𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝; 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡.𝐩

𝓨𝓮𝓪𝓻 2, 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 2: 𝓓𝓸𝓫𝓫𝔂'𝓼 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰

~ chapter two: dobby's warning ~

Y/N and Harry managed not to shout out, but it was a close call. Y/N didn't know what else to other than stare. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. Harry knew instantly that this was what had been watching them out of the garden hedge that morning.

As Harry and Y/N stared at the little creature and it stared right back, they heard Dudley's voice from the hall.

"Can I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

'Ugh,' Y/N thought with distaste, wrinkling her nose, 'he actually sounds like a gentleman.'

The creature slipped off Harry's bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. Harry noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes. The two twelve-year-olds shared a look before Y/N said nervously, "Er — hello."

"Harry Potter! Y/N Black!" said the creature in such a high-pitched voice that Y/N was sure it would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you both, sir and ma'am.... Such an honor, it is...."

'Sir? Ma'am?' Y/N wondered. She had never been addressed with this sort of formality before.

It felt... pleasantly strange, in a way.

"Th-thank you," she said, edging along the wall with Harry and sinking into her desk chair, next to Hades, who was asleep in his cage. She wanted to ask, "What are you?" but thought it would sound too rude. Luckily, Harry solved that problem for her and asked, "Who are you?"

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

"Oh — really?" said Harry.

"Er — I don't think to be rude of anything," Y/N started cautiously, "but — this isn't a great time for us to have a house-elf in our bedroom."

Aunt Petunia's high, false laugh sounded from the living room. The elf hung his head.

"Not that we're 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... it is difficult, sir... Dobby wonders where to begin...."

"Why don't you sit down?" Y/N asked politely, pointing at the bed.

To her horror, the elf burst into tears — very noisy tears.

"S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never... never ever..."

Harry thought he heard the voices downstairs falter.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "we 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—"

Harry and Y/N, both 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 Harry and Y/N in an expression of watery adoration.