Turning into the dark lit blue and silver room, Dobby finds a passed out Winky splayed out on the hearth rug. She must have come in here to clean a little bit, just enough to ease her conscience. A bottle of Sherry with just one sip left, lays inches from her outstretched fingers.

Dobby wonders why Winky drinks. He hasn't had one sip of alcohol and loves his life. He loves his job, and most of all loves being a free elf.

All Dobby wants to do is liberate his friends! He knows that the idea of being free is horrendously outrageous to house elves who are happily captive. He wasn't ever happily captive, and every time he thinks of those dark times with the Malfoys ... Dobby knows, he must help his friends.

If they don't want to hear him out. He will instead bring other witnesses into the picure. Harry Potter, his most tresured friend of the human species, a wonderful boy whose shown him the way of freedom.

Dobby comes to the picure of a bowl of fruit on the fifth floor, and tickles the pear. He lowers Winky into her bed and tucks her in.

The next morning Winky wakes up from her heavy, bleak sleep with a headache.

"Hello, I am readdddy for work. How may I service?"

At her side in an instant, Dobby grabs her hand in a friendly gesture. "Missus, you cannot work in this state. You might slip and fall, or spill something."

Winky shakes her head so vigerously that a flapping noise is made by her ears.

"I can work suuure I cannn."

Dobby doesn't want to harm her, but a house elf cannot be seen like this. It's disgraceful.

"Missus, come back to your bed and sleep. You must have a headache."

"I want to cleeannn. I cannot drink, because the students need me."

The other house elves who are bustling around the kitchen, are begginning to stare at the pair of them.

Dobby sighs. She is not knowing how to live her life. I think I need to help her feel better. Why does she drink so much alcahol?

"Winky, why do you drink so much? I am living my freedom happily!"

She hiccups and stumbles to the floor, where in a cross legged position she tells a story of guilt and shame for her generation.

"I was Mr. Crouches house elf, and he neeeded meee. He neededd me to help him and his family! I abandon them in the time they most needded me, sir. You seeee, my familyyy has been helping theee Crouch familyy for yeaars," Winky says. She slurs most of her words uncontrollably.

Dobby nods. "You must not think you abandon them, Winky you were freed!"

Winky flaps her ears again with a vicious nod, almost falling over and knocking her head on the floor.

"No! I was a bad elf! I was a bad elf! They caught me, sir. I was using magic, when Winkyyy is not allowed to have a wizard's wand."

Dobby knows this, if the Malfoy's had caught him with one of their wands, he would have been beheaded! How can I show her that being free is not a bad thing?

A giggle echos around the room, and every house elf in the room turns to see the visitor that tickled the pear.

"Harry Potter! Mr. Weasley! Oh, and you've brought a friend!"

Immediately house elves busy themselves around the three, and hand them pastries, pumpkin juice, and tarts.

"Hello Dobby, we just uh ... Well, we just wanted to say hello," Harry says a little confused.

He didn't really want to reveal why they were there in the first place. Hermione had dragged them down after asking Fred where the kitchens were. She want to start a house elf rebellion!

Hermione speaks carefully, seeing Winky in the corner. "May I ask you a few questions?"

"Yes, of course."

They both ignore the other house elves who take five seconds of their time to throw a blanket over the sobbing creature.

"Do you feel happy working at Hogwarts?"

Dobby nods earnestly. "I love working here!"

Harry and Ron exchange looks. Hermione's interviewing a house elf. Nothing about this situation is normal.

"Do you wish to recieve wages for the work you do here?"

The word 'wages' earns a hushed gasp from all the other workers int he room, causing Winky to sob even louder than before.

"Hermione, you cannot just come in here and say that! It's like saying a dirty word to them," Ron admonished.

Harry nods. "I think you need to try something else."

Dobby smiles. "It's okay missus Granger, I have already asked Dumbledore for a small amount and he has agreed!"

Winky wails so loud, you could not possibly ignore her lying there, so Dobby walks over to her and removes the blanket. He grabs her hand again and leads her over to his friends.

"Winky, this is Mr. Potter and his friends."

The house elf sniffles, and doesn't say anything, her anger apparent.

Hermione looks absolutely overjoyed to have an upset house elf in her midst.

"Winky, you are going to be okay! Would you like a badge?" She pulls some out of her back pocket and hands one over.

Winky takes the badge, because she cannot read what's written on it.

"I can help you. If you are so upset here, I can help free you."

With those word Winky wails again. Harry and Ron cover their ears with a grimace on their faces.

"Free! Winky doesn't want to be free! Winky wants to be with Mr. Crouch and his family!"

Hermione automatically flinches. She catches the clue. The one thing that everyone else has been missing the whole time.

"What did you say, Winky?"

She wails and wails while shouting, "I want to be with Mr. Crouch's family!"

Hermione gets up hastily, dragging Harry and Ron out of the room. Harry calls back, "Sorry! Take care!"

Outside of the Kitchen's Hermione looks at both boys with an exhuberant expression lighting up her features.

"Don't you understand?"

"What?" Ron looks absolutely befuddled. "You make us follow you in there, and now you can't seem to escape fast enough."

"Winky said 'she wants to watch over Crouch and his family. Then a second time, 'with Crouch's family.'

Harry still doesn't catch on. "What do you mean? What's this about?"

Indignant, Hermione huffs out the final meaning. "Crouch's wife and son are both dead."

Harry and Ron look wide eyed.

"You mean to say, that both of them are still alive?"

"Maybe."

The final clue that everyone's been looking for, came out of Winky's mouth. The one who was most loyal to crouch, spoiled the family secret.