Neville Longbottom and the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 10: History Repeats

Lying with his eyes closed, Neville was close to falling asleep when he heard someone walk up to his bed. He opened his eyes expecting to see Madam Pomfrey, but no one was there. Slowly he sat up to look around, and there was Dobby, barely taller than the bed, smiling at him with big green worried eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Neville whispered.

"Why did Neville Longbottom return to Hogwarts after Dobby warned him?" His high-pitched voice sounded even more pathetic when he was pleading. "Why did Neville Longbottom not go home when he could not get to the train platform?"

Although more than two months ago, it was an easy thing to remember. "How do you know about that?" And when Dobby's lip began to quiver, "You're the one that blocked it!"

"Yes, sir. Dobby waited until it was Neville Longbottom's turn to go through, and Dobby sealed it." He held up his hand, and Neville could see that the skin on his fingers looked waxy. "Dobby had to iron his fingers as punishment, but Dobby didn't care! Dobby only wanted to protect Neville Longbottom."

"Dobby, please stop hurting yourself," Neville whispered. "I'm sure your family doesn't want you to."

"Oh, no, sir. Dobby's masters punish him all the time." He looked down in shame. "But Dobby has to punish himself, Dobby is compelled to when he goes against his masters' wishes. And warning Neville Longbottom is against his master's wishes."

"Hold on," Neville had several questions spinning in his head, "why are you compelled to, and why don't they want you to warn me?"

"Dobby is compelled by a Magical Bond to hurt himself when he disobeys," he said matter-of-factly. "And it is Dobby's masters that want to harm Neville Longbottom. Dobby's masters are why the Chamber is open."

He started to hum, and it rose into a screech as Dobby picked up a bedpan from the floor and began hitting himself in the head with it. Neville quickly grabbed it from him.

"Stop it, Dobby, you'll wake up half the Castle," Neville whispered harshly. Once Dobby had calmed down, Neville continued. "Dobby, who is your master; who opened the Chamber."

"Dobby cannot say, only that Neville Longbottom is in danger and must leave Hogwarts before it is too late. Surely Neville Longbottom does not want to be attacked by more Bludgers."

"You're the one that did that, too?" Neville quickly reached out and hugged Dobby so he couldn't hurt himself again. As Neville was hugging the squirming Dobby, he heard the Voice again.

. . . rip . . . tear . . . kill . . .

"Hush. Do you hear that, Dobby?" But it had already faded away.

"Dobby heard nothing, sir."

"Look, Dobby," said Neville, releasing him, "so far, the only danger I've faced is from some Cornish Pixies and you. How can I stay safe from a danger that is coming if you don't tell me what it is?"

Dobby shrugged and raised his hands, "Why, by leaving Hogwarts, of course. That's what Dobby has been saying all along."

"I'm not leaving Hogwarts," Neville was exasperated, "if I'm in danger then so is everyone else. And if you won't warn them, then I have to."

Dobby's ears pricked up, and a second later Neville heard the sounds of someone coming. Dobby disappeared in a small puff of smoke and Neville laid back down, but made sure to be facing the doorway. He saw Dumbledore and McGonagall enter, and someone was levitating between them. Dumbledore maneuvered the body onto one of the beds, and McGonagall whisked past to Madam Pomfrey's office. In short order they both returned.