October 31, 1992

October 31st ended up being the perfect fall day, with a crisp breeze sweeping through the air and leaves floating gently to the ground. Not that Hermione experienced the gorgeous outdoors, however. Her classes had led to her being stuck inside the castle all day, leaving her staring outside with longing as the other Slytherins finished getting ready in the morning.

"This is incredible," Harry breathed, sitting on the couch next to Hermione. Theo nodded to the brunette before heading upstairs to finish getting ready. Hermione looked over at her acquaintance, noting that he was wearing one of Blaise's robes and that his hair was still messy, but now looked as if it had been purposefully tousled that way.

"What? The Slytherin common room?" Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head, before changing his mind and nodding. "Yes. I mean no. But, you can't feel the magic?"

Hermione frowned. "What do you mean, feel the magic?"

"Every time someone puts a picture down or eats the bread," Harry began explaining, "it's as if something is singing to me. Something...deeper."

"That's interesting," Hermione murmured, her mind racing through the possibilities. "How could a person feel magic, though?"

Harry shrugged. "Beats me."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, simply watching the Slytherins as they placed pictures on the mantel. A third year placed a picture right next to the one of James and Lily Potter, and Harry beamed a little brighter.

"Hey, Potter?" Hermione asked suddenly. "How come you never responded to my letters?"

"What letters?"

"The ones I sent you over the summer," Hermione replied.

"Oh, a house elf named Dobby was taking my letters," Harry said nonchalantly.

"A house elf named Dobby was doing what?" Draco Malfoy said in an icy voice, appearing next to them.

"Er, he was taking my letters," Harry said. "Trying to stop me from going back to Hogwarts due to some plot or something."

Draco muttered something darkly under his breath. "Come to my room with me, Potter. You too, Hermione."

The two Slytherins and sole Gryffindor headed up the stairs to the boys dorms, where Draco pushed the door to the second year boys' room open.

"Hermione?" Blaise asked in bewilderment, tugging one of his shoes on. "What are you doing here?"

Hermione waved slightly and looked around the room. It was very similar to hers, but with all the girly clothes and colors and jewelry all missing. Instead were broomsticks and quidditch gear, and a couple of socks lying in various places on the floor. "Good morning to you too, Blaise."

Blaise had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. "Good morning, Hermione. Please tell me why you have graced us with your presence this early in the morning?"

It was Hermione's turn to flush now. "Draco told us to come."

Blaise looked past Hermione to see Harry standing there. "Oh hello, Harry."

'Harry'? Hermione mouthed to her friend, but he ignored her.

"Right," Draco said determinedly, striding past the two to reach a bed Hermione assumed was his. "Dobby!" A large crack filled the air moments before a small creature appeared in front of Draco.

"Master Draco called?" the creature asked in a high-pitched voice, bowing so low his long nose almost scraped the floor. Hermione couldn't help herself; she shrieked.

"What is that?" she cried, stepping backwards and almost falling as she tripped over a sock. "Ahh!" she flailed her arms in the air before they were pinned down by someone catching her. "Thank you Blaise," she said sheepishly.

"It's a house elf," Draco explained. "They serve wizarding families and do all the cooking and cleaning."

"And do they get paid in exchange or something?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"No, of course not," Draco said, horrified. "You don't pay an elf, that's ridiculous."

"So it's unpaid slavery?" Hermione questioned. "You make him call you master and he has to bow?! That's barbaric!"

"Well how do you think we eat?" Draco shot back. "Hogwarts has one of the largest colonies of house elves in the country."

Hermione let out a small shriek and clamped her hands over her mouth. "Okay, okay," Blaise cut in. "I'm going to explain before Hermione goes on a hunger streak or something. Hermione, and Harry," he added as an afterthought. "House elves are bonded to their master or mistress. The bond is similar to an exchange of magic. When a house elf bonds with a witch or wizard, they promise to protect their masters' lives and secrets and serve them in the best way that they can. In exchange, as long as the master is living and has a magical home, the house elf will receive magic from his master, magic that is needed for the elf to live. House elves cannot live without wizard magic, Hermione," Blaise said clearly. "Do some people mistreat their elves? Yes. But a house elf bond is not slavery. We have three elves and they're all treated as part of our family. They do not want to be freed, Hermione. They do not want wages or days off. House elves are happiest when they are working. A happy master and clean home is a happy elf."

"Dobby, have you met Potter before?" Draco demanded of his elf once Blaise had finished speaking.

Dobby peaked through his long, skeletal fingers at the black-haired boy and promptly nodded.

"Dobby, Potter tells me that you went to his house to warn him about some danger at Hogwarts. Is this true?" Dobby nodded again. "Tell me all that you know about this danger," Draco ordered.

"Dobby cannot speak of Master Lucius' secrets," Dobby said in his high voice. "Dobby will not speak of you-know-who and Master Lucius' plans and betray Master Lucius' secrets."

Draco cursed loudly. "Dobby, go back home and resume your work," he ordered. "Do not tell anyone of this conversation. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Master Draco," Dobby squeaked out before disappearing.

"He told me a bit more," Harry offered.

"Likely Father told him not to say anything after," Draco said in a disgusted voice. "We'll just have to keep our eyes out for anything suspicious. I doubt Father would bring danger to Hogwarts, though. I'm here, after all."

"This could mean danger," Harry protested. "Real danger. And we're not going to do anything?"

Hermione managed to catch Blaise's eye and the two shared a solemn look. "We don't know anything," Hermione tried to explain. "The best we can do is keep our eyes open."

"What about telling a teacher? Dumbledore?" Harry protested.

The Slytherins all shared cold looks. "Albus Dumbledore is dead to all Slytherins," Blaise said finally. "But let's not talk about this on Samhain, of all days. Come on. Classes start soon and we've got the feast later. And hopefully we can actually get to the bonfire this year."