Thanks To Dobby
Louis peeked out from behind the sofa at his older sister who was standing, hands on hips, in the middle of the room and tried hard not to giggle. She looked extremely irritated as she stood there in her pyjamas, her fair hair in a single long plait down her back, ready for bed.
"I know you're there somewhere, Louis," she called crossly, "And if you're not up those stairs and back in your bed in less than ten seconds . . . " She let the threat trail of delicately, leaving Louis in no doubt whatsoever that he would not like what would happen if he didn't comply.
Still, if she couldn't find him . . . He held his breath and stayed completely still as Victoire looked around the room again. Since she couldn't see her baby brother anywhere she moved on into the kitchen where his other older sister was sitting eating toast.
"Have you seen Louis?" Victoire demanded of Dominique. "I put him to bed half an hour ago but when just I checked on him his bed was empty!" Dominique, her mouth full, shook her head and swallowed.
"He's probably hiding under the bed," she said before taking another large bite.
"He wasn't," Victoire cried. "I looked - come and see for yourself if you don't believe me!" Grabbing her sister by the wrist she towed Dominique, who snatched the last bit of toast from the plate, up the stairs to prove that Louis was, in fact, missing and not just playing hide and seek.
Louis waited a moment for them to disappear up the stairs, then crept quietly out from his hiding place and towards the back door, which he opened by dint of standing on the stool his mother used to reach things down from the top cupboards. The door swung open and Louis was outside, pulling it closed behind him.
Free.
He had never been out onto the dunes at night and it had been one of his ambitions to explore them by night ever since his father had firmly told him that no, the dunes were not a good place to go at night as he might very easily get lost and then where would he be? The still very young Louis had not been convinced then and wasn't, at the age of five and three quarters, convinced now, either.
Hence the sneaking out whilst Mum and Dad were visiting friends, having left the thirteen year old Victoire in charge.
The dunes were as fascinating at night as he had always known they would be and he explored happily, slowly wandering further and further away from Shell Cottage and it's welcoming lights.
It was some hours later that he suddenly realised that he was lost, and had no idea which way home was.
Slightly scared he started to stumble around, calling out in the hope that Victoire would hear him and come and find him, even if she would scold.
No answer came back.
Louder and louder he called until he was yelling as hard as he could but still no answer came back.
Desperately frightened now he started to run in the direction which he hoped Shell Cottage was, his little legs stumbling occasionally in the tiny dips that he had never noticed before.
Suddenly the ground vanished beneath his feet and he tumbled headfirst into a large hollow, rolling down the steep sides until he banged into a large rock and managed to sit up. He had never seen this rock before but he could make out by the faint starlight that there were some markings on it. Putting out a finger he traced them and managed to make them out.
"HERE LIES DOBBY. A FREE ELF"
Louis had never heard the name before but he felt comforted, like he had found a friend.
Exhausted he lay down on the sand and curled up into a ball.
"Please, Dobby," he whispered. "Help my Daddy find me."
Scared and cold he lay there in his pyjamas, shivering.
OoOoO
"I've found him," a familiar voice called, rousing Louis from his sleep. Wandlight brightened the surrounding area enough that he could see his father's face above him and hands, one of which held the lit wand, reaching out to pick him up.
"Oh, thank ze 'eavens," came his mother's voice, full of concern. "Is 'e alright?"
"He's fine," Bill called back. "Cold and tired but perfectly alright apart from that."
Fleur appeared over the top of the hollow as Louis snuggled closer under Bill's jacket which was wrapped around him.
"Come on," Bill said gently. "Let's get you home to bed." Louis nodded sleepily.
"Dobby was looking after me," he confided, knowing it was true. "He helped you find me. I was scared before but then I found him and he kept me safe 'till you came."
"Dobby's looked after quite a few people, in his time," Bill told his son. "I expect he was glad to make a new friend."
Louis, however, didn't hear this as he had drifted back off to sleep and so Bill and Fleur set off back to Shell Cottage.
Scolding's could wait. Louis was, after all, safe; thanks to Dobby.