The Hogwarts Founders Return

chapter three dobby is free

Harry got up and crossed to the door. He had just reached for the handle, however, when the door burst open so violently that it bounced back off the wall.

Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his face. And cowering behind his legs, heavily wrapped in bandages, was Dobby.

"Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore pleasantly.

Mr. Malfoy almost knocked Harry over as he swept into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, crouching at the hem of his cloak, a look of abject terror on his face.

The elf was carrying a stained rag with which he was attempting to finish cleaning Mr. Malfoy's shoes. Apparently, Mr. Malfoy had set out in a great hurry, for not only were his shoes half-polished, but his usually sleek hair was disheveled. Ignoring the elf bobbing apologetically around his ankles, he fixed his cold eyes upon Dumbledore.

"So!" He said "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."

"Well, you see, Lucius," said Dumbledore, smiling serenely, "The other eleven Govenor's contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasley's daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, to.... Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place.

Mr. Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes were still slits of fury.

"So- have you stopped the attacks yet?" he sneered. "Have you caught the culprit?"

"We have," said Dumbledore, with a smile.

"Well?" Said Mr. Malfoy sharply. "Who is it?"

"The same person as last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary."

He held up the small black book with the large hole through the center, watching Mr. Malfoy closely. Harry, however, was watching Dobby.

The elf was doing something very odd. His great eyes fixed meaningfully on Harry, he kept pointing at the diary, then at Mr. Malfoy, and then hitting himself hard on the head with his fist.

"I see..." said Mr. Malfoy slowly to Dumbledore.

"A clever plan," said Dumbledore in a level voice, still staring Mr. Malfoy in the eye. "Because if Harry here"- Mr. Malfoy shot Harry a swift sharp look-"and his friend Ron hadn't discovered this book, why- Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free will...."

"Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?" Said Harry.

Lucius Malfoy rounded on him.

"How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?" He said.

"Because you gave it to her," said Harry." In Flourish and Blott's. You picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"

He saw Mr. Malfoy's white hands clenched and unclench. "Prove it," he hissed.

"OH, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you..."

Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Harry distinctly saw his right-hand twitch as though he was longing to reach for his wand. Instead, he turned his house-elf.

"We're going, Dobby!"

He wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. Harry stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to him-

"Professor Dumbledore," he said hurriedly. "Can I give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy, please?"

"Certainly, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly. "But hurry. The fast, remember...."

Harry grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. Harry took off his sock stuffed the diary into it. Then ran down the dark corridor to catch up to Mr. Malfoy and Dobby.

He caught up to them at the top of the stairs.

"Mr. Malfoy," he gasped, skidding to a halt, I've got something for you-"

And he forced the sock into Lucius Malfoy's hand.

Mr. Malfoy ripped the sock off the diary, threw it aside then look furiously from the book to Harry.

Dobby was holding up Harry's sock, look at it as though it were a priceless treasure.

"Master has given Dobby a sock." Said Dobby, "Dobby is free."

"You lost me my servant, boy!" said Lucius pulling out his wand. But Dobby threw Mr. Malfoy backwards.

"You shall not harm Harry Potter."

Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby."

"Least I could do, Dobby," said Harry, grinning. "Just promise never to try and save my life again.

Harry headed to the feast.

The term ended and Harry headed back to the Dursley's once again.