The Forgotten Son

Chapter 9: Christmas, forest and more

Chapter 9:

The interaction with Dumbledore left Harry in an introspective mood going into the Yule Holidays. The train ride back to London was beyond uneventful. Harry had spent most of the journey with Nym and Hermione in their own compartment but had enjoyed the occasional visitor. Cedric, Roger and Hestia came by for visits, as did many of Hermione's friends from the first year's study group. Nym seemed to develop the giggles when Harry had introduced himself formally to the Heiresses and they blushed in response.

Soon enough Harry was walking through the threshold of Black Cottage with Sirius in front of him. As soon as he entered the Entrance Hall, a small blur came running towards him and crashed into his knees.

"Master Harry! Oh Dobby has missed you so much!" The diminutive creature and one of Harry's oldest friends, Dobby said.

Harry smiled at his friend and knelt down before wrapping his arms around the Elf.

"Hello Dobby, its good to see you again. How have you been?"

"Dobby is being good Master Harry. Though there isn't being much for Dobby to do while you is gone," Dobby responded somewhat sadly.

"But you're feeling okay right? Me being at Hogwarts isn't harming your Magic is it?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Oh no Master Harry! Dobby is just being upset that there is little to do. Master Harry's Magic is far strong enough that our bond is unaffected," Dobby replied, easing Harry's fear. Harry, like all Masters of House Elves, knew that a bonded Elf drew power from from its Master's Magic. The relationship between Wizard and House Elf was purely symbiotic unlike a slave like bond that many Muggleborns or Half-Bloods thought.

"That's good to hear Dobby, why don't I bring my trunk upstairs and then we can sit and catch up for a bit?" He suggested, reaching for the handle of his trunk. Before he could grasp it however, Dobby's small hand slapped Harry's away.

"Dobby be's taking this Master Harry. Yous be gone for many months and be taking good honest work from poor hardworking Dobby. I's be taking this," Dobby declared.

Harry just chuckled at his friend and let him do as he wanted. While he respected Dobby and cared for him like a friend, the Elf's penchant for hard work always amused him to no end.

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Christmas Day came quickly and the Blacks soon found themselves at Potter Manor. Harry mostly got books on different kinds of Magics. He could not help but feel proud of some of the gifts he had given, Hermione's and Neville's in particular. He had gifted them with notebooks similar to the communication mirrors that Sirius had made while we was at school. Merely write in one to the person you want to talk to and the notebook would vibrate with the message on its pages. The Black party consisted of Sirius, Harry, and the Tonks family, with Remus and Narcissa Lupin showing up as well. With Harry's partial reconciliation with his birth family, they had found themselves invited to the home of the Potters for a large Christmas gala. With his brother's celebrity as the Boy Who Lived, many high class individuals would be in attendance, including, to his surprise and delight, the Delacour family.

Harry and Nym rushed to greet the Delacours while Sirius softly chuckled and followed them at a more sedate pace.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Delacour. Hello Fleur, Gabrielle. How are you?" Harry greeted formally and in French. Nym was practically bouncing on her toes in anticipation to greet on of her closest friends.