Hexad

Book two, chapter two

BOOK TWO!! WOO-HOO!

Harry Potter And The Secrets of Slytherin. That is the name of the SECOND book. (One book closer to book three!)

And this is the second chapter. Chapter two of this snakey book-in-a-book, The Warning of Troublemaker Dobby.

I do not own Harry Potter(but I totally should). This is an AU.

---

Harry barely managed not to shout out. 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 him out of the garden hedge that morning.

As they stared at each other in awkward silence, Harry heard Dudley's voice from the hall.

"May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?" He said, on cue.

The creature-- that Harry presumed was a house elf-- suddenly slid off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its nose touched the carpet. It was wearing what looked like a suit for a baby, a house crest pinned to it's shoulder.

"Er-- hi?" Harry whispered nervously.

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

"Th- thank you," said Harry confusedly, edging along the wall and sinking into his desk chair, next to Hedwig. Hydrus had been hissing threats at the house-elf from across the room ever since Harry noticed him. "Who are you?"

"Dobby. Sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said Dobby.

"Yes, I know you're a house-elf, but--" stammered Harry. "Um-- I- 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, I promise," said Harry quickly, "But 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, please" said Harry politely, pointing at the bed.

To his horror, the elf burst into tears-- very noisy tears.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Don't cry, I can't be making any noise right now!" Harry said quietly, trying to get Dobby to stop crying.

"Please," Harry whispered frantically, "Pretty please-- just stop crying! Let me know if there's something I did wrong or if there's something I can help you with, or... listen, if the Dursleys hear anything-- if they know you're here, and--"

"Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby... Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew.."

Harry, who was feeling incredibly embarrassed, said, "Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish, I swear. I'm not even top of my year at Hogwarts--"

"Harry Potter is humble and modest, and smart," said Dobby, seeming amazed, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Harry Potter speaks not of his triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named-"

"But I didn't. Vold-- I'm sorry, I shouldn't say the name..." Harry cut off.

Dobby clapped his hands over his ears, horrified, and said, "Ah, speak not that name, sir! Speak not the name!"

"I'm sorry, Dobby, I know lots of people don't like it. My friend Padma--"

He stopped again. Thinking about them would only make the summer longer. Dobby leaned towards Harry, his eyes wide as headlights.