What if...

Scared, Potter?

"Harry Potter!"

Harry shot up instantly, though slightly awkwardly as he realised that Hermione's head was resting on his chest. The second thing he noticed was the excessively large pair of goggling eyes right in front of him.

"Agh!" He jumped silently, aware that if he moved, Hermione would go flying. Miraculously, she was still asleep. "Dobby, what are you doing here?" He hissed.

"Harry Potter came back to Hogwarts! Harry Potter is in grave danger, Dobby has come to warn Harry Potter!" Dobby professed.

"Slow down, slow down." Harry said hastily. "Danger? What danger? Does this have anything to do with the voice I've been hearing?" Harry asked, choosing to ignore the house elf's shock that Harry had returned to his only home.

"Dobby- Dobby cannot say. But Dobby has came to warn Harry Potter that he is in great danger! Harry Potter must leave Hogwarts, Dobby thought his bludger would make Harry Potter see that-" Dobby claimed desperately.

"Your bludger? You sent that thing after me?" Harry accused.
"Alas, Harry Potter's daring feats of brilliance defied Dobby once again." Dobby said sadly. Harry fought the urge to strangle Dobby, and instead listened to the logical side of his mind.

"If Dobby's this desperate for me to leave, then something's clearly wrong. If I put together the voice, the petrifications, and Dobby's hesitance before I asked him about the voice, then there has to be some sort of monster in Hogwarts. But if I can hear it and no one else can... what can I hear that no one else can- snakes! I can speak snake! Hermione said it was parsnip tongue or something. So there's a snake roaming round Hogwarts that can petrify people! I never thought I'd say this, but this calls for a trip to the library." Harry thought thoroughly.

He focused his attention to Dobby's clothes- if they could be called clothes, that is. Dobby looked like he had been thrown into a washing machine.

"What are you wearing?" Harry asked.
"Tis a mark of the house elves' enslavement." Dobby held his tea-cosy up slightly, also showing Harry his bandaged hands.

"Enslavement?" Harry repeated. "House elves are slaves?"
"Before yous be defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, house elves were treated like vermin, sir! Of course, Dobby is still treated like vermin!" Dobby sobbed.

"Uh- hey, it's ok-" Harry attempted to wipe Dobby's eyes with his cloak, causing the elf to jump back in surprise.
"Harry Potter is too kind." Dobby hesitantly wiped his eyes, glancing at Harry occasionally, as if he expected a rough beating for even daring to speak.

The fact that Dobby was so grateful for such a small thing that any decent person would do worried Harry.
"Dobby, who are your masters?" He asked curiously.

"They is being the Mal-" Dobby started, before grabbing his head and attempting to shove it into the side of the metal hospital bed. "Bad Dobby!" He screeched, but Harry grabbed him to stop him.

"The Malfoys? No wonder you're treated so badly!" Harry eventually released the elf, who looked ashamed.
"Tis my fate, sir." He stated sadly. But Harry wasn't giving up.

"No- no. Dobby, I'm going to find you a way out. There has to be something I can do. I- I promise that I'll get you out of this." Harry said, stuttering slightly but still sounding determined. It was then that Dobby launched himself at Harry's leg, sobbing freely into it.

"Harry Potter is too kind to Dobby, how can Dobby ever repay him?" He wailed.
"Just promise me one thing." Harry smiled.

"Anything, sir!" Dobby received eagerly.
"Next time you curse a bludger, try and hit Ron at least once." Harry joked. Dobby gave a shrewd smile as he nodded, before disapparating, something Harry had only just figured out how to do, also figuring out that it was illegal until he had a permit.