When Draco woke up, it was to Knobby shaking his shoulder.
"Pardoning me, Master Malfoy, but yous be saying not to let you sleep past nine o'clock!" The house elf squeaked.
Draco stretched. "Yes, thank you. I did say that." Knobby nodded.
"Would Master be wanting breakfast?" He asked. Draco yawned.
"Yes." The elf scurried off. Rival had woken earlier and was gone, so Draco stood with no trouble.
After breakfast and a shower, Draco fastened the buttons on his shirt and went to read a book from the Malfoy Manor library.
Selecting A Tale of Mercadia and the Underwater Wizard by Gill Dupont, Draco sat poised in a chair and started on the first page. Hours passed, and Obee took a tray of lunch and another one for dinner in to him. Polishing it off, Draco returned to the book. When he had finished it, it was nearly dark outside. Casting a tempus charm, he saw that it was almost eight.
"Knobby! Prepare my bed!" Draco called as he exited the library.
There was no reply.
Draco called out again. Still no response. He grew worried. Changing his direction to check the kitchen, he found Knobby and Obee happily chatting with two unfamiliar elves. Well, when he stared curiously at the newcomers, he realized he did in fact recognize one of them.
"Dobby?" He asked in shock.
The elves all paused. Knobby and Obee, seeing their master, became sheepish, rubbing their hands together. Because they hadn't broken any rules, they didn't punish themselves, and besides, Draco didn't have them do such a thing anyway.
Dobby turned around. His eyes widened. "Master Draco! Hello, hello! Dobby did not be seeing you here! Dobby apologizes for not coming and speaking to you directly, but he thought you might not want to be seeing Dobby anymore."
Draco laughed. "Wouldn't want to see you? I missed you so much after you left. I feared Father had killed you until I saw you rescue Potter and his gangs from Aunt Bella. Then I worried you would get the wrong impression of me."
Dobby shook his head. "No wrong 'pressions, Master Draco. Dobby and Kreacher came to deliver a message from our new master!"
Draco looked at the other elf, who was rather old and looked grumpy. Kreacher sneered at him. "Filthy bloodtraitor." Dobby elbowed Kreacher.
"Master Draco is pure blood! He is not a bloodtraitor!" Dobby whispered loudly. Kreacher looked at Draco out of the corner of his eye, then humphed, but did not give Draco any more trouble.
Dobby looked apologetic. "Dobby is sorry, Sir. Kreacher is the Black family elf, and he is not friendly to anyone but our master."
"I am part of the Black family." Draco looked at Kreacher again, but the elf did not change his attitude.
"Like I said, sir, he's only friendly to Master." Dobby elbowed Kreacher again.
"Who is your new master?" Draco asked, curious. Who had Dobby belonged to all these years?
"Master Harry Potter, sir. Dobby was a free elf, but he missed Master Potter, so he followed him. When Master left the Wizarding Community, Dobby went too, so Master Potter asked Dobby to be his house elf. Kreacher is his, too, because Master Potter is the new Lord Black." Dobby said in a rush of breath. Kreacher sniffed, then added, "Kreacher lives to serve the noble house of Black."
Draco froze. Potter. So it was true. Harry Potter was Gryffin. Dobby pulled on Draco's pant leg. "Is Master Draco alright?"
Draco shook his head. "Yes, Dobby, I'm fine. Go ahead and tell me your message."
Dobby nodded, clearing his throat. "Harry Potter requests the presence of one Draconis Malfoy at Gladstone Manor on the 17th of August at precisely 12 o'clock. He asks that you come alone and tell no one. Oh, and that you bring Firewhisky."
Draco chuckled. "Firewhisky?"
"Master Potter's run out."
There you go, two short chapters at the same time. Satisfied? I hope so. Together, they should compensate for their individual…. shortness.