Dobby ran down the halfway with the sock in hand. He was free of the Malfoys! What could be a better present! Dobby knew he could never truly repay Harry Potter, but he would have to try, because giving him freedom was the best gift he had every received.
Dobby ran through the halls, looking for somewhere he could rest or hide, a bit afraid that Master Malfoy may force Dobby to rejoin his staff. Even though that was forbidden in the wizarding world, Dobby didn't put anything past Master Malfoy, as he had proven himself to be a horrible man with no respect for the rules, at least during the time Dobby worked for him.
Dobby decided to put his sock on, thinking that it could help warm his body, and wanting to keep his memento of his freedom close by. Several Hogwarts students he passed by gave him a funny look, probably due to his strange, one-socked look, and also due to the fact that they were used to never seeing a House Elf, at least never seeing a good one. Dobby, however, didn't care, as he was free to do what he wanted! He was a free House Elf, and was going to change the way things had worked, at least for him, as he was tired of being a slave.
Dobby, drunk on his own freedom, hardly noticed he cut in front of Professor Snape, who he knew fairly little of anyways. The professor, enraged that a House Elf would dare to step in front of a human, even worse, a professor, pulled his foot back to kick poor Dobby in the head. However, surrounded by students, he decided it would be better to wait until he was alone. He knew he already had a horrible reputation with most of the students without kicking a defenseless creature in the hallways, no matter how disrespectful it had been. Snape tapped Dobby on the shoulder, leaning down low the ground.
Dobby turned, surprised, and came face to face with Snape's giant nose, which Snape had stuck only centimeters away from Dobby's face. Standing back up, Snape looked down his nose at Dobby, and began to rant, "You stupid elf, you know better than to step in front of a human. What are you doing in the halls, anyways? Didn't you learn to hide from the public view? Get back to work, you pitiful wretch."
Now fully enraged, Snape looked around him, and, satisfied that he was well enough alone, gave Dobby a hard kick in the back, making a dark foot mark on his pillow case. Dobby, not knowing what to do, ran into a nearby closet, and heard Snape follow him. Scared still, Dobby cowered in a corner as the door opened, Snape now livid.
"GET...TO...WORK!" Snape screamed, and threw Dobby out of the closet. Slamming into a nearby wall, Dobby looked to get away, finding the only nearby exit being a small grate. Prying the lid off quickly, Dobby dove into the unknown area beyond the grate without giving it a second thought.
He knew now what he had to do. Dobby had to find Albus Dumbledore and talk to him about Snape, and perhaps weasel a second sock out of the headmaster. Dobby had heard, from Harry, only good things about Dumbledore. He knew that if anyone could help him, it would be the headmaster. Dobby peered into the pathway ahead of him, realizing that he was now in an air duct. Crawling forward, Dobby began a long trek through the dark.
Dobby ran through the halls, looking for somewhere he could rest or hide, a bit afraid that Master Malfoy may force Dobby to rejoin his staff. Even though that was forbidden in the wizarding world, Dobby didn't put anything past Master Malfoy, as he had proven himself to be a horrible man with no respect for the rules, at least during the time Dobby worked for him.
Dobby decided to put his sock on, thinking that it could help warm his body, and wanting to keep his memento of his freedom close by. Several Hogwarts students he passed by gave him a funny look, probably due to his strange, one-socked look, and also due to the fact that they were used to never seeing a House Elf, at least never seeing a good one. Dobby, however, didn't care, as he was free to do what he wanted! He was a free House Elf, and was going to change the way things had worked, at least for him, as he was tired of being a slave.
Dobby, drunk on his own freedom, hardly noticed he cut in front of Professor Snape, who he knew fairly little of anyways. The professor, enraged that a House Elf would dare to step in front of a human, even worse, a professor, pulled his foot back to kick poor Dobby in the head. However, surrounded by students, he decided it would be better to wait until he was alone. He knew he already had a horrible reputation with most of the students without kicking a defenseless creature in the hallways, no matter how disrespectful it had been. Snape tapped Dobby on the shoulder, leaning down low the ground.
Dobby turned, surprised, and came face to face with Snape's giant nose, which Snape had stuck only centimeters away from Dobby's face. Standing back up, Snape looked down his nose at Dobby, and began to rant, "You stupid elf, you know better than to step in front of a human. What are you doing in the halls, anyways? Didn't you learn to hide from the public view? Get back to work, you pitiful wretch."
Now fully enraged, Snape looked around him, and, satisfied that he was well enough alone, gave Dobby a hard kick in the back, making a dark foot mark on his pillow case. Dobby, not knowing what to do, ran into a nearby closet, and heard Snape follow him. Scared still, Dobby cowered in a corner as the door opened, Snape now livid.
"GET...TO...WORK!" Snape screamed, and threw Dobby out of the closet. Slamming into a nearby wall, Dobby looked to get away, finding the only nearby exit being a small grate. Prying the lid off quickly, Dobby dove into the unknown area beyond the grate without giving it a second thought.
He knew now what he had to do. Dobby had to find Albus Dumbledore and talk to him about Snape, and perhaps weasel a second sock out of the headmaster. Dobby had heard, from Harry, only good things about Dumbledore. He knew that if anyone could help him, it would be the headmaster. Dobby peered into the pathway ahead of him, realizing that he was now in an air duct. Crawling forward, Dobby began a long trek through the dark.