Charmolypi

Chapter 51

"Er- hello," Harry said nervously.

"Harry Potter!" said the creature in a high-pitched voice Harry was sure would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir... Such an honor it is..."

Narcissa's eyes widened, and she looked towards Lucius, who had the same look.

"Isn't that...?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes, it is." Lucius confirmed.

"Th-thank you," said Harry, edging along the wall and sinking into his desk chair, next to Hedwig, who was asleep in her large cage. Thea could tell that he was questioning what the creature was.

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the creature.

"Oh - really?" said Harry. "Er - I don't want to be rude or anything, but - this isn't a great time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom." Petunia's high, false laugh sounded from the living room. The elf hung his head. "Not that I'm not pleased to meet you," said Harry quickly, "but, er, is there any particular reason you're here?"

"Oh, yes, sir," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, sir... it is difficult, sir...Dobby wonders where to begin..."

"Sit down," said Harry politely, pointing at the bed.

To his horror, the elf burst into tears, very noisy tears. "S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never... never ever..."

When Harry looked at Thea, he found her looking alarmed towards the door. The voices from downstairs had flattered momentarily. She looked at Harry, eyes wide with worry.

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered in panic, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything-"

"Offend Dobby!" chocked the elf. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard- like an equal –"

"This elf is going to get them in trouble," James sighed, shaking his head in slight disappointment. He attempted as much as possible to mask his worry.

"You can't have met many decent wizards," said Harry, trying to cheer him up.

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"I hate when they do that," Frank said, looking away from the screen.

"His behavior always depends on the household he lives in, so if they beat him, it's normal to have such a reaction," Alice told him sadly, rubbing his back comfortingly.

"Don't! What are you doing?" Thea hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed. Hedwig had woken up with a particularly loud screech and was beating her wings wildly against the bars of her cage.

"Dobby had to punish himself, miss," said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. Dobby then gasped when he realized who the girl was. "Oh! Thea Potter!" he quickly shook his head before going back to the sad look.  "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, miss..."

"Your family?" Harry asked curiously.

"The wizard family Dobby serves, sir.... Dobby is a house-elf, bound to serve one house and one family forever...."

Narcissa looked nervously towards Lucius who seemed not to care about the fate of the Potter children.

"Do they know you're here?" asked Thea curiously.

Dobby shuddered. "Oh, no, miss, no . . . Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, sir. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, sir -"