Harry froze. At first he thought it was an illusion, a morok... But suddenly a fiery wave seemed to sweep through the body, leaving crystal-clear thoughts, clear as the facets of a diamond. Everything that followed was imprinted in the mind by flashes playing on diamond facets.
Flash... Room. In the middle of it is a table surrounded by chairs. Dumbledore, James Potter, Lily Potter, Sirius Black, Molly Weasley and Arthur Weasley, Ron, Ginny and the Weasley twins are sitting at the table; Snape is leaning against the wall in the far corner.
Flash... Snape looks at the assembled company with contempt and hatred. Harry notes that they don't notice it. Don't see or don't want to see?
Flash... Sirius doesn't look like a fugitive forced to hide in a hated place. And he certainly doesn't look like a man who escaped from Azkaban. Rich clothes, clean, well-groomed skin, beautiful hair, curly wave descending to the shoulders. Aristocratic manners.
Flash... James Potter and Lily Potter don't look like the dead at all. The appearance screams of WEALTH. James has the look of a spoiled aristocrat. But Lily Potter, although she is dressed no less richly and looks no less well-groomed, is slightly short of a real aristocrat. It is felt that she did not grow up in an aristocratic family and, although manners were instilled in her and an external gloss was put on, alas and ah, there is no BREED in her. Harry mentally compared Lily Potter and Narcissa Malfoy. Nouveau riche and aristocrats.
Flash... Dumbledore gives instructions, sipping from a cup of hot tea. Harry's words and the answers of others are imprinted in his brain.
"Sirius. You have to keep ignoring the boy. But by Christmas, send him a postcard or a letter."
"of course. I don't understand why I have to communicate with him at all! No manners, no brains."
" Ron. You're not trying hard to get along with Harry. What am I paying you for? Take an example from your brothers and sisters."
" But I'm trying! All this is a beaver! She won't let anyone see Harry! And anyway, why should I pretend that I'm in love with her? She has a library instead of brains!"
"I've already explained it to you! And repeatedly! By marrying her, you will get rid of the stigma of a Blood Traitor! So go ahead! Otherwise, I will terminate your funding. Your tantrums and problems don't bother me anymore, and I'm not interested in your excuses! Take an example from Fred and George! They even managed to persuade Harry to give them the winnings! Well done!"
The twins giggled.
"Yes, Ronnikins! This jerk didn't even draw up a contract, as it should be! Learn!"
"Ginny. You'll be pouring potions from Christmas. Severus will cook everything you need. Isn't that right, my boy?"
Snape looks with terrible hatred and contempt. James Potter laughs:
" Come on, Nynius, you owe me. Life. Otherwise I can exterminate him. And your pathetic attempts to help this brat will not help you!"
Harry sees a series of cases when the professor helped him. First year, second, third... Over and over again.
"Severus. I'll need you to do occlumency with Harry. It will be necessary to break his mental shields. I want the Lord to climb into his head as if to his home. You'll do it after Christmas."
Suddenly Harry and Hermione found themselves in the classroom. Hermione felt that she could move and, tearing off their robes, turned to Harry. Even though she was in a state of semi-shock from everything that had happened, she nevertheless understood that Harry was now much worse than she was. She turned to him and felt the hair on her head move with horror.
Her best friend's face was as white as chalk. It seemed that an ice statue was standing in front of her, carved out of a thousand-year-old white ice, which only happens somewhere in Antarctica. Eyes... like two emeralds of the purest water. Empty, cold.
But the worst thing is that the pupils have become vertical. Like a snake.
Harry looked at her carefully, and then turned his gaze to the elf. He looked at him like a rabbit at a boa constrictor, and behaved suspiciously quietly.
"Dobby, why did you say you couldn't protect me?"
"The evil headmaster is the master of all Hogwarts elves!" Dobby lives and works at Hogwarts! He can't resist the director's orders! Dobby tried to hit his head on the floor, but Harry stopped him with one imperious "stop!"
"What does it take for you to be able to?"
"Harry Potter, sir, must become Dobby's master!"
"OK. I, Harry James Potter (Hermione saw him grimace as he pronounced his first and last name), take you, Dobby, into my service as my personal housekeeper, so that you serve me. So be it!"
Light flashed around Harry and Dobby for a moment, concentrating in the form of Dobby's collar and in the form of a bracelet on Harry's right hand. A clean pillowcase appeared on the house. However, there was no coat of arms or monogram on it. Harry nodded with satisfaction and turned to Hermione:
"Miona. All questions tomorrow, at the same place. And now... Dobby. Take us to our bedrooms, just so that no one notices. Do it!"
The elf nodded, and in a moment they were lying on their beds.