Dobby dug his short, already cracked fingernails into the tree trunk in the Forbidden Forest, and tried once again to haul himself up the tree, to no avail. He wanted to get a good view of Hagrid's class, but it looked like that wouldn't happen. Sighing in utter defeat, he snapped his fingers and felt his body shoot across campus back to his nest, where he curled up and fell asleep.
The next morning, Dobby blinked his eyes open to see sunlight streaming down on him. He stretched and immediately, upon remembering his mission, leaped out of his bundles of fabric and pattered quickly down the halls, his feet a near-blur, toward where he knew Hagrid would be: the school courtyard.
"Ar, Minerva, I've got me some flobberworms yeh can use," Hagrid said, his booming voice carrying across the courtyard. The halls of Hogwarts were empty, but they wouldn't be for long.
"Good, Hagrid," said Minerva McGonagall. "I'll need them by tomorrow," she continued, then turned on her heel and strode away.
Hagrid started off for the exit, but Dobby stood there, a wan look on his face. "Dobby couldn't help but overhear... Dobby can help you with what the professor needs," he said with a touch of desperation.
Hagrid looked uncomfortable. "I can do it myself, Dobby," he said gruffly.
"Oh, no, sir, Dobby insists." The minuscule house-elf peered up at the half-giant through his huge green eyes.
"All righ', Dobby. The professor needs flobberworms." Hagrid shifted on his feet.
"Dobby can retrieve twenty flobberworms, sir!" He cried enthusiastically, tears of joy welling in his eyes.
"Well.. alrigh,' then," Hagrid made to walk away.
"Goodbye, sir! Dobby cannot wait until we meet again!" Dobby beamed at Hagrid, then snapped his fingers and exploded away. He heard a muffled bellow as he twisted away from Hogwarts. Maybe he'd been a little overkill with the fireworks and sparklers as he Disapparated.
