even have my friends to help me deal with – ' Harry's thoughts ground to halt as he turned to slowly stare at Dobby. The little house elf had succeeded in slamming his arm into the drawer while Harry was distracted but Harry couldn't quite bring himself to care as much as he had a moment ago. "Dobby…have you been, perhaps, trying to…dissuade me already from returning?"

Dobby froze. "Dobby thought…Dobby thought if Harry Potter felt his friends had abandoned him he would not want to return the castle…"

Harry carefully got up from his seat on the bed and narrowed his eyes at the house elf. "Dobby, have my friends written me any letters?"

Dobby reached behind him and pulled out a stack of letters in his shaking hand. "Dobby will give the Great Harry Potter is letters if he agrees to not go back to Hogwarts this term."

"Give me my letters, Dobby." Harry took a single step forward. He tried very hard not to snarl but he couldn't quite keep the ice out of his voice. "Now." His friends had been writing him. His friends hadn't abandoned him. He had friends.

"Harry Potter must promise. Hogwarts is not safe."

"Dobby I refuse to stay in this house any longer than is absolutely necessary. I have already survived a murderous Professor and psychopathic possessing ghost. The only friends I have are at Hogwarts. The only adult I trust is at Hogwarts. I am. Going. Back. NOW GIVE ME MY LETTERS!"

"If the Great Harry Potter refuses to stay, Dobby will make him." The house elf snapped his fingers and Harry's door burst open. Harry sprang to grab him but Dobby sprinted out and bounded down the stairs. Harry flung himself to his feet and ran after the house elf. He caught up just outside the kitchen watching with wide eyes as Dobby stared at the cake on the table outside the door. The door with Uncle Vernon's business party still going on beyond.

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