A Love Story At Hogwarts (Year 2)

D O B B Y

There were three large bangs on Harry's door. He groaned out of frustration and turned over in his bed, burying his face in the pillow. Another three fist knocks almost smashed his door. Harry cussed under his breath and got out of bed. He opened the door to see his annoying sister standing over there. Her hair was messy and she looked like she had been eating shit.

"A man called Octavius Ambrose wants to meet you!" Carol croaked. "And for god's sake, Bro! Why do you hold your stupid meetings so early in the morning?"

The name sent a wave of excitement through Harry's spine. He quickly put on a shirt and his contact lenses and dashed down the stairs. In the living room of his huge mansion, an old man, who was the most reputed and famous jeweler in the wizarding world, was sitting on the couch.

"Mr. Ambrose!" Harry beamed, as he shook hands with him. 

"Mr. Potter, what a pleasure!" Ambrose said. "My secretary told me that you wanted to meet me urgently!"

"Well, yeah!" Harry said, "Actually, I have to order a ring, urgently. It would be really great if I could get the ring in two days. You see, I'm leaving for Hogwarts the day after tomorrow and I need to give it to my friend."

"Mr. Potter, how about you give me some details of the ring?" Ambrose asked.

"I want a gold ring, with a ruby of almost this much size." Harry used his fingers to show the size of the ruby.

"Alright, anything else? Do you want it to be magical?"

"Yeah!" Harry said, "I want you to put a charm on it that would, kind of, you know...alert me when my friend is sad, or angry or alone. Is that possible?"

"Let me see!" Ambrose thought, looking at the ceiling. "Yeah! I have prepared that kind of ring before! I can put a charm on it that will send a red string to you when your friend feels angry lonely or sad! It's called the Motus Nexemus charm!"

"Oh, that would be great!" Harry said, "So, I'll get it before-"

"Before you leave for Hogwarts? Yes! You'll get it tomorrow itself! And just because it's you, Mr. Potter, I'll prepare it from my own hands!"

"Thanks!" Harry beamed, "What about the cost?"

"It'll be around five thousand galleons!" said Ambrose.

"Alright, I'll give it to you when I come to Diagon Alley tomorrow! And I'll receive the ring at the same time!" Harry said. "Thank you so much, Mr. Ambrose!"

"Anytime, Mr. Potter!" Ambrose said as he got up and put on his long hat. 

Harry crossed to his bedroom after seeing Ambrose off, took off his shirt, and collapsed in his bed again to fall asleep. But, the trouble was, someone was already on the bed. Harry almost screamed. The thing, or creature, on his bed, had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes. It was a house elf. It slipped off the bed and bowed so low that Harry thought its nose might have touched the ground.

"Um, hello!" Harry said.

"Harry Potter!" the elf squealed. "So long Dobby wanted to meet you, sir! Such a pleasure!"

"Yeah, uh, thanks!" Harry said, "So, you are Dobby? As far as I know, you work for the Malfoys!"

Dobby's face paled. His head hung low. After a few moments of silence, he burst into tears.

"Oh, um..." Harry started. "I-I didn't mean to offend you! Why don't you just sit down?"

Dobby squealed louder and cried harder. 

"Dobby has never been asked by a wizard-" Dobby choked. "To sit down!"

"Why exactly are you here, Dobby?" Harry asked, trying to come to the point.