𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝

- 𝗱𝗼𝗯𝗯𝘆'𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 -

Lucia managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. Lucia knew instantly that this was what had been watching her out of the garden hedge that morning.

As they stared at each other, Lucia heard Ryan's voice from the hall.

"May I take your coats, Mr and Mrs Mason?"

The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long thin nose touched the carpet. Lucia noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm and leg holes.

"Er — hello", said Lucia nervously.

"Lucia Riddle!" said the creature, in a high pitched voice Lucia was sure would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, miss... Such an honour it is..."

"Th-thank you", said Lucia, edging along the wall and sinking into her desk chair, next to Hedwig, who was asleep in her large cage. She wanted to ask "What are you?" but thought it would sound too rude, so instead she said, "Who are you?"

"Dobby, miss. Just Dobby. Dobby the house elf", said the creature.

"Oh — really?" said Lucia. "Er — 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".

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

"Not that I'm not pleased to meet you", said Lucia quickly, "but, er, is there any particular you're here?"

"Oh, yes, miss", said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, miss... it is difficult, miss... Dobby wonders where to begin..."

"Sit down", said Lucia politely, pointing at the bed.

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

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

Lucia thought she heard the voices downstairs falter.

"I'm sorry", she whispered. "I didn't mean to offend you or anything".

"Offend Dobby!" choked the elf. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a witch — like an equal —"

Lucia, 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 Lucia in an expression of watery adoration.

"You can't have met many decent witches", said Lucia, trying to cheer him up.

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"Don't — what are you doing?" Lucia hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed. Hedwig had woken up with a particularly loud screech and was beating her wings wildly against the bars of her cage.

"Dobby has to punish himself, miss", said the elf, who had gone slightly cross eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, miss..."

"Your family?"

"The wizard family Dobby serves, miss... Dobby is a house elf — bound to serve one house and one family for ever..."

"Do they know you're here?" Lucia asked curiously.

Dobby shuddered.

"Oh no, miss, no... Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, miss. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, miss —"