Chasing Shadows || Draco Malfoy x OC

Year 4- Ch. 58

"Where are we going?" Harry said as he's being pulled by Hermione down a set of spiraling staircases. Céline recognized the way to the Hufflepuff's common room.

They finally get to a brightly lit stone corridor, that had vibrant paintings of mostly foods, decorating the walls.

"Hang on.." said Harry. "Wait a minute, Hermione."

"What?" She turned around to face him, her face full of anticipation and excitement.

"I know what this is about." He said. He then pointed to the giant painting of a silver fruit bowl.

"What are we doing down at the kitchens?" Céline asked.

"Hermione, you're trying to rope us into that spew thing again?" Ron said

"What? No- no! It's not that- and it's not spew either."

"What, have you changed the name?" Ron asked, frowning at her. "What are we now, the House-Elf Liberation front? I'm not barging into that kitchen and try to force them to not work. I'm not doing it—"

"I'm not asking you to!" Hermione said exasperated, "I came down here to try and talk to them, but the- oh, Harry I need to show you. Come on!"

She pulled Harry's arm again to stand in front of the giant portrait. She tickled the big green pear, which then began to squirm and chuckle, and suddenly it turned into a large green door handle. Hermione grabbed it and pulled it open.

They all stepped in, Céline looked around in awe at the room that was as big as the Great Hall above them, where there were mounds of glittering pots and pans all against a stone wall. In the other side of the room was a great big fireplace.

"Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter!" Squeaked a voice she hadn't recognized. She looked over to see a house-elf, with large green eyes that were brimming with tears, a pointed sharp nose, a large smile plastered on his face.

"D-Dobby!" Harry exclaimed, completely surprised to see him here.

Céline noticed that he what he was wearing was very different than the other house-elves. He had an assortment of clothes. He had a tea cozy on his head for a hat, which he had pinned a number of bright badges.

A tie patterned with horseshoes over his bare chest, then what looked like a child's soccer shorts, and mismatched socks. One being all black and the other one had orange and pink stripes on it.

Ron leaned over to Céline, "this is Dobby, he use to be the Malfoys' house-elf. Harry helped to free him from them." He said quietly to her, knowing she's never met him.

"Ah, thank you." She smiled appreciatively to him. She always appreciated when Ron always made sure to fill her in on who's who, since these are people they've know for years.  It made her feel like she's, in some sense, part of the group.

"Dobby, what are you doing here?" Asked Harry.

"Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir!" He said, giddily. "Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs!"

"Winky?" Céline asked, "she's here too?"

Dobby looked at her with a smile, "yes, Miss, yes!" He looked back Harry, seizing his hand and pulling further into the room and the rest followed.

They passed the four long tables that were placed identically as the ones for the houses in the Great Hall. There was at least a hundred little elves standing around the kitchen, bowing and curtsying at them.

They stopped by the fireplace and Dobby pointed. "Winky, sir!"

There, sitting on a stool facing the fireplace, sat Winky, but instead of wearing an assortment of clothes, she wore a little skirt and a blouse that matched the blue hat she was wearing.

"Hello Winky." Said Harry.

Winky turned to face him, her lips were quivering and tears spilling over.

"Oh dear." Hermione said "Winky don't cry, please don't..."

Winky only started to cry harder, completely opposite of Dobby's bright smile.

"Would Harry Potter like some tea?" Dobby asked excitedly.

"Er— yeah, sure." Said Harry.

Immediately, about six house-elves came carrying a large tray of cups and a  teapot; and a large tray with a jug  milk and biscuits.

"Great service!" Ron said, impressed by the elves. Céline smiled and thanked them. Hermione frowned at him, but the elves were delighted by the compliment, deeply bowing and stepping away.

"How long have you been here, Dobby?" Harry asked.

"Only a week, sir!" He replied, happily, "Dobby came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir. You see, sir, it is very difficult for a house-elf who has been dismissed to find a new position, sir, very difficult indeed—"

At this point, Winky howled even  harder, her reddened nose now dribbling all over the front of her blouse, but she made no efforts to stop it.

"Dobby has been traveling the country for two years now, sir, trying to find work. But it has been very difficult, because Dobby wants paying now!" He said, a little louder to be able to talk over Winky's crying.

The other house-elves what stuck around looked at him as if offended with what he just said.

"Good for you, Dobby!" Hermione praised him.

"Thank you, Miss!" He grinned at her, "but most wizards don't want a house-elf that wants paying, Miss, 'That's nit the point of  a house-elf' they say and slam the door in Dobby's face. Dobby likes work, but he wears clothes and wants to be paid, Harry Potter... Dobby likes being free!"

The other house-elves have now stepped away from him, as if he were contagious with something. Winky, on the other hand, remained sitting in her stool, sobbing even louder.

"And then, Harry Potter, Dobby goes to visit Winky, and finds out Winky has been freed too, sir!" Dobby said excitedly.

At this statement, Winky threw herself on the floor, hanging her tiny fists against the stone floor, absolutely wailing in misery. Hermione quickly dropped down to her knees next to her, trying to comfort her.

"Then Dobby said 'why doesn't Dobby and Winky find work together!', sir, so we went to Hogwarts to see Professor Dumbledore, sir, and Professor Dumbledore took us on!" Dobby said happily, with tears glistening in his eyes.

"And Professor Dumbledore says he would pay Dobby, sir, if Dobby wants paying! And so, Dobby is a free elf, sir, and Dobby gets one galleon a week and one day off a month." He said proudly.

"That's not very much." Hermione said.

"Professor Dumbledore offered ten galleons a week and weekends off, Miss," said Dobby, shuddering at the thought, "but I beat him down... Dobby likes freedom, Miss, but isn't wanting much, Miss, Dobby likes work better."

"How much is Professor Dumbledore paying you, winky?" Hermione asked her kindly.

Céline wasn't sure if Hermione thought this would make her feel better, because it didn't opposite. Winky sat up glaring at Hermione, tears spilling over.

"Winky is a disgraced elf, but Winky is not yet getting paid!" Winky squeaked out, "Winky is not sunk so low as that! Winky is properly ashamed of being freed!"

"Ashamed?" Hermione looked at her confused, "but— Winky, come on! It's Mr. Crouch who should be ashamed! You didn't do anything wrong, it was Mr. Crouch who was horrible to you—"

Winky clasped her hands over her ears to keep herself from hearing Hermione.  Céline couldn't help but sigh at her friend. She wasn't sure if Hermione was genuinely oblivious to their dislike of the idea of being freed or if she was turning a blind eye to it.