The summer nights in London had been oddly cold the last couple of days.
The wind blew softly, in a discreet sort of way. The sky was a dark shade
of blue with no stars to lighten up the feeling of uneasiness. And the
trees gathered up in the sky, like bullies surrounding their victim at
recess.
Only one boy was still walking around in the empty streets on one of these mysterious nights. And no one thought of calling him to go in the house or warn him that the news had been full of disappearances.
As he passed by the houses and saw the flickering light inside the windows he could almost hear the people say to each other, while shaking their heads with disapproval, "Trust another reckless teenage boy to be out at this time of night." Then, shivering as they heard another news about a kidnap or murder, they would close the window shades and leave the boy feeling lonelier than ever.
It wasn't too late of night, either, only nine twenty to be exact, but fear had been rising inside these ignorant muggles for the whole summer. In addition the boy had concluded that the streets were much safer place than home and the menacing darkness loved him more than his aunt and her family.
Besides, the boy thought, with bitterness that sixteen-year-old boys shouldn't have to feel, what do they know of danger?
Nothing. That was true. This muggles knew nothing of danger. Oh, they knew that people were disappearing, that 'someone' was out in a killing strike but that, in reality, was nothing. They're lives were too protected of the knowing. Too ignorant of the truth, slaved to an unreal freedom, and that suited them better. Perhaps he too would want to be that way and never have to be worried about what truly was going on in the world.
The leaves in the trees started brushing the sky with more delicacy, not enough for a person to notice but this boy had learned to observe his own shadow when acting in a strange way so he walked at a lower pace. He reached down his pocket and pulled out a long, thin stick.
He hear a faint pop somewhere by the last house he had passed and, though it increased his anxiety, he turned around and search the house's garden with his eyes without moving any other part of his body. A small shadow came out of the tree and reviled itself to the boy.
"Dobby?" He questioned in a whisper, a mixture of relief and surprise swept over him "Is that you?"
Dobby nodded, his bat ears flapping an his large eyes, who at first had been full of fear, now held worship and confidence, "It is Dobby, Harry Potter. Dobby wanted to see sir from a long time ago."
"I've been wanting to see you too, Dobby," lied Harry, still confused, "but why are you here? The last time you came-"
"-Dobby put Harry Potter in much trouble?" said Dobby with an honest regret.
Harry smiled, a little bit more at ease, "I was going to say that you came to give me a warning. Is something wrong now?"
"No, sir, nothing's wrong. People are not disappearing nor dyeing and no one is in danger," said Dobby, avoiding eye contact.
This lie was so obvious that Harry wondered why he had even bothered to say it, "I know that isn't true so why are you lying?"
"Oh no, sir! Dobby would never lie to Harry Potter," declared Dobby, clearly worrying that he had made Harry mad "But it was told to Dobby that he must say that so that Harry Potter would not worry."
Harry finally understood that the someone had told Dobby not to worry him.
How stupid! Thought Harry shaking his head do they think that I'm so idiotic that even while the muggle television blares to me that there is danger I wouldn't notice?
"Dobby is not suppose to be here, sir," continued Dobby slowly "they think that it's best to keep Harry Potter here for a few more weeks. there has even been talk of living him for the first month of Howgarts. Dobby listens to them talk and he comes to visit Harry Potter know so that Dobby knows how he is. Besides Harry Potter's friends are also worried."
Harry cursed under his breath, "Who wants to keep me here? What about Hermione and Ron? I didn't expect for them to tell me anything important in the letters but they could at least have hinted that I was wanted to stay in this horrible place longer than expected."
Dobby sighed, "But they are worried: you're two young friends, the red head and the smart girl. That's why they sent me here-"
"Sent you? They sent you here?" cut in Harry confused "But I thought that they didn't want you here."
"Well," started Dobby, looking doubtful once again "Professor Dumbledore and them don't want me to come. But the girl-" "Hermione?"
Dobby nodded, "Hermione she tells the red hair-"
"Ron?"
He nodded once again, "She tells Ron that they must tell you something soon." he paused and searched his eyes, then flinched seeing how much bitterness lay there, "She was afraid that you might do something drastic if so much time goes by and you are left without news. And Ron agrees so they send me a letter to Howgarts to go to The Burrow-"
"The Burrow?" interrupted Harry surprised "They're at the Burrow?"
"Yes, and they tell Dobby everything that they couldn't write down in the letter and Dobby agrees to come see Harry Potter," he let Harry think for a few minutes then added, as if an after thought, "Though Dobby was upset at first because all the house elves at Howgarts kept looking at me strangely, honest house elves don't receive mail."
"I'm sorry about that," replied Harry automatically "but what exactly did they tell you to tell me?"
"They just wanted to reassure you and promise that they would try to convince Dumbledore to get you out of you're aunt's house as soon as possible. Oh, and they also told to Dobby not to worry Harry Potter and not to tell him about all the disappearances and stuff," said Dobby easily, then started skipping because Harry was walking at such a fast pace it was hard to keep up with him.
"Where are you going?" asked Dobby puzzled
"I'm going to send a letter to Ron and Hermione. You're taking it, okay? And you can't let anyone else read it except them two, understand? Don't even mention the letter in front of anyone else."
"Dobby understands," answered Dobby, following Harry to Aunt Petunia's house were, even from the outside, they could hear Dudley complaining loudly and his mother trying to make it up to him.
"Shh," whispered Harry as he started to open the front door slowly, "We'd be better of if we go unnoticed."
He shut the door behind them with a quietly, tip toed up the stairs, trying to pass the living room without being seen, entered Harry's room and again closed that door quietly. Harry took out a quill and parchment from the hidden school tools that lay under his bed, and began scribbling,
Dear Ron and Hermione, Thank you for sending Dobby. Meet me at Knock Turn Alley tomorrow at midnight (I know that it's not safe but it's the only place that we can meet without being seen by someone from the Order.) Don't tell anyone that we're going to meet if you do-
He stopped writing to think of a threat that would prevent Hermione from telling Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, or Dumbledore.
I won't show up, really. I'm not coming back to Privite Drive either! Don't forget, Harry Potter
"Here," said Harry, handing Dobby the closed letter, "Give it to Hermione and Ron and make sure they don't tell anyone else," he paused then added, with some sort of resement, "I don't want to see anyone else!" "Good-bye, Harry Potter," mumbled Dobby, a faint disappointment hid in his face "I will see you at Howgarts." "Yes," agreed Harry "I'll se you at Howgarts."
Only one boy was still walking around in the empty streets on one of these mysterious nights. And no one thought of calling him to go in the house or warn him that the news had been full of disappearances.
As he passed by the houses and saw the flickering light inside the windows he could almost hear the people say to each other, while shaking their heads with disapproval, "Trust another reckless teenage boy to be out at this time of night." Then, shivering as they heard another news about a kidnap or murder, they would close the window shades and leave the boy feeling lonelier than ever.
It wasn't too late of night, either, only nine twenty to be exact, but fear had been rising inside these ignorant muggles for the whole summer. In addition the boy had concluded that the streets were much safer place than home and the menacing darkness loved him more than his aunt and her family.
Besides, the boy thought, with bitterness that sixteen-year-old boys shouldn't have to feel, what do they know of danger?
Nothing. That was true. This muggles knew nothing of danger. Oh, they knew that people were disappearing, that 'someone' was out in a killing strike but that, in reality, was nothing. They're lives were too protected of the knowing. Too ignorant of the truth, slaved to an unreal freedom, and that suited them better. Perhaps he too would want to be that way and never have to be worried about what truly was going on in the world.
The leaves in the trees started brushing the sky with more delicacy, not enough for a person to notice but this boy had learned to observe his own shadow when acting in a strange way so he walked at a lower pace. He reached down his pocket and pulled out a long, thin stick.
He hear a faint pop somewhere by the last house he had passed and, though it increased his anxiety, he turned around and search the house's garden with his eyes without moving any other part of his body. A small shadow came out of the tree and reviled itself to the boy.
"Dobby?" He questioned in a whisper, a mixture of relief and surprise swept over him "Is that you?"
Dobby nodded, his bat ears flapping an his large eyes, who at first had been full of fear, now held worship and confidence, "It is Dobby, Harry Potter. Dobby wanted to see sir from a long time ago."
"I've been wanting to see you too, Dobby," lied Harry, still confused, "but why are you here? The last time you came-"
"-Dobby put Harry Potter in much trouble?" said Dobby with an honest regret.
Harry smiled, a little bit more at ease, "I was going to say that you came to give me a warning. Is something wrong now?"
"No, sir, nothing's wrong. People are not disappearing nor dyeing and no one is in danger," said Dobby, avoiding eye contact.
This lie was so obvious that Harry wondered why he had even bothered to say it, "I know that isn't true so why are you lying?"
"Oh no, sir! Dobby would never lie to Harry Potter," declared Dobby, clearly worrying that he had made Harry mad "But it was told to Dobby that he must say that so that Harry Potter would not worry."
Harry finally understood that the someone had told Dobby not to worry him.
How stupid! Thought Harry shaking his head do they think that I'm so idiotic that even while the muggle television blares to me that there is danger I wouldn't notice?
"Dobby is not suppose to be here, sir," continued Dobby slowly "they think that it's best to keep Harry Potter here for a few more weeks. there has even been talk of living him for the first month of Howgarts. Dobby listens to them talk and he comes to visit Harry Potter know so that Dobby knows how he is. Besides Harry Potter's friends are also worried."
Harry cursed under his breath, "Who wants to keep me here? What about Hermione and Ron? I didn't expect for them to tell me anything important in the letters but they could at least have hinted that I was wanted to stay in this horrible place longer than expected."
Dobby sighed, "But they are worried: you're two young friends, the red head and the smart girl. That's why they sent me here-"
"Sent you? They sent you here?" cut in Harry confused "But I thought that they didn't want you here."
"Well," started Dobby, looking doubtful once again "Professor Dumbledore and them don't want me to come. But the girl-" "Hermione?"
Dobby nodded, "Hermione she tells the red hair-"
"Ron?"
He nodded once again, "She tells Ron that they must tell you something soon." he paused and searched his eyes, then flinched seeing how much bitterness lay there, "She was afraid that you might do something drastic if so much time goes by and you are left without news. And Ron agrees so they send me a letter to Howgarts to go to The Burrow-"
"The Burrow?" interrupted Harry surprised "They're at the Burrow?"
"Yes, and they tell Dobby everything that they couldn't write down in the letter and Dobby agrees to come see Harry Potter," he let Harry think for a few minutes then added, as if an after thought, "Though Dobby was upset at first because all the house elves at Howgarts kept looking at me strangely, honest house elves don't receive mail."
"I'm sorry about that," replied Harry automatically "but what exactly did they tell you to tell me?"
"They just wanted to reassure you and promise that they would try to convince Dumbledore to get you out of you're aunt's house as soon as possible. Oh, and they also told to Dobby not to worry Harry Potter and not to tell him about all the disappearances and stuff," said Dobby easily, then started skipping because Harry was walking at such a fast pace it was hard to keep up with him.
"Where are you going?" asked Dobby puzzled
"I'm going to send a letter to Ron and Hermione. You're taking it, okay? And you can't let anyone else read it except them two, understand? Don't even mention the letter in front of anyone else."
"Dobby understands," answered Dobby, following Harry to Aunt Petunia's house were, even from the outside, they could hear Dudley complaining loudly and his mother trying to make it up to him.
"Shh," whispered Harry as he started to open the front door slowly, "We'd be better of if we go unnoticed."
He shut the door behind them with a quietly, tip toed up the stairs, trying to pass the living room without being seen, entered Harry's room and again closed that door quietly. Harry took out a quill and parchment from the hidden school tools that lay under his bed, and began scribbling,
Dear Ron and Hermione, Thank you for sending Dobby. Meet me at Knock Turn Alley tomorrow at midnight (I know that it's not safe but it's the only place that we can meet without being seen by someone from the Order.) Don't tell anyone that we're going to meet if you do-
He stopped writing to think of a threat that would prevent Hermione from telling Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, or Dumbledore.
I won't show up, really. I'm not coming back to Privite Drive either! Don't forget, Harry Potter
"Here," said Harry, handing Dobby the closed letter, "Give it to Hermione and Ron and make sure they don't tell anyone else," he paused then added, with some sort of resement, "I don't want to see anyone else!" "Good-bye, Harry Potter," mumbled Dobby, a faint disappointment hid in his face "I will see you at Howgarts." "Yes," agreed Harry "I'll se you at Howgarts."