Anastasia Malfoy

The House Elf

That night Anastasia couldn't sleep. She'd already expected this to happen. Anytime she was anxious or excited for something sleep was something she found hard to come by. Starting her first year at Hogwarts was certainly something to be excited about, and something she deeply feared. The excitement, she hoped, would overpower the fear and she might be able to enjoy a restless slumber, but with the events of that afternoon haunting her mind, she found herself more afraid that she would fall asleep. Afraid of the nightmares it might cause; and as she slowly lost her battle against the darkness, a terror surged through her body.

She awoke with a scream. She couldn't remember what she'd been dreaming about, but she could feel its effects. Anastasia was drenched in a cold sweat, desperately trying to catch her breath as she gulped in lungfuls of dry air. She felt like she needed to run, to get away from something. She wanted someone to have heard, to burst through her bedroom door and make sure she was okay; but she knew no one could hear her. Even if they had it wasn't like they'd care, but she was desperate for some sort of comfort and so she threw the blankets away from her and made her way towards the one person she hoped might help.

He looked angry. That was the first thing Anastasia noticed and she immediately regretted having come here.

"What do you want, Anastasia?" Her brother spat.

She looked down, too embarrassed to admit she had a nightmare and was afraid. She wasn't a child anymore, she shouldn't need others to help her because of something as silly as a nightmare. "I had a nightmare," she murmured.

"Speak up. I can't understand a word you say. Don't you know how to speak?"

She repeated what she said, louder this time.

"A nightmare. Really? That's what you're bothering me about? It's nearly midnight and I have a big day tomorrow. Why on earth would you think I have time for such childish things? Grow up, Anastasia." He slammed the door in her face.

She walked shamefully back to her room wondering what had ever happened between the two. They'd been close when they were young. Lucius had been the sort of brother to always help her up when she fell and to tell her stories of grand adventure to distract her from a raging storm outside.

Anastasia had reached her room and opened the door, but she couldn't bring herself to enter. She settled, instead, on creeping up to stairs to the library, hoping she would be able to find comfort there.

When she reached it, she grasped the brass knob and began slowly opening it only to abruptly jump back when she heard voices from inside. She couldn't understand what they were saying, and all though she knew it was wrong, she was curious to hear what they were saying. Carefully, she set her ear against the door and listened in.

"- families trouble." Anastasia caught the end of her mother's sentence.

"So the older one is having a bit of a...phase. I'm sure Orion will sort him out, and the younger one is far better behaved." The second voice belonged to her father.

"I suppose so, Abraxas, dear. She's just so young still, don't you think?"

"The Carrow's have already arranged a marriage for Alecto and she's around the same age as Anastasia."

"I suppose that's true. We wouldn't want to miss out on such an opportunity -"

Anastasia didn't hear the rest of their conversation as a creaking floorboard behind her made her jump back from the door with a start. Her eyes darted across the hallway, searching for its source and landed upon a pair of large, floppy ears poking out from around a corner. With carefully placed footsteps, Anastasia made her way towards the trembling figure.

"Dobby?" She questioned.

The house elf jumped and seemed prepared to begin bashing his head on the wall. Anastasia, however, was prepared for this a grasped him tightly before he could begin his routine of self-punishment.

"Dobby is sorry, missus! Dobby wasn't meaning to -" the creature began shouting.

Anastasia was quick to clap a hand over his mouth. She listened for movement in the library, but her parents had clearly heard nothing as their muted voices continued to carry into the hall in heated debate. The girl turned her attention back to the house elf still clutched in her grip.

"Dobby, I need you to be quiet. Can you do that for me please?"

The house elf nodded in return and Anastasia began to loosen her grip when she suddenly remembered something else.

"And there is nothing to be sorry for so there's no need to beat yourself up, understand?"

The house elf gave another nod and Anastasia released him.

"Dobby was only worrying for the missus. Up so late before her big day." Dobby explained himself.

"Thank you for your concern, Dobby." Anastasia gave the elf a smile, "I'm just having trouble sleeping is all. Nothing to worry yourself over."

"Dobby can help the missus with that! Come, come!" Dobby grabbed Anastasia's hand and began pulling the girl along. She gave in, too tired to protest and worried he might have another fit.

Dobby led her down to the kitchens where four other house elves worked away at next morning's breakfast. When they noticed her entrance they jumped to attention, rushing over with plates piled high with all manner of treats. As tempting as the pumpkin pasties looked, Dobby was already pulling her away to sit at a small, wooden table. The other elves got back to work on their meal preparation while Dobby began heating up some milk in a pot over the stove. Anastasia watched them work with a guilty fascination.

She'd always been intrigued by the house elves and on multiple occasions had attempted to ask both her parents and her brother about their history and culture. She was always met with a confused glare and a 'You need not concern yourself with the matters of common house elves/ She'd tried looking in the library for a book about them, but came up with nothing. Anastasia decided to make a point of looking in the Hogwarts library.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Dobby plopped a goblet filled with warm milk down in front of Anastasia. He took a seat across from her and watched intently as she placed the goblet to her lips, as if anxiously anticipating her opinion on the drink, but before she took her first sip, a crease formed between her eyebrows and she set the goblet back down. Dobby looked out right terrified.

Before he could come to the conclusion that he'd done something wrong and began flattening his face against the table, Anastasia rushed out, "You're not having any?"

Dobby looked taken aback by her question and took a moment to form his answer. "It's inappropriate for a house elf to be eating and drinking alongside their masters and mistresses."

"Well, it's rude of me to not allow you a drink - if you so wish - after you prepared this for me." Anastasia turned her attention to the rest of the house elves, who, upon noticing her looking, jumped back to work so as to pretend they weren't watching the conversation unfold. "The rest of you should take a break as well. Please, sit with me."

Not realizing she'd said it as more of a command than a question, the house elves were obligated to listen, and so took a seat around the table. Dobby moved the pot from the stove to the table and brandished five more goblets. Each house elf took one and filled it with the milk. Dobby bore a smile on his face as he finished off his drink and the other house elves looked moderately content. They watched Anastasia finish off her own and, as soon as she set it down, hopped off back to work.

Dobby escorted her back to her room. When they reached the ivory white door, he gave a bow so low his ears drooped to the ground.

"Have a wonderful night, missus!" Dobby spoke as he straightened up.

In return, she said, "Thank you, Dobby. You're a good friend."

Dobby looked positively startled at this notion and quickly scuttled off, but not before Anastasia noticed the grin sneaking onto the elf's face. As he retreated around the corner, Anastasia entered her bedroom, and despite there only being a few more hours until she would have to wake up, she laid down in her bed and felt sleep easily fall over her.