𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐥𝐞 | h. granger

xxxiv | dobby's freedom

Hospital Wing

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𝐋𝐘𝐑𝐀 𝐒𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. It was over. It was all finally over. She stared down at the ruined diary; Harry had stabbed it with a Basilisk fang. She couldn't believe the damage that had been caused by such a common item.

Everyone knew that it was her who had opened the Chamber since word always spread like wildfire at Hogwarts. No one was talking to her. No one had come to visit her in the 12 hours that she'd been on strict bed rest on Madam Pomfrey's orders.

She looked up when she heard the door open. Immediately, she got up from the bed and ran to Narcissa, throwing herself into her arms. She clung to her tightly as she buried her face in her shoulder, her silent tears having now turned to sobs.

"Oh, darling," Narcissa whispered, holding her baby sister close, comfortingly rubbing her back. "Shh, shh. You're alright. You're safe now."

"I-It was me," Lyra sobbed, her small body trembling. "I. . .I'm the reason why so many Muggle-borns were attacked. E-Everyone hates me now! Dakota a-and Hermione and Aliyah, they. . .they're never gonna want to-to talk to me again!"

"Shh, Marcie, you need to breathe," Narcissa said gently, kneeling down so that she was closer to her height. She stoked the side of her face, brushing away her tears. Lyra felt a little bit of comfort at the familiar nickname for her middle name. "Deep breaths, alright, love? If they're really your friends, they won't blame you for what happened. This was not your fault."

"I-It was Lucius," Lyra whispered, leaning her head into Narcissa's hand. The woman frowned softly. "He. . .He put the book in my bag before I left for school. When Bella and I were arguing on the train platform."

Narcissa scoffed in disbelief. Her husband had never been nice to Lyra, but attempting to get her killed? That was even worse than Bellatrix using the Cruciatus Curse on her just because she wasn't sorted into Slytherin.

"Lyra, are you absolutely sure?" Narcissa asked. "That is a very serious accusation."

"Who else could it have been? Tom Riddle is the Dark Lord. Lucius was a Death Eater. It all fits!" Lyra could feel her heartbeat quickening again. She needed to get out of there. Although it was against Madam Pomfrey's orders, she grabbed the ruined diary and hurried out of the hospital wing. As she walked down the corridor in search of Lucius, who she knew for a fact had to be there if Narcissa was, she placed a sock inside of the diary, making sure that it was hidden well.

She rounded a corner and nearly collided with him. She took a few steps back out of fear as he glared down at her. She gulped and took a deep breath, straightening her posture as she handed him the book. "I believe this is yours, Lucius."

"Mine?" Lucius frowned as he took the diary from Lyra. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Lyra glanced down at Dobby, who was hiding behind his legs. He gave her a small nod, confirming what she had suspected. "I think you do. I think you put the diary into my bag that day at Kings Cross Station. Cissy was distracted with me and Bella, so that was the perfect opportunity for you to slip it in without getting caught."

"You do, do you?" Lucius shoved the diary into Dobby's hands before approaching his sister-in-law. "Why. . .don't. . .you. . .prove it?" He sneered at her. "Come, Dobby," he ordered as he walked away.

"Open it," Lyra whispered quietly to the elf, pointing to the diary.

Confused, Dobby opened up the diary. His large eyes lit up when he saw the sock. "Master has given Dobby a sock?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face. Lyra couldn't help but smile triumphantly at the huge fuck you she just gave Lucius by this act of defiance.

"What?" Lucius scoffed, turning back around. "I didn't give—" His sentence cut off when he saw Lyra's cocky smirk.

"Master has presented Dobby with clothes! Dobby is free."

Lyra lifted up her Hufflepuff robe and pulled her sockless foot partially out of her shoe.

"You lost me my servant!" Lucius snapped at the girl, who's smirk fell, fear coursing through her veins again. He pulled his wand out of his walking stick and stormed up to her. "I've put up with you for long enough, you brat! This was the last straw!"

Dobby stepped in front of Lyra, glaring up at his former master. "You shall not harm Mistress Lyra!"

"Avada—"

Dobby blasted Lucius back, sending him flying across the corridor. The elf crossed his arms with a triumphant smirk. Lyra could tell that he'd been wanting to do that for a long time.

Lucius stood up, his eyes narrowing to dangerous slits. "Your disowned sister was a meddlesome fool, too. Mark my words, brat. One day soon, you are going to meet the same sticky end."

"Good! I hate this family!" Lyra shouted after him as he walked away with an annoyed scowl on her face. She blinked back the tears in her eyes and kneeled down to Dobby's height.

"Mistress Lyra freed Dobby," he said, smiling happily.

"I always told you I would." Lyra smiled, sniffling. "I'm really gonna miss you, Dobby."

"Dobby is really going to miss you, too, Mistress Lyra. But Dobby will see you again someday."

Lyra extended her hand to shake his. Instead, Dobby threw his arms around her neck in a hug. She laughed and hugged him back, closing her eyes as a happy tear fell down her cheek. Finally, something good had come out of this horrible year.