𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝟐 & 𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭

𝘿𝙤𝙗𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙀𝙡𝙛

    BEOMGYU MANAGED NOT TO SHOUT, but it was a close thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. He knew instantly that this was what had been watching him out of the garden hedge that morning.

    As they stared at each other, Beomgyu heard Leonbi's voice from the hall. "May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

    The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. Beomgyu noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm and leg-holes.

    "Er—hello," said Beomgyu nervously, slowly inching for the lamp cautiously.

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

    "Thank you," Beomgyu said, edging along the wall and sinking into his desk chair, next to Poppy, who was asleep in her large cage. He wanted to ask, "What are you?" but thought it would sound too rude, so instead he said, "What are you?"

    "A house-elf, sir. Dobby the house-elf. But just Dobby," said the creature.

    "Just Dobby this isn't a great time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom," said Beomgyu.

    Aunt Saegi's high, false laugh sounded from the living room. 

    The elf hung his head.

    "Not that I'm not pleased to meet you," said Beomgyu 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 Beomgyu politely, pointing at the bed.

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

    Beomgyu thought he heard the voices downstairs falter. "I'm sorry!" he whispered, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything—"

    "Offend Dobby!?" choked the elf. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard—like an equal—"

    Beomgyu, trying to say "Shh!" and look comforting at the same time, ushered Dobby back onto the bed where he sat hiccoughing, looking like a large and very ugly doll.

    At last he managed to control himself, and sat with his great eyes fixed on Beomgyu in an expression of watery adoration.

    "You can't have met many decent wizards," said Beomgyu, 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!"

    "Don't—what are you doing?" Beomgyu hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed—Poppy 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, sir," said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir. . ."

    "Your family?"

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

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

    Dobby shuddered. "Oh, no, sir, 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—"